The West Side

This originally appeared in the INDYCOG newsletter.  Get involved with bike advocacy, join INDYCOG! I wasn't there when it was born. I didn't see its first step or hear it first speak. But this week, I think I saw bike advocacy grow up. I attended my first National Bike Summit last year. It was contentious. We were fighting to keep the dedicated funding that others had worked so hard to attain. We were greeted with polite nods, and a sometimes dismissive attitude. One representative refused to see us. This year, we not only met with staff, but with members themselves. They were interested, engaged and (do I dare to say?) supportive. What a difference a year makes. Now, it could be that we weren't asking for funding like we were last year. I'm sure that's part of it. But I heard the word "tipping point" several times. Legislators are seeing the success cities like Indianapolis are having. Good politicians are nothing if not ...

I had poo-poo'd them for years.  Brooks saddles .  How in the world could anyone ride one of those?  Weren't those relevant back before we invented plastic? I did what most people did when they saw one.  I "knocked" on it.  "God, that's hard", I would say. I built up this bike a few years ago.  I had just begun playing with "functional" bikes.  As I was nearing completion I thought, "A B17 would look really good on this thing".  I ordered one. I mounted it on the bike, and it did look good.  Then I had to do a test ride.  I threw my leg over the bike with no small amount of trepidation.  To my shock (and relief), all the horror stories I had heard about Brooks saddles were......unfounded.  It was supportive, not hard, and comfortable. I have 3 bikes that I ride on a regular basis.  They all have Brooks saddles.  At this point, I can't imagine riding anything else.  Ninety nine percent of my commuting m...

Over the last 2, or 3 years I've gotten quite used to having some sort of carrying apparatus on the front of my bike.  I find it useful to be able to see, and access things without actually dismounting. I've found the most useful configuration to also be the least expensive.  The tried, and true Wald wire basket.  Essentially unchanged since the early 1900's, all Wald baskets are still made in their factory in Kentucky. With the supplied mounting hardware these baskets mount in no time.  You can also remove the hardware, and mount the basket to a front rack (as I've done here).  I prefer this option as it keeps the basket low, and the top of the handlebar clean. It's amazing to me that in this age of $10,000.00 bikes, you can have something so useful for less than 40 bucks. What's your preference?  Bag, basket or naked? Ride on!

So, Kev and I lit out this morning for our semi-regular Saturday social ride.  As we made our way around to Perimeter we saw another cyclist in the distance.  My first thought usually would have been to try to chase him down.  I let it go as we were having a nice leisurely ride.  Then we started gaining ground.  Uh oh. Now, catching him isn't the story......because we did.  It was what we saw.  It was an older fellow.  Cycling shorts?  Yes.  Jersey?  Yes.  Helmet?  Of course.  Magna?  YES.  Magna.  That staple of the mega marts.  It was a girls bike.  It was way too small.  I said my "good morning" as we rode past.   It was obvious he was having just as much fun as we were. And I say good for him. Ride on!

I want to start by saying, I like the Tour.  I like most bike racing really.  From the 1 day classics to the lunacy that is the greatest 3 week reality show on television.  It is a testament to what professionals can do on a bicycle. I do tire of this idea that because we may want to make our bicycles a little more useful with a rack, fenders, bags or even (god forbid) a basket we are somehow "fringe". Do you know what is fringe?  Bike racing. Of all of the people in all of the world, bike racers are the minority.  Don't forget it. Just a little perspective during the first week of the greatest show on Earth. Have a great 4th.  Ride on!

Being a bike shop, Bicycling magazine sends of copy of their mag to the store each month.  I usually flip through the pages, grumble and then pass it on.  They have their moments, but as a whole I don't think they do a great service to "average" bike riders. The feature on race bikes in the current issue is a great example.  "This year's most victorious machines" was the headline.  The bikes ranged in price from $6700 to $16 (that's SIXTEEN) thousand dollars.  What is the victory exactly? I can appreciate a McLaren Mercedes but it's not something I'm ever going to own.  If I did, I don't think I would drive it daily.  It's just not practical. It would just be nice to see the industry spend a little more time focusing on bikes that work for people in the real world.  Maybe I just don't get it.  Maybe I'm just getting old.  Hmmph. Have a great holiday weekend. Ride on!

I decided to try out the "new" bike lanes on Lafayette Rd. on Saturday.  Specifically I wanted to ride up to 71st St. and see the progress on the Eagle Creek Greenway. The first thing I noticed was the fresh strips of green paint.  This marks the areas of the bike lane where cars can cross.  This will, hopefully, make the lanes easier for motorists to understand.  They really stand out. When I reached 71st St., I made a right turn on to the greenway.  What a nice addition to the Eagle Creek area.  At this point, it doesn't go that far.  When it's finished I'm told we will be able to ride from the park all the way to the Monon using a combination of greenway, and bike lanes.  It will be great to finally be able to cross town on a bicycle using dedicated bike ways. Oh, the places we will go! Ride on.

When Facebook when to their timeline layout, I had to come up with a "cover"  picture for our store page .  I picked one that I liked, and (in my mind) represented my store. I chose the photo without really thinking too much about.  Since I'm interested in what other stores do, I started looking at what they were doing with their pages.  What I noticed was pictures of bikes, pictures of store fronts but very few pictures of......people. Without even thinking about it, I was showing the world what I think makes my store special.  It's the people; dedicated, enthusiastic, experienced people. We are lucky enough to have really great customers that shop my store because of the personal  relationship they have with us.   I appreciate each and every one of them. Ride on!

So, I'm finally getting around to writing about my experience at the National Bike Summit.  A bit late, but it's given me some time to reflect on the experience.  After all, it's on thing to visit the Capitol, and it's quite another to be inside the Capitol lobbying our Representatives (staff actually, but you get the point).  It's kind of overwhelming.  The National Bike Summit is organized by the League of American Bicyclists , the oldest cycling advocacy group in the country.  Over 800 people attended the event, and all but one state (Alaska) was represented.  Over a dozen of us from Indiana took time out of our schedules to stand up for cycling.  I traveled with 3 other members of INDYCOG , and  Nancy from Bicycle Indiana did a great job organizing, and scheduling meetings with our Reps.   The point of the Summit is to ask Congress to maintain funding for bike, and pedestrian infrastructure.  These funds are...

Untitled , a photo by A1 Cyclery on Flickr. 2011 will, for me, be the year I rediscovered the joy of riding a bicycle.  So, looking forward, I would encourage you to not make a resolution.   I've said it many times.  Losing weight, and getting in shape are great reasons to ride a bike.  They are terrible motivations.   My hope is that you will just ride.  Ride for the fun of it.  Do that ride that, perhaps, you normally blast through. Stop and take a few pictures, you'll be surprised at what you've missed. Ride a bike with fat tires.  Bask in the geekiness (and absolute practicality) of having a basket on your bike.  Ride to your favorite neighborhood eatery.  Ride to the store.  Use some of our great new bike paths.  Join a great group like IndyCog . Rediscover your bike. I have a sense of optimism going into 2012.  I hope you do too. Happy New Year! Ride on!

It's tough buying gifts for cyclists.  You're never quite sure of what they want, or what they've got.  So, I thought I would compose of short list of some little things that work in big ways. Here are some of my very favorite things. The Buff has been one of my favorite things for years.  I don't travel without one.  You can use it in about 1,000 different ways.  Hat, balaclava, scarf, headband, scrunchie, wristband etc.  Don't leave home without one.  These are Merino Wool, which makes them even better. Made in Spain The Donkey Boxx.  This ingenious little box is made from corrugated plastic (just like the Postal service uses).  They attach to your bike with zip ties, and provide a carrier that's more supported that traditional panniers.  Super smart! Made in USA The smartest mirror I've ever seen.  Light weight, easy to install and a great field of vision.  Works especially well on drop bars. ...

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 ...

We've had a tragic week in Central Indiana with regards to bike riders, and cars. Three fatalities in less than a week. It's hard to wrap your head around. Indianapolis also reelected it's Mayor last night. One of the reasons may have been his overwhelming particiaption, and support of cycling. The two things are not mutally exclusive. The more places people have to ride, the more people will ride. That's the common perception. I happen to believe it's true. There is also a much higher probability that those cyclists will encounter motor vehilcles. We (people in, and around, the bike industry) spend a lot of time talking about the rights of people who want to ride bicycles. It's a necesssary endeveour. This is a car culture, and there are some who don't think the bicycle is a legitimate form of transportation. My hope is that we will continue to talk about the rights of cyclists. We also need to talk about responsibility. Those of bike ri...

During the fall and winter cycling can become more challenging.  Not always because of the temperature, but because of the lessening amount of daylight. Where you ride will determine what kind of lighting you need.  Here is a compilation of, what I think are, some of the best lights out there today. The Knog Frog, and Glo/Ember set from Bontrager.  Single LED lights that are pretty darn bright.  They will allow you to been seen.  Less than 30 bucks will get you front, and rear blinky lights.  You're safer already. Bontrager Flare 1/Ion 1.  For those that would like a more traditional light set up.  A bit brighter, but still more a "be seen" set up. The Planet Bike Blaze.  A 2 watt powerhouse.  Two constant light levels, plus Superflash.  This light will let you see a bit of the road.  Also check out the Bontrager Ion 2.  Both great lights. The mother of all rear blinky lights.  Planet Bike Superf...

Saturday was a beautiful day in Indianapolis.  Sunny, but cool....perfect weather to be covered in..... tweed ! About 90 people showed up for this second annual ride.  Indy Cog, the event promoter, said it was over twice the number from the year before. This was our first tweed ride, and it won't be our last.  The group ranged from folks just wanting to get out on a nice Saturday afternoon, to people truly dedicated to the tweed.  Bikes ranged from geared mountain bikes, to a high wheeler.  All were welcome, and everyone had a great time. I have to admit, I enjoyed trying to dress the part.  I've been preaching for the last year that you can (and should) be able to ride in "normal" clothes.  It is absolutely possible, and for me it makes riding even more enjoyable. The pictures from the ride say more than I ever could.  The few photos I took are here.  You can also view Indy Cog's photos here .  If you would like to know mo...

When you've had a trip as good as the one we had to Italy, it's hard to come back to the real world.  I'm sifting through the hundreds of pictures, and trying to come up with a coherent synopsis of a wonderful vacation.  In the mean time, here is one of the better pictures I've taken.  Sometimes you get lucky, and what you are actually trying to shoot works! Ride on!

It's kind of a lazy day here in Chianti. Were waiting for a transfer, and I got to thinking. I relearned a couple of things on this trip. One. The Trek Madone really is one of the nicest bikes you, I, or anyone else can buy. Two. I miss my big tires. I think the riding would have been more enjoyable with a little more rubber between me, and the road. It's been a wonderful trip. Trek Travel is a decadent way to travel. I'm sure we will return to Italy. Ciao for now Ride on! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Landed in Florence this morning after another long flight. We did some exploring tonight, and will hit some museums before meeting up with the gang from Trek Travel. More to follow. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

We had a great time Sunday at Dig INDIANA .  Since Pedal and Park was going to be there, we decided to make a day of it.  We parked the car in Broad Ripple, and rode the canal tow path/White River greenway all the way to White River State Park.  After the event we took the Monon back to the car.  It was a great day to ride a bike in Indy. The tow path is one of my favorite trails.  It's not paved, true, but it's quite scenic.  The area around the IMA is lovely.  The thing I found interesting was it was almost devoid of people! Have you used this path?  If not, why?   This really is the best time of year to ride a bicycle. Ride on!

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