RocBike.com » Car-free Living

Folding bikes: a great way to compromise

Adam — Tue, 31 May 2011 21:08:00 +0000

As a bike commuter, I like options. That’s why I spend most of my time riding the Chicken Avenger — a longtail sports utility bike. Whether it’s spontaneous grocery shopping sprees, friends in need of a ride, or that lovely ottoman that’s just sitting out on the curb and needs a good home, my bike has me covered.

My main rig is perfect for getting from point A to point B, but it’s definitely not built for multi-modal transportation. It’ll fit on the front rack of a Rochester RTS bus if I remove the front wheel, but the sheer size of the bike puts bus drivers in a fragile emotional state. Strapping a longtail onto the back of a friend’s car is an even worse idea. And you can forget about fitting a longtail onto an Amtrak train in this region (I hear that’s a possibility on the west coast).

In times like these, I reach for my bizarrely designed, Craigslist-acquired, way-heavier-than-it-should-be Phoenix folding bike.

My bike on the 104 bike trail

This little old-fashioned single-speed contraption is not high-performance, but I’ve ridden it as far as ten miles at a time, and it has a couple nice features to make those long trips manageable. The back rack is just big enough to hold a messenger or laptop bag, keeping that weight and sweat off my back. The cruiser-style breaks are reliable enough to tackle big downhill stretches at a safe speed. And the springy seat absorbs most of the impact of all those potholes on Culver Road.

If I wake up too late in the morning to bike to work and have to take the bus, I’ll often grab the folding bike for an enjoyable ride home. Or maybe my partner wants to pick up her bike somewhere and needs to take a car to get there — I’ll throw this bike in the trunk, ride in the car out there with her, and assemble it for our ride home.

With multi-modal transportation such an infrequent but essential need in my life, I’m glad to have this folding bike around. Maybe someday I’ll invest in something a little more modern. For now, I’ll be having the occasional fun ride on my Phoenix.

Panniers & Peanut Butter

Ethan — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 23:24:45 +0000

Russ and Laura have published their first eBook from the road. Subtitled The Path Less Pedaled Bike Camping Guide, it’s full of tried and tested essentials for bike touring. Get your copy here.

Xtracycle: Because you never know…

Jason Crane — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:30:16 +0000

…when you’ll leave the house empty-handed and come back with a free bookshelf. I saw this on the side of the road on my way back from the post office. I had just run out of space for my poetry books, so it was a serendipitous find.

(Part 2 of an occasional series. Here’s the first installment.)

From The Packet Boat (my Xtracycle)

Video from cellist Ben Sollee’s tour by bicycle

Jason Crane — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:56:58 +0000

Oven Fresh

Ethan — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:11:04 +0000

I’m famous, for a day, on BikeRumor.

Reading The Stand again…

Jason Crane — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 01:45:56 +0000

…happy that when the apocalypse comes, I’ll have a head start because I already get around by bicycle.

All folded up…

Jason Crane — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:37:34 +0000

…and waiting for the bus.

A few random post-NYC cycling thoughts

Jason Crane — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 23:48:45 +0000

From Crossing The Brooklyn Bridge By Bicycle

After a week riding the Dahon Speed D7, getting back on my Xtracycle today felt like riding a sofa bed. On the one hand, it has the most comfortable seat in the world. The Dahon’s isn’t bad, but the seat on the Packet Boat is like a La-Z-Boy recliner. On the other hand, the Dahon weighs 27.6 lbs and my Xtracycle weighs about 60 lbs. The difference is, shall we say, noticeable. On the other other hand (the “Beeblebrox” hand), the Xtracycle is so stable that it feels like you could take a nap on the Snapdeck and it would keep going on autopilot.
The Dahon performed extremely well during my trip. It fit easily on the bus, unfolded and folded in seconds, handled the Manhattan and Brooklyn streets like a champ, and even did fine on the ridiculously hilly ride I took in State College, PA, over the weekend. Highly recommended.
This was the first time I’ve gone away from home and taken a bike with me (other than when I first moved to Albany and was commuting back and forth to Rochester to see my family). I was pleasantly surprised by just how darn useful the bike was the whole time I was in NYC. I went to a jazz show on my bike, ran errands, conducted interviews, got from one transportation mode to another — all by bike.

Crossing Brooklyn Bridge by bicycle

Jason Crane — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 01:00:24 +0000

So. Much. Fun.

I love biking in New York City.

Amsterwhere? Copenwhat?

Jason Crane — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 04:15:56 +0000

Tonight I biked from Manhattan’s Upper West Side to the Village to see jazz drummer Tyshawn Sorey’s New Quartet with John Escreet, Aaron Stewart & Taylor Ho Bynum. The ride was 70% on a dedicated bike path, 25% on bike lanes and 5% on the regular, unlabeled street. Who needs Amsterdam and Copenhagen? (The show was fantastic, too.)

Dublin City TV’s ‘Pedal Project’

Jason Crane — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:22:55 +0000

A three-part documentary series exploring bike- and car-based transportation systems in London and Dublin.

Part 1:

The Pedal Project – Three Cycling Cities (low resolution version) from DCTV on Vimeo.

Part 2:

Two Wheeled City – Pedal Project from DCTV on Vimeo.

Part 3:

One Less Car – Pedal Project from DCTV on Vimeo.

Thanks to Ecological Urban Living for the link.

Riding a bike in Manhattan…

Jason Crane — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:27:37 +0000

…is fun! I know this isn’t news to all my NYC cycling pals, but today was my first real ride that wasn’t just on the river path. The Dahon Speed D7 performed like a champ. I rode it from my house in Albany to the bus departure point across the river, folded it for storage on the bus, then unfolded it in NYC and zipped over to my folks’ place. Fantabulous!

With my mom at my parents' apartment in NYC

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.

Adding a new bike to the lineup – Dahon Speed D7

Jason Crane — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 19:43:23 +0000

When I went car-free last month, I knew I would need one more bicycle to make my business travel and personal travel car-free — a folding bicycle. RocBike contributor Jack Spula has always seemed very happy with his Dahon, and as far as I know, they’re one of the big names in folding bikes.

So today I went to CK Cycles in Albany, NY, and picked up a Dahon Speed D7. Here are photos of the bike folded up (on my Xtracycle) and unfolded:

From My new Dahon Speed D7

One question: My Xtracycle is named The Packet Boat. What should I call this bike, The Dinghy?

Going car-free (an update)

Jason Crane — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:37:43 +0000

From The Packet Boat (my Xtracycle)

Three weeks and one day ago, I went truck-free. So far it’s been fantastic. Often very, very hot, but a lot of fun. Given my job with the New York Bicycling Coalition, I enjoy being the only person who shows up at meetings on a bike. (To be fair, there are occasionally others, but not often.) Here, in no particular order, are a few things I’ve observed since ditching the truck:

People offer me rides quite frequently. Always with the best intentions, of course. I say “no” almost every time, the one exception coming last night when a friend took me to Saratoga Springs for a poetry reading. It’s not particularly easy to get there any other way. It’s about 40 miles, and the reading doesn’t usually finish until after 9 p.m. There’s a train that will get me there, but not one that will get me back.
Many people think I don’t have a car because I’m poor. I find myself explaining fairly often that yes, I’m poor, but that donating my car to the local classical station was an intentional and happy decision.
It’s contagious. A friend contacted me this week to say that he’s spending some car-free time while the rest of his family and the car are away on vacation. He said he’d been reading about my experience and wanted to give it a shot, so he’s using his bike and mass transit. Cool, right?

From 100724 Around Albany & Poets In The Park

I don’t have to add nearly as much travel time as I might have expected. I tend to be someone who gets everywhere early, no matter how I’m traveling. I’ve been biking for several years now, so I don’t know why I thought everything would take so much longer. Sure, I need extra time on some trips, but more than once I’ve left one location by bike and arrived before friends who were making the same trip by car. And trust me, I don’t ride fast.
I’ve become smarter about planning trips. My friend and fellow cyclist Bob Anderson mentioned that as one of the benefits he noticed when he gave up the car, and it’s certainly proven true for me. I make lists of what I need based on where it is and then try to do a bunch of things in one trip. That’s certainly made easier by The Packet Boat (my Xtracycle) because it allows me to carry so much.

From The Packet Boat (my Xtracycle)

I spend less money on crap. I’m not out in my car, swinging through drive-through windows and ordering bad food. It’s funny how much easier it is to find time to eat well when I don’t drive.
I walk more. Yup, one thing about ditching the car is that I often choose to just walk places, which is also a lovely way to get around a city.

The verdict? I’m so happy I made the leap. Give it a try yourself — even if you start small, which is fine — and let me know how it goes.

Quiet

Jason Crane — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:32:27 +0000

When I ride my bicycle, it’s often so quiet that I can hear the traffic signals change. The boxes make an audible metallic click as the lights change from yellow to red or from red to green.

My Xtracycle just got updated

Jason Crane — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 18:02:48 +0000

Click for a larger version

Xtracycle just introduced its 2010 Freeloader bags. In addition to looking better than the original bags that I had on The Packet Boat, they also have a waterproof inner pocket, which the old Freeloaders lacked. Now that I’m car free and using my bike to get the mail for myself and my employer every day, having some waterproof storage on my bike is important.

Here’s a slideshow of the new bags. The first few photos were taken last night in my apartment after I installed the bags. Then there are photos from today in Albany of the bike empty and loaded.

Sadly, the fully-loaded shots are from a big-box store (Target) because it’s apparently much easier to buy pot than to buy a sauce pot inside the city limits. So I waited until I had a long list of housewares to buy then trucked out Central Avenue, easily the worst street to bike on in Albany. All it’s lacking are snipers on the rooftops shooting at the cyclists. Or maybe neck-high blades that whip across the street at random intervals.

I also stopped to get furikake at the Asian Supermarket at 1245 Central Ave. Wow. I could live there. Highly recommended.

Anyway, here are the pics:

Touring (bluegrass-style) on an Xtracycle

Jason Crane — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:18:07 +0000

Steel Wheel Duo Spokesongs Tour from Joel Landis on Vimeo.

C’mon, Pee Wee Herman!

Ethan — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:19:03 +0000

Last night I was riding to Kickball. (We play every Monday night in Hoffman Park. 6:30. Free.) I’m stopped at the red light on Whitehall, crossing Delaware. There are cars in front of my and behind me. When the light turns green I start moving. Someone behind me starts yelling, “C’mon Pee Wee Herman!”

As usual, I don’t understand these sort of exclamations. I am moving, and I don’t look anything like Pee Wee Herman. Whatever are you screaming about?

Through the intersection we go, him screaming at me the whole way. I do my best to remain calm. He passes me, roaring the engine of his big white SUV. As they go by he calls out “Let’s go Pee Wee Herman!” And the young boy in the back seat is also heckling me. I am saddened that young boys are no longer riding bikes, but mistreating people who riding bikes. It’s like an important part of childhood has been slain by the Great White SUV.

But I let them go. Because I do. But if you’re familiar with Second St over there, you know the red lights can back up traffic. So a block or two later, the offensive SUV is stopped. I do something I normally don’t do. I pass them on the right. I ring my bell as I zip by, and I pass everyone in front of them. I don’t see them again.

What weird things have people called out to you?

Why? ‘Cause you never know (with apologies to Chris Rock)

Jason Crane — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 23:28:47 +0000

Xtracycle … because you never know when you might leave home empty-handed and come back with a ladder.

The New York Times discovers cargo bikes

Jason Crane — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 11:28:41 +0000

I guess they’re real now…

George Bliss aboard his trike. (Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times)

The story and the accompanying video are here:

Hauling Cargo, No Car Necessary

New tires

Jason Crane — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:05:05 +0000

I went car-free on Wednesday. My back tire went kablooie on Friday. My front tire went kablooie just now. However, they had thousands of miles on them and now I have two new tires. Total cost? Less than $100. WIN!

Goodbye, little red truck (updated)

Jason Crane — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:29:33 +0000

This morning, I donated my truck to WMHT-FM, the local classical music station.

I spent a lot of time deciding whether now was the time to be car-free.

Arguments in favor:

I’m the executive director of the New York Bicycling Coalition.
I work from home.
I live in downtown Albany, close to everything.
I want to be car-free, with all that implies for the environment, my physical health, mental health and finances.
BP, Iraq, the Middle East, global warming, etc. etc. etc.

Arguments against:

I sometimes have to travel across New York State for work.
My wife and kids are temporarily living in a different state.

When I balanced it all out, the outcome was to donate the truck and go car-free. I can travel across the state by train, and with a folding bike I can move around when I get there. (Of course, that means I need a folding bike, but that’s not a large expense, even on my austerity budget.)

As for visiting Jen, Bernie and John, that’s a bit harder because they’re in an out-of-the-way part of Pennsylvania. However, there are mass-transit ways to get there (Greyhound, Amtrak and other bus services). And I can rent a car. And they can visit me using our family’s other car, which is with them in PA.

I’ve lived without a car before. I didn’t have one either time I lived in Japan, and I didn’t use one when we lived in Brooklyn. Of course, those places have much stronger mass transit systems than Albany, but Albany’s isn’t bad. But I was still surprised by just how uncertain I felt as the tow truck pulled away. I’m so conditioned to believe that it’s only possible to live in the USA with a car. And that’s despite my immersion in the cycling world and my general political and environmental beliefs.

And that may be the strongest argument in favor of making the break with my automotive life. This is a time of reinvention and bold moves, a time in my life that calls for change and decisive action.

So here I am at the beginning of a new experience. Wish me luck, and I’ll see you out there!

UPDATE: A few more things about the truck:

It was a gift from my parents, who no longer needed it when they moved from the countryside in upstate New York to Manhattan. Like many gifts, particularly from my family, it came exactly when it was needed.

As you’ll see in the comments my mom made to this post, the red truck has been around for a long time. Since 1997, in fact. It’s hauled its share of wood and done its share of service, a story I tried to tell in a poem called “Red Truck Elegy.”

I like to think that the red truck is going out on top. In the past few weeks it has been called into action at a difficult time and it made that time less trying. And now it will go toward keeping art alive in this little corner of the world. All in all, not a bad existence for a truck.

Let’s go to the movies

Jason Crane — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:04:08 +0000

Bike Snob NYC’s post today had a slew of great videos today. You should go read his post. To make things easy for the RocBike family, though, here are my favorites:

Actor John Leguizamo saves the world:

A rap video about putting your bike on a bus in Louisville, KY:

Auto-tuned cheese from Montreal about their bike-sharing program:

And here’s one starring NYBC board member Claire Nolan (not featured on BSNYC’s site):

I’ve thought about it a lot, and tomorrow…

Jason Crane — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:22:50 +0000

…I’m going car-free. (Or, to be technically correct, truck-free.)

Details to follow. Much like the promised details of the sheriff story.

A new poem about cycling

Jason Crane — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:16:53 +0000

I’ve posted a new poem about bicycling called “this two-wheeled life” over at jasoncrane.org. Enjoy!

Hoping for rain

Jason Crane — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 16:02:21 +0000

I’m heading to Voorheesville, NY, today for a poetry reading. It looks like it may rain, which is exciting. Why? Because for Father’s Day this year, my parents got me rain gear. I’ve never had any actual rain gear, which means one of two things has always happened to me when it’s rained, either:

I got wet.
I didn’t ride.

So today I’m hoping for rain. And in case you’re interested, I’ve got this rain cape and these rain pants. I’ll review them if it actually rains.

Take Action — Help pass New York State’s ‘Complete Streets’ Bill

Jason Crane — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:28:13 +0000

A message from the New York State Bicycling Coalition and the Tri-State Transportation Campaign:

(June 21, 2010) — In Albany, bicycling advocates are working overtime to help assure the passage of a Complete Streets law—sweeping legislation that will create more livable, bikeable and walkable communities across the state. This proposed law would direct the state Department of Transportation to consider bicycle and pedestrian accommodations in the planning and development of state, county, and local roads and other transportation facilities. NYBC is working closing with the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, AARP and other groups to get this legislation passed.

On June 17, the Senate passed the bill 53-3. Unfortunately, Assemblyman David Gantt of Rochester has amended the Assembly version of the bill in a way that would render the legislation useless in its impact.

The only way to get this process back on track is if we can get bicycling advocates — particularly those in Rochester, where Assembly Gantt is based — to make their voices heard!

Visit NYBC’s Take Action! page to learn how you can help secure the passage of this bill.

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?

Team RocBike represents in Albany!

Jason Crane — Sat, 22 May 2010 13:39:04 +0000

Today’s Times Union newspaper contains a great article about Bike To Work day that features not one, but two members of Team RocBike — Ethan Georgi and Bob Anderson. Congrats, guys, and thanks for making riding your bike to work look like a perfectly normal thing to do. Way to go!

Photo of Ethan Georgi by Skip Dickstein / Times Union

Cyclists save by pedaling to work
Wheeling commuters combine savings with health benefits

By TIM O’BRIEN, Staff writer
First published in print: Saturday, May 22, 2010

For Ethan Georgi, every day is Ride Your Bike to Work day.

The Web developer for Zone 5, an Albany public relations firm, rides his bicycle a little over three miles to his job.

“It’s fun to ride a bike instead of sitting in traffic,” he said. “I don’t care about gas prices. I like exploring the city.”

Friday was National Ride Your Bike to Work day, an effort to try to get people to cut down on gas-guzzling cars and take a more leisurely way to get to work. To support the effort, CDTA offered free rides to bicyclists who put their bikes on racks on the buses.

Georgi said he originally began riding to his office two years ago. He used to come home to get out his bike for a ride after work. One day it dawned on him he could combine his commute and his daily exercise.

Read the rest of the article.

“Road or mountain?”

Jason Crane — Wed, 12 May 2010 13:08:06 +0000

I was having a conversation with someone yesterday, and talk turned to my love of bicycling.

“Road or mountain?” the person asked.

“Urban,” I said.

Their reaction was much the same as if I’d said “jello” or “anti-gravity.” The idea of bicycling as something I do to get around, rather than something I need to plan for as a sporting outing, still seems foreign to a lot of people. And, of course, the best way to change that is for me to keep riding around the city. Consider it done.

Too sexy for my Xtracycle

Jason Crane — Tue, 04 May 2010 03:01:14 +0000

Click the image to see a larger version, if you dare.

Left to right: My mom, Sally; my younger son, John; and me on The Packet Boat on the way to watch my older son play baseball.

Transitioning to oil independence–by bike!

Emily Weber — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 20:52:26 +0000

It’s a rainy day in Rochester, and except for a quick trip to the UU church for services today, I haven’t braved the gray day.

I’m a new contributer, though I’ve been around for a while. I moved to Rochester about 18 months ago and have been riding full time for about a year. I have to say, I love Rochester, and I love seeing more folks out on their bikes again. Winter is a tough time for year-rounders, and I’m happy that spring is finally here.

This past week, I went to a fantastic Earth Day talk about Transition Towns at First Unitarian. Transition Town is a UK movement that has made its way to the US. With an emphasis on eliminating our oil dependency, the movement encourages communities to work together on innovative alternatives to non-reusable energy sources, as well as creating more connected relationships within those communities. The Transition focuses on several areas of sustainability, including food, water, and transport, to inspire communities to come together and create systems that are sustainable and conducive to a healthy environment. It really is an inspiring model, and one that I hope Rochestarians will soon adopt.

To say that this movement relates to cycling communities is a severe understatement. I think that the more we do to encourage bike-friendly community structures and discourage the use of motor vehicles, the better prepared we will be for this pending oil apocalypse. At the very least, eliminating your personal dependence on oil reduces your financial vulnerability to the waves of price hikes and, presumably, gas shortages and/or rationing. I’m very interested in learning more about this movement. And also, I was so happy to see so many groups congregated together to learn more and to share their work with one another. Coalition-building is an important step towards effective change.

I’m so glad to be a part of a small group of folks who believe in the future of bicycles. Whether you use it to commute to work, grab a bite to eat with your best friend, or run out to the grocery store, your bike is a revolutionary tool, and it is creating change each time you hop on. So thanks for riding. And thanks for writing…

State of the Lane

Ethan — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:34:28 +0000

A commuter’s perspective on bike lanes in the city of Albany.

I think this picture pretty much sums it up.

This was taken a few weeks ago on Clinton Ave, headed up hill. This is one of the “new” bike lanes they put down in the fall of last year. The paint is pretty messed up and cars use it like a right turn lane.

The other “new” bike lane they put down, the sharrows on Washington Ave, was covered by snow most of the winter.

I appreciate the new riding spaces. I use them daily. I think Albany could do a lot to make the city more bike friendly by clearing/cleaning the WHOLE street, from curb to curb. If half of the sharrow paint is covered by snow, it’s not helping anyone to have put it there. If the bike lane is filled with broken glasses and potholes, it’s not helping anyone to have put it there. If the WHOLE street, curb to curb, was clean, you could actually ride in the street- whether there were marked lanes or not.

Word is they intend to make more bike lanes. Which is a great thing. But if they aren’t going to be kept clean and clear, this is going to be an ineffective gesture. If the lanes become invisible due to paint loss after a few months, this will be a complete waste of time. Please Albany, let’s do this right.

Price Chopper supports … mass transit? That’s crazy!

Jason Crane — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:45:16 +0000

This isn’t strictly a bicycling story, but I think it’s a smart way to get more folks out of their cars and onto buses, and to make life a little easier for people who always ride the bus.

Price Chopper AdvantEdge now benefits those who take bus

ALBANY — Participants in Price Chopper’s AdvantEdge customer loyalty program will now find it costs less to take the bus.

Officials from Price Chopper’s owner, the Golub Corp., and from the Capital District Transportation Authority said this morning that the discounts offered on purchases of Sunoco gasoline will now be offered to purchasers of CDTA prepaid bus passes as well.

For every $50 spent on groceries, participants will get $2 off the price of a prepaid pass. The discount is offered on 10-ride, 31-day rolling, and STAR Swiper cards.

“We think it’s the first such arrangement in the country … where a regional supermarket partners with a regional transit authority” to promote taking the bus, said CDTA Executive Director Carm Basile. “Price Chopper has put riding buses on the same level playing field as driving your car.”

Read the rest of the article.

Xtracycle evangelism

Jason Crane — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:19:24 +0000

A prospective Xtracycle buyer asked the following on the Roots Radicals group (an email list of Xtracycle owners & fellow travellers):

So I’ve got a bike and I’m thinking of getting the Free Radical extension. I’ve got a seven year old and other kid-carrying options aren’t working that great (outgrew the trailer, trail-a-bike is awfully shaky). This xtracycle thing seems like a pretty great solution. However, I only have the kid and/or cargo about half the time. Is it easy to take off the long tail and make it a regular bike and then back again when you need it? Do you just ride the long tail with nothing in it? Do you have two bikes? — Karen

The responses are great (read them here) — and all in favor of just riding the X all the time. I agree. Well, maybe I’ll do this year’s Livestrong Challenge on something else…

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.

Bike trail to link Schenectady parks

Jason Crane — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:07:16 +0000

The Times Union ran a story today about new trail markings that will link two parks in Schenectady:

Bike trail to link Schenectady parks
New 4.7-mile section will plug gap in biking path

SCHENECTADY — The county will soon embark on more than $2 million worth of new biking trail improvements that will plug a hole in the Mohawk Hudson Bike/Hike Trail and will link the city’s Vale and Central parks.

The state Canal Corporation is overseeing a $1.7 million new section of the Mohawk Hudson trail that will link the path’s end at the city’s Stockade section with another piece that ends at Balltown Road in Niskayuna.

The new 4.7 mile section will be marked on existing roadway with signage from North Jay Street to Union College, and then a narrower, off-road trail that runs parallel with the Mohawk River will be widened and provided with better drainage.

Read the rest of the story.

You know what? They ride bikes in Copenhagen

Jason Crane — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:57:31 +0000

Democracy Now! is covering every day of the climate summit in Copenhagen. The segment below features Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Damon Moglen, who works on global warming for Greenpeace. I’m posting it here because midway through, Hickenlooper talks about bicycling in Copenhagen. He mentions that 30+% of the population commutes by bike now, and the city’s target is 50%.

Xtracycle announces winning video

Jason Crane — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:29:12 +0000

The fine folks at Xtracycle just finished a video contest to find the best video about their new PeaPod LT child seat. Here’s the winning video:

not big enough b/w fixed from Kate Oshea on Vimeo.

More videos are available at the Xtracycle site.

A novel use for an Xtracycle: as a tow truck

Jason Crane — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:18:12 +0000

Tow Truckin’ from Xtracycle on Vimeo.

Xtracycle on CNN’s iReport

Jason Crane — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:51:02 +0000

Cool!

World Car-Free Day is tomorrow (9/22)

Jason Crane — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:46:11 +0000

Learn more about World Car-Free Day

Defying the no-bike policy in Saratoga

Jason Crane — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:43:54 +0000

Adam Marino locks up his bike at Maple Avenue Middle School last Wednesday, the first day of classes. Photo by CharlieSamuels.com

From The Saratogian newspaper:

Family defies no-bike policy at Maple Avenue Middle School
Published: Monday, September 14, 2009

By ANDREW J. BERNSTEIN
The Saratogian

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The first day of school, already a happy and trying event for any student, saw a little additional stress for Maple Avenue Middle School student Adam Marino.

Marino and his mother, Janette Kaddo Marino, left for school by bicycle on Wednesday morning, as they often do in good weather, despite a phone call placed to students’ homes by school officials, asking parents not to allow students to walk or ride bikes to school.

After a cold reception on Wednesday, local transportation advocates are rallying around the family, and plan to accompany the pair to school today in a bid to bolster calls for a policy change.

Read the rest of the article

What the heck is an Xtracycle?

Jason Crane — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:56:58 +0000

Voici:

The Original Longtail | Xtracycle from Xtracycle on Vimeo.

Video from Russ and Laura

Jason Crane — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:47:58 +0000

This is gorgeous.

Ride With Us! from Russ Roca on Vimeo.

More at The Path Less Pedaled.

Xtracycle-riding mom turns to Twitter after drive-through denial

Jason Crane — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:26:41 +0000

Photo by USA Today

By Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY

Sarah Gilbert stepped off her bicycle long enough to send one angry tweet via Twitter— and it’s changed the way one fast-growing burger chain treats bike riders.

The 35-year-old blogger, freelance writer and mother of three doesn’t own a car. She gets around usually bike-friendly Portland, Ore., on a custom-made stretch bike that fits all three of her boys, ages 2, 4 and 7. A bumper sticker boasts: “One less minivan.”

But after biking last week into the drive-through of the local Burgerville— an eco-conscious burger chain that even recycles its used cooking oil into biodiesel — she tried to order four cheeseburgers.

No go. She was refused service at the drive-through for, of all things, ordering from a bike. Never mind that the environmentally friendly restaurant chain spent $185,000 on wind energy credits in 2008 to compensate for the electricity used in its 39 stores and at its corporate headquarters.

When Gilbert got home, she sent out a huffy tweet followed by a pointed letter to the chain, which she posted on her blog, cafemama.com. By the next day, the company apologized. In short order, the Vancouver, Wash.-based chain, with locations in Oregon and Washington, revamped its policy and will announce a new bicycle-friendly drive-through program on Sept. 8.

Read the rest of the story.

Bottoms up, pedals turning

Jason Crane — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:00:07 +0000

This looks lovely

Jason Crane — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 18:56:23 +0000

I think these two are on to something…

Via http://pathlesspedaled.com/?p=492

Follow their adventures at pathlesspedaled.com.

The day before THE DAY

Jason Crane — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:27:03 +0000

Russ Roca is a man of many bike blogs, including this one and this one and this one, too, all of which have made multiple appearances here at RocBike in our old Links of the Day posts. Now Russ is heading out with his partner Laura on a bike trip.

Not just any bike trip, mind you. Russ and Laura sold or stored all their stuff except what would fit on two bicycles, and they’re going to travel the world by bike for some indeterminate period of time. Cool, huh?

They started a (wait for it) blog to chronicle their travels: The Path Less Pedaled. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Today is the day before they leave, and they recorded a little video from their nearly bare apartment:

Good luck and safe travels, Russ and Laura!

Viewing colleges by bike

Jason Crane — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:28:17 +0000

The New York Times has the story.

Why don’t more New Yorkers ride bikes? Nowhere to park!

Jason Crane — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:05:51 +0000

According to an article in today’s New York Times, a recent survey of New York City residents found that lack of storage is one of the biggest things keeping New Yorkers off bicycles.

In a city of tight living quarters and unaccommodating corporate towers, the biggest cycling challenge can be finding a good place store one’s ride when it is not in use.

For James Rather, an urban planner whose Riverdale walk-up does not have a storage option, lugging his bike up three flights to his apartment every time he rides is a “constant hassle” and a sometime danger.

You can read the article at the Times site.

A bicycle wins Albany’s commuter contest for 6th straight year

Jason Crane — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:39:37 +0000

Once again, a bicyclist beat a car and a bus commuter in the Albany commuter contest. The story and photos are at All Over Albany.

(Thanks for Claire Nolan for the link!)

Bike To Work Week Baiku

Ethan — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:19:10 +0000

It’s Bike to Work Week
So tell everyone you know
And then ride your bike

Two Wheels Good: A Bicycle Movie Celebration

Ethan — Sat, 09 May 2009 19:32:00 +0000

Last night I biked to the Sanctuary for Independent Media to catch “Two Wheels Good,” a bicycle movie celebration.

I showed up for the group ride. I watched the people coming and going on their boats.

Nobody showed up, so I took off on my own. It took me about 40 minutes to get there, and I felt like I was “booking.” The Corning Trail was like running a gauntlet of bugs. I couldn’t keep my head up because they’d get in my mouth, nose, and eyes. I could hear them pinging off my helmet, and feel them getting stuck in the hair on my arms. Ew.

The valet parking left a little to be desired. But then, maybe I was just too early. Still, it’s nice to see people’s bikes.

Troy Bicycle Rescue was raffling off this sweet cruiser bike.

Eventually the movies started. They were wonderful. There really was something for everyone. Monty Python. Footage of unicyclists in an ice race in Schenectady. A bit about not doping in bike racing. Women biking across the country, or cutting down mountain trails. DIY bike repair. Everything.

My favorite was “Ski Boys” by Benny Zenga. It made me want to be a kid again. You can watch that one here.

Then the ride home. I got stopped on 6th by some young guys who loved the MonkeyLectric lights on my bike. Perhaps it’s racist of me to say this, but white people do not appreciate the glory of LEDs that make a pattern when they spin around. I rode home alone. Going through Menands was wonderful. The traffic was light, the street lights were on. I just took the whole lane and sped along. I rode with no hands for blocks and blocks, my windbreaker flapping like a flag.

More pics here.

Passing a Bus

Ethan — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:59:49 +0000

This morning I saw a guy on a bike pass a bus on the right without slowing down. He blew through the red light the bus was stopped for. So I thought I’d post this helpful bit.

Best Spring Ever

Adam — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:49:46 +0000

This is turning out to be my favorite spring ever, and a large number of the great moments this season have involved my Xtracycle, The Chicken Avenger. Whether I’m driving around friends or family, blasting some music out the back, or getting admiring nods from cagers, I’m constantly enjoying this bike. It’s probably the best vehicle I’ll ever own.

My brother Ryan gets a ride to the grocery store.

Two Short Articles on Albany Bicycle Coalition

Ethan — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:22:06 +0000

Rohan set me up with an account, so I have written two short/sweet articles about Bike Safety and Bike Locks for the Albany Bicycle Coalition’s website. They are by no means thorough, hence the “101″ suffix, but they are better than nothing.

Breezer Freedom on Craigslist

Ethan — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:54:00 +0000

I can’t believe nobody has bought this yet. It’s been up for weeks.

Just Made My First Beer Run

Ethan — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:24:12 +0000

The Mobil station on New Scotland, near Academy, has Stella Artois. They do no have a bike rack. Or, really, anything suitable to lock one’s bike to. Except some pipes near the dumpster. Joy.

Seriously. How hard is it to put in a bike rack?

Adirondack Line saved for another year

Jason Crane — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:58:55 +0000

We have the occasional train story here on RocBike, given that several of us are regular or semi-regular (irregular?) train riders. In fact, I rode Amtrak today to get home after contracting the stomach flu in Rochester over the weekend. Jen and the boys drove home yesterday, and I rode the train today.

Here’s some good news:

Budget saves Amtrak’s Adirondack line

By ERIC ANDERSON, Deputy business editor
Last updated: 1:03 p.m., Monday, March 30, 2009

Full state operating support was restored for Amtrak’s Adirondack service from the Capital Region to Montreal, ensuring the train operates for another year, the president of the Empire State Passengers Association said this morning.

Read the rest of the story.

UPDATE: Here’s a link for the Empire State Passengers Association.

Why I love Yehuda Moon

Jason Crane — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:14:46 +0000

It’s because of little moments like this one:

From Yehuda Moon & The Kickstand Cyclery

Contrail

Ethan — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:00:45 +0000

This? Looks awesome. Via BikeHacks.

Watch This

Ethan — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:05:02 +0000

And smile: Around The Block

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

Bikes For The Rest Of Us

Ethan — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:30:00 +0000

My new favorite blog, via Cyclelicious: Bikes For The Rest Of Us.

I’m confessin’ that I love you — but I ain’t ridin’ you

Jason Crane — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:36:11 +0000

So.

Last night I rode my bike to Tess’s Lark Tavern for the monthly Poets Speak Loud event. It was an open mic followed by a walk to the Robert Burns statue in Washington Park, upon which a daring poet placed a beret. I’ll talk more about the event over at jasoncrane.org, but I wanted to mention a tangential fact about it here on RocBike.

Last night’s bike ride was my first time on a bike since … maybe September.

There, I said it. The founder of RocBike, former board member of the New York Bicycling Coalition and blogger about car-free living no longer rides a bike.

When I was transferred to the Albany area in November 2007, I lived in Saratoga Springs for the first few months. Most of my job duties, though, were in Albany and Schenectady, so I was on the road all the time and needed to be in my car. My family were still back in Rochester, so my eating habits suffered, too. Less good food, more fast food and food eaten in the car.

In the late winter or early spring of 2008, I moved into the city of Albany and started riding again. It was around that time that I started blogging again in earnest and joined the board of the New York Bicycling Coalition. I was also attending meetings of the Albany Bicycle Coalition, and blogging about the challenges of car-free or car-light living in my capacity as a Parent Panelist for the Albany Times Union newspaper.

When Jen and the boys moved back, I was still biking a fair amount. Jen got an Xtracycle like mine, and we biked a lot as a family. But then things started to change. I had already gained a fair amount of weight because of the changes in my lifestyle. I started driving most places and left the bike locked away. By the fall, I wasn’t riding at all. I was 35 pounds heavier than when I moved here. And my poor Packet Boat was dry-docked in the back shed.

Well, it’s time to get back on the horse. Look for updates from me about returning to the bike and making some much needed changes.

I’ve got nothing to lose but my chains! (And 35 or 40 pounds.)

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

A Pundit’s View on Winter Biking

Adam — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:28:00 +0000

Matt Yglesias is a political blogger who takes an interest in the politics of transportation. He makes an interesting point about biking in winter:

The top bike commuting city is Copenhagen, not San Diego. If people can bike to work in Denmark’s winter (I even saw plenty of people biking around Helsinki in December) then it can be done wherever you might be in the USA as well. Unfortunately, American mindspace about bicyling tends to be dominated by the insidious recreational bikers, who’ve gotten it into people’s heads that even on a lovely day for a bike ride the act of pedaling requires intricate performance gear including funny biking outfits. But bike commuting is a whole different ballgame — you’re just trying to get to work, so you should wear what you would wear.

Gosh, he makes it sound so easy! Check out his post for the rest of his thoughts, and some debate in his comment section.

WSJ says “Get Rid Of Your Car” ?!

Ethan — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:05:53 +0000

Yeah. Wow, right? Read it.

Winter in CT, so far…

Joey Mac — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:02:34 +0000

So far, not much to report, that’s why I haven’t posted in a while. Let me tell you, CT ain’t got nothin on Rochester winters. There have been two snowfalls thus far which anyone would classify as “heavy”. Not blizzards like ROC is used to, to be sure, but everyone around here freaks out. The roads basically become closed save for a few plows and crazy people who think they know how to drive in the snow.

I still rock my way in like any other day… I may spend less ride time going no-handed and air drumming to heavy metal, but I still get there by my own two legs. And I have to smile when I pass someone begrudgingly cleaning off their car and trying to dig it out of the driveway.

Anyway, this has been my winter rig so far this year, a 90′s Schwinn Frontier a co-worker gave me in the spring because it was wasting away on his back porch:

before work - I call the bike The Final Frontier. I'm a nerd.

I got it pro-tuned last month at Renaissance Cyclery in Plainville, it’s been pretty good, even with those simple mountain knobbies. There’s some snow, but New England gets a lot of what is affectionately referred to around here as “Wintry Mix” (I had never heard of it so frequently before moving here). Basic translation is road slop. Got a decent clip on fender for the back. Can anyone recommend a good one for the front?

I also recently I upgraded my light situation with another Fenix L2D up front and another Planet Bike Superflash, so now I am running 3 total back there. And of course the Neon:

after work - neon's little dim up front... that's why I need a front fender.

in other news, I got a new project for the new year…

a late 40′s Roadmaster Luxury Liner… all original, all intact, as found in storage, I just cleaned up a little so far. It’s already up in the stand getting tinkered with. Original tires still hold air and all the moving parts still move, I realized that it was probably still ridable so I took it out for a test spin (before I completely dismantled it) and shot video because I knew no one would be believe me that it was still functional:

click to watch video

Besides being 60 years old and needing some fresh grease, it rides nice and smooth. Can’t wait to fix this one back up in time for plenty of spring cruisin.

Now I still need to work on finding more people to cruise with here…

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.

Where can Brown pedal for you?

Jason Crane — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:30:22 +0000

From today’s New York Times:

After a pilot run in 2007, United Parcel Service is once again adding bicycle carriers to meet its holiday demand. It’s a tack that, like alternative fuel vehicles and other measures the company has historically taken to reduce operational costs, provides an attending environmental benefit in the form of reduced carbon-dioxide emissions.

According to Norman Black, a company spokesman, the bikes simply make sense at this time of year. “You and I are having this conversation on the peak day of the peak season when all the volumes come together and hit us at once,” Mr. Black said. “You can imagine what a challenge it is to be able to dramatically increase your network’s capacity to reliably deliver packages,” he added.

The company typically delivers nearly 15.8 million packages a day. During one five-day stretch of the pre-Christmas peak last year, that jumped to over 20 million a day.

Read the rest of the story at the Times site.

Like sustainability? Try cycling

Jason Crane — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:05:44 +0000

Here’s an article from AlterNet featuring an excerpt from Chris Carlsson’s book:

Bikes Point the Way to a Sustainable Future

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:

Biking to and from the suburbs

Adam — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:30:25 +0000

I went out to Bathtub Billy’s this weekend to meet up with some friends I used to work with. This particular sports bar is out in Greece, a sprawling suburb of Rochester with limited cyclist accommodations. Here’s a map of my ride there:

iMapMyRide Nov 29, 2008 5:51 PM
Find more Bike Rides in Rochester, New York

I have a handy ride-mapping application for my phone that sends this data over the internet. You can see on this map where I tried to cross the river at the RG&E station, but they have it all closed down for construction, so I had to make my way across Driving Park bridge instead.

Also, once I made it out to Greece I had to do what I could to avoid the shoulder-free highways. It was quite an adventure.

On the way back I was on a two-lane road with no shoulder, and some kids in a van decided to “tailgate” me (what would one call that when you have a vehicle that has no tailgate?). It got pretty scary – they were laying on their horn, and I had no idea what they were going to do. A police car passed and did absolutely nothing about it, which was surreal, but the kids seemed to be spooked enough by the cop to stop what they were doing and leave me alone.

I decided, after putting her through such a harrowing experience, that The Chicken Avenger deserved a good wash-down. I disassembled her for the first time since she was “born,” hosed her down with hot water, and put her bags through the wash. Gosh, she’s a beauty when she’s got her bags off:

Teaching kids to bike in cities

Jason Crane — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:20:04 +0000

This came a couple days ago from Sarah in Albany:

Anyone have any suggestions for how to safely teach my son
to bike in traffic in Albany? He’s 8, and when we’re not on residential suburban streets (we live in Delmar) we’ve always had him ride on the sidewalk, which usually means we have to ride on the sidewalk too, which sucks for numerous reasons and certainly slows us down. He’s old enough to balk at riding on a tagalong — he wants to ride his own bike — but riding through Albany safely takes skills and awareness he just doesn’t have yet. (I bike to work into Albany and am comfortable with it, after years of being afraid to try, but I still don’t feel safe having him come with me.) Any ideas?

You can reply in the comments section. Thanks!

Super Classy Bike, Rocking the 1910s

Ethan — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:40:02 +0000

Via Dinosaurs and Robots.

Bike meets bus

Jack — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 15:47:32 +0000

In some ways the RTS bus system’s recent successes (see NY Times article below on this site) have benefited cyclists a great deal. Now you can go intermodal for just a buck. I sometimes take the #92 bus to cover the 30 or so miles from Downtown Rochester to Newark, Wayne County, then pedal the last 5 miles to my usual destination, Peacework Organic Farm, as a kind of transportation dessert. When I started doing this intermodal run a few years ago, the trip to Newark cost $3.10 one way. Then about a year ago, when the transportation authority adopted a new fare structure (which also eliminated transfers and zone charges), the cost went down all at once to $1.25. These days, there aren’t many prices and fees that are declining like this. And you can bet the bulk of bus riders are happy with the lower fare, though I’m sure the bottom-line for many low-income urban bus riders is more ambiguous. (They certainly haven’t benefited to the same degree that riders from the distant ex-urbs have.)

But we have not rolled into that blessed Nirvana Terminal, the mass-transit paradise where one achieves oneness with Intermodality. RTS fares have gone down, but so has RTS service in some respects. For example, on Route 92 there used to be two bus runs (i.e. two round-trips) in the morning and two in the evening. This meant fewer people on each bus, of course, but it also meant the route had some capacity and flexibility that today would be of some use in attracting riders driven to mass transit by current gas prices. (Notice I don’t say “high” gas prices – I say, let ‘em hit $10 a gallon, as in Europe; and let us subsidize the poor somehow, in cash or in transit service, so that they won’t suffer from the excesses of the privileged. And then let us the windfall to build bike facilities and boost mass transit.) So now the bus service on Route 92 works extremely well, and very cheaply, for those whose destinations and schedules are compatible with the service. But many people, including many would-be intermodal cyclists, are simply out of luck.

We need more as well as cheaper service – more routes, and more buses on many routes, and more ways to tote more bicycles on each bus. Here’s a cautionary tale: one Friday evening this past summer, I was planning one of my frequent intermodal trips to Newark. I showed up at Midtown Plaza to catch #92 eastward about ten minutes before the scheduled departing time (5:10 pm). But lo and behold, when I rolled up to the bus, which as usual was set to move out on time, I found the bike rack was full – that is, two bikes. This particular bus, like most that do the longer runs, was a coach-style one, so there was no way to bring a bike on board, even if the driver had been willing to break/bend the rules and allow this to be happen. So what did I do? I cancelled my trip and waited till Saturday morning – but not to take the bus to Newark, since there are no freakin’ weekend buses at all to Newark and Lyons. Instead, I rode the whole way on Erie Canal Trail, which is a delight, for sure, but not what was in the game plan.

Lessons learned: first, you can ride a folding bike and be prepared for anything (I unfortunately had left my Dahon at home); second, if you’re unable to board the one bus that makes an evening run like this, you’re outta luck, since there’s no later bus to catch; and third, RTS may be artificially limiting demand by cutting buses/routes, and then producing surpluses by, on one hand, letting the buses become (over)crowded and thus lowering labor and fuel costs per capita; and on the other hand, bringing home the bacon from Albany in the form of transit subsidies.

Another time I faced a similar situation – a full bike rack on a Friday evening on #92 – but in this case the driver let me slip my bike between the pair on the rack and fasten it with bungee cords. Not an ideal solution. I silently prayed to Hermes to keep my bike from getting dumped or dented.

The best-case scenario would be to have “people mover” type trains that allow bikes to be rolled aboard easily. But we live in a region of transit backwardness, where the discourse is largely limited to moans and groans about prices at the pump. In this context, I suppose that anything said or done about the buses is an improvement.

Albany wants to jump on cycling

Jason Crane — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:56:06 +0000

From Tuesday’s Albany Times Union:

Albany wants to jump on cycling
Consultant sought to develop master plan for bike lanes, routes

By TIM O’BRIEN, Staff writer
First published: Tuesday, September 16, 2008

ALBANY — With high gas prices and a constant fight for parking spaces, Albany is examining ways it can promote two-wheel travel.

“We are an older city. We have a really great network of streets that lend it to be a really bicycle-friendly city,” said Doug Melnick, the city’s director of planning. “If you build good facilities, people will use them.”

The Capital District Transportation Committee is providing $75,000 for a consultant to develop a master plan to make it easier for bicyclists to ride through the city and commute to work.

“Bicycling is a viable mode of transportation,” said Mary Lou Nolan-Gillham, a member of the Albany Bicycle Coalition. Three generations of her family have been bicyclists. Her son doesn’t own a car or have a driver’s license, yet has lived and worked in Philadelphia, Brooklyn and now New Paltz.

“On any given day I’ll see six or seven bicyclists pass me while a year ago it would have been one or two,” Nolan-Gillham said.

She also works with the Troy Bike Rescue, which has moved to Albany, and lets people fix donated bikes that they can then keep.

Nolan-Gillham sees two major issues that must be addressed: fixing pot holes and getting drivers to stop treating bicyclists as obstacles.

Read the rest of the story here.

Rochester’s bus system in the New York Times

Jason Crane — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:36:04 +0000

From today’s New York Times:

In Hard Times, Profit at Rochester Transit System

By WILLIAM NEUMAN
Published: September 14, 2008

At a time when public transportation systems around the country are struggling with soaring fuel costs and pinched budgets, the bus system in Rochester, N.Y., has done something that few others would contemplate: this month, it lowered its single-ride fare.

Rochester’s Regional Transit Service is no behemoth. It carries 15 million riders a year, as many as the New York City transit system carries in two days. But as economic hard times have reduced tax revenues and increased demand for government transit subsidies, its experiences may provide valuable lessons for larger cities that are planning fare increases, like New York, Minneapolis and Cleveland.

The Rochester system, which expects to run a surplus for the third year in a row, has been able to reduce its one-ride fare in part by eliminating some low-trafficked routes, avoiding debt and aggressively raising revenues from other sources. The fare fell to $1 from $1.25 on Sept. 1.

It has, for instance, reached agreements with the local public school district, colleges and private businesses to help subsidize its operations, warning in some cases that certain routes might be cut if ridership did not increase or a local business did not help cover the cost. In recent years, income from these agreements has equaled or exceeded the income from regular passenger fares.

All the while, ridership has increased by 7.4 percent over the last two years in an area where the population has remained stable. And while only about 1 out of 6 customers pays the single-ride fare (the majority use daily, weekly or monthly passes), the transit service expects further ridership gains now with the fare cut in place.

Read the rest of the article.

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 resident loses specialized trike to theft

Jason Crane — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:02:38 +0000

This is from today’s Albany Times Union:

Disabled man’s mobility taken in street theft
Custom three-wheeler was Jeff Elsbree’s sole means of transport

By PAUL GRONDAHL, Staff writer
First published: Friday, September 5, 2008

ALBANY — Stolen bikes are commonplace, but when someone cut the lock and made off with Jeff Elsbree’s custom three-wheeler, an otherwise routine theft robbed a 52-year-old disabled man of his independence.

Elsbree, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident when he was 18, was being fitted for a new arm brace at a physical therapist’s office on Madison Avenue Tuesday evening when his trusty red tricycle was stolen.

He locked it up with a chain and padlock, as usual. He came outside 30 minutes later to find his only mode of transportation gone.

“I don’t try to hurt anyone. I try to help people. Then I get my bike stolen,” said Elsbree, who speaks haltingly and has suffered seizures. His left arm and hand are withered and his left leg is in a brace. He uses a crutch and walks with difficulty.

Police told him that it’s unlikely, as more time elapses, that the trike will be recovered.

Read the rest of the article.

Pedicab Encounter

Jason Crane — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 04:20:21 +0000

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

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

Liberty On Bikes

Jason Crane — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:17:52 +0000

One of the things I like most about Albany is the close-knit and welcoming community of bicycle riders who get around the city on two wheels. I’ve met so many great people because I turn my pedals rather than stepping on them. Take Bob, for example. As a matter of fact, go read Bob’s new blog:

Liberty On Bikes

And tell him RocBike sent you!

Bike trails in the Albany Times Union

Jason Crane — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:52:05 +0000

The Albany Times Union ran a commentary piece this morning on bike trails:

Bike trails idea needs steering

By MARLENE KENNEDY, Executive Business Editor
First published: Friday, August 22, 2008

Long ago and far away, a bicycle was my main mode of transportation.

I was in college, subletting a friend’s apartment in order to take a class over the summer, and for some reason I can’t recall, had gotten use of my brother’s bike. It was an old black Schwinn with coaster brakes (probably the reason he let it go), on which I mounted saddlebag-style baskets over the back fender — ideal for carrying a couple of bags of groceries.

My world then was a small city without public transportation, but with the bike I could easily get to school, work and shopping.

Nowadays, my horizons — and transport options — are wider. And while various sizes and styles of bicycles clutter the garage, I don’t use one to get to work.

Someday, though, I might be able to, via the Tech Valley Trails system.

Read the rest of the article.

Rickshaw business teams up with Lark Street BID

Jason Crane — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:58:32 +0000

From the Albany Business Journal:

The owner of the new Albany Rickshaw Co. has teamed up with the Lark Street Business Improvement District to promote his pedicab business.

Loren Grugan, a 17-year Albany Police Officer, formed his rickshaw company in July and hopes to expand it from one pedicab to six by spring.

The rickshaws, which run from 6 p.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday, also will be leased out to independent contractors, Grugan said.

The business had been delayed getting off the ground while Grugan finds insurance that will cover himself as well as independent contractors that he plans to hire.

Read the rest of the story here and previous coverage of this story on RocBike here.

EcoVelo

Jason Crane — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:28:14 +0000

The fine folks at EcoVelo just let me know about their site. Here’s their description:

Utilizing bicycles for transportation to reduce our impact on the environment.

Welcome to EcoVelo. This site is the public expression of our personal commitment to reduce our impact on the environment by employing bicycles as our primary mode of transport. By sharing what we learn from this endeavor, while also providing an aesthetically pleasing experience that celebrates the beauty of the bicycle and the joys of everyday bike riding, we hope to inspire others to make a similar commitment.

Thanks for visiting-
Alan & Michael

So head on over, and tell ‘em RocBike sent you!

Now there’s even a Web site!

Jason Crane — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:28:59 +0000

Don’s Bike

After posting my story about our bicycle camping adventure, I was contacted by Don Lubach from s24o.com, a site dedicated to the Sub-24-Hour Overnight bicycle excursion. Head on over there and check out Doug’s site, and tell him that RocBike sent you.

S24O

Jason Crane — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 19:52:18 +0000

Turns out that the kind of bicycle camping we just did at Five Rivers is known as an S24O, which is geekese for a “Sub-24-hour Overnight.” The fine folks at Rivendell Bicycle Works have a few things to say (and sell) regarding bicycle camping:

Camping vs. Touring: Bike Camping. How it’s different from touring, and why you may actually have time to do some of it. And about the bike camping gear we like, use, and stock.

What to bring on a one-night campout. And roughly what it’ll cost.

Five Rivers adventure

Jason Crane — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:25:57 +0000

We had our first bike camping adventure this weekend, and it was great!

We decided to start easy, with a family camping event at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center in nearby Delmar, New York. Here’s a bit of history about Five Rivers, which started out as a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp in the New Deal era:

Five Rivers is a place where conservation began, and today the Environmental Education Center proudly carries forward this long legacy of environmental stewardship. From 1933-36, a resident Civilian Conservation Corps built brooder houses, dammed streams and fenced fields to create New York’s first and only State Experimental Game Farm. For 40 years, state biologists conducted a comprehensive and widely acclaimed study of the ruffed grouse, while raising a variety of game species for release.

Research biologists at the site’s Wildlife Resources Laboratory, established in 1941, field tested new techniques in wildlife management, many of which revolutionized the profession and put New York in the forefront of a growing national conservation movement. The technique of aging deer by dentition, the use of cannon-nets for live-trapping, and the abundance of mallards in the eastern flyway are all directly attributable to this early work on the grounds. Today, the careful visitor can spot many elements which recall the storied Game Farm era.

Five Rivers is 8 miles from our house. We rode the entire way on Delaware Ave, which is hilly, but not too bad. We’ve had a ton of rain this summer in Albany, and it rained on Thursday and early in the day on Friday. As we headed out on the road, we noticed rain clouds coming in. By the time we’d gone a couple miles, the clouds were really coming quickly:

Soon we were riding through a light rain. We pulled into the Bethlehem Public Library and waited for a few minutes under an overhang near the entrance. It seemed clear that the rain wasn’t going to let up, and that was the moment to decide whether this was an FFA (Fun Family Adventure) or an HHM (Horrible Horrible Mistake). We decided to go for it.

Delmar is a pretty little town, but Deleware Avenue leaves something to be desired. Some of the time, there’s a wide shoulder. Some of the time, there are two lanes. And other times? Curves and no shoulder. Huzzah! We eventually decided to use a sidewalk that was otherwise unoccupied, making a nice bike path:

Later that evening, Jen told me that at just about the point where she was thinking about turning back … we arrived! Wet, but happy, we made it to Five Rivers. The staff members were quite surprised to see us ride in. In fact, they were trying at that point to figure out whether to move the camping outing into the visitors center. They decided not to because, as a staffer said later, “We figured you campers must be pretty hardcore if you showed up on bikes.” (They were talking about us. Weird!) We pedaled over to our campsite.

Within a few minutes — and with help from another camper, Kevin — our tent was set up. We hadn’t used it since last summer, and we’d only used it once then, so weren’t even sure we’d remember how to put it together. It was easy though, even in the light rain. By the time we finished, the rain had stopped and never started again.

Ten families signed up for the camping trip, but half of them canceled because of the weather. The folks who came were great. Bernie immediately befriended a boy named Jake and they spent the rest of the time chasing each other and kicking a ball around. John took a quick liking to Allie, a Student Naturalist at Five Rivers. One thing we didn’t realize was that the fire wasn’t going to be made until 8:30 at night. We brought hot dogs for dinner, so we dug into our snack food and figured we’d appreciate the hot dogs that much more when we ate them later that evening.

At about 7:30, Five Rivers staffer Anita led us on a nature walk. We saw fields full of gorgeous wildflowers, deer and slugs. That’s right, slugs. The kids got to hold the slugs and learn just how sticky they are. It was great.

The fire was ready by the time we finished our walk, so we broke out the hot dogs. Other folks had marshmallows and Jiffy Pop popcorn. As you know, I’m all about making it easy, so I roasted three dogs at once using my patented Three Weenie Roaster (TM):

We went on a firefly walk after dinner. One of the staffers was collecting firefly data for the Firefly Watch sponsored by the Boston Museum of Science. We counted fireflies and wrote down the numbers so that she could submit our totals.

Then it was back to camp for a good night’s sleep. Bernie and John — and their parents — fell asleep very quickly.

This morning we were up at about 7 or so. We snacked on organic pop tarts, gorp and juice. Jen and I broke down the tent and packed the bikes. We took one more hike…

…took some photos…

…and then pedaled home.

In total: 16 miles, 18 hours, 4 happy people!

You can view all our photos from trip online:

080808 Five Rivers

More haulin’

Jason Crane — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:46:37 +0000

Here are more photos of the Cranes on our Xtracycles. These were taken by my mom on Washington Ave in Albany in front of El Mariachi.

That’s quite a load I’m carrying — and there’s a lot of stuff on the bike, too.

No meter? No motor? No problem!

Jason Crane — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:00:33 +0000

Loren Grugan pedals Christina Keavaney down Lark Street. (James Goolsby / Times Union)

From today’s Albany Times Union:

No meter? No motor? No problem!
City’s first bicycle cop blazes another trail with debut of pedicab business

By DAVID FILKINS, Staff writer
First published: Monday, August 4, 2008

ALBANY – Loren Grugan parked his bike on the corner of Madison Avenue and Lark Street last Thursday evening. He climbed in the cart attached to the back and waited or the comments, questions, stares and pointing to begin.

Less than a minute later, two women crossed the intersection and headed in Grugan’s direction. As they reached the sidewalk, one woman furrowed her brow and leaned toward the other with a puzzled look on her face.

“What is that?” she asked as she motioned toward the bike.

For the answer to that question, read the rest of the story.

(Jason sez: The writer refers to this vehicle as a “rickshaw” several times. I always thought a rickshaw is pulled on foot and a pedicab is pulled by a bicycle-style mechanism.)

Mmmmm…pizza!

Jason Crane — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:40:24 +0000

I highly recommend Spinner’s Pizza & Subs in Albany at 14 Picotte Drive — Phone: 482-7311.

We don’t need no stinkin’ SUV — we’ve got an SUB!

Jason Crane — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:09:23 +0000

My parents stopped in Albany today on their way from Canandaigua, NY, to a Red Sox game. They brought with them a bunch of camping gear that we’re borrowing for some bicycle camping next week. My mom said, “We’ll have to drive over to your house because we’ve got so much stuff for you.” I said thanks, but no thanks — the Xtracycles can handle it. Even Jen was skeptical, but we did it, with no problem.

And here’s the big version:

080801 Camping Gear

Bugs Books & Boys

Jason Crane — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 02:47:29 +0000

Here are some recent shots of our life in Albany:

And here’s the link to the larger version:

080729 Bugs Books Boys

RocEarth.com and “Green Riders”

Adam — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:00:13 +0000

Please welcome the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle’s new lifestyle site, RocEarth, to the internets:

In the D&C’s style, the site is awkwardly designed and serves as little more than a link farm to the newspaper’s main web site, but, there is a gem: a video currently embedded on the main page, called “Green Riders”:

The video series features a bunch of people who commute in different ways to reduce their carbon footprint, including one bike commuter, but also people who use gas-powered scooters, ride a gas-powered bus, and drive gas-powered cars. Brought to you by Hoselton Auto Mall, currently offering 2 models that get over 30 mpg. But I digress.

Here’s a direct link to the bike commuter profile. The vignette features Rochester resident Emily Lynch discussing her bikes, her bike-friendly community in the South Wedge, and her commute to the Rochester Public Market down busy streets.

As a gas-free purist, I took slightly less interest in the other 3 categories, but it’s good to see people making a difference in all sorts of different ways.

The family that rides in the rain together…

Jason Crane — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:03:24 +0000

…gets completely soaked together! Here we are after getting caught in a downpour on the way back from Washington Park.

Xtracycle video from Salon.com

Jason Crane — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:48:38 +0000

Salon.com writer Mark Benjamin wrote an article about Xtracycles. This video accompanies the story:

Car-free commuting

Jason Crane — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:14:44 +0000

One of the things you have to deal with when you’re living car-free is getting to work. At the moment, that couldn’t be a nicer proposition. From our home in the Helderberg neighborhood, it’s just a short hop to most of the hotels and restaurants I represent as a union staffer for UNITE HERE. Here’s a slide show of today’s commute:

A larger version of the slideshow is at my Picasa site:

080725 Commuting Life