Garote loves cyclists

This gentleman is fully excellent (on this webpage, anyway).

He says:
"Life is too short to stay in the suburbs anyway, and it's too short to spend it all inside a car.  In fact, screw this whole frustrating, isolating, expensive, car-worshipping paradigm.  You can escape it!  A bicycle can take you there! And to everyone who has ever driven their car past bicyclists, only to park at a fitness center:  Don't let fear control you. There are local resources to help you integrate bicycling with your life, and cycle safely. You can spend that 50 dollar membership fee at your favorite restaurant instead (and still get in great shape). And there will be less post-modern irony in your life. Heh heh heh."

Check out his whole pro-bike, not-so-keen-on-bike-hostile-urban-design rant here: http://garote.bdmonkeys.net/bike_charger/1-Introduction_and_Rant.html.

I also enjoy his focus-on-the essentials, grass roots approach:
"I could start listing off the various brand names of the components...  Who made the shifters, who made the frame, et cetera, like all the other gearheads do ... but it honestly doesn't matter.  I bought it used, and I have no idea what I'm riding.  All I do know is that it's a mountain bike, and that the handlebars are weird. (Actually, the term "mountain bike" is almost an anachronism.  The classifications get much more complicated.  You can find bikes custom built from the frame on up, for high-speed racing, long-distance touring, short-distance touring, rock-hopping, stunts, riding mountain trails, or tooling around downtown.  If I had an extra four thousand bucks lying around, I could easily drop the full amount on any one of these.  Well, actually, I'd rather spend the money on food, and keep my bike.  Hah.)"

You rock, Garote! Station!

Brian loves Amsterdam cyclists

From Brian's web page:

"I stopped in Amsterdam, Netherlands on my way back from a 2006_europe_motorcycle_trip.  During a 73 minute period on 9/12/06 at one corner of Nieuw Markt (a nice open square in Amsterdam), I took the following 82 pictures of bicycles.  Why?  Because sitting there I noticed how remarkably different the whole Amsterdam bicycle scene was from my home, and at the same time certain very clear 'Amsterdam Bicycle Trends' appeared I thought might be interesting to point out.   I am from the San Francisco area, California, USA."

Here are the categories of Amsterdam cycling trends Brian noticed:
1. Formally Dressed Bicyclists
2. Multiple Riders on One Bike
3. No Helmets EVER
4. Dogs on Bikes
5. Human Powered Generator (Dynamo) Bicycle Light
6. Spectacular Gigantic Unbreakable Security Chains
7.  other trends

Sadly, Brian claims that "EVERY bicycle in Amsterdam is outfitted with a dynamo powered head lamp, where the rider has to pump extra super hard and the head lamp shines dimly.  If you are younger than 35 years old, you probably have never seen one of these in the USA, we have very bright headlamps for bicycles that add much less weight and do not increase resistance.  I haven't seen a single dynamo powered bicycle in San Francisco in over 20 years.   Once I saw a 'Simpsons' (animated comedy) episode where Bart turned on his dynamo bicycle headlamp and could barely make forward progress-> in the USA these dynamo powered headlamps are considered a JOKE, but almost a quarter million bicycles in Amsterdam all have them"

The truth is that the bicycles my friend and I rented in SAN FRANCISCO had dynamo lights. AND they were bright. AND they required almost no extra work to power. That technology has come a long way since Brian dismissed it. And it's on the rental bikes in his very own city.

Also, about the huge chains that the Dutch use to lock up their bikes, Brian says "The ton of high tensile, military hardened steel in each security chain must be worth more than the bicycle it is keeping safe!" He fails to see the point that locking one's bike is not just about protecting a monetary investment. It's about preventing the extreme inconvenience of losing one's bike. When a bike is stolen, the bike's rightful owner has to find another way home AND has to file a police report AND has to obtain a new bike. AND that person has to go to all the trouble of customizing the replacement bike to his or her needs. Big-time hassle.

In any case, it's awesome that Brian is so into commuter cycling! Right on, Brian!

cho_baka loves cyclists

A blogger gave a very short and heartwarming little story at http://cho-baka.livejournal.com/44885.html:

"Saturday I rode [my road bike] 46 miles, to and fro Valley Forge. What a workout. But it was good, and I'm excited to do it again. Tomorrow I'll try to ride 25 to 30. Funny the things I'm realizing though: Saturday I blew a tube about 3 miles from anywhere, and me and Kent (a spanish teacher at my school) stared at each other dumbfounded. Luckily about 2/3 of cyclists are AWESOME and a guy (a bike angel?!) named Al, who seemed to know a bit of everything about bikes gave me one of his tubes. It was great."

Thanks for sharing, cho_baka!

Colorado loves cyclists

http://www.kansascyclist.com/news/2009/08/colorados-new-bicycling-safety-law/

In August 2009, the American state of Colorado passed the "Bicycle Safety Act". Here are the main points of the Act:

• Drivers must give cyclists at least 3 feet of space when passing or risk a $110 ticket.
• Motorists are allowed to cross the centerline, when it’s safe to do so, in order to pass bicyclists.
• Bicyclists may ride up to two abreast when not impeding the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.
• Bicyclists must ride as far to the right of the roadway as is *safe*.
• The bill makes throwing an object towards a bicyclist a class 2 misdemeanor and driving towards a bicyclist in a dangerous manner a careless driving offense.
• The bill also makes it a class 1 petty offense for anyone to throw an object at or against any vehicle.

Well done, Colorado!

This coffee shop loves cyclists... or these cyclists love coffee

http://uphillgrind.net/home/

"Uphill Grind" is "a full service bicycle shop and a full service coffee shop, meeting the needs of all types of cyclists and coffee aficionados." Plus, they "are also avid supporters of the cycling community, including
the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, Bombay Bicycle Club, Capital Off Road Pathfinders." Right on!

Now if only they'd tell us where they are!

This list-maker loves cyclists

http://cyclinginfo.co.uk/blog/cycling/10-reasons-to-love-cyclists/

This writer who clearly likes cyclist probably is one. I enjoy how this writer can laugh simultaneously at him- or herself and at motorists by saying, for example, that all cyclists wear sandals. I have read anti-bike writing that makes this claim very seriously. (In any case, I'd be interest to know what percentage of bike haters are Christian. Wasn't Jesus big into sandals?)

Anyway, this ironic column summarizes some of the best points about cycling in an enjoyably humorous way. Thanks!

Phil Gaimon loves cyclists

From http://www.sharethedamnroad.com:

Phil Gaimon, a professional cyclist, created cycling shirts that say things like "SLOW DOWN", "DON'T RUN ME OVER", and, yes, "SHARE THE DAMN ROAD". These messages are printed in big all-caps text ont he back of the shirts.

"Share The Damn Road was created by professional cyclist Phil Gaimon. Phil was tired of being honked at, buzzed, and cussed out while he trained, and frustrated that the speed of motor vehicles made witty and insulting replies impossible. To solve that problem, he set out to create a line of jerseys that express what he's always wanted to say to passing cars. Get one yourself, and finally experience the joy of having the last word.
The goal is to convey messages of safety and cyclist's rights, but there is an element of humor and frustration, which we feel cannot be denied in the cyclist/motorist relationship, so these jerseys are not for wimps."