The San Francisco
Bicycle Handbook
The San Francisco
Bicycle Handbook
Table of Contents
1
2
3
Globe Cycling Culture
Cycling in S.F.
Myths, Facts and Tips
5
Culture
17
Local Culture
49
Myths and Facts
10
Lifestyle
28
Street
54
Tips
12
Cities
40
People
Cyclists are hardly a monolithic subculture — more like a collection of finely divided sub-subcultures, each with its own uniform, lingo and attitude toward the bicycle’s place in the urban landscape.
Globe Cycling Culture “Life is like riding a bicycle: you don't fall off unless you stop pedaling.” — Claude Pepper
Cycling Culture consists of
Life Style
Art Bicycles
Events
Brands
Music
Film
Literature
Politic
Globe Cycling Culture
5
History of Bicycle
Draisienne (1817)
1817: Germany’s Baron von Drais invents the Draisienne, the progenitor of the bicycle. Made of wood, it had a seat and handle bars, but no pedals. Riders propelled the hobby horse (as it was also called) by paddling their feet on the ground.
1940s: Built-in kickstands are developed. They appear on postwar bikes. European bike racers begin using derailleurs that gave them five speeds, and later 10, for climbing mountains.
Continental Club (1944)
Michaux Velocipede (1863)
1863: Pierre Michaux of Paris develops the Michaux Velocipede, which features pedals and cranks on the front wheel. The Velocipede becomes the world’s first mass-produced riding machine. The “boneshaker,” as it was also known, for its rough ride, remained popular until about 1870.
1890s: Mass production of reasonably-priced bicycles allows working men to use them for transportation and leisure. Daring young women see the bicycle as a ticket to freedom. Bloomers allowed women wearing skirts to ride while maintaining their modesty. This led suffragist Susan B. Anthony to declare that the bicycle “has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.”
Domestic Safety Bicycle (1892)
Ariel (1870)
1870: Englishman James Starley creates the Ordinary bicycle, which has a dramatically large front wheel and a small rear wheel. This allows riders to go farther with each revolution of the pedals. The bike required lots of skill and practice to ride. It was also known as the penny-farthing, because the wheels looked like a large English penny and farthing placed next to each other.
1884: Englishman H.J. Larson designs the first chaindriven bike, which he named the Safety. His bike had medium-sized wheels of equal diameter. It was also more stable and easier to stop than the Ordinary. But Larson’s bike never caught on.
Rover (1885)
Globe Cycling Culture
7
“If I can bicycle, I bicycle.” — Sir David Attenborough
Bike Ninja: This is the guy who sneaks up on you at night because he has not one iota of reflective gear and his bike is void of lights and reflectors.
Cycling as a Subculture
In some countries, where transportation infrastructure is focused on automobiles, people who ride bicycles may do so as an ethical and emotional choice, and an active cycling subculture has developed. Examples of countries where this is the case are the USA, Canada, and Australia. Bike culture is regarded as a social movement, a subculture in many areas, celebrating cycling as a choice, and advocating an increase in bicycle usage in the population. Bike subculture is a loose collection of magazines, fashion trends, websites, art, music, and community events offered by passionate bicyclists. Often these are attempts to inspire beginners, rally the faithful, and express their love of bicycling as a life choice. Those who have made bicycling a lifestyle choice, not a mere recreational habit, often see bicycling as a movement they want to help grow to stop pollution, and build local communities. There are several paths people use to convince others to try biking: Practical improvements, Logic and Facts, and “Bike Culture”.
bicycling: “I don’t feel safe”, “my tires are flat”, “what if my bike gets stolen?” Bike Culture contributors use their efforts to access the emotions that are at the heart of decision-making. Recognizing that bicycling for transportation represents a significant departure from a more established automobile-centered lifestyle, and therefore requires a strong emotional basis, Bike Culture artists, musicians, and organizers seeks to use their offerings and events to embolden these emotions, and encourage people to use bicycles as a transportation choice. Through music, art, and shared group experiences such as rides and events, bike culture aims to hit the emotions that can bring us the point of making changes in peoples daily habits and lives.
Practical improvements include measures at the level of local government, such as bike lanes, improved parking facilities, and access to public transportation. Improvements in products that improve the bicycling experience, such as flat-resistant tires and simple, effective safety products also help encourage people to cycle. These techniques help address the common objections to
Globe Cycling Culture
9
The Cyclists’ Lifestyle
Two questions immediately suggest themselves: What is a cyclist? Do cyclists have a common lifestyle? Research articles and statistical reports avoid “cyclist,” perhaps to prevent confusion with motorcyclists, using “bicyclist” or “pedalcyclist” instead. Newspapers, on the other hand, use “cyclist” to describe anyone riding a bike. History can help, as the first recorded use of “cyclist” (in 1881) was as the name of a magazine for bicycle enthusiasts. Therefore, in my opinion, “cyclist” is most accurately used to describe people who are committed to bicycling. Two other terms are frequently used: “biker” is commonly used by non-cyclists, and “bike people,” around since the early 70’s, is used by cyclists who wish to emphasize the bicycling lifestyle or culture. There are important characteristics that cyclists, most always share: a love of adventure, a strong whiff of selfsufficiency, a strong desire for good healthy exercise, a love of Nature and the outdoors, and tendencies to waste less; pay less attention to money; not worry about impressing others; and seek the pleasures of life.
Cyclists take a break at the lawn.
Globe Cycling Culture
11
Top 9 Bike-Friendly Cities
U.S.A
San Francisco Davis,
Portland
Boulder
USA RATED #8
USA RATED #5
USA RATED #2
USA RATED #4
Have large bicycle culture with some political influence.
Extensive network of bike lanes, and grade-separated bicycle crossing.
Varied bicycle network that connects all parts of the city.
Great public programs that helps promote and encourage safe biking.
POP: 533,000
POP: 101,500
POP: 744,000
POP: 65,000
Reflecto Man: This is the rider who is covered head to toe in reflective gear.
EUROPE
Amsterdam Sandnes
Trondheim
Copenhagen Berlin
NETHERLANDS RATED #1
NORWAY RATED #6
NORWAY RATED #7
DENMARK RATED #3
GERMANY RATED #9
40% of all traffic moves by bicycle.
The best facilities for cyclists in Norway.
POP: 750,000
POP: 6,000
An environmentally friendly city that promotes cycling.
Home to the world’s most successful community bicycle program.
POP: 161,730
POP: 1,800,000
Designated street lanes, independent bike paths, traffic signals, bike maps.
POP: 3,400,000
Globe Cycling Culture
13
“The Government must help eliminate cars so that bikes can eliminate government.” — Dutch advocacy slogan
Amsterdam is the most bike-friendly city in the world.
Doored: As in what happens to a person riding a bicycle along a vehicle-lined street when a car door opens unexpectedly in front of them and they crash into it.
Bicycle and City
The bicycle even helped to shape cities, primarily through the activities of cycling clubs and the Good Roads movement, which was founded in 1880 by the League of American Wheelmen, originally a cyclists’ lobbying group that is still active today. US roads at that time were generally dirt or mud tracks and, even in cities, poorly maintained. American cyclists pointed out the superiority of European roads, for both cycling and general travel, and over the three or four decades of the movement’s formal existence, succeeded in establishing the principle that good roads were part and parcel of a town’s, city’s, or state’s public responsibility.
ance of cycling as transportation: where in Portland at the time of this writing a mere 6% of daily travel occurs on bicycles, in Amsterdam it’s over 40%; in Copenhagen, as we mentioned before, 36%; in Trondheim, 18%; and in Berlin (the European laggard) 12%--still double that of America’s star city of Portland. In short, the bicycle and the city are made for each other, and the bicycle has shaped, and is still shaping, the modern city, as much as the need of city dwellers to get about has driven the development of the bicycle for most of its history.
Ironically, it was thus cyclists who literally paved the way for the automobile that arrived on the scene around 1900, and which has usurped so much of public space in our cities since, to the detriment not only of cycling, but all public life. Most of bike-friendly cities provide not only verbal encouragement of bicycle use, but actually have funded infrastructure--be it bike paths, bike lanes, superior bicycle parking, or improved bike access to public transportation--to make bicycling more convenient, and to emphasize the rights of bicyclists to the public roadspace. Despite the inclusion of US cities on the list, the Europeans still surpass Americans in their day-to-day accept-
Globe Cycling Culture
15
San Francisco is the second most densely populated city in the U.S, so a core bicycle system is key here and it also is consistently ranked by Bicycle Magazine as a top city for cycling. Bicycling is a popular way to transport in San Francisco.
Cycling in S.F. “By painting streets, installing bicycle racks and changing policies, San Francisco is making bicycling convenient.” — Mayor Edwin Lee
Cycling Culture Only in S.F. Bicycle Clubs Recreational bicycle clubs located in San Francisco include Mission Cycling, SF Fixed, Different Spokes, Velo Girls, Aids Lifecycle, and Team in Training. These groups normally post ride calendars on their webpages and are open to cyclists of varying skill levels.
Bike to Work Day San Francisco’s Bike to Work Day, held in May of each year, aims to encourage commuters to try bicycling as a healthy alternative means of getting to work by organizing groups of cyclists to ride together starting from various neighborhoods, matching new bicycle commuters with more experienced “Bike Buddies”, and providing free snacks and coffee at “Energizer Stations” along the busiest routes. Bike to Work Day raises awareness of cycling as a form of transportation, as bicycle have far outnumbered automobiles on the main commercial street, Market Street, during commuting hours on Bike to Work Day.
Winterfest Winterfest, held in December of each year, is the San Francisco Bicycle Coaltion’s main fundraising event. This “festive evening to celebrate the love of riding a bike” is attended by SFBC members, bicycle industry leaders, local business supporters, local artists, and politicians. In 2010, it was attended by over 1,000 people and raised $80,000 for the SFBC’s advocacy efforts.
Sunday Streets Introduced in 2008, Sunday Streets aims to promote public health and community participation by closing a series of streets on automobile traffic on selected Sundays throughout the year. The events allow residents to bicycle, skate, run, walk, do yoga, or just peoplewatch in public spaces normally devoted to automobiles.
Tour de Fat Tour de Fat is a one-day bicycle parade and festival sponsored by the New Belgium Brewing Company and takes place each summer in Golden Gate Park. It features live music and circus and vaudeville-type acts. Profits from beer sales at the event are donated to the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. The event is not unique to San Francisco, but in 2010 also took place in Chicago, Milwaukee, Seattle, Portland, Boise, Fort Collins, Denver, San Diego, Tempe, Los Angeles, and Austin
Bike Kitchen The Bike Kitchen is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit do-it-yourself bicycle shop located at 650H Florida Street in the Mission neighborhood. Its mission is to “teach people of all ages and backgrounds how to repair bicycles.” Member pay a day-use fee, annual membership fee, or volunteer to gain access to the Bike Kitchen’s tools, parts, and volunteer mechanics.
Cycling in S.F.
19
History of San Francisco bicycling culture
The 1848 California Gold Rush transformed San Francisco from a small isolated town to the richest and most populous city on the West Coast within a single year. The city is situated on a roughly seven-by-seven mile square tip of the San Francisco Peninsula. Having little land upon which to develop, and laying out most of its streets and buildings in the pre-automobile era, San Francisco is now the second-most densely populated large city in the United States after New York City. The city’s compact neighborhoods result in short trip distances for work, shopping, and recreation, which can be conveniently made by bicycle.
An expansion of existing bicycle infrastructure occurred as a result of the 1997 Bicycle Plan. Many miles of bike lanes were striped, hundreds of bike parking racks were installed, and educational programs were expanded. An update to the 1997 Bicycle Plan began in 2002 and was finished in 2005, although implementation of the plan was delayed until 2009 due to a lawsuit.
San Francisco’s Transit First policy, adopted in 1973, identifies transit, bicyclists and pedestrians as the city’s top transportation priorities. It states that “Travel by public transit, by bicycle, and on foot must be an attractive alternative to travel by private automobile”, “Decisions regarding the use of limited public street and sidewalk space shall encourage the use of public rights of way by pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transit”, and “Bicycling shall be promoted by encouraging safe streets for riding, convenient access to transit, bicycle lanes, and secure bicycle parking.” A wide variety of city policies, neighborhood plans, and specific development plans have promoted these goals.
Fire Fighter: This is the rider who wants everyone to know she/he is coming. This rider will approach a group of pedestrians taking up the path and will ring a bike bell so quickly in rapid fire fashion that it sounds like an old school rapid fire bell.
S.F. Citywide Bicycle Counts 8,441
8,731
7,884 NON-DOWNTOWN
6,334
DOWNTOWN
5,500
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010 Cycling in S.F.
21
Bikes of San Francisco
Presidio of San Francisco
Richmond District Golden Gate Park
Sunset District
Twin Peaks
Lake Merced Ingleside
Fisherman’s Wharf
Marina
Russian Hill Nob Hill
Pacific Heights
Downtown
South of Market
Haight
Mission District
Castro Noe Valley
Bernal Heights
Hunter’s Point
Excelsior Cycling in S.F.
23 25
Things You Should Know If You Want to Cycle in SF San Francisco Bike Coalition (SFBC) Critical Mass With over 12,000 members, The San Francisco Bike Coalition(SFBC) is the largest city-based bike organization in the U.S. This well-organized group focuses on promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation through advocacy and education. Its newsletter (Tube Times) and its website offer information on cycling laws, news, tips, events, and more. The SFBC started advocating for a more bike friendly San Francisco in 1971. Its early successes included bike lanes on Upper Market Street and bike access to both the Golden Gate Bridge and BART. Today, the city has many more bike lanes (such as those on Valencia Street) and bike amenities (such as bike parking) and much of the bike lane on Market Street is now physically separated from cars.
SFBC at “Bike to Work Day” in San Francisco City Hall.
In 1992, a group of cyclists in San Francisco initiated a last-Friday-of-the-month after-work bike ride that became known as Critical Mass. This “festive reclaiming of space” and celebration of the bicycle was part party and part politics, showing motorists, government, and citizens that city streets were not only for cars. Throughout the years, Critical Mass has become an international phenomenon that now takes place in at least 300 other cities around the world.
Critical Mass in San Francisco.
Crop Duster: A motor vehicle that leaves huge clouds of exhaust, making you feel like you an insect as you ride in the cloud.
SFMTA Bike Program San Francisco’s city government is also pro-bike, as it sees bicycling as a great way to curb greenhouse gases and solve some of the city’s transportation challenges. Since 1973, San Francisco has had a “Transit First” policy in its City Charter that states, “Travel by public transit, by bicycle, and on foot must be an attractive alternative to travel by private automobile.” Toward that end, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has a Bicycle Program that aims to improve and promote bicycling in the city as a viable transportation option. In 2009, SFMTA unveiled The San Francisco Bike Plan, a document that lists goals and objectives towards making bicycling in San Francisco safer and more attractive. A pro-cycling attitude is even represented on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. David Chiu, its current president, does not even own a car – he gets around SF by electric bike. After a recent fact-finding trip to bicycle friendly Amsterdam, Supervisor Chiu proposed a resolution that the city aim to have 20% of all trips made by bicycle by the year 2020.
The SFMTA paint crew was painting the first green bike lane in California.
Cycling in S.F.
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Bikes on Transit Bicycles are allowed on all Bay Area ferries and nearly all rail lines. Exceptions are San Francisco Muni Metro, historic streetcars and cable cars. Nearly all Bay Area public transit buses are equipped with bicycle racks. Exceptions are a number of San Francisco Muni bus routes, AC Transit small bus vans and certain routes of other transit operators.
A MUNI bus carried a bicycle in San Francisco.
Calvin Klein: A rider wearing a t-shirt that flaps in the breeze, exposing his or her choice of underwear. Calvin Klein seems to be the most common although Jockey, Hanes, and GAP brands are also well represented.
511.org Bicycling Map San Francisco is a special because there are so many hills in this city. It also fulls of one-way streets. It will be better to plan you router before you go out to cycling. The bikemap is must have thing to all bicyclists. Now, SFMAT have a nice bicycling map website online, try it and you will find plan a router is so easy.
The 511.org bicycling map website
Cycling in S.F.
27
The
Street
San Francisco Cycling Gallery
Cycling in S.F.
29
San Francisco Tweed Ride The Tweed Run is a group bicycle ride through the centre of London, in which the cyclists are expected to dress in traditional British cycling attire, particularly tweed plus four suits. Any bicycle is acceptable on the Tweed Run, but classic vintage bicycles are encouraged. Some effort to recreate the spirit of a bygone era is always appreciated.
Cycling in S.F.
31
San Francisco Sunday Street Sunday Streets is a series of events put on by the City of San Francisco to encourage health, community and fun, inspired by similar events in cities throughout the world. The Sunday Streets event creates a large, temporary, public space by closing off stretches of a neighborhood’s streets to automobile traffic, and opening them to pedestrians, Bikers, and activities for several hours on a predetermined Sunday.
Cycling in S.F.
33
San Francisco BMF The mission of the BMF (Bicycle Music Festival) is to promote sustainable culture in general and bicycle culture in particular, by physically engaging and immersing our community in the magic of bike culture, and cultivating and nurturing a network of local sustainable musicians, through our staging of free, community participatory, bicyclebased music events.
Cycling in S.F.
35
San Francisco Critical Mass Critical Mass is a monthly mass bicycle ride that takes place on the last Friday of each month. It was started here in San Francisco in 1992 by cyclists who wanted to increase the visibility of bicyclists and reclaim public space by making social use of the streets on a regular basis.
Cycling in S.F.
37
San Francisco Fixed Gear Bike A fixed-gear bike is a thoroughbred racing machine, the bicycle messenger’s workhorse and, for many street riders an aesthetic choice. Each bike is a statement of individuality that stands out from the hundreds of grey hybrids lined up at the traffic lights. A global fixed-gear culture has come into being.
Cycling in S.F.
39
The
People
San Francisco Cyclists’ Story
The “Bike Kitchen”
The Bike Kitchen is a non-profit organization runs by volunteers. They provide all the tools and parts you need to fix or build a bicycle. Their staff of volunteer mechanics is available to give advice and answer questions. The Bike Kitchen teaches people of all ages and backgrounds how to repair bicycles. Through bike repair and bicycle related projects, the Bike Kitchen promotes personal development and provides leadership opportunities. Operating as a cooperative shop, They provide affordable ways to acquire and maintain a bike, offer youth programs, encourage re-use and recycling, and work with community groups to get more people on bicycles. A volunteer co-operative that allows people of all skill level to come work on bikes and learn how to fix them. You have access to a shop’s worth of all the bike tools and know how for the price of overpriced spokes from a local shop. And if you cannot afford one, volunteer and earn your way to a me membership. Which would prove as a quick and sure fire way to learn some bike tooling.
Q&A
Q: Does the Bike Kitchen have some tools? A: Probably. We have a fairly extensive collection of tools, including crank pullers for odd French sized threads, a headset press, bottom bracket tap, headset race puller, and frame alignment checker. We’ve probably got it. Seriously, don’t worry, just come in. Q: Does the Bike Kitchen have some parts? A: The Bike Kitchen stocks all recycled parts and we receive donations regularly so our stock is always changing. The best way to find out what we have is to come by during open hours and ask one of our friendly mechanics. Q: Can I buy a bike from the you? A: No, but we will help you build your very own bike from scratch out of all recycled parts and you don’t even need any experience to do so! We exist not to sell bikes, or provide people with a source of cheap bikes, but to help people learn how to build and maintain their own bikes.
Opposite Bicyclists fix their bikes in Bike Kitchen.
Cycling in S.F.
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“No single group within the cycling community seems to better reflect the history, spirit and enthusiasm of cycling than the local retailer.” — Eric Gruenwedel
The Legendary Bike Shop
American Cyclery sits at the helm of San Francisco’s infamous Bicycle Row, occupying two corners, across from each other, where Stanyan and Frederick Streets meet (the original store, and American Cyclery Too, respectively). The doors first opened in 1943, after Oscar Junor retired from an accomplished career as one of the countries premier six day racers in the 1930’s. Among his racing stories was the tale of snatching the hat from Bette Davis’ head before going on to win the last Los Angeles Six. A few years later, Oscar again turned heads by attempting to ride his bike across the Golden Gate Bridge a day before it opened to the public. From its earliest days, his shop drew local racers from all over the area as one of the only places they could fraternize with “their own.” Oscar himself, selectively dispersing grains of experience to riders he deemed worthy, was as great an attraction as the fine lightweight bicycles he was one of the first to import from Europe. Along with the bikes on the sales floor, the store carried even more obscure treasures that filled the basement.
The nether regions of American Cyclery remain to this day the place to inquire for vintage Campy or anything else from decades past. Bradley, who also publishes Bicycle Trader magazine, has always been “into the old stuff.” His goal for the shop from the beginning was to publish the magazine, helping people to buy, sell and trade old bikes, while also having specialty items for sale in the shop. Hence the case full of vintage Camagnolo derailleurs, on display like jewelry. Some of the fondest reminiscent of Oscar come from the racers he mentored throughout his life, those who knew the man beneath gruff exterior. Among them was Peter Rich, whose racing career spanned the1950’s and early 60’s. Peter remembers Oscar and his shop as being a central location in the world of every serious cyclist at that time. “We used to meet at 8 a.m. every Saturday morning at Oscar’s shop. We’d hang around and talk to Oscar, then we would ride south to go see Spence. I bought my first two Cinellis from Spence.”
“Oscar would never let anyone down there,” chuckles Bradley Woehl, who acquired the store in 1996, the third owner in the shop’s history. “If you asked the right way, and you had proven yourself worthy of him selling you that part, then he might sell it to you. Or he might let you look at it and then six months later sell you that part.”
American Cyclery 858 Stanyan St. San Francisco, CA (415) 876-4545 Opposite Inside of American Cyclery
Cycling in S.F.
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“ I use my bicycle for everyday transit.” — Keith
A Talk With Keith
Keith is teaching in Academy of Art University. He was born in Wisconsin and had lived there until he moved to New York for his college life. After finishing his study, Keith moved to San Francisco. He has lived in San Francisco for 22 years. Keith start cycling in 1989. It means he has ride bicycle for 30 year. He chose bicycle because he loves it. He said: “it’s so easy to get around by bicycle. I can also do exercise when I cycling. Bicycle is a environmentfriendly transport. Although he own 2 cars, he still uses bicycle as his main transport. Keith mentions a bicycle festival. It takes place in October. Cyclists from different area come together, play music, share food, and show off their new stuff. It is a nice place to get communication with different cyclists. “They didn’t see each other ”, Keith said that when he talked about the relation between cyclist and driver. He think cyclists and drivers should aware each other, and it still has a long way to go.
Q&A
Q: Do you own a car? A: Yes. Actually I have 2 cars. Q; How often do you use bicycle and car? A: I use my bicycle for my everyday transit. I only use my car in long distance travel and bad weather. Q: Have you joined any bicycle group in San Francisco? A: Yes. I’m a member of MCBC (Marin County Bicycle collation). Q: What kinds of people you always cycle with? A: Banker, businessman, writer. Q: Can you describe yourself in one sentence. A: Creative, active and easy going.
After last, Keith told me the San Francisco cycling culture might connect with the handcraft culture. Some people like making stuffs by their own hands and share them with their friends.
Opposite Keith’s bicycle
Cycling in S.F.
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Every group of people has its own particular way of looking at the world, including its own logic and its own myths. This is true of cyclists as well. As I have been pointing out, bicyclists have a rich culture. Our culture — along with all cultures — has both myths and legends.
Myths, Facts and Tips “In talking about myths, I am step on some toes, as one person’s myth is another person’s fact.” — Ken Kifer
Cycling Myths Myth: Helmet wearing causes more accidents. Fact: One person lived in the U.K. measured the distance vehicles gave him when he was wearing a helmet versus not wearing a helmet and proclaimed that he got 3.5” more space when he was helmeted. Wearing helmet makes you being noticed.
Myth: When you wear a helmet you can’t hear cars coming up behind you. Fact: Bicycle helmets don’t cover the bikers’ ears or cause any significant wind noise that would result in the biker hearing less noise.
Myth: The high cost of helmets discourages cycling when helmets are encouraged. Fact: Helmets cost as little as $10. In most areas there are organizations that provide helmets for free to children unable to afford one. The Helmet Safety Institute found no difference in the protective capabilities of expensive versus cheap helmets.
The bicycle organization gave free helmet to cyclist.
Myth: Helmets are just foam hats and foam isn’t going to protect your head. Fact: The “magic foam” and “foam hat” shtick are used by those that either unintentionally uninformed or intentionally dishonest, with the latter being more probable. No doubt they really do understand why EPS foam is used in a plethora of products, including helmets, where the need for impact protection and light weight are key requirements. They’ve lost the argument based on statistical and scientific fact, so being smarmy is their only choice.
The EPS foam.
Myth: Countries with the lowest helmet use also have the lowest number of head injuries; that proves that helmet use is inversely proportional to head injury rates. Fact: The country they are referring to is the Netherlands, which has an infrastructure for cycling totally different than that of the U.S. or most other countries. Also, helmet usage is increasing in the Netherlands.
Cycling in Netherlands.
Myth: Bicycle helmets don’t have a hard shell covering like motorcycle helmets so they won’t protect your head. Fact: All of the impact absorbing properties of the helmet are in the foam, there is no reason to have the weight of a hard shell. Understand that bicycle helmets are designed for a single impact.
Bicycle helmet is light weight designed.
Myths, Facts, and Tips
51
Myth: You can’t carry much stuff on a bike. Fact: You’d be surprised how many groceries or work items you can bring on a bike. Start by wearing a daypack or messenger bag, or add a rack and carry your things in panniers or attachable bags. For even bigger loads, you can consider a bike trailer.
You can carry lots of stuff with your bike.
Myth: Bike seats are really uncomfortable. Fact: Bikes generally come with a generic, unisex saddle. If yours feels uncomfortable, try upgrading to one with gel padding or one that’s gender specific. Bike seats also come in different shapes, such as cutaway models.
A well design bike seat.
Myth: I’m out of shape to ride. Fact: Riding your bike will help you get back into shape. In the beginning, don’t be afraid to stop and walk—especially on a hill. The more you bike, the easier it will get. Of course, if you have a serious health condition, check with your doctor before riding.
Cycling is also a good way to do exercise.
Myth: Bicycling is dangerous, especially in the urban space. Fact: Most cyclists ride for years without mishap. Acting like a driver, being predictable, wearing bright clothing, being aware of your surroundings; making eye contact with drivers, having hands ready on brakes, watching for car doors opening, following traffic rules and claiming your lane will help improve your safety.
You will be safe if you aware of your surroundings.
Myth: Only the expensive bikes are any good for riding. Fact: While pricey bikes can be “nicer” to ride, almost any bike in good working condition can get you to where you want to go. Even an old-fashioned singlespeed will work. It may just take you longer and you don’t have the luxury of gearing up or down for hills, but you will get where you want to go.
Every bike is good to ride.
Myth: Biking requires a lot of gears and equipment. Fact: The basic necessities for cycling are just you, a bike and a helmet to protect your noggin. You don’t need fancy biking gear to ride a bike. Of course, the gear is nice to have, but that can come later. Just get on a bike and go.
All you need is bike, helmet and you.
Myths, Facts, and Tips
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Keeping a Bike from Being Stolen
First, the desirability of the bike for resell will influence its chances of being stolen. Therefore, it’s best to not have your bike looking like a million dollars if you are going to have to park it outside. For a humorous treatment, see How to Detail a Classic Bike. Second, where you leave a bike is more important than how you lock it. The best place is inside your building, near your office, where only a few people, who you know, are likely to see it. Next in safety, is a very public place where people are passing every minute. While thieves will see your bike, they are not going to cut your lock in public. When I stop at a store, I park my bike right in front of the main window, so I and everyone using the store can see the bike at all times. On many occasions, when there was a bike stand located around the corner, where no one would observe a theft, I locked my bike to a tree or against a wall in front of the building instead. Third, it’s important to lock the bike properly, considering where it is parked. If it is parked in a busy area for a while, all you need to do is to run a cable between the front tires, so the thief would have to carry the bike to take it. But for more security, also attach the frame to some object, so the cable has to be cut or the U-bolt broken in order to steal it. A cable plus a U-bolt plus attaching the bike to an object is needed when the bike is going to be left in an unbusy area for some time.
Myths, Facts, and Tips
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Carrying Stuffs on Your Bike
A rack provides a stable framework to hold gear on your bicycle. In good weather, items can be strapped directly to the rack without a cover. For weather protection or the ability to hold loose items together, rack trunks and panniers can be easily attached to the rear rack. This provides you with a secure and balanced way to carry your gear in all conditions. A front rack offers an additional mounting spot for gear. It is the secondary option after a rear rack as it adds weight to the bike’s front wheel and can affect steering and balance. Front racks are popular mostly with touring bicyclists who carry large volumes of gear.
Baskets can carry loads on the front and/or back of your bicycle. Rear baskets are usually mounted on either side of the rear wheel. They can carry tall loads, as they have no lid. Front baskets tend to be smaller than their rear-mounted cousins; they are most often hung off the handlebars or anchored to the front fork with metal stays. Best use: Baskets offer fair-weather riders an easy way to carry a range of items. Large rear baskets are ideal for runs to the grocery store since most are sized to fit 1 large grocery bag per side.
Gerbil (or Hamster): A rider constantly in the lowest possible gear, on flat ground, spinning madly and who looks like a gerbil spinning on a wheel. It’s comical in that the legs are spinning at mad RPMs, but she/he is barely moving forward.
This attaches to your handlebars with clamps or straps. It offers easier access and often more room than a seat bag, so it’s perfect for camera, sunscreen or snacks. Some models feature a clear plastic sleeve on top to display a map-a popular choice among touring cyclists. Caution: Be sure the bag you choose does not affect your ability to operate the brakes or shifters on your bike, and do not overload them as extra weight carried up this high can affect balance.
This stable bag mounts on top of your rear rack using either straps or a tack system. Rack trunks are smaller than panniers but larger than seat bags, making them a simple way for others to add capacity. Many have plastic sheets to reinforce the base area and retain the shape of the bag. Packing is simplified by some sort of pocket system or divided storage. Some trunks even offer rain covers.
Named after the French word for baskets, these rear bags are a popular way for most commuters and other bicyclists to carry their gears. Panniers offer roomy storage, protection from weather and the ability to quickly disconnect from the rack so you can take your gear with you. They attach to racks using a simple system of spring-loaded hooks, clips or bungee cords. They can be used singly or in pairs. Caution: Make sure your heel does not contact the bag during your normal pedaling rotation. Too-large panniers (or those improperly mounted too far forward) can cause this impact and an unsafe riding situation.
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Check These Before You Ride
1
Fit Your Helmet
1. The helmet should be level on your head, about one or two finger-widths above the eyebrow. If it falls below the eyebrows, it is too big. If it does not reach to just above the eyebrows, it means it is too small. 2. Where the straps form a “Y,” make sure the slider is just under the earlobe. 3. A buckled chinstrap should be snug with no more than 1 or 2 fingers width space between the chin and the strap. 4. Final checks. Shake your head. If the helmet moves to a different position, readjust it.
2
Safe Route
1. Ask a fellow cyclist: If there is a friend or coworker who already bikes to work, talk to him or her. Contact a local biking club or bike shop. Sometimes they will have local insights you can’t find on the internet. 2. Go online: Check the Websites of local biking clubs, transportation departments or your state’s Department of Transportation. Message boards can be helpful, too. Ones in your area can assist you with routes or answer some questions you might have.
Tip When selecting your route, consider road construction, heavy traffic, crime areas, dogs, hills and whether or not the streets have a bike lane or shoulder.
Guided Missile: Doesn’t get the “as far to the right as practicable” line, and thus rides as close to the right as physically possible. Frequently seen engaged in weaving between parked cars, and crossing intersections in the crosswalk.
3
Practice Spin
1. Find a vacant parking lot, sidewalk or paved biking trail that is not crowded. 2. Get a feel for the brakes— squeeze the levers slowly and gently. When braking, squeeze the rear brake first and then the front brake. Stopping quickly with the front brake only can cause the front tire to lock and the rear tire to rise up. And that means you could go over the handlebar! 3. If using clip-in pedals, practice clipping in and unclipping, releasing and stopping.
Tip Keep the pedals in a horizontal position when braking. This helps provide more braking power and keeps your feet away from hazards.
Even the professional bicyclist checks everything before riding.
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Bicycle Hand Signals
Bicycle hand signals are signals given by cyclists and motorists to convey some information to the other traffic. Do not be surprised if you come to know that bicycles are considered to be vehicles and there are definite set of traffic rules which have to be followed by them too. In many countries the same hand signals are meant for other vehicles too which do not have signal lights or other modern ways of indication.
1
Right Turn
Use your left hand when signaling to other people. You should always be riding on the right side of the road, so people will be able to see your left arm clearly.
2
Left Turn
Stick your left arm to the side straight out from your body, parallel to the ground when you are ready to make a left turn. Remember to give the signal a reasonable distance and time to ensure that everyone notices it.
3
Stop
Bend your left arm at a 90 degree angle with your fingers pointing toward the sky when you are ready to make a right turn. Bend your arm at a 90 degree angle with your fingers pointing toward the ground when you are getting ready to stop.
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References
Books
Website
The Art of Cycling
sfbike.org
Bicycle: The History
mikesbikes.com
The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles
www.kenkifer.com .bicyclefixation.com macaframa.com bikesandthecity.blogspot.com everybodybikessf.com bicyclesafe.com
Thank You for Reading and Becoming a Part of The Bicycling Culture.
Slang Dictionary of Cycling
Doored Most dictionaries only list it as a noun. But recently, some people have been using the four-letter word as a verb. If you are an avid bicyclist, you probably have heard the term “doored” used in this way – as in what happens to a person riding a bicycle along a vehicle-lined street when a car door opens unexpectedly in front of them and they crash into it.
Bike Ninja This is the guy who sneaks up on you at night because he has not one iota of reflective gear and his bike is void of lights and reflectors. These people frequently appear out of nowhere and scare the bejesus out of me.
Reflecto Man This is the rider who is covered head to toe in reflective gear. Commonly adorned with one of those reflective vests worn by members of road construction crews and reflective pant guard protectors on both ankles, any light that comes his way is going right back where it came from.
Fire Fighter This is the rider who wants everyone, and I mean everyone, to know s/he is coming. This rider will approach a group of pedestrians taking up the path and will ring a bike bell so quickly in rapid fire fashion that it sounds like an old school rapid fire bell used in a firehouse.
Fate of Civilization Guy/Gal What this guy/gal knows is obviously key to the survival of civilization because s/he can’t wait until arriving at his/her destination (or heaven forbid, temporarily stopping) to speak on his/her cell phone. S/He has to endanger to themselves and everyone around by riding while talking on the phone and riding at the same time.
Hodge Podge Guy/Gal This rider’s bike is an amalgamation of bike parts that might not match and various and sundry things that were probably not meant for a bike, but have been modified to serve a purpose, are zip tied or affixed in some other random manner.
iRider Rider: A rider sporting an iPod with both ears plugged with white headphones. One wonders how iRiders are supposed to hear what is going on around them.
Crop Duster A motor vehicle that leaves huge clouds of exhaust, making you feel like you an insect as you ride in the cloud.
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Slang Dictionary of Cycling
Calvin Klein A rider wearing a t-shirt that flaps in the breeze, exposing his or her choice of underwear. Calvin Klein seems to be the most common although Jockey, Hanes, and GAP brands are also well represented.
Gerbil (or Hamster) A rider constantly in the lowest possible gear, on flat ground, spinning madly and who looks like a gerbil spinning on a wheel. It’s comical in that the legs are spinning at mad RPMs, but s/he is barely moving forward.
Guided Missile Doesn’t get the “as far to the right as practicable” line, and thus rides as close to the right as physically possible. Frequently seen engaged in curb-hugging, weaving between parked cars, and crossing intersections in the crosswalk (and not executing a box turn)
Gym Rat or Gym Bunny TThis rider is wearing clothing most often associated with the gym rather than cycling. For example, baggy basketball shorts, a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off, wrist bands, and one of the 100’s of renditions of high top Air Jordan basketball shoes if a gym rat. If a gym bunny, tights and leg warmers might be a part of the outfit.
Hipster It seems that any bike blogger worth his salt likes to pick on hipsters, so why should I be any different? This is typically a guy wearing jeans, Chuck Taylors, and in recent months a fedora instead of helmet. Said guy might be in an independent coffee shop drawing up designs for a fedora shaped helmet right now. A tank top or T-shirt that is way too small is also worn so that tattoos may be displayed. Most often these riders have either a brightly colored chain, extremely narrow handlebars, or an aerospoke. If you hit the trifecta they are rocking all three. Hipsters must migrate according to season because they seem to disappear from the roads when the temperature approaches or drops below freezing.
Hummer This is the rider who is seriously into off-road weekend riding and decides to commute on a dual suspension downhill bike with 2.5 inch wide tires with huge knobbies on them. You typically can hear this rider coming because of the hum of the knobbie tires on the pavement. Sometimes this rider will replace the huge downhill tires with narrow slicks and the bike will look extremely out of proportion because of this - then I guess you could call the rider “Slick.�
La-Z-Boy A commuter on a recumbent bicycle. There is an eerie similarity between the position of someone on a recumbent bicycle and someone reclining in a La-Z-Boy chair.
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In some countries, where transportation infrastructure is focused on automobiles, people who ride bicycles may do so as an ethical and emotional choice, and an active cycling subculture has developed. Examples of countries where this is the case are the USA, Canada, and Australia. Bike culture is regarded as a social movement, a subculture in many areas, celebrating cycling as a choice, and advocating an increase in bicycle usage in the population. Bike subculture is a loose collection of magazines, fashion trends, websites, art, music, and community events offered by passionate bicyclists. Often these are attempts to inspire beginners, rally the faithful, and express their love of bicycling as a life choice. This book is talk about the bicycle subculture. Beginning from the globe bicycle culture, than focus on a specific city—San Francisco, and ending with some useful bicycling knowledge. From the globe bicycling culture to the cyclist’s tips and experience, this book shows a continuous zoom in process.