Bike is “Slow-Moving Vehicle”

Bike safety is promoted on the LAPD Website

This week Sgt. David Krumer of the Los Angeles Police Department in a presentation admitted that even members of the LAPD are “not well-versed in the Vehicle Code as it pertains to cyclists.” Krumer, who serves as the department’s liaison to the cycling community, analyzed sections of the California Vehicle Code, which identifies bicycles as “slow-moving vehicles.”

This in itself is not innovative, but it should help make the road friendly for riders overtime as it could create better understanding between riders and drivers. Some of the key points of California traffic law that were discussed:

• Cyclists may ride in the middle of a lane as long as their speed does not impede traffic flow.
• To avoid the “door zone”—the space occupied by an open door from a vehicle parked curbside—cyclists must ride three feet from parked cars.
• Riding side-by-side, also called “two abreast,” instead of in a more lane-space-efficient single file line is legal if there is more than one lane in the direction in which the cyclists are traveling that motorists can use to pass on the left.
• A cyclist is impeding traffic if followed by five or more motor vehicles. The law requires a turnout to the right in such an instance.
• Cyclists in crosswalks are a very gray area and for the most part left to an individual officer’s judgment as to whether a citable offense has occurred.
• Traveling the wrong way on a street is never legal for a bike rider, but it is sometimes permissible when riding on the sidewalk, which cyclists are allowed to do.

So will this help ensure that drivers share the road? Maybe, but knowledge can go a long way.

[Via Sherman Oaks Patch.com: Law Defines a Bicycle as a ‘Slow-Moving Vehicle’]

Helmet Mohawks Cool, But Cautionary

There’s a new trend in modding bike helmets to give the headgear a Mohawk. Craftzine has a great post on this activity. We applaud the individuality. We don’t mean to be nervous nellies either, but before you attach a ridge of spikes to your helmet, you should think about a few guidelines.

A few bodies including the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and SNELL regulate helmets. Manufacturers follow these guidelines for safety. Modifications can potentially change a helmet so it won’t perform its function of protecting your head in the unfortunate event of a crash.

If you attach fabric or materials without changing the structure of the helmet, then go for it. We’re certainly not one to stand in the way of individuality and creativity. But don’t do anything that could reduce the effectiveness of the helmet.

Continue reading Helmet Mohawks Cool, But Cautionary

Shift Into Gear With Hydraulics

Hydraulics have long been used in heavy industry, but in bikes the technology has been limited to braking. Now the technology could put you in high-gear – or really any gear at all. German component-maker Acros recently unveiled it’s AG-E hydradulic shifting system at the Sea Otter Mountain Biking Trade Show in Monterey.

This technology is used for both the front and rear shifters and works with a single push-activated thumb paddle. Sealed hoses carrying mineral oil run from the cylinder to the respective derailleur. According to reports the system will work with 8-, 9- and 10-speed cassettes. The company notes that this should cause less friction and that the oil can’t stretch over time – meaning that adjustments and tweaks shouldn’t be necessary.

The catch is that if air should get in the lines the system won’t be user-serviceable. The other downside is that while the system is said to weigh far less than the Shimano XTR or SRAM XX, it is also far from light on the bank account. The system will cost a reported $2,320!

[Via BikeRadar.com: Sea Otter 2011: Acros bring hydraulic shifting to market]

Custom Bikes Built to Fit Rider Like a Glove

Most bikes are bought off the shelf. You may special order a bike, but you order it to your size just like clothes on store racks. Then there’s couture, or custom orders that are built to the rider’s specifications. They’re built to height and body proportions, and custom designed for the type of riding planned for the bikes.

One company, KGS Bikes based in San Antonio, TX, uses a custom trainer to determine the rider’s exact requirements. The trainer is called BalancePoint. It looks like a trainer with a seat, handlebars, a rear wheel, but it has cranks and dials to adjust the bike while riding. KGS then takes measurements to build the bike.

“Our clients fly to Texas for the experience of creating the ride of their lives. We invented our BalancePoint positioning system with the custom bicycle owner in mind, so there is no reference to any existing bike. It takes a few hours and is a hard workout, but the data we get in the process allows us to work remotely from then on,” said company president Kevin Saunders.

KGS takes measurements, and typically works with high-end bike manufacturers to build the actual bike. The company offers frames from Parlee, Passoni, Cyfac, Co-Motion and Eriksen. It then builds the frame with components to further adjust the custom ride.

Many will suffer from sticker shock. While prices vary for custom bike orders among different shops, four bikes recently sold by KGS for roughly $27,000 each. In addition to measurements fit to each rider, the bikes were designed with steering and balance for climbing and descending mountain passes since they will mostly be ridden in and around Vail, CO.

For more information check out KGS Bikes

Old Sport Continues To Make a Comeback

What do you need to play polo? Well, you either need a large field and a lot of horse or a large swimming pool. But there is another game, namely bicycle polo. The Minnesota Daily, the sport is starting to make a comeback, and not just in the land of a thousand lakes. The paper notes that the Minneapolis Bike Polo team placed fifth our of 36 teams in a tournament this past March in Little Rock, Ark.

The first match was reportedly held back in Ireland in 1891 when bicycles were used in place of horses. Cyclist Richard J. Mecredy may not be of the Abner Doubleday notoriety but perhaps one day he’ll be as famous – at least to the players of bicycle polo.

The game had made a comeback throughout the 1990s with a variety of rules, but in 1999 players in Seattle moved to the hard-court version, and since 2007 has seen a spike in players – with the game now being played around the world, including the United States, Ireland, England, Germany, France and even far off places like Indonesia, Argentina and Pakistan. Cycle polo was even recognized by the International Cycling Union in 2001.

The game is currently played on both grass fields and on the hardcourt, but alas no water bicycle polo version… yet.

[Via Minnesota Daily: Bikers gear up for polo season]

Texas Power Company to Pretty Up Trails

Richardson, Texas is about to get some new hiking and biking trails, courtesy of Oncor Electric Delivery Company. The Oncor Texas Trails program will turn the company’s transmission rights-of-way into hike and bike trails.

Oncor worked with la terra studio, a Dallas-based landscape architectural firm to develop a design template for the Oncor Texas Trails project. Oncor employees will volunteer their time to support this program and follow the landscaping template to beautify the trails.

“We are in our communities listening to our customers and they tell us that community trails are important to them,” said Oncor Chief Customer Officer Brenda Jackson. “The Oncor Texas Trails program is a way we can truly give back to our customers throughout our communities. It will also give our employees another opportunity to support community needs.”

The power company already has a number of hike and bike trails in its transmission rights-of-way. New templates for the trails include recreational use of transmission rights-of-way, including native and low maintenance landscape designs.

The Oncor Texas Trails program is a part of Oncor’s commitment to supporting health and fitness initiatives.

Oncor Electric Delivery Company

Trek to Recycle Old Carbon Cycles

All good things come to an end, and that means today’s hot new road bikes will someday be old news, outdated technology and just ready to be replaced (even Lance Armstrong’s road bike at the left). It might be hard to even think about it, especially when we see the sticker price on those new carbon bikes – but carbon isn’t exactly as timeless as a diamond, at least not in the processed form.

The downside is that many space age composites are designed not to degrade so easily. Carbon fiber doesn’t rust like steel, but unlike steel, aluminum or titanium carbon can’t be melted down as scrap metal. In other words carbon fiber isn’t exactly a “green” technology, but now it seems Trek is just one bicycle maker looking to get on the recycling band wagon. Continue reading Trek to Recycle Old Carbon Cycles

Bay Area Residents Say You Can Bike There

The League of American Bicyclists calls May National Bike Month. It makes a lot of sense. For a large part of the country, cyclists are just getting back on the saddle. And many of us are itching to do so. We don’t need an excuse such as Bike Month, but it’s nice motivation.

Additional incentive is Bike to Work Day, Thursday May 12. It’s the 17th Annual of such days for the Bay Area. This year they’re hosting sign-ups on the YouCanBikeThere.com web site. Get a few friends and coworkers together to sign up as a team of 2-5 people. The Team Bike Challenge officially kicks off May 1. Log your rides on the teambikechallenge.org site to compete. You can check your team’s status through the personalized Facebook Friends Leader board.

For the Bike to Work challenge, every member of the top scoring team in each county will receive a bike-related prize valued over $50. The top scoring team in the Bay Area receives a bike-related prize valued at over $1,000.

Even if you’re not in the Bay Area, the weather is starting to lend itself to biking to work and other places you may be headed. The Bike to Work challenge says “It’s a fun and easy way to see just how much biking does for your health, budget, and the environment.”

League of American Bicyclists

Bike to Work Day’s You Can Bike There

Log your miles at Team Bike Challenge

Students Push for Bike-Friendly Streets in Prescott

Students at Prescott College in Prescott, AZ aren’t happy with the state of biking in their city and as part of a class project they’re coming up with a solution to present to the local government. Students enrolled in the course The Bicycle: Vehicle for Social Change, studied possible solutions for bike-friendly roadways and plan to follow-through in changing the community.

The course guides students through the bicycle’s beneficial role in society. Students traveled to Europe to attend the Velo-city conference in Seville, Spain last month where the Charter of Seville was signed. The Charter is a document that proposes the acceptance of cycling. At the Velo-city conference the students observed the gathering of officials from cities including the Netherlands, Spain and other communities around the world. Continue reading Students Push for Bike-Friendly Streets in Prescott

Bike Stability Still Baffles Science

If you’re just learning how to ride a bike, you may be surprised at how stable the bike is once you start rolling. It turns out an academic team of engineers studied the physics behind cycling and still remain puzzled by a bike’s ability to be self-stable.

This group of academics with degrees in engineering wrote a paper published in Science Mag, “A Bicycle Can Be Self-Stable Without Gyroscopic or Caster Effects.” The group of four engineers studied the bike, its history, and built a bike absent of gyroscopic forces found on most bikes, and found the bike still remains upright. While the math works out, the physics remain a bit of a mystery.

via [ars technica]

Ride the Tour of California With Strava and AEG

There are a few ways to ride the Amgen Tour of California. You can train hard, win local races, get picked up by a team and ride with the pros. Or you can ride it virtually with Strava, creator powerful Web and mobile applications for avid athletes, and AEG, one of the leading sports and entertainment providers. The two companies have announced that Strava will power social fitness for next month’s Tour. The three-year partnership will bring Strava’s event maps to the Web and mobile platforms. Strava is further supplying complimentary premium memberships to all race participants and will also offer training and race-day challenges.

“We are excited to partner with AEG to bring the sport of cycling even closer to the fans,” said Michael Horvath, CEO of Strava. “Strava’s GPS maps and online competitions allow avid cyclists to follow their favorite pros, compare and compete, and gain deeper insight into their own training.” Continue reading Ride the Tour of California With Strava and AEG

Denim As Accessory to Your Single Speed

Hipsters, we know you love your single speeds. But we don’t love it when your bare your butts in your skinny heans while riding. Since you won’t wear spandex with all its beneficial properties like wicking, cooling and padding in strategic areas, it’s time to invest in skinny jeans made for cycling.

Levi has a version of its 511 jeans just for you. The Levi 511 Skinny Commuter is just for you. It even has a jacket companion, the Trucker Jacket Commuter. The denim outfit is packed with safety and convenience features while keeping in style.

Continue reading Denim As Accessory to Your Single Speed

Acura In the Bike Race With BMC Racing Team

Automaker Acura has announced that it is now the official North American vehicle sponsor of the BMC Racing Team, and will provide the team with a fleet of specially-equipped TSX Sport Wagons for use as the team cars at all North American races.

This is something we don’t think about, but it is part of the business of professional racing, and the cars are extremely important for the teams. During races, each modified TSX Sport Wagon will serve as a rolling command center, repair shop, hospital and cafeteria to support BMC Racing Team riders as they compete in grueling multi-day events through some of the most spectacular cycling terrain in North America.

“The BMC Racing Team is one of the top teams in professional cycling,” said Steve Center, vice president of national marketing operations for Acura. “Their aggressive approach and commitment to the best technology and constant improvement make them a perfect match with the Acura brand.”

The BMC Racing Team Acura TSX Sport Wagons will debut at the week-long 2011 Amgen Tour of California, starting May 15 in South Lake Tahoe, CA.

Acura Official Website

BMC Racing Team Official Website