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I passed a bike the other day that put a new twist on frame protection/uglification. The rider wrapped the frame in paper and then covered the paper in packaging tape. The rest of the bike is still pretty so I’m guessing he was probably going for protection more than true uglification.

Filed Under: culture 

For years and years in New York City monthly Critical Mass rides were blissful events. The mass would ride throughout Manhattan and annoy a few for sure, but most pedestrians and drivers either seemed to support the event or at least not get all hot and bothered about it. Also, the police would often escort the mass and it was a veritable love fest.

The tide turned however when the Critical Mass ride coincided with the Republican National Convention in New York City and the proverbial caca hit the fan. Hundreds of cyclists were arrested and detained for “parading without a permit & disorderly conduct” and since then the city has been waging war against Critical Mass. It started with massive arrests and now the city has stopped arresting people, but issues tickets to cyclists on a massive scale each month.

Recent news from Atlanta is that the police are officially not happy with Critical Mass. The following description and video come from iReportBeta.

After many months of peaceful coexistence, Atlanta police decided to pursue and ticket the monthly Critical Mass bike ride. While other cities have had much more confrontational episodes between police and Critical Mass, Atlanta has usually been a very hospitable town for this loosely organized pro-bicycle demonstration. After an article about Critical Mass appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after last month’s ride, there was a sudden, visible shift in APD policy. A phalanx of police was waiting for the riders at Centennial Olympic Park and dogged them all the way through Midtown, Virginia-Highlands, Little Five Points, and the Old Fourth Ward for an hour. While things didn’t get particularly ugly between police and the Mass this time, the sudden interest of the law may mark the beginning of the end of a long-standing friendly (and peaceful) coexistence.

I’m not sure if it’s a coastal thing, but in NYC and Atlanta Critical Mass is controversial while in Bicycle City USA Critical Mass is anything but controversial. This from an article on BikePortland.org back in January:

Critical Mass — that enigmatic, fun, controversial, “defiant celebration” of bikes as traffic — has been all but missing from Portland’s bike scene lately.

The theories about its demise vary, but in the last year or so it seems to have lost its mojo here in “Bike City USA”.

Some folks say that Portland’s bike community has just moved beyond the need for such a ride, and that it ignites more anti-bike sentiments than its worth (both from car drivers and bikers). Others say it simply became a bore and an exercise in futility after the Portland Police instituted a very strict enforcement policy (there’s no “corking” allowed).

A friend once made fun of me for my interest in Critical Mass. He made a flippant remark saying something like, “You get all worked up about Critical Mass as if it were as important as the civil rights movement.” I actually responded and said that in a way, drawing attention to alternative transportation is just as important as civil rights. If global warming projections turn out to be true, the world as we know it for millions upon millions of people will be chaos.

I agree that following the law is important, but also agree that sometimes it takes bending the law to draw attention to issues. Critical Mass is one such example and I feel like law enforcement, if they want to become involved, can work positively with the movement to ensure peaceful and productive rides.

I also find it ironic that motor vehicles consistently break laws that Critical Mass rides are accused of and the police take no action at all what-so-ever. For example, cars often block intersections when gridlock ensues and I have not once seen a ticket written. How is this different than the act of corking? There are signs all over Manhattan stating that drivers who honk are subject to fines and yet I hear car horns hundreds of times per day and have not once seen a ticket written for this offense. Automobiles are on “parade” every day and never once have a heard of a car being impounded and the driver arrested for blocking an intersection.

Whether you are pro or con on Critical Mass or have an experience to share, sound off in comments

Filed Under: culture 

Andrew’s journey also included Japan and there is ample evidence of bike culture in the “Land of the Rising Sun.” I have always wanted to rock a one piece coverall but have yet to indulge. This guy rocks it well.

Nice to see some bike lane action.

When I see pictures like this one, I get a tear in my eye. I’m guessing you have like 100 bikes here that take up the exact amount of space as 8-10 cars might.

You have to admire someone with not one, but two child seats on their bike. That is some mad balance skill.

And finally you have pedestrians and cyclists taking over - that’s a sign I can get behind.

Filed Under: culture 

I am totally into recycling, but the idea of making a bicycle from cardboard seems a little . . . flimsy. Via Gizmodo comes news of a cardboard bike created across the pond:

Supporting anyone up to 168 pounds, the frame, which costs around $6 to make, is made from the cardboard used in industrial packaging, whilst the wheels and chain are standard bike issue, and will cost around $24.

I would like to suggest the creation of a bike from a common product that is recycled that might hold up to weather conditions a bit better - a bike made from a common item recycled in my household, beer cans. If someone believes strongly in my idea and needs help, I volunteer to assist in draining the contents of the cans.

Picture and Story Via Gizmodo

Filed Under: culture, green power 

With the rise of gas prices I have been waiting for large corporations to start jumping on the non-gas combustion based transportation bandwagon. I myself have never made a connection between Puma and the bicycle industry but they are backing the movement with a pretty dope web site they refer to as I-Cycle. The site states:

As a longtime supporter of, and innovator in, the bike community, PUMA is happy to present the I-Cycle Film Series produced by Daniel Leeb of Cinecyle Productions. This collection of short films is dedicated to exploring bike culture and its influencers.

The site features some videos and a photo gallery and it’s worth checking out. My only prior experience with Puma occurred sometime in junior high when I bought a pair of their kicks once, but I’ve rocked adidas for most of my life (partially because my wife worked for adidas for a number of years).

I also know that Puma was founded by the brother of the dude who founded adidas after the two got into some kind of fight. There is actually a book about it now called Sneaker Wars. I saw it on a recent trip through Union Station in D.C. and I’d like to read it sometime.

If anyone else associates bicycles with Puma in any way, I’d love some insight so feel free to comment. Also, if you’ve read the book, let us all know if you liked it. Regardless of Puma’s association with bikes I welcome them to the bandwagon!

Filed Under: culture 

I ran across this sweet looking custom lowrider in a random directory of bike-related images. I really wish I knew more about it. Anyone know?

Update: just found a hint

Filed Under: culture 

Here is something you don’t hear every day: a man runs into a bear while riding a bike - at 45 mph. It happened in Boulder, Colorado. The NBC news affiliate posted the story which you can read about or watch via video. Unfortunately the bear declined comment on the issue.

Do you have an encounter with wild life to share? As for me, I have had many close run ins with squirrels, but the only fatal encounter I have had, and this is no joke, was with a rat.

It was a dark night on a bike path in NYC and I came around a corner and noticed something out of the corner of my eye. The critter was committed and not scared by me, continued across my path and then I felt the “Thump, thump” of my front and rear tire riding over a decent sized rat. The death was instantaneous as it was apparent that the encounter broke the rat’s back. Life in the big city . . .

Filed Under: culture 

There is no doubt that the ability to stop is a key ingredient to safe riding. Last week a restaurant delivery cyclist pulled into traffic from between two parked cars (without looking) and I was immediately reminded that I need to tune my brakes. I did end up hitting him and without at least some semblance of brakes we both would have seen E.R. time for sure. With fully tuned brakes I just might have been able to stop in time.

Alex, AKA “The Bicycle Tutor” has appeared on our site before and now he brings you this great brake tutorial. Keep those brakes in shape!

Filed Under: maintenance, safety 

Today Bikehacks hit 100,000 page views! Thank you all for reading and please continue to send along stuff for us to post. Sharing is caring! I’m going to go on a celebratory bike ride now . . .

Filed Under: admin 

More pictures from Andrew’s trip to Asia to share. These are from Taiwan as well. First off is a rider with style you only wish you had. From head to foot, this lady is throwing down. The boots, the mask, the hand covers . . . we are talking the full package.

We have some signs like the one below in NYC too - signs that say “Cyclists Must Yield to Pedestrians.” I think there needs to be a huge asterisk with the statement, “Only applies to pedestrians who demonstrate common sense, do not congregate in packs and take up the whole path, don’t have both ears plugged with headphones blaring music, and who do not have one of those dog leashes that extends like 40 feet.”

And finally, just a nice traffic shot.

Filed Under: culture