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Category Archives: Article
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Filed under Activisim, Comings and Goings
Where’d it come from … ?
- 130,000,000 bicycles produced worldwide (2007)
- 67% of the worldwide production of bicycles comes from China
- 56,000 bicycles were produced in the USA (2014)
- 99% of the bicycles sold in the USA were imported (16.2 million bicycles)(2013)
- Top global producers of bicycles:
1 – China
2 – India
3 – EU
4 – Taiwan
5 – Japan
SOURCE: Momentum, May-Jun 2015
Filed under Article, Editorial, Shop Local
What’s Hot, What’s Not?
- IN – City bike
- OUT – Hybrid bike
- IN – Step-through frame
- OUT – Ladies bike
- IN – “Twenty (i.e., mph) is plenty”
- OUT – All cars-all the time
- IN – Balance bike
- OUT – Training wheels
- IN – Everyday rider, transit rider
- OUT – Avid “cyclist”
- IN – “Good morning,” “good afternoon,” “good evening”
- OUT – “ON YOUR LEFT!!!”
- IN – Civilized cycling
- OUT – Vehicular cyclists and John Foster’s unfounded theories.
- IN – No right on red when people walking have the “walk light” in any direction
- OUT – Rolling right on red anywhere
- IN – Fenders
- OUT – Fixed gear
- IN – People on bicycles, people walking, people in cars
- OUT – “Cyclist,” “pedestrian,” “drivers”
- IN – Panniers, baskets
- OUT – Messenger bags
- IN – Chatting, paying attention
- OUT – Texting
- IN – Comfort
- OUT – Spandex, Lycra
- IN – Upright position
- OUT – In the “drops”
- IN – Hats
- OUT – Helmets (but wear one)
- IN – Protected bike lanes
- OUT – “Sharrows”
- IN – Supple, wide tires
- OUT – 25X700C
- IN – [Bicycles] “May use full lane”
- OUT – [Bicycles] “In lane”
Mostly courtesy “Momentum,” Aug-Sep 2013
Filed under Activisim, Editorial, Support the Cause
Pay Attention!
Everyone knows the “ABC Quick Check” – Air (tread or sidewall damage), brakes (pads and cables adjusted), Cranks (loose?)/Chain (lubed?)/Cassette (worn?), and QUICK Releases (both wheels and brakes). The ABC Quick Check can come in many variations, but the preceding is pretty much it.
But time passes, wear occurs, the mind wanders, the B-12 wears off, etc.
Standing around one day, a fortunate glance showed that the “A” in “A,B,C” was totally overlooked when it came to the rear tire. In two places, the tread was worn through and cracked with the tire casing fabric showing through. YIKES! In the case of this particular bicycle, there was not even the excuse of fenders blocking view of the tread…
Filed under Bike Tech
Resolutions for People on Bicycles
Resolutions for people on bicycles who want to make cycling safer for all by promoting a positive image of cycling …
- I will – Smile and say “good morning,” “good afternoon,” etc. to everyone I meet while riding.
- I will – Remember that the one certain way to increase safety for people on bicycles is to ride my bicycle as often as I can. All the bicycle lanes, tickets, smart traffic lights, “share the road signs,” blinkie lights, and reflective clothing will do little if not accompanied by MORE PEOPLE riding MORE OFTEN – so that all road users get used to each other being on the street.
- I will – Shop locally at locally owned businesses who hire local people and pay a fair wage.
- I will – Obey the traffic law. I will stop for signs and signals especially when people in cars or on foot can see me, and I will stay off the sidewalks.
- I will – Lube my chain and check my tires (for wear and correct air pressure).
- I will – Check that my brakes work (lever is a thumb’s distance or more from the handle bars when full “on”) and the pads contact the wheel rim braking surface.
- I will – Be deferential to all pedestrians no matter how crazily they act
- I will – Speak out on behalf of people on bicycles in a polite and non-confrontational manner.
- I will – Signal my stops, scan and signal my turns, and make eye contact with people in cars and on foot.
- I will – Speak out and write in on issues facing cycling. I will keep up to date on developments that affect safe use of the streets by people on bicycles.
- I will – Support my local bike rescue and bicycle shops. I will buy on the internet only when my bicycle shop does not stock or cannot order what I need.
- I will – Wave and smile to those in cars who are bothered by my presence on a bicycle on my streets (no “one finger waves,” s.v.p.)
- I will – Be Kind.
Filed under Activisim, Article, Shop Local, Support the Cause
