BikinginLA

It’s finally Bike Week in LA!

You can find links to dozens of local events throughout the LA area in this week’s Calendar.

And don’t miss tomorrow’s decidedly non-sectarian Blessing of the Bicycles honoring Ghost Bikes LA at Good Samaritan Hospital.

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Mark Cavendish ekes out a victory in the first stage of the Amgen tour of California, while Carmen Small wins the women’s circuit race.

Marcel Kittel wins the third stage of the Giro d’Italia on his 26th birthday, edging out Ben Swift at the last second; Dublin comes out to show its support despite the rough roads local cyclists have to ride.

Marianne Vos captures the inaugural Tour of Britain, while a man in a mobility scooter just avoids colliding with the peloton.

Meanwhile, Capital Public Radio says the appeal of bike racing is the interaction of between the riders and the fans; on the other hand, KCET says it’s because it’s exhilarating. I vote for the latter, myself.

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Local

Councilmember Gil Cedillo is now suggesting sharrows on North Figueroa in place of the previously approved road diet and bike lanes, despite being captured on video saying just the opposite when he needed our votes.

A 25-year old man was shot in the back while riding in Pasadena early Saturday morning; thanks to Complete Streets Pas for the heads-up.

San Marino Rides looks at the draft San Marino bike and pedestrian plan; there will be a meeting of the San Marino Traffic Advisory Commission to discuss the plan on Monday, May 19th at 7 pm at the San Marino Center, 1890 Huntington Drive.

Bicycle advocacy group Pedal Movement offers free bike valet and tune-ups at the Long Beach farmer’s market.

 

State

A man in his 40s was found shot to death next to a bicycle in a Huntington Beach alley, though police aren’t sure if the bike was his.

Why would a Bay Area bike thief steal 26 bikes, only to leave them behind when he moved?

A new book profiles the artistry of 88 bike makers from around the world, including seven from Northern California.

When Mountain View balks on building a bike undercrossing, Google offers to over take the project. I wonder if they’d be willing to take over the North Figueroa road diet from Gil Cedillo?

 

National

Bicycling offers up the 10 best guided bike tours in the US, including the LA Taco Tour.

Nice Bike to Work video from Denver’s Regional Council of Governments.

In a nice gesture, a Texas college awards a posthumous degree to a bike rider killed by a drunk driver just shy of his graduation.

This is why you don’t chase after the guy who just stole your bike, as a New Orleans teenager is robbed at gunpoint by the thief.

Continuing a disturbing weekend trend, an eight-year old bike rider was accidently shot in the leg when a Pennsylvania man fires his gun off his deck.

Once again, a study shows women resist riding out of safety concerns; this time in New York, as over 76% of Citi Bike riders are men.

 

International

Most Alberta, Canada residents support separated bike lanes. As long as they don’t have to pay for them.

There seems to be an epidemic of road raging Brit cyclists these days.

London Cyclist explains why many bike riders wear jerseys.

Bike riding is cool again, even in India.

Riding a bike in rural Nigeria is a part of life; in urban Lagos, it can mean risking yours.

 

Finally…

If you’re going to flee the scene of a Massachusetts hit-and-run with your teenage victim’s bike still trapped under your car, don’t speed through an apartment complex parking lot.

And Russell Brand — yes, that Russell Brand — gets out of his car to hug an angry cyclist after the rider is clipped by a passing van.