Stolen bike story from Hubbub

I often wish I lived in Cleveland just so Hubbub could be my local bike shop. Diane and Brian are amazing people who know bikes. Here's one more thing that makes them amazing...

Here is a true story that still blows my mind...

Brian and I were on our way home last night (September 12th), just about ready to take the left turn onto our street. I'm driving - Brian suddenly says "follow that bike"! I'm thinking WTF???? But I know better than to assume he's nuts and pull back out into traffic, following a small turquoise bike being ridden by a medium-large African American man.

You can read the rest of the story here.

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All aboard the bike train

Lindsay's birthday present of a Trail-a -Bike presented me with a unique problem. There was no way to take Emily along on our trips. A trip to the bike store (complete with disapproving looks from the bike guys) fixed that problem. Viola! The bike train. Here's a picture of it next to my car for size perspective.Here's a picture of it in action. Yeah. This is fun stuff.

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Cartoons

This is what happens when I get lazy. Cartoons with no comments from me. I'll let someone else do the work for me.

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The go by bike challenge

Trek's go by bike challenge is popping up everywhere. It probably because you can win a free Trek 7.2 FX Hybrid bike. Here's a sample.

It's very similar to the Two Mile Challenge that provoked me to start this entire thing. I'll be honest. I began because I really enjoyed being on a bike. It's the short distances that made me want to go farther and father. The two mile challenge has become the four or five mile challenge for me.

Since this seems to fit in with the post...

Money not spent on gas: $282.60
CO2 not released into atmosphere: 1,416.69 pounds

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Bicycle Jigsaw Puzzle

Just for fun... A bicycle jigsaw puzzle. Click on the picture to complete it.



Enjoy!

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Bike tattoos

This is probably old hat by now, but I thought I would share the awesomeness of bike tattoos.

See them here.

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Panasonic Regenerative Electric Bicycle

I have never tried a bike with an electronic assist. So far, I have not run out of gears on a bike. Nonetheless, it is an interesting idea. Read more here.

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Happy Birthday Lindsay!

Today was Lindsay's fifth birthday. She moved up from the trailer to the Trail-A-Bike. I surprised her by telling her that we were going to the grocery store. You can see her spontaneous reaction to the bike below. This got a better reaction than all of the Tinkerbell and Ariel toys.














Here is a picture of us getting ready to go.














And we're off!















And this is my favorite picture of the afternoon. Why? Neither of us knew that picture was being taken. Take a look at Lindsay. That is one huge smile. She is already talking about going out for milkshakes on the rig.

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Pedicabs in Columbus

The Dispatch had a good article about pedicabs yesterday. It leaves me with only one question, how do I apply?

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World Record Bike Parade Attempt

A Father's Day trip back to Lorain County is the perfect front to participate in the World Record Bike Parade attempt in Wellington.

From the kind people at the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure:

Join the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure (GOBA), a world-class bicycle tour, in celebrating its 20th annual event by attempting to break the Guinness World Record TM for the Largest Parade of Bicycles. On Saturday evening, June 14, 2008, the inaugural event of this year's week-long tour will be the GOBA traditional bicycle parade, held in Wellington, Ohio, in Lorain County. The current world record stands at 1,901 bicycles and was set by Volvic in Taiwan, July 21, 2007.

More information here.

I have been on several GOBAs and have found them to be a wonderful trips. (Well, except for the thunderstorm that blew rain up and under my rain fly. ) I have met the people that put these together and they are incredibly dedicated people. If you are looking for a fun trip in June, this is it.

If you are in the area, look for me. I'll be on the Trek with two kids in the trailer.

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The Xtracycle

I finally broke down and did it.  I bought the Xtracycle.  I have been eyeballing one of these for almost a year now.  I first saw it at the Trek Store here in Columbus.  I guess no one really wanted it because it was boxed up at the end of summer.  I went back into the Trek Store a month ago and saw the parts in a corner.  Just out of curiosity, I asked what they would ask for it.  The guy shrugged his shoulders and said $250.  I should have bought it then, but I did not have the cash.

Today, I had the cash.  I bought it and was told they would be able to get my bike in on Wednesday.  I told them I would do it myself, and took the box home.

The Xtracycle was easy to get together.  I think it was three bolts.  The chain was another story.  I have never put a chain on a bike.  I struggled for about 20 minutes, but it is working now.  All in all, it took a shade over 90 minutes from start to finish.  There are still a few things that need to get done, but this thing is ready to roll.  I can't wait for tomorrow.

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The Rig, Part Two

I have gotten to ride a little bit lately. January in Ohio is not the most bike-friendly weather. Just two nights ago, it was 40 degrees. Then, in typical Ohio fashion, the winds kicked up and the temperature dropped 30 degrees in six hours.

This is the bike I normally ride. It's an older Trek 1000. It is probably a year 2000, but I don't really know. This bike has been all over the place. It was my only bike until last summer when I rebuilt the Univega.

The reflective tape can be seen pretty clearly here. It's a combination of several different types. The triangles on the downtube and fork are Nathan's Reflective tape. The rack and rims have Duck Tape brand reflective tape. The bits on the downtube that are not triangles are actually the reflective tape you see on semi trailers. I did not use much of that because it is very stiff. It is hard to flex around awkward corners.

I am pretty freakish about being seen. Most of my rides are either after dark or during twilight hours. The lights and reflective tape can be the difference between life and death. If I am ever hit by a car, there will be no, "I did not see him," excuse.

CO2 saved to date: 60.39 pounds

Money saved to date: $9.61

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The Rig, Part One

It has been too freaking cold to ride lately. Through trial and error, I have realized that 25 is about as low as I am willing to go. Anything less than that, I am uncomfortable and not happy. What is the point of doing this if it does not make me happy?

Instead, I figure I should tell you about one of my bike. I call it my beater, but it is not in that bad of shape. I use it primarily for short trips because, quite frankly, I am afraid of it breaking down. I quit smoking back in June and this bike was what I did to keep myself busy. I don't trust my bike mechanic skills just yet.

The frame is a steel frame Univega Mountain bike. I forget the model, but 303 sounds familiar. The fork was replaced with a rigid fork. Finding a 1 and 1/8 inch threaded rigid fork was just about impossible. (If anyone out there has a decent one, let me know and I might buy it off you.) The rack is a Blackburn mountain rack. The fenders are SKS fenders. The drivetrain is something off a bike from Volunteers of America.

My favorite part of this bike is the handle bars. I installed Nashar's Trekking handlebars. They offer a variety of hand positions and they are just plain cool. Although I have no affiliation with the company, I would easily recommend the to anyone looking for something other than the standard drop handlebars.

My goal for this bike is to eventually trust it. I will have to get a more stable fork and a rear brake. (If you look, closely there is no brake.) Then, I will convert it into an Xtracycle.

But, for right now, it is perfect for short trips around the neighborhood.

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