Fresno Bicycle Coalition News

Plan to ban cars on part of Market St.

2008-07-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

Plan to ban cars on part of Market St.

Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

(07-22) 21:05 PDT San Francisco -- San Francisco's Market Street from the Embarcadero to Hayes Valley would permanently close to all traffic except for city mass transit vehicles under a proposal announced at City Hall on Tuesday night.

Supervisor Chris Daly asked the city attorney to draft legislation to permanently ban cars on Market Street between Octavia Boulevard and the Embarcadero, an idea that has been floated by various city leaders, including former Mayor Willie Brown, for more than a decade.

Daly said discussion of a proposal by Mayor Gavin Newsom to close portions of city streets, including a large stretch of the Embarcadero, on two Sundays this year prompted his action.

"It's the city's grand boulevard," Daly said. "Why don't we go for the gold?"

Closing the 2.3-mile portion of Market Street would open the often-congested roadway to pedestrians and cyclists, though Daly said there would still need to be places where cars and other vehicles could cross.

He said the traffic that now relies on that roadway could shift to Mission, Howard and Folsom streets to the south.

In addition to this proposal, the Municipal Railway is currently considering a plan to make major improvements to transit on Market Street and throughout the city. Another idea that has been floated would redesign stretches of the street to create distinct bicycle lanes.

Brown's vision of banning private automobiles on Market Street faced strong opposition from the business community and never materialized. Daly's proposal will face multiple hurdles at City Hall, including approval from the full board and Newsom, before it can be enacted.

E-mail Wyatt Buchanan at wbuchanan@sfchronicle.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/23/BAQI11TKH0.DTL

This article appeared on page B - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Fresno winners of the California Triple Crown Stage Race

2008-07-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Lori Cherry, Jeanine Spence, and Lisa Williams. They tied for First Place in the Women's Division of the California Triple Crown Stage Race. This is the first time in the history of the event that this has happened. Their time was 41:53.

Check the California Triple Crown Web site for more information.

Google Maps Walking Directions

2008-07-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed walking directions on Google Maps? It seems to be a better way to scope out a bike route. Sure, you can click "Avoid Highways" but this has potential. Here's an example. This is a trip of about 45 minutes by bicycle. Google estimates 3 hours 12 minutes by foot.

Safe Routes to Work

2008-07-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed? More people seem to be riding their bicycles around town these days. Maybe it's the price of gas; maybe it's the summer weather; or maybe people are just rediscovering the joys of two-wheeled transportation.

We here at the Coalition believe that a bicycle is a great way to get around; not only for recreation, but for grocery shopping, errand running, exercise getting, and commuting too. Sometimes, when you start something new, it can seem daunting. But riding your bike to work might be easier than you imagine. And the early hours before work might be some of the freshest, coolest hours you're going to get around here, this time of year.

If you would like help designing a route that get's you from A to B as cheerfully as possible, let us know. We have a supercomputer in the basement ready to crunch the numbers and come up with a lovely custom map just for you. Or try a route off the rack. With just a bit of tailoring it might be just what you need.

Here is the route I took to work this morning. It was a lovely ride.

My Favorite Route to Work at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

Cyclists favor handmade frames

2008-07-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

Cyclists favor handmade frames

Nancy Davis Kho, Special to The Chronicle

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Summer is here, and with it one rite as predictable as seasonal allergies: Bay Area cyclists are mounting their bikes - and checking out other people's.

Cyclists know that the rig you ride says something about you. Beyond the divisions of road and mountain bikes, subcategories emerge: carbon fiber, titanium, aluminum, steel. Fixie or granny gear. Lugs or smooth welds. An experienced cyclist assesses all of these traits in a quick glance.

"Customers develop a feeling of loyalty to their own frame," said Chris Padavana, owner of Eden Bicycles in Castro Valley. "It's a way of rationalizing their choice of a bike - and justifying the expense to their wives."

Joking aside, Padavana said he believes that having a nice bike is good incentive to start spinning. "You have to feel proud of what you ride," he said. It'll help you get up early and go when you'd rather stay home in bed."

Here's an added incentive: Like artisan bread and microbrews, bicycles can be handcrafted.

As opposed to manufacturing titans such as Trek and Giant, which produce thousands of bicycles in standard sizes, a builder of handmade bikes may produce just 20 frames a year.

A competent mechanic can adjust a factory-built bike to suit the average rider. But loyalists swear that the custom sizing, attention to detail and artistry of a handmade bicycle make for a better ride.

Handmade-bicycle makers have increased exponentially in recent years, as evidenced by participation in the North American Handmade Bicycle Show.

"Four years ago, in Houston, Texas, there were 23 exhibitors and 100 or so attendees," said spokesman Paul Skilbeck. The 2008 show in February, in Portland, Ore., drew 152 exhibitors and more than 7,000 attendees.

The Bay Area is rich in well-regarded bicycle builders, including Albert Eisentraut in Oakland, considered by some to be the paterfamilias of American frame builders. Peter Rich, who has been operating Velo Sport Bicycles in Berkeley since 1961 and has an encyclopedic knowledge of cycling in the Bay Area, said it's not a vocation for someone looking to make money. "It's too time-consuming," Rich said. "Frame builders do it for the love of the sport."

Frame building as therapy

Bernie Mikkelsen, of Mikkelsen Frames in Alameda, has been building bikes for 34 years. He got his start as a child, putting bikes together from found bike parts. His father, an engineer, converted the basement of the family home in Berkeley into a workshop where his son could learn the intricacies of bike engineering. At his peak, Mikkelsen built four or five custom steel bikes a month and did repairs "at a hundred miles a minute," said his wife, Melodie Beylick, a glass artist whose work sits on shelves in the bike frame workshop.

In October 2006, Mikkelsen suffered a stroke and was hospitalized in the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Martinez. Doctors told Beylick that her husband would never walk or talk again, but she pressed them to allow Mikkelsen back into his bike shop on the weekends.

"I knew if Bernie could be around the shop, he'd come back faster than if he stayed in the hospital," she said.

A get-well note pinned to the workshop wall from Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx that reads "To Bernie - Go For It!" is an indication of the regard in which Mikkelsen is held by international cyclists.

Eighteen months after the stroke, Mikkelsen is back in his workshop, with help from Beylick, apprentice Cyrille Autin and Eric Amundson of Pleasant Hill Cyclery. Though he speaks with some difficulty and walks with a limp, the area of Mikkelsen's brain that held his vast experience seems to have been unaffected.

Fit is key

"It's about sizing and understanding the style of riding," said Mikkelsen, who in the early 1990s built the first Mikkelsen sizing cycle to help quantify both precisely. The device, now used around the country, looks something like a stationary bicycle with an extra helping of levers and cranks. A customer climbs on and pedals as Mikkelsen adjusts the angle and length of the top tube and the seat tube, fitting the adjustable frame to suit the rider's build and riding preferences: Will he or she be racing, doing lots of descents and climbs, riding on flat terrain? After an hour or more of subtle adjustments (and a workout for the customer), Mikkelsen is ready to transfer the angles and measurements to a large piece of brown paper upon which he draws the frame.

Mikkelsen builds only steel bikes; he favors the metal for comfort and durability over the newer titanium and carbon, which are prized for lightness.

"It's like riding on a Barcalounger," Amundson said of steel bikes. Mikkelsen said he has never had a steel frame fail, but he does plenty of repairs to steel bikes.

"Carbon breaks? Throw it out. A steel bike never dies," said Mikkelsen, showing off a complicated repair to the dropouts of another maker's frame. (A dropout is the notch in the bike fork that allows the rear wheel to be removed, or "dropped out," without removing the chain.) He said a customer recently brought in a 30-year-old Mikkelsen frame, and the only repair it required was to a small crack around the water-bottle holder.

Mikkelsen has a workshop full of one-of-a-kind tools he's made. He tacks tubes together for welding using a 1915 cast-iron typesetting table from The San Francisco Chronicle (then called the Morning Chronicle). Mikkelsen also shows off a small knife he uses in his work, handed down from his grandfather Jens Mikkelsen, who was a lighthouse keeper on the Farallon Islands.

The type of weld is the customer's choice. Some request the classic look of lugs, in which a small lug tube is used as a socket to connect the main tubes of the frame and joined by brazing (fusing melted brass between the two surfaces to be joined). Others opt for a smoother look, with the frame tubes joined directly to one another, either by tungsten inert gas welding or through fillet brazing, using beads of melted brass.

Mikkelsen carved a wooden block to enable him to move bikes to any angle for welding and brazing without scratching the frame. The smoothness of a weld is a matter of pride to bike makers, and Mikkelsen uses a red plastic case filled with files of many shapes and sizes.

"You can't even see the weld," said Autin, passing his finger back and forth along the edge of a lug. "You have to feel to make sure it's done properly."

The finished frame will be sent to D&D Cycles of San Lorenzo for a coat of powder paint; Mikkelsen produces only bike frames and forks, which start at $1,000. The customer then adds the remaining components - wheels, pedals, crankset, front and rear brakes, etc. - for a finished bike.

A Mikkelsen frame is priced in line with many mass-produced bikes, albeit the better-made ones. The process takes about two weeks.

Throughout the process, Mikkelsen checks the bike's geometry to make sure it matches the rider's measurements. "Bernie will pass a long piece of string around the frame to check the centering," Autin said, holding up a frame repair in progress to demonstrate.

The precision with which Mikkelsen measures his bikes is important, but Autin said he believes it is Mikkelsen's experience that really counts. "Whenever Bernie is trying to teach us something in the workshop, some repair or weld, he gets frustrated. 'Do you see? Do you see?' No one else has Bernie's eye."

Down in San Jose, self-professed "engineering geek" Mike Ahrens of Ahrens Bicycles has a more modern approach. Ahrens began his career as a bike builder while studying mechanical engineering at Santa Clara University. His senior project was to build a dual-suspension mountain bike, which was fabricated by Paul Sadoff of Rock Lobster Cycles in Santa Cruz.

Ahrens took a job in the aerospace business and remains a full-time mechanical engineer for Thermo Fisher Scientific, but the bike-building bug had bitten.

"I make time for this," he said, gesturing to four bikes of his design. "This is my passion."

'Function over form'

Ahrens produced 24 frames in 2007 and expects to increase production to 40 this year in his new workshop in Livermore. About 80 percent of his bikes are mountain bikes, while road bikes are a relatively new specialty.

"For me, it's function over form," he said, but agreed with Mikkelsen that understanding the customer's desired ride quality is key.

"When I have a new customer, I start with a conversation: What's driving them? For most customers it's not their first bike, so they know their preferences," he said. Even so, said Ahrens, he has to dig deep for honest answers.

"Customers may say they want a racing-style bike, but that's not going to be comfortable if they're doing longer rides or day-to-day riding," he said.

Ahrens uses a 3-D design program to produce a set of plans, then chooses materials from his inventory.

Ahrens produces both aluminum and steel frames. "Steel is more comfortable, but they're heavier bikes," he said. "Aluminum is stiffer and lighter, but some people find it a harsher ride. My goal is to take the harshness away from aluminum without losing its efficiency."

He also designs key bike components for his cycles but sends out the fabrication of both the frame and the components. "Some other builders don't like that I outsource, but I look at it from my aerospace background. I'm comfortable with certifying parts and inspecting.

"Ultimately, my name is on the bike. I'm going to make sure it's right."

Jason Grove at El Camino Fabrication does the fabrication of Ahrens' bikes, and then the frames are sent out for a powder coat or wet painting.

About a third of Ahrens' customers order just the frame, but Ahrens prefers to build the complete bike. "The frame and the fork are not the whole equation," he said. "I prefer to deliver the whole package and then get feedback.

"I have a customer racing one of my bikes in South Africa right now, and you know I'll be grilling him when he gets back about how it performed."

Liz Hatch, an Ahrens devotee who rides with professional women's road squad Team Vanderkitten, said Ahrens has built her "a pure racing machine." She recalls many conversations with Ahrens before he even started designing the bike and said that the results show in her performance.

"It's the difference between buying a dress off the rack and having one custom made," she said. "I've ridden some nice bikes before, but I get compliments on this one all the time, from all over the world."

Ahrens Bicycles frames start at $1,150, while a full bike can cost $3,500 and up. It can take eight to 16 weeks for the frame to be completed.

Ahrens, who grew up in San Jose riding BMX and dirt bikes and admits a preference for mountain biking, has one other design for which he's well known: the Wisecracker, a clamp-on bottle opener that fits snugly onto the bike frame, making it easier to open a cold brew after a long ride.

He's even introduced Wisecracker Lite, a 12-gram aluminum version for riders worried about adding weight to their bike frame.

"I've probably sold 1,000 Wisecrackers," said Ahren, turning the component in his hand. "To me, this is what it's all about. A good ride with friends, a cold beer and perfect engineering."

More about bicycles: How a custom bike builder uses bamboo in his designs; plus a glossary and resource information. F4

Nancy Davis Kho is a frequent contributor to Home&Garden. E-mail her at home@sfchronicle.com. The Art of Craft is a series looking at the traditional way of doing things and profiling the artisans who are masters at their craft. To read past Art of Craft stories, go to sfgate.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/05/HOJR103FQK.DTL

This article appeared on page F - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Healthy Air Living Week

2008-06-25T11:16:00.000-07:00

Healthy Air Living is a new initiative from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District for improving the health and quality of life of all Valley residents through strategies that clean up our air.

One of those initiatives is Healthy Air Living Week. The first is going to be this July, from July 7th to July 13th. As you know riding a bicycle is good for the air! The Fresno County Bicycle Coalition plans to support the Air District as much as we can. Mark your calendar; on one of the days during the week (probably Tuesday or Wednesday) we're going to participate in a fun group ride, and we hope you'll be there too! It will be modeled after our fantastically fun and incredibly successful ride during Bike to Work week, from the Manchester Center to the Fulton Mall. As soon as we know more details, we'll let you know.

In the meantime, check out the Healthy Air Living Web site and find out more about how you can be part of the solution for healthy air in the San Joaquin Valley.

Dump the Pump with FAX

2008-06-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

FRESNO, CA - With high gas prices on everyone’s mind, the City of Fresno, Department of Transportation/Fresno Area Express (FAX) announced today that it will join with other public transportation systems nationwide to participate in the third annual national Dump the Pump Day on June 19. Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the 2008 National Dump the Pump Day is a day that encourages people to ride public transportation to save money, conserve gasoline, and help reduce greenhouse gases.

“Using public transportation is the quickest way to beat high gas prices,” said Ken Hamm, Director of Transportation. “If gas prices are too high for you, then “dump the pump” and take a bus on June 19.”

Households with two workers and one car that use public transportation save $6,200 every year, compared to a household with no access to public transportation.

“Public transportation also has an important role to play in helping to reduce greenhouse gases,” said Ken Hamm. “If you leave your car behind to take public transportation, you will be helping to combat climate change.”

According to a new study prepared by ICF International and titled Broadening the Connection between Public Transportation and Energy Conservation, public transportation reduces our nation’s carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons annually, equivalent to the electricity used by 4.9 million households.

“By participating in the third annual national Dump the Pump Day, we hope people who have never used FAX will decide to give us a try instead of driving their car,” said Ken Hamm. “We will welcome new riders and thank our regular riders on National Dump the Pump Day.

For more information, the public may call 621-RIDE.

Single Speed Conversion Class at Tower Velo

2008-06-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight at 6:30 PM come on down to Tower Velo for a Fixed gear/single speed conversion class taught by Ed Lund. $10.

John Forester speaking at Google

2008-06-09T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting talk given by the father of vehicular cycling, John Forester, to employees at Google in Mountain View, California. This video is well worth an hour of your time, and will be sure to help you understand the issues around this very controversial topic.

Central to John Forester's message is the idea that cyclists fare best when they behave as and are treated as drivers of vehicles. John addresses the history of urban development in the United States from 1950 on, and explains why he believes we cannot realize the car-free Utopian vision of bicycle advocates.

We can, however, enjoy all the many benefits of cycling on the roads as they exist in safety and comfort, if we diligently learn the skills necessary to do so, and follow the vehicle code as it is equitably applied to all road users.

Performance Bicycle Employee Rides to Work!

2008-05-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

In an unexpected turn of events, Fresno Bike News has learned that a Performance Bicycle Employee began commuting to work by bicycle several weeks ago.

"Just when it got over $4. Plus, I work here and everybody rides. Just seems like a more health conscious and environmentally friendly thing to do," Nick Morales said.

Fresno Bike News is of the opinion that, if Nick can do it so can you. And if not quite, you can augment your commute with a bus ride, for the very reasonable $1 fare each way.

If you have no idea how to begin, I'd recommend that you ask for advice. It's not as hard as it might seem at first.

The Coalition: info fresnobike org.
Tower Velo: Conveniently open after work, 5:30 to 7:30 PM Monday to Friday, and all day Saturday. Check out their blog and give them a call.
Your favorite LBS: The Local Bike Shop is where the action is at. They can help you select a bicycle that fits your body and the kind of riding you have in mind. The extra money you spend is well worth it.

Yoshi NOW! Hootenanny Flea Market

2008-05-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

Hey now! FCBC will be holding court and holding forth tomorrow at the Fantastic Second Annual Yoshi NOW! Hootenanny. Come on down for freebies from us, freebies from others, and to get your official 2008 Fresno County Bicycle Coalition T-shirt, for only a modest donation. Consult your tax advisor about that donation AFTER you've finished partying down and hanging out with the Good Looking People tomorrow, Saturday the 17th, between 10 AM and 4 PM, at Yoshi NOW!, 648 Broadway, Fresno.

Bike Week 2008

2008-05-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

Well, it's 2008. And it's May, which is Bike Month. And now it's going to be Bike Week. The only thing that can possibly be more exciting will be Bike to work day!

May is the month we live for here at the FCBC. It's a time for us to enjoy the fruits of our labour. All our advocacy work, encouraging local governments to build out the bike infrastructure. All our education work, showing cyclists how to safely drive their bicycles on the public roads. It's a great time of year, and time to show some new hands the ropes as we encourage people to get out of their cars and on to their bikes. Try it... you might like it!

On Wednesday is our famous downtown ride. We start at the Manchester Transit Center (show at eight, go at eight thirty) with a bicycle-police escort down Blackstone Avenue to downtown and the Fulton Mall, where we enjoy delicious food and beverages provided by our great sponsors, Cafe Corazon and Milano.

On Thursday is the Corporate Challenge. What, you haven't heard about the Corporate Challenge? You must the be the last person in Fresno. Check it out! This is our third annual Corporate Challenge, and this year it's bigger and better than ever. As usual we have great sponsors who have been very generous with the cash to organize the event and the awesome raffle prizes that every Corporate Challenge rider is eligible to win. Tri-Sport is giving away a $1,000 Soho Trek commuter bike. Stephen's Bicycles and Rubber Soul Bicycles are giving away piles of goods that you need for your ride; racks, panniers, lights, tires.

Most awesome and new for this year's Corporate Challenge will be the Energy Stations! You need energy to ride your bike, and we're not talking petroleum! Stop by for goodies and get all sugared up. It's a good place to meet your friends so you can ride in together. Or why not organize a tour of the energy stations? Who wants to go to work when you can ride around town with convenient rest stops and fun people?

REI is sponsoring and manning an Energy Station outside their River Park Store.
Fresno State is organizing an Energy Station near Cedar and Barstow.
Fiesta Foods will be hosting a full-on party outside their store on Tulare at 2nd Street. We're talking food, prizes, and radio stations!
Clovis. There will be an energy station on the Sugar Pine trail just south of the intersection of Clovis and Ashlan Avenues.

If you live in Clovis Monday night at 7 PM would be a good time to engage in Civics. Show up at the City Council meeting to hear May proclaimed Bike Month in the City of Clovis. FCBC will graciously accept the proclamation on your behalf.

If you live in Fresno, it's Tuesday morning at 8:30 AM. We'll see you in Fresno City Hall Council Chambers, where May will be proclaimed Bike Month in Fresno. FCBC will, of course, be there.

On Thursday at 6 PM it's time for our monthly Coalition meeting. I hope you'll stop by on your ride home from work. It's going to be a ride-away-from-work party!

For details on these and all the other Bike Month events, please see fresnobike.org.

Thanks to our sponsors!

Re: [fresnobike] Re: Roundabouts at CSUF

2008-05-05T18:59:00.001-07:00

Dear cycling friends,

Bicycles must use the right-most lane that serves their destination.
Therefore you cannot stripe bicycle lanes in roundabouts without
preventing bicyclists from ever doing anything but turning right.

You must merge into the through-lane, the center lane, if you want to
go straight or turn left.

These roundabouts are small enough that this is not a problem. Before
you reach the roundabout, check for traffic, signal, and merge into
the main travel lane. Negotiate the roundabout, achieve your
destination, and merge back to the right if appropriate.

Notice that the instructions provided by Fresno State (I have copied
the link below) support my position, and suggest to motorists that
they treat bicycles in the roundabout the same as cars.

Do not confuse the cars by improperly negotiation the roundabout on
your bicycle. Assume proper lane position for maximal vehicular
cycling pleasure.

I believe enough Fresno State Cyclists are reading this that we can
achieve a positive impact by modelling the behaviour we would like to
see in others, both while in our cars and on our bicycles.

Thank you,

Ed
http://www.fresnostatenews.com/2008/04/Howtodrivearoundabout.pdf

League of American Bicyclists Names Portland, Ore.

2008-05-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

League of American Bicyclists Names Portland, Ore.
a “Platinum” Level Bicycle Friendly Community.

The League of American Bicyclists congratulates Portland, Ore. on achieving
platinum Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) status – Portland is the first
large city in the United States to gain the designation and joins Davis,
Calif as the only other platinum BFC in the country.

More than 200 communities have applied for BFC recognition since 2003, and
84 currently have a bronze or higher designation. An announcement of
additional designations from the most recent round of applications is
scheduled for release Thursday, May 1, to mark the first day of National
Bike Month.

Portland’s BFC award is recognition of the incredible progress the
community has made to encourage more people to bicycle and to ride safely.
“When Portland received the gold award in 2003”, said Andy Clarke,
President of the League, “We challenged the community to increase ridership
to get to platinum. Bold leadership, community-wide involvement, and a lot
of hard work has resulted in a 144% increase in bicycle use since the 2000
Census – impressive results by any standard.”

“We are honored that the League has recognized Portland’s work to become a
better, safer place for people to bicycle”, said Portland City Commissioner
Sam Adams, who has spearheaded the initiative to achieve platinum status.
“This is integral to our broader vision of Portland as a world-class,
sustainable, and economically vibrant city that attracts families and
businesses because of the quality of life on offer to all. Bicycling helps
us achieve all that and more. We are not content to rest on our laurels.
Platinum status is just the beginning and we realize that the eyes of the
nation are now upon us to keep pedaling forward!”

BFC reviewers noted that Portland has coupled modest but smart investments
in infrastructure, with outstanding education, promotion and encouragement
activities to make bicycling a practical and safe option for many more
Portlanders than ever before. Education and enforcement programs are now
helping drivers and pedestrians interact more safely and predictably with
the increasing numbers of cyclists on the road.

Other highlights from the 27-page application included:

Portland’s bikeway network includes 270 miles of on-street bike
lanes, bike boulevards, and paved trails; another 40 miles of unpaved
trails offer mountain biking opportunities in city parks.
A city ordinance requires bike parking in new development and
redevelopment projects; another provides a huge incentive for
developers to provide showers and locker rooms
Six bike corrals have been installed, each replacing one on-street
car parking space with 12 bicycle spaces
400 bikeway destination signs have been installed (with 400 to come)
on the bikeway network
More than 1,000 traffic offenders (including cyclists) have been
through a two-hour “Share the Road” Safety Class
More than 400 bicycle light sets are distributed annually to
low-income bicyclists by the city, Tri-Met (the transit agency) and
the Community Cycling Center.
2,250 elementary students annually receive a 10-hour bicycle safety
course as part of a larger Safer Routes to School initiative. The
course is delivered by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and has
helped increase bicycling to school by 5% in just one school year.
The city distributes 35,000 citywide bicycle maps and another 35,000
local area maps. The citywide map is also reproduced in the Portland
phone book.
More than 9,100 people participated in the 2007 Bicycle Commuter
Challenge, including 1,700 first-time bike commuters
A Tri-Met survey found that three-fifths of area employment sites
provide bike parking and ten percent offer incentives to employees
who bicycle.
20,000 participants in the Providence Bridge Pedal make Portland home
to the second largest community bike ride in the United States (after
Bike New York)
2,000 hardy riders fill the annual Worst Day of the Year ride in
early February
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance boasts 3,000 members in the city
and is just one of many advocacy and riding groups that organize
thousands of rides, events and bicycling activities year-round
Creation of the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovations at
Portland State University will help ensure technology transfer and
much-needed research into innovative ways to encourage bicycling
The city boasts 40 bike shops and more than 150 bicycle-related
businesses that provide thousands of green-collar jobs and with an
economic benefit of more than $65 million (2005)

“Portland has had the courage to lead, to innovate, and to pursue a vision
of their community that emphasizes choice, equity and quality of life,”
continued Clarke. “The job isn’t done, however. Platinum status isn’t
forever, and it carries with it the responsibility of setting a high
standard for other communities to follow. We recognize that compared to
other world class cities for cycling, Portland still has a long way to go.”

Among the recommendations made by the League to the City to maintain their
platinum status are:

Ensure better access to city parks and recreation areas for off-road
riding
Strengthen ties to the police and enforcement community to ensure
motorists and cyclists are following the rules of the road
Increase investments in the city’s bikeway network, particularly bike
boulevards and signature projects that overcome major barriers, to
open up the city to cyclists of all abilities
Continue to innovate and demonstrate leadership with projects such as
the new bike boxes, colored bike lanes, and Sunday Parkways program

Andy Clarke
League of American Bicyclists
Help protect the rights of cyclists across the nation! Donate today!

Bike Sharing Comes to the U.S.

2008-04-29T06:10:00.000-07:00

An article in the New York times details a bike-sharing program in Washington D.C. A private company has 140 bicycles available for rent in various locations. Just swipe your card and go! The program is compared with similar ventures in Europe.

Click the title to link to the story.

How to get a free FFD Bike Helmet

2008-04-24T11:58:00.001-07:00

I just received this in my work email inbox (I would imagine you'd have to go down to the Fire Dept. location in person to claim the helmet):

Fresno Fire is lending a helping hand in the Saint Agnes Associates' 30-day Dollars for Diapers event. The FFD has agreed to come to host a donation drive effort for the Dollars for Diapers Drive and will provide a free FFD bike helmet to donors. Holy Cross Center for Women has provided more than 68,000 diapers to families in need. Parents also participate in an educational component about health or child care.

Monetary donations or diapers sizes 4, 5 and 6 are greatly appreciated. Cash donations and diapers can be dropped off 10 am-6 pm, Friday and Saturday, April 25-26 at:
• River Park Shopping Center (Blackstone and Nees) - In front of World Sports Café
- Near children's play area by Edwards Theater - In front of Jamba Juice
• Fig Garden Village (Palm and Shaw)
- In front of Patrick James
• Fresno Fire Department Headquarters
- 911 H Street, next to Grizzlies Stadium

Single-minded cyclists have old-school cool

2008-04-17T16:01:00.000-07:00

The San Francisco Chronicle published an interesting story on Single-speed bicycles. Click the link or read below, where we've pasted the article for your convenience.

(04-16) 22:20 PDT -- In a world full of modern technological wizardry and gimcrackery, sometimes simple is better.

Take, for instance, single-speed bicycles.

There's been a movement in the mountain biking community over the past decade or so to rip out all the unnecessary parts - derailleurs, cassettes, cables, shifters and other components of the modern 27-speed drive train - and get back to the basics of propelling a two-wheeled vehicle.

One chain ring, one sprocket, a chain (or belt) and a lot of leg work.

Clean, elegant, efficient.

"We're shedding new light on an old tradition," said Carl Decker of Bend, Ore., a two-time national single speed champion (2004, '05) and runner-up in last summer's Single Speed World Championships in Scotland.

"You feel like a purist," said Julia Violich of San Anselmo, a runner-up (on a multi-geared bike) in the UCI Masters Mountain Bike World Championships in France in August. "You don't need all those fancy gears."

Too many gears can actually spoil the ride. By eliminating both front and rear derailleurs - and their attendant components - single-speed bikers have a more efficient pedal stroke, with less chain drag through derailleur pulleys making pedaling a bit smoother and easier. Also, the chain line is straight, which enhances performance. Plus, you're shedding a lot of weight.

"My fully geared racing mountain bike weighs 21 1/2 pounds," Violich said. "My single speed bike weighs 17 pounds."

Ironically, despite dumping the cassette and double (or triple) chain ring, single-speed riders still have to make a gearing choice: What size chain ring and rear sprocket to use.

"Gearing is key; it's the most important thing," Violich said. "That's something we single-speeders talk about all the time. A common thing to say to another single-speeder is, 'What's your gear ratio?'

"That one choice is a big one."

The most common gear ratio is 2:1; i.e., having a 36-tooth ring in front and an 18-tooth cog in back, or 34 and 17, etc. Other riders advocate a 1.8:1 ratio (32-18), which is a better suited for the hilly terrain in the Bay Area.

(Speaking of locals: Single-speed bikes differ from what a lot of urban youth use to buzz around town. Many of those folks use a fixed-geared machine, which doesn't have a free-wheel in back, so they can't coast and they have to back-pedal to brake the bike. That's not a great option for off-road riding.)

Finding the proper gearing for your riding style will take a little experimenting. Do you want something that will help you up steeper hills, but have you frantically spinning on the descents? Or do you want a bit of control on the downhills and have to work harder going up?

Remember: It's you against the terrain, not you and a bunch of gears against the terrain.

"Don't be afraid if you have to get off the bike and walk," Decker said. "It's all part of the game.

"But once you get set up, not much can go wrong."

It's the clean and simple lines that attract single-speeders, who tend to eschew Lycra in favor of baggy shorts and T-shirts. They harken to the early days of off-road riding - think back to the Repack crowd of the mid-'70s - when it was all about having fun on the bike and when beer, not some electrolyte replacement drink, was the fluid of choice.

"They are such a cool group," said Jeff Frost, the athlete services director at this weekend's Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, where some 60-70 single-speeders, including Decker and Violich, are expected to compete. "They are more down-to-earth. They like to consider themselves hard-core mountain bikers. ... They're just old school."

"It's kind of a counter-culture," Decker said. "I've been mountain bike racing since 1984, and these (single-speed) races are like those early days: good crowd, great scene, fun to be around."

Added Violich: "There is that underground element: a little bit different, a little bit dangerous."

Despite the throwback, party-hardy attitude, there is something thoroughly modern about single-speed cycling: It's a heck of a training regimen.

"It's a fabulous workout," Violich said. "You use your body a lot. You use a pushing-out motion to help you get up hills. You use your stomach, your back, your arms ... you use your body a lot more for leverage."

"It does make you a stronger rider," Decker said. "At the U.S. nationals two years ago (at Sonoma County's Infineon Raceway), I rode both multi-gear and single-speed cross-country races, and I found myself doing faster laps on my single speed."

Buns of steel notwithstanding, most single-speeders are in it for the pure joy - and challenge - of it.

"I love it; I ride my single speed 99 percent of the time," said Violich, who admits that she had to tape direction markers on her handle bars to remind her how to shift at last summer's event in France. "I really like the challenge, and it's really fun."

It's the simple pleasures of cycling.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/17/SPI11064U2.DTL

San Jaoquin Valley Blueprint Planning Process

2008-04-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

In an email received by the coalition, dated today, Brenda Lauchner of the Fresno COG announces:

It is time for the residents of Fresno County to voice their opinions on how the county should grow over the next 40+ years! The Blueprint Roundtable has approved five growth scenarios for your review and feedback.

Join a workshop using clicker voting technology! (Also see advertisement below from the Local Section of the April 7th Fresno Bee).

Your opinions will be reported back to the Blueprint Roundtable committee at their May 1st meeting, where a final Blueprint Scenario for Fresno County will be developed and forwarded to the Fresno COG Board.

And the coalition says: Cyclists need to be involved in the planning process, so that we can advocate for bicycle-friendly public policy.

Visit the Fresno COG Web page (announcements section) for further details.

Coalition Monthly Meeting

2008-04-02T08:47:00.001-07:00

This is our last meeting before Bike Month. Everyone's in a panic! Will we be ready? Come join the fun. The Fresno County Bicycle Coalition will hold its April 2008 meeting on Thursday, April 17th, 2008. This month we are meeting in a new location: Tower Velo, Chris Eacock's new bike shop in the Tower, across the street from Club Fred. Upcoming.

The rights and duties of cyclists

2008-04-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles.

Bike Thief

2008-03-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

This is an old video now, but we were talking about it this weekend so when I ran across it in my YouTube favorites, I thought I would throw it up here so everyone can enjoy.

Coalition Monthly Meeting

2008-03-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

The Fresno County Bicycle Coalition will hold its March 2008 meeting on Thursday, March 20th, 2008.

We will be on the south side of Shaw, along the frontage road at 9th St. Bring your bike inside the gate, or if you drive there is plenty of parking in the front along the frontage road. The building is the one furthest to the west, along 9th St. Enter through a gate next to the street. If the gate is locked call Ed: 559-892-8996.

There is a kitchen with microwave, fridge, bottled water, etc., so bring your dinner (or sometimes we order pizza). RSVP through Upcoming, or just show up. We're looking forward to seeing you!

Road I Class Tomorrow!

2008-03-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

Join us tomorrow as we learn some skillz under the tutelage of the lovely and the talented Louise Colbert-Mar, fresnobike's very own League Cycling Instructor. We will be meeting at Tower Velo on Saturday at noon. Bring your bike and twenty bucks and be prepared to meet from noon to four and again on Sunday morning for the second half. Contact the coalition if you have any questions. See our post on January 15 for details.

Bike There on Google Maps

2008-03-04T09:27:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't it be cool to have a "Bike There" link on Google Maps? I use Google Maps a lot. Usually I click "Avoid Highways" and when I know the area I manually tweak the route to follow the Good Bike Way.

But usually I'm using the map to find directions to a place I've never biked to before. It would be awesome to get bike friendly directions. Turns out I'm not the only one who thinks so. Check out the Google Maps Bike There blog. It's a grassroots effort to ask Google to change the way their map works.

Pedicabbing at the Rogue Festival

2008-03-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

Early March is usually a pretty good time to ride a bicycle in Fresno. It's also Rogue time! I highly recommend you get on your bicycle and go check out some shows this weekend. But if you'd rather not, an excellent second option is a pedicab. Click on over to Jeff's blog to take a pedicab tour of Rogue 2008, and give me a call if you're having trouble finding a cab after the show; those boys will not disappoint.

And while you're at it, don't miss a great show at a fantastic new venue: Elle Pepper's show The Wanderer has moved to a new venue: Tower Velo! You have to see the new Tower Velo to believe the place. It is fantastic. Three more shows this coming weekend. Check the Rogue site for details.