Tag Archive for REI

LA/SaMo bike shops looted in aftermath of Floyd protests, some fine bikes on both sides, and more celebs on bikes

June 1, 2020 / / Comments Off on LA/SaMo bike shops looted in aftermath of Floyd protests, some fine bikes on both sides, and more celebs on bikes

The rumors drifted in late Saturday night, carried on the acrid smoke from burning buildings.

By morning, they were confirmed.

On a night when we could smell the smoke from the fires on TV, and social media was filled with looters in LA’s normally sedate and formerly kosher Fairfax District, fears grew that local bike shops may have been among the victims.

Along with anyone who may have left their bikes with them for service.

Because it wasn’t just the shoe stores, computer stores, Whole Foods and Nordstrom that got looted.

It was bike shops like Spokes ‘N Stuff, I. Martin and later, Santa Monica’s REI.

My Sunday with a pair of emailed photos, above and below, that hit like a punch in the gut, revealing the front gates ripped off Spokes ‘N Stuff, with anything of value gone.

The LA Times spoke with the shop’s owner.

He’s had his store on Melrose for 20 years. It stayed open during the pandemic because it was considered an essential business. But, now, he estimates his losses from one night of looting could total $100,000.

“They not only took my bikes, they took customers’ bikes as well,” he said.

The owners of I. Martin could probably cite a similar figure.

I’m told looters broke in through the back door and emptied the bike shop in a matter of minutes.

Although in their case, the shop had been closed since March, so hopefully there were no customer’s bicycles still inside.

Then Sunday afternoon, as people peacefully protested near Santa Monica’s Tongva Park, looters were busting into businesses just a few blocks away.

REI seemed to be saved when some of the legitimate protesters stood in front of the store to turn looters away.

Except the looters came back. Later images showed the store had been ransacked, with racks and shelves emptied.

Presumably, the store’s bikes went out the door, as well; it’s not clear if REI was open for service or if any bikes belonging to customers were inside.

It’s also not clear when, or if, these stores will reopen.

Just like hundreds of other businesses, owned by major corporations and individual, often immigrant, proprietors through this troubled city.

………

Needless to say, bicycling took a back seat to the protests for many people across the US this weekend.

Apparently forgetting what started the protests to begin with, a Seattle bike cop puts a protester in a chokehold after attempting, and failing, to squeeze by on his right on a sidewalk.

Turns out John Cusack is one of us, too. His bike took a beating from Chicago cops during the protests over the death of George Floyd, even if he didn’t.

And even if you can only hear it on the video.

Thanks to Megan Lynch for both of those.

When an Atlanta bike cop shoved a black woman with his bicycle during a protest, a white woman defended her by shoving him right back.

This is who we share the roads with. A Denver driver responds to a protester jumping on the hood of his car by intentionally trying to run him down. Thanks to Robert Leone for the tip.

A Philly bike cop was injured when he was run over while attempting to stop looters.

And a concierge doctor is setting aside his practice for now, responding on his bike to triage pepper spray victims during the DC police protests.

………

LA bike clubs team up with advice to help keep you safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thanks to David Huntsman for the link.

………

Tobey Maguire is one of us, doing a little offroad riding in the hills above Brentwood with his girlfriend, model Tatiana Dieteman.

Aussie actress Isla Fisher is back on her bike on the streets of Los Angeles, though it’s hard to tell who’s behind that mask.

Soccer great Christiano Ronaldo is one of us, going for a family bike ride under blue Italian skies.

Turns out Crocodile Hunter scion Robert Irwin is one of us, most likely to his mother’s chagrin, after separating his shoulder in a “massive” mountain bike crash.

LeBron James took advantage of LA’s Covid-light streets to get in a bike ride, accompanied by fellow NBA stars Anthony Davis and J. R. Smith. Thanks to Jeff Vaughn for the heads-up.

Although J.R. seemed a tad less relaxed later as he beat the crap out of someone for breaking his truck window.

………

GCN takes a long look back to a forgotten age of bicycling before Strava, GPS and power meters.

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The war on cars is a myth, but the war on bikes goes on.

An English letter writer describes a punishment pass by a speeding driver, accompanied by a shout to get out of the way.

A 15-year old Irish boy was chased down by a BMW driver and pushed off his bike, which the driver then threw at him.

Pro cyclists have to deal with punishment-passing jerks, too.

………

Local

Streetsblog looks at the slow expansion of Slow Streets throughout Southern California, as well as repurposing streets for outdoor dining and retail.

A Pasadena writer warns about increased dangers on Angeles Crest Highway as traffic increases and parking lots reopen.

Zagster has pulled the plug on Santa Clarita’s Pace bikeshare program.

The experimental app that turned traffic lights to green for Santa Clarita bike riders has proven successful, and is now being rolled out nationally.

 

State

Tragic news from Tulare, as a woman became collateral damage when a murder suspect rolled his car during a police chase, striking her as she rode her bike.

Sad news from San Francisco, where a 31-year old bike rider was killed when he was doored by one driver, then hit by another.

 

National

Vogue offers a beginner’s guide to buying the right bike for the ultimate two-wheeled fashion accessory.

Forbes lists six relatively cheap bikes you can buy online right now. Actually, with a foldie starting at just $269, they can lose the “relatively” part.

A writer for HuffPo says the bike boom offers less obvious benefits for cities, including boosting business, greater efficiency and increasing sales for everyone.

Bicycling and trampoline injuries have spiked during the coronavirus crisis, as kids stay active while they’re home from school. Although hopefully not doing both at the same time, although that would explain the injuries.

The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay says bikes are so hot right now, you’ll probably ride one this year. If you can get past the paper’s paywall, that is.

Red Bull wants you to build mountain bike jumps like a pro.

There’s a special place in hell for whoever painted swastikas on a Lincoln, Nebraska bike path and nearby trees.

Boston experts offer advice on how to fit a big bike into a small apartment.

When a kindhearted Mississippi sheriff’s deputy and the other deacons at his church raised $250 to buy a new bike for a young boy after his bike was stolen, a bike shop owner stepped up to donate one.

 

International

The Guardian offers tips on how to make bicycling a delight.

Canadian network CTV says yes, bicycling is one of the safest things you can do outside during the pandemic.

Kindhearted officials with a Calgary towing company raised $1,000 to buy an adaptive bicycle for a special needs girl after the one she received from the local cerebral palsy association was stolen.

A new Brit rider says pop-up bike lanes aren’t so great for beginners.

Life is cheap in the UK, where a judge took pity on an unlicensed and uninsured driver, rather than the person he sent to the hospital for two weeks.

The British edition of GQ offers their list of the best helmets to keep you stylish and protected. Because all that really matters is how good you look on a bike, right?

A Scottish secondhand bike charity is changing lives by donating bicycles to employees of the National Health Service and other key workers.

The UK edition of Wired recommends their picks for the best bike helmets.

Cycle chic is reinvented Down Under as CLOB — Chic Lady on a Bike — as “cute” 1950’s inspired bikes fly out the door. Unlike LA, where bikes are flying out of doors and windows that are supposed to be locked.

Some people collect bikes. This Aussie collects cycling kits, with 250 and counting.

 

Competitive Cycling

The group that oversees the unofficial Everesting record says we almost had yet another new world’s record, but German pro Emanuel Buchmann fell just short of mountain biker Keegan Swenson’s record, which just beat Phil Gaimon’s record.

That feeling when you’re trying to outride that woman on the bike, without realizing she’s a former Olympic champ.

 

Finally…

When you get back up after falling off your bike, try to take all your fingers with you. It looks like a little mountain biking is in the cards — and on the board.

And we all have to work from home these days.

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Thanks to Matthew R for his monthly donation to help keep this site coming your way every day.

Be safe, and stay healthy. And wear a mask, already. 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Tour de France finally boots podium girls, and gun-related boycott of Vista Outdoor expands

March 2, 2018 / / 3 comments

At long last, podium girls are on the way out.

A year after the Vuelta a España stopped using the models paid to look good while posing with the stage winners, the Tour de France has announced an end to the anachronistic practice.

Which just leaves the Giro d’Italia as the last of the three Grand Tours employing the sexist tradition.

Along with our own Amgen Tour of California, which really should know better. Especially in the era of the #MeToo movement.

A woman belongs on a podium because she won the right to stand on it.

Not as prize for a male victor to claim.

Photo by Connor Man from Wikipedia.

………

The campaign to boycott Vista Outdoor, the parent company of Bell, Giro, Blackburn, CamelBak and Copilot, among other outdoor brands, is gaining speed.

The company, which also makes AR-15-style rifles and is one of the nation’s largest ammunition manufacturers, as well as a leading supporter of the NRA, has lost a number of retail clients across the US following the NRA’s tone-deaf response to the Parkland shooting.

REI announced yesterday that they are placing future orders with Vista-owned companies on hold while they encourage Vista to show some leadership.

In addition, Canada’s REI equivalent, Mountain Equipment Co-op, or MEC, has announced that they will no longer sell any Vista products.

Meanwhile, CamelBak has issued a non-commital statement of values, which reminds the public that they operate separately from the company’s shooting sports division.

………

Local

Great discussion on NPR with Curbed’s Alissa Walker about the dramatic jump in pedestrian deaths in Los Angeles, despite LA’s Vision Zero program.

A Pasadena letter writer says we should really have more compassion for those poor, vulnerable road users. You know, the ones in the cars.

 

State

Streetsblog highlights a couple of pedestrian safety campaigns that make some sense.

A Paso Robles magazine looks forward to next month’s Eroica California.

 

National

Good read from The Atlantic, explaining how the creation of the NACTO guide helped spread protected bike lanes throughout the US.

The Oregon legislature moves forward with a proposal to expand the state’s bike tax to cover all bicycles over $200, regardless of size.

Las Vegas bicyclists continue to fight for a separated bike path in Red Rock Canyon following the death of a rider in 2005, but keep running into delays and a lack of funding.

Colorado Public Radio discusses a proposal that would allow some cities to permit bicyclists to roll stop signs, even if drivers don’t seem to like the idea.

Escape Southern California’s June gloom and ride nearly 250 miles through northeast Nebraska.

Kindhearted Oklahoma City cyclists crowdfund a new bike for a 14-year old boy after his was stolen from outside a bike shop.

New York is following up on the national Women’s March with a seven-mile Women’s Ride sponsored by a bike advocacy group in conjunction with several women’s groups.

Bicycling talks with NASCAR racer Scott Lagasse about his annual bike ride at Daytona, and dealing with an angry driver.

Caught on video: This is what a right hook looks like, as a Florida bike rider catches his own collision on his bike cam the first time he put it on his bike. Which conclusively proves that bike cams cause crashes.

 

International

Get ready to throw away your air pump and CO2 cartridges.

A writer for the CBC says Ottawa is taking a calculated risk by allowing bikes on trains at rush hours, unlike most Canadian cities. Although they will only allow two to three bikes per train; any more riders than that will have to wait for the next train.

No bias here. The London Daily Mail says a woman was killed while walking her dog when a cyclist “ploughed” into her during a mass ride, even though the story makes clear that she had ignored the ride marshal’s instructions not to cross.

Paris is taking over the disastrous rollout of its next generation Vélib’ bikeshare after the chosen vendor failed to get the bikes out on the streets.

Wellington, New Zealand is reviewing traffic speeds in order to actually lower them. Unlike Los Angeles, where traffic studies almost inevitably lead to higher speed limits.

A Kiwi columnist says bike lanes will save Auckland as it reinvents itself, but only if the city can avoid awkward compromises with a small group of anti-bike protesters.

 

Competitive Cycling

Pro cyclists shower Italy’s Strade Bianche with praise in advance of Saturday’s race.

 

Finally…

Lance Armstrong and the hijab-wearing porn star. No, women don’t need permission to wear pants to ride a bike anymore.

And don’t complain about today’s rain. You could be riding in this.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Stephany convicted of 2nd degree murder, KCRW can’t find bike riders to discuss Mobility Plan

October 27, 2015 / / 2 comments

No surprise here.

An Orange County jury has found Neil Storm Stephany guilty of second degree murder in the heroin and Ativan-fueled hit-and-run death of cyclist Shaun Eagleson as he rode on the East Coast Highway just over a year ago.

And despite his attorney’s bizarre argument that Stephany can’t be held responsible because he was so high he had no idea what he was doing behind the wheel.

Stephany had been warned following a previous DUI conviction that he could face a murder charge if he killed someone while driving under the influence. Instead he shot up, got behind wheel and did exactly that; he was reportedly found incoherent with fresh needle marks at the time of his arrest.

He faces 15 years to life in prison when he’s sentenced on January 15th.

Despite one juror’s hope that this is a wake-up call for Stephany, it’s a little too late for that.

And for the man he killed.

Neil-Stephany-conviction-reduced

Thanks to Edward M. Rubinstein and our anonymous OC source for the heads-up.

………

Hats off to REI.

While other retailers are forcing their employees leave their families and work on Thanksgiving Day, the Seattle-based co-op will not only be closed on Thanksgiving, but will be shutting their doors on the following day, aka Black Friday. And telling their employees to go outdoors and enjoy themselves.

With pay.

………

A reader forwards this moving piece from a former bike racer suffering from an incurable, untreatable and progressively degenerative kidney disease, and her first tentative step back into cyclocross racing just for fun.

Definitely worth taking a few moments from your day to read.

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Local

KCRW’s Which Way LA looks at the reactions to LA’s Mobility Plan 2035 in South LA and around Rowena Ave in Silver Lake, but can’t seem to find any bike riders to discuss it with.

A trio of USC students are working on a Bluetooth-enabled bike lock that will be permanently mounted on your bike, and lock by clamping around the rear wheel.

The LA Explorers Club is hosting an LA Noir Bicycle Tour this Sunday, taking riders back to the classic Los Angeles of the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s.

 

State

A group of Santa Ana kids are recognized for their work in bike advocacy at the California Bicycle Summit, while the city is set to receive $11.5 million in bikeway funding.

Bike Newport Beach discusses the need to teach young bike racers how to ride safely on the streets.

A La Jolla mountain bike rider was the victim of a brutal assault while visiting New Orleans, leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down. And neither the police or the Big Easy press seem to give a damn. When I lived down that way, it too often seemed that rather than the City That Care Forgot, it was the city that forgot to care.

San Diego will begin work on the next link in the Bayshore Bikeway around the first of the year, the first of $200 million in new bike projects in the region over the next decade.

Coronado police warn that the annual grace period for student bike violations is ending. Note to CPD: Riding a bike in a crosswalk is legal under California law.

A Redlands bike rider was injured in a shooting as he rode past two men walking in the street.

Sad news from Sacramento, as a man dies eight days after he was hit by a car while riding his bike.

Apparently, bike friendly Davis has a bike parking problem.

 

National

Despite the recent bike boom, visits to bike shops declined 17% from 2012 to 2014.

Uber’s new Uber Rush delivery service is using a fleet of bike messengers to make deliveries in New York City, San Francisco and Chicago in an hour or less.

An engineering professor proposes a bikeshare system for the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Maybe he didn’t want to miss his favorite show. An Iowa rider loses three teeth when he was mugged by a group of men who wanted the TV he was carrying on his bike.

A St. Louis writer says bicycling can be bliss in the city originally built for horses and trolleys.

Science takes a backseat to football at the University of North Carolina, where bikes are banned from parking in front of the Genome Science building on game days.

Key West cyclists team up for the annual four-mile Zombie Bike Ride.

 

International

Go ahead and have that drink. A new study shows that while a third of injured cyclists have been drinking, drunk riders are less likely to get in wrecks and are no more likely to be injured than sober riders.

A Montreal bike messenger poetically says the key to survival is to float like a ghost into the spaces no one else is occupying.

The former head of Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service says the country’s legal system has failed cyclists, and calls for a change in the way bike cases are handled. Meanwhile, the head of roads policing for the British National Police Chiefs’ Council says it’s too risky to commute by bike in London.

The Scottish town of Dumfries puts it’s bikeshare system on hold following complaints that it’s too difficult to use. The story quotes my favorite Scot bike blogger as she helps raise the rabble.

Just as women’s cycling is starting to take off again, Switzerland is dropping their women’s team due to financial losses.

A leftwing German political party wants to encourage biking and walking by eliminating fines for red light violations in the law-abiding country.

The BBC looks at the legal loophole that allows Syrian refugees to cross the Russian border into Finland only if they are on a bike, and the absurd trade in flimsy children’s bikes it has spawned. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the link.

A Rwandan cyclist was killed in a mid-race collision after he dropped off the back of the peloton.

Seriously? South Australian officials warn that allowing bikes on sidewalks will result in huge costs to local government, as well as lawsuits against cyclists. And Aussie Liberals seem misnamed as they threaten to roll back the state’s 1-meter passing law.

Philippine cyclists flaunt the country’s Carmegeddon to advocate for a piece of the road. Thanks again to Megan Lynch.

 

Finally…

If you’re carrying 64 tabs of Lorazepam, aka Ativan, on your bike, put a damn light on it and stay off the sidewalk. Talk about casting a big shadow; a little ingenuity and elbow grease, and you, too can frighten the neighbors into thinking a rogue elephant is on the loose.

And this is what happens when you don’t have any women — or men capable of thinking with the larger head — in your marketing department.

Colnago-tweet

Category: Bikes & the Law, Legal Cases, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,

Fireworks rides, Ride2Recovery car wash, Sunday Funday Presidents Ride, and great 4th of July sales

July 2, 2011 / / Comments Off on Fireworks rides, Ride2Recovery car wash, Sunday Funday Presidents Ride, and great 4th of July sales

Didn’t get a chance to do a full update this week’s events; hopefully, I’ll get a chance to catch up over the weekend.

But in the meantime, here are a few of this weekend’s events until we can get to a full update.

As always, Bike Talk airs every Saturday at 10 am; listen to it live or download the podcast from KPFK.

The Eastside Bike Club invites you to join them as they participate in the annual El Sereno 4th of July Parade on Saturday, July 2nd; decorate your bike and yourself in red, white and blue, and stick around for the fireworks at dusk. The ride assembles at 1 pm  at the El Sereno Library, 5226 Huntington Drive, with the parade starting at 2 pm. The ESBC will also be riding to view fireworks in Boyle Heights on the 3rd, and Alhambra on the 4th.

Flying Pigeon hosts their monthly Brewery Ride on Saturday, July 2nd from 3 to 5:30 pm,  meet at Flying Pigeon Bike Shop, 3714 North Figueroa Street in Highland Park.

A car wash will be held on Sunday, July 3rd from 9 am to 2 pm on Sunday, July 3rd to raise funds for Ride2Recovery, a nationwide program that helps wounded vets reclaim their lives through cycling. It takes place at 316 W. Florence Ave in Inglewood, with a taco truck onsite for those who want a great lunch or want to contribute without a car.

The next edition of the LACBC’s popular Sunday Funday rides rolls on Sunday, July 3rd, with the Salute to Our Founding Fathers Ride hosted by board member Greg Laemmle. The ride will start at the Helms Bakery Building and travel Washington, Adams and Jefferson Blvds and the historic West Adams district, as well as exploring the old tombstones at Angelus Rosedale Cemetery, stopping for a bite at La Taquiza, then returning along the route of the new Expo Line. The ride assembles at 9:30 am at the fountain in front of Father’s Office, 3229 Helms Ave, and departs at 10.

And what’s 4th of July weekend without a bike sale?

  • Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles is hosting a four day tent sale, with promised savings up to 70% and no sales tax.
  • Helen’s is hosting their annual 6-hour 4th of July sale, with discounts up to 75% on clothing and gear, and up to 50% on bikes; the sale takes place at the Santa Monica and Arcadia locations only. Pro tip: Get there early and line up at least half an hour before the 9:30 am opening; some of the best deals are usually gone within minutes of the doors opening.
  • REI is hosting their Summer Clearance through Monday, the 4th with savings up to 30%, in-store and online.
  • Bicycle Fixation, the bikewear outlet operated by my friend and fellow L.A. cycling advocate Rick Risemberg, is offering free shipping anywhere in the U.S. for purchases over $50.
  • Anyone else having a sale this weekend? Give me a heads-up and I’ll add you to the list.
Next weekend looks like a busy one as well, with some things you’ll definitely want to mark your calender for, including a CicLAvia Community Group Ride led by Joe Linton, a memorial ride for Nick Venuto, the cyclist and father killed in North San Diego when a speeding car flipped over onto an off-road bike path, and a car wash to benefit the Culver City 11 run down by an alleged drunk, speeding and distracted driver.
Oh, and there’s that little bike ride over in France for the next three weeks.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , , ,
 
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