Decatur Bakefiest

This is how Decatur families roll

Bike Parking

At East Lake Marta station

Sever

Ladder Art

More Food Trucks

For street food thursday in Midtown

Crossng The Tracks

Someone was very nice to paint in the correct line to go over the tracks crossing DeKalb/Howard by the East Lake Marta station. Maybe they had the the same crashing experience that I did.

Pop Up Chef

At street food thursday in Midtown

5th and W P'Tree

Ride Your Bike And Be Counted

It’s time for the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition’s Spring 2011 bike counts.  Ride your bike and be counted.  After that, volunteer to count others.  Interestingly enough, during my commute into work this morning, I passed by 3 locations and I didn’t see any bike counter.  So if you have time, please volunteer to help out the ABC.

Voeckler is Awesome

I remember him from the 2004 Tour by holding onto the yellow jersey for 10 days.  Just when I thought he was going to lose it on a mountaintop finish, you can see his grimace as he just pushed it to cross the line and keep the jersey.  With Philippe Gilbert looking like a stud through the Ardennes races, Voeckler is quietly racking up wins.  Still impressive after all these years, he just keeps fighting away, from Velo News online…

Inside Cycling with John Wilcockson: Voeckler on his best year ever

By John Wilcockson

Published Apr 25th 2011 12:59 PM UTC

Europcar’s French national champion moves to six wins in 2011

Editor’s note: Every week through the 2011 road season, VeloNews editor-at-large John Wilcockson is writing about key features of the week’s racing. This 11th installment focuses on one of this season’s most prolific winners, Thomas Voeckler, the reigning French national champion.

The same afternoon that Philippe Gilbert was winning the Flèche Wallonne atop the notorious Mur de Huy last Wednesday, another French-speaking rider was taking a hilltop stage victory at the Giro del Trentino in the Dolomite mountains of Italy. That would be Thomas Voeckler, the current French national champion, notching (like Gilbert) his sixth win of the year and cementing his leadership of the 2011 UCI Europe Tour.

This has been the best season start ever for Voeckler, who most cycling fans remember as the charismatic young man who wore the yellow jersey for 10 days at the 2004 Tour de France before finally giving it up to Lance Armstrong in the Pyrénées. Seven years on, at age 31, Voeckler is more popular than ever in his home country and, along with Sylvain Chavanel, is its most successful rider.

Read on here.

Audit shows why Atlanta streets are so bad

Our fair city’s streets, interestingly enough in the article it mentions that Georgia Power works with PEDS to find and fix problems…

Audit shows why Atlanta streets are so bad

By Ernie Suggs

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta’s reputation as having some of the worst surface streets in the South was confirmed by a stinging internal audit that shows that the city has done little to monitor private utility companies and contractors who routinely rip up the streets.

Sloppy paperwork and a lack of oversight by the city department responsible for roads have been blamed for a proliferation of metal plates on Atlanta streets and costly legal claims the city has paid for damage to cars.

In a 32-page report released last week, auditors found the Department of Public Works, the division in charge of permitting and inspecting city road work, had no way of tracking the work or companies responsible for making repairs.

Read on here.

City Of Atlanta Block

A City of Atlanta truck was blocking 2 lanes this morning. It was blocking a bike lane but also a car travel lane. The cars had to move into the next lane to pass. What was he doing inside his truck? Paperwork, maybe the city's paperwork. The interesting part is 10 feet further is a parking lane and lots of open spots. 10 feet further and this truck wouldn't have been blocking anyone.

Austin fosters growing cycling community with infrastructure, events

Austin, cool…

Austin fosters growing cycling community with infrastructure, events

Pam LeBlanc, Fit City

Published: 9:14 a.m. Saturday, April 23, 2011

If you've pedaled a bicycle around Austin lately, you might have noticed something: You're not alone.

More folks, it seems, are turning to two wheels when it comes to getting to work, running errands or just having fun.

And it's no wonder. Austin has nearly year-round cycling weather, terrain that ranges from pancake flat to steep enough to make a mountain goat smile, weekly social rides and bike races, and a growing array of infrastructure designed to make it easier to travel by bicycle.

Read on here.

As Gas Prices Rise, Bicycling Becomes a Solution

Interesting bit from the news wires, it would be great to see an increase.  I hope the ABC bike counts which are happening will reflect a rise.

As Gas Prices Rise, Bicycling Becomes a Solution

President of Nation’s Largest Unified Bicycling Movement, Peopleforbikes.org, Reiterates the Benefits of Biking

BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As U.S. gas prices skyrocket to near record 2008 levels, people around the country are looking for ways to reduce their gasoline use. While clean energy solutions should be an answer for America in the long term, bicycling offers an immediate solution. Riding a bike for short trips is an instant fuel and money saver that also provides many other benefits for individuals and their communities.

“If people can’t ride a bike to work, they can still use this gas-free form of transportation for other trips they make”

When gas prices last peaked in 2008, bike riding increased 15 percent nationwide and grew 23 percent in the 31 largest bike-friendly cities. The good news is that the federal government has invested more than $2 billion in new bike facilities and programs since then. As a result, bike riding has become easier and safer nationwide. Bike riding participation numbers, particularly in big cities, continue to show steady growth. Conditions are ripe for an even bigger move to bicycling this year.

Read on here.

Steal

$uper ¢ock

Along the Path on DeKalb/Howard Ave

Ride to Rebuild Japan - Apr 23rd

Kidical Mass Flyer

And here's the link to the PDF version of this flyer.  Hope to see you there.

Broken Hearts and Bicycle Parts VII - Back Roads and Light Loads

Kidical Mass May 21st

Kidical Mass Atlanta - Let’s Get Kidical!

 

Kidical Mass is a legal, safe and fun bike ride for kids, kids at heart, and their families. The rides are meant to be family friendly bike rides through a community. All types of bikes, trailers, trail-a-bikes, Xtracycles, longtails, bakfiets, Long Johns, tandems, folders, trikes, and whatever rolls are welcome! We celebrate and aim for family fun on bikes! It’s another reason to pedal around town with your family.

Bring a smile, a friend, your bike and another family*.

*Helmets are required and legally required for the kids in Georgia.

By law in Georgia, all children 16 and under must wear a helmet. We like to see parents and caregivers modeling that behavior as well as safe riding practices for the kids.

For the first Kidical Mass in Atlanta we will have bicycle pins, Kidical Mass spoke cards, SoPo stickers, drinks, and treats.

How do we do Kidical Mass?

We want our rides to be comfortable for families just starting out and biking on city streets for the first time but we don’t shy away from traffic just because kids will be riding. There is comfort in numbers, not just on a group ride like this but also in the day to day world of riding in the city. A ride like this is meant to help families feel that comfort by having a group to ride with and hopefully they will incorporate it into their daily transportation choice.

Some of our basic guidelines:

• Have fun!
• Personal responsibility (obey traffic laws and no group movements through stop signs and lights)
• A short fun route that doesn’t involve busy streets but utilizes a mix of residential streets, off street paths, and bike lanes
• Some ’street presence’ so we are seen and recognized out there
• Get the kids involved! Have them do artwork, tell their friends, and most importantly- come to the ride!
• This is a slow-paced social ride (avg. 1-10 mph)
• Have fun! Ring your bells, bring noise makers, wave to people we pass, yell out Happy Saturday!

We are a family friendly law-abiding ride. The purpose is to teach kids, parents and caregivers safety skills and provide a ride in which to practice them. We are creating awareness for the growing presence of kids and families on bikes and the need for all road users to respect other users of the road. We are also bringing together families who bike in an effort to provide a positive community experience that will show children how much fun riding your bike can be!

We encourage all parents to take responsibility for all young cyclists so everyone feels safe and comfortable on the road. However, you should still be very aware of your own child’s location and behavior as you are ultimately responsible for your child’s safety.

The ride will stop as many times as necessary to make sure the group stays together since it’s safer and more fun that way! Atlanta is a hilly area, so we will regroup. Since we are not stopping traffic or blocking traffic this may mean it’s the slowest ride you’ll ever take.

We want you to ride with us. You can join us along the route at any point, so you don’t have to ride the full route. Also you can stop at any time, take a break, walk your bike, and meet us at the end location.

We could always use additional volunteers, kids or no-kids, who can help with the ride. If you would like to volunteer to help out and/or ride as a ‘sweeper’ who stays in the back of the pack to make sure no one is left, please let us know, it would be much appreciated.

If you want to get involved, volunteer, and for more info check out the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition site and info, also check out http://www.kidicalmass.org/.

Where is the next Kidical Mass? You tell us! Get involved with the planning and ride somewhere fun. Email the ABC with suggestions and details.

When: Saturday May 21, 2011 10:00 AM through 11:00 AM

Location: Harmony Park on the Oakhurst neighborhood of Decatur, GA; (at the corners of East Lake Dr, Oakview Rd, and Mead Rd)

Ride to Little Shop of Stories (133A East Court Square), Decatur Square

The Route:

From Harmony Park we will ride North on Mead Rd, left on Leyden St, right on 3^rd Av, right on East Lake Dr, right on Parkwood, right on E Parkwood Rd, right on Upland Rd, right on W Ponce de Leon Av, and end in front of the Old Courthouse in Decatur Square. From there we will walk around the Old Courthouse to Little Shop of Stories.

We will be in Decatur Square which has green space and picnic tables, pack a picnic; there are also many shopping and dining options in the Square.

The route is 2.5 miles, http://classic.mapmyride.com/route/us/ga/decatur/253130329561469343.

Bike Racks From Bike Frames

As seen at Park Grounds in Reynoldstown. And yes installed by SoPo Bikes.

RoadHard Cycling Club Bike MS Fundraiser

Late notice to dine out today/tonight, as received...

Cynthia Cook and a few others have organized a local Decatur Cycling Club - RoadHard.  Right now I think there are about 10-12 of us that have signed up for the team and joining this ride to raise money for MS.

 

How can you help?   IT's REALLY EASY!   All you have to do is something I know you all like to do - EAT!  Cynthia has organized a fundraiser this Monday April 18th.  Leon's Full Service, Brick Store Pub, and Farmburger here in Decatur are all sponsors of the RoadHard team and are donating 10% of their proceeds from the 18th to the RoadHard team for our fundraising efforts for MS.  If you're going to be in Athens, Farm 255 is participating as well.

 

So go out to eat Monday, April 18th and help us out.  Go for lunch!  Go for dinner!  Go for both!  Take your family, tell your friends and neighbors.  You don't have to remember to  tell the restaurants you're there to support RoadHard - all proceeds go to the team - see I told you it was easy.

 

Hope you can join us and help the team out by dining out for this great cause.

Publix GA Marathon Wheelchair and Marathon Bicycle Escorts

Pictures from the Publix GA Marathon Wheelchair and Marathon Bicycle Escorts, the race was held on Mrach 20, 2011.  Full album here.

 

 

The Bicycle City

The Bicycle City. Trailer from Greg Sucharew on Vimeo.

Bells Are Useless

I finally put a bell on my commuter and found out they are useless. There's probably a GA law that says you have to have a bell on your bike. That law is outdated. On the way home along the Path, no one heard the bell. It's better just saying somethin or yelling because...
No one can hear over the music in their headphones.

Prospect Park West Family Bike Ride/We Ride the Lanes

Prospect Park West Family Bike Ride/We Ride the Lanes from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Johan Van Summeren wins Paris-Roubaix

Finally the super classics team of Garmin-Cervelo wins.  With all the press since the teams merged, they had a lot to live up to.  I figured that with all the stars on the team, they would win most if not all the classics and semi-classics.  That's not a far statement because even with the number of races and classics specialists on the team, everyone could have won at least one.

Photo from Cycling News online: Johan Van Summeren raises the famous Paris-Roubaix winner's cobblestone trophy.

Congrats to Summie and the Garmin-Cervelo team on their win.  I hope Magy Backstedt was high fiving his old team at the finish.  Looking forward to more success in the future.

Catlanta

Neutral Position

What is a neutral position on a bike?  I found these tidbits from an old issue of Bicycling magazine.  I always wondered about fit and only had a basic knowledge.

·       When you’re seated, the angle of your knee should be between 25 and 35 degrees when the pedal is at its lowest point.  Or try this very accurate ballpark: With your shoes off, your heel should just brush the pedal at its lowest point.

·       With your hands on the brake hoods, the handlebar should obscure the front hub, or be just slightly in front of it, when you look straight down.

·       With the pedals horizontal, a string dropped from the bony point just below your kneecap should bisect the pedal axle.

·       With your hands on the hoods and your elbows slightly bent, the angle formed by your arms and torso should be about 90 degrees.

·       With your hands in the drops, there should be about a 1 cm gap between your knees and elbows at their closest position.

Most bicycle commuters low income, middle class, study says

From Oregon Live online…

Most bicycle commuters low income, middle class, study says

By Joseph Rose, The Oregonian

A new study provides this morning's commuting reality check:

Contrary to popular convention, the biggest share of bicyclists isn't yuppies, it's low income people. In fact, the lowest-earning quarter of Americans make nearly one-third of all bike trips. Among that group, I would expect to find at least some fraction of working poor, students, the unemployed, and retired people of modest means. No doubt there are almost as many reasons to bike as there are cyclists, but it's clear that bikes are a favored choice among those on a budget.

So much for the criticism from many critics of bike lanes in urban areas that bicycle infrastructure is the playground of the affluent elite.

Still, bike riders remain overwhelming white, although there are emerging signs of racial parity.

Read on here.

Audi Wood Bikes

I thought it was still April Fool’s…

Audi Goes Green With Fewer Wheels, More Wood

If you understand German companies, you know the emphasis they place on “green” manufacturing and sustainability. Audi’s latest line of vehicles takes this concept to a whole new level.

Borrowing a page from Morgan’s engineering manual, the Germany automaker is introducing a series of wooden-framed rides. Three different models will be available, aimed at urban commuters, performance enthusiasts and those that favor long distance road trips.

The information comes directly from Audi’s PR department, and refers to a line of three hardwood-framed bicycles recently announced by Audi.

According to the automaker, wood offers the smoothest ride of any bicycle frame material, thanks to its ability to absorb shock and vibration. Contrary to what you might think, properly dried wood is also particularly light; in fact, Audi claims that wood weighs just one quarter as much as aluminum per cubic inch. 

This completely ignores the fact that aluminum-framed bicycles rely on hollow tubing to save weight, but Audi’s spin on the subject does make it sound good. 

The company also points out that wooden bicycles further Audi’s commitment to sustainability, and are both recyclable and biodegradable.
 

Read on here.

The Cities and States Doing the Best for Bike Commuters

From Fast Company online…

The Cities and States Doing the Best for Bike Commuters

BY Morgan Clendaniel

Mon Mar 28, 2011 

One key aspect of creating smarter, more livable cities is to create more complete streets that are friendlier to bikers. A pretty good indicator of how well cities are doing at this is how many people are willing to brave a commute on their bikes. This infographic shows, by state, what percent of commuters use bikes, and then breaks down the 10 most popular bike cities.

 Read on here.

Bay Bridge Bike Shuttle

All too cool…

BAY BRIDGE BICYCLE SHUTTLE

Biking and BART don't always mix, especially at peak commute hours. That's why Caltrans has this smart, cheap shuttle to get you and your bike across the Bay Bridge during morning and afternoon rush hours for only $1. It will pick up you and your steed and drop the two of you off at the MacArthur BART Station and SF Transbay Terminal.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist4/shuttle.htm

Bamboo Bike Studio

I've been passing by this ad for a while. Cole Haan sponsored.

Triple Rush

It is marked on my calendar.


Triple Rush - Extended Trailer from Triple Rush on Vimeo.

I Heart Hipsters

It's stuff like this that makes me glad I ride a bike.

Image from yourscenesucks.com and scooped from Hipster Nascar.

And yes Hipsters are in the top 5 of NYC top annoyances.

As scopped from Bike Snob NYC.

BiCi Coop 2 Year Anniversary

Happy 2 Year, Ya'll Rock!

War On Graffiti

A couple of articles I read in the AJC.  First is local to Atlanta while the second is in LA.  I really didn't know if they were April Fools articles.

Lawsuit targets graffiti "artists": Tag, You're it.

Both photos by Kristi E. Swartz from her article in the AJC.

LA aims to whitewash graffiti writers going legit

Skateboarding

Seeing this and any sign like ti reminds of of a quote by Craig Stecyk:

Skaters by their very nature are urban guerrillas: they make everyday use of the useless artifacts of the technological burden, and employ the handiwork of the government/corporate structure in a thousand ways that the original architects could never dream of.

I could not not post this; it's just too good of news.  From Velo News online...

Alberto Contador lands new personal sponsorship

• By VeloNews.com
• Published Apr 1st 2011 7:34 AM UTC

Alberto Contador – the beleaguered Tour de France champion fighting back doping charges – has signed a deal to become the new corporate spokesman for the Chick-Fil-A fast-food restaurant chain in its European expansion plans.


Read on here.  But look at the date first.