The Archives
Gnar Lube / Gnar Swag
Nathan Friedman specializes in living the good life and making it look easy. Mountain biking all summer and skiing all winter, Nate is a rock star of the outdoor opportunities in the Southwest. To get some inspiration on living life to the fullest, check out his blog, Handlebar Sandwich. Commute by Bike‘s editor gave me…
Stu's BONGO Arch
In developing the Big and the Really Big Wandertec BONGOs, we decided to incorporate the rail system, a liner and a waterproof cover. The challenge for the cover was to come up with a simple, sturdy design that was easy to install and remove. One key element we were thinking through was how to keep…
Bike Parking: Salsa Fargo
Hey look! Someone is using our bike rack! Since Stu built this incredible bike rack, I think that I’ve only seen people lock up their bike to it 5 or 6 times. Perhaps its just so amazing that people are scared to scratch it. I think it just needs to get a little weather worn…
Dear Employees: PleaseCycle. Thank You.
For veteran cyclists looking for additional motivation to ride to work or for new commuters seeking assistance to get started, PleaseCycle offers solutions to these issues and beyond for London-based employers. The company, which launched its program this quarter, features an comprehensive online portal that allows employees to log miles, plan routes, and track both…
The Right Tool for the Right Job: Lone Peak RP-350 Basic Rack-Top Bag
To paraphrase John Wayne, “I see you talk the talk but do ride the ride?” Bob Caravona is an Urban Planner and an amateur triathlete who not only talks the talk, but also swims the swim, bikes the bike, and runs the run. He strives for local government to follow through with the same conviction….
Marty's Landscape Chores by Bike Trailer
Marty of The Jersey Pedaler sent in this photo of his Carry Freedom Y-Frame Trailer. If those ties had a pillow strapped to the front, it could make a decent headrest.
The Pedal Powered Talk Show
The Pedal Powered Talk Show
Commute by Bike's Holiday Gift Guide 2011
Are you looking for a stocking stuffer for a bike lover? Do you not dare buy a cycling accessory for someone who is very particular, or has an exotic bike? Do you want to instill the love of cycling into a young’un? Do you want to make this the most special holiday ever? We don’t…
Big BONGO Prototype Testing
If you follow this blog, you may have noticed that we are developing a new version of the Wandertec BONGO Trailer. I’ve posted a few images of the Really Big version of this new design. We are also doing a size that we are just calling Big for those who want a large around town…
Countering Cuddly Car Characters: Bike Names
I wasn’t a big fan of the Pixar movie Cars. No, it wasn’t because the movie wasn’t about bikes. It was that the underlying message was this: There is no problem in the world so big that a celebrity can’t fix it. The big problem in the movie was that the town of Radiator Springs,…
Sedona vs. Saddle Bag: Review of the Vaude Tool
This is a guest post from Pete Prebus. Pete runs Electric Bike Report and is enthusiastic about spreading the word about electric bikes because they have great potential to get more people on bikes and out of their cars. Are you looking for a saddle bag to store some extra gear (tools, small cargo, etc.) on your…
Tom's Bike Shuttle by Bike Trailer Solution
As a life-long cyclist, I have found many times that I’ve wanted or needed to carry one bike with another. The main reason I’ve needed to transport another bike is because I need to get the out of commission bike down to the bike shop. But there are all sorts of other logistical reasons where…
In Tokyo a bicycle is faster than a car: Useless information or instructive tale?
“In Tokyo, a bicycle is faster than a car for most trips of less than 50 minutes.” Thus saith the Internet. Many of us who live or have lived in congested cities will find this easy to believe. This “fact” was brought to my attention by Ray, a reader of Commute by Bike, who found…
Amy's Trailer-Cycle and Her Son's Big Smiles
With our Adam’s Trailer-Cycle Sale running through next Tuesday, I wanted to post this submission from a family who has been able to share the joys of cycling with their son who has Down syndrome We were so grateful to find your “trail-a-bike!” Our little boy has Down syndrome and at age 9 still does…
Winter Trail Commuting by Mountain Bike
Emily is an outdoorsy sort at heart who was raised in the north of England, where, unlike London, they’ve actually heard of a great outdoors! Nowadays she spends too much time in front of a computer doing this ‘earning a living’ thing. When she gets time she likes to hit the trails and escape the…
Christmas Shopping For Cyclists
I hope that you have a cyclist in your family that you get to do some Christmas shopping for. Chances are if you are reading this, that you are a cyclist, but I don’t know what the chances are that that means there is another cyclist close to you who you suspect might be excited…
Lazy amateur bike mechanics, this is for you: Feedback Work Stand
When it comes to bike maintenance, I come from the school of Turn The Bike Upside Down and Fumble With It. Also known as self taught. Any bike shop that would hire me as mechanic deserves to go out of business. Yet, I occasionally find myself being thought of as a bike repair go-to guy…
Pedal to Properties
Pedal to Properties
League Seeks Bicycle Friendly America Local Reviewers
To assist in its review of Bicycle Friendly Businesses, Bicycle Friendly Communities and Bicycle Friendly Universities, the League of American Bicyclists is seeking knowledgeable cyclists for its local reviewer database. The Bicycle Friendly America program, which includes categories ranging from small businesses to states and universities, recognizes the efforts of people and organizations dedicated to…
Four Things I Forgot about Winter Bike Commuting (In Eight Short Months)
Today I did my first official slippery-road, snow-coming-down, winter-is-here, denial-is-no-longer-an-option commute of the season. I’ve been thinking about winter commuting in the abstract; from a blogging point of view. I’ve been thinking, Yeah, yeah. Every other bike blog is going to do the obligatory series of posts on winter bike commuting; regurgitating the same how-to’s…
Bike Improvements in Chicago
Bike Improvements in Chicago
Steerer Tube Mounted Cygolite
I needed to mount a front bike light to the Urbana Current that I am currently testing for the JOYBAG project. The Bionx kit has a light built into the battery so I was all set there. The bracket for this front light was not designed to lock down on the narrow gauge handlebars. Surprisingly…
Geek my Fixie – Part 2: Green Guru Dutchy Pannier
Josh King lives in Seattle, where he commutes by bike every day, rain or shine. He switched to full-time single speed commuting in 2010. You can read his thoughts on going gearless at www.singlespeedseattle.com Not content with a boring black grocery-getting pannier, I’ve added the colorful Green Guru Dutchy Pannier. It’s made from recycled material,…
Ortlieb Plus Saddle Bag
What does one consider about a thing as inert as a seat bag when preparing to review it? Does the seat bag hold stuff securely and with minimal rattling or damage? Does the seat bag stay on the bike and not fall off without warning? Does the seat bag mount to the bike in a…