I thought Ethan’s idea of ordering a Road ID was so good that I got one for myself and my partner. Seriously, I’ve known several people who’ve been rendered unconscious (or worse) while cycling. In such a relatively unlikely event, wearing a Road ID at least makes sure that people know who you are and who to call.

Here’s your coupon, in case you missed Ethan’s the first time: ThanksJulie403163. Good for $1 off for 30 days, and it can be used up to 20 times.

Here’s the link.

Cross posted from the Albany Bicycle Coalition mailing list…

On Thu, Aug 28, 2008 at 1:22 PM, Peter Herrig wrote:
> On a side note there are signs in the park about “Albany Bike Lock Program”
> “Visit any APD station for information” “Stop bicycle theft”. Are these
> just about registering your bike??

Alright, I have info!

I stopped a bicycle cop Downtown and he didn’t know anything, but he
told me to call Community Services. So I did.

It IS a bicycle registration program. It’s free.

You can pick up a trifold pamphlet with an index card at police
stations, City Hall, or community events where Community Services has
a tent. This gives you information about the program and allows you to
sign up.

What they do is take your personal info (name, address, phone) and
info about the bike, like serial number and make/model and any
distinguishing characteristics. They put this into their computer. You
get a little (1″) sticker that goes on your front fork. It’s blue and
reflective and has a picture of lock on it. It is supposed to be
nearly impossible to remove.

If your bike is stolen, the police know what your bike looks like,
know it has a sticker, and it will be easier to identify.

Any police officer can stop anyone on a bike with a sticker. The rider
is asked to verify that they own the bike, or that they have
permission to ride the bike.

This past Friday night, Jess and I went out on a S24O camping trip down the Genesee Valley Greenway. It’s was a very casual, fun, refreshing adventure; and I highly recommend that those in Rochester check out the trail. Pictures and a bit of story telling follow. (more…)

The Cranes are off to camp at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Connecticut for a few days. So you’re in the expert care of the rest of Team RocBike, who I’m sure will fill the site with wonderful posts!

Links of the Day will return on Friday. Ish.

Pick Of The Pics

An “edited” billboard, courtesy of BikePortland

Say it ain’t so, Dave! Dave Moulton quits blogging!

From The Bike-O-Sphere

• Know When to Hold ‘Em, Know When to Fold ‘Em…. (Bicycle Fixation)
  
• Green Tuesday — Recycletron 1000 Hits the Streets! (Bike Commuters)

• The BSNYC Absentee Art Exhibition (Part II) (Bike Snob NYC)
  
• Quick Tip: Forgot your light? Use your iPhone! (Commute By Bike)
  
• RideTheCity.com: Safe bike routes for NYC (Commute By Bike)

• Hairpins are Magic (Fat Cyclist)
  
• SinglespeedWHIRLS 08, Napa CA (Jacquie Phelan’s Weblog)
  
• The new setup (pics) (KC Bike Commuting)

• “Bike-u” journal chronicles local rider’s Trans-Am ride (nicomachus)
• Bike Chain Font (Ride Lugged)
  
• Dear Potential Sponsor: (Scenic Route)
  
• Flickr Group (The Epicurean Cyclist)
  
• Another train video… (The Epicurean Cyclist)

• If it ain’t raining, we ain’t training (Up In Alaska)
• Eleven Cyclists Struck in Miami (Urban Velo)
  
• Planet Bike Spok Lights (Urban Velo)

• 2008 NACCC this Friday (Urban Velo)
• Why Ride Through Construction?

In The News

• UGANDA: Roadmaster loses balance on the road

Biking to the Troy Farmer’s Market has been one of those things I’ve been meaning to do all summer. Saturday we had really nice weather and I had nothing else to do, so impulsively I packed up my things and went. The trip was more about the journey than the destination.

I live near St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, so I had to bike down to the Mohawk Hudson bike path. I took that up to Watervliet, and took Broadway to 23rd. There’s a nice sign on the bridge into Troy that says “Share the Road.” The bridge is a little scary. I was glad there was not more traffic. The drainage grates will eat your tires if you are not careful.

The trip was 11 miles each way. I had a tailwind getting there so it took me less than an hour. I bought some apples and lunch. I talked to the guys at the Troy Bike Rescue for a few minutes. Pictures are available here.

Richard Gates is a heart transplant recipient. He’s also on a bicycle tour from Cleveland to Boston to promote organ donation. And tomorrow (Monday), he comes to Albany.

According to the Albany Times Union, Gates “plans to stop at Albany Medical Center Hospital at noon Monday and may meet there with staff and a support group.”

You can find out more about Richard Gates and his tour at tourdesecondchance.com. And if you’re free at noon, it might be nice to head down to Albany Med and welcome him to our fair city.

Pick Of The Pics

Courtesy of A Long Walk To Green

Courtesy of Carectomy

And here’s a montage of photos from the Erie Canal, courtesy of A Midnight Rider:

From The Bike-O-Sphere

• We’re back, and what a trip (A Long Walk To Green)
• Erie Canal Tour, Youtube (A Midnight Rider)
• Bikes Belong in politics (Bicycle Diaries)
  
• Head for the hills (Bike Noob)
  
• Signing off for now (Bike Year)

• The Question of Hills (Bikes as Transportation)
• Bicycling turns chore into exercise, fun (Bikes as Transportation)
• Sex Sells Bikes, Bikes Sell Sex? (Carectomy)
• Bikes We Like – Larry vs Harry (Copenhagenize)
  
• Behavourial Adjustment Through Sweet Bike Love (Copenhagenize)
  
• Bicycle Speed Vest (Cyclelicious)
  
• No Gasoline Concert Tour (EcoVelo)

• Mas bags (Tex’s Luavull Cycling)
  
• LimpStrong 2.0: On The Books! (The Cycle)

• Eric’s Lost Coast (Up In Alaska)
• Whack a Cyclist Game (Urban Velo)
• An Uneventful Ride (Yehuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery)

In The News

• UK: Oh no, it’s the bulldog breed on bicycles
  
• SIOUX FALLS, SD: Bicycle racers invade downtown Sioux Falls
  
• LEELANAU, MI: Legislation targets bicycle safety — Some say it’s needed; others say bicyclists are violating laws
  
• NYC: Bicycle for a Day Launch Party
  
• CHINA: Chinese Still Bike for Life, Not Sport

My family and I were riding our Xtracycles back from a Hair of the Dog show at Ten Broeck Mansion last night when we came upon Loren Grugan from the Albany Rickshaw Co. He’s been mentioned on RocBike here and here. We found him at Washington Park with three passengers — a woman and two young children, who all thought the ride was “great!”

I talked with Loren while we pedaled and asked him to write about his experiences for RocBike. He already knew about us (thanks, Google!) and said he would. So look for dispatches from PedicabLandia coming soon.

Several members of Team RocBike are also members of the board or staff of the New York Bicycling Coalition. NYBC got some press this week in the Schenectady Gazette:

Police go easy on kids without helmets — Education seen as higher priority
Friday, August 22, 2008
By Jessica Harding
Gazette Reporter

CAPITAL REGION — After an 8-year-old boy was hit by a car while riding his bike in Amsterdam, his mother was ticketed for his violation of the state’s bicycle helmet safety law.

Amsterdam Police Officer Ariel Santiago said such instances are rare.

“We’re more about education,” he said Thursday.

Santiago said he frequently stops children in the city and tells them to walk their bicycle home and get a helmet or confronts parents about the importance of helmets.

The boy was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital with minor injuries, but many bicycle accident victims are not so lucky.

Statistics from the Brain Injury Association of New York State say that 96 percent of cyclists killed in 1996 were not wearing a helmet and 88 percent of brain injuries from cycling accidents could have been prevented by wearing a helmet. Furthermore, more children between the ages of 5 and 14 go to hospital emergency rooms for biking accidents than any other sport.

Read the rest of the article.