With gas prices soaring...
Monday, June 16, 2008

I feel like I've heard or read that phrase 200 times in the last few months as the media takes note of the recent rise in bike commuting. Articles from news sources around the country confirm that sales of bikes (particularly those well-suited for utility cycling), commuting accessories and maintenance are up. Even the Today Show gave 3 minutes to bike commuting a couple weeks ago.

The news coverage certainly can't hurt. Reporting about people adding utility cycling to their lives, whether to work or to the store, will serve to de-marginalize utility cycling. And the increase in ridership will do the same as motorists will be more likely to empathize with a cycling community that now includes their neighbor, co-worker, fellow parishoner or family member. This improved perception of cyclists and utility cycling can lead to a greater committment by governments to fund projects that support human-powered transportation options. We may very well be at the edge of a really wonderful positive feedback loop.

Here are a few references in case you've missed the buzz:

posted by Jack @ 1:00 PM, ,


What a pedestrian/bicycle bridge on the East Coast Greenway looks like
Sunday, June 15, 2008

On a recent trip, I came across this pedestrian/bicycle bridge on a northern section of the East Coast Greenway. As we in Durham consider the future of our own pedestrian/bicycle bridge over the Greenway (American Tobacco Trail Phase E), I figured it'd be relevant to snap a few photos.

This bridge goes over an entry ramp to US-1 which means its has far less traffic than the section of I-40 where the American Tobacco Trail will cross. The only thing I can tell you that isn't captured in the photos is that its pretty loud. I was surprised. If this small bridge is any indication of what the experience crossing the ATT Phase E bridge will be, I don't think we need to be building a bridge on which someone will want to meander or stop for a break. We'll want this to be a bridge the gets people from point A to point B safely and effectively and provides them pleasant areas on either side.

posted by Jack @ 9:30 AM, ,


Fixit - Fix your bike yourself
Tuesday, November 20, 2007

The Practical Pedal has launched a new section called "Fixit" with maintenance tips and info promised weekly. They've setup a few tags, including "General Maintenance" and "Pro Tips," so I expect to see a decent range of info here, and mention of accompanying video was made in the PP comments.

Chances are, a lot of the information on Fixit will be old hat to a lot of commuters and weekend warriors. But there are a lot of us who are still evolving our cycling lives. Having made the move to the bike as a mode of transportation, we're now ready to add a little self-sufficiency to the mix. The first article on chain maintenance is key for someone who is just starting to ride their bike enough the justify having their chain cleaned more than seasonally. And the current article, on derailleur adjustment, is exactly the kind of info I am looking for to start making some the tweaks that can smooth out the everyday ride.

Fixit is written with a friendly tone, focusing on important aspects of the fix and leaving the minutae to the various online forums (e.g. chain maintenance is important, but don't stress over the dizzying array of lubes available). There are, of course, already a lot of sites with bike maintenance info, but Fixit looks like it will be a good addition to your bookmarks and RSS feeds.

posted by Jack @ 12:21 PM, ,


ATT Pedestrian/Cyclist Bridge over I-40 - Your Feedback is Needed
Wednesday, November 14, 2007

There has been a lot of buzz within the local bike/pedestrian community about the American Tobacco Trail bridge over I-40. The first public meeting for the bridge project was held last night at City Hall and was a success. Organizers were hoping 60 people would attend, the city estimates the attendance was actually over 110. Bill Bussey of Triangle Rails-to-Trails was counting, but I haven't heard how accurate 110 is. And, to top it all off, the brownies were pretty good too.

There's an excellent summary at Bull City Rising, so I'm not going to spend time re-typing it. Tanner Lovelace made a comment at BCR that echoed my thoughts exactly. Architect/Engineer Steven Grover really seems to get it. He went to great lengths to illustrate that great bridges don't necessarily require a lot of money, nor do they need to be "flashy." They need to meet the aesthetic goals of the community, make sense in context, and function effectively.

But the degree to which form is measured against function is up to us. Grover re-iterated numerous times the importance of stakeholder feedback in designing this bridge. Quite simply, he's from California. He'll learn what he can about the area, but the project is best-served with copious, robust input from those of us who will actually be using the bridge. And, at a more practical level, this is an expensive project, we need to make sure its done right and he is committed to doing so. But, again, "right" is up to us. I'm linking to StevenGrover.com below where you can download a PDF of his portfolio.

The city handed out a survey last night, and it is also available online at the city's website. Please take the time to download and complete the survey and return it to Byron Brady in Public Works at the address on the bottom of the survey. Mr. Brady asks that the form be returned by Tuesday Nov 27, so fill it out over your long Thanksgiving weekend and drop it in the mail Monday the 26th.

posted by Jack @ 12:54 PM, ,


The bicycle is the most efficient vehicle
Sunday, November 4, 2007

I caught this post a couple weeks ago on TreeHugger. For me, this is a bit of preaching to the choir, I know, but I simply can't resist. The original post came from Transport & Mobility Leuven in Belgium. I don't know anything about them, so I have no idea how much credibility to attribute to them, but (again), this is a matter of faith for me. :-)
Did you know that the bicycle is the most energy efficient transportation mode? It is 3 times more efficient than walking, 5 times more efficient than using the train and 15 to 20 times more efficient than driving a car.

posted by Jack @ 9:02 PM, ,


Urban Velo Issue 4 Now Available
Wednesday, October 31, 2007

The November issue of "Urban Velo," the self-described "reflection of the cycling culture in current day cities," is now available. From their site:
Contents include: Goldsprints, Winter Survival Guide, I Love Riding in the City, The Rise & Fall of a Bike Shop That Never Was, Ghana, Residue, Bike Fit, Ignorance is Bliss, Starting a Local Advocacy Organization Part III and No Exit.
Download it at UrbanVelo.org.

posted by Jack @ 9:41 PM, ,


Happy Halloween

Most excellent pic from Phillip at Nicomachus.net.

posted by Jack @ 9:37 PM, ,


Cycle North Carolina, Fall 2007 Ride
Sunday, October 21, 2007

I finally got all of the pictures posted from Cycle North Carolina. I posted a handful of stories from Day 1, but trailed off after that. To be honest, as we hit the middle of the state, the terrain became a lot more familiar and felt a little less spectacular. Also, despite all the great folks we met along the way, there wasn't another Wild Woody's or Clifford O'Dell to be found. Most certainly, they're out there. They just didn't happen to appear on our path.

The trip had a lot of highlights in the 505 miles...
And, finally, here are the pictures...

posted by Jack @ 9:07 PM, ,


CNC posting delays
Sunday, October 14, 2007

Whilst out on my cross-state adventure, I found myself in and out of mobile coverage and, consequently, in and out of bloggability. And when I was "in," I was suitably behind in blogging and honestly, having so much fun just riding and hanging out, that I really wasn't motivated to keep up.

So, more CNC pics and stories coming soon, and normal blogging to resume immediately. Really.

Labels:

posted by Jack @ 7:19 AM, ,


CNC Day 1: Moonlighting
Monday, October 1, 2007


Its a Durham thing.

posted by Jack @ 10:03 PM, ,


CNC Day 1: Clifford O'Dell


I met Clifford O'Dell today. There's lots to say about Clifford, more than Flickr will let me write in one post. In our brief 15 minute chat, we covered evil people, junkyards, ground water and the high price of Chuck Norris video tapes. More when I get home...

posted by Jack @ 9:58 PM, ,


CNC Day 1: CNC rolls into Laurel Springs
Sunday, September 30, 2007


...and took the town by storm. I'm uploading pics of Wild Woodys General
Store and the antique shop across the street now.

posted by Jack @ 10:06 PM, ,