Bike to Work Day, May 9, 2019.

Yesterday I stopped at four "Energizer Stations." One at Apple's
Infinite Loop campus, one at Apple's Apple Park Visitor Center, one at
Kaiser Hospital, and one that our City sponsored.

Apple had the best food and swag. Some Park patch kits, a Park
multi-tool, some other brand of Multi-tool, small lights, and a lot of
food and drinks. Kaiser just had some Clif Bars and coffee. Our City
provided blueberry coffee cake and one of our Bicycle-Pedestrian
Commission members from Austria provided some sort hot berry punch, I
think it's called Kinderpunsch because there's no alcohol in this version.

My wife works near Intel, and Intel had someone on the Multi-Use Trail
that goes by their headquarters directing cyclists over to their station
where they had hot breakfast.

At our City's Energizer Station, one woman, apparently a well known
racer, stopped by. She was decked out in her sponsor's attire, all color
coordinated shoes, helmet, jersey, and handlebar tape.

At the Apple Visitor Center, one family had their Yuba Cargo Bike (with
enormous panniers that would be big enough to carry a small child), a
Faraday Electric bike, and kids on their own regular bikes.

Had some good conversations with cyclists from my city and neighboring
cities regarding the type of bicycle infrastructure that they'd like to see.

On 5/10/2019 10:44 AM, sms wrote:


Had some good conversations with cyclists from my city and neighboring
cities regarding the type of bicycle infrastructure that they'd like to
see.

I talked to a little girl who would like to have a flying unicorn.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On Friday, May 10, 2019 at 7:45:12 AM UTC-7, sms wrote:
Yesterday I stopped at four "Energizer Stations." One at Apple's
Infinite Loop campus, one at Apple's Apple Park Visitor Center, one at
Kaiser Hospital, and one that our City sponsored.

Apple had the best food and swag. Some Park patch kits, a Park
multi-tool, some other brand of Multi-tool, small lights, and a lot of
food and drinks. Kaiser just had some Clif Bars and coffee. Our City
provided blueberry coffee cake and one of our Bicycle-Pedestrian
Commission members from Austria provided some sort hot berry punch, I
think it's called Kinderpunsch because there's no alcohol in this version..

My wife works near Intel, and Intel had someone on the Multi-Use Trail
that goes by their headquarters directing cyclists over to their station
where they had hot breakfast.

At our City's Energizer Station, one woman, apparently a well known
racer, stopped by. She was decked out in her sponsor's attire, all color
coordinated shoes, helmet, jersey, and handlebar tape.

At the Apple Visitor Center, one family had their Yuba Cargo Bike (with
enormous panniers that would be big enough to carry a small child), a
Faraday Electric bike, and kids on their own regular bikes.

Had some good conversations with cyclists from my city and neighboring
cities regarding the type of bicycle infrastructure that they'd like to see.

I have no expectation of receiving swag when I ride to work every morning. But if its on the table, I want a pony! It doesn't even need to be a unicorn.

BTW, cargo bikes are interesting until you get stuck in a herd of them or accosted by the motorized ones. I got stuck in the middle of this dopey competition: https://www.bicycling.com/news/a2004...r-escape-tool/ It's what people do in Portland when there is no zombie apocalypse preparedness drill.

The cargo bike novelty has apparently worn off in Portland: https://bikeportland.org/2018/05/20/...1-years-281763

-- Jay Beattie.

On 5/11/2019 10:51 AM, jbeattie wrote:


The cargo bike novelty has apparently worn off in Portland: https://bikeportland.org/2018/05/20/...1-years-281763

Fashion is weird and powerful. And usually, temporary.

I sometimes tow a small trailer with my bike. When the trailer's
disconnected, my bike rides as normal. (Well, for a Bike Friday, that
is.) I think that makes a lot more sense than a dedicated cargo bike in
most cases.

Come to think of it, I use the same strategy with our compact car and a
utility trailer, instead of buying a pickup truck.


--
- Frank Krygowski

On Friday, May 10, 2019 at 11:57:30 AM UTC-4, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 5/10/2019 10:44 AM, sms wrote:


Had some good conversations with cyclists from my city and neighboring
cities regarding the type of bicycle infrastructure that they'd like to
see.

I talked to a little girl who would like to have a flying unicorn.

--
- Frank Krygowski

I remember years ago reading a book about safe bicycling. I think it was the late 1970s early 1980s although the book might have been older. I do NOT remember either the tile nor the author. What I do remember was the part about lane positioning. the book state to ride to the left of the curb (North America) in such a manner that when looking down at the handlebar the right edge of the handlebar appeared to be at the edge of the curb. This was for drop bar bicycles.

I also remember MANY books that in regard to bicycle fitting quoted the KNOPS method of fitting plus the front axle should be hidden by the handlebar when seated on the bicycle.

It seems that just because something is in a book doesn't mean that it's accurate, safe or even legal in some areas.

Cheers

On Sat, 11 May 2019 09:37:29 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

On Friday, May 10, 2019 at 11:57:30 AM UTC-4, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 5/10/2019 10:44 AM, sms wrote:


Had some good conversations with cyclists from my city and neighboring
cities regarding the type of bicycle infrastructure that they'd like to
see.

I talked to a little girl who would like to have a flying unicorn.

--
- Frank Krygowski

I remember years ago reading a book about safe bicycling. I think it was the late 1970s early 1980s although the book might have been older. I do NOT remember either the tile nor the author. What I do remember was the part about lane positioning. the book state to ride to the left of the curb (North America) in such a manner that when looking down at the handlebar the right edge of the handlebar appeared to be at the edge of the curb. This was for drop bar bicycles.

I also remember MANY books that in regard to bicycle fitting quoted the KNOPS method of fitting plus the front axle should be hidden by the handlebar when seated on the bicycle.

Wasn't that, that the handle bar should block out the view of the
front hub when one was "in the drops"? I seem to remember that as a
standard in bike magazines of that period.

But the one I always thought was the best advise was that should
always wear a "tee shirt" under one's jersey so that in the event of a
crash while the jersey might snag on the ground the Tee shirt would
allow the jersey to move against the tee shirt rather than abrading
the skin.( Somewhat like the new, improved, and thus more expensive
helmets :-)

It seems that just because something is in a book doesn't mean that it's accurate, safe or even legal in some areas.

Cheers
--
cheers,

John B.

On Sat, 11 May 2019 12:03:28 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

I sometimes tow a small trailer with my bike. When the trailer's
disconnected, my bike rides as normal. (Well, for a Bike Friday, that
is.) I think that makes a lot more sense than a dedicated cargo bike in
most cases.

I saw my first cargo bike on my way home from the farmers' markets
today. I tried to catch up to it for a better look, but he turned off
and when I passed the driveway it was no longer in sight.

I had the impression that the rider lived there, so I may see it
again.

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at comcast dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/

On 5/11/2019 7:51 AM, jbeattie wrote:

snip

I have no expectation of receiving swag when I ride to work every morning. But if its on the table, I want a pony! It doesn't even need to be a unicorn.

You need permission from your wife before you can get a pony.

While bike to work day is a cute idea, the idea that it's necessary to
have "Energizer Stations" set up in order to be able to ride ten miles
to work may be sending the wrong message.

On Sunday, May 12, 2019 at 6:19:16 AM UTC-7, sms wrote:
On 5/11/2019 7:51 AM, jbeattie wrote:

snip

I have no expectation of receiving swag when I ride to work every morning. But if its on the table, I want a pony! It doesn't even need to be a unicorn.

You need permission from your wife before you can get a pony.

While bike to work day is a cute idea, the idea that it's necessary to
have "Energizer Stations" set up in order to be able to ride ten miles
to work may be sending the wrong message.

Well, oil prices are poised to skyrocket -- and California gas prices are high already. So, the MUPs should get busier soon enough. Plus its summer-ish weather. "Bike to work day" should be on the worst day of the year in the SCV -- when it dips below 60F and there are like six clouds in the sky. People will have to suffer for their energy drinks.

When I lived down there and raced on the SJBC, I rode many miles with a friend and teammate from Portland/Vancouver. He'd step outside his apartment and look at the sky and say "another nice day." I didn't understand what he was getting at until I moved up here. With that said, the weather here has been spectacular -- warm, blue skies, everything in bloom (lousy for allergy sufferers). The amazing thing is that you still see people in rain jackets. WTF? A bunch of pessimists.

-- Jay Beattie.

On 5/13/2019 6:59 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Sunday, May 12, 2019 at 6:19:16 AM UTC-7, sms wrote:
On 5/11/2019 7:51 AM, jbeattie wrote:

snip

I have no expectation of receiving swag when I ride to work every morning. But if its on the table, I want a pony! It doesn't even need to be a unicorn.

You need permission from your wife before you can get a pony.

While bike to work day is a cute idea, the idea that it's necessary to
have "Energizer Stations" set up in order to be able to ride ten miles
to work may be sending the wrong message.

Well, oil prices are poised to skyrocket -- and California gas prices are high already. So, the MUPs should get busier soon enough. Plus its summer-ish weather. "Bike to work day" should be on the worst day of the year in the SCV -- when it dips below 60F and there are like six clouds in the sky. People will have to suffer for their energy drinks.

When I lived down there and raced on the SJBC, I rode many miles with a friend and teammate from Portland/Vancouver. He'd step outside his apartment and look at the sky and say "another nice day." I didn't understand what he was getting at until I moved up here.

One cycling friend of mine (a Civil Engineer) worked mostly outdoors in
Idaho for a few years. He told me "I got really tired of looking at
clear blue skies."

He moved back to Northeast Ohio and it's comforting gloomy skies.

--
- Frank Krygowski