Be Spoke at Museum of Art and Design

Our apartment while I am working up in New York just happens to be at Columbus Circle, which has me at the southern end of Central Park and a major hub for people riding down Broadway and along the main arteries of the city. it also puts me across the street from the Museum of Art and Design and across from their current exhibition called Be Spoke. Be Spoke is displaying some of the best examples of these custom built bikes and they provide any bike fan enough eye candy to last a good while.

This exhibition features the designs of six internationally renowned bicycle builders who have authored some of the most revolutionary developments in their craft. Through their manipulation of steel, aluminum and titanium, these artisans produce racing bicycles for champion athletes, mountain and cyclocross bicycles for negotiating vertiginous terrain, urban bicycles for stylishly transporting commuters, and elegantly stripped down bicycles for epic journeys.

In the past, bicycles were often crafted by hand to precisely fit a rider's measurements and tastes. In the 1980s and 1990s the demand for handbuilt bicycles was eclipsed by the popularity of factory-produced racing bikes endorsed by star cyclists. Custom frame builders had to contend with a new and booming market for mass-manufactured mountain bikes. Over the past decade, renewed interest in craft, coupled with a rising social movement favoring the durable over the disposable and supporting cycling's physical and environmental benefits, has contributed to a revival of handbuilt bicycles and fostered a new generation of artisans and clientele.

Bespoke Builders
Mike Flanigan, Alternative Needs Transportation (A.N.T.), Holliston, MA.
Jeff Jones, Jeff Jones Custom Bicycles, Medford, OR
Dario Pegoretti, Pegoretti Cicli, Caldonazzo, Italy
Richard Sachs, Richard Sachs Cycles, Warwick, MA
Peter Weigle, JP Weigle Cycles, Lyme, CT
Sacha White, Vanilla Bicycles, Portland, OR

New York Summer Streets

There are several bike rides and cycling events that I have on my must see/do. Needless to say that New York's Summer Streets is one of them. Summer Streets is the temporary closing of Park Avenue and connecting streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park to motor vehicles and open it up to people on three consecutive Saturdays in August (August 7, 14, & 21). We went out yesterday to see how this year's event was going, and we were not disappointed.

This year's event kicked off with a fun run, had a "Joy Ride" where groups of cyclists ride with music playing from their bikes, stages with exercise classes, and they even had what they termed Micro Sea but it was simply dumpster pools. They also had bike valets from Transportation Alternatives, free bike rentals, free rollerblade rentals, free picnic from Whole Foods, and tons of activities for kids and adults alike. 


We are going to check it out again next week and do some riding. There is no other way to experience the city like this. 90+ blocks of closed streets on Park Avenue. Awesome!

Florida Racing Magazine - August Issue

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Colorado Gubernatorial Candidate, Warns Of U.N. Plot To Destroy America With Bike-Sharing Programs

I have stated before that I hate to mix politics into my blog, but when it impacts cycling, I can't resist. I saw this on Huffington Post and thought I would share.

This week, former Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) "made good on his threat" to jump into the race for the Colorado statehouse after a prolonged temper tantrum about how unsatisfied he is with the GOP's two candidates for the nomination, Scott McInnis and Dan Maes. Tancredo -- who will run under the auspices of the American Constitution Party -- immediately threw the GOP's designs on the governor's race into stunning disarray: polls indicate that Tancredo would divide the state's conservatives nearly in half, paving the way for a John Hickenlooper victory.

Dan Maes, however, isn't going down without a fight, and has apparently decided to go all out in competition for Tancredo's natural constituency -- ridiculous xenophobes. So, what crazy paranoia over the creeping menace of foreigners is Maes fearmongering about? The Denver Post reports:

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes is warning voters that Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper's policies, particularly his efforts to boost bike riding, are "converting Denver into a United Nations community."

I'm sorry, what?

"This is all very well-disguised, but it will be exposed," Maes told about 50 supporters who showed up at a campaign rally last week in Centennial.

Okay, here's the mystery that Maes alone has penetrated. Denver is a member in something called the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. They've been a member since 1992. It is an "international association that promotes sustainable development." One of the things that contributes to sustainability and an overall pleasant quality of life is a bike-sharing program called "B-Cycle" which has taken donations and grant monies to make 400 bicycles available for the residents of Denver to tool around on when the spirit moves them. Hickenlooper has praised the program so Maes is trying to make the case that it's a UN plot to deprive people of "freedom."

Also, as Charlie Eisenhood points out over at ThinkProgress, maybe this is the Obamacare of bicycles, or something?

Just last week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood -- a former Republican member of Congress -- visited Denver, strapped on a helmet to take a bike ride through town, and called the bicycle-sharing program "a model for America."

So, in other words, Dan Maes is deeply, unquenchably crazy. But will he be able to out cray-cray Tancredo? Westword's Michael Roberts offers Maes some suggestions on where to go from here, including doing something about Denver-area "Best Buy outlets still selling TV remotes with SAP buttons, nefariously promoting languages other than 'Merican."

London Gets Bicycle Rental Stations

London's new bicycle rental system is being launched this week. It is called Barclays Cycle Hire, named after the same bank that sponsored the Cycle Super Highways and sponsors the rental stations for £25M. It is modeled after Montreal's Bixi. 6,000 bicycles have been built at Devinci Cycles in Batgotville Quebec. Even though they are not British-made, these cycles are built to last. In fact they are built like two-wheeled tanks: they weigh 50 lbs., so that they can't be vandalized easily. They have three gears so serious riders will pass them by with disdain.

The bicycles have been specially modified for the London user with 43 changes from the Montreal cycles. The lights stay on for 2 minutes after pedaling stops. This means that they are illuminated for the length of a traffic light. There are better mudguards because of the rainy weather. The baskets are smaller on the front handles so that joy-riders are not encouraged (however, not much can be carried in them). There are no locks except at the docking stations. Which means if you run into a shop, you run the risk of the bike being gone when you return.

For now, residents of London can sign up for a day, weekly, or yearly membership. So far 4,500 have already. Tourists are going to have to wait a little longer for the chance to ride one. Below is a step by step guide that I found online that explains how to rent a bike and start riding.

First the system: after you register for membership you get an electronic key. You put the key in the slot, a light shines red if the bicycle is not available, amber while your details are being checked, and green when they are recognized. Then you hoist the bike out. The seats can be adjusted to any height.

Finding the docking stations is easy. There is an app available for the iPhone. There are good maps at each station which show where you are and where you can go. There is also a computer terminal which helps.

The price: the first half hour is free. After that it is £1 for the first next 30 minutes and so on.

There are some wrinkles to be worked out, of course. The key doesn't work in every slot, people don't put the bikes back properly and get charged for longer periods, the app isn't the most precise about nearest locations, etc.  For short trips, it's faster than the bus, great exercise and a thrilling addition to the greening of London's streets.

New York's Bike Parking Found

I was having a hard time finding secure bike parking, other than the typical street sign post or the single racks that could hold 2 bikes at the most. Many parks have the ribbon style, "wheel bender" racks, but they were not sufficient with the large numbers of bikes that are on the streets and need a place to be stored.

In my exploration of the city, I have found some of the city's newest investment in bicycle parking. The city is installing small kiosk type racks that come with signage and maps of bike routes through the city. They are really clean and give a sense of increased safety, since it would be pretty obvious if you saw someone maneuvering with a pair of bolt cutters in the wide open area of the kiosks.

Another initiative that the city is fostering is a new local law that went into affect last December. Office building tenants may file requests with the city for bike access. Bikes in Buildings Program is expected to lead to a broad expansion of bike parking at commercial office buildings across the city and encourage continued growth in the number of commuter cyclists on city streets. Commuter cycling in New York is already accelerating rapidly, with a 26% increase in just the last year alone, and has more than doubled since 2005. A lack of secure bike access and parking at the office is one of the biggest deal-breakers for commuters who want to get to work by bike. As commuter cycling continues to grow, this new law unlocks a barrier that has stopped an untold number of bike commutes before they even started.

Another initiative for business owners and residents is the City Racks Program. City Racks provides FREE installation of sidewalk bicycle parking racks throughout New York City to encourage cycling for commuting, short trips, and errands. By providing convenient parking to the cycling community, businesses can expand their client base and improve customer satisfaction. The availability of bike parking discourages cyclists from
parking at mailboxes, parking meters, trees, and other sidewalk structures.

Biking is a great way to get to work in New York City and ride around to tour the city, and these new programs makes it easier for workers and visitors to travel on two wheels instead of four. By creating a safe, secure place for cyclists to store their bikes, it helps to promote alternative modes of transportation and a healthy, active lifestyle for millions of New Yorkers.

Central Park's Bike Race

I think you know it is going to be a good day when you get to the corner of Central Park and see a sign that says "Caution Bicycle Race In Progress". I started having flash backs to riding with the Lakemont group, the Horrible 100, etc. The cool thing about this race was that it was almost like watching a professional race. They had motor bikes to lead the race and race officials with referee whistles and orange cones and flags to mark road obstacles.

The Central Park circuit is 6.25 miles and their race was comprised of 10 laps. This gave them a pretty good variety of hills and wide open road to speed through. The race organizers weren't able to close the park, so it was full of spectators and fans that cheered on the riders as they sped by. I watched a few laps and had to head back to the apartment, but I am researching some of their bike clubs to see when their next rides are.