RocBike.com » Bike news

Public Meeting: Rochester Bicycle Master Plan

Adam — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 23:29:15 +0000

Bruce, a friend of RocBike and blogger over at Scenic Route, writes in with the following message:

The final public meeting for discussion of the draft of the Rochester Bicycle Master Plan is

Monday December 13, at 6pm in the Kate Gleason Auditorium in the Central Branch Library’s Bausch & Lomb building (the new one)

116 South Ave, between East Broad and Court Streets.

Bike parking is out front on the South Ave side, or use the parking meters on the Broad St side.

Cars can park on-street for free after 5pm, or in the Court St or South Ave parking garages.

This is the last chance for public input before recommendations are issued in the final report.

http://cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589943115

No Cars in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Ethan — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:35:39 +0000

San Juan, Puerto Rico, is not exactly the sort of place you’d imagine to be in dire need of a facelift and urban renewal. Images of a gorgeous coastline and old colonial architecture come to mind, but guess what? The old part of the city, “the Isleta,” is rife with poor urban planning scars, such as inaccessible beaches due to ports and an excessive reliance on cars. The government has decided to infuse the city with $1.5 billion dollars to re-develop San Juan and, most of all, make it a walking city, with no cars allowed.

More here.

Bike Theft Season

Ethan — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:24:27 +0000

Looks like Bike Theft Season has started. (Apparently the Albany Bicycle Coalition deleted the article I wrote about locking your bikes. So I’ll just link here, even though I could care less about “bike registry” programs.) Lock your bike.

More bicycles and poetry

Jason Crane — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:55:14 +0000

Over at The Best American Poetry blog, Stacey Harwood recounts her rekindled appreciation for the bicycle as transportation..

And on the same blog, Gabrielle Calvocoressi talks about bike racing terminology and the Italian scene.

Why are these posts on a poetry site? Why not?

Bike To Work Day

Ethan — Sat, 22 May 2010 18:49:59 +0000

I was photographed and interviewed for a Times Union article, which you can read here.

Capital Coexist / Capital Hate

Ethan — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:08:09 +0000

I am really offended that every time cycling gets into the local news, there is an automatic burst of “get the hell out of the street.”

STOP THE HATE.

Really. Of all the things you could be angry about, like our infantile politicians, you’re angry at people on bicycles?

Bicycle Ads on TV? Finally!

Ethan — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:10:19 +0000

So go watch this. Seriously, I’ll wait.

Nice, huh? I like that it’s not some rich dude in his super hero kit on a carbon fiber bike. It’s not some young punk in cargo shorts on a mountain bike. It’s just fun.

Thank Cog.

Bike Snob NYC unmasked!

Jason Crane — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 22:26:19 +0000

The New York Times has revealed the identity of Bike Snob NYC.

You can listen to an interview I did with BSNYC back in November 2007. Can you believe it’s been that long?

Google Maps Directions by Bicycle!

Ethan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:54:45 +0000

Hot word on the streets is that directions from Google Maps can now be tailored for bicycling, in addition to walking, public transport, and car. So I checked it out.

It’s directions for my morning commute take me down Lark. Which is interesting since Lark has all those annoying cobblestone intersections. And buses. So I’m not 100% sold on it.

But this is a step in the right direction. Thank you, Google!

(Also thanks to Commute By Bike and Cyclelicious)

Online sleuthing reunites stolen bike and owner

Jason Crane — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:22:10 +0000

The Albany Times Union newspaper ran this piece today:

Online sleuthing reunites stolen bike and owner

By JORDAN CARLEO-EVANGELIST, Staff writer
Last updated: 1:46 p.m., Friday, January 29, 2010

ALBANY — By rights, Wesley Leubner’s mountain bike should have been gone for good.

Stolen when his Hudson Avenue apartment was burglarized 18 months ago, the $1,200 Cannondale F600 could have been anywhere by now.

“For six months he was scouring all the want ads,” said Detective James Miller, a police spokesman. The 24-year-old former college student’s exhaustive search of local bike shops yielded only similar disappointment.

But then — in further testament to the ubiquitousness of Craigslist — there it was this week, in all its mango orange glory, for sale at the deeply discounted price of $250.

Read the rest of the story.

Albany Getting 9.3 Mile Rail Trail

Ethan — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:49:28 +0000

Also in the news is this story about how Albany County purchased a stretch of unused railroad to convert it to a bike/etc trail.

The 9.3-mile stretch of the old Delaware & Hudson Railway right of way runs from the Port of Albany to Voorheesville.

Way to go, Albany!

Albany getting more bike racks

Jason Crane — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:24:29 +0000

Today’s Times Union newspaper published this story:

CDTA bike plan racks up fans
Authority begins initiative to place bicycle racks throughout Capital Region

By ERIC ANDERSON BUSINESS EDITOR
First published in print: Friday, January 22, 2010

ALBANY — Downtown Albany has perhaps a dozen bicycle racks. But a new effort by the Capital District Transportation Authority could make parking your bicycle far easier.

The CDTA, in conjunction with the Capital District Transportation Committee, is seeking to place bike racks throughout the Capital Region. The racks would be free to public and nonprofit sectors, while private sector businesses and employers would be eligible for a 50 percent subsidy.

“The Capital Region Bike Rack Program works hand in hand with the goals of public transportation: improving our quality of life and reducing single occupancy vehicle commutes,” said CDTA Chairman David Stackrow. “Businesses have the opportunity to expand their client base and improve customer satisfaction by providing close and convenient bicycle parking.”

Read the rest of the story.

A bicycle built for two … lighter guys (Part 1)

Jason Crane — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:17:15 +0000

First, some background points that will help make the story clearer:

I’m a member of Rotary, and specifically a member of the Rotary Club of Albany. I love Rotary, not least because being a Rotary exchange student in 1991-92 completely changed my life and led to most of what I’ve done since. I also appreciate the way my membership and activity in Rotary helps me have a positive impact in my own community and around the world.
Rotary is involved with an organization called ShelterBox, an international disaster relief charity that delivers emergency shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster worldwide. It’s an incredible organization, and you should give them some money if you can, and maybe see if your workplace or school would be interested in sponsoring a box. Right now, they’re on the ground in Haiti providing immediate shelter:
This year, the Rotary Club of Albany gave approximately $2,400 to ShelterBox from the 2008 edition of our annual auction. That’s enough to buy 2.4 boxes.

And so, the story:

At a Rotary meeting several weeks ago, Charlotte, the president of our club, announced that she had a tandem bike to donate to the 2009 auction. The bike was used by two people during the Cycling The Erie Canal event. These two folks rode the tandem from Buffalo to Albany. When they got to Albany, Rotarians from my club were there to give all the riders rides to their hotels or to the train station. The tandem crew surprised the volunteers by donating their tandem bike for use at our auction. Cool, right?

So now this bike was at Charlotte’s house, and she didn’t have a way to get it the 16 miles to Albany. Either my fellow Rotarian Bill Corbett or I — I’m not sure who gets the blame — suggested that we should ride it. (You make recognize Bill’s name because he’s contributed to RocBike in the past.) I chimed in to say that we should be paid for doing so through charitable donations toward the auction proceeds. Everyone in the room agreed to pay us $16 each ($1/mile) if we rode the bike from Niverville to Albany. We agreed. It was on.

The auction was supposed to happen in December, but a blizzard ended up canceling our meeting, and we rescheduled for January 6. Bill and I met that morning at Wolfert’s Roost Country Club, where we hold our meetings. Another Rotarian gave us a ride to Niverville to get the bike. That person was also going to serve as our SAG wagon in case any problems occurred.

It’s at this point that I would like to make note of one difference between drivers and cyclists. Our club president, who drives from her house to the meeting, told us it was 16 miles. It’s actually 19.4 miles. That doesn’t mean much when you’re driving, but when you’re riding in 20-degree weather up big hills, those extra miles count. And no, 19.4 miles isn’t that far. Bill and I have both ridden farther than that on many occasions. (See here and here for the tale of my most recent long ride, which was also a fundraiser.) But it’s far enough, as you’ll see.

Our first mistake occurred in Charlotte’s kitchen. Pren, our SAG driver, got Bill’s phone number and put it in his cell phone. Then he asked Bill a question that would resonate later on: “Do you want my number?” Bill replied: “No, I’m not going to be calling you.” Foreshadowing, anyone?

Bill and me with the bike in the garage

We encountered the next problem as soon as we looked at the bike — the rear tire was flat. We already knew this, though, so Bill had brought a pump. As it turns out, this was the only useful item either of us had brought along. All of the other useful things that became necessary later on? Not so much.

Bill pumped up the tire, we said our goodbyes, handed over the life insurance paperwork, and prepared to ride to Albany. We got as far as the end of the driveway before the rear tire was flat again. Luckily, the donors of the bike had also donated two brand new tubes. So we got out our tire levers and–

Oh wait, we didn’t have any tire levers. Nor did we have a wrench to take the wheel off. As it turned out, neither did Charlotte or her husband Paul. Not to worry, though, down the road about a half-mile was a gas station. Off we went, pushing the bike. Surely, even in this day and age, a gas station would have a wrench or two, right?

Wrong. The gas station attendant had a screwdriver large enough for a sword fight, but no wrenches. As it turns out, though, the cycling gods were with us, because there in the gas station parking lot was a Snap-On Tools truck. Yes, a truck with every kind of wrench and useful implement known to man was parked at the out-of-the-way country gas station to which we happened to push the bike. Within a few minutes we had the tire changed and inflated and we were pedalling toward Albany.

It was cold that day. Very cold. And windy. Very windy. And I made what can only be classified as a rookie mistake. Having never ridden a tandem before, I told Bill that he could choose his seat — front or rear. He chose the back because, as it turns out, he’s not an idiot. He knew that it would be much nicer to have a very large guy blocking the wind for 20 miles than to be the windshield. (In his defense, he did offer to switch after several miles, but by that time I had warmed to the role and was enjoying being in front. That decision also saved me from the blame for … well, I’m getting ahead of the story.)

In the next installment: 400+ pounds is heavy … we climb and we climb … the SAG driver and the buffet line … axle me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies … we meet the Burger King and obtain his crown … and more!

READ PART 2

Bicycle clubs of old

Jason Crane — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:10:27 +0000

The New York Times ran a piece today on bicycle clubs of yore. Here’s the intro:

The Bittersweet History of Bike Clubs
By J. DAVID GOODMAN

Neither snow, nor sleet, nor bone-chilling cold can keep the members of New York’s assorted recreational bicycle clubs from the swift — or, often, leisurely — completion of their appointed rides around and out of the city. The New York Cycle Club, the Five Borough Bicycle Club and Fast and Fab, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender bike club, are some of those that lead outings and other events year round. And while none of these was around at the turn of the last century, each traces its lineage back to the ubiquitous clubs that dominated the earliest years of cycling.

In the 1880s and 1890s, growing middle-class participation in cycling lead to the formation of hundreds of clubs across the United States. The first to form was the Boston Bicycle Club, created on Feb. 11, 1878. The following February saw a club formed in Buffalo, and the first New York City club came in 1880, also in February (something about the cold seemed to drive riders to associate in those days, perhaps for the warmth of the pack).

Read the rest of the article.

Q&A on the Albany Bicycle Master Plan

Jason Crane — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:36:34 +0000

Today’s edition of the Albany Times Union newspaper includes a Q&A about the adoption of the Albany Bicycle Master Plan.

CYCLING: Rochester: an emerging world-class cycling spot

Richard DeSarra — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:33:53 +0000

CYCLING: Rochester: an emerging world-class cycling spot
By Jeremy Moule on December 16, 2009 City Newspaper

Read the article on Rochester Cycling Alliance blog; http://rochestercyclingalliance.blogspot.com/.

Or on City Newspaper‘s web site:

http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/news/articles/2009/12/CYCLING-Rochester-an-emerging-world-class-cycling-spot/.

Lake Ontario State Parkway New Trail Opening

Richard DeSarra — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:37:58 +0000

Lake Ontario State Parkway
Multi-use Trail Project
Ribbon-cutting Ceremony

Thursday, Dec. 3 at 10:30 a.m.

At the trail head on Island Cottage Rd
RAIN LOCATION: Robach Community Center (Bathhouse)
180 Beach Avenue in Charlotte

Directions: (See map.)
Take Route 390 North to Latta Road (Exit #26)
Turn right onto Latta Rd.
Turn left onto Island Cottage Road.
Go past Janes Road and park on the shoulder.
Use the crosswalk to get to the ceremony site by the pond.

For more info:
NYS Department of Transportation
Lori Maher
585.272.4818

Rochester Cycle Summit at RIT October 24

Richard DeSarra — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:40:48 +0000

Saturday, October 24th will mark 350.org’s International Day of Climate Action and the end of a week of climate action teach-ins at RIT.

The culminating event in Rochester will be a mass bike ride along the proposed Rochester Greenway. The Rochester Greenway goes south from Downtown along the river, past the University of Rochester, through the Genesee Valley Park, and on down the Lehigh Valley North Trail to RIT.

Once at RIT, the Rochester Bike Summit will be held in the new Center for Student Innovation. Its goal: to discuss a number of exciting bicycle and alternative transportation initiatives, and to make connections between the bicycle community, city planners, and environmentalists.

Look for details at RochesterGreenway.org.

Among the attractions planned for the Rochester Cycle Summit
• volunteer-manned stations for free bicycle maintenance
• exhibits on pedal power and bicycles as energy-conservation solutions
• posters and exhibits describing numerous bike initiatives
• an ultra-wide screen short describing the potential for making Rochester a world class center for recreational and functional transport
• free rides on electric bikes

Bicycles and civil disobedience

Jason Crane — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:59:20 +0000

The Guardian is featuring a story today by Peter Walker about the bicycle as the vehicle of civil disobedience. Here’s an excerpt:

So what is it that makes the bicycle and the demonstration such good companions? To me, there are two factors at play.

Firstly, if you’re in a group, there is something undeniably liberating about riding around a city surrounded by cyclists. I’ve never been on a Critical Mass ride, so going to Blackheath was a strange sensation – no longer a vulnerable solo rider lined up against the massed metal forces of the motorised traffic, I was part of an entity too big to ignore or shove unthinkingly into the kerb.

Second, if you’re a solo campaigner in an urban environment then the bike is the mode of transport most guaranteed to get you to your protest on time and – perhaps more important still – give you the best chance of slipping away from pursuing authorities. When I worked for another news organisation in Beijing I’d regularly pedal to meetings or protests, nipping down narrow lanes to shake off the unmarked police cars, which routinely trail foreign journalists in China.

Saxo Bank has developed an invisible bike!

Jason Crane — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:05:07 +0000

…and you can see it here.

War on drugs + war on mountain bikers

Jason Crane — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:45:47 +0000

Pot bust nabs bike star
Major marijuana probe results in arrests in Saratoga area

By LEIGH HORNBECK, Staff writer
First published in print: Friday, June 19, 2009

ALBANY — The major drug bust of a thriving marijuana operation in Wilton this week nabbed two colorful characters: A one-time champion mountain biker and a budding filmmaker on a spiritual journey.

A federal judge set bail for the pair Thursday afternoon.

Police set up a sale between a confidential informant and former star mountain biker Melissa Giove.

Read the rest of the article.

R Community Bikes is having some Bike Drives!

Adam — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:53:35 +0000

Gary Young wrote in to say that Rochester’s R Community Bikes is running low on bikes! They provide bikes to needy kids and adults in the area, and sometimes sell bikes to raise money for the group. They are taking all types of bikes for donation on the following dates, in ALL-CAPS so you remember:

SATURDAY JUNE 27TH
AT “THE BIKE ZONE”
885 LONG POND ROAD IN GREECE
FROM 10 A.M. TO 2:00 P.M

SATURDAY JULY 18TH
AT “PENFIELD FITNESS AND RACKET CLUB”
667 PANORAMA TRAIL WEST IN PENFIELD
FROM 10 A.M. TO 2:00 P.M

I non-consensually donated a bike to them last year, and still felt good about it! You can find more details on their events page, and here’s a PDF of the event flier in case you’d like to spread the word.

RocBike in the top 50 at LondonCyclist

Jason Crane — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:46:15 +0000

I received this message this week:

Hey guys,

I don’t know if you have heard already through the grape vine but you are in the top 50 bike blogs as rated through looking at things such as number of comments, alexa rank, etc. Congratulations!

I look forward to hearing more from you in future.
Andreas
(londoncyclist)

Ain’t that cool? Thanks for everyone’s support!

Yehuda Moon is coming back!

Jason Crane — Sat, 16 May 2009 12:46:34 +0000

Yehuda Moon and the whole gang from the Kickstand Cyclery are coming back on June 17. Huzzah!

If you haven’t experienced this wonderful cycling comic strip, now might be a good time to catch up.

Two Wheels Good

Ethan — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:30:46 +0000

This Friday, May 8th, the Sanctuary For Independent Media in Troy is showing “Two Wheels Good.” There’ll be a group ride from Albany to the Sanctuary meeting at the boat launch on the Corning Trail at 5:30. More here.

Cool Bike Racks in NYC

Ethan — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:19:39 +0000

Via BikeHacks

NYS THIRD (But It’s Not A Good Thing)

Ethan — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:14:27 +0000

I don’t like to be the bearer of bad news, but somebody has to say it. According to the NHTSA, New York is the third worst state for bicycling, based on fatalities. There were 51 deaths in 2007. Via BikeCommuters.

14-year-old cyclist hit in Albany

Jason Crane — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:12:57 +0000

The Times Union published a story today about a 14-year-old cyclist hit in Albany.

COLONIE – A 14-year-old is in stable condition at Albany Medical Center Hospital after being hit by an SUV Monday as he crossed Central Avenue.

Police said the incident occurred at 5:47 p.m. between Colonie Center and Northway Mall when Carlos Perez of Albany rode into the path of a Honda CRV driven by Colleen Williams of Albany.

Perez was thrown from the bike and landed on the hood of the SUV before rolling to the ground, police said. He suffered a concussion, broken bones and cuts on his head and neck, police said.

No tickets were issued. Witnesses said Perez was not crossing in a designated area and also said Williams had a green light.

Anyone who witnessed the crash can call Sgt. Robert Donnelly at 783-2744.

Bike Month Is Gaining On You

Ethan — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:14:46 +0000

Friday is the first day of Bike Month. I am super psyched about what’s going on in the capital region. Write ups on the Albany Bicycle Coalition, and Bike Albany.

Also received this by email, from the NYBC:

In order to promote cycling, advance traffic safety, and raise awareness of bicycling and pedestrian-related issues amongst our elected representatives currently in session, the New York Bicycling Coalition has organized a full roster of Bike Month activities in the Capital District. Exciting activities include bicycle safety education courses and LCI Training Seminar; a bicycle-themed art show; “Two Wheels Good” film festival; the ever-popular SIGMA Commuter Contest; National Bike to Work Day; and the National Ride of Silence. Please consult the full calendar (attached) and refer to www.nybc.net for more information and ways to get involved.

5/1-5/2: Traffic Skills 101. Taught by certified LCIs, this 9-hour curriculum gives cyclists the confidence they need to ride safely and legally in traffic or on the trail. Covers bicycle safety checks, fixing a flat, bike-handling skills and crash avoidance techniques. Recommended for adults and children above age 14, this fast-paced 2-day course prepares cyclists for a full understanding of vehicular cycling. Location: SUNY Albany Downtown Campus, 135 Washington Ave. Draper 147. For full details and course registration info, visit http://nybc.net/?page_id=3 .

5/1-5/22: “Grand Tour: Bicycle, Transportation & Travel” Art Exhibit. Upstate Artists Guild, 247 Lark St., Albany. Opening Reception & Urban Ride 5/1/09, 6-9PM. Note: special bicycle-themed art & reception at Downtube Bicycle Shop, 466 Madison Ave., Albany. 1st Friday Ride, hosted by the Albany Bicycle Coalition, will stop at Exhibit and other 1st Friday art venues. Donations accepted to benefit ABC & NYBC. For more information, visit: http://upstateartistsguild.org/GrandTour.

5/8: “Two Wheels Good” Bike Film Festival. The Sanctuary for Independent Media, 3361 6th Ave., Troy; 7 PM. Collection celebrates all aspects of bicycle culture, from competitive mountain biking to urban “alleycat” racing to daily commuting, bike polo, and Critical Mass. Selection includes a variety of filmmakers and spans genres from documentary to narrative, animation to sports, art & music videos. Co-sponsored by NYBC and Troy Bike Rescue; valet bike parking available. Admission by donation ($10 suggested, $5 student/low income). See www.mediasanctuary.org for details and directions.

5/8-5/10: Bike to Albany’s Tulip Festival. A highly anticipated spring tradition, over 200,000 tulip bulbs will blossom into a sea of colors amidst of thousands of attendees Mother’s Day weekend in Washington Park. The City of Albany is taking a step forward to promote green initiatives and reduce congestion on the roadways by encouraging attendees to RIDE, rather than drive, to the event. Designated racks and valet bicycle parking and will be available at the Willett & Madison Ave. entrance and featured as part of the Tulip Festival Wellness Garden, promoting wellness of mind, body, spirit, and planet. Steiner’s Sports will be on-hand to offer free safety checks and quick tune-ups to keep you rolling. Visit http://www.albanyevents.org for full schedule of activities.

5/13: Driver’s Ed. For Cyclists: a FREE Hands-On Training For Educators. 7AM – 2:30PM, Six Flags Great Escape Lodge, Queensbury. Educators who work with children grades 4 and up will gain the skills and instructional techniques necessary to teach students in P.E. classes, after-school programs and summer camps. Topics such as age-appropriate bicycle handling skills, bicycle laws, cyclist’s responsibilities, proper bike and helmet fitting, the use of gears and breaks and how to avoid crashes will be covered. Participants will also receive instructional materials and have an opportunity to take part in hands-on skill drills. Training is co-sponsored by NYBC, GTSC, Glens Falls Hospital and Upper Hudson Primary Care Consortium NYSDOH Healthy Heart Programs, the Cornell Local Roads Program, and Bike New York.

5/14: SIGMA Commuter Contest. This exciting competition pits bicyclists against motorists and transit riders during rush-hour traffic to determine the most efficient means of transportation. For the past 5 years, the bicyclist has been the winner–join us this year to see if we can make it 6 in a row! Start time: 5PM sharp. Location: Starbucks to Starbucks (10 N Pearl St., Albany to Stuyvesant Plaza, 1475 Western Ave.). Fabulous prizes courtesy of Sigma and Steiner’s Sports.

5/14: VEER the movie. Two showings! 7:30 & 9:15 pm. The Madison Theater (Albany). Special one-night screening of new documentary of the Portland, OR cycling community. Sponsors include: CK Cycles, Steiner’s Sports, The Downtube, The Dead Presidents Lounge, Bomber’s Burritos, Lark Tavern, 518prints.com, UrbanVelo.org. $6/($5 for ABC & NYBC members). Membership is free and you can sign up at the door. ABC will also be collecting $$ donations for the KONA AFRICA BIKE PROGRAM.

5/15: National Bike to Work Day. Sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists, individuals across the country are encouraged to commute to work by bike. The Saratoga Healthy Transportation Network is sponsoring the “First Annual” Saratoga Bike To Work Challenge. Companies with offices/workplaces in Saratoga County are encouraged to form Bike To Work Teams and compete for the highly coveted “The Gear Head Trophy.” To register, go to www.healthytransportation.org. For more information and resources on bicycle commuting, visit www.nybc.net.

5/16: Club Picnic, Ride and Swap Meet. 10AM, Colonie Town Park. The Mohawk Hudson Cycling Club invites all local cyclists & their families to come celebrate Capital Bike Month with the club and meet some new cyclists/friends. Rides of varying categories (casual, tour, mountain bike); potluck lunch; post-ride swap meet. Consult the Ride Calendar on http://webmhcc.org for full details.

5/20: National Ride of Silence. 6PM. Start location: Corning Preserve, Albany. 12 mile route will pass ghost bikes commemorating the deaths of 3 local cyclists. For more details, visit www.rideofsilence.org or www.nybc.net .

5/29-5/31: LCI Training Seminar. Becoming a League Cycling Instructor (LCI) certified to teach BikeEd is a great way to help cyclists in your community. If you are an experienced cyclist and would like to teach others, consider taking the next step towards certification and help bring the joy of safe cycling to others. NOTE: Road I is a prerequisite for a certification seminar. For full details and course registration info, visit http://nybc.net/?page_id=3. Co-sponsored by NYBC, Bike New York, and the League of American Bicyclists.

Nominations Currently Being Accepted for NYBC’s Commuter of the Year Award
NYBC is seeking nominations for its annual Bicycle Commuter of the Year Award. Bicyclists of any age who are NYS residents and commute to work or school on a regular basis are encouraged to apply. Submissions should include a brief written description, in 50 words or less, of why the person nominated is worthy of the award; deadline is Monday,May 11th. Winners will be announced on National Bike to Work Day: Friday, May 15th, 2009. Entries may be sent to: New York Bicycling Coalition, P.O. Box 8868, Albany, NY 12208 or e-mailed to Claire Nolan, NYBC Board Member, at cbnolou@yahoo.com

Celebrate National Bike Month: enter our 2009 Bike Giveaway and help make New York a more bicycle-friendly state!

Win a new Originate Urban Cyckel, generously donated by CK Cycles, and ride in style. Join or renew your membership to NYBC from now until August 31st, 2009, and your name will be automatically included in our 2009 Bike Giveaway drawing!

Grand drawing to be held September 1st, 2009. For official rules, photos, and other details, visit www.nybc.net .

It’s going to be a fun month.

Steiner’s Sports Annual Bicycle Tent Sale

Ethan — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:10:04 +0000

I saw an ad in the Metroland today that this weekend is Steiner’s Sports Annual Bicycle Tent Sale. At the Glenmont location only. Lots of stuff is on sale. Details here.

The end of Yehuda Moon? Nooooooooo!

Jason Crane — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:57:21 +0000

Yehuda Moon creator Rick Smith posted this on his Web site this week:

April 11, 2009

Dear Readers,

I regret that this will be the last day of ‘Yehuda Moon’ for a while. I ran out of time and can’t continue with the comic.

Thank you to all who read and shared and contributed to the comic. You are amazing and your support and enthusiasm for bicycling and bicycles is thrilling. I’ll be stopping all current PayPal monthly subscriptions for you by April 12, 2009.

See you down the road.

I, for one, am crushed. Rick, we hope you’re back soon!

News Channel 8 Promotes Thursday’s Bike Event, Also, Helmets

Adam — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:15:46 +0000

Don’t forget, this Thursday in Rochester: Let’s Talk Cycling.

News 8 ran a short interview with Jean Triest and Frank Regan about the event.

I liked what Frank had to say, though he could probably cut his soundbytes down a bit (the reporter had to kind of drag his point out of him).

Also, I’m glad Jean is talking about cycling as someone from the county government. And I know Traffic Safety is her job. So I mean the following criticism with full respect and appreciation.

But I do feel that her helmet lecture was too much. I know she means well. But if helmets prevent 89% of head trauma as Jean says, why not tell motorists to wear helmets? Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of head injuries in America. Head trauma in motor vehicle accidents kills many thousands of people a year, with head injuries occurring in 70% of severe crashes.

If you’re going to tell cyclists to wear helmets, you should probably add that with or without a helmet, safe cycling will raise your life expectancy while safe driving lowers it. And remember: the few studies that we’ve done on this topic show that the “weight of evidence is against the encouragement of cyclists to wear helmets.” I’d like to see more studies on this, and until then, I’ll wear my helmet in most contexts and stop telling other people that they should.

One way we could make Monroe County’s road really safe is to convince everyone to stop driving cars and to ride bikes instead. That may take a few millennia of advocacy (and some serious global warming), but it’s not going to come any quicker if people think that bike riding gets their heads smashed more than car driving does.

Anyway, Jean gets bonus points for saying that bikes have a right to be in the road, for giving some real practical advice on how to ride safely, and for spending time on the county dime covering bike safety issues. I’ll see you all on Thursday.

Times Union article on Albany’s cycling plan

Jason Crane — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:20:28 +0000

This two-wheeled journey begins with a single pedal
By Casey Seiler

If you’re an urban cyclist, you haven’t lived until you’ve been to Portland, Ore. The city’s elaborate bike lanes are broad and logically arranged, its bike racks are plentiful and sturdy, and downtown commuters on two human-powered wheels are accepted as a regular part of the traffic flow, not as potential suicides.

It was with Portland in mind that I arrived at the main branch of the Albany Public Library on Wednesday night for the first public meeting to discuss the city’s Bicycle Master Plan. Almost 200 people turned out — but you would have been able to predict that even before entering the building: Every available sign and stachion on the sidewalk had a bike locked to it.

Read the rest of the article.

Bike classes in Albany

Jason Crane — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:09:39 +0000

This came from the Albany Bicycle Coalition mailing list:

League of American Bicyclist Traffic Skills 101

March 27,28, 2009 TBD Saratoga Springs NY
May 1 and 2, 2009 SUNY Albany (May 1 Friday evening 6:00-9:00PM / May 2 Sat. 10:00-4:00PM)

League of American Bicyclist LC1 Seminar (I believe for those who have passed the traffic Skills 101)

May 29, 30 and 31, 2009 (Friday evening, Saturday, Sunday at Draper Hall, SUNY Albany Downtown Campus)

For any of these dates or for more information please contact Claire Nolan or Bert Schou.

Slogging in Afghanistan

Jason Crane — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:02:57 +0000

This image was featured today at one of my favorite blogs, BAGnewsNotes. Head over there for details and discussion.

Velooting

Jason Crane — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:16:27 +0000

(Nick Kurczewski for The New York Times)

PARIS — The Velib bike rental system has been hailed by Parisians and tourists alike for its convenience, as well as being a “green” alternative to getting around the French capital via taxicab, bus or metro. But the high cost of fixing, maintaining and, in many cases, replacing the fleet of about 20,000 bikes is proving too much for JCDecaux, the company that runs the program.

Vandalism Vexes Paris Bike-Rental System – Wheels Blog – NYTimes.com

Team Personal Rollercoaster

Ethan — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:06:41 +0000

If you haven’t been following local heroes Team Personal Rollercoaster as they unicycle through Panama, check out this video!

Bike commuting in the media

Julie — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:37:30 +0000

Back in November, Orion Magazine published an article promoting bike commuting and asking for bike commuting pictures to be posted to their Flickr group.

In much more timely news, the New York Times profiled Portland Congressman Earl Blumenauer, founder of the Congressional Bicycle Caucus. Who knew?

Uncle Sam Pays You To Bike To Work

Ethan — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:34:43 +0000

Today’s link of the day is this bit about the Bicycle Commuter Act.

If you’ve had any luck in this area, please let us know.

BBC World Service launches “Bicycle Diaries”

Jason Crane — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:28:03 +0000

A new BBC World Service documentary called the Bicycle Diaries starts this
Friday, Jan. 16. The synopsis reads:

“A journey to 3 different places around the world to discover communities and people for whom two wheels are better than four.”

You can listen online or on XM radio or shortwave. Airdates are listed here:

Bicyle Diaries

Bicycles and bow ties

Jason Crane — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:46:32 +0000

I’ve combined my love of bicycles with many things, but who’d have thought I could combine it with my 95-year-old-man fashion sense? But now my dream has come true:

That’s right, kids. It’s a bicycle bow tie from the fine folks at Beau Ties Ltd of Vermont. Perfect for that special someone who is … well … just me, I guess. And yes, you can also get it as a necktie, if you’re a wimp.

Helmet reviews

Jason Crane — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:20:38 +0000

Howdy. Check out this extensive look at Bicycle Helmets for the 2009 Season. And thanks to Randal Putnam for the link.

Central Avenue Bikeway

Jason Crane — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:13:26 +0000

The Initiative for Healthy Infrastructure at the University of Albany has completed its feasibility study on the Central Avenue Bikeway. You can download a PDF of the study at the IHI site.

3 Feet, Please

Jason Crane — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 14:19:59 +0000

This came into the RocBike mailbox this morning:

Good morning Jason. I just came across your blog and really enjoyed reading it. I am hoping you might take a moment to look at my site www.3feetplease.com to read my story and decide if it is something you think your readers might find valuable.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Thank you Jason,
Joe Mizereck

Joe sells jerseys that are anything but subtle. And that seems to be what’s needed these days. Check them out:

Visit Joe’s site at www.3feetplease.com.

Biker Gives Appalachian Towns a Voice

Jason Crane — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:31:17 +0000

From Alternet:

Trip is to protest mountaintop removal mining
by Brittney Moore

Sam Evans wants the voices of Appalachian families near coal mining sites to be heard, so he’s cycling to Washington, D.C., to hand-deliver protest letters written by mining communities.

“The bike ride for me is just a way to take the voices of the people who aren’t being heard right now and take them to Washington, D.C.,” said Evans, a third-year law student at the University of Tennessee. He plans on leaving Tennessee Jan. 9 and arriving in Washington, D.C., Jan. 20.

Evans won’t be alone for the 750-mile trip. Missy Petty of Conservation Fisheries Inc., a nonprofit organization that rescues endangered fish species, will join him for the first half of the trip.

Evans and Petty plan to stay in homes close to coal mining sites to see for themselves the impact mining has on nearby communities, then gather letters protesting mountaintop removal mining. Evans will hand-deliver the letters to the Natural Resources Defense Council, which will give the letters to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“We just want people to be aware of what’s going on in their own backyards and want them to care,” Petty said.

Read the rest of the article

NYT: A Surge in Bicyclists Appears to Be Waiting

Jason Crane — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:58:23 +0000

From the New York Times:

By JAN ELLEN SPIEGEL
Published: December 31, 2008

Photo: Wendy Carlson for The New York Times

After a summer of their dreams, bicycle store owners are facing a grim reality this winter.

Big increases in business this year led some shop owners to think that they were largely insulated from a slowing economy. But the economy has continued to spiral downward, taking bicycle sales and much else with it.

The question now is whether all the bicyclists who appeared last summer will be back next summer.

Read the rest of the article at the NYT site.

UPS on BIKES Video

Ethan — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:58:18 +0000

Pretty cool. Check it out. Via Cyclelicious.

Saving the world, one bike-mounted keyboard at a time

Jason Crane — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 15:02:10 +0000

Courtest of Fossil Fool at Rock The Bike:

Running reds in London

Jason Crane — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:12:54 +0000

This was in The Independent this weekend:

James Daley: ‘Another cyclist raced up alongside me and started hurling abuse’

Bike fitting

Jason Crane — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:34:11 +0000

The New York Times has an article today about bike fitting:

Ouch, My Knee! Is There a Bike Fitter in the House?

Number 34!

Ethan — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:55:59 +0000

The League of American Bicyclists released it’s list of Bike Friendly States. New York is #34.

$700B Buy Out Has Silver Lining

Ethan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:52:55 +0000

Those crafty kids in Oregon slipped the Bicycle Commuter Benefits Act into Bush’s awful awful $700 billion bad debt buy out. In short, your employer can give you $20/month, tax free, for biking to work.

More from Commute By Bike, among others.

The Long Bike Back

Ethan — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:26:40 +0000

The official Long Bike Back Blog was updated this morning. They made it to Boston. Because, you know, they are awesome. This write up talks about their trip through Eastern New York, with pictures of them riding through Albany (and I’m in one!). I’m glad to hear that they made it safely.

Long Bike Back event

Jason Crane — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:09:41 +0000

This came from NYBC’s Jennifer Clunie today:

Dear Cyclists,

NYBC has received a number of calls and inquiries re: the LONG BIKE Back event tomorrow (Saturday, September 27th). Like trusty mail carriers, Pearson & Pete have ridden through heavy rain, fierce winds, blistering sun, and treacherous road conditions (16 flats & counting) since their journey began early this summer to deliver the Share the Road message to communities across the country. Our event is on rain or shine! If the weather is inclement tomorrow afternoon and you opt not to ride, we still encourage you to show your support and attend the Welcome Reception and Talk from 5:30-6:30pm, happening in the warm dry space of the UAG Gallery on Lark St.

For those wishing to ride the last 15 miles in with Pearson, Pete, and Julia, meet at the corner of Dunnesville Rd. & Route 20 (Western Ave), Dunnesville, NY. If you’re looking to ride a shorter distance, two alternate locations that are easily accessible on Western Ave. are the Twenty Mall (intersection of Routes 20 & 155) and in front of the Bank of America (across from Stuyesant Plaza/Fuller Rd.) Claire Nolan, NYBC Board member, will be accompanying our cyclists and will pick up individuals at all 3 of these locations.

5:30pm-6:30pm: “The Long Bike Back” Reception/Preview Screening at the Upstate Artists Guild Gallery, 247 Lark Street Albany NY 12210, co-sponsored by NYBC and the Upstate Artists Guild. Join us for a warm welcoming reception and early preview screening of a segment of “The Long Bike Back,” after which our featured guests will speak briefly about their journey, including Pearson’s recovery, and the need for motorists to be aware of vulnerable road-users. $10 donation ($5 student/low-income); proceeds for the event would benefit NYBC’s Share the Road campaign to increase bicycle safety awareness.

See article published in Thursday’s Times Union: Life-changing crash sparks ride for awareness: Message is that cyclists, drivers must share road

NOTE: bicycle parking is available in front of UAG Gallery and Lark St. BID. For more information about the event, visit NYBC.net or longbikeback.com.

We look forward to having you join us tomorrow,

Jennifer

Rides This Saturday

Ethan — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:06:21 +0000

Buncha fun rides this Saturday, September 27th.

On Saturday, September 27 at 9:30 AM, Save the Pine Bush is sponsoring a bicycle ride from the Civil War Monument in Washington Park to the Pine Bush Discovery Center on Route 155, north of Washington Avenue Extension. Once at the Discovery Center, we be given a short tour.

When riding, we will follow all traffic laws, and stay together as a group. I have a route picked out (but, I always welcome suggestions!).

I would really like to have one or two more ride leaders to come with me. Would anyone be interested?

And, if you don’t want to be a ride leader, please, be a ride participant! Its a lot of fun to ride to our beautiful Pine Bush!

I expect we will return to Albany sometime in the afternoon, around 3:00 PM, depending on how fast we go, how long we stay at the Discovery Center, and whether we stop for food.

For more information:
http://www.savethepinebush.org/Current/Ski.html

And then there’s this one, which I’m psyched about.

After two years of recovery from a hit-and-run accident, cyclist Pearson Constantino and his brother Pete are riding across America to make our roads safer and inspire more bicycling. A documentary film, THE LONG BIKE BACK, is being made about Pearson’s inspirational comeback and the brothers’ epic ride.

Pearson was one of 44,000 cyclists to be injured by a motor vehicle in the United States in 2006; an additional 68,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic crashes.

On August 12th, brothers Pearson and Pete set out from Newport, Oregon, and will continue their cross-continental journey all the way to Cape Cod, Massachusetts along US Route 20, Main Street America.

Support NYBC’s Share the Road Campaign and join “The Long Bike Back” as they ride through NYS’s Capital.

Saturday, September 27th:
4:00pm: Pearson & Pete have invited cyclists, advocates and friends to accompany them the last 15 miles on their route to Washington Park, downtown Albany. Meet at the corner of Dunnesville Rd. & Route 20 (Western Ave), Dunnesville, NY, ready to ride (Please note: all riders must wear helmets–a rider will not be allowed on a ride if he/she does not have a helmet. Riders are expected and required to follow all traffic rules and regulations.)

5:00PM: arrival in Washington Park, downtown Albany.

5:30pm-6:30pm: “The Long Bike Back” Reception/Preview Screening at the Upstate Artists Guild Gallery, 247 Lark Street Albany NY 12210, co-sponsored by NYBC and the Upstate Artists Guild. Join us for a warm welcoming reception and early preview screening of a segment of “The Long Bike Back,” after which our featured guests will speak briefly about their journey, including Pearson’s recovery, and the need for motorists to be aware of vulnerable road-users. $10 donation ($5 student/low-income); proceeds for the event would benefit NYBC’s Share the Road campaign to increase bicycle safety awareness. For more information, please contact NYBC at nybc@nybc.net or (518) 436-0889. We hope you can join us for this event!

I have no idea where Dunnesville even is. As usual, anybody in the Helderberg neighborhood who wants to ride together, let me know.

NOWTOPIA

Ethan — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:24:47 +0000

While I’m here, I’ll post this bit:

How do the Open Source software movement, bicycle sub-culture, guerilla gardening, and the Burning Man Festival fit together?

Author and Critical Mass co-founder Chris Carlsson connects these dots as he profiles the social networks that are cooperating outside of economic regulation and laying the foundation for a genuine movement of liberation from market life.

NOWTOPIA is, I believe, Monday, September 15th, at 7pm. I’m thinking about biking there, so if anybody from Albany is going, bump me.

Velocars

Ethan — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:20:34 +0000

Over on Dinosaurs and Robots, they have a post about velocars.

The fuel rationing … is not a 1970′s fuel crisis, but the restrictions that were in place during the German occupation of France during World War II. As the aforementioned (and excellent) Microcar Museum notes, “It was the most sophisticated mode of transport available to a fuel-starved population, and owners were considered fortunate indeed.”

I think this little brown number is pretty nice looking.

Albany rail-trails update

Jason Crane — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:23:18 +0000

Here’s the latest on the potential new rail-trails. This is from Ken von Geldern via the Albany Bicycling Coalition mailing list:

Great news…

On Monday night, the Albany County Legislature approved measures to purchase the Hudson-Heldelberg Railroad bed from Albany to Voorheesville, and fund the development of the Mohawk-Hudson (Patroon Creek) Trail into a bike trail.

Several people from the public spoke in favor of the measures in an impressive and inspiring display of support. There were members of four pro-bike organizations who spoke, and all gave intelligent and impassioned reasons for supporting the trails. I was really impressed with person after person who gave such intelligent arguments for supporting the trails, and touched by the way the speakers gave personal accounts of how the trails will help them and the community.

It was evident to me that the speakers created an atmosphere of hope and community pride throughout the meeting.

This became even more pronounced when the legislators spoke on the proposals. Several of them followed the lead of the public speakers and gave their own versions of why they support the trails and bicycling in general. Some of them have been working on these issues for years, and they got to bask in the support for a short time.

The inspiring atmosphere brought out some forward thinking, as one legislator proposed a way to produce more funding to pruchase and create more publc trails, and another suggested creating a county wide body to coordinate trail creation and connect the many small trails we now have.

All in all, only one person spoke in opposition, and only because he was in favor of keeping the Heldeberg Trail for train or alternative vehicle use.
The Legislature approved both measures by unanimous vocal assent.

Many thanks to everyone who attended and participated, and those who couldn’t make it but gave moral and organizational support. We can congratulate ourselves for the work we’ve done to accomplish this, and think about where we want to move on to next.

Now, let’s go out and send somebody to Congress who will help us do even more.

Ken

Rail trails in the Albany area

Jason Crane — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 02:37:20 +0000

I ran into the delightful Mary Lou from the Albany Bicycle Coalition tonight at Stewart’s, and she said the rail-trail initiatives at the Albany County Legislature passed tonight. Look for a full report tomorrow, as soon as I can steal one from someone who attended.

Huzzah!

Bicycle Commuting in the Metroland

Ethan — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:04:08 +0000

There’s a pretty big, and rather well written, article about bicycling in the Capital Region in this week’s Metroland. Pick that up, or read it here.

Tips for bicycle commuting

Wear a helmet. A helmet is the single most effective way to prevent head injury resulting from a bicycle crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Obey all traffic laws and be predictable. Bicyclists have a right to the road, but they are also responsible for following the same rules as cars.

Decide your route ahead of time and ride it on a weekend before you commute into work. You can use this test run to judge the amount of time it will take, your level of fitness, and potential problems.

Have a bicycle shop tune up your bicycle. Learn basic maintenance, such as repairing flats and fixing chains.

Bring a change of clothes into work before riding in, or keep multiple sets of clothing in the office.

Bring a water bottle, or even two. In the summer, it is easy to become dehydrated.

If you are nervous about traffic, or will be cycling through a heavily trafficked area, take a beginner class with the League of American Bicyclists. Certified instructors can teach you the basics of navigating traffic and solving common commuting problems.

Wear appropriate clothing that is brightly colored or reflective. If you are wearing long pants, use ankle straps to prevent them from catching in the gears or bicycle chain. Bring rain gear in case of bad weather.

Invest in a quality lock and lock your bicycle to an immovable object in a visible area. If available, park your bicycle indoors.

Take the route at your own pace. “You don’t have to be Danica Patrick to drive to work,” says League of American Bicyclists president Andy Clarke, “so you don’t have to be Lance Armstrong to bike to work.”

BSNYC in the NYT

Jason Crane — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 19:27:31 +0000

Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times

Moving Targets
By JAN HOFFMAN
Published: August 8, 2008

IT seemed like a good idea at the time.

Save gas money, be environmentally correct, lose weight — just by biking to work. And so after two decades, Dan Cooley, 41, saddled up a silver 21-speed Raleigh in April to make the daily two-mile commute to his nursing job at a senior citizen center in Louisville, Ky. In four months, he lost 15 pounds. Way to go, Dan!

Friday morning, July 25, around 6:50 a.m., he was pedaling on a residential street, wearing his green hospital scrubs, when a Volkswagen roared out of a driveway in front of him. Swerving to avoid the car, Mr. Cooley cursed loudly and rode on.

The driver and his passenger cursed back. As Mr. Cooley pulled over to the sidewalk, the car turned onto a driveway, knocking him off his bike. In Mr. Cooley’s narrative, the passenger, swearing, jumped out and pummeled him. Then he got back into the car, which zoomed away. Mr. Cooley lay prostrate on the sidewalk, bloodied, with a concussion and a torn ligament.

The rest of the article, which bravely quotes Bike Snob NYC, is at the New York Times site.

Quite possible the greatest part of this story is that the Times is forced by its editing conventions to refer to him as “Mr. BSNYC” throughout the article.

CBS Sunday Morning features cycling

Jason Crane — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:53:33 +0000

I thought this was an exceptional piece. More than 10 minutes of solid coverage of cycling as transportation.

Canalway Trail won’t be finished anytime soon

Jason Crane — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:04:07 +0000

According to the Schenectady Daily Gazette, the Canalway Trail System will remain incomplete for some time to come:

Missing link in bike trail will remain
State postpones project due to budget constraints
Friday, July 11, 2008
By Michael Lamendola
Gazette Reporter

SCHENECTADY — The state has postponed indefinitely efforts to finish gaps in the 524-mile long Canalway Trail System, including a six-mile gap between Rotterdam Junction and Amsterdam.

A state official cited a need to repair dams and canal locks as pre-empting bike path work.

Schenectady County officials and bicycle enthusiasts called the state’s decision unfortunate.

The state had planned to close the Rotterdam Junction and Amsterdam gap this year. Had it been completed, the bike trail would have run unbroken for 40 miles from Montgomery County to the Albany County line.

To date, the state has completed approximately 260 miles of the Canalway Trail System, leaving unfinished sections in Oneida, Herkimer and Erie counties. The trail system consists of four segments: the 100-mile Erie Canal Heritage Trail in western New York; the 36-mile Old Erie Canal State Park Trail in central New York; the 60-mile Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway in eastern New York; and the eight-mile Glens Falls Feeder Canal Trail.

Read the rest of the article.

Not to get too technical, but that’s a real bummer. The folks who write for this site, and thousands of others, use the Canalway Trail system regularly. We’ve all been looking forward to the day when it, like its namesake, would run from Albany to Buffalo.

[Albany] Common Council endorses Capital Bike Month

Jason Crane — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:26:46 +0000

Joshua Poppel of the New York Bicycling Coalition wrote about tonight’s Albany Common Council meeting in his first post for RocBike.com. (Welcome, Joshua!) The meeting was attended by a half-dozen cyclists — Mary Lou, Joshua, Andrew, Tom, George and me. Mary Lou, Joshua and I each spoke during the public comment period, thanking Councilman Calsolaro for his resolution and commenting on the state of cycling in Albany.

Mary Lou talked about the job of educating drivers to respect cyclists, and mentioned several of the events coming up during Capital Bike Month. I talked about the difficulties of cycling around the city of Albany, particularly for a family that’s trying to go car-free, which means riding with little kids. Joshua talked about the importance of the council’s endorsement of bike month, which he referred to as a no-cost way for the city to encourage cycling and smart transportation alternatives.

Later in the meeting, when the resolution came up for a vote, every member of the council co-sponsored it, and three of them spoke out in detail — Councilmembers Dominick Calsolaro (Ward 1), Corey Ellis (Ward 3) and James Sano (Ward 9). All three thanked the cyclists for coming to the meeting.

Councilman Sano said he’d recently looked through his garage and found five bicycles. He said he came up with enough parts to build one for himself. “I realized that I know how to work on bikes,” he said. Then he donated the rest of the bikes to Troy Bike Rescue.

Councilman Ellis said he knew a man who’d recently found a job and who then went to Troy Bike Rescue to build up a bike so he could ride to work. A few days later the man came in again. Councilman Ellis asked him whether something was wrong with the bike, and he said that he’d been hit by a car on the way to work. Councilman Ellis called on the Common Council to work to make Albany a safer place for cyclists.

Following the meeting, Councilman Ellis came over to us and said it was important for us to show up at the upcoming meeting for the city’s comprehensive plan. As soon as I locate that on the city’s site, I’ll be sure to post it.

TAKE ACTION! Please contact your member of the Common Council and thank them for sponsoring the resolution. You’ll find all their contact information here.

Here are photos from tonight’s meeting:

Democracy in Action

Joshua — Tue, 06 May 2008 00:42:00 +0000

This is my first post on the site and it comes hot off of the Common Council Meeting in Albany this evening. I am sure Jason will be posting his comments as well and hopefully some pictures but I was hoping to weigh in before he beat me to it. I am happy to report that the Common Council unanimously approved the resolution proclaiming May as Bike Month. For those of you from more bicycle friendly communities this may seem like small potatoes but we take whatever we can get here in the Capital of NY. What was particularly satisfying about the resolution was that all 15 of the Common Council Members agreed to sign on as co-sponsors. We can only hope that this broad level of support will translate into more bicycle friendly initiatives as the city moves forward with the Comprehensive Plan (and let’s hope a bicycle master plan). Our thanks go out to Councilman Casolaro who introduced the resolution and continues to push for a bicycle and pedestrian and task force and to the handful of cyclists who showed up to support the initiative. Keep up the good work.

[Albany] Capital Bike Month 2008

Jason Crane — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:20:41 +0000

Jason sez: Here’s what’s happening in Albany during Capital Bike Month. More info is at NYBC.net.

DOWNLOADS

EVENTS

May 1st-31st

“Let’s Celebrate Bike Month!” Poster Contest for kids. Submissions accepted 5/1/-5/28; awards ceremony 5/31 during bicycle safety education class at Guilderland Public Library (see 5/31, below). Co-sponsored by the Guilderland Public Library and Altamont Free Library. Free and open to all children ages 4-17 throughout the Capital District. Prizes & giveaways sponsored by Plaine and Son and the Mohawk Hudson Cycling Club.

Friday, May 2

5:30 – 9:00 p.m.: Urban Ride & Grand Opening of “Dream Wheels” exhibit at UAG Gallery, 247 Lark St., Albany. Show runs 5/2-5/23. Proceeds benefit NYBC and the Albany Bicycle Coalition. Urban ride departs at 5:30pm from Civil War Memorial in Washington Park (intersection of Henry Johnson Blvd. & State St.). 12-mile route featuring ABC’s Albany Bike Map and proposed bike routes; returns to UAG gallery for Grand Opening Gala.

Sunday, May 4

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Free “Open House” Day and BBQ at SMBA Trails. Team LUNA Chix of Upstate NY and the Saratoga Mountain Bike Association (SMBA) will be co-hosting several mountain bike rides throughout the day for various ability levels on the SMBA trails in Saratoga Springs. [NOTE: You are not required to be a SMBA member to attend this event.] Beginners, intermediates, and experts all welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information, visit www.saratogamtb.org or contact john@saratogamtb.org or treesawmtb@yahoo.com.

Monday, May 12

5:30 p.m.: MHCC presents “Warm up for Bike to Work Day” Ride. Check your legs and practice your commuting route with the added benefit of increased safety in numbers that fellow cyclists can provide. Meet at 5:30pm at CDTA Delmar Park & Ride (intersection of Route 32 & 52, Delmar) for 13 mile round-trip venture from Delmar to Empire State Plaza in downtown Albany. Ride departs at 5:45pm. See www.webmhcc.org or contact kjempie@earthlink.net for more details.

Tuesday, May 13

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.: Legislative Breakfast. LOB Room 211A. Similar to the League of American Bicyclist’s National Bike Summit, this is an opportunity to learn about the latest state legislation pertaining to bicyclists and pedestrians, voice your concerns, and interact with your local and state representatives. Co-sponsored by CK Cycles. RSVP to nybc@nybc.net by Friday, May 9th.

10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Ride around the Capital. Following the breakfast, there will be a short ride around the State Capital and downtown Albany area.

5:00 – 8:00 p.m.: “Tune Up Your Bike Night” and Free Repair Clinics at Troy Bike Rescue, 15 Trinity Place, Albany, NY 12202. For more information, call 518.986.2256, email troybikerescue@gmail.com, or visit www.troybikerescue.org.

Wednesday, May 14

5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: Bicycle Rodeo for Kids and Families. Free bike safety checks and helmet giveaways for children; one child’s bike will be donated to recipient of “Citizen’s Award,” chosen by Boys & Girls Club (B&GC). Location: Boys & Girls Club, 400 Craig Street, Schenectady. Co-sponsored by Plaine and Son and the Boys & Girls Club of Schenectady.

Thursday, May 15

5:00 p.m.: Commuter Contest: car vs. bus vs. cyclist. Location: Starbucks to Starbucks (downtown Albany to Stuyvesant Plaza). Fabulous prizes & swag courtesy of Steiner’s Sports. For more information, email nybc@nybc.net.

Friday, May 16

Bike to Work Day. 6 staging areas with mapped routes and bicycle escorts to downtown Albany; 3 rally points with designated bicycle parking; and a “commuter buddy” program offered to cyclists who choose not to ride alone. Co-sponsored by Downtown Albany BID, CDTA, O.G.S., Sports Signup, Sandwiches to Go, Steiner’s Sports, The Down Tube, Elevate Cycles, Easern Mountain Sports, Steuben Athletic Club, Capital District YMCA and Bruegger’s Bagels. Register in advance at biketoworkalbany.org.

7:00 p.m.: Film showing of “Contested Streets” at Guilderland Public Library (2228 Western Ave., Guilderland, NY 12084). Brief discussion to follow. Free and open to the public. Co-sponsored by Guilderland Public Library & New York Bicycling Coalition.

Saturday, May 17

10 a.m. – 3 p.m.: “Savvy Cyclist” Road Class. Location: University at Albany, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, College of Arts & Sciences Bldg. Room 123. This course is offered free of charge and brought to you by NYBC and a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. RSVP to nybc@nybc.net by Thursday, May 15th to reserve a space.

Wednesday, May 21

6 p.m.: Ride of Silence (Albany). Start location: Corning Preserve (downtown Albany). 12-mile route will pass ghost bikes commemorating the deaths of 3 local cyclists. For more details, visit www.rideofsilence.org or email Claire Nolan or Sue Troll.

Saturday, May 31

10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Safe Cycling for Kids (and Their Parents) Workshop. Guilderland Public Library. Winners of Bike Month poster contest announced and prizes distributed. Fun for the whole family! For more information, contact Jennifer Ogrodowski, Guilderland Public Library, at (518) 456-2400, ext. 34 or Judith Wines, Altamont Free Library, (518) 861-7239.

[Albany] Cycles of art

Jason Crane — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:43:44 +0000

Here’s an article from the Albany Times-Union about the “Dream Wheels” cycling art exhibit. It’s part of the impressive list of activities for Capital Bike Month.

Cycles of art
‘Dream Wheels’ celebrates two-wheelers and National Bike Month
By DANIELLE FURFARO, Staff writer
First published: Sunday, April 27, 2008
In Tom Corrado’s steel sculpture “Green Man Cycling,” the man hunkers down, his arms and legs becoming the bike frame.
The piece is simple, almost primitive. Sort of like biking itself.
“You’re out in the open air, moving your arms and legs,” said Corrado, 62. “And art helps raise awareness about this very interesting, ancient, economic form of transportation.”
On Friday, May 2, the Upstate Artists Guild in Albany will present “Dream Wheels,” an exhibit focusing on bicycle-related art. The exhibit will mark the beginning of National Bike Month, and its opening coincides with Albany’s monthly First Friday gallery walk.
“I’ve always thought that bicycling was a big part of community building,” said Lorenz Worden, a watercolor artist, avid biker and member of the UAG.
It was Worden who came up with the idea for the bike art show. He approached gallery manager Rebecca Schoonmaker with the idea to hold the bike-themed exhibit in May.
“It’s an effort to illustrate that there is a common element between artists and bicycles,” said Worden, “Artists usually articulate positive social aspects and biking is a positive social thing. So many artists ride bikes.”

Read the rest of the article.
…and check out the calendar for Capital Bike Month.

[Albany] NYBC at the Adirondack Sports & Fitness Expo

Jason Crane — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 03:11:56 +0000

I spent a couple hours today staffing the New York Bicycling Coalition table at the Adirondack Sports & Fitness Expo, held in the Saratoga City Center complex in Saratoga Springs. It was a fun event, featuring rock climbing, kayak demonstrations in an indoor “lake,” plus lots of bikes, cyclists, runners and other outdoor enthusiasts. Jenn Clunie from NYBC was there with me, and we had a lot of fun talking bikes and biking with the attendees. Later in the day I was relieved from my post by Amy and her daughter Lauren, two very cool cyclists who were a delight to chat with. (Lauren even demonstrated the proper use of blinky lights. Not bad for 5 years old!)

[Albany] Continuing on the car-free path

Jason Crane — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:14:31 +0000

Jen and the boys are visiting from Rochester. We had lunch at Richfield Park today, and all four of us got there on two bikes. Bernie rode on the deck of the Packet Boat (Xtracycle), and John was strapped into one of the Freeloader bags. Jen rode my Raleigh Sprite, because her new bike is still in Rochester. It was a gorgeous day — over 70 degrees, a light breeze, blue sky. We took a picnic lunch with us and enjoyed every minute of the ride and the lunchtime.

We also rode over to the Down Tube bike shop on Madison and got a new Trek bike for Bernie. His old bike was falling apart, and he needed to step up to something a bit older. His Trek is a 20″ bike with both a coaster break and a rear brake on the handlebar. We all rode home through Washington Park. A cyclist named Casey rode up beside us and said, “Nice trailer. Hey wait, that’s not a trailer, is it? That’s awesome.”

When we got home, Jen asked Bernie if he liked his new bike. “I don’t like it,” he said. “I love it.”

Even better, John actually fell asleep while strapped into the Packet Boat. He slept most of the way home from the bike shop, still holding onto one of the straps with one hand. It was just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Maybe he’ll be a sailor. I’ve heard they can sleep while holding onto the rigging.

I had a nice chat with a guy named Jim who cycles as his main transportation. He rides a Bridgestone MB1 from about 20 years ago. He was admiring the Packet Boat outside my “satellite office,” the Muddy Cup on Madison. I also ran into Fred at the Down Tube. He was the guy I met at the end of my driveway last night while I was taking my inaugural GlowMotion 08 ride. “Nice to see you in daylight,” he said.

Jen commented last night that people are quite friendly here. As far as the cycling community is concerned, I’ve got to say I agree.

Continuing on the car-free path

Jason Crane — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:19:03 +0000

We had lunch at Richfield Park today, and all four of us got there on two bikes. Bernie rode on the deck of the Packet Boat (Xtracycle), and John was strapped into one of the Freeloader bags. Jen rode my Raleigh Sprite, because her new bike is still in Rochester. It was a gorgeous day — over 70 degrees, a light breeze, blue sky. We took a picnic lunch with us and enjoyed every minute of the ride and the lunchtime.

When we got home, Jen asked Bernie if he liked his new bike. “I don’t like it,” he said. “I love it.”

Jen commented last night that people are quite friendly here. As far as the cycling community is concerned, I’ve got to say I agree.

First photos of the Down Low Glow

Jason Crane — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:46:57 +0000

The rest of the photos are at Fort Orange Cycling.

My new bike and my new (bike) tattoo

Jason Crane — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:41:41 +0000

My new 1957 Raleigh Sprite

A newly modified 1973 carbon-based life form

More info and more pictures are available at the inviting and mysterious Fort Orange Cycling.

Joining the New York Bicycling Coalition

Jason Crane — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 22:04:21 +0000

Today I went to the annual meeting of the New York Bicycling Coalition to do a presentation on bike blogging … and I ended up on the board. More on that later, but you can see pictures from the event over at Fort Orange Cycling.

Jen’s New Bike — The Movie!

Jason Crane — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:27:59 +0000

Here’s a quick video of Jen’s new 1958 S.C.O. bike:

Jen’s new bike

Jason Crane — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:09:30 +0000

Jen found a 1958 Dutch S.C.O. bike on Craigslist, and we picked it up this weekend. It’s wonderful! Nicely restored by the bike mechanic who sold it to us — owned since the 50s by a doctor’s wife. Complete with built-in child seat, dynamo-powered lights, three speeds and coaster break. One step closer to car free!

UPDATE: It turns out that Jen’s new bike may actually be Danish rather than Dutch. See the comments for this post for some expert information. And of course, my use of the word “expert” means that the information is from someone other than me.

April 8 is “Travel Differently Day”

Jason Crane — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 23:55:23 +0000

From the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy:

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) has a host of fun suggestions to get you walking and biking around town! And if you’re already doing so regularly, this is your chance to be part of a larger event, and inspire others to enjoy active transportation.

April 7-13 is National Public Health Week (NPHW). RTC is a partner and this year’s theme is “Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance.” All around the country, individuals will be making the connection between personal health and the health of our planet, and how both can be improved by walking and biking more, and driving less.

In particular, Tuesday, April 8, is “Travel Differently Day.” Organizations and communities around the country are encouraging individuals to walk or bike instead of drive. NPHW’s online calendar lists events around the country in which you can get involved. Find out about a local event and join the movement to improve your health and the climate at the same time.

If a “Travel Differently Day” event isn’t happening in your area, check out RTC’s online trail-finder and discover a rail-trail near you that can put you on the path of active transportation.

Finally, do you want to make walking or biking a more regular part of your life? Take the Burn Calories, Not Carbon! pledge and make your voice heard. By pledging to walk and bike more and drive less, you send a message to your political leaders that you want more transportation choices in your community.

Thank you and have fun “traveling differently,”

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

On Tuesday, I have a staff meeting in Saratoga. I’m going to celebrate “Travel Differently Day” by riding my bike to the train station and then getting to Saratoga by train rather than car.

April 8 is “Travel Differently Day”

Jason Crane — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 23:54:52 +0000

From the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy:

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) has a host of fun suggestions to get you walking and biking around town! And if you’re already doing so regularly, this is your chance to be part of a larger event, and inspire others to enjoy active transportation.

April 7-13 is National Public Health Week (NPHW). RTC is a partner and this year’s theme is “Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance.” All around the country, individuals will be making the connection between personal health and the health of our planet, and how both can be improved by walking and biking more, and driving less.

In particular, Tuesday, April 8, is “Travel Differently Day.” Organizations and communities around the country are encouraging individuals to walk or bike instead of drive. NPHW’s online calendar lists events around the country in which you can get involved. Find out about a local event and join the movement to improve your health and the climate at the same time.

If a “Travel Differently Day” event isn’t happening in your area, check out RTC’s online trail-finder and discover a rail-trail near you that can put you on the path of active transportation.

Finally, do you want to make walking or biking a more regular part of your life? Take the Burn Calories, Not Carbon! pledge and make your voice heard. By pledging to walk and bike more and drive less, you send a message to your political leaders that you want more transportation choices in your community.

Thank you and have fun “traveling differently,”

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

On Tuesday, I have a staff meeting in Saratoga. I’m going to celebrate “Travel Differently Day” by riding my bike to the train station and then getting to Saratoga by train rather than car.

Recycling bikes in Cobleskill

Jason Crane — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 23:46:45 +0000

This was in the Schenectady Gazette today:

Editorial: Recycle a bicycle today

It’s not Paris, where the city has deployed 10,000 bicycles for use by residents at little or no cost, but Cobleskill also has a bike program worth noting. It is called Free Ride, and it has put a couple of dozen broken-down old bikes back on the streets, at the same time teaching kids and adults the art of bicycle maintenance and repair.

Free Ride, which operates out of the Cobleskill Youth Center, was started just six weeks ago by Steve Cash, who worked on a similar program two years ago in Montana. It depends on volunteers who fix up donated bikes, using old parts. Everyone is welcome, whether they know anything about bikes or not. Anyone who fixes one up gets to keep it. Some of the recycled bikes are sold at nominal cost to students at SUNY Cobleskill, which itself has a lot of donated bikes and was already thinking in terms of a community-wide program.

Read the rest at DailyGazette.com.

Retro Ride

Jason Crane — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:54:43 +0000

Saturday, May 24th 10 AM, (Rain date Sunday 25th) – Tour Ride, 13 -18 mph.

Retro Ride. Rolling 40 miles.

Relive those happier days. Enjoy that old bike and equipment that would ordinarily be an embarrassment to your image. Down tube shifters, dorky helmet, old MHWM jersey, mickey mouse socks- wear them proudly on this ride (We’ll be out in Columbia County so whose gonna see you anyway?) Something outdated but roadworthy required. Remember, it’s not what you ride, but how you ride it.

Schodack Park n Ride, Rts. 20 & 150 (90 East, Exit 11E).

CONTACT: Tim Dormady
(766-2161)
timlor@taconic.net

John Berninger
(439-6473)
jwilbern3333@yahoo.com

Stupid bike lanes make it into the Paper Of Record

Jason Crane — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:25:51 +0000

The New York Times has a blog article today on the stupid bike lane controversy.

Stupid bike lanes make it into the Paper Of Record

Jason Crane — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:26:49 +0000

The New York Times has a blog article today on the stupid bike lane controversy.

General Motors Buys Specialized

Jason Crane — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:35:55 +0000

General Motors has acquired Specialized Bicycle Components, reports the San Jose Business Journal. The boards of directors of both companies approved the acquisition earlier today. The acquisition is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2008 pending regulatory approval in the US, Canada and Europe. Terms of the all-share acquisition from Specialized Founder and President Mike Sinyard and Merida of Taiwan were not disclosed.
The deal does not include GM acquiring any of the 19 Specialized Concept Stores, a retail formula launched in 2006. All Specialized Concept Stores are independently owned.

Read the rest at BikeBiz.com.

New York City Council Approves Congestion Pricing

Jason Crane — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:30:59 +0000

Shortly before 7:30 p.m., the New York City Council approved a measure urging state lawmakers to vote in favor of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s congestion pricing proposal. The vote was 30 to 20, with one member absent. Mayor Bloomberg immediately scheduled a news conference for later this evening with the Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, to celebrate the passing of his plan, which has left city and state lawmakers sharply divided.
At the City Hall news conference, the mayor called the vote “the result of a lengthy democratic process,” and declared, “The people of New York City have spoken.” Ms. Quinn said that of the 30 yes votes, 20 were from outside Manhattan — signaling support for the proposal in the other boroughs, where opponents have been focusing their organizing efforts.

Read the rest in The New York Times.

New York City Council Approves Congestion Pricing

Jason Crane — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:39:00 +0000

Shortly before 7:30 p.m., the New York City Council approved a measure urging state lawmakers to vote in favor of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s congestion pricing proposal. The vote was 30 to 20, with one member absent. Mayor Bloomberg immediately scheduled a news conference for later this evening with the Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, to celebrate the passing of his plan, which has left city and state lawmakers sharply divided.
At the City Hall news conference, the mayor called the vote “the result of a lengthy democratic process,” and declared, “The people of New York City have spoken.” Ms. Quinn said that of the 30 yes votes, 20 were from outside Manhattan — signaling support for the proposal in the other boroughs, where opponents have been focusing their organizing efforts.

Read the rest in The New York Times.

General Motors Buys Specialized

Jason Crane — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:32:26 +0000

General Motors has acquired Specialized Bicycle Components, reports the San Jose Business Journal. The boards of directors of both companies approved the acquisition earlier today. The acquisition is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2008 pending regulatory approval in the US, Canada and Europe. Terms of the all-share acquisition from Specialized Founder and President Mike Sinyard and Merida of Taiwan were not disclosed.
The deal does not include GM acquiring any of the 19 Specialized Concept Stores, a retail formula launched in 2006. All Specialized Concept Stores are independently owned.

Read the rest at BikeBiz.com.

Bike repair collective forming

Jason Crane — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:49:49 +0000

This came into my inbox. It’s originally from a LiveJournal post:

There’s a bike repair collective starting in Rochester right now! It is just in its very beginning stages. Currently we’re passing knowledge from folks who know a lot to folks who don’t know as much about bike repair, figuring out a way to get tools, making repair stands, and talking about the way the project is going to actually function. It will eventually be open in a community center that some members of the project are also working on opening up. If you’re interested in being involved in this project feel free to e-mail me.

Transportation funding news from the LAB

Jason Crane — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:16:42 +0000

Hot off the presses from the League of American Bicyclists:

Transportation Enhancement Funding Saved
Clarke’s Testimony Helps To Equal the Federal Rescissions Playing Field
Last May, League President Andy Clarke testified before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Chaired by Congressman Oberstar (D-MN) to accentuate the considerable role bicycling plays in combating climate change and promoting energy independence. During his testimony Clarke urged Congress to ensure that future rescissions of Federal Transportation Funds do not disproportionately affect bicycle and pedestrian funding sources such as the Transportation Enhancements program (TE). Under the leadership of Congressman Oberstar, a provision protecting TE funds from future rescissions was incorporated into H.R. 6, The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Section 1132)
On Thursday, March 6, 2008, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) ordered states to return $3.15 billion in transportation funds. Although this is not the first time that USDOT has issued such notices, historically the resulting effect has been that Transportation Enhancement Funds (TE) have been disproportionately targeted by many states, it is important to note that this time states will be required to limit the amount they can cut from their TE program.
According to research provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) the new legislative provision that cuts must be fair and balanced across programs could potentially save $100 – $200 million nationally to spend on trails, bicycling and other valuable non-motorized projects. This is good news and we all should keep a vigilant eye out to make sure that every State Department of Transportation adheres to the new provision.
By way of background, over the past several years, the USDOT has used the rescission process to accommodate changed priorities, offsetting new spending with cancellations of federal transportation funding previously made available to the states.

Transportation funding news from the LAB

Jason Crane — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:15:58 +0000

Hot off the presses from the League of American Bicyclists:

Transportation Enhancement Funding Saved
Clarke’s Testimony Helps To Equal the Federal Rescissions Playing Field
Last May, League President Andy Clarke testified before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Chaired by Congressman Oberstar (D-MN) to accentuate the considerable role bicycling plays in combating climate change and promoting energy independence. During his testimony Clarke urged Congress to ensure that future rescissions of Federal Transportation Funds do not disproportionately affect bicycle and pedestrian funding sources such as the Transportation Enhancements program (TE). Under the leadership of Congressman Oberstar, a provision protecting TE funds from future rescissions was incorporated into H.R. 6, The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Section 1132)
On Thursday, March 6, 2008, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) ordered states to return $3.15 billion in transportation funds. Although this is not the first time that USDOT has issued such notices, historically the resulting effect has been that Transportation Enhancement Funds (TE) have been disproportionately targeted by many states, it is important to note that this time states will be required to limit the amount they can cut from their TE program.
According to research provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) the new legislative provision that cuts must be fair and balanced across programs could potentially save $100 – $200 million nationally to spend on trails, bicycling and other valuable non-motorized projects. This is good news and we all should keep a vigilant eye out to make sure that every State Department of Transportation adheres to the new provision.
By way of background, over the past several years, the USDOT has used the rescission process to accommodate changed priorities, offsetting new spending with cancellations of federal transportation funding previously made available to the states.

The Good Bike Vibes are Flowing in Syracuse

Adam — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:05:41 +0000

It’s the middle of winter, and our neighboring city of Syracuse, NY has been hit hard as always with inclement winter weather. It’s the perfect time for a newspaper to run — an article on bicycle infrastructure and three bike commuter profiles?!

That’s exactly what the Syracuse Post-Standard did today. The main article focuses mostly on bike lanes:

Since 2004, [Syracuse] has designated portions of six roads mostly on the city’s East Side as lanes reserved for bicyclists.

Holstein praises the city’s efforts but says more can be done to make the community friendlier for bicyclists. One thing it could do is put more bike racks downtown for people who want to use their bikes to commute to work, she said.

“We could always do more,” she said. “We’ve just dipped our toes in the water.”

Syracuse’s mayor has some really good ideas:

Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll, an avid cyclist, said the city plans to create more bike lanes to encourage people to ride for recreation and to commute.

He said he would like to see bike lanes in all four quadrants of the city create connections with downtown. Not only will it encourage more people to get out and exercise, creating bike lanes is good for the environment, he said.

“It’s a great way to cut down on traffic and air pollution,” he said. “It would be nice to see people, even for just one day a week, riding bikes to work.”

The paper profiles three year-round bike commuters: John Murray, who bikes to stay healthy after quadruple bypass surgery in 2003, Richard Breyer, who does a good job comparing winter bike commuting to skiing, and Don Hughes, an environmental scientist who knows a thing or two about the benefits of biking:

“It has no environmental impact hardly at all,” he said. “Cars are just terrible for the environment. The impact of driving is just astronomical. Hybrids are nice, but they’re no match for a bike.”

My friend Kristen in Syracuse (who let me know about these stories) actually works with Don. She says her office is amazed by his dedication.

It’s wonderful to see an upstate paper cover bike commuting in such a positive way. The main article argues that biking improves the quality of life for city residents, benefits the environment, reduces traffic congestion, and even leads to job creation. Let’s get to work spreading similar enthusiasm for the bicycle lifestyle here in Rochester!

New Bike Commuting entry at RocWiki

Adam — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 06:15:10 +0000

I rode my bike over to my ex-commuting-buddy Caitlin’s tonight to do a bit of brainstorming on Bike to Work Week. Our routes to work might change, but our mutual love of biking will never die. Ted and others joined us and we feasted on vegetable soup and vegan cake as we talked, in part, about bikes.

Ted works on a craft while Caitlin eats the soup he brought.

We decided that, for those interested in biking to work during that week and beyond, it would be a good idea to have an article about bike commuting in Rochester (or at least, they agreed with my idea). So I started writing it, and I’ve posted what I’ve written to a RocWiki page.

Caitlin said she’d check out the posted version and see if there’s anything to add, but it’s a free country and Wikis are part of that freedom, meaning you’re free to edit it too! If you see something in the article that can use some tweaking, just sign up at RocWiki.com and have at it.

The ride home was super chilly. I have an enormous amount of respect for those in climates much further north who don’t hesitate to brave the cold on their bike. I consider my gloves reasonably thick, but I could hardly feel my fingers when I got home.

It doesn’t get much colder than this. At least, I hope not.

Moments before my bike and I duck into our well-heated home

This Bike to Work Week thing is getting rather exciting. I hope three months of hype doesn’t make you grow bored of the idea.

Help Bruce find his bike

Jason Crane — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:15:22 +0000

Bruce from Scenic Route had one of his bikes stolen recently. This is what it looks like:

Visit Bruce’s blog for the details.

In These Times article on bike sharing in the U.S.

Jason Crane — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 02:58:46 +0000

In These Times magazine has an article in this issue on bike sharing, and the likelihood that it will catch on in the U.S. as it has in Europe:

Are U.S. Cities Ready For Bike-Sharing?
By Adam Doster, In These Times
Posted on January 8, 2008, Printed on January 8, 2008

While working the graveyard shift in a University of Virginia computer lab 13 years ago, Paul DeMaio had dreams of the open road. On a whim, the avid cyclist and environmentalist entered “public bikes” into a search engine and discovered images of Bycyklen, Copenhagen’s then-new bike-sharing service. One glimpse and DeMaio was hooked. “The idea just blew me away,” he says. “This was it.”
DeMaio arranged to study in Denmark, where he absorbed as much about bike-sharing culture as possible. Convinced that the idea would appeal to Americans, he created MetroBike LLC, a bicycle planning and bike-sharing consulting company based in Washington D.C. And now, more and more cyclists and legislators are turning their attention to DeMaio’s cause. “We’ve come a long way,” he says. “Bike-sharing really has gotten a lot of attention.”
Essentially, bike-sharing programs provide cheap access to bicycles, mostly for inner-city transportation. In the late ’60s, some Europeans placed donated bikes across cities like Amsterdam and Milan for residents to ride free of charge, hoping to provide citizens with an ecologically friendly mode of travel. But vandalism and theft sank nearly all of the early campaigns. Today, technology — such as electronic payment, tracking and locking systems — has helped reduce crime and revive bike-sharing efforts worldwide.

Read the rest of the article.

RocBike.com featured in Messenger-Post papers

Jason Crane — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:01:05 +0000

Amy Cavalier from Messenger-Post Newspapers published an article today about bicycle commuting. It features me, but it also features some smart people.

A new spin on the daily commute

By Amy Cavalier, staff writer
Rush-Henrietta Post
Tue Nov 27, 2007, 06:53 AM EST

Henrietta, N.Y. — While most of us are seated behind the wheel, our foot alternating between the gas pedal and brakes as we contend with traffic on our way to work each morning and evening, Corey Brandes is pushing some different pedals. The physical education teacher at Roth Middle School in Henrietta and Rush resident takes in breath-taking views of the sunset and wildlife from the seat of his bike on the Lehigh Valley Trail.

By road, Brandes’ commute is 12-miles round trip. By trail, it’s more like 26. He estimates he has ridden more than 1,000 miles since Sept. 1.

Read the rest of the article. (Thanks, Amy!)

Bike Santa Giveaway

Jason Crane — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:42:37 +0000

This announcement was on the Rochester activist list this morning:

Bike Santa and the Bike Repair Helpers Spring into Action, Giving Away Bicycles to Kids Organized Through the First Genesis Missionary Baptist Church on Dec. 8th at Santa’s Bike Shop, 226 Hudson Ave.

Contact: Dan Lill via e-mail or by phone at (585) 865-9872.

Santa’s Bike Shop (226 Hudson Avenue) will be giving away bicycles to approximately 30-40 kids @ 226 Hudson Avenue at 10am, Saturday December 8th. FHF Exec. Director Andrew Stankevich will be dressed up as a clown making balloon animals for neighborhood kids. The kids have already been pre-selected; no more kids are needed.

In addition to servicing individuals from the immediate neighborhood and from referrals through area nonprofits, Santa’s Bike Shop will be providing free bicycles to the boys and girls through the First Genesis Missionary Church (292 Hudson Avenue), an immediate neighbor of the Hudson Ave. bike shop. Dan Lill (“the bike santa”) said, “We got the sled out of the basement and were gearing the reindeer up so that I could fly from house to house, drop down the chimney and leave bikes under the Christmas trees for all of the nice boys and girls of the poverty-stricken Upper Falls neighborhood. However, after coordinating an extensive feasibility study, Friends Helping Friends determined that it would be most efficient to partner with another neighborhood organization and invite kids to the warehouse so that we could better customize the bikes for each individual kid.”

Missionary Vera Crumpler (First Missionary Baptist Church/Citywide Youth Crusade) said, “I organized all of the kids who really wanted bikes for Christmas, but their moms and dads couldn’t afford to buy them one. The kids will come with their parents to pick up their bicycle.”

Andrew Stankevich will be performing as a clown and making balloon animals for neighborhood kids during the bike giveaway. “We’ve got our own strategic initiative to combat crime & violence in the “crescent” of Rochester. It’s called neighbors working together to spread God’s love by giving away free bicycles,” said Stankevich.

Rochester cyclists–Hold the Mayor to his word

Julie — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 21:20:15 +0000

While I was browsing today on my lunch hour at Greenwood Books, I got a chance to hear Mayor Duffy on our local NPR affiliate, WXXI. He was on the talk show, 1370 Connection.

A caller complained about there being too many cyclists on downtown sidewalks. Mayor Duffy agreed, and said, “I’m really interested in creating bike lanes downtown for bicyclists.” Okay, that quote may not be his exact words, but you get the gist.

So, let’s hold the Mayor accountable to his words…emails, letters, phone calls…maybe a more organized effort, particularly in light of Jack’s comments about the Midtown Plaza site.

Holiday Leaf-Peeping Ride

Jason Crane — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:11:28 +0000

Bruce Wilbur posted this to the Rochester Bike Events list. Sounds beautiful!

Have Columbus Day, Monday October 8th off? Looking for a nice long ride to wrap up the season?

Join us on a ride from Scottsville to Letchworth!

We plan to meet at Johnson Park in Scottsville at 8am on Monday October 8.

Proposed route is here

This route avoids the huge craft show at the north end of the park. Crafters may want to break off early and take in the show. This is an informal, unsupported ride, so bring your spares, food and bevvies. Expected pace: 13-15 mph avg, maybe less depending on who joins us. And certainly less on the climbs! Total distance: 86 miles (including riding in the park)

For more info:

bikeforums.net
bikejournal.com

Emma Goldman bike tour rescheduled

Jason Crane — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 19:09:35 +0000

The Emma Goldman tour will now happen on August 3, due to rain in the forecast.

Energy bill includes bike commuter benefit

Jason Crane — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 22:01:38 +0000

The new energy bill from the House Ways & Means Committee includes three pro-environment changes proposed by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon 3rd). You can read the press release for all the details, but here’s the part relevant to bike commuters:

The Commuter Benefit for bikers amends section 132(f) of the IRS code to include “bicycles” in the definition of transportation covered by fringe benefits. Included in the Ways and Means energy bill is a benefit of $20/month for those employees who bike to work, which is a clean, healthy and efficient mode of transportation. The provision is based on H.R. 1498, legislation introduced by Blumenauer earlier this year.

Now we’ll see what passes.