The West Side

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!