If you commute in or around the Portland area, please check this out and consider volunteering. “Portland State University professor is looking for help to study the travel patterns of a particularly elusive creature: the urban bicyclist.” Can’t believe I scooped BikePortland on this one (although I haven’t searched back very far…) In other news:…
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Bike facilities at work
Where I work, we have secure, covered bike parking; lockers and showers (with shampoo and soap provided!). The employee shuttle buses all have bike racks on them. We’re also permitted to keep our bikes in the office (which I do). On job interviews, the first question I ask is “Can I ride my bike to…
Are you Fred?
Bobby asked what a Fred is. According to the Glossary of bike terms and slang, Fred can either be the poseur buying more bike and kit than he’s capable of utilizing; or he’s (and Fred is generally a “he”) the bearded utility cyclist with sandals, rack, pannier or milk crate and with jeans tucked into…
THE GUTS OF WANDERTEC
One of my resolutions for the New Year is to become much more revealing in the Wandertec Blog. My goal in this is to try to get to the guts of what happens here at Wandertec. I hope the readers of this Blog will find this perspective an interesting and revealing example of a start…
You Get What You Pay For
Let me start out by saying that I consider myself to be a fairly thrifty person. So it came as a surprise to me when my 1977 Yama 10-speed started developing issues last Spring, I shelled out for a pretty nice bike (Trek 7.5 disk – swapped out the 7.3 frame because I liked the…
Manzella Silk Weight Windstopper Gloves
Positives: Lightweight, comfortable, works as advertised (windproof, water resistant). Removable fleece liner lets you adjust the insulation depending on conditions. Excellent manual dexterity and feel lets you operate zippers, helmet buckles, lights and locks. Negatives: Missing cycling-specific features: no reinforced fabric on palm side, slick grip, no snot wiper, no padding. The Manzella Silk Weight…
Maniac or Moron?
Inspired by Kent, my second post to CBB is the introductory “About Me” post to establish my bona fides (or lack thereof). I think the ultimate conceit of any cycling blogger — especially one who writes about commuting — is that anybody actually pays attention to what passes for advice. I think many of us…
Random News
Harnessing the power of the internet to search out bike related news today and, okay, I’d not heard of Chlo Sevigny before I saw this picture on Urban Delicious’ post “Bike Lane on the Fashion Runway” but it was nice seeing a celeb out bike commuting. I do agree with the poster’s statement “Riding and…
No sweat bike commute
Greg LeMond famously quiped that cycling “never gets easier, you just go faster.” Rivendell’s Grant Petersen paraphrased LeMond in his bicycle commuting tips when he wrote, “Riding never gets easier, you just go faster, but the effort remains about the same.” I spent 15 years of my life with a faster bike commute. Each year,…
Wonder Woman
I personally don’t make new year’s resolutions because they’ve never really worked for me. I do, however, hope that some people have resolved to take up commuting by bike this year and hope they’ll stick with it. It’s a tough time of year to take up the challenge, what with plenty of cold winter weather…
Happy Holidays
On behalf of everyone at CBB… Happy Holidays!
Much Respect Due
Ok ok…I have way MORE respect for all you guys that commute in the bitter cold. This morning it got pretty cold here in Southern California, 35 degrees. Hey! That’s bitter cold for us! So I decided to go for a ride…BRRR! My ears, fingers and what ever else sticks out was about to fall…
Cycletote First Impression
I’ve been testing the Cycletote for a few weeks now and I have to say, so far so good. I haven’t experienced any problems with the test unit that we have. Here are some shots showing how stable the Cycletote is. It also demonstrates how well the linkage works. Even when I’m cornering, the Cycletote…
Suggestions, ideas sought for ALCo bicycle master plan
Here’s your chance to get involved if you live in the area… It’s one of the healthiest — and sometimes fastest — ways to commute around the area, and Alameda County officials are hoping to make it getting around unincorporated Alameda County on a bicycle a little bit better. The county’s public works agency will…
Kayak On A Bike
I find it amazing how handy the Xtracycle really is. I found this on a kayaking site.
How to tune a rear derailleur
Tuning derailleurs have always intimidated me. Everytime that I mess with them, I make it worse. So I turned to RL, our resident master wrench, for some advice. Here’s the basic procedure with illustrations. We used the Ibex Trophy with a Shimano Deore LX derailleur. Your bike maybe different but the same principle applies. First,…
Make Your Own Ski Bike
Dirt Rag Magazine came up with their own way of making a simple Ski Bike. Disclaimer: These are just guidelines for creating a snow toy. The ski bike is not even remotely safe to build, ride, or even stand next to. Many early versions of the ski bike failed miserably, and just because this one’s…
5 places to ride with extra caution
As I ride my bike to work, there are a few places that I ride with extra caution: 1. Near a School. Moms and Dads are always in a hurry to drop off/pickup their kids and drive away without really looking out for cyclists or cars. 2. Near a Bus. Specifically at Bus stops. Don’t…
Commuter Tips and Advice
Thanks to all those that left comments on how to make your commute better. Below is a list of all the of things people recommended for Newbie Commuters. These seasoned veterans have some great advice for the newbie as well as other veteran commuters. Enjoy! 1 Warren T If you’re going to be riding in…
What's Yer Pleasure?
The folks of CommuteByBike (CBB) are always striving to provide our readers some fresh new content everyday. In fact there’s a number of us that post on a daily basis and we make sure that the reviews are scheduled and published in a timely manner. So with all that said… What is it you like…
Montague Corporation's Paratrooper Review
Disclaimer: As a product reviewer for Commute By Bike, I am providing my unbiased opinion of any products provided to us by any company. I do not posses any type of relationship with the product’s company or parent companies. Companies that send in their goods to be reviewed do not compensate me any way. My…
Project FiXootr: Chaindrive and Handlebars
So, on Tuesday I got the rear wheel with fixed hub, and in all the excitement, I forgot to document the switch! Well, long story short, I put the tube and tire on the new wheel, removed the derailleur, shifter, rear brake and corresponding lever. So, this is what the chaindrive looks like now: and…
Kneesavers Preview
Knee pain is the biggest cause for me not to ride my bike to work or recreationally for that matter. As I was reading Recumbent & Tandem Rider Magazine, I saw an ad for Kneesavers. I visited their site to see what they are all about: Kneesavers are custom pedal extenders which are designed to…
Hoss Gear: Free Shipping
Hoss is in the spirit this Holiday season, so we’re offering you FREE SHIPPING (UPS Ground) on all orders during the whole month of December. That’s right, anything you order will be shipped UPS Ground, for free. You’ll want to order right away to get your Hoss gear before Christmas. While you’re there, be sure…