Stop light sprints

Photo by Mikael Colville-Andersen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_advocacy#/media/File:Bikecultureincopenhagen.jpg
Cyclists queued at a stop light. Photo by Mikael Colville-Andersen

Thanks to a little something I call stop light sprints, those damned self-entitled cyclists are helping me get faster. If you find yourself working a lot, you start to get creative with your training. I don’t drive to work – ever – therefore I always have an opportunity to take my leisurely 5 mile commute and turn it into something less leisurely.

First off – let’s talk about the gorilla I just invited into the room with the title. Stop signs. Stop lights. Those things where we all know that outside of Idaho and a few places in Colorado we are all supposed to stop. And the place where many of us don’t stop. Stopping and training. Aren’t those terms mutually exclusive? Keep reading →

Bike Cage Etiquette

Bike cage etiquette can be a tricky thing. Those of us lucky enough to work in a building that provides a locking bike cage (but not lucky enough to work in a building that lets you take your bike indoors) have some definite advantages. However, there are two particular scenarios where the balance between being nice to your fellow cyclists and conscious of everyone’s stuff can be at odds. Keep reading →

Zipcar bike racks

zipcar-with-yakimaI got a surprise yesterday: a Zipcar with a bike rack. I had no idea that was even a thing, but I’ve sure wished for it in the past.

I’ve have been carless (that’s without a car, not careless) for quite some time. Which also means I have not to be paying San Francisco parking tickets for quite some time. But there have been times when I wanted to get somewhere away from home – with my bike – that required a drive. That makes a Zipcar with a bike rack just about perfect. I couldn’t find any official announcement from Zipcar regarding the availability of cars with bike racks in San Francisco, but they apparently were available in New York and Portland several years ago.

Keep reading →

Does MY car qualify?

UberAd

Ad asks “Does Your Car Qualify for Uber.” I don’t know… does it?

Sherman - the Cargo Bike

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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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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This mountain bike is going to make me faster.

This mountain bike is going to make me faster.

It was one of those “Well duh!” sort of moments. The times when you suddenly realize something that, in retrospect, should have been obvious all along. And once I did I knew that riding my mountain bike on the streets was going to make me ride better on every bike. Keep reading →

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

29_smrightturnWe’ve got our winners in the “How do I signal a right turn” contest. The question was regarding how to properly and legally signal a right hand turn while riding a bicycle.

In truth, the question was kind of a gimme – there are two correct answers. The first, which most people gave as their answer, is by holding the left arm out, bent at a 90 degree angle pointing up. This is the signal required by the DMV for use in automobiles – which makes sense. This is also what motorcyclists use, so the right hand can remain on the throttle. So yes – right arm at 90 degree angle is correct.

However, the DMV also has this to say: Keep reading →

Do you know how to properly signal a right hand turn?

putthefun_sticker_white_smHand signals. We all use them when riding on the roads. Right? Right?!? But do you actually know how to do it properly?

Between now and noon Feb 1, I’ll be taking your answers to the following question. 3 random folks will be selected from the correct answers and get a complimentary “Put the fun between legs” sticker. Postage paid. $0.00 out of pocket. Just answer this question correctly: Keep reading →

Coolest San Francisco Bike Map Ever

kladney_full
Click image to view full PDF of map

I’ll admit I’ve been known to kinda geek out on maps. It started when I was a kid and somehow ended up with a ton of National Geographic maps. National Geographic Magazine used to include full maps in some of their magazine editions (do they still?) and I had a large cardboard box full of them. From topo maps to maps of the moon to a map of concentrations of religions across the world, I was introduced to the idea that maps could convey a lot more information than just place names, roads and boarders. That’s why, despite some of the comments to the post on See Through Maps, I think this is one of the neatest maps of bike routes in San Francisco yet. Keep reading →