The difference between pedaling and riding

Probably pedaling...
Probably pedaling…

Pedaling and riding. Sound synonymous. But to me the two have some very different connotations.

Pedaling is using the bike to get from one place or another. Generally speaking, pedaling is focused on the destination. You are trying to get somewhere. In that regard the fact that it is done on a bicycle is pretty arbitrary – you could have accomplished the same goal using public transportation, a pair of sneakers, or (Gasp!) a car.

Totally riding...
Totally riding…

When riding, however, the destination is often completely arbitrary. Rather, it is the act of being on the bike that is the primary goal and motivation. Riding is what you are doing when you get the endorphins pumping. It is what you are doing when you are trying to get up that hill faster than ever before, or just trying to hang on the wheel of that faster group of cyclists. It is crossing yet another county line… to cross yet one more state line.

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Observation from the driver’s seat

I actually do use my bike for most of my travels these days. There are maybe 2 or 3 days a week that I drive a car, and those are trips that, logistically, can’t be accomplished any other way.

It is interesting from this perspective to observe other cyclists. Try and understand why other drivers might do what they do. Well… here’s my observation from my drive last night (in the dark): Keep reading →

Time to take my cyclo-prozac

Woke up in a totally crappy mood this morning. No idea why. I found myself pacing around the house in circles while trying to simply put my clothes on. Some days are just like that. I looked outside. Beautiful sunny day. But I didn’t really care. All I thought was “gee… at least I won’t get rained on during my ride to work…”

Ride to work…Now there is something positive.

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Brooks Saddles. They’re that good.

Ran across this in down town San Francisco today. And you thought your puny little bike chain wrapped around your saddle rail and frame was enough.

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Protect that Brooks!

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Portland’s bridge to the future

Tilikum_Crossing_Jan_2015

Portland, Oregon continues to demonstrate their dedication to multi-modal transportation options with the September 12, 2015 opening of the Tilikum Crossing over the Willamette River. No worries about how cars and bicycles will interact on this bridge – cars aren’t allowed. This bridge is all about transit, shoes and pedals.

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Just be nice…

Photo by Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious https://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/
Photo by Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious https://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/

There is a scene in the movie Roadhouse where the main character is telling the bar staff at a rather rough bar to just “be nice.” If you haven’t seen it – it is a classic. Go watch it. If you have, stop rolling your eyes at me…

Anyhow, it struck me today how great the advice from this scene is for all of us bicycle commuters out there. There is far to much confrontational thinking where none is needed. Sometimes it is motorists thinking we are complete asses, and sometimes it is us assuming motorists are complete asses just out to kill us. But I had three separate incidents in the past two days that have turned me back on to the idea of “just being nice.” Keep reading →

A day in the life…

This video just popped up, making its rounds on some of the local San Francisco social media scenes. Passed along for your enjoyment.

Your source for cycling news: NPR??

national-public-radio-npr-logo_100318079_mI’ve been out of the habit somewhat lately, but I’ve maintained a list of online sources that I routinely scan through for story ideas for here (JustAnotherCyclist) and VeloReviews. In addition to my list of the usual suspects, I also rely on a few Google Alerts to help throw in some variety.

Every once in awhile I find cycling related post in my Google Alerts emails from National Public Radio (NPR) sources. Usually these are stories about the environmental impacts of cycling, or the apparent dangers of cycling, or stories regarding key cycling related transportation legislation. I was a bit surprised, however, to find an article about a particular pro cyclist. An article that would have fit in just about any cycling magazine, blog or website you can imagine. Keep reading →

Do you name your bikes?

I’ve always like to name my bikes. In fact, I like to name and personify lots of things. I used to do it with my cars too. Thought I’d take a moment to share some of my current stable of regularly ridden bikes:

  • bridgeMaul. My main road bike, a Cannondale CAAD10 with SRAM Force. It is black, white and red and when I initially got it switching to aluminum felt like turning to the dark side. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions on where the name came from.
  • Sherman. This is my cargo bike. If it were a car it would probably be a 1973 Ford F250 with a 1978 Ford bed somehow bolted on. This bike is all work. A Pugeot Pipeline 5 with an Xtracycle FreeRadical conversion done to it. Again, I’ll leave it to you to be creative about the origin of the name.
  • Waldo. This is my mountain bike – a modified Breezer Lightning. This name is a little more obscure. For some reason the name ‘Waldo’ has always reminded me of a hippy type, camping in a tent wearing cut off jeans. And if any MTBers out there take offense to that image… well.

And following suit, my son has taken on this naming tradition as well. His custom painted and built Fuji Ace 26 frame – thanks to Dean Alleger of Orange Cat Racing – has been given the moniker ‘Steve.’ I’m afraid I can’t say where that name comes from though….

Is cycling a sign of gentrification?

Living in the city of San Francisco in 2015, you are constantly confronted with issues of class struggle and gentrification.  In most parts of the city the rent you’d pay for 1 month in a 1 bedroom apartment could buy you a functional used car elsewhere in the country (or one hell of a nice bike). I also happen to live in a neighborhood that was, until recently, one of the most affordable (relatively) in the city. As a predominately African American community, this puts the area directly in the crosshairs of everything potentially bad about gentrification and displacement. Lots of new people moving in, demanding change. Lots of established families that have been in the neighborhood for generations feeling pushed out both socially and economically.

It is against this backdrop that I came face to face with an issue that at first seemed completely unfathomable for me: for many, cycling is a sign of gentrification. Keep reading →