Random bike-spotting (1 in a series)

For me, the best way to judge how well biking has moved into the mainstream is the appearance of bike-related content in non-bike area of the media. I'm going to start documenting this when I see it, and hopefully it will get to a point where there is too much to cover, and then we will have taken over the world and all will be good.

Today's post is going to be light because I want to set out the goal of this series. Every now and then I've been doing something random, like watching TV with my dad, and I'll see a bike or cyclist in a shot where there isn't any reason for a bike there. What I mean the bike isn't the focus, it's just there because someone thought it would be natural for there to be a bike. That, or I'll see a news report about someone from a random walk of life and there will be an innocuous mention of cycling, just because. Again, the article isn't about the person being a cyclist, but the riding flows in naturally.

Those are the types of things I want to start documenting. To me, that sort of ubiquitousness of cycling shows that the "cycling lifestyle" is drifting into mainstream culture, which is my big hope.

Today I'll start with some levity from the folks at Indexed:

WHY?!

I'm sure I'm not the first bike commuter to discover this, and I won't be the last, but maybe my experience can help others avoid the problem. What problem? Going more than a month off the bike and letting little things become reasons to not ride.

The ride this morning? Fan-freaking-tastic.

I remember now what I loved about bike commuting in the Bay Area before, 4 AM wake-up and all. My plan, to "trick" myself into riding by having my truck in the shop worked beautifully and I fully expect to continue.

Why did I stop in the first place? I can't even remember.

Forcing myself to ride

I've been a bit lazy since I moved, using any number of arguments to justify not biking to BART in the mornings, despite the fact that it's only a 15-20 min ride. Now I've put myself in a place where I have to ride, hopefully it'll stick and I'll keep doing it at least a few days a week.

What I did was wait until late in the afternoon on Sat to take my truck in for the smog test (to get re-licensed in CA) and service that it needs. I also declined the free loaner that the dealer wanted to give me. That ensured that I wouldn't have my truck on Monday morning and the only way to get work is by bike.

Let's see if it works.

Tired of the animosity

Some thoughts:

• Why do so many cyclists (or at least blogging cyclists) feel that the only way to refer to drivers is to call them "cagers"?
  
• Why are there so many blogging cyclists who seem to want the complete annihilation of everyone who has ever or will ever own a motor vehicle?
• Why do blogging cyclists seem to miss the fact that their hatred of drivers is an exact mirror of the driver hatred of cyclists that they are all blogging about?

We get it - mixing cars and cyclists on the same roads is tough. There are some (large in number but probably not in percentage) drivers who actively dislike the presence of cyclists on the road. The laws, and often law enforcement, are tilted in the drivers' favor. Cyclists are often relegated to a form of second-class citizenry and not treated with the respect we feel we deserve. The point is made.

Here's another question though - given that there are a heck of a lot more people driving than cycling are we really going to get anywhere by being rude?

Whenever "bike rights" issues come up people think about the experiences they've had with cyclists in making a decision. Most people in urban areas have encountered messengers dodging between cars and blasting across intersections without a care for the chaos they cause. Most BART commuters can tell at least one story of a cyclist forcing their way onto an overcrowded train during the times where bikes are embargoed. My own father, who knows how avidly I ride (as does my older brother, an Ironman triathlon finisher) has come home on a number of occasions and ranted about the packs of cyclists he has encountered, blocking traffic by riding three- and four-abreast in their club kit, not caring that there is a line of 15-20 cars wanting to get past.

Are these really the thoughts we want people to have of us?

I've seen too many posts on some of my favorite blogs (no, I'm not linking to them today because I don't want to call anyone out) with nasty, antagonistic, prejudicial, and most of all STEREOTYPICAL language regarding drivers. Guess what? I drive. I like my truck and it's a useful tool. I also love my bikes. There isn't any reason people can't be both drivers and cyclists.

Well, except the attitude that drivers are evil incarnate which permeates the blogging cyclist community.

Off-topic, but entertaining (to me)

After seeing it pimped on BikeSnobNYC I decided to check out the Gender Analyzer for both oy my blogs. The interesting thing is that I write differently on them:

Results

We guess http://liberationcycling.blogspot.com/ is written by a man (56%), however it's quite gender neutral.

We think http://preparednessandresponse.blogspot.com/ is written by a man (75%).

I've never really paid that much attention to how I write on the two different blogs, but apparen't it is quite different. I wonder if it's something about the subject matter that leads to the shift in language.

Team Fatty

I've mentioned the Fat Cyclist blog a few times, and he's got something new up his sleeve that I wanted to share:

For 2009, I am going to form Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting For Susan for the LiveStrong Challenge, and I want you to join me. If you’re willing to put in some work, together our neighborhood will not simply break these records; we will crush them.

No, we will demolish them.

And humiliate them, just for fun.

Oh, and by the way, by either joining the team or contributing to the team — your choice — you will automatically be entering yourself in raffles to win prizes that will make your head spin.

For those who aren't familiar with the LiveStrong Challenge, it is a fundraising ride/walk/run event for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. If you don't know what they do...

I haven't done a charity ride like this before, but I have done a couple of metric centuries. Since I've been having some trouble getting off my rear to train and this may be the motivation I need. I'll be watching Fatty's blog to find out when the team goes live.

Political Friday: Bailouts and car companies

Because I get pedantic when it comes to politics I'm going to avoid politics except on Fridays. With the upcoming administration change, not to mention the bailout  (today's topic) I have no doubt there will be a lot to rant about. Hopefully, keeping politics confined to one day a week will keep me brief.

Anyone who has been watching the news lately knows that we, the American public, just got sucked into a gigantic "investment" in various failing companies. If my language doesn't make it obvious, I think this is a bad idea. It is not well thought-out, with Treasury Dept officials admitting that the $700 billion number was pulled from thin air ("It's not based on any particular data point," a Treasury spokeswoman told Forbes.com Tuesday. "We just wanted to choose a really large number.") Now, the American auto industry is crawling into DC to ask for money, and it looks like they're going to get it. The "Big Three" are failing because they chose to invest in a dead end - SUVs - and not fuel-saving technologies like hybrids. They are now regretting that and for some reason think that the people who have chosen to not buy their cars (the tax payers) should pay for their retooling. 

Rewarding the Big Three for their poor choice of direction (bigger = better) isn't good for anyone. Not to be too unsympathetic, but companies sometimes fail in a capitalist economy, that's part of the risk. The advantage is that when companies fail their competitors (in this case, the companies that invested in smaller, fuel-efficient and/or hybrid cars) will be able to expand into a larger section of the market, hiring many of the workers and potentially buying up the manufacturing facilities. Then we, the consumers, can buy the best products. OK, enough econ for one day.

Ghost Rider hit on this same topic over at Bike Commuters.

More lighting

Continuing on Tuesday's post on lighting, here's a short one. 

A little while back I saw a post referencing a semi-hack that Gino was working the bugs out of before getting it manufactured. What? A nifty little device that can be screwed into any 5mm braze-on and will hold most lights that go on handlebars. Head over to Gino's blog for the details on why it's better to keep your light low.

I love the look of these and will probably pick up a few for my touring bike. Since it is being equipped for loaded touring handlebar space will be at a premium and I don't really see where I would put a light. One option is to add a secondary bar, but since I have a front rack with a top platform, any light mounted behind the rack might get blocked. Having the lights down on the fork avoids that problem nicely.

(The pic is Gino's, but it's pretty close to what I'm looking for)

Over at EcoVelo last week was a great post on the lack of lighting on many commuters. Short, to the point, and even including some statistical analysis (for people who like that sort of thing). The point is: if you ride in the dim, dusk, or dark you need lights. If you're riding through well-lit areas go with the blinky/steady combo to make yourself visible (blikies to attract the eye, steady to give something to focus on). If your ride is darker, go with something high powered to give enough light to see the road by.

Cameras and bikes

A little while back I posted about using a mini tripod on my handlebars for taking pictures while riding. I used it to shoot a Sunday drive style ride, but the goal is to figure out the best way to carry a camera on a tour to get shots without having to stop and dig the camera out. Shortly after that post I came across this one from Bike Hacks, a great collection of commercial and home-brew camera mounting options.

Another option that I'm beginning to think about, especially if I can resolve the remote issue I mentioned before, is hooking the camera to the front end of my front rack. I purchased a set of Nice Racks, which have platforms on both the front and rear racks. The racks are about the same width as my camera and it shouldn't take much to rig something up to hold it. Obviously, that set-up requires 1) 2 cameras - one in front for the road and one in back for the other people on the tour; and 2) cameras with remotes. It's certainly something I want to look into.

Some good news

Coming out of the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), not people you would expect to be super bike-friendly, is this news (from the Adventure Cycling Association press release):

The United States is on a path to creating what could become the largest official bicycle route network in the world, thanks to the approval of a new plan by America's leading authority on national route designations. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has just approved a National Corridor Plan laying out the framework and guidelines for the development of this system.

The plan identifies corridors connecting America's urban, rural, and suburban areas. The corridors cover well over 50,000 miles, which, if transformed into routes along roads and trails, would create the largest official bicycle route network in any country or on any continent. By comparison, the planned Euro-Vélo network in Europe is projected to be 60,000 kilometers or 36,000 miles.

The U.S. plan has been under development for nearly four years under the auspices of an AASHTO task force on national bicycle routes, with representatives from federal and state transportation agencies and nonprofit organizations. The plan has gone through more than a dozen revisions—with input from hundreds of federal and state officials, cycling advocacy groups, and individuals—as well as review and approval by AASHTO's committees on traffic engineering, design, and non-motorized transportation.

I will be eagerly watching the news and the ACA website for more information.

THIS is a light

(with apologies to Paul Hogan)

Lighting is on most commuters' minds as we lose DST and the days get shorter. There are a couple of ways to go about properly lighting a bike, and each has its proponents. 

Generators: My main commuter bike has a generator hub and permanently installed lights. I like this option because I can grab the bike at any time and ride without having to hook up lights, worry about batteries, or worry about not having lights. The downside is that there is less variety in the style of lighting than with battery-powered and I have to be careful about where I park since I can't remove the lights to avoid theft.

Rechargeable: I used to have a NiteRider TrailRat on my MTB; the light was stolen along with the bike a few years ago. This style of light, with the rechargeable power cell, is a good compromise between the smaller battery lights and the larger generator lights. They are removable (which has pros and cons) and have to be charged.

Battery: The smaller lights, mostly in the "to be seen" category. Most serious cyclists have a few different options floating around. I have more tail lights than headlights. Some are powerful but not if you're riding in the black or fast.

Flashlights: A final option some people go with is strapping a flashlight to the bars. This is especially useful if you don't want to buy bike-specific lighting or plan to do some hacking and build your own system.

And then there's this:

The Polarion PH50's ergonomic design was specifically developed to meet the mission requirements of Law Enforcement and Military personnel in the field. The Polarion PH50 draws it namesake from the power and intensity of the sun. This 50-watt powerhouse features a High Intensity Discharge (HID) arc lamp emits an incredible level of blinding white light ~ 5,200 lamp lumens.

Yeah, that says 5,200 lumens. In comparison, the NiteRider SlickRock, which they describe as "just about the brightest bike light available" comes in at about 920 lumens

The downside to all that power? It'll set you back $2,395. To really appreciate the power of the light check out some of the pictures on the Polarion website.

A disappointing ride

Sunday was a perfect afternoon for a ride - mid 60s, light breeze, sunny - but I just couldn't do anything with it. I attempted a ride that I used to do regularly with almost no problem, and died at the very beginning. I knew that I hadn't been riding much, let alone climbing, but I had no idea that I was that shot.

A short distance from my dad's place is a decent hill - Ygnacio Valley Rd - and I had planned to head over it to where the Contra Costa Canal Trail (Ygnacio Valley Trail) crossed, and head along the trail for a little while before heading home. That was the plan, but the reality is that I got about 1/2 up the slope leading to YV Rd and my legs died. I pulled a U-turn and headed along the same route I took two weeks ago.

It is very emasculating to realize that rides that were simple only a few years ago are completely out of my reach. I will be riding a lot more often now to try and rebuild that capacity.

Bikes and disasters

This is a post I wrote for my other blog - Preparedness and Response - which is about disaster preparedness (my professional life) issues. It draws on a few bike blogs that I read and since it is bike related I figured I'd cross post it here. 

In my last Personal Preparedness post I discussed the NEFRLS and a few ways families can avoid getting separated and losing each other during a disaster. Today I'm going to talk about another good tool for evacuation - a bicycle. I'll lead off by saying I'm a cycling junkie (as this makes clear) and this is something I've been thinking about for a while.

I've seen a few different discussions on bikes and emergencies, one was prompted by this cartoon panel:

Here is a great account from one guy who used a bike to get around after Katrina.

There are a few different things that argue for bicycle use after a disaster:

• Fuel - One of the most reported aspect of any major disaster is the lack of gas and diesel available in the area. Add to this the increased cost for any that might be around, and you have a clear weakness in even the toughest SUV. Bikes, on the other, require no fuel beyond a mobile person.
• Mobility - Many natural disasters can leave roads unusable by dumping debris and disabled vehicles in the way. In these instances cars are of limited use, especially in urban settings where it isn't possible to just cut around a blockage. In San Francisco this was a significant concern that a number of paramedics (who were motorcycle riders) organizedthemselves to respond to emergencies that ambulances couldn't get to. Even more than  a motorcycle, a bike is a means of transport that is almost impossible to stop. Don't believe me? Check out a cyclocross race and watch people run, jump, and wade through mud while lugging a bike. 
• Gear - There is a clear limit to how much "stuff" (an all-encompassing term in this case) any one person can carry. By adding a few simple racks to a bike you can greatly increase that amount. Even bikes that aren't specifically equipped for racks (the holes for screwing things like racks and water bottle carriers are called braze-ons) can have racks fitted to them. This is a topic that could go on for ever, so I'll end by saying that if you are interested in racks for a bike check out bike commuting and bike touring websites.
  
• Maintenance - There were stories in all the national news outlets following Katrina warning people to be on the watch for used cars that had been submerged in the storms. The warning was that these cars, which may be dead, were being sold at too-good-to-be-true prices. A bike, on the other hand, isn't going to mind a little flood. Short of leaving a bike in bad water to the point that it rusts out, there isn't much damage a flood or storm will do. This means that if you need to get somewhere, your bike will be there for you.

Obviously, using a bike to get around requires a little familiarity with it. There are things like a helmet, lock, and lights that you should have, and so on. If you are thinking of prepping a bike, either for a disaster-specific backup or for routine transport, check out one of the commuting links above or drop me a line.