If a bike shop sees an increase in demand for a particular type of bike, then they'll order more of them to keep in stock.  Any decent bike shop can get you just about anything you want anyway, they just have to special order it.  It's not as if they only sell what they have on the floor. 

It seems like certain shops have affiliations only with certain makes.  It seems like the guys who run these shops project their own brand loyalties, and those preferences seem to originate to some extent in which makes they prefer to work on.  These aren't differences that someone like me, who doesn't repair bikes for a living, really cares about. 

 

Also, is anyone else using Runkeeper or a similar smart phone GPS app?  I really like the program because not only does it follow your route, it gives elevations, which has always been a mystery to me in the past.  I'm finding that my usual rides are actually *much* hillier than I thought.  This is because a mile of riding can easily have 20 feet of climb in a mile without you noticing, and over the course of 50 miles, that adds up to 1,000 feet of climbing. 

 

Here is a link to my Runkeeper profile.  So far I have six rides on there:

 

http://runkeeper.com/user/jmecklenborg

 

 

It seems like certain shops have affiliations only with certain makes.  It seems like the guys who run these shops project their own brand loyalties, and those preferences seem to originate to some extent in which makes they prefer to work on.  These aren't differences that someone like me, who doesn't repair bikes for a living, really cares about.

 

Well yes, but you have to treat bike shops more like car dealerships in that respect.  If you want a Serrotta you go to Oakley Cycles, if you want a Pinarello you go to Element, if you want a Bianchi you go to Smitty's, etc.  They can't sell bikes that they can't get, and the bike companies are rather particular about what shops they'll sell to.  Many shops would like to carry more brands, but some (Trek for instance) have minimum sales numbers that have to be met in order for a shop to be a dealer.  With too many brands, that's very difficult to achieve.  I believe Bishop's in Milford used to be a Trek dealer a number of years ago, but they couldn't sell enough and Trek pulled the plug on them. 

 

Sure working on a bike is easier than working on a car, but you get better service at a shop that sells the same brand of bike and is familiar with it.  A shop that isn't a dealer for a particular brand won't be able to help you out with warranty repairs, won't know about recalls, and may not have specialized tools or know how to deal with certain idiosyncrasies of the bike you bring in.  It's not much different than taking an Audi to the Mazda dealership for service.  They could change the oil, rotate the tires, or maybe do a brake job, but I wouldn't want them tackling a timing belt replacement. 

@Jake, I use MapMyRide, but I don't have the app for the iPhone yet. I hand-input the route, which I am too lazy to do most of the time. Does elevation and that sort of stuff.

So, any recommendations on bike shops in Cincy that might carry those utiilty or commuter bikes that I might be interested in?

 

 

I can't say I know all the shops that well, but Reser in Newport might be a good start. They definitely have some commuter bikes, and their clientele is pretty urban.

@Jeffrey: Montgomery Cyclery in Montgomery, Ohio has what you would be needing. A bigger selection of commuter bikes than any other shop in the area. Reser is too specific and too expensive, IMO.

Sherman definitely knows more than me.

So far there is a place in Kettering called 'Performance Bikes" that actually seemed to have helpful help.

 

It's a chain, and they have a web site. Besides the location in Kettering next to K-Mart there is a location on Montgomery Road in Kenwood.  I have read that really serious and spendy cyclists consider them declasse', but Performance has a great depth of inventory (for accessories) that I haven't seen locally at independent stores.

 

I've found bargain bin jerseys at Performance for $15, which is almost impossible at most other cycle shops. It's the house brand so those looking for a name will reject it but don't feel like paying $100+ for what is basically a shirt.

 

In Lebanon there is a decent local cycle shop called Wheelie Fun Multi Sport on Deerfield Rd. (about a mile north of Home Depot) which can come in handy in a pinch.

I bought the NiteRider TriNewt LED light, which has a Li-Ion battery -attachment- for only $130, when it retails for over $200 easy. On sale at Performance Bike. They have a decent, more generic selection, so I see where the flak comes from from the "serious" cyclists. Many of those folks are very, very brand specific and will only go to a particular store that has their very, very specific parts and gear.

Yeah... they discount constantly, which local bike shops can't/won't do. When I shop at Performance I have a queasy feeling like I am supporting rampant faceless corporatism and I am stepping on hard working local independent bike shops. Then I look at my account balance and I look at the price I can pay at Performance and that attitude goes away.  :-(

You get what you pay for.  The local shops charge more for their bikes, but you get free service and priority for that work.  Free tune-ups may not sound like that great a deal, but at $50-90 a pop, that adds up.  You also get someone who will pull for you with warranty issues.  I found a crack in my mostly aluminum 2005 Klein frame a few weeks ago, and the owner of Oakley Cycles (where I got it from) is getting me a brand new full carbon Trek Madone 5.2 as a replacement.  That frameset is worth more than I originally paid for my whole bike.  That right there is the kind of benefit you get from a local bike shop.  You get a lot of value for the extra prices you pay at a local shop. 

I think building a relationship with the guys at a small shop is important.  If you respect what they do and the advice they can give they will help you make good decisions.  If you annoy them by chatting too much or trying to show off, then they will roll their eyes every time you walk in. 

I think building a relationship with the guys at a small shop is important.  If you respect what they do and the advice they can give they will help you make good decisions.  If you annoy them by chatting too much or trying to show off, then they will roll their eyes every time you walk in. 

 

Absolutely!  A good relationship with a local bike shop is not only beneficial but also very enjoyable for me.  Beyond shopping, it can be nice just to chat about a shared interest.  Occasionally, i'll get to look at some of the odd things that pass through the shop, like the Allenax bike.  One of the best perks is being allowed into the shop area and being permitted to use some of the tools I cannot personally afford.

 

Performance is fine but often times I have to know specifically what I am looking for, like going to home depot.  A knowledgeable and friendly local shop offer a lot more, sometimes to the detriment of price.

The nice thing about biking is also the problem with it -- it's totally different for everybody.  Some people bike to work, some people mountain bike, some people race, some people are hipsters who collect bikes more than they ride them.  This leads to a lot of ego conflicts.  It's unlikely that you bike more or know more than the guys who work at the shop, so don't try to impress them with the one little thing you know that they don't. 

cleveland.com blog about ticketing a cyclist for not stopping at stop signs:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/roadrant/index.ssf/2011/07/lakewood_tickets_cyclist_for_m.html

 

Yikes at the comments ... definitely gives a vibe for the general (conservative) public's view on bicycles. Very sad.

 

It definitely brings up the debate about laws for bikes and motor vehicles. It really is a case by case basis. If you are biking through a residential grid pattern street with a 4 way stop at each block, it's entirely different than biking through a red light on a busy road with lots of traffic.

 

I find this on par to citing a pedestrian for crossing at intersection with a "do not walk" sign flashing and not a car in site.

This leads to a lot of ego conflicts.  It's unlikely that you bike more or know more than the guys who work at the shop, so don't try to impress them with the one little thing you know that they don't. 

 

...i figure its like finding a reliable mechanic or good barber.  You do develop a relationship, and I would need to have a place to rely on for getting repairs done.

 

Still havn't bought a bike yet, and probably will put off this purchase due to...get this...car repairs (fixing the AC), setting me back on my budget. 

 

I think I've visited most of the bike shops in Dayton now...maybe with a few exceptions.  I think I probably will need to special order the bike.  I've heard its possible to buy bikes online, but Id prefer to go through a shop to get one. 

 

I think I will try to get that bike I saw at gay pride...this guy was riding this beautful enligsh racing green bike with lights and ack rack and a basket and fenders...just what I wanted...it was called an Electra.  Anyone ever heard of that brand.  They supposedly sell them at Kettering Bike Shop (though i didn't see one when I was there). 

 

 

This morning on my way to work I was riding down Race Street in Cincinnati in the left most driving lane (curb lane is parking). A metro bus pulls away from a stop in the right most lane as I'm passing and proceeds to merge over in to my lane, nearly running my off the road. The driver did not signal.

 

I was having a great morning until this happened. I'm fine, but it just pissed me off.

Did you note the bus # on the back? I'd call Metro and complain - the last time I did that, I got a very positive response.

I took down the route # and license number and sent a message to the Cincy Metro twitter acct. You think I should still call?

 

I took down the route # and license number and sent a message to the Cincy Metro twitter acct. You think I should still call?

 

 

YES.  Lodge a formal complaint via the proper channels.

I took down the route # and license number and sent a message to the Cincy Metro twitter acct. You think I should still call?

 

 

YES.  Lodge a formal complaint via the proper channels.

 

I would have gone about this reverse.  Formal complaint and if no response in a day then send something on twitter.  If they are with it enough to get back you via email/phone then likely it will get dealt with.  However if there is no response within 24 hours then you may need to take them to the woodshed, and twitter is great for that. 

 

twitter is great for customers as it gives a direct path to the company while also being broadcast (potentially) globally. 

I took down the route # and license number and sent a message to the Cincy Metro twitter acct. You think I should still call?

 

 

YES.  Lodge a formal complaint via the proper channels.

 

I would have gone about this reverse.  Formal complaint and if no response in a day then send something on twitter.  If they are with it enough to get back you via email/phone then likely it will get dealt with.  However if there is no response within 24 hours then you may need to take them to the woodshed, and twitter is great for that. 

 

twitter is great for customers as it gives a direct path to the company while also being broadcast (potentially) globally. 

 

That is if they have dedicated customer services resources on/monitoring twitter.  I say do it via their website/phone.  If no response then complain to as many biking groups as possible and copy their twitter account.

I got this email from Metro:

 

 

We received your twitter complaint and are investigating this incident in order to take corrective action. Should you need further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

 

Sincerely,

 

Customer Relation Dept.

513.632.7575

 

I got this email from Metro:

 

 

We received your twitter complaint and are investigating this incident in order to take corrective action. Should you need further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

 

Sincerely,

 

Customer Relation Dept.

513.632.7575

 

 

Great!  Lets hope they mean what they say.

I hope so too... I hope they also follow up with my on what they did. I'll let you all know.

On Biking, Why Can’t the U.S. Learn Lessons from Europe?

Building bike paths alone will not get people out of their cars in the U.S. and onto bicycles. To create a thriving bike culture in America’s cities, people must begin to view bicycling as Europeans do — not just as a way of exercising, but as a serious form of urban mass transportation...

 

http://e360.yale.edu/feature/on_biking_why_cant_the_us_learn_lessons_from_europe/2425/

City Bike Trail Links Cross State Off-Road Path.

Tom Borgerding, WOSU News (2011-07-18)

 

COLUMBUS, OH (wosu) - During summer months more Central Ohioans head for bike trails in the region. The network of paved and gravel paths winds through parks and alongside creeks and rivers. The newest section of the bike trail system .a two-and half mile stretch along Alum Creek on the city's northeast side ..offers bicyclists an entry point to a much longer off-road path. WOSU's Tom Borgerding reports.

 

Read more and listen to audio at: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wosu/news.newsmain/article/0/1/1828868/WOSU.News/City.Bike.Trail.Links.Cross.State.Off-Road.Path..

Indy Bike Hub YMCA

 

"The YMCA is excited to bring you a new kind of Y!  Enjoy a Bicycle Commuter Hub and a YMCA all conveniently located under one roof. We are excited about our collaborations with the City of Indianapolis and the City Market, as well as a relationship with Bicycle Garage Indy (BGI), who will be occupying some of our space with a full service bike shop and some bicycle-related retail and rentals!

 

So, if you are looking to improve your health and well-being and/or want to improve your “green outlook” by bicycling to work-we are just the place for you!"

 

Some of the Amenities

- Conveniently located next to the historic City Market—great place to grab breakfast or lunch while satisfying the inner “foodie” in you!

- Secure, safe, indoor bicycle parking

- Full-service bike shop by Bicycle Garage Indy—for repairs, sales, and rentals, plus clinics

- Locker Rooms featuring towel service and new 5-suit lockers (perfect for bicycle commuters)

- Wi-Fi Lounge

- Special Bike/Shower Only Memberships

- 4-Hour Bike Parking—more info coming soon

http://www.indymca.org/branches/indy-bike-hub/branch-news/

Cleveland council OKs 'Complete and Green Streets' legislation

Published: Monday, September 19, 2011, 8:18 PM    Updated: Tuesday, September 20, 2011, 7:32 AM

  By Thomas Ott, The Plain Dealer

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland's streets are about to get friendlier for bicyclists, pedestrians and the environment.

 

City Council voted Monday to approve a law requiring that 20 percent of money spent on road projects go to features such as bike-only lanes, crosswalks, energy-efficient lighting and porous pavement. The law caps the extra cost at $1 million.

 

The Complete and Green Streets ordinance, effective Jan. 1, would cover all projects -- federal, state, county, city or private -- in the public right of way. An advisory committee can approve exemptions for safety, financial hardship and other reasons.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/09/cleveland_council_oks_complete.html

GM To Bicyclists: We’re Sorry We Offended You

By Kate Hinds | October 12, 2011 – 4:14 pm

 

General Motors is pulling an ad campaign that urged college students to “stop pedaling…start driving.”

 

The car company probably thought it would spend the day talking about its first all-electric vehicle. Instead, it’s spending the day apologizing.

 

The ad, which appeared in college newspapers across the country, shows an embarrassed guy on a bicycle next to a good-looking woman in a car — the inference being that bicyclists should grow up already and buy a car. Bike Portland wrote about it Tuesday after being tipped off by a UCLA professor, who was outraged to see the ad in the school newspaper. It quickly went viral.

 

Read more at: http://transportationnation.org/2011/10/12/gm-to-bicyclists-were-sorry-we-offended-you/

I thought I'd share what's going on in Lakewood.  Lakewood has issued a Bicycle Master Plan for comment and has a public work session planned for Thursday, December 1st 2011.

 

http://blog.onelakewood.com/2011/11/bikelakewood-bicycle-master-plan-draft.html

 

The plan has some worrying features that may discourage cycling, like mandatory bicycle registration(actually already an ordinance, but no one knows about it or complies) and targeted cycling specific traffic crackdowns.  I know I come across as an insufferable pedant, but here are the comments I submitted

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

·        On page 6, the third rules on the road paragraph, I recommend changing the some of the wording from “as near to the right side of the road as possible” to “as near to the right side of the road as practicable, except when hazardous conditions or objects make it unreasonable or unsafe to do so” to be consistent with the city ordinance (373.07).  “As near to the right as possible” language often encourages unsafe riding practices in inexperienced riders since riding too near curbs and parked cars leaves little room to react to danger.

 

·        On page 23, the Shared Use Lanes section, I recommend changing wording from “Develop a Network Composed Entirely of Shared Use Lanes” to “Develop a Network of Shared Use Lanes”.  And I recommend removing the language “Given that Lakewood’s streets are not wide enough to accommodate segregated bicycle lanes” and stating instead that  For Now, Lakewood thinks the best plan forward is shared use lanes-or something like that.  I doubt that many communities and cities that now have bicycle lanes had extra available infrastructure or space they happily turned into segregated or marked bicycle lanes, but some made it a priority.  I agree with the current plan forward for sharrows, but I don’t think the city should rule out bicycle lanes in the future and I think that the current language is unnecessarily restrictive.

 

·        On page 24, Proposed Enforcement Guidelines, I recommend completely removing or dramatically altering this section.

 

o  Page 24, remove bullet 1, Rationale: Enforcement of traffic laws in Lakewood should always be focused on ALL vehicles using the roadways – this includes bicycles and motorized vehicles.

 

o  Bullet 2: I recommend removing this bullet and part of the plan: ”Conduct multiple Bicycle Enforcement Studies by choosing a widely used bicycle intersection and enforcing bike laws”.  Rationale: If police resources are to be used for any special enforcement activities, they should be used where, practically and statistically, they can do the most good.  A quick look at accident statistics might suggest, for example, that motor vehicle speeding or DUI pose a much greater risk to overall population health and safety than bicycles.  Again, the purpose of this plan should be to encourage bicycling in Lakewood, and enforcement targeted specifically at cyclists while at the same time stating “we want Lakewood to be the most bike-friendly city in Ohio” will likely just fire up advocacy groups.  Look at the backlash from the recent police bicycle lane crackdown in NYC this past summer.  Again, I fully support enforcing ALL traffic laws, for cyclists and motorists, but I think enforcement activities targeted at cyclists in particular would be counterproductive and actually discourage cycling in Lakewood.

 

o  Bullet 3: Enforce bicycle registration requirements, this is probably an issue that goes beyond the Bicycle Master Plan, but I recommend removing the ordinance that requires bicycle registration.  The League of American Cyclists, in its official position paper on the subject states “When done properly, bicycle registration can be an effective tool”,but it recommends that the program be “statewide, as opposed to local” and that “mandatory bicycle registration should be imposed only where the benefits of and/or necessity for such ordinances are demonstrable and where the penalties for violation are minimal”.

 

§  I question whether a local program is effective for Lakewood and think the following data would be helpful: what has been the cost of the Lakewood mandatory bicycle registration program to date; what is the revenue to date; what have been the realized benefits of the program to date – actual stolen bicycles returned, injured cyclists identified, etc.

 

§  The other problem with mandatory bicycle registration programs is that they often discourage cycling and reduce the number of cyclists on the roads.  The following links show the position of bicycle advocates and recent outcomes on this issue:

 

·        League of American Cyclists Position Paper: http://www.bikeleague.org/about/positions/registration.php

·        The Case for and against bicycle Licenses: http://blogs.calgaryherald.com/2011/10/12/the-case-for-and-against-bicycle-licences-in-calgary/

 

·        Bikelaws.org rating of Lakewood (B-, partially due to registration program) http://bikelaws.org/neo-bikelaws.htm#Lakewood

 

·        http://www.urbanvelo.org/issue6/urbanvelo6_p56-57.html http://bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2011/07/29/license-to-ride-2/

 

§  For these reasons, I recommend removing language of the bicycle registration program from the Bicycle Master Plan.

 

o  Page 24, proposed bike violation fees.  I support adding ordinances to have a fee assigned to bike violations (especially one requiring lights at night)– but wouldn’t these already be applicable since bicycles are required to obey traffic laws anyway?

 

o  Page 24, Outreach Initiatives, I recommend (instead of one of the other initiatives that costs money like t-shirts or bike maps) a free bike light program.  This article references a few recent successful free light programs http://www.ecovelo.info/2011/11/18/stealth-bicyclists-2/ .  “Studies have shown that a majority of fatal collisions involving bicyclists occur between the hours of 6pm-9pm. I’m not surprised. Unfortunately, most of these bicyclists without lights appear to be “non-enthusiast” (for lack of a better term), so it’s unlikely they have access to the information or resources necessary to ride safely”. More than anything, I think a free bike light program would encourage and improve bicycle safety in Lakewood and would provide much more interest (free lights are more exciting for cyclists than free pamphlets or t-shirts) at outreach events.  LED lights are now surprisingly effective and affordable.

 

o  Page 24, I think we need better outreach education on the dangers of cycling on the sidewalk.  While it is legal in Lakewood, studies have shown that it is 2-4 times more dangerous to cycle on the sidewalk than on the road.  I have seen pamphlets describing this at the Cleveland metroparks, so information is available.

 

                                                           

 

I have a couple questions as well:

 

·        This plan mentions the City of Cleveland Complete Streets ordinance.  Does Lakewood have a complete streets ordinance?  Should we look into one?

 

·        Is the plan for the Detroit and Madison sharrows to be “no further than 250 feet apart” as stated on page 23?

My new urban rider - http://www.raleighusa.com/archive/2011-hybrid/misceo-11/

 

Black on black on black  8-).  Tires are 700 and 38 in size (too many potholes around me to ride confidentally on 28's or 32's IMO).  I went with the version of this series that does not have the front shocks and must say it hasn't made that much of a difference compared to the bike I have been riding for the past 3-4 years.  Disc brakes are also a new feature to me.

My new urban rider - http://www.raleighusa.com/archive/2011-hybrid/misceo-11/

 

Black on black on black  8-).  Tires are 700 and 38 in size (too many potholes around me to ride confidentally on 28's or 32's IMO).  I went with the version of this series that does not have the front shocks and must say it hasn't made that much of a difference compared to the bike I have been riding for the past 3-4 years.  Disc brakes are also a new feature to me.

 

That's a sexy bike! How much did that set you back, if you don't mind me asking?

$479 on sale (I think msrp is closer to $550)..... not including tax and add-ons.  It's an aluminum frame with an alloy fork.  For all of its features, comparable bikes I found were a few hundred more.  I also already have a Raleigh and like the brand.  One of these days, I will cut into my kids' college funds and get myself a carbon framed road bike ;).  Until then, I will stick with the economy class.

20 blocks of both a major commercial street (10 northern blocks) and major residential street (southern 10 blocks) to be closed off to motor traffic for a day again this Sunday 6/10. http://openstreetsmpls.com/

 

BCBSMN_OPENSTREETS_2011

I had a good 'comeback' stored away for awhile now and an encounter on my bike afforded me the opportunity to use it.  Riding on a side street the other day, two young girls drive by and the passenger leans out the window as they slow down next to me to say "Ain't nothing wrong with that sidewalk!"....... to which I replied "Thanks for the warning..... ain't nothing wrong with double negatives either...... think about that when you have the time!"  Although I doubt she did or ever will "get it", I'm still satisfied :)

A grab-bag of bike news from Dayton.

 

New website launched for the Miami Valley (Dayton region) bike trails.  This site has fairly good trail-specific maps:

 

Miami Valley Bike Trails

 

Dayton awarded "bike friendly" status by the Wheelmen (national bike organization):

 

Dayton awarded bike-friendly status

(Columbus also is in this category, and nearby Troy, Ohio, got an honorable mention)

 

Dayton’s commitment to becoming more bicycle-friendly was “huge” in the judges’ consideration, said Bill Nesper, director of the program for the 130-year-old league, the nation’s largest bike advocacy organization.

 

He cited the recent adoption of a citywide complete streets policy, new bike lanes downtown, and the city’s bike parking ordinance as contributors.

 

Dayton also benefited from the work of regional agencies centered here, he said.

 

Nesper lauded last year’s cycling summit and the new bike hub sponsored by Five Rivers MetroParks, the river corridor trail system built and maintained by the Miami Conservancy District, and the regional bike plan coordinated by the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission.

 

“We think the commitment is there,” he said.

 

Bicycling Magazine mentions Dayton in it's "Americas Best Bicycling Cities", ranking fairly low at 45, but the only Ohio city on their list:

 

America’s Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities

 

"To determine our top 50 bike-friendly cities for 2012, we evaluated cities with populations of 95,000 or more, using data provided by the Alliance for Biking and Walking and the League of American Bicyclists, as well as input from local advocates and bike-ped coordinators. To make the list, a city must possess both a robust cycling infrastructure and a vibrant bike culture.."

 

...the bike culture here is more sport- & recreation based, yet I do see people using their bikes to get around via RTA, and this is more the lower-income population.  So people are riding.  Bike path system, for recreation...well, I used to by skeptical of this until I started using the paths, and boy I am impressed!  You can really move out on a bike and places that I thought would be too far are a lot quicker than I thought.  I use the trails in conjunction with RTA (dont have a bike rack for the car, and really I dont need one since I can use the bus), but use them only for 'Sunday Drives'.  Regular errand biking is on the street or on sidewalks.

 

In that regard, car-dependent suburban Beavercreek is incorporating bikes/walking into it's thoroughfare plan as "non-motorized transport"

Thoroughfare Plan Update 2012

 

"The City of Beavercreek Planning and Zoning Department has been working together with the Engineering Department and the Beavercreek Bikeway Advisory Committee over the past year to update the existing thoroughfare plan and to incorporate bike and pedestrian facilities into that plan"

 

 

Finally, in two weeks (and I have registerd for this)...a casual ride, not race (despite the name):

 

Tour de Dayton

 

"Roll along Dayton’s bike friendly neighborhood streets, experiencing cultural and historical destinations that promote our growing healthy quality of life!"

 

 

 

 

 

A grab-bag of bike news from Dayton.

 

New website launched for the Miami Valley (Dayton region) bike trails.  This site has fairly good trail-specific maps:

 

Miami Valley Bike Trails

 

One tiny and unimportant correction: this site has been around for at least five-seven years. It retooled with a new look within the last few months. (Looked like they went from a hand coded or FrontPage coded site to Drupal.)

 

It looks much nicer than it used to. This site has always been a great resource for bicycling in the Miami Valley.

I am going to post this is many areas as it involves many facets of transportation:

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/SPR/StatewidePlanning/access.ohio/Pages/default.aspx?utm_source=Greater+Ohio+Supporters&utm_campaign=e90e3eca0e-July_2011_Newsletter4_29_2011&utm_medium=email

Only in Mpls (or Portland) could I move from one neighborhood and *poof* a  bike appears on what was a totally bike lane-less major commercial street for the year I lived there (granted there are some lengthy bike lanes andbike boulevards that were getting finished when I moved there a year ago).

 

And another new bike lane--this one on Central Avenue! Thanks to the partners and volunteers who helped get this one!

 

 

Central Avenue - Mpls Bicycle Coaltion

 

https://www.facebook.com/minneapolis.bicycle.coalition

Columbus might want to scratch Alta's proposed bike share...

 

City’s bike sharing program delayed until next year

 

BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter [email protected] August 8, 2012 12:44AM

 

Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to make Chicago the nation’s most bike-friendly city has hit a pothole: a bike sharing program that was supposed to offer 3,000 bikes for rental this summer at 300 stations has been put off until next spring.

 

The delay comes as Inspector General Joe Ferguson continues to investigate a rival bidder’s claim that the bid process was greased for Alta Bicycle Share, an Oregon company that once hired Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein as a consultant.

 

Problems with Alta’s newly-developed software have also stalled the company’s 10,000-bike rental program in New York City.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=kcueNBAj5Nj7CAsY5dsBTM$daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYs0BzFXN6FNzOn49y2S$T$RWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF$9l$4uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg[/img]

One of the seven Chicago bike share and rental program rental locations is at Ohio Street beach, 400 N. Lake Shore Drive. | Tom Cruze~Sun-Times

 

More: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/14315965-418/citys-bike-sharing-program-delayed-until-next-year.html

Milwaukee Adding 76 Miles to Bikeway Network

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Dave Schlabowske, Communications Director 

 

If you live in Milwaukee and ride a bike, you have probably notice a lot of recently spray painted lines and symbols on the roads.  There a skip dashes, little arrows and other odd symbols in white paint on streets all over the city.

 

I am very pleased to report that these markings denote the locations of 38.1 miles of new bike lanes and another 38 miles of shared lane pavement markings (often called “sharrows). The Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation recently approved a bike lane project to paint the new bikeways.  City painting crews will be painting the lines in a systematic way as their long-line pavement marking truck moves around the City streets.

 

Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin

Current

 

 

Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin

End of 2012/Early 2013

 

More: http://bfw.org/2012/05/25/milwaukee-adding-76-miles-to-bikeway-network/

Bike corrals great for cyclists and business in Portland

 

Bikestorming —  August 17, 2012

 

In Portland, installing Bike Corrals - exclusive on-street bicycle parking facilities, has proven to be highly positive for cyclists, pedestrians and local business.

 

These facilities have been addressed in a study by Portland University. The study points to three key benefits for local business associated with installing a Bike Corral:

 

    Increased numbers of customers

    Improved sidewalk/cafe seating environment for customers

    Improved visibility of the business from the street

 

More: http://www.bikestorming.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Bicycle-Bike_Corral_On-Street-Bike-Parking-Study.pdf

Anyone want to buy my 1980s Schwinn frame 10-speed bike that was completely rebuilt in 2007-08 by Ohio City Bike Co-op? It's in very good condition and has been kept indoors for the last four years. If so, PM me.

So, non-automotive transportation of the type in Agenda-21 is good for the economy.  Don't tell the Tea Party or Glen Beck!

 

 

Published Oct 24 2012 by Resilience.org, Archived Oct 24 2012

 

Bicycling for Better Business

 

by Jay Walljasper

 

Cities across the U.S. discover that good biking attracts great jobs and top talent to their communities

 

“Biking is definitely part of our strategy to attract and retain businesses in order to compete in a mobile world,” says Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak as we pedal across the Mississippi river on a bike-and-pedestrian bridge. “We want young talent to come here and stay. And good biking is one of the least expensive ways to send that message.”

 

“I was having dinner with a creative director that a local firm was eager to hire for a key post,” Rybak adds.  “He was an American living in Europe, and we spent most of the evening talking about the importance of biking and walking to the life of a city. He took the job.”

 

Minneapolis has invested heavily in biking—creating a network of off-street trails criss-crossing the city, adding 180 miles of bike lanes to city streets, launching one of the country’s first bikeshare programs, and creating protected lanes to separate people riding bikes from motor traffic—which is why it lands near the top of all lists ranking America’s best bike cities...

 

Read more at:  http://www.resilience.org/stories/2012-10-24/bicycling-for-better-business

 

 

looks like the superstars also like to biking to work.

 

Bike rides keep LeBron James in peak physical condition

By Shandel Richardson-Sun Sentinel

 

MIAMI —

LeBron James at some point lost count.

 

Actually, he never started keeping track. At some point this season, he occasionally began riding his bicycle to practice instead of driving.

 

Then it turned into riding to morning shootarounds.

 

And then games.

 

Suddenly, James was spending more time on the bike than driving around in expensive cars. The added conditioning is why he seems to have no problem logging 42 minutes in the most routine of games. That was James’ stat line in the Heat’s 103-92 comeback victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena.

 

This wasn’t a national television game, or against a contender. This was James showing his durability in a 22-point, 11-assist, seven-rebound performance in a game with no bearing on the remainder of the season.

 

“I felt great,” James said. “I didn’t get tired. I don’t think I got tired (Tuesday) night. I felt great. I could have played again if we had to. Yeah, I’ve been biking a little more than usual. It’s fun. It’s also conditioning, it’s cardio.”

 

James introduced his passion for riding when he was spotted on his bike on the way to the Heat’s game against the Chicago Bulls last January. Fatigue had little effect, with James scoring 35 points in a 97-93 victory.

 

He has since added it into his conditioning program. The result has him averaging 37.6 minutes, topping 40 nine times this season.

 

 

more at: The Sun Sentinel

Yawn. I get annoyed by seeing his name and I don't really care at all about the Cavs.

Well, its a good thing this isn't a Cavs discussion.

Right, it's about Ohio cycling news (and advocacy and developments) ... not really sure where King James biking in Florida fits in.