Beautiful morning

Any day you can ride your bike to work is a good day


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Selling Cycling

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In the late 80's and early 90's I worked for a bike shop that sold Bridgestone bicycles. I'm sure many of you have never heard of them. The small group that made up Bridgestone US turned out some amazing bikes back then. In some cases they swam against the current of popular thinking (which often times produces great results). The public (and bicycle magazines) never fully embraced the brand, and it lasted a short 10 years before the Japanese parent pulled the plug. Going back through the old catalogs I discovered something amazing.  The catalogs were not only trying to sell you their bicycles. In fact, in the 1994 catalog (the last model year) you had to go more than 20 pages in before you got to the first bike! There were stories, and illustrations about how to operate a quick release, how to shift, how frames are made. It struck me that they were selling cycling . I wonder what the business would look like if Grant Peterson (head of Bridgestone US...
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Why are bikes so expensive?

It's a question that we get all the time.  My annual eye exam was today, and was making small talk with the .....what would you call her.... Occular assistant?  Anyway, when the topic of my chosen line of work comes up she says "why are bikes so expensive?" My response to her was "They're not". I've gone to this eye doc for years, and I'm sure that there are many in town that are less expensive.  I go to this one because of the service, and quality of care. Your money buys more bike now than it ever has.   So why do people think bikes are expensive?  The price of everything around them goes up in price, yet bike prices should stay the same?  Not logical. I think the real issue is the way people view bikes.  They're considered toys.  Go and try to find one in one of the big box stores.  Know where they are?  Right next to the Barbies. A well made bicycle is a joy to ride, will work as (or better than) you expect it to and last a...
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Let's give thanks

Time for a little reflection.  We talk a lot about cycling, and the rights of cyclists to have safe places to ride. It's easy to get impatient. Things don't move quickly enough. We aren't as progressive as (fill in the blank) city. I prefer to think about how far we've come.  I think about Richard Vonnegut, who has been beating the drum for bicycle advocacy as long as I can remember. He's someone that, as far as I'm concerned, doesn't get the recognition he deserves. I think about Diana Virgil, who has been plowing through the mountains of red tape surrounding the B&O Rail Corridor project-seemingly forever. Whatever progress we've seen recently has come from people like them working for years in darkness. I get a feeling of great hope when I see a group like IndyCog spring up, and accomplish so much. There are others, to be sure. Bicycle Indiana , and CIBA  just to name two.  People who love to ride bikes should feel a great sense ...
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