More Cyclists In Atlanta

The League of American Bicyclists released the 2009 commuter rate figures and it shows that there is an increase of bicycle commuters in Atlanta of 111%.  And Atlanta’s share of bicycle commuters has doubled, OK so it’s from 0.51% to 1.08%.  But hey it’s trending up.  Out of 70 large cities across the US, Atlanta now ranks 22nd ahead of places such as NYC and Austin.

Keep supporting the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition and your local bike advocacy group.

Link to the report here and the press release here.

Cool news for Atlanta and Atlanta cycling.

Conta Conta Contador

It’s big news when a positive test for a cyclist makes it onto a running website.  Running Times online had a snippet of Contador’s positive test and a link to a long explanation of it all, explained on the site The Science of Sport.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Contador tests positive

Alberto Contador tests positive for clenbuterol - thoughts and conjecture.

By now, most of you will have heard the news that greeted me as I woke this morning, that multiple Grand Tour champion Alberto Contador has tested positive for Clenbuterol during this year's Tour de France victory.  The reaction has been swift - Contador apparently heard of the result on the 24th of August, so one can assume the wheels have been turning furiously for both him and the anti-doping lab that detected the substance, and so it's no surprise that there are already many theories, discussions and possibilities around what has happened.

I haven't the time to delve too deeply into it right now, and besides, it would only repeat what is already out there.  So to save you some time in searches and your own reading, here are some of the more interesting pieces, that explain what might, or might not be going on:

Read on here.

Heckling In Cross

I love heckling. Cross is awesome.  There are even kids heckling the racers.

CROSS II The Hecklers from Paul Michna on Vimeo.

Amazing!

From usatoday.com….

Google invests in pedal-powered bike monorail

Picture By Shweeb

Tired of traffic jams or crowded buses? Google is investing $1 million in an entirely new transport idea in which human-powered plastic tubes hang upside down from a monorail.

Google is funding research by Shweeb, a company that developed a bike-powered monorail in Rotorua, New Zealand, where users in suspended pods cycle at speeds up to 28 miles per hour. On its website, Shweeb says it will soon announce where it will build the first network for public use.

Google's investment stemmed from its Project 10^100, which solicited ideas for changing the world. The competition received 150,000 from 170 countries and voters picked five, one of which was "Drive innovation in public transport." Shweeb was chosen as the organization to bring that idea to life.

Read on here.

Charge Bikes Red Bull Cobble Wobble

Cobble Wobble - 2010 from Charge Bikes on Vimeo.
Where is Atlanta's most brootal hill?

Commuting

Rachel Brown's NYC commute and the debate about bike lanes.  It's a problem in every city where bike lanes are used for other purposes.  So what to do?  I see it happening in Atlanta.  What's your commute like?

Bike Lane Art

Swooped from Bikes and The City via Jef Poskanzer...

On Campus Bike Sharing

From the USA Today online…

Bike-sharing programs spin across U.S. campuses

Picture by Bob Linder, Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader

Jason Dallam, left, adjusts a bike Blake Bodendorfer checked out for the semester from Drury University on Aug. 30.

Article by Didi Tang, USA TODAY

Drury University junior Garret Shelenhamer ditched his car and gets to his classes and volunteer commitments using a shiny, new bike provided by the school.

Shelenhamer, 20, is one of a number of students across the USA taking advantage of free or low-cost bike sharing programs, which have become increasingly popular. Drury students agreed to pay a $20-a-year sustainability fee, which funds the bike program. The Springfield, Mo., school purchased 40 new bikes for use by students in time for the fall semester.

"It's helped me so much," Shelenhamer said. "It's been fun."

Read on here.

.2 Seconds

That's what separated Taylor Phinney, Levi Leipheimer, and the US Pro Time Trial Title. Read the Velonews article here.

Pics from Velonews.com.

Seagull Bags Rock!

 

Seagull Bags rock! These are just 2 of their bags. 1st one is their 'Black Bag' in the Spring 2010 colorway edition. The 2nd is their Kurt Boone Signature bag. Today I was checking out the Bike Jerks blog and I saw this picture of the prize bag that Seagull provided for Stupor Bowl 13.  I thought it was one of the coolest bags.

Photo from the Bike Jerks blog.

Lust would be a good word for wanting one of these bags.

Why Park In The Bike Lane?

So I can sit on Jackson and sketch out the skyline of Atlanta at 5pm. Darker red (maroon, garnet, brick) colored Hyundai Elantra, license plate BNN 0741.

Cool Brake Levers

I saw this on the Lovely Bicycle blog and it is one of the coolest brake levers I have ever seen.  I doubt it is still available but nonetheless a classic.

Photo from the Lovely Bicycle site.

CMWC Is Done

Article from velonews.com...

Messenger world championships go to the rookies in Guatemala

By Connor Boals • Published: Sep 14th 2010 3:29 PM EDT

Craig Etheridge won a plane ticket to a messenger race in Guatemala. Then, he won that race.
Etheridge, a first time competitor at the Cycle Messenger World Championships, was the first to complete a delivery course through the tiny Guatemalan town of Panajachel.
Etheridge along with the top 40 male and top 10 female riders competed on Sunday to deliver a set of five manifests consisting of approximately 10 deliveries each.
Etheridge’s finished the course in two hours and 45 minutes, according to Shawn “bega” Blumenfeld, the results coordinator for the event.
“I just tried to ride smart, clean lines,” Etheridge said. “And on top of that, there’s always an element of luck.”


Read on here. Congrats to all, looking forward to Nationals in Atlanta and Chicago next year (cross fingers, hopefully).

Bicycle Obelisk

340 bicycles and 1 tricycle later, you too can have a 65’ tall obelisk, from Wired online…

California Artists Build Obelisk Out of Bicycles

By Dylan F. Tweney  September 8, 2010

Northern California artists Mark Grieve and Ilana Spector built a 65-foot-tall, 10,000-pound obelisk out of around 340 bicycles — and one tricycle.

The monumental sculpture, called “Cyclisk,” has been installed on a streetcorner in Santa Rosa, California. Perhaps ironically, given its composition, the obelisk is right in the midst of a bunch of auto dealerships.

A tribute to the way car culture has sacrificed more eco-friendly bicycle culture? A memento mori for industrial civilization? A reminder that riding your bicycle is both healthier and cheaper than driving a car?

Not necessarily any of the above, says Grieve.

Read on here.

2011 CMWC

From velonews.com, pretty cool that messengers are getting time on VeloNews…

The show goes on: Guatemalan landslides challenge Cycle Messenger World Championships organizers

By Connor Boals • Updated: Sep 9th 2010 8:20 AM EDT

Pic from VeloNews, Bill "Biker Bill" Thain before the first day of racing on "La Ocho."

It’s a bike messenger’s job to get the delivery done in any condition: rain, sleet or snow.

But what about landslides?

The 18th annual Cycle Messenger World Championships will answer just that question as hundreds of messengers from across the globe descend on the tiny Guatemalan town of Panajachel, where some preliminary events started Sept. 3

Heavy rains from tropical storm Hermine have already brought the mountainsides down, closed roads, stranded racers across Central America, displacing villagers and even taking several lives.

“One way or another, we’re going to race,” said Shawn Blumenthal, one of the event’s organizers. “This (world championships) have never failed to go off.”

Read on here.

Rosskopf wins U.S. 100K Classic

From the Marietta Daily Journal...

Rosskopf wins U.S. 100K Classic, second victory of birthday weekend

by Adam Carrington
acarrington@mdjonline.com

September 07, 2010 12:00 AM

MARIETTA - Not a bad weekend for Joey Rosskopf.

The 21-year-old cyclist, who grew up in Decatur, clinched two important races over Labor Day weekend, the second being the US 100K Classic on Monday morning at Marietta, and also celebrated his landmark birthday.

Rosskopf, who attends the University of Georgia and races for Team Mountain Khakis, faced tougher competition Monday after winning a shorter race at the Tour de La France in Anderson, S.C. on Saturday.

He was in a group of three that took a substantial lead with roughly 15 miles remaining in the race and didn't solidify the lead until the last 100 yards. He raised his arms in celebration after crossing the finish line.

Read on here.  Congrats to Joey!

Philly cyclists bare all to promote cleaner air

Picked up from the AJC and AP…

PHILADELPHIA — Hundreds of naked and partially nude cyclists have pedaled their way through Philadelphia to promote bicycling awareness and cleaner air.

Some of the buff bikers wore body paint, some were in bathing suits and some were completely naked.

This was the second year for the Philly Naked Bike Ride. Similar rides have taken place in more than 70 cities worldwide since 2004.

The bicyclists pedaled several miles through the city on Sunday evening.

Cyclist Benjamin Palubinski waits to take part in the naked bike ride in Philadelphia on Sunday Sept. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)

Cyclist make their way through the streets of center city Philadelphia during a naked bike ride on Sunday Sept. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)

Read on here.

2010 Grant Park Crit Videos

The U.S. 10k and 100k Classic

The U.S. 10k and 100k Classic

MARIETTA, GA . SEPTEMBER 6, 2010

Men’s & Women’s Professional Cycling

Women’s 10K Cycling Sprint — Featuring the World’s Largest 10K Prize Purse! $10,000 is up for grabs for USCF licensed women cyclists in the 10K Women’s Sprint.

Men’s 100K Pro Cycling — Featuring Georgia’s Largest Single-Day Purse!

Open to qualified professional and top-ranked cyclists only. Course follows a multi-lap route on The U.S. 10K Classic course.

Info from the US 10K site; see gobike1.com’s flyer here.