Tag Archive for bicycling

Morning Links: Two favorite LA bike shops on the block, and Jesse Creed tackles Complete Street failures in CD5

December 12, 2016 / / One comment

Here’s your chance to get into the bike business.

Because two of LA’s favorite bike shops are now for sale, allowing buyers to step into already existing and successful businesses.

NELA’s Flying Pigeon LA is on the block thanks to owner Josef Bray-Ali’s bid to unseat LA City Councilmember Gil Cedillo in LA’s 1st council district.

Meanwhile, Orange 20 owner TJ Flexer is looking for someone to take over Orange 20 Bikes, the iconic shop anchoring East Hollywood’s Hel-Mel district, as he moves on to other opportunities.

It would be a shame to lose either of these shops. Let’s hope someone steps up to save them.

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Speaking of city council candidates, Jesse Creed has written a must-read Op-Ed in the LA Daily News calling for Complete Streets.

Creed, who’s taking on incumbent Paul Koretz in CD5, criticizes Koretz’ failure to ensure safe streets, sidewalks and bikeways following construction of the Expo Line.

Never mind Koretz’ ongoing efforts to keep Westwood Blvd dangerous by single-handedly blocking the bike lanes that would have calmed traffic and improved safety for everyone.

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‘Tis the season.

A Rams fan donates eight bicycles to the CHiPs for Kids toy drive in honor of Luis Sanchez, the five-year old boy killed when a suspected drunk driver crashed into his home as he was writing a letter to Santa asking for a bike.

A Victorville non-profit is giving 170 bicycles to kids who show a need and perform well in school.

The Fresno Hell’s Angels — yes, those Hell’s Angels — buy and assemble 800 bicycles for local kids.

A Boise, Idaho organization is calling for bicycle donations, as they’re currently 100 bikes short of their goal of giving 415 bicycles to kids who’ve never had one before.

A Texas company builds 100 bikes to give to children of first responders; last year they gave bikes to children of local soldiers.

An Oklahoma car dealer helps collect over 350 bicycles for distribution to children who need them.

An Iowa car dealer is collecting 400 bicycles to donate to children in a four county area.

Terre Haute, Indiana’s Bikes for Tykes program is giving over 400 bicycles to area kids.

Volunteers in Manitoba, Canada work 24 hours straight to build 334 bikes to give to kids.

Great idea from a British town, as bikes refurbished by homeless residents go on sale to local students. I’d love to see a program like that here in Los Angeles.

And two LA cops play Santa Claus after a bike rider spots a duffel bag full of packages that had apparently been lost or stolen.

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Spanish pro Joaquim “Purito” Rodriguez calls it a career after 17 years and 14 Grand Tour stage victories.

Sad news from France, as a rising young cyclist died in a fall while hiking.

Ella Cycling Tips takes a deep dive into the story of transgendered bike racer Jillian Bearden.

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Local

Metro is lowering its walkup price for Downtown’s Metro Bike bikeshare to just one dollar for the first half hour from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day.

CiclaValley says a new traffic light on Riverside Drive is a recipe for disaster, with the light almost invisible as it’s hidden behind trees.

Kanye is one of us, as he rides his BMX on the streets of Los Angeles in a full-face helmet. So actually, it might have been anyone in there.

Bike SGV is selling refurbished bike for the holidays through 12-23, with most under $100.

A Santa Clarita radio station looks at Sunday’s Finish the Ride Holiday Challenge.

 

State

Caught on video: A La Mesa man is lucky to have his bike after security footage show a man pulling bolt cutters from under a blanket and cutting the lock on his mountain bike; evidently, the thief was frightened away before he could take it.

San Diego police release photos of a suspect vehicle in last month’s hit-and-run that injured a bike rider in Linda Vista; police blame the victim for running a stop sign.

The annual Tour de Palm Springs moves next door in 2018.

A 33-year old driver was allegedly stoned when she fled the scene after running down a woman riding her bicycle in a marked Moorpark bike lane; she faces charges of DUI and felony hit-and-run, while her 62-year old victim was hospitalized with major injuries.

A Berkeley website recounts the miraculous recovery of a new mother run down by a stoned driver as she biked home from work last February; she recently ran a 5k, just 10 months after a wreck no one expected her to survive.

A 23-year old Stockton driver is under arrest for allegedly fleeing the scene following a crash that killed a bike rider, as well as two passengers in his car.

Sad news from Sacramento, where a cowardly hit-and-run driver left a bike rider to die in the street following an early morning collision.

 

National

Bicycling says there’s never been a better time to be a bicycle entrepreneur.

Here’s your chance to be a test pilot for a new heads-up display for cyclists made by a company that specializes in displays for fighter pilots. Saying “zoom, zoom!” when you ride is purely optional.

A Seattle bike co-op is helping to reduce the recidivism rate for juvenile offenders by teaching kids how to fix a bicycle.

A Washington cyclist thanks drivers for the courtesy, but urges them not to wave him through intersections when they have the right-of-way.

An Albuquerque NM cop received a hero’s award from the mayor for digging into his own pocket to buy a bike for a 12-year old boy after his was stolen on his birthday.

An ex-cop in South Dakota has seen positive results for his Parkinson’s Disease from using medical marijuana, allowing him to attempt a 300-mile bike ride across the state.

Mason City IA is trying to buy an elevated rail line through the city to create a five-mile High Line bikeway.

A Wisconsin woman faces charges after drunkenly driving her car on a bike path and getting stuck on a bike bridge. Although that can happen here in the City of Angels, as well.

Ohio could be the next state to adopt a three-foot passing law, after the legislature sent a bill to the governor’s desk.

A writer for the New Yorker offers a tongue-in-cheek list of all the reasons he’ll never ride a bike in the city.

An Op-Ed in the New York Times says forget Times Square, it’s time to banish cars from all of Broadway.

A Georgia driver was under the influence of six different drugs and reaching for her cellphone when she crossed the center line and struck three cyclists, killing one.

 

International

Bloomberg says looking good is easier than ever, as the competition is beginning to catch up to Rapha.

The New York Times looks at Costa Rica’s La Ruta de Los Conquistadores, calling it the world’s toughest mountain bike. And which may or may not involve crocodiles.

Madonna’s son is one of us, as he starts a job as a London bicycle delivery rider.

A British couple adopt a dog that adopted them as they rode their bikes back to their hotel in Greece.

Cyclists in the UK face the same problem riders do in this country — drivers who think they know the laws regarding bicycling, but don’t.

Cycling Tips stumbles on a Frenchman with a remarkable bicycle collection at this year’s Tour de France.

One more reason to hate Adolph Hitler — the biggest bike theft in Danish history. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the link.

No bias here. Australian police are looking for a road raging cyclist who allegedly punched a car passenger in the face for no apparent reason. As we’ve said before, there’s never any excuse for violence; however, the story doesn’t make the slightest mention of what led up to the incident.

 

Finally…

Once again, a bike gets the blame for causing a crash — except this time, no one was on it. Always a good idea to toss your bottle of cheap booze before the police get there

And you’ve got to do something when it snows in Portland.

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

Morning Links: High-end bikes stolen in Irvine, escape from a bike-crushing bus, and LA River meeting tomorrow

December 9, 2016 / / One comment

Irvine bike thieves are caught on a security camera as they make off with a trio of high-end Pinarello bikes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzo7kng55_o&feature=youtu.be

Keep your eyes open in case they show up for sale somewhere. You can find a full description of the bikes on the East West Bikes Facebook page.

Thanks to Lois for the heads-up.

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David Wolfberg forwards video of an Indian woman barely escaping in time as a bus driver runs over the bicycle she’s walking — directly in front of a cop.

And soon, an angry mob.

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Don’t forget tomorrow’s meeting to discuss safety on the LA River bike path in Elysian Valley.

Thanks to Terence Heuston for the reminder.

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Local

Damien Newton talks about the new bike park under construction in El Monte with David Diaz of Day One and Bike SGV.

 

State

Placentia plans to revitalize the Old Town area by developing Complete Streets through downtown.

San Diego makes the wrong choice, paying $235,000 in damages to an injured cyclist instead of fixing the potholes on Torrey Pines Road that led to her injuries; several other bike riders have filed complaints and lawsuits as result of the same section of roadway.

Opponents and supporters voice their opinions about a planned road diet and protected bike lanes on San Diego’s dangerous Pershing Drive. Doesn’t anyone ever bother to explain that even though a roadway may lose a lane, it usually improves traffic flow — and can actually reduce congestion?

As long as we’re on the subject of San Diego, the San Diego Bicycle Club is hosting its 29th annual Light Up A Life Holiday Toy Ride tomorrow.

Safety improvements are coming to a Hayward freeway interchange, too late for a 26-year old bike rider.

 

National

Bicycle manufacturing is making a comeback in the US, rising to half a million bicycles after bottoming out last year.

The inimitable Elly Blue offers motorists advice on how to safely drive around bicyclists.

The photographer behind the Radavist blog tells the story behind his most striking bike images from this year.

A Portland driver will stay in jail after a judge refused to reduce his bail on a manslaughter charge in the death of a cyclist; he was charged in the death because his SUV was not in safe drivable condition.

A Colorado bicycle trade-in program is looking for bike shops to expand nationwide; submitting just two photos of your bike will get you a firm trade-in valuation at a participating bike shop.

Homeowners in a Texas town complain about new signs for a bicycle boulevard, saying they’re too big and will drive down property values. Never mind that bike boulevards usually increase property values.

Detroit police release video of a bike rider suspected of fatally shooting a police officer.

After originally allowing the state police to investigate the case, the Detroit Police Department has taken over the investigation of collision in which one of their own officers killed a bike rider; naturally, they conclude the victim was at fault.

The new North Star Bicycle Route is designed to carry riders from St. Paul MN to the Canadian border. Just in case you were thinking of leaving.

A Virginia columnist says compassion and forgiveness are wonderful things, but that doesn’t mean a driver who killed a bicyclist shouldn’t be in jail.

A Raleigh NC letter writer thanks a cyclist for giving up his bike, saying people like him shouldn’t have to drive in fear of those damn bike riders, and suggests bicyclists should stick to bike paths so people like him can have the roads to themselves.

 

International

A writer for the Guardian says killer drivers are the real stranger danger, and when distracted drivers kill, they should face up to life in prison.

London’s Bike Project plans to give nearly 1,000 bicycles to refugees seeking asylum as they attempt to rebuild their lives.

A British bike group calls for a change in the law requiring drivers to yield to bicyclists at intersections to avoid the equivalent of a right hook; naturally, a trucking organization says it will cause, rather than prevent, collisions.

A 16-year old British boy was the victim of a brutal strong-arm robbery as he was knocked off his bicycle, beaten with a rubber mallet and threatened with a machete before giving up his bike, cellphone and other belongings.

A UK website says mindfulness can make you a better bike rider.

Bicycling shows a slight decline in the UK, even though more women are active than ever before.

A trio of Rwandan cyclists have been nominated for the best African cyclist of the year, recognizing the rider — or in this case, riders — who contributed most to African cycling.

An Aussie writer notes there is no war between cyclists and drivers, and it just takes a little consideration for everyone to get along.

 

Finally…

It’s not just a bus bike rack, it’s a step ladder naked people. No, you can’t power your house by riding a bike.

If you’re going to ride your bike to steal packages off people’s porches, don’t take just any crappy box. No, literally.

And nothing to do with bikes; just wax royals and sweater-wrapped Corgis.

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Category: Morning Links, Stolen Bikes and Bike Crime / Tags: , , , , ,

Morning Links: Come play dead in PVE next Tuesday, and talk Rail to River with Metro in Bell tonight

December 8, 2016 / / 3 comments

Keep SoCal’s best bike news coming your way every day. Give to the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive today!

December 13th is a good day to die on Palos Verdes Estates.

Just not literally.

Cycling in the South Bay’s Seth Davidson calls for bike riders to participate in a die-in next Tuesday to protest the wealthy enclave’s inexplicable reluctance to post signs saying Bikes May Use Full Lane.

That shouldn’t be the least bit controversial. Because that’s the law in California, which allows bicyclists to use the full lane on any traffic lane that’s too narrow for a bicycle and motor vehicle to safely share, while still allowing a three-foot passing distance.

Which is most, if not all, of the traffic lanes in PVE.

So what exactly is the problem?

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Glenn Bailey, chair of the LA Bicycle Advisory Committee, forwards news from Metro about tonight’s meetings in the City of Bell to discuss the planned Rail to Rail/River Active Transportation Corridor Project, which is in desperate need of a catchier name.

Community meetings for Rail to Rail/River Active Transportation Corridor Project to be held today

Metro is hosting two community meetings in the City of Bell as part of the Rail to Rail/River Active Transportation Corridor Project. Both meetings will be held at the Bell Community Center, 6250 Pine Avenue, Bell, on Thursday, Dec. 8. The first meeting will take place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and the second will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Bell Community Center. The evening meeting will also be streamed live online here.

For more information contact the project helpline at 213.922.9228. Para información en español, llame al 213.922.9228.

Metro is conducting the Alternatives Analysis (AA) for segment B of the Rail to Rail/River ATC Project. As part of the AA process, the community is invited to attend to get an update on the project and also to provide input on the evaluation process for a set of alternatives to connect the Metro Blue Line Slauson Station to the Los Angeles River.

The Rail to Rail/River ATC Project consists of one corridor that will be built in two phases. Segment A is the Rail to Rail component and Segment B is the Rail to River component. Together they form one route, stretching from South Los Angeles to the Los Angeles River.

Segment A

  • The “Rail to Rail” segment extends 6.4 miles between the future Crenshaw/LAX Line’s Fairview Heights Station to Santa Fe Avenue.

Segment B

  • The “Rail to River” segment extends 2.8 to 4.3 miles between Santa Fe Avenue to a future connection with the Los Angeles River.

It is anticipated that the environmental clearance work on segment A will be completed in June 2017 while the AA work on segment B will be completed in March 2017.

Once constructed, the project will increase transit options, provide access for bicyclists and pedestrians to surrounding neighborhoods and improve regional bicycle connections. The active transportation facilities will connect residents and workers to transit, jobs, schools, shopping districts and parks.

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Local

It’s been three years since music executive Milt Olin was killed by a distracted sheriff’s deputy while riding on Mulholland Highway. His wife channeled her grief into creating the Milt Olin Foundation, which is dedicated to confronting the dangers distracted driving through its #HandsOff campaign; a Go Fund Me page to support the campaign has raised over $31,600 of the $35,000 goal. Lets see if we can help that go over the top.

You’re invited to help former pro Phil Gaimon and the LACBC clean up Mulholland once again this Saturday.

Pure Cycles invites you to join them for a fast-paced hour discussing bicycling issues and advocacy on January 19th. And yes, there will be beer. Although it can’t be that fast paced if the hour discussion is scheduled for two hours.

 

State

Sunday’s annual Palm Springs Tinsel Triathlon will honor a police officer killed in an October shooting; the course skirts the school where she had been a student.

An Oceano driver has pled not guilty to a single misdemeanor count of vehicular homicide in the death of a world class triathlete as she rode her bike earlier this year.

San Francisco Streetsblog asks why bicyclists’ injuries aren’t enough to get safer streets.

A nearly incoherent Chico letter writer complains about the costs of bike paths he — or she — says are just trashed drug shooting galleries for the homeless, while scofflaw cyclists run rampant on the city’s streets.

 

National

Bust out the EPO. Strava says American men are just the fourth fastest country on our bikes; American women do slightly better, checking in at number three.

Bicycling Magazine discusses how to ride your bike to a badass life of leisure. I’ve got the leisure part down, willingly or otherwise; just need to figure out the badass part.

Bike lawyer Bob Mionske talks bike lights.

Cyclelicious looks at the role of bike messengers in delivering news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 75 years ago — including a Japanese-American messenger who rode through falling bombs to deliver news of the impending attack to the general in charge of the base, just a tad too late.

UPS is now making deliveries in Portland via e-cargo bike.

Despite the common complaint that bike riders ignore stop signs, a new video shows 64% of drivers rolled a four-way Chicago stop. Which raises the question of who really poses the greatest risk when they treat stop signs as yields?

Milwaukee hosts a massive pre-holiday bike bazaar featuring 60 vendors and 600 buyers. LA used to have something like that until declining interest and rising costs for convention center space put an end to it. Thanks to Opus the Unkillable Poet for the heads-up.

Charges have been dropped against the original suspect in the fatal shooting of a Detroit university police officer. Even though police say he is no longer a suspect, they still believe the shooter was riding a bicycle when the officer attempted to stop him.

A Pittsburgh area man has lost 106 pounds, in part by riding a bicycle each weekday as he trains to tackle a 12 summit hill climb on his leisure bike.

Nice story from Florida, as two homeless families now have new clothes and bicycles, a job, and a roof over their heads, thanks to a kindhearted deputy; it all began with a broken bike chain.

 

International

A new study from the University of Duh suggests older cyclists may have more balance issues than younger riders.

No bias here, as Edmonton, Canada police call scofflaw sidewalk cyclists “undesirables.” Never mind that few people, desirable or not, would ride on the sidewalk if they felt safe on the street.

A Russian émigré discusses life in London, as well as her blog devoted to stylish cycling in the British capital.

Three London teenagers have been convicted of manslaughter for fatally stabbing a 17-year rapper in a fight over a stolen bicycle.

A five-year old English boy tells bike thieves “please don’t steal things that aren’t yours” after they make off with his father’s bike and the bike trailer he rode in.

A British expert calls on private companies to help with the costs of improving cycling infrastructure to boost employee health.

Police in the UK are complaining about a dangerous new trend in which teenagers ride their bicycles in and out of vehicular traffic. Although apparently, it’s not just a British problem.

A German website says making bicyclists wear helmets could do more harm than good, and calls for better infrastructure instead.

Reuters looks at the women of Afghanistan’s first freestyle cycling club.

An Aussie magazine determines that cyclists using ear buds can hear traffic noise better than drivers with their windows rolled up.

 

Finally…

Now you, too, can pretend you’re a Top Gun pilot while you ride. Yes, it’s possible to cross the Donner Pass by bicycle without having to eat anyone.

And don’t let anyone say cyclists don’t make good mannequins.

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Sadly, we don’t have anyone to thank for contributing to BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive today. Please donate today to help keep this site coming to you every morning, so we can put your name here tomorrow.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Court rules police can’t search your belongings on traffic stops, ‘tis the season, and sex before racing

December 7, 2016 / / 2 comments
Welcome to Day 7 of the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive! Donate today, and help keep SoCal’s best source for bike news and advocacy coming your way every day.

Keep SoCal’s best bike news coming your way every day. Give to the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive today!

The California Supreme Court has just affirmed your right not to be searched by police in a simple traffic stop.

In a case involving a man on a bicycle, Torrance police stopped the man after he rolled through a stop sign, and found evidence of child pornography after searching his phone.

But the court ruled that police can’t conduct a search following a traffic stop unless there’s probable cause that an actual crime had been committed.

In other words, unless there’s reason to believe you just robbed a liquor store or whacked a road raging driver with your water bottle, police don’t have the right to search you, your bike or your belongings without your permission. And especially not to rifle through all the personal data stored on your phone.

Even if it means letting a bike-riding scumbag off the hook.

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‘Tis the season.

The San Diego Chargers pick up the tab for 150 new bicycles for elementary school kids.

And a Florida TV station collects 863 bicycles for children as part of its annual Bikes or Bust event.

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Eighty cyclists competed in Peru’s most extreme bike race, the three day, poetically named Challenge of the Condor through the country’s desert.

Thirteen men’s and four women’s teams competed in a ten day stage race to celebrate Ethiopia’s Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Day.

Then there’s the breathtaking world of artistic cycling, described as a cross between gymnastics and fixies.

And new studies conclude that there’s no evidence having sex the night before a race will negatively impact performance, and may actually help by relieving pain, especially for women cyclists. No, they aren’t looking for volunteers.

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Local

Metro appears to have abandoned the Westside and South LA when it comes to new bikeshare locations.

Twenty bicyclists took part in the first Elysian Valley Slow Roll on the LA River bike path over the weekend to call for better safety and consideration for pedestrians on the shared use path.

Richard Risemberg calls on everyone fighting for better safety on North Figueroa to attend Thursday’s meeting with the LACBC’s Tamika Butler to discuss bicycling issues in Northeast LA. Although he seems to have forgotten that quite a few people have been working to keep North Fig from being forgotten.

A bike rider was uninjured when a suspected DUI driver struck the back wheel of his bicycle while fleeing from police in Van Nuys Tuesday night.

Bike SGV is hosting a free City Cycling Class this Saturday to help you learn the rules of the road and get more comfortable riding on city streets.

Hawthorne police will step up bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement on Thursday. You know the drill; for one day at least, ride to the letter of the law within the city limits to ensure you’re not the one ticketed.

A 41-year old transient pled guilty to riding his bicycle up to a AAA mechanic as he changed a car battery in Pico Rivera, stabbing him for no apparent reason, then calmly riding away.

Kylie Jenner may or may not actually be one of us, but that lowrider bike is seriously cool.

 

State

The San Diego Union-Tribune looks at the start of construction on a new segment of what will eventually be the city’s 24-mile Bayshore Bikeway.

Residents of San Diego’s City Heights complain that a planned bikeway is just a conduit to funnel riders through their neighborhood, and that parking spaces must be kept because no one would actually ride a bike to the market. Unlike the experience in, say, virtually every other city.

San Diego’s 2nd annual Recovery Ride will roll next month to benefit drug and alcohol recovery and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs.

A San Francisco writer asks if he was in the wrong to walk facing traffic on a Berkeley bike path. Short answer, yes; both cyclists and pedestrians should stay to the right in the direction they’re going, except to pass.

 

National

Your new winter bike gloves could have built-in turn signals.

Now that’s more like it. An Oregon man faces charges including felony assault, DUI and reckless endangerment for severely injuring a passing bike rider when he crashed into a power pole, knocking the lines down onto the woman.

A Portland university receives a five-year, $15 million grant to find ways cities can redesign their streets to make bicycle transportation more accessible and integrate bicycle transportation into a smart city framework.

After doubling in size last year, the Des Moines, Iowa bikeshare system is looking to double again.

The Chicago Reader says it’s time to stop blaming pedestrians and cyclists, and hold drivers accountable when they kill someone.

The New Orleans paper talks with the founder of the city’s bike co-op, whose goal is to make it possible for anyone who needs a bike to have one.

 

International

Bike Radar offers tips on winter riding. All of which actually apply here in LA, for a change.

A writer in the UK describes what it’s like to not remember who he is after suffering a traumatic brain injury when someone backed a van into his bicycle without looking.

British police stop 50 bicyclists riding without lights on one road in a single night.

Brit TV presenter Guy Martin will attempt to ride 4,802 miles around the British coast in just 20 days, an average of 240 miles a day.

A Welsh track cycling champ had her $7,600 Cervelo P3 stolen from her car after she left it there overnight.

Amsterdam is trying, so far without success, to ban beer bikes in the city center.

Bicycling Magazine talks with Shannon Galpin, who tells you how to fight the good fight based on her experience working for women’s rights in Afghanistan.

Sydney, Australia bicyclists will get a new ramp leading up to the Harbour Bridge in four years, replacing the 55 steps they currently have to trudge up with their bikes.

 

Finally…

Now you, too, can enjoy all the fun of the hour record on your ride to work. No, they’re not actually cycling across the sea unless the pedals somehow power the boat.

And no, valet parking a bicycle is not the most LA thing ever.

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A special thanks to Mike Wilkinson for his generous contribution to the BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive. Your contributions will help fund this site for the next year.

 

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

Morning Links: LA bike path meeting Saturday, bike licensing is a bad idea, and ‘tis the season for giving bikes

December 5, 2016 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: LA bike path meeting Saturday, bike licensing is a bad idea, and ‘tis the season for giving bikes

If you ride the LA River bike path, make plans to be at a meeting to discuss safety on the popular shared-use pathway this Saturday.

la-river-meeting

There have been calls ban bikes or force riders to dismount from the pathway in Elysian Valley after a woman was critically injured in a collision with a bicyclist. Although it should be noted that the rider did remain at the scene and try to help.

The people opposed to bicycles will undoubtedly be out in force, so it’s vital that the other side be heard, as well.

Meanwhile, there will be meetings tomorrow and the following Tuesday to discuss extending the pathway into the San Fernando Valley.

Welcome to Day 7 of the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive! Donate today, and help keep SoCal’s best source for bike news and advocacy coming your way every day.

It’s Week Two of the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive! Donate today, and keep Southern California’s best source for bike news and advocacy coming your way every day.

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Returning to the bike licensing discussion we had last week, a Canadian website says licensing bikes is just a bad idea.

The article correctly points out that the purpose of licensing, whether it’s drivers or businesses, is to regulate them, not raise revenue — despite licensing proponents claims that bike riders need to pay for the lanes we use.

It also makes the point that the cost of licensing bikes, and/or riders, would outweigh any revenue it might raise.

And that it takes 810,000 people riding bicycles to do as much damage to the streets as one person driving an SUV.

So maybe it’s not the bicycles that should be regulated off the roads.

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That image of Shaq and Amanda Sykes on a tandem bike that circulated last week came from an American Express small business ad, filmed in part at a Berkeley bike shop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMqP16nJTj4

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‘Tis the season of giving.

Dublin CA high school students partner with the local Rotary Club to build bicycles for needy children.

The Lodi Rotary Club donates 100 bicycles for underprivileged children.

A Chattanooga church is hosting a 36-hour holiday bike drive to get bikes for economically disadvantaged children.

Volunteers in Tampa FL build nearly 800 bicycles to donate to underprivileged kids.

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Pro cycling’s top level WorldTour is headed back to China, courtesy of the world’s richest man. Although some people are complaining that it’s not clear what the WorldTour is anymore.

And yes, even para-cyclists dope.

But no, really, the doping era is over, right?

………

Local

A community meeting will be held this Thursday to discuss the proposed Rail-to-River shared pathway, as a route through Huntington Park and Bell emerges as the favorite.

LACBC Executive Director Tamika Butler will host a meeting to discuss bike advocacy in Northeast LA on Thursday, including the status of the long-delayed road diet and bike lanes on North Figueroa.

Streetsblog’s Joe Linton calls out NIMBYs for opposing reduced parking requirements for granny flats, including replacing car parking with bike parking.

A bicyclist in his 20s was critically injured in a collision with a motorcyclist near the entrance to Granada Park in Alhambra Saturday afternoon.

The Canyon News looks at this past weekend’s Electric Bike Expo in Santa Monica.

 

State

The keyboardist for the band Faith No More has written a new opera about the annual San Francisco to Los Angeles AIDS ride.

San Diego begins work on a 2.25-mile stretch of what will eventually be a 24-mile loop around the San Diego Bay.

Sad news from Cayucos, as a 47-year old San Luis Obispo man was killed when a driver crossed double yellow lines to pass another vehicle, and hit his bicycle head-on; oddly, no arrest has been made despite the illegal pass.

San Franciscans are divided on plan to remove a traffic lane on two streets in the city’s panhandle to install protected bike lanes.

Police are looking for the driver who ran down a San Francisco cyclist and left her lying in the street last week; fortunately, she’s recovering from her injuries.

 

National

A long read from the former science editor for National Geographic says mountain bikers are saving the world by mapping it.

The Bureau of Land Management is looking for whoever dismantled a Colorado mountain bike trail less than two hours after it was repaired.

A New Mexico man calls his own actions reckless and irresponsible as he’s sentenced to four and a half years for killing a cyclist while driving at three times the legal alcohol limit.

The rich get richer. Missouri officials open a new 47.5-mile link in the 238-mile Katy Trail crossing the state; meanwhile, a 74-year old woman rides the full length of the trail on her $89 Walmart bike.

Famed law professor Alan Dershowitz calls on New York bike riders to stop at red lights after ten close calls while crossing the street. Meanwhile, the invariably hysterical New York Post posits a citywide conspiracy to jam up traffic and force people to leave their cars at home and take bikes or transit.

It takes a world class jerk to pretend to call the police after hitting a teenage North Carolina bike rider.

Retired boxing champ Floyd Mayweather is one of us, riding his fat bike around Miami with his friends.

After a Florida bicyclist breaks his leg in a collision with a car, he asks the driver to take him to the hospital to avoid paying for an ambulance ride.

A Florida woman gets seven years in the DUI death of a teenage bike rider.

 

International

A Calgary columnist complains that a network of downtown cycle tracks is about to be approved by the city council even though only a small majority of drivers like them. And makes it very clear that the opinion of anyone who doesn’t drive doesn’t matter.

A London bike advocacy group is crowdfunding a campaign to fight the damage done by taxi drivers, anti-bike groups and NIMBYs.

London’s Telegraph blames bike riders and people on cell phones for turning the country’s canal towpaths into crowded collision zones.

In a dramatic move to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, London plans to ban vehicular traffic from a dangerous junction during daylight hours.

Bike theft isn’t just an American problem; nearly 82,000 bicycles were stolen in England and Wales over a 12-month period.

Great Britain is getting tough on traffic crimes; dangerous drivers who kill could now face up to life in prison.

This is why people continue to die on the streets. A Brit man has been convicted of drunk driving ten times, along with 61 — yes, you read that right — convictions for driving with a suspended license. And keeps driving anyway, despite being jailed four times this year alone.

Evidently, some bike thieves actually have a heart. Thieves returned a mountain bike they’d stolen from a Northern Irish boy just before the anniversary of his father’s death, following an appeal from the boy’s mother; the bike was his father’s last gift to him before his sudden death.

A Dutch study shows it’s five times more efficient to evacuate a city by bicycle than by motor vehicle. Something that will be worth remembering when it’s time to flee Los Angeles. And it will be, sooner or later.

A new Spanish study says even a five-foot passing distance is not enough, depending on the vehicle type and speed.

A “speeding” Aussie cyclist gets all the blame for running over and killing a small dog, even though the owner admits letting her dog stray onto the wrong side of a pathway next to a blind curve. You should always ride carefully around any living thing, especially kids and animals, who can be impulsive and unpredictable. But the people responsible for those kids and dogs need to be exactly that, as well.

The parable of the Good Samaritan comes to life when a Singaporean bike rider falls hard after his chain breaks; the locals leave him lying injured in the street, while it takes a group of migrant construction workers come to his aid.

 

Finally…

Yes, you may be a big important government official, but you can’t ride your bike anymore. Organizing a bike race is more fun when you don’t end up in jail.

And yes, you can carry a refrigerator on your bicycle.

………

BikinginLA exists because of the generosity of people like you. So if you haven’t already, please take a moment to contribute to the BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive to help keep it coming your way every day.

And a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has given to help support this site.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Bike Access, Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Traffic violence on our streets, Metro Bike runs red light, and Westwood ignores needs of students

December 2, 2016 / / 4 comments
Welcome to Day 7 of the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive! Donate today, and help keep SoCal’s best source for bike news and advocacy coming your way every day.

Keep SoCal’s leading source for all the freshest bike news coming to you every morning. Give to the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive today!

Today’s common theme is traffic violence, both literal and figurative.

USC fans were heartbroken to learn that former running back Joe McKnight was the victim of an apparent road age shooting on the streets of New Orleans; a tragedy made possible, if not inevitable, by a proliferation of short-fused drivers with easy access to guns.

Meanwhile, in an equally, if not more, heartbreaking case, a suspected drunk driver once again proved that no one is safe from the carnage on our streets, as a five-year old South Central boy was killed inside his own apartment. The driver plowed into the building after allegedly being cut off by another driver; inside, investigators found the boy’s letter to Santa asking for a new bicycle.

Which leads us to CiclaValley, who offers a bike cam compendium of drivers behaving badly. And yes, someone could easily compile similar video clips of scofflaw cyclists or pedestrians. But it’s the people in the multi-ton machines who pose the greatest risk to others by their bad behavior.

When cyclists break the law, they generally put themselves at risk. But when drivers break the law, it poses a danger to everyone on the street.

Or sleeping in their own homes.

………

Frequent contributor Erik Griswold notes that at the 30 second mark of its Metro Bike Instructional Video, Metro appears to tacitly encourage users to ride through flashing red lights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O7ajx3SZIE

………

A writer for UCLA’s Daily Bruin justifiably takes the Westwood Neighborhood Council to task for favoring policies that ignore the needs of the students who live and study in the area, including last year’s denial of desperately needed bike lanes on Westwood Blvd.

The heavy-handed demands of the area’s wealthy homeowners have killed any semblance of vibrancy in Westwood Village, leading to streets filled with empty storefronts, and driving students — and their money — to other parts of the city. Like a scene out of Footloose, the city even prohibits dancing at restaurants and bars within the Village.

No, really.

………

Local

The LACBC is hiring an Organizing Director.

Former pro Phil Gaimon is on a one-man mission to erase convicted doper and dope dealer Nick Brandt-Sorenson’s name from the top of LA area Strava KOMs.

A 6th grade student is on a one-girl mission to provide safer access for bicyclists to the Ballona Creek bike path in Del Rey and Playa Vista.

 

State

About one hundred Laguna Beech mountain bikers rode through the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park as part of the second annual Dirt Fondo Challenge, benefitting the Laguna Beach Interscholastic Mountain Bike Team.

For the second time in two days, a San Diego area bike rider has suffered a serious head injury, apparently without a car involved. This time a helmeted rider fell in San Marcos and struck his head on the pavement; fortunately, his injuries are not life-threatening.

Members of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition offer strategies on how to improve safety in the South of Market district.

San Francisco State University is California’s latest Bicycle Friendly University.

Soon you may be able to make plans for a wine and cannabis bike tour of Sonoma County.

A bike-riding Scrooge stole four citrus trees planted by an Eagle Scout at an Orangevale church to help feed the hungry.

 

National

In typically obtuse government-ese, the US DOT announces it’s forming a 15-member committee to advise the Secretary of Transportation on matters related to transportation equity. Which sounds great until you consider that the incoming administration could dissolve it next month.

A writer for Momentum Magazine considers the value of clipless bike shoes, and concludes they’re worth it.

The Seattle Times recommends taking your own folding bike when you travel.

Grind TV asks if Sedona’s White Line Trail is the world’s most dangerous mountain bike trail. Judging by the videos, it’s definitely not one for anyone with a fear of heights.

Bicycling Magazine profiles an ex-vegetarian New Mexico man who hunts elk by bike, with his miniature poodle at his side.

Des Moines, Iowa makes plans to hire a full-time bicycle coordinator, if it survives the budget process.

A small free library is unveiled as a memorial to a Wisconsin woman who was killed by a sidewalk-riding bicyclist. We can all agree this is a needless tragedy. But instead of fighting for higher fines to stop people from riding on the sidewalk, why not fight for safer streets so no one will feel the need to?

Caught on video: Philadelphia police are looking for a teenager who rode his BMX up to a garage before setting it on fire.

This is why you always carry ID when you ride. A New York bike rider died after an apparent fall; however, police have been unable to identify him or notify his next of kin because he wasn’t carrying any identification.

A group of BMX riders recorded the action after sneaking into a Long Island water park; police are looking at the video as evidence of a trespassing violation.

Now that’s what I call a bike locker.

 

International

Cycling Tips considers why two bike brands haven’t moved their production to China.

Police in British Columbia recovered “dozens and dozens” of stolen bicycles and e-scooters when they took down a bike chop shop.

Torontoist makes the case for why delivering food by bicycle is good for neighborhoods.

Caught on video: A Brit bike rider barely escapes a pass from a truck and trailer that looks like it would violate a one-foot passing law.

Two percent of Irish commuters go by bike, a figure that hasn’t changed in the last year.

The Guardian looks at the recent report that bicyclists now outnumber cars in Copenhagen, where a $145 million investment in bikeways has resulted in a 68% increase in ridership. Thanks to Jon for the heads-up.

Malta warns visiting EU officials not to cause a diplomatic incident by running red lights or carrying a passenger on their bicycles.

A man in the Southern Africa country of Malawi killed his own half-brother in a dispute over a bicycle.

Cyclists in the Australian state of New South Wales won’t have to carry ID when they ride after all, as the government belatedly realizes that most riders already do anyway.

 

Finally…

Maybe bicycling really is the new golf, especially if your bike is made entirely of golf clubs. It’s not just an ebike, it’s a two-wheeled boom box.

And it takes a hero cyclist to save a drowning panda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJJCvf5iMsI

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A special thanks to Michele Chavez for her generous contribution to support this site during the BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, Morning Links, Road Rage / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: San Diego bicyclist gravely injured in bike collision, and the absurd impracticality of bike licensing

December 1, 2016 / / 9 comments
Welcome to Day 7 of the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive! Donate today, and help keep SoCal’s best source for bike news and advocacy coming your way every day.

Welcome to Day 7 of the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive! Donate today to help keep Southern California’s best source for bike news and advocacy coming your way every day.

Tragic news from San Diego, where a bike rider was gravely injured in a crash with another rider.

According to NBC San Diego, the two riders came in contact when one tried to pass the other in a bike lane.

Both riders fell to the ground, with one suffering severe skull fractures.

Sadly, the victim, who has not been publicly identified, is not expected to survive.

The other rider, an 18-year old man, suffered injuries to his spine and feet.

Neither was wearing a helmet. It should be noted that relatively slow speed falls like this are exactly what bike helmets are designed for.

Update: The video report from NBC San Diego shows the riders were in a protected bike lane, separated from the traffic lanes with bollards. 

Michael Muhammad, a former resident of the area, says the the crash occurred on a steep downhill, suggesting one or both people could have been riding at a high rate of speed, which could have contributed to the severity of the crash.

………

City Lab looks at the absurdity of bike licensing, which keeps rearing its ugly head in response to the rantings of the anti-bike crowd.

I’ll let them explain why it’s a bad idea.

However, let’s not forget that LA cancelled its licensing requirement after it became a pretext for police to stop bike riders, usually people of color, in certain precincts.

I’ll also point out that I’ve had a license on my Trek ever since I bought it in Baton Rouge, LA, back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth.

baton-rouge-bike-license

You couldn’t read it from more than a few feet away then. And you can’t now, especially since my seat bag usually blocks it anyway.

Which kind of defeats the purpose, since most people who call for bike licensing expect to be able to read it at a glance to report offending riders to the authorities.

And even if they could, unless the rider is suspected of a committing a felony, police aren’t to track them down the offending rider for a simple traffic violation or rude behavior.

In fact, California law prohibits police from ticketing anyone or making a misdemeanor bust unless they actually witness the violation themselves.

Which means that, while the idea of licensing bicycles may have some appeal to those who hold a grudge against scofflaw cyclists, it doesn’t serve a useful purpose.

And chances are, it ain’t gonna happen.

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Local

Investing in Place explains how you can get involved in the implantation of Metro’s Measure M, which promises to remake transit, active transportation and highways. Hopefully in a good way (see 405, failure).

The UCLA-based author of the recent LACBC/LA Walks bike count report offers his thoughts, as well as a link to the full report.

The Santa Monica Daily Press previews this weekend’s Electric Bike Expo on the pier.

The Women’s Cycling Association is hosting a ride to benefit the WCA Foundation Scholarship Fund in Calabasas on December 11th.

It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from LA Bike Dad, who reports he barely survived a Brompton ride on a Texas freeway after Google twice tried to kill him.

 

State

A bighearted Laguna Beach plumber has ridden over 45,000 miles and raised nearly $30,000 to fund scholarships for the children of fallen soldiers.

A traffic improvement program in North San Diego County will include two new separated bike/ped paths, as well as a ten mile addition to the North Coast Bike Trail. Although someone should tell them that adding traffic lanes to reduce congestion doesn’t work.

This is why you don’t try to reclaim your stolen bike yourself. A San Diego bike messenger was slashed with a knife when he tried to get his bike back after spotting a stranger riding it a few weeks after it was stolen.

Bakersfield is conducting a series of workshops and walking audits to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. And yes, I have walked the streets of Bakersfield.

A San Francisco paper says Vision Zero is intuitive, radical and has failed in the city. Meanwhile, the city has approved a moratorium on removing the ghost bikes Vision Zero is supposed to make unnecessary. Clearly, they need to do a lot more, but it’s a little early to call it a failure after just two years.

A Woodland man was acquitted of attempted murder charges but convicted of assault with a deadly weapon for deliberately running down three cyclists with a stolen car during a day-long meth fueled crime spree; his lawyer argued it was because he suffered a psychotic break.

 

National

The usual dispute over bike lanes versus parking rears its ugly head in a Wisconsin town, though this time compromise appears possible as residents agree it might be worth crossing the street to park their cars if it will slow down speeding drivers.

Maybe he doesn’t hate us after all. Donald Trump’s new Deputy US Commerce Secretary is a Chicago bike shop owner.

Safety improves in Boston as better signage and a dramatically increased bike lane network leads to an increase in ridership and a decrease in bicycling injuries.

Cambridge, Massachusetts considers a unique, peanut-shaped mini-roundabout complete with protected bike lanes to keep riders safe on a challenging seven-way intersection.

A trio of University of Connecticut instructors say the recent increase in traffic fatalities in the US is due to low gas prices and unemployment, not distracted driving. And that other developed countries rely on providing safer streets rather than expecting people to drive more safely.

A New York state appeals court rules it doesn’t matter whether a cop hit a bike rider with his police car or the other way around.

A New York man is stuck with the bill after someone stole his jacket, and used his Citi Bike key to steal a $1,200 bikeshare bike.

Safety experts often urge riders to wear hi-viz to improve visibility and avoid collisions. But it didn’t help a New Jersey store full of it.

A Louisiana sheriffs department is looking for donations to give 200 to 300 bicycles to kids that might not otherwise get a gift this year.

 

International

A Vancouver man was the victim of a bizarre reverse theft as someone broke into his truck to steal a bike lock, but left behind a nice mountain bike. And an umbrella.

If you build it, they will come. London’s cycling superhighways have seen up to 55% a jump in ridership, with one route carrying 26 riders per minute.

This is why you always wait until traffic stops before crossing at a red light. A British cyclist wisely waits as a bus driver speeds through the light.

Patriotic Brit cycling fans need to buy more lottery tickets.

An Aussie paper says bicycling is a vital part of Sidney’s transportation system, but it seems to have taken a wrong turn.

Chinese ebikes could face a European anti-dumping surcharge of up to 30%.

 

Finally…

Evidently, cyclists are considered a nuisance even if they never go anywhere. As if bike riders didn’t have enough to worry about, now turtles are out to get us.

And how exactly does one ride a bike in a suspicious manner?

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A special thanks to Wesley Reutimann, Felicia Garcia, Richard Neill, Mark Jones, and Plurabelle Books Ltd for their generous contributions to support this site during the BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities, Morning Links / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: Lankershim Great Streets Pop Up, Finish the Ride Holiday Challenge, and ebike with Nelson Vails

November 30, 2016 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: Lankershim Great Streets Pop Up, Finish the Ride Holiday Challenge, and ebike with Nelson Vails
It's the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive! Donate today to help keep SoCal's best source for bike news coming your way every day.

It’s Day 6 of the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive! Donate today, and help keep SoCal’s best source for bike news and advocacy coming your way every day.

Let’s start with a couple of upcoming events.

First up, this Saturday’s Lankershim Community Pop Up will demonstrate what the boulevard could be if it’s reimagined as a Complete Street — complete with protected bike lanes — as part of the city’s Great Streets program.

Lankershim was scheduled to have bike lanes installed several years ago, but the plans were halted by then-Councilmember Tom LaBonge as part of his successful campaign to keep LA streets dangerous. Now that he’s been termed out of office, there may be hope for progress on the dangerously auto-centric street.

The LACBC will be hosting a #RideLankershim community bike ride as part of the event.

lankershim-pop-up

And a week from Sunday, Finish the Ride will host a Ride, Run, Walk ‘n Roll + Cyclocross Holiday Challenge at Woodley Park in Van Nuys, in conjunction with SoCal Cross and SAFE.

dec-finish-the-ride

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Local

Shinola has opened their latest Los Angeles location in the Arts District in DTLA (scroll down).

Bella Thorne is one of us, as the 19-year old actress and singer rode the streets of LA in her hoodie and ripped jeans.

Bike SGV invites bike riders to join them in tomorrow’s Monrovia Holiday Parade.

CiclaValley says riding the Cogswell Dam trail offers the solitude of getting away without much hassle.

You’re invited to ride a pedal-assist ebike with 1984 LA Olympian Nelson Vails at Saturday’s Electric Bike Expo in Santa Monica.

 

State

San Diego cyclists will ride to the city’s December Nights celebration in Balboa Park Friday night to highlight bikes as transportation and a way to fight climate change. Meanwhile, the city is making the temporary Bicycle Advisory Committee permanent as part of the city’s Climate Action Plan.

A Corona bike rider was lucky to escape with minor injuries when his bicycle was clipped by a train as he walked it along the railroad tracks.

Pedego is opening a shop in Palm Springs.

San Luis Obispo’s Bike SLO County is working to help put low-income, homeless and at-risk children and adults back on bicycles; they’ve given refurbished bikes to 17 people so far.

 

National

Peer-to-peer bikeshare system Spinlister is starting a new program to help bike shops rent bicycles.

An Oregon woman rode solo on a 5,350 mile journey across the US by following Adventure Cycling’s northern tier route.

Houston plans to double the size of the city’s bikeshare system.

Chicago’s Divvy bikeshare system celebrates the season with a fully reflective, candy cane stripped bike.

Streetsblog Chicago calls it a waste of police resources to ticket bicyclists who cross the street during a leading pedestrian interval crosswalk signal.

A Detroit non-profit wants to spread bicycling to every neighborhood in the city, giving away hundreds of used bikes to make sure every kid can have a bicycle.

It takes a real jerk to steal a ghost bike for a fallen Kentucky rider.

Despite the mayor’s upbeat pronouncements, New York’s Vision Zero is headed in the wrong direction, as more pedestrians and bike riders have lost their lives in the two years the program has been in effect.

The NYPD has released a near-real time map tracking traffic collisions in the city, including crashes with bicyclists and pedestrians. Which is something Los Angeles can and should be doing as part of Vision Zero. Thanks to Opus the Poet for the heads-up.

Philadelphia women describe the harassment they experience working as bike messengers on the city’s streets.

 

International

A new study shows exercise really does lower your risk of death. Although bicycling drops your overall risk 15%, but oddly, doesn’t reduce the risk of cardiovascular death.

Bike Radar says you don’t need an expensive bike to enjoy mountain biking, but it helps.

British police are looking for the bike rider who collided with a 71-year old woman, who later died of her injuries; the rider did stop and provide assistance until the woman was airlifted for treatment, but left without providing his contact information. Yet another reminder to always ride carefully around pedestrians, especially the elderly. And yes, you need to provide your ID and insurance information, just like drivers do.

Caught on video: A Brit driver barrel rolls into a ditch after hitting a bike that fell off the roof rack of another car at 70 mph. Always make sure to mount your bike securely. And double check it before you hit the road.

Britain’s Prince Charles was one of us, reporting that he was lucky to survive being hit by a bus while riding his bike as a youth.

An Indian rider describes the experience of riding the country’s first cycle superhighway.

A UNICEF program has donated 150 bamboo bikes to help girls in Ghana stay in school by providing the means to get there.

Caught on video too: A road raging Australian cyclist boarded a Brisbane bus and repeatedly punched the driver in the face before getting back on his bike and riding away. Once again, no matter what the driver may have done, violence is not the answer; take down the time, location and number of the bus and file a formal complaint instead. Preferably with bike cam video to back it up.

An Aussie website examines the history of bikewear.

 

Finally…

If you’re going to scam someone out of a bike by dressing like fake cop and saying it’s stolen, at least make sure it’s worth stealing; no, this wasn’t him.

And if you’re going to sell your used bike, at least make sure the wheels face the right way.

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If you missed it yesterday, take a few minutes to read David Kooi’s insightful guest post explaining why you should support your local bike shop.

Category: Bike Events, Morning Links / Tags: , , , ,

Guest post: Looking for a Bike? Shop Local and Shop Small. You’ll Be Glad You Did.

November 29, 2016 / / One comment

Last week, I asked if any bike shop owners or employees wanted to explain why you should do business with your local bike shop this holiday season.

First to respond was Linda Coburn of Pedego 101 in Westlake Village, who explained the importance of buying your ebike locally.

Today we hear from David Kooi, owner of Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery in Woodland Hills, one of the city’s most popular shops for road and off-road riders alike.

Not to mention the shop that created one of the bike world’s most brilliant marketing efforts by partnering with the car dealership across the street to allow people to trade in their car for a new bicycle a few years ago.

………

By David Kooi

Are you looking for a bike? Here are some reasons why you should visit your local bike shop.

Personal Attention and Friendly Expert Advice

Choosing the right bike isn’t always easy. These days, there is a different bike for just about every type of riding and terrain. A good local bike shop is staffed with friendly, helpful experts. Go in and talk to them about the kind of riding you would like to do. They will help you make the right decision. Choosing the right bike will ensure that you’ll get the most from your purchase. If you pick the right bike, you’ll enjoy riding it. And, if you enjoy riding it, you’ll ride it more often. If you pick the wrong bike, it might languish, covered in dust, in your garage. And nobody wants that.

cute-kid-on-a-bike

Quality Products

The bikes you’ll find at your local specialty shop are usually better quality bikes than you’ll find online, at department stores, or at big box retailers. Why? Most of the best bike manufacturers only sell their bikes through local, independent shops. Why would they do that when they might be able to sell so many more bikes online or at Wal-Mart and Costco? It’s because they recognize the importance of dedicated specialty shops. They count on these shops to educate their customers on the value and features of their bikes. And they trust these shops to build, fit, and service those bikes properly and professionally.

A Professional Bike Build

When a bike arrives at a shop or at your local Target, it’s in a box full of parts. Some of it is partially assembled in a far-away factory, but it needs a good amount of work and fine-tuning to get it ready to ride. Whom do you trust to build your bike? At a good local bike shop, your bike will be assembled by an experienced professional mechanic and test-ridden for safety. When you go out for your first ride, you can be confident that the bike is safe.

Fitting

Bikes come in difference sizes. Then, within each size, the bike needs to be adjusted to the individual rider. If you buy the wrong size or don’t get a proper fit, you probably won’t be happy with your bike. When the bike is set up perfectly for you, you’ll be comfortable and happy – and you’ll ride it a lot more. And, if you’re a rider for whom speed matters, a properly fit bike will make you faster. When you buy your bike from a local shop, the bike fit is often included with the purchase of your bike. Further, if you need additional guidance on how to use the bike, most shops are happy to teach you about how to use the shifting, the brakes, and other essential features.

group-cruiser-ride

Maintenance

Bikes, much like cars, need maintenance. Some maintenance can be performed at home, like keeping the right amount of air in the tires, cleaning the bike, and lubing the chain. Your neighborhood shop can teach you how to do those things. More complex repairs and maintenance should be performed by experienced mechanics. A good local bike shop is home to such people. Furthermore, some amount of maintenance is typically included with your purchase when you buy from a local shop.

Accessories

When you get a new bike, you’ll likely need some other items to maximize your enjoyment of that bike. The friendly, knowledgeable experts at your local bike shop can help. The right pair of gloves can help with numb fingers. The right pair of shorts can literally save your butt. A good set of lights and a properly fitting helmet could save your life. A well-stocked flat/repair kit could save you from an Uber ride home. Or maybe you just want some flashy, fancy socks to match your new ride? Whatever you need, a good local bike shop will have the expertise and the selection to help you.

david-with-local-school-kids

Community

Your neighborhood shop is often a hub for the local cycling community. They can tell you about where to ride, about local events, and about local clubs and teams. They also might host clinics and classes about bike safety, bike handling, bike repair, and bike maintenance.

A good local bike shop also gives back to your community. At my shop, we work with local elementary schools to help get more kids on bikes. We teach local Boy Scout troops about bike safety. We donate bikes to the local Boys & Girls Club for kids in need. We sponsor a mountain bike team at a local high school. And we’re always looking for opportunities to do more. That’s how communities work.

boys-and-girls-club

You can also get to know the people who work at your local shop. Most employees are passionate about cycling and excited to talk about it with anyone. Employees don’t turn over at the same high rate as the big box retailers. You can get to you know them. They’ll recognize you when you come in the door. In these days of the Internet and Big Box domination, you might find it nice to have a small, welcoming place to go where everybody knows your name. And they’re always glad you came. At most shops, you are welcome to stop by and say hello and check out the newest gear – even when you don’t have any plans to buy anything new. Or, imagine you find yourself out riding and want to refill a water bottle. Someday, a drone sent by Amazon.com will fly up to you to refill it for you, but in the meantime, feel free to stop by a shop along your route.

SMMC staff Michael B., David Kooi, Mike P., and Patrick O.

SMMC staff Michael B., David Kooi, Mike P., and Patrick O.

A Vibrant Local Economy

Do you want to make a difference in the local economy and in the lives of your neighbors? When you spend $500 at a small local business, you change their day. You get noticed. You get remembered. When you shop local and shop small, your money matters. The money you spend helps to pay the rent. Your money keeps the lights on. Your money pays the salaries of people working there. Those people, in turn, use that money to shop locally and the cycle continues. They pay for tuition. They buy stuff for their kids. They go out to eat at local restaurants. Your money keeps storefronts occupied, keeps your streets and sidewalks clean, and helps sustain a vibrant community. When you shop local, you make a difference.

When you spend $500 at Target, Wal-Mart, or Amazon, you won’t move their quarterly earnings per share one tenth of one penny. You’re just a tiny part of a larger demographic.

Price

Don’t assume that you’ll get the better deal online. Give your local shop a chance. You might be surprised to discover that your local shop is competitive with online prices, especially when you factor in the value of the products they are selling and other services provided. And, in the end, maybe you’ll find yourself willing to spend a few extra bucks for the friendly, expert service, the quality products, and to contribute to your community and local economy.

storefront

About the Author

David Kooi is the owner of Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery in Woodland Hills, California.

Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery, 21526 Ventura Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA 91364

david@smmcyclery.com

818-456-4105

www.smmcyclery.com

www.yelp.com/biz/santa-monica-mountains-cyclery-woodland-hills

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If any other bike shop owners or employees want to weigh in on the subject, just email me at the address on the About page.

It's the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive! Donate today to help keep SoCal's best source for bike news coming your way every day.

Donate to the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive to help keep Southern California’s best source for bike news coming your way every day.

 

 

 

Category: Guest Columns, The business of bikes / Tags: , , , , ,

Morning Links: Where to give on Giving Tuesday, emus and rams on the attack, and how to annoy women cyclists

November 29, 2016 / / 2 comments
It's the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive! Donate today to help keep SoCal's best source for bike news coming your way every day.

It’s the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive! Donate today to help keep Southern California’s best source for bike news coming your way every day.

Be sure to come back later today, when we’ll have a great guest post from David Kooi of Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery in Woodland Hills.

………

Today is Giving Tuesday. If you’re looking for a good bike-related cause to support, here are a few suggestions.

The Milt Olin Foundation is raising $35,000 to fight distracted driving; the organization was founded by Louise Olin after her husband was killed by a sheriff’s deputy distracted by his onboard computer.

Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE) is a non-profit dedicated to improving street safety and ending hit-and-runs, led by Finish the Ride founder Damian Kevitt.

Richmond, CA’s Rich City Rides is raising $10,000 to help serve communities in San Francisco’s East Bay area. This is how they describe their mission: “We unite people with bicycles! By infusing high crime marginalized neighborhoods with social ride celebrations of life, unity and health we decrease violence and increase familiarity and humanity across cultures, ethnicities and communities.”

The California Bicycle Coalition, aka Calbike, works at the state level to fight for fairer treatment for bike riders, increased funding for bike projects, and changes in California law to better protect riders.

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition works to make LA and surrounding communities healthy, safe, and fun places to ride a bike through advocacy, education, and outreach. And a donation to the LACBC will enter you in a drawing to win a bicycle from Burbank-based Pure Cycles.

While they don’t seem to have donation pages online, the San Gabriel Valley’s Bike SGV and South LA’s East Side Riders both deserve support.

Note: I somehow forgot to include LA’s iconic CicLAvia, as well as World Bicycle Relief, an organization that works to end poverty by giving bicycles to students in Africa.

If we didn’t include your favorite bike organization or cause, be sure to mention it in the comments so others can see it.

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LA riders may have to deal with distracted, road raging drivers. But at least we don’t have to worry about charging emus.

Or head-butting mini rams, for that matter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f5RDV4DvQk

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This could be a look at LA’s future, as an 18-year old New Zealand man rides 15 miles on broken, rubble-strewn roads to get to safety after a 7.8 earthquake.

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Former pro Tyler Hamilton opens up about his painful doping past. Which of course has nothing to do with marketing his presumably dope-free training camps.

Doping spreads to the world of fixies, as a Columbian cyclist earned a lifetime ban by testing positive for EPO at the Milan Red Hook Crit. Evidently, he didn’t get the memo that the doping era is over.

Caught on video: Two Belgian cyclocross riders were disqualified when push came to shove. Literally.

Maybe they all could learn something from some balance bike racers. Credit Peter Flax with finding the video.

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Local

Metro has to fork up another $300 million for the contractor on the 405 Freeway boondoggle, raising the total cost for the failed widening project to $1.6 billion. Lets hope they learned something before dumping their new Measure M funds down the same auto-centric toilet.

The Westside’s Bikerowave co-op is hosting a bicycle swap meet on December 11th; members of the public are welcome to sell bike-related items.

No bias here. El Monte police conduct the first of ten planned Bike & Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operations by ticketing 41 bicyclists, 14 pedestrians — and just six drivers. Evidently, scofflaw motorists don’t pose much risk to others there.

Somehow this one passed under the radar, as Cudahy will host a ciclovía/open streets event from 11 am to 3 pm this Saturday.

The CSU Long Beach student newspaper looks at the national bike helmet safety campaign founded by Carmen Lofgren following the death of her son, CSULB alum Gary Lofgren two years ago.

 

State

Residents of San Diego’s exclusive beachside La Jolla neighborhood just say no to bikeshare, complaining about the unsightly advertising on the city’s DecoBike system, as well as a feared traffic nightmare if bikes were to besmirched their jewel-encrusted streets.

Yelp now considers bike parking in its reviews, while Cyclelicious observes that one upscale Silicon Valley mall offers free, secure bike lockers. Hopefully, that’s an idea that will spread down this way; I’d be much more comfortable riding my bike to shop if I didn’t have to field strip it to lock up and knew it would be there when I get back.

The Sacramento Bee says transportation advocates are cautiously optimistic about the prospects for active transportation under a Trump administration. Evidently, they haven’t been talking to the same advocates I have.

 

National

A writer for Car & Driver is just the latest to say he’s given up riding a bike out of fear of texting, talking and otherwise distracted cellphone-using drivers. Thanks to Opus the Poet for the heads-up.

Caught on video too: This is why you always lock your bike securely to your roof rack, as a Seattle bike thief needs just a few minutes to make off with one.

Good news from Colorado, as Olympian Mara Abbott gets her stolen bike back. And in better condition than when it was taken from her garage.

After a Kansas art professor and competitive cyclist was killed in a collision, her case was handled by a lawyer she had mentored as a young bike racer.

A Minnesota grad student partners with a professor to develop sensors that attach to your bike to tell you when a car is approaching.

Pittsburgh cyclists finally have the crash data they need to advocate for safety improvements.

New York releases stats on pedestrians and cyclists killed or injured on Gotham streets last month. Which is something Los Angeles has never done, if it even bothers to track that information in real time. And which Vision Zero will be meaningless without.

New York debates expanding the Citi Bike bikeshare system throughout the city.

Two Baltimore teens have been convicted of robbery and first degree assault in the stabbing death of a bike rider last January, but acquitted of murder charges, as their younger accomplice shoulders the blame.

 

International

Now that’s a fat bike. An Edmonton, Canada man builds a $1,700, customized four-tired bicycle designed to take him over 750 miles of ice and snow from the South Pole to the Antarctic coast.

A British bike site concludes that fake tans are just appearance doping.

Brit bike designer Isla Rowntree wants to convince parents to spend $350 on a high-performance kid’s bike, instead of dropping fifty to a hundred bucks on a kid-sized bicycle shaped object.

A kindhearted Scotsman buys a new bike for the “wee daughter” of a crossing guard after hers was stolen at a charity event.

Caught on video three: A Scottish paper is quick to blame a foul-mouthed bike rider who went off on a driver after being “beeped” at. It’s hard to blame the rider for crossing in front of the driver when the car had just rounded a curve which would have hidden it from view. On the other hand, even if you’re right, don’t be a damn jerk about it.

A TV show in the UK follows eight pseudo-celebs as they train for the 75-mile Etape du Tour.

The husband of an American cruise ship passenger killed while riding her bike in New Zealand says it was just an accident and no one was to blame. Although local riders were quick to blame the lack of safe streets.

An Aussie stunt rider gives a whole new meaning to riding the rails, while another freaks out a driver by skitching a bus.

Brisbane, Australia decides to remove unsafe safety rails from city bikeways.

A 13-year old New Zealand boy is riding the 1,000 mile length of the country’s North Island, accompanied by his mother, to raise funds for a new playground.

Taipei has revolutionized its cycling culture in just eight years, increasing bike ridership 30%, while the city’s bikeshare costs half the price of subway ride. Which is just the opposite of LA, where renting a Metro Bike costs up to twice as much as a train ride; if they really want it to succeed here and get people out of their cars, the cost has to come down.

 

Finally…

No, seriously. Why bother obeying traffic laws when you’re carrying meth, drug paraphernalia and stolen debit cards on your bike? Don’t blame your bike for a failed romance.

And how to annoy women cyclists.

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A special thanks to Todd Rowell for his generous contribution to support this site during the BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive.

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