But why weren't they in the bike rack? Besides being out in the weather, the rack was pretty full!
So maybe 20 out of a 1000 people in my building biked to work. 2% is not too many but it is a start.
Location:Research Dr,Cary,United States
Monday, February 28, 2011
Warm Weather Equals More Bikes
I saw a nice site in front of the building where I work, bikes. And not just one or two for the people who ride all year. Here is a batch leaning against the front wall, protected under an overhang.
But why weren't they in the bike rack? Besides being out in the weather, the rack was pretty full!
So maybe 20 out of a 1000 people in my building biked to work. 2% is not too many but it is a start.
But why weren't they in the bike rack? Besides being out in the weather, the rack was pretty full!
So maybe 20 out of a 1000 people in my building biked to work. 2% is not too many but it is a start.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
No Matter How Far You Ride
For me last year's cycling calendar involved a good number of centuries and various other charity rides. This year I am still doing some charity rides and centuries, but I have been adding the longer randonuerring brevets. But one thing I have discovered is that no matter how much you ride, there are always people who ride more.
This week is the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. The 2011 show is in Austin, Texas. If you have a chance to go, then do it. I went last year when the show was in Richmond and really enjoyed it. I just went for the day to the expo. The bicycles, components and accessories were incredible. Even though I was not shopping for a bike, I really enjoyed seeing all the great workmanship. I remember the titanium commuter from Black Sheep Cycles with internal gear hub and a Gates belt drive. It would be perfect for me except that at $8600 I would have to win the lottery to get one and then I wouldn't need it to ride to work.
But really this post is about long rides. After driving 3 hours to Richmond for the show. I was looking around on Saturday and in the early afternoon I ran into some randonnuers I had recently met. They had left Raleigh Friday night and ridden overnight to Richmond. After a nap at a hotel they were enjoying the show. They were taking the train back to Raleigh the next day.
While I move from 100 mile century rides to the 200K (125 mile) brevet rides, I am humbled by 200K being the starting distance. The 2 days I did 200K there were people doing 300K, 400K and 600K rides. In fact I think there were more doing the 600K than the 200K. Many of these people will do a 1200K ride in the summer, either Paris-Bres-Paris or one of the US based rides.
Well I have a long way to go but it is good to have goals.
This week is the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. The 2011 show is in Austin, Texas. If you have a chance to go, then do it. I went last year when the show was in Richmond and really enjoyed it. I just went for the day to the expo. The bicycles, components and accessories were incredible. Even though I was not shopping for a bike, I really enjoyed seeing all the great workmanship. I remember the titanium commuter from Black Sheep Cycles with internal gear hub and a Gates belt drive. It would be perfect for me except that at $8600 I would have to win the lottery to get one and then I wouldn't need it to ride to work.
But really this post is about long rides. After driving 3 hours to Richmond for the show. I was looking around on Saturday and in the early afternoon I ran into some randonnuers I had recently met. They had left Raleigh Friday night and ridden overnight to Richmond. After a nap at a hotel they were enjoying the show. They were taking the train back to Raleigh the next day.
While I move from 100 mile century rides to the 200K (125 mile) brevet rides, I am humbled by 200K being the starting distance. The 2 days I did 200K there were people doing 300K, 400K and 600K rides. In fact I think there were more doing the 600K than the 200K. Many of these people will do a 1200K ride in the summer, either Paris-Bres-Paris or one of the US based rides.
Well I have a long way to go but it is good to have goals.
Location:Division St,Nashville,United States
Monday, February 21, 2011
You often find biking and walking advocacy tied together. One important reason for this seems to be the way government funds are allocated lumps these together.
And while biking and walking don't have exactly the same issues they are related. For example using a bicycle for errands is definitely facilitated by having your stops closer to home. That is why I find the Walk Score interesting as a cyclist.
The walk score is calculated based on distances from various amenities like groceries, shopping, restaurants, schools, coffee shops, bars, parks, entertainment, and banking. It will also give a transit score. Here is an example about halfway along my normal commute.
The web site offers ranking of cities but more interesting to me was being able to enter a specific address and see the walking score. It even gives a comparison to the rest of the city.
You can also use a free iPhone app to check the walk score in various places your travels may take you,
Give it a try. If you are really intrigued the site has lots of details on the algorithm and ongoing research.
And while biking and walking don't have exactly the same issues they are related. For example using a bicycle for errands is definitely facilitated by having your stops closer to home. That is why I find the Walk Score interesting as a cyclist.
The walk score is calculated based on distances from various amenities like groceries, shopping, restaurants, schools, coffee shops, bars, parks, entertainment, and banking. It will also give a transit score. Here is an example about halfway along my normal commute.
The web site offers ranking of cities but more interesting to me was being able to enter a specific address and see the walking score. It even gives a comparison to the rest of the city.
You can also use a free iPhone app to check the walk score in various places your travels may take you,
Give it a try. If you are really intrigued the site has lots of details on the algorithm and ongoing research.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Be vewy vewy quiet, I'm hunting wabbits
While I harbor no illusions that spring has arrived early, but I have been seeing signs of it. This week has featured mild temperatures and I have seen an increase in wild life on my commute. My favorite animal to spot is a rabbit.
No, I don't hunt Bugs Bunny like Elmer Fudd, but I have been known to judge the quality of my ride not by my average speed and heart rate but by the number of rabbits I see. It makes a nice contrast to driving were you almost never see a rabbit.
Lately I have been seeing more rabbits. Some of this is due to the warmer weather and some to my ride covering the pre-dawn light at this point. I have been seeing an average of 3 rabbits along my route. One nice fat one just sat barely off the path the other morning and watched me pass. Usually the move away as I approach and occasionally the run down the path ahead of me and then bolt into the woods.
I have also seen deer a couple of times recently on a section of the greenway which is less than a mile from a state park. That is fairly rare and this section will start getting a lot more traffic as Spring actually starts, which is why spotting them is so rare.
On various commutes of the past I have also seen foxes, snakes, a raccoon, owl, and a turkey. I feel lucky to have a commute I can enjoy so much.
No, I don't hunt Bugs Bunny like Elmer Fudd, but I have been known to judge the quality of my ride not by my average speed and heart rate but by the number of rabbits I see. It makes a nice contrast to driving were you almost never see a rabbit.
Lately I have been seeing more rabbits. Some of this is due to the warmer weather and some to my ride covering the pre-dawn light at this point. I have been seeing an average of 3 rabbits along my route. One nice fat one just sat barely off the path the other morning and watched me pass. Usually the move away as I approach and occasionally the run down the path ahead of me and then bolt into the woods.
I have also seen deer a couple of times recently on a section of the greenway which is less than a mile from a state park. That is fairly rare and this section will start getting a lot more traffic as Spring actually starts, which is why spotting them is so rare.
On various commutes of the past I have also seen foxes, snakes, a raccoon, owl, and a turkey. I feel lucky to have a commute I can enjoy so much.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Local Bike Maps
One thing I have found to be quite valuable for route planning is a local bike map. Sure the Google Bike Maps announced about a year ago are handy. And there are various web sites to help plan routes:
Really there are too many to list. If I missed your favorite add a comment and let us all know about it.
But I really like to sit at the table with a large foldout copy of a map and figure out new routes to try. I have discovered that many communities have bike maps. These will show bike routes, bikes lanes, and bike trails at the very least. You can find them online (usually as PDF files), but I like having a hardcopy. The places I have been have free large hard copies at the local bike shops. If you are searching for one online bike map will tend to find it. They are often combined bike and walk/pedestrian maps. I think that is because that is the way most community budgets work - combining all non-car stuff together.
I have done this with my local Cary map, a Las Vegas map and a San Antonio map. I just pulled up a Nashville map because I am heading there for a few days soon. Which reminds me, I want to try and setup a visit with Walk/Bike Nashville while I am there. Should be at least one good blog post coming if I can set that up.
Really there are too many to list. If I missed your favorite add a comment and let us all know about it.
But I really like to sit at the table with a large foldout copy of a map and figure out new routes to try. I have discovered that many communities have bike maps. These will show bike routes, bikes lanes, and bike trails at the very least. You can find them online (usually as PDF files), but I like having a hardcopy. The places I have been have free large hard copies at the local bike shops. If you are searching for one online bike map will tend to find it. They are often combined bike and walk/pedestrian maps. I think that is because that is the way most community budgets work - combining all non-car stuff together.
I have done this with my local Cary map, a Las Vegas map and a San Antonio map. I just pulled up a Nashville map because I am heading there for a few days soon. Which reminds me, I want to try and setup a visit with Walk/Bike Nashville while I am there. Should be at least one good blog post coming if I can set that up.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Bikes, Busses, Cars, and Trains
Mixed mode commutes might be just the ticket to get you commuting by bike. Some people are able to bike to a train, ride the train to work and return the same way. If you can manage this in all weather you might even be able to completely give up one car in your family. Getting rid of a car is hitting the jackpot. Not only do you save on gas, but the cost of the car, insurance, inspections, tires, oil changes and other maintenance. You not only save money, but you save all the time spent on keeping your car going as well.
Some people are able to combine a bike with a bus. Many places, the bus can also carry your bike allowing you to ride from home to the bus stop, and from the bus stop to your workplace on the other end. This is another scenario that has the potential to let you give up one car in your family.
The final combination is the one I still use, car and bike. For me I drive about 4 miles and park at a neighborhood club house. From there I can bike about 12 miles to work on a round about path that avoids most traffic. There are two reasons I drive the part closest to my house. One is that it would be pretty far to ride both ways every day. But the most important reason is that the roads closest to my house are narrow but heavily traveled. There is not much shoulder and gravel driveways often spill onto the shoulder. The traffic is not very patient when you drive your car the speed limit, 45 mph. In one stretch I get passed by impatient drivers who can't go the speed limit at least once a week. I worry about what these drivers would be like if I was on my bike. One good thing about driving and riding is that you can vary your distance. This makes it a good way to get started. You can pick a shopping center or other good parking that is nearer your work. Ride that for awhile until you are ready to ride farther. Of course this flexibility comes at the cost of not being able to get rid of a car.
These are just some of the ways you can find to include biking in your commute. I hope it will spark some imaginations and encourage people to give it a try.
Some people are able to combine a bike with a bus. Many places, the bus can also carry your bike allowing you to ride from home to the bus stop, and from the bus stop to your workplace on the other end. This is another scenario that has the potential to let you give up one car in your family.
The final combination is the one I still use, car and bike. For me I drive about 4 miles and park at a neighborhood club house. From there I can bike about 12 miles to work on a round about path that avoids most traffic. There are two reasons I drive the part closest to my house. One is that it would be pretty far to ride both ways every day. But the most important reason is that the roads closest to my house are narrow but heavily traveled. There is not much shoulder and gravel driveways often spill onto the shoulder. The traffic is not very patient when you drive your car the speed limit, 45 mph. In one stretch I get passed by impatient drivers who can't go the speed limit at least once a week. I worry about what these drivers would be like if I was on my bike. One good thing about driving and riding is that you can vary your distance. This makes it a good way to get started. You can pick a shopping center or other good parking that is nearer your work. Ride that for awhile until you are ready to ride farther. Of course this flexibility comes at the cost of not being able to get rid of a car.
These are just some of the ways you can find to include biking in your commute. I hope it will spark some imaginations and encourage people to give it a try.
Monday, February 14, 2011
GPS After an Accident
I ran across an interesting story I wanted to share that points out a different use for a GPS on your bike. I often use the Plus3Network iPhone application on my commute to record my ride and earn money for World Bicycle Relief. And many riders use a GPS to record their ride and improve their training. But UCI Professional Track cyclist Ryan Sabga of Black Dog Racing found another use for his Garmin Edge 500.
You can read Ryan's full story, but here is my recap. Ryan was hit by a car in Denver. When the police arrived the driver's account did not match Ryan's. The police said with no further evidence they could not issue the driver a ticket. When Ryan got home, he realized his Garmin did hold further evidence. While the police were not interested in re-opening the file, Ryan had better luck when he contacted the driver's insurance company. The driver had already started a claim to get the car hood repaired where a cyclist had "run into it". Ryan shared the Garmin data with the insurance company. The data showed him stopping properly at the stop sign and then proceeding. Then he was suddenly moving sideways and it even showed a spike in Ryan's heart rate when he was hit. The next day, the insurance company called Ryan back and said they were taking full responsibility for the damages to him and his bike. I just hope the driver was dropped by her insurance company for filing a false report.
Here is a shot of Ryan.
And this case is evidently not unique. Steve Magas on Ohio Bike Lawyer mentions two other involving cyclists and powerful GPS evidence.
You can read Ryan's full story, but here is my recap. Ryan was hit by a car in Denver. When the police arrived the driver's account did not match Ryan's. The police said with no further evidence they could not issue the driver a ticket. When Ryan got home, he realized his Garmin did hold further evidence. While the police were not interested in re-opening the file, Ryan had better luck when he contacted the driver's insurance company. The driver had already started a claim to get the car hood repaired where a cyclist had "run into it". Ryan shared the Garmin data with the insurance company. The data showed him stopping properly at the stop sign and then proceeding. Then he was suddenly moving sideways and it even showed a spike in Ryan's heart rate when he was hit. The next day, the insurance company called Ryan back and said they were taking full responsibility for the damages to him and his bike. I just hope the driver was dropped by her insurance company for filing a false report.
Here is a shot of Ryan.
And this case is evidently not unique. Steve Magas on Ohio Bike Lawyer mentions two other involving cyclists and powerful GPS evidence.
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