Have thick skin? Take the Icy Bike Winter Commuter Challenge
Icy Bike Winter Commuting Challenge is not designed to be a competition, more a challenge to those willing to put on some gloves and shoe covers, get out there to show what you’re made of and keep the pedals turning through the winter. Bicycle commute to work 52 times between October 1 and March 31 and not only will you’ve earned badass status, you can attend the Icy Bike Gala. Join the Facebook group to track your progress.
ChainRing Films has even made a short film about the experience, A Winter of Cyclists. Watch the trailer here.
Tweet PrintWashington City Paper tracks down bike lane graffiti artists
If you ride in our nation’s capital, you may have noticed some friendly messages popping up in the city’s extensive bike lane network:
MORE BIKE LANES
BICYCLE YEAR-ROUND!
BIKE <3
THANK YOU FOR BIKING
But who was creating these tags? Were they street art or vandalism?
The bright, encouraging—twee, if you’d like—tone of BA’s stencil art has a purpose. “We want more people to bike,” she says. “We want bicyclists to smile and know they’re appreciated. We want bicyclists to smile at other bicyclists and road users. Most importantly, we want D.C. to be a safe place to ride a bike.”
The City Paper chats with the artists, and looks at how the rapid rise in popularity of cycling in the city has had its growing pains.
Tweet PrintReview: Co-Motion Divide
The Co-Motion Divide’s rugged looking frame is hand-built in Oregon using oversized Reynolds 725 chromoly tubing. Co-Motion’s tandem expertise is evident in the massive chainstays and the 40-spoke wheels, built using DT-Swiss 540 tandem hubs (with 145mm rear spacing for a dishless wheel) and Velocity Cliffhanger rims. The stout 44 mm-diameter head tube on the Divide is another clue that this bike means business.
The Divide rode like it meant business, too. As soon as I got her built, I zipped through the mean streets and hit the local trails. The bike felt incredibly stiff and well built. I took that as an encouraging sign for the loaded tour that lay ahead—a 355-mile self-supported tour along the unpaved Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C.
Tweet PrintExchanging Places – a driver and cyclist see from the others’ perspective
I’m not sure what a lorry is, but it sure looks a lot like a truck. All kidding aside, in this video from the Greater London Metropolitan Police, a local cyclist and a driver explain how each can take better steps to avoid crashes. They then take turns in each others’ place to see just how dangerous riding near one of these vehicles can be if you’re not visible. After the rash of incidents in London recently, hopefully it can help save some lives.
Tweet PrintDrone delivery vs. bike messengers
Via Zipments
Tweet PrintHundreds of Santas ride through Milwaukee
Photos by Dave Schlabowske
Sleigh bells were ringing as hundreds of riders decked out in holiday cheer swarmed the streets of Milwaukee last week for the annual Santa Cycle Rampage.
Traditionally not much more than a pub crawl, some of the restaurants along the route took it upon themselves to donate a portion of the profits to the Wisconsin Bicycle Fed. Lowlands Group Restaurants event even brewed up a special Santa Rampage Belgian Bier. Lakefront Brewery offered up free beer. And Great Lakes Distillery donated $1 for every drink sold.
If you missed out on the action you can read about it and see more photos at wisconsinbikefed.org.
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Could delivery apps signal a new renaissance for bike couriers?
One of the fastest growing sectors of the mobile-app driven economy is delivery. You can get anything delivered these days. A car to pick you up, groceries from your local store, even the “green” economy is getting in on it.
All these deliveries have one thing in common though: they need couriers. New apps like Postmates are heavily dependent on couriers – on foot, on a scooter, but especially on a bike. Need some office supplies, a latte and a birthday card to send to mom? Fire up the app and a “postmate” will gather up your items and deliver them for a small fee in under an hour.
Right now the service is only available in a few major cities, but if it sees success like the car-share app Uber, it will likely be spreading soon. You can apply to be a bike courier now and earn a share of the delivery fee and 100 percent of the tips.
Have you tried any of these delivery apps? What has been your experience?
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Road Bike Party 2
Martyn Ashton’s first Road Bike Party video was a huge internet sensation, with the trials legend doing things on a road bike that no one had ever seen. The sequel had to be bigger and better, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Tweet PrintHow bikes make cities cool
Fresh from the Kona Productions Crew, How Bikes Make Cities Cool – Portland, is a five-minute mini documentary that explores the thriving bicycle culture resident to one of North America’s most progressive metropolises. Filmed entirely by bike, with support from longtime Kona Portland dealer Sellwood Cycles and resident Team Kona athletes Erik Tonkin and Matthew Slaven, we spent the better part of a week talking to commuters, following kids to school and capturing the friendly vibe and funky nature of a city that embraces self-propelled commuting at the heart of its identity.
Tweet PrintThe Genesis of Bikepacking
It’s a shame we can’t get Genesis bikes here in the US. They’ve always made some unique and interesting products. Turns out the bikepacking scene is taking off across the pond as well, and they’ve put together this video of an overnight adventure.
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