Tag Archive for Beachbikes.net

Morning Links: Prize winner’s new bike, Burbank considers bike/ped bridge, and Ventura tow truck driver ID’d

Just a quick follow-up to our recent contest to give away a new bicycle courtesy of Torrance-based Beachbikes.net.

John sends a photo of his daughter on the custom bike that she won, noting that not only was she able to get the bike made to her specifications, but the store also assembled the bike, fit it to her and made all the adjustments.

It looks great. And I think we can all agree she looks good on it.

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CiclaValley reports the Burbank city council will meet tonight to consider a proposed bike and pedestrian bridge over the LA River to connect with a future bike path extension.

Considering the city’s recent decision to ban bikes from a long-shared pedestrian, equestrian and formerly, bike bridge, it can use all the support it can get, whether in person or by email; CiclaValley provides full details in the above link.

And hopefully, Councilwoman Emily Gabel-Luddy won’t vote against this one because a cyclist flipped her off once.

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Ventura police have identified the driver of the tow truck that killed a 14-year old bike rider in a hit-and-run caught on surveillance video early Friday morning. However, no arrest appears to have been made.

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Just what every parent needs. A cargo bike that converts to a stroller once you reach your destination.

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Local

The LA chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are hosting a La Loteria and charity Mexican drag bingo night tonight at Redline DTLA to raise funds for the LACBC.

Beverly Hills begins testing its two-station pilot bikeshare system this week, in preparation for throwing bike riding tourists to the wolves in the historically bike unfriendly city.

Streetsblog’s Damien Newton talks murals and bicycle education in El Monte in the latest Damien Talks podcast.

Long Beach announces the entertainment and activities planned for Beach Streets Downtown, the city’s second ciclovía, scheduled for March 19th.

 

State

A man riding a bike was the victim of a drive-by shooting in Santa Ana early Monday; fortunately, his injuries were not expected to be life-threatening. Police say the shooting does not appear to be gang related.

San Diego will be hosting an ebike expo this weekend.

Next City reports San Diego plans to remake its city core with over nine miles of protected bike lanes and 5.5 miles of pedestrian greenways. Meanwhile, the city’s DecoBike bikeshare program is reportedly struggling after its first year, with only 88 of a projected 180 stations installed.

Ventura County will open a new campground for bike tourists in Foster Park, at the trailhead for the Ojai Valley Trail.

Santa Barbara bicyclists speak out in favor of the city’s new Bicycle Master Plan, which goes before the city council for approval tonight. And the Riverside County community of Eastvale considers its new bike master plan on Wednesday.

San Francisco installs a green bike lane next to the center line, rather than the curb, on one street to formalize the practice of cyclists passing cars on the left as they line up to make a right turn; the city also replaces a former freeway with a new condo complex that has no car parking, but offers bicycle parking for every resident.

 

National

An Arkansas cyclist needed 17 stiches after being attacked by a pit bull while training for a race; the dog’s owner insists he must have done something to provoke it. Like riding his bike, for instance.

A Chattanooga man is under arrest for allegedly pushing an eight-year old boy off his bike and climbing on top of him, then throwing his nine-year old brother off of his bike when he tried to intervene. Maybe we can lock him up with the Arkansas pit bull.

You know hit-and-run has become a major problem everywhere when an off-duty Massachusetts cop is accused of fleeing the scene after hitting a cyclist; his punishment so far amounts to a paid vacation while police investigate.

WaPo says riding too hard won’t kill you after all. More or less.

New Orleans police are looking for four men who severely beat bicycle pizza delivery man just because he refused to sell them a slice.

 

International

Orangetheory Fitness expands its orange-colored ghost bike-rip-off marketing campaign to British Columbia; the local manager claims no one would confuse them with actual ghost bikes, even though the issue has come up in virtually every city they’ve used it in.

London bicycle funding is scheduled to be cut in half at the same time the city encouraging more people to ride their bikes.

British bike writer and historian Carlton Reid takes a stroll through the comment section of a bikelash petition to block a London bike superhighway, including a signed comment by actor Tom Conti insisting that bicycles cause pollution.

Scottish transportation and environmental advocates join in calling on the country to spend less money on roads and more on biking and walking.

A UK parish councilor who flipped off a group of cyclists after running them off the road — leaving one rider hanging upside down in a tree — has resigned his position after being charged with careless driving. Never mind that his actions appeared to be intentional, and not the least bit careless.

A new book looks at bike racing in the time of five-time Tour de France winner Jacques Anquetil, the Lance Armstrong of his day — in more ways than one.

A French senator calls for a mandatory helmet law for all bike riders.

Even in the blockaded Gaza Strip, Muslim women are defying conservative traditions and cultural disapproval by riding their bikes, noting that nothing in their religion prohibits it.

A New Zealand writer says reimagining our streets isn’t about cycling or being anti-car, it’s about making cities for people the top priority.

 

Finally…

If you’re going to steal a bike, taking one honoring a fallen cop from the local police headquarters probably isn’t your best choice. What do porn and mountain bike racing have in common? More than you might think.

And with apologies to Snoop and Dre, this rider’s attire ain’t nothin but a G-string.

 

Update: And the winner is…

It’s been a tough decision.

As you’ll recall, last month we asked people to write in to nominate someone they thought deserved a free bicycle from Beachbikes.net.

There were some great entries, from someone who was living carfree and could use a bike to make getting around easier, to the president of a school bike club who needed a new ride.

But in the end, two entries really stood out.

Since I struggled to make a choice, I reached out to a few trusted people to ask their advice. And in the end, their opinions coalesced around a single choice.

So with no further ado, here’s your winner.

My daughter needs a new bike to replace the 24 inch one she has outgrown. She’s a high school senior and almost six feet tall, but the 29er I was hoping for her to grow into has too large a frame even for her long legs. She really needs a 26 inch ladies cruiser bike. A brand new pretty one like those pictured would most certainly get her excited about riding again. We could all go for group rides as a family.

We’re a little short of money right now since last May, when my wife had to quit her job to care for me after I got beaten and stabbed in the head. If she were to win it would definitely help our family on our road to recovery and healing from the resulting stress this violent crime has had on us. I was actually stabbed right in front of our house and my wife and daughter came out after hearing my screams for help only to see me covered in blood. They called 911 for police and fire to come, took photos, and drove with me to Kaiser to get stitched up.

I’ll be contacting him to provide the information needed to claim the prize for his daughter. And best wishes for a full recovery.

However, I’m also going to post the entry from the second choice finisher, since I really wished I had another bike to give away. Maybe someone out there has a new or slightly used bike you don’t need anymore and would be willing to pass on to someone who could used it.

The person I’m nominating is a young attorney with a public attorney’s office. She is incredibly smart and capable and she turned down $200K+ salary offers to instead represent the poor and marginalized of Los Angeles.

She once expressed to me her theoretical desire to bike to work, but explained that she had never done so because (1) she doesn’t own a bicycle, and (2) she never learned how to ride and has always been terrified at the idea. So I offered to teach her. And let me tell you, as a 28-year-old biking novice confronting her lifelong fear, she has proven to be as determined and brave as any cyclist I’ve ever seen on the streets of Los Angeles.

I’ve lent her the crappiest old Schwinn beach cruiser you’ve ever seen, and where most people wouldn’t even touch such a rusty hunk of junk, she’s ridden every chance she gets. She’s a great person, she does amazing things for our community, and she sure could use a nice bike to get to work on.*

Unfortunately, I don’t know what size bike she needs. But if you’d like to help, I’ll put you in touch with the person who nominated her.

*I’ve rewritten this slightly to remove identifying information to protect her privacy.

Update: I’ve received a very generous offer from an anonymous donor to buy our second-place finisher a new bicycle. So this is literally a win/win. 

And a very sincere thanks to that anonymous donor for his generosity!

Let’s give someone a new bike, courtesy of Beachbikes.net

girlSurfboardLet’s give away a bicycle.

Last month, the folks at Beachbikes.net reached out to me with an intriguing offer. A free bike in exchange for an objective review.

But as I looked around my cramped Hollywood apartment, I just couldn’t bring myself to accept, as much as I would have loved another bike.

So I made a counter offer. Why not give it to someone who could really use one?

They loved the idea.

And that’s where you come in.

Here’s what they have to say…

Win a Customized California-Style Beach Cruiser: Introducing Beachbikes.net

That’s right, you heard it loud and clear. Beachbikes.net is sponsoring a giveaway contest, where YOU can be the winner of a brand new, completely personal 100% customized beach cruiser bike.

Beachbikes.net is a company based out of Hermosa Beach, California, that specializes in custom-made beach cruiser bikes.

Design your bike exactly the way you want it; choosing everything from the frame (Men’s or Women’s), to the speeds (1, 3 or 7), fenders, rims, seat, and even adding custom decals, among other options! With the customizer, the possibilities are endless.

The winner of the contest will receive a $350 coupon to the site, where you’ll be able to order your brand new bike and get it shipped straight to your door.

Read on for the contest details:

Click for full details.

Click for full details.

So here are the rules.

I want you to nominate someone who deserves a new bike.

It could be anyone. You, or anyone you know. Even someone you don’t.

guyBlueBikeMaybe you want to lose weight or have a little fun in the sun. Or know someone who wants to learn to ride. Maybe someone needs a way to get to work or school, or had their own bike stolen.

It could be an individual, a family, a group or organization.

It could be anyone, for any reason.

Just email your entry, in 150 words or less, to contest @ bikinginla dot com. (Just remove the spaces, of course.)

All entries are due by midnight, January 18th — two weeks from today. Judging will be entirely subjective, so try to impress me.

That’s it.

Now let’s have some fun. And put someone on a new bike.

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