BICYCLIST Magazine #149

ISSUE 149 - EARLY SUMMER 2018

MAGAZINE

ASPHALT, PLEASE

Solo in Indio

Cycling Through Coachella Towards Mecca

PROFILE

Duke Nguyen

The Bicyclist running for orange county sheriff

ALSO

lost tech

last page

BUSHIDO 1987

E-bike for a cause

ask the coach

wedge support

gear patrol

PROVIZ Sportive

event calendar 2018

recreation & race

BICYCLIST. xyz always free

Contents

Inside this issue

COLUMNS 04 In Practice

Wild West of E-Bikes Part II Scooters vs. E-Bikes Carl Lawton

Issue 149 Early Summer 2018 Designed and printed in Southern California.

Read and distributed throughout the world.

REGULARS 03 Prologue 05 King's Cartoon 05 Legal Cycling 10 Lost Tech 12 event calendar

04 Legal Cycling

DMV Re-Evaluation Requestion an evalulation for worrisome drivers Richard Duquette

5

05 lost tech

Bushido Bike 1987 Admired and Forgotten Bob Becker

06 ask the coach

Wedges: Ensuring a Proper Pedal Tools and techniques for foot pain Rick Schultz

8

07 Gear Patrol

10 Cover

PROVIZ Stylish kits to get you lit Chris Reynolds

Summer sunsets over the Coachella Valley reward the adventurous. Read John Woodson's 'Solo in Indio' on page 10 for details on the 106 mile single day expedition of sorts.

08 profile

Photo by Chris Reynolds

Duke Nguyen A Sheriff in the running Chris Reynolds

10 Asphalt, Please Coachella, Indio DIY Desert Riding John Woodson

16 Last Page

ZBIKE + Bike MS Fast for the Cause Kelley O'Toole 2

16 BICYCLIST Magazine

B r o ad In v e s tiga tion o f Challen g in g Your s el f, C ycling L i f e s t y le and In s pir ing S u s t ainable Tr an s por t a tion

Prologue

Early Summer 2018 MAGAZINE

ISSUE 149 - EARLY SUMMER 2018

EDITORIAL

Chris Reynolds | Managing Director chris@bicyclist.xyz Kelley O’Toole | Managing Editor kelley@bicyclist.xyz

SENIOR CONTRIBUTORS

Bob Becker | bob@bicyclist.xyz Rick Schultz | coach@bicyclist.xyz John Woodson | john@bicyclist.xyz Rob Templin | rob@bicyclist.xyz Carl Lawton | carl@bicyclist.xyz

ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS

Richard Duquette, Jerry King

ADVERTISING, SPONSORSHIP AND DISTRIBUTION Chris Reynolds | Managing Director chris@bicyclist.xyz

Chris Vopinek | Delivery & Distribution cvopinek@bicyclist.xyz

VITALS & DETAILS

BICYCLIST Magazine publishes stories of experience that fall under our namesake, BICYCLIST: Broad Investigation of Challenging Yourself, Cycling Lifestyle and Inspiring Sustainable Transportation. The magazine serves as an inspirational guide celebrating the arts, skills, events, and culture of the cycling life.

BICYCLIST is a social enterprise promoting bicycle riding for sport, activity, and transportation. We are based in Southern California, an area that accounts for more bike shops, and active cyclists than the rest of the United States – combined. Visit us online at BICYCLIST.xyz.

BICYCLIST Magazine is available in print and digital editions.

Complimenting the magazine is our cycling podcast, The BICYCLIST Experience. We also maintain the BICYCLIST Friendly Shop Locater, and the BICYCLIST Event Calendar, the largest online calendar of cycling events, races and festivals in the United States, all available online at BICYCLIST.xyz.

We have published a print magazine since 1994, distributing to bike shops throughout the western US and made available free to the public. We launched our online platform in 2014, and our podcast in 2015 and now reach readers and listeners in more than 72 countries. Advertise with us to share your message, bicyclist.xyz/ads. Use the code "fineprint" to save an additional 20% off your placement.

READ/FOLLOW/LIKE

BICYCLIST Magazine is published 10 times per year. The print edition can be found at better bike shops, coffee shops and breweries throughout major metropolitan cities west of the Rockies.

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Art direction, layout and design performed in-house by Chris Reynolds.

BICYCLIST

14252 Culver Drive Irvine, CA 92604 (949) 264-3346 BICYCLIST.xyz maildrop@BICYCLIST.xyz Designed and Printed in SoCal, USA Founded by Will Decker Published by Chris Reynolds Copyright © 1994-2018 All rights reserved.

For more information, visit www.BICYCLIST.xyz/subscribe

DISCLAIMER Although all best efforts are made to avoid the

same, we reserve the right to publish unintentional mistakes and/or factual errors which may occur on an issue basis. No responsibility is assumed by the publishers for unsolicited materials/articles/letters/advertising and all submissions will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright and/or appropriate licensing purposes subject to BICYCLIST's right to edit and comment editorially. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine reflect the opinions of their respective author’s and are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form [print or electronic] without prior consent of the publisher.

Bicycling can be a dangerous sport and can lead to serious injury or death. Make it safer for everyone and obey all traffic laws, ride responsibly, use common sense, and wear a helmet.

BICYCLIST.xyz

We're about to cross over to 150 issues, a milestone for this publication.

Since 1994, this magazine has been available at bike shops throughout the Western United States. The magazine has run under multiple titles over that time, but has always included the word, 'bicyclist'. The significance is lost on many, but for me, the spirit of the editorial is reflected in this semantic choice. We're about the bicyclist, people who ride bikes, and our goal is to provide information to help folks make the most of their time in the saddle, whether that be finding an event, inspiration for a vacation by bicycle, or guidance on feeling good and performing your best while turning pedals.

As we look to the future, it must be acknowledged that the industry has changed in many ways over the arc of this publication. Even in the near four years I've been at the helm, the industry has seen significant changes to how bikes are bought and sold, and most importantly where.

The fate of the industry of selling bikes is undetermined, but we know the passion of riding bikes is only increasing. And it's been the long standing mission of BICYCLIST to provide a community based resource for bicyclists of all ages and disciplines. That is why we continue to provide you with the comprehensive event calendar in every issue. We hope that you find an event that's right for you, and maybe take a chance at one that's a little out of your comfort zone.

What we wanted to focus on in this issue are the people, places, and the rides we can't forget. Our 'bucket list' rider, John Woodson, reports back to us from his own DIY road event in the glittering California desert. While some of you may have been swaying to the sounds of the Coachella music festival, Woodson was sweating it out, racing towards the Cottonwood mountains. The adventure is not for the faint of heart, and BICYCLIST guidance would suggest bringing a buddy. But John Woodson brings the spirit of the tiger as his buddy, riding 'Solo in Indio'. Be sure to read his guide to the route on page 10.

In honing in on the community aspect of our publication, we interviewed Duke Nguyen, a 26-year veteran of Law Enforcement, who is in the running to become Orange County Sheriff. Duke has a special connection to our community as he is a regular cyclist, which is why we think his candidacy is so important. No time like the present to get more people becoming elected officials that understand the concerns of bicyclists. And even if you're reading this in Orange County, Florida instead of Orange County, California, Nguyen articulates problems and solutions that would be understood and welcomed by bicyclists anywhere.

Carl Lawton brings the second part of his chronicles of the 'Wild West' with a recognition of the latest trend further confounding electric bicycle regulation, electric scooters. Though in practice, they're entirely different, you could imagine the legislative similarities between a scooter and an electric bike - Carl works to sort out the confusion, and entertains along the way.

A big thank you to the Law Offices of Richard Duquette for their sponsorship of our magazine distribution and ensuring our magazine is available at a bike shop near you. Though my hope is that the information contained between these pages will keep you rolling right, if tragedy strikes and you need an advocate who has an unparalleled record of actual trial experience, I can recommend Mr. Duquette and his team with no reservations. They work tirelessly for their clients, and understand the world of bikes, with over 40 years of both legal and riding experience. Save their number, just in case.

See you on the route. Stay safe. Peace.

C hris R e ynold s

- Chris Reynolds, Editorial Director

3

legal cycling

In Practice

DMV Justice!

The 'Wild West' of E-Bikes: Part II 'Scooter' Vs. E-Bike. Any Difference?

Requesting a Re-examination for worrisome drivers

By Richard Duquette

By Carl Lawton

I

W

hat can you do when hit and seriously injured by a motorist you believe should not be driving to due to age or a mental or physical disability in order to protect others using the roads in the future? Or do you have a family member or friend suffering from Alzheimer’s, Dementia or other condition that imparts their ability to drive and you fear for their safety as well as others?

Following a fatal or serious injury accident, the Department of Motor Vehicles has authority to investigate and require a re-examination to determine whether the negligent drivers driving privileges should be revoked, suspended, restricted, or placed on probation.* The DMV can also schedule a re-examination if information suggests that the motorist no longer has the knowledge and/or skill necessary to drive safely.

Re-examinations by the DMV can be initiated by unsolicited letters from family members, friends, or neighbors who report that the driver may no longer be able to drive safely (include photos of the injuries and copies of the medical bills or records, including the police report with a driver’s license number, to prove you’re writing about a serious case). Once the DMV is made aware of a motorist who may be a potential driving risk, it may do one of the following: • • • •

Request medical information from the driver.

Conduct a “regular" examination.

Conduct a “priority” re-examination with a hearing within five days.

Immediately suspend or revoke the driving privilege if the motorists condition presents an immediate threat to public safety.

In a recent case I handled, the bicyclist was hit by an elderly (86 years old) woman and sustained severe injuries requiring surgery and several days in the hospital. I wrote a letter to the local DMV and prepared a package of information documenting the elderly woman’s negligence and the sever injuries sustained by my client. This package included the police report, witness statements, medical documentation, and photos of my client in the hospital bed hooked up to medical support devices. This action resulted in the elderly woman’s driving privileges being revoked. Besides the civil money settlement, taking the incompetent driver off the road gave my injured client justice. My client was elated that there would be one less competent driver on the roads, thus making the roads just a little bit safer for bicyclists like us. *The California Code of Regulations (CCR) (penal code) 100.01 and the California Vehicle Code (CVC) (penal code) 12818 13800 13801, govern Driver Safety re-examinations conducted by the DMV. See also the DMV website at www.dmv.ca.gov ▲

RICHARD DUQUETTE has been fighting for his clients since 1983. His family-owned law

firm specializes in providing personal attention and quality representation to the people of San Diego, Riverside, and Orange Counties. Visit and read his blog at 911law.com

4

know this is a bicycle magazine and not a motorcycle or scooter magazine, but scooters have two wheels so it’s still of interest.

In last issue (#148), I raised some concerns about overpowered illegal e-bikes that were causing serious safety issues on public roads. Public safety - especially with regards to transportation - is not a trifling matter and we have to be aware of that fact. Govt. statistics show that over half a million people get maimed and killed every year in the USA as a result of vehicle accidents, so it is a very big problem - right up there with cancer and heart attacks.

While we cannot do much about cancer, we can and must do a lot about safety on our roads. The vast majority of the accidents are due to inattention when driving and riding at excessive speeds, even on bikes and scooters. Scooters, by their very definition, are considered low speed devices, so how can that be a problem?

The last few months metro cities in California have experienced an ever-escalating proliferation of 'dockless' scooters that people use to get around the city. The good part of these city additions is that one scooter means one less car out of our roads, and this is environmentally good and very beneficial to all in the city. There are several 'dockless' scooter companies out there and you can rent one for a small fee of $1.15/min of riding about 15 miles or so depending on your weight. In order to use these you must have a valid drivers license, credit card and wear a helmet.

The bad part about these scooters is that because they are 'dockless' (meaning there is no LBS type storefront to go to you) riders will leave the scooter just about anywhere, which creates all kinds of problems for the city. To start, the folks that rent them seem to be clueless about the proper parking of these vehicles because they simply hop off and leave the scooters right where they are. That means its lying there on the sidewalk waiting for a hapless pedestrian to trip over. Additionally, these scooters used to reach up to 24 mph speeds. Fortunately that has been lowered to 15 mph after the city realized they were unlawfully exceeding the Federal and State 20mph laws for electric bikes.

Then there is the inherent problem of the little 4in wheels that have no gyro effect meaning that if even one hand is taken off the handlebars the scooter becomes very unstable. It can also crash if it hits even a tiny pebble sending the rider flying to the ground. People hitting potholes have already suffered broken arms and legs on these things.

The companies of these 'dockless' businesses seemed to not think it all the way through because now the cities are getting really tough on scooters. They're either being banned outright, like San Francisco did last month, as well as levying heavy fines in the hundreds of thousands of dollars like Santa Monica did to the 'Bird' company. There are also several other problems associated with these scooters including non-compliance on the part of the operators themselves.

Most of them do not wear a helmet. The State Law is very clear per CVC 27803 & CVC 406(b).

The LAPD as well as SMPD both issued hundreds of $500 tickets for non compliance. Like I discussed in the last issue, the e-bike/e-scooter, OEMs / DOCKLESS / LBS folks seriously need to get their collective acts together because if not they may face a total ban like the one we had in the 1990s with the Pocket Rockets that terrorized Los Angeles (those tiny bikes were capable of reaching 75mph just inches off the ground). Its truly is a WILD WEST out here.▲

CARL LAWTON is an active cyclist who rides bikes and works for the Los Angeles

Department of Transportation. The overlap of these two pursuits provides a unique perspective to learn from. You can reach Carl Lawton at carl@BICYCLIST.xyz

BICYCLIST Magazine

lost tech

Bushido 1987 Two-Wheeled Nostalgia

Photo Courtesy Bob Becker

By Bob Becker

The 'Bushido Bike' as pictured in the company's 1987 product catalog.

B

ushido, a Japanese term associated with codes of honor for the samurai way of life, was the Holy Grail for mountain bikers in the late 1980's. Most individuals never saw a Bushido unless they either attended Interbike in 1986 or 1987, or saw a picture of one in the inaugural issue of Mountain Bike Action magazine. Those fortunate enough to see the bike in the flesh looked on in amazement as though they were viewing an alien space craft.

In early 1987 I started a new job in Santa Monica. One day while dining at the local "gas station" (chili parlor) there was a sign on the bulletin board announcing a new mountain bike club hosted by a West Los Angeles bike shop. Accordingly, I visited the shop one afternoon in March 1987. Roger Piper and Bill Townsend presided over a sprawling warehouse-type facility that repaired bikes, customized them for improved off-road performance and full custom builds.

The many Vespas in various stages of restoration and plethora of Teledyne Titan titanium frames and forks (some even without cracks) exhibited other passions they enjoyed. Bill and Roger were affable and very knowledgeable individuals who answered questions from a fledgling mountain biker graciously. Their enthusiasm for the sport was infectious and I started implementing the advice I learned from them. Their most important lessons revolved around maximizing the utility of components without excess weight penalties.

The huge surprise at the shop, however, was the bicycle that dominated their small showroom. The full-suspension bike, which could be constructed with a steel, aluminum or titanium frame, had 11 inches of front and rear travel, a 12 inch high bottom bracket, air-sprung forks with sealed damping cartridges, CO2-sprung shock absorbers, pneumatic seat post, under-bar shifters and adjustable hydraulic disc brakes with alloy calipers that weighed less than 100 grams and carbon fiber discs. The bike came in one size, nineteen and one-half inches, and weighed about 25 pounds.

The Bushido generated tremendous interest in the cycling community although many felt that the designers had gone too far with the amount of suspension travel. Disaster befell the company when several bikes were stolen, never to resurface, and there was a devastating fire at the bike shop.

Ultimately, the Bushido was pronounced non-viable since the numbers that would need to be sold to be profitable were too high, and the price too steep for the market. Several attempts to revive the project have not been successful and it appears as though the Bushido will be a footnote in history. â–˛

BICYCLIST.xyz

“I mapped out a route for our bicycle trip. you may want to clear your schedule, as I have expanded it from 10 miles to 5,000."

Jerry King is one of the most published cartoonists in America, a U.S. Army Veteran, and a graduate of Ohio State University. Go Buckeyes!

SIGN UP FOR THE BICYCLIST NEWSLETTER AND RECEIVE A NEW CARTOON PANEL FROM JERRY KING WITH EVERY EDITION - FREE!

BICYCLIST.xyz 5

ASK THE COACH

Wedges: Ensuring a Proper Pedal Tools and techniques for addressing Foot Pain or Discomfort While Cycling

By Rick Schultz, USA Cycling coach, USAC Certified, BikeFitnessCoaching.com Let The Q-Factor Be With You

I

varus

normal

valgus

n their relaxed state, the feet will tend to either tilt with the big toe higher up (varus) or tilt with the little toe higher up (valgus). When the bicycle is sitting upright, the pedals, cleats and shoes are parallel to the ground. But, if your feet are either valgus or varus, they do not sit flush to your shoes, and after a long ride, the muscles can fatigue, causing the arch to collapse.

This can lead to forefoot pain in the metatarsals, or sesamoids, the delicate tendons that make up the ball and inner area of the foot. Wedges can ‘fill-in-the-gap’ which is essential for cyclists with extreme valgus or varus feet.

CORRECTING THE VARUS AND VALGUS AMONG US Here’s an exercise which will demonstrate the issue. Imagine you have an extreme varus right foot (the little toe is closer to the floor). Make sure you are on a hard floor, cement or tile, with your cycling shoes on. Place your foot in an extreme varus position. If you have varus feet, this would be ‘normal’ position, in other words, the relaxed state your body wants to return to. Simulate pedaling pressure on the foot by moving the ball of the big toe (1st Metatarsal) down, while keeping the outer side of your foot firmly planted on the floor. If you were on the bike, your foot would remain in this ‘pushing’ position until about 6 o’clock when you start to transition to the upstroke. With this reduced pressure, your foot will want to return to a varus position inside the shoe until about 12 o’clock where you transition to pushing again.

When you start pushing, you will again flatten out the foot against the bottom of the shoe. To simulate normal pedaling cadence, rock along the right side of foot from flat to varus. Faster and faster, 1-1/2 times per second – which is a cadence of 90 RPM. Now, do this for 10,800 times (a typical 2-hour ride). You'll notice the pressure of the 5th metatarsal against the hard carbon of the inside of the shoe, and after a short period of time, the subtle pain of a fatigued metatarsal.

PRO TIP – A fix for this is to use 1-2 wedges that, when placed correctly between the sole of the shoe and the cleat, will rotate the shoe into a varus position as well. Now, in your ‘relaxed’ state, all metatarsals should be in contact with the bottom of the shoe instead of just the 5th metatarsal. I hope this makes sense. Also, if you are using those floppy insoles that come with most cycling shoes, throw them out and get a good insole that will support your arches better. I recommend a supportive insole like the one produced by ICEBUG. THE FAILINGS OF WEDGES Wedges can also be used to align-the-knee. Here’s a little experiment you can do to see how wedges impact knee alignment. While seated, start with your feet flat on the floor, make sure your thighs are straight out in front of you and your knees are at 90°. Take your right foot and create a varus condition. In other words, raise the ball of your big toe. What happened to your right knee? It rotated outward. Now, create a valgus condition by raising your little toe. What happened to your knee now?

It dove inward.

I recently had two clients visit me after going to a Local Bike Shop for a bike fit.

Both complained of newly created knee and hip pain. Since both had gone to the same LBS, both told me the same stor y. They said, “The bike fitter had noticed my knees were turning outwards at the top of the pedal stroke, so he placed wedges under my shoes and sold me custom insoles which had wedges built into the forefoot as well as the heel cups. Even though my knees are now straight, they both really hurt.”

The theor y here is that if cyclists’ knees go outward on the way up, wedges are used to create an artificial valgus condition which rotates the knee inward. A lot of fitters use this second role to align the knees. Even though your knees are now going straight up and down, this is not a natural position for you. I completely disagree with this use of wedges and use an entirely different approach to address this condition.

6

The width of the outside of the crank-arms is called Q-factor and is determined by the specs of your crank-arms. When clipped into the pedals that are mounted to these crankarms, your hips are at a constant width determined by the Q-factor. If your hips are wider than your feet, your knees will follow your hips while pedaling up and will follow your feet on the way down. The narrower your feet, the more knee movement you can expect.

In my experience, a better method is to align the feet under the hips and only use wedges to treat a valgus or varus condition. This is accomplished by widening the pedal stance, or Q-Factor. There are several ways to accomplish this.

Pedals - Several manufacturers make pedals with different axle lengths. Shimano has both a standard width as well as a +4mm (0.1575”) width in their Dura-Ace and Ultegra pedals. Speedplay has gone one better with their Zero Stainless Pedals. The Zero’s are offered in 5 different axle lengths of 50mm (1.9685”), 56mm (2.2047”), 59mm (2.3228”), 65mm (2.5591”) and the stock 53mm (2.0866”).

PEDAL WASHERS/EXTENDERS - There are also 1.2mm (0.0472”) pedal washers. Make sure to only use a maximum of 2 per pedal. BIK EFIT offers a 20mm (0.7874”) pedal extender.

So, theoretically, you could take a Speedplay stock Zero Stainless pedal and add 34.4mm (1.3543”) to the pedal stance (per side) by replacing the stock 53mm (2.0866”) axle with a 65mm (2.5591”) which adds 12mm (0.4724”), add 20mm (0.7874”) BIK EFIT pedal extender plus 2.4mm (0.0945”) worth of pedal washers.

CRANKSETS – A simple but more costly option is to purchase a crankset that has a different Q-factor. Depending on the situation, either a wider or narrower Q-factor can help dial in issues with knees and hips.

Natural and Relaxed As stated before, the body always wants to return to its natural, relaxed state. Fitting cleats to a relaxed foot will put the foot in a natural position for pedaling. If the cleats are ill-fit, the cyclist will be subconsciously trying to move the foot back to where it wants to be, which will rob the cyclist of power and more importantly increase the risk of injury. So before looking into any of the adjustments provides, check out your cleat position first. If the knees are going out at the top (which occurs in 98% of my clients prior to a bike fit) simply widening the stance in small increments will move the feet outwards so that the knees can travel straight up and straight down. You may find there is enough adjustment on the cleat to widen the stance without resorting to some of the solutions listed.

Pain shouldn't be a part of your cycling experience. Muscle soreness and fatigue is normal, but joint pain or numbness is not. As special as your circumstance may be, I guarantee there is a bicycle that can be properly fit to you. Beyond pain or numb limbs, the importance of efficiency and performance is directly linked to how your machine fits your body.

It must be said that adjusting any of these parameters will ultimately change other aspects of your fit. An adjustment to one variable can create other issues that you might not realize. Ideally, you'll get a comprehensive bike fit with a professional who can adjust these dynamic variables in real-time using stationary adjustment systems. ▲ All products mentioned available at your local bike shop. Find one near you at BICYCLIST.x yz

Coach Rick Schultz Rick specializes in coaching cyclists so that they can achieve their best. He is a certified bike fitter and author of Bike Fit 101: Your Toolset for a Great Bike Fit. Send your questions to coach@bicyclist.xyz or ask on twitter @BICYCLISTxyz #askthecoach

SOCAL LOCAL?

Make an appointment for coaching and bike fits. Mobile services available, visit bicyclist.xyz/fit

BICYCLIST Magazine

GEAR PATROL

The Shiny Kits Make You Faster Safer

proviz continues to innovate their reflective apparel solutions

By Chris Reynolds

T

he reaons to avoid wearing dark clothing while cycling focus on the dangers of not being seen, and I understand this entirely. Even dark shades of blue or green appear black soon after dusk and this poses a significant risk for cyclists. But for someone that gravitates to the monochrome for their sartorial selections, wearing a clown-like kit while cycling isn't appealing. PROVIZ has long addressed this with their extensive line of outdoor gear and cycling-specific apparel that features fabrics bonded with recently developed reflective materials. The material looks black at first glance, but under the shine of headlights, it becomes a glowing silver suit of illuminating armor.

The next step of this apparel evolution has been the development of their Sportive collection, a performance apparel line focused on road. The design is understated, and appealing for those that appreciate black on black. The safety police will appreciate reflective material on front and back, as well as day-glow accents that provide side awareness of the rider.

The jersey is constructed with 140gsm soft-touch polyester mesh that allows it to be soft, breathable and adaptable to a great range of conditions. The lightweight polyester is rated UPF 40+, for all seasons to stay cool and dry, priced at $55, the value is considerable.

The bibs have an endurance-padded chamois comfort and fit. You can expect all day riding comfort with supportive warp-knitted stretch fabrics that give you the breath ability you require on a ride. And with bibs coming in at $70, PROVIZ shows that quality and performance doesn't have to break the bank.

We have been riding over the past winter with their Pixelite Performance jerseys and can recommend them when the temperatures dip. More to timing of the current warm-weather seasons, we can vouch for the quality and construction from this award-winning company. They use locking zippers throughout their collection, purpose-speced performance fabrics, and the small details are considered, seems are The PROVIZ Sportive collection is a performance focused line of road kit that precise without any bunched material, fit is comfortable and well considered. Learn more about the integrates the proficiencies PROVIZ has developed in reflective apparel. And Sportive collection as well as the Pixelite materials at provizsports.com, @provizsports â–˛ it's at a price that shines, $55 for the jersey and $70 for the bibs.

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7

BICYCLIST PROFILE

duke nguyen

SOCAL LOCAL ?

INSIDE THE OC WITH RICK RIEFF PBS-SOCAL SUNDAY, MAY 20TH 5PM

Listen to Duke Nguyen as he speaks across the southland prior to the June 5th election.

AIRTIME WITH LARRY MANTLE KPCC 89.3 THURSDAY, MAY 15TH 10:20AM

The cyclist running for sheriff sits down and makes the case for reform

By Chris Reynolds

F

or many cyclists, the experience of turning pedals provides a regular and intimate view of ones community. You see it all, the sights, sounds and smells. The insular world of automobiles prevents many citizens from truly experiencing the communities they live in, in the same way that cyclists do. It is a much more vivid experience of transportation than automobile, the cyclist is a passing observer, allowed access by way of trail and path to see parts of the community that their driving neighbors won’t see.

Often, this is a positive experience. Being able to take in an ocean vista while pedaling along the coast is a much more engaging experience than driving. You’re traveling slow enough to see the surfers paddling out, but fast enough to cover the entire coast line in a morning ride. You’re able to smell the salty ocean spray, hear the world around you. It can be a truly magical experience that keeps people pedaling the earth, looking to experience the world at a speed that provides this unique vantage point.

But when a community has health and safety issues, the negative experience is even more visceral for the cyclist. For Southern California bicyclists, the biggest change has been the increase in levels of homelessness and the threats to pedestrian safety due to distracted driving. Seeing homeless encampments while speeding along at 80 mph from the adjacent freeway is an entirely different observation than riding through the encampment by bicycle. It is much easier to detach, forget and continue on ones automobile journey, and the districted driving only compounds this problem.

For those in Southern California or visiting, both of these topics are uniquely tied to law enforcement. The enforcement of laws that keep cyclists safe and interactions with law enforcement while passing through Orange County will most likely take place with a member of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. The 42 miles of coastline on your way from Long Beach to Solano - OCSD. Taking the Santa Ana River Trail out to the inland empire? That’s OCSD as well.

Extending into the mountains, the MTB trails of El Morro, Silverado and Trabuco, all fall under their watch. Covering an area of almost 1000 square miles, and serving a population of more than 3 million, the jurisdiction covers a wide swath of road and trail that are of considerable importance to cyclists of all types.

A majority of the south county, thirteen cities in total, the entire OCTA system, John Wayne Airport, as well as 42 miles of coastline and the Dana Point, Newport and Huntington Harbors all fall under OCSD. So when we heard there was a candidate running for sheriff who is an active cyclist, we took note and sat down with the man himself, Duke Nguyen, to hear his take on some of the issues we’ve seen in Southern California, and specifically in Orange County. Nguyen is a 26-year law enforcement veteran of the force and currently investigates officer involved shootings for the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office.

CR: Thanks for sitting down with me.

First things first, tell us about your involvement in bicycling?

DN: I mountain biked for many years, but now that I’m older, sustained too many injuries, I took the mountain bike out of the equation and moved to road. I find it’s peaceful. I wake at 3:30am, put on my kit, turn on my light and get my workout in.

I really don’t have the opportunity once my kids are up, or I’m at work.

Have you always woken up so early? When you’re on vacation do you sleep for longer?

After 26 years of police work, I’m programmed to get around 4-5 hours of sleep. I was with my family in Cancun on vacation earlier this year and even then, I’d be up walking around the hotel or going on the computer. If I sleep 8 hours, I’m sick.

Photo via Wikipedia

Is cycling something you’ve brought to the people you work with? Is it popular with law enforcement?

Theo Lacy, Orange County's second Sheriff from 1891-1895. Note the bicycles in the background, an artifact of Orange County life that continues to this day. And if you're riding in many popular areas of Orange County and interact with law enforcement, it will most likely be a member of the Sheriffs department.

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What we currently have them working on is body building and weight lifting, but we also see a lot of injuries in weight lifting, like guys getting torn muscles, dropping weights on their feet, etc. At the same time, we see guys revert back because they’re not doing cardio. We don’t really have access to a swimming pool, and while a lot of cops love to run, that impact on the knees isn’t sustainable longterm.

So what I would do is definitely promote bike riding as it’s less stress on the body. With weight lifting, there is more risk of injury. On the East Coast, we have the Unity Bike Tour, involving thousands of law enforcement cyclists. That’s something I’d like to see here on the West coast. Even when you need

to take someone down, it’s not about how big you are, it’s about your stamina, endurance and technique.

Many of my deputies work long shifts, and I need to think how I can help reduce injury. Cycling is less damaging for them and promotes cardio, and it’s definetely something I want to promote as sheriff.

Is distracted driving something you see as a concern for pedestrian safety?

It is. it’s the biggest issue. We have a law in place, but it is difficult to enforce. It seems there needs to be changes made at the technology provider level.

A technology solution that limits use while driving is something the cellular providers may need to implement. It’s also helping communicate the rights of cyclists on the road. Educating drivers about the shared use is an important part of effecting change.

So why Sheriff?

When I took on this project, my number one thing, I wanted to be the people’s Sheriff. I want to go out and connect with the communities and organizations. I want to see how I can improve the work by getting the community involved in law enforcement, and vice versa.

I started this job 26 years ago. We do things very different and things are changing. I can’t say it’s softer and kinder, but decisions are more educated and patient. It’s not what it was 26 years ago where officers and deputies were rushing into certain issues. We see now, people are evaluating and collectively trying to find the best solution to diffuse these situations.

We still have the lack of this patience with our new generation. We see the older generations retiring and they don’t leave behind a good footprint for the new one. At the same time, with the cost of living that the BICYCLIST Magazine

The newer generations are more educated, but we need to show them how to be proactive in law enforcement and -the most important thinghow to communicate with our citizens. A lot of times, our deputies are getting hired at a younger age and they don’t have the experience or the maturity yet. So I want to make sure that my policies and my message is to protect and serve the community, and this is how you do it. Here’s the blueprint, understand the blueprint, then take that and adapt it to fit within the overall culture of the department.

And creating the policy and procedures in the beginning, instead of trying to change things along the way?

That’s exactly right. The old testament of law enforcement has been established for over 80-100 years and we’re trying to mold that to today’s climates. Orange County has a very diverse community, and we have to cater to understand each culture and why people do the things they do, mentally and physically, and that’s a challenge. That’s what I would want to do if I were to be Sheriff; opening the door of communication for people coming in and learning what we do, at the same time taking an interest in showing and demonstrating what we do.

It’s a big challenge because the generation prior to us, or those about to retire, left or are leaving with so much experience. A big part of my job is getting those good parts from the previous generations and molding to today’s climates with procedures that our future deputies can follow. Maintaining those good parts and helping pass that to the new generation of recruits.

Observant cyclists in Orange County have watched the increasing number of people living on the streets over the past decade- What role do you see the Orange County Sheriff having in terms of policing homelessness in Orange County?

The number one thing I want to tackle with our homelessness is mental health care. We have people who have been out on the street for so long that they no longer have the ability to take care of themselves. Law enforcement, per the penal code, cannot admit somebody to a 72-hour evaluation without that persons’ consent. Part of what I would like to introduce is implementing a Mental Evaluation Team, which would be composed of a sworn county personnel in civilian clothes and a registered nurse. The registered nurse has the authority to admit this person for evaluations. Having someone with a kinder, softer approach towards people having mental issues, increases communication. The chance of getting someone into the car and getting them into a mental health facility is much higher. If it’s a uniformed deputy, and they are transporting someone in a police car, policy dictates that they must be handcuffed.

Even if they’re not under arrest, they have to be handcuffed to ride in the car. This makes a difficult situation that much more challenging in communicating with someone having a mental health crisis.

Why hasn’t this been brought into OC before?

The MET (Mental Evaluation Team) are practiced and proven in other areas, but the county doesn’t want to spend the money. Only through the actions of Judge Carter, in the Santa Ana River Trail lawsuit, it was found that the county has $700 million of funds that could be spent to help these marginalized communities. The county has hundreds of millions of dollars of tax payer money that was specifically allocated to help the homeless and people with mental health issues, but they won't want to properly utilize this funding. I want to see our budgets better used for the community, better spent on the community. Building a jail to house mental health patients is not what I would want to do.

BICYCLIST.xyz

How do you answer the supporters of building an additional jail-house?

We already have a jail-house, it just needs to be modernized to today’s standards. If we build a jail, it will cost at least a billion. The land that is available can be better used to build shelters and affordable housing.

And then the facility needs to be staffed. When I started, Twin Towers [Correctional Facility] was being built. When it was finished, it took 5 years before inmates could be housed. By the time they brought in prisoners, none of the switches worked, none of the plumbing worked.

And then it took another year to get it back to being habitable. So a more realistic plan would be building shelters and clinics. Why not take a million, instead of a billion, and contract with existing clinics who have medical professional staff.

There have been issues with communications and jurisdiction between the Fire Authority and Sheriffs Department in Orange County that have had real consequences for cyclists and other trail users who were delayed in receiving rescue or medical attention. How do you see this changing if you were Sheriff?

The Sheriff departments have rescue helicopters and perform a function of rescuing just like the fire department, but the edge the fire department has on the sheriff’s department is their medical training.

They’re going to have better equipment and better knowledge on where to transport civilians. As sheriff, I would always say release it to the fire department. They have the band-aids, we don’t. Cops carry guns, firemen carry apparatus for rescue. I would go back and draw the line, anything dealing with rescue, we will help and locate with our airship, but when that’s done, the rescue should be the fire department. Because I can use my airship to do other stuff. I can use it to go to other cities to help with locating. But if I use my helicopter for rescue, when there is already the fire department that can do the rescue, I’ve taken my resources out of the ability to protect and serve.

In the history of sworn law enforcement, new recruits are at a young age. They sign to obey the police, but many don’t actually know the policy. There is a difference between reading that six-foot stack of paper and actually understanding it. Part of the modernizing and partnership is workshops, like putting new recruits hand-in-hand with citizens who are going through our citizen academy. In policy academy, there is no class for how to communicate with the citizens.

Incorporating training that deals with senior citizens, homeless, people with mental crisis, or medical crisis. A lot of our recruits don’t understand the importance of communication with our citizens so training is vital. But if the policies and procedures aren’t updated, it’s ineffective.

The department has to put in the time to go back and look at every policy, and see how it is applied today. Every policy needs a procedure that helps deputies understand how to effectively follow the policy.

Lately, I’ve been up in the mountains and I get no signal. Part of modernizing the department is making cellular and WiFi coverage county wide, and providing emergency support communications throughout the county. This is something I want citizens to have access to. Something that allows them to be able to communicate with first responders in all parts of Orange County, including mountain trails.

How can people support your campaign?

Folks can visit www.nguyenforsheriff.com/ to donate, volunteer and learn more about my plans as a sheriff for all of Orange County. I encourage everyone eligible to exercise their right to vote, and remind them June 5th is election day in California. ▲ Ed. Note: this article has been lightly edited for clarity.

There has been a power struggle with Sheriff and Fire, but as Sheriff, I would always say, let the fire department do their stuff. I came from LA and we’re very busy. We assist fire, and if fire captain says they’re OK, we take off. We’re not EMT trained, there’s no sense for us to be there after the fire department has taken over.

Do you have any insight on how it got to this point? How will things be different if you were Sheriff?

I’m not a micro-manager, I want my deputies to be more open minded to do their job, but management should make that call to defer to rescue and fire. It may be an issue of one department trying to show the other they can do their job better.

In my campaign, I go by three initiatives in community partnership. I want to work with the community, no closed doors; let's work together to see what works, and what doesn't. The citizens have a right to know; if there is an incident, the public has the right to know the details. The final part is modernizing the policy; going back to review the policy to see what is best economically and for the community. The job has to be done smarter, not harder.

Along the themes of transparency, communication, and modernization, what is the role of technology?

The number one piece of modern technology that we deal with is body cams. We’re in a new age of technology, and the policy and procedures need to be updated to reflect this. I want to have a role in the design I get for my personnel in custody, all the way to people on patrol. The body cams I envision would be implemented on day one, with all sworn personal wearing them, and have capabilities to monitor if they are removed or shut off. Implementing these systems of accountability makes decision-making more objective from custody to patrol. You have to hold deputies, but also make sure they can do their jobs. Body cameras specifically are meant to help both the citizens and deputies.

Photo courtesy Duke Nguyen

new generation has to face, how will they find housing? I have a lot of issues that I want to get out there to help the community understand law enforcement. I want to break the “them vs. us” attitude, I want to show them what we do without jeopardizing the safety of law enforcement personnel. At the same time, I want the community to understand our deputies go through rigorous training. We do try and get the best qualified candidates, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

Detective Duke Nguyen, candidate for Orange County Sheriff and active cyclist can be found most mornings at 3:30am starting his day with a road ride.

He's a refreshingly independent voice looking to make changes that benefit all of Orange County.

9

ASPHALT, PLEASE

Solo in Indio

Cycling Through Coachella Towards Mecca

By John Woodson

E

very now and then you need to Rage Against The Machine, pull a Crazy Ivan, be independent. That’s how I feel today.

Rather than head over to the Tour de Palm Springs and join 10,000 riders rambling through California’s beautiful Coachella Valley, I’m skipping the corporate, industrial, pay-per-mile gran fondo scene and striking out on my own – riding indie.

A week riding around Coachella Valley in full defensive cycling mode, breathing fine European luxury car exhaust and racing from stoplight-to-stoplight is taking a toll on me. Today, I need an epic bucket ride to detox body and mind. So, I design my own gran fondo-sportive-century-rad-marathon-brevet or whatever-you-want-to-call-it, bucket ride. An out-and-back from the center of Coachella Valley to Joshua Tree National Park. 106 miles highlighted by tall mountains, blue skies and wide-open desert vistas, plus no old guys in Bentleys aiming to run me over while texting to set up a tee time.

The route is simple, start in Indian Wells and follow the edge of the Santa Rosa Mountains to Mecca before climbing into Joshua Tree National Park. Turn around and do it reverse. If you’re a free spirit looking for a free ride this is just the ticket.

Make Your Solo Adventure a Success

1.

After loading up with high-octane fuel at Indian Wells Coffee (bucket rides always start with awesome coffee) roll down the Highway 111 bike lane towards La Quinta under stately palm trees and next to beautiful manicured gardens.

2.

Turn south at Washington Street and continue in the bike lane, cruising through the heart of La Quinta while checking out the rugged Santa Rosa Mountains.

3.

After a few miles Washington Street ends and the route turns east on Avenue 52, heading past more golf courses (they are everywhere) and through a roundabout till reaching Madison Street. Off to your left is the Empire Polo Club where the envy-of-everyteenager Coachella Music Festival takes place in April.

I hear it’s a big thing with a couple hundred thousand young people coming together for music, art and to parade around in a world of stylized desert hippiedom.

4.

Turn right on Madison Street past flowering gardens and walls tall enough to keep riffraff cyclists at bay.

With wide smooth bike lanes, it’s a nice place to pick up the pace or stop and pick a roadside orange.

5.

At Avenue 60 turn left and ride past Trilogy, the last golf course oasis. This is a popular route with cyclists and for a few miles I jump in with The Boise Boys, a group of Idaho cyclists in town for winter training camp.

6.

Soon the bike path ends, turn right on Monroe Street, then left on Avenue 62 riding on lightly traveled roads through fields of citrus and date palm.

7.

At Jackson Street (yes, north/south roads are named for Presidents) turn right and head into the heart of date palm country. Jackson soon turns east and becomes Avenue 66, taking you past the Fish Traps Archeology Site and to Mecca - grapefruit capital of California.

8.

7 straight miles down Avenue 66 is Mecca, including a convenience store at Highway 86. This is the last water stop until the ranger station turnaround in Joshua Tree National Park - 28 miles. It is also the low point of the ride at 187 feet below sea level.

From here there are no stop signs, stop lights or cell signals for 56 miles until you arrive back here.

9.

Leaving Mecca, the route heads up Box Canyon on a 2% climb for 20 miles. It’s not hard, but gravitational forces continually remind you it’s uphill. Enjoy breathtaking canyon views of giant earthen plates tossed around by the San Andreas Fault underneath you.

10. The

final climb to the ranger station starts at Interstate 10. It’s 8 miles at 3-4% straight up into the Cottonwood Mountains. After the first mile, stop and snap an obligatory selfie at the official Joshua Tree National Park sign.

11. You’ll

find water, bathrooms and friendly rangers, but no food up top at the ranger station.

Bring a wind jacket, knee/leg warmers and gloves since the temperature at 3000ft is 10-15 degrees cooler than Mecca and the fast 28-mile descent is chilly, but only takes about an hour!

12. There are several scenic vista turnouts on the return

with wonderful panoramic views of Coachella Valley.

At one I meet freelance automotive journalist Nick Kurczewski test-driving the latest not-yet-availablein-the-states shiny high-tech BMW with luxury leather lounge seating. He is smiling, having fun, a lot of fun while I toil in the desert on a 10-year-old bike with dull peeling paint and a hard faux-leather seat. Hmmm, maybe time to pivot and switch to freelance auto journalism…zoom, zoom. ▲

RIDE NAME LOCATION DISTANCE DIFFICULTY START HOSTS HIGHLIGHTS

Solo in Indio Coachella Valley, CA 106 miles, 3200' Advanced Road, Out and Back Indian Wells, 92210 Self-Supported Joshua Tree National Park

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JOHN WOODSON lives and rides in New Mexico, a legendary character that is always on the lookout for legendary rides. Or even less than legendary. But always a good experience. Do you organize or participate in a ride that qualifies? Let him know; jwoodson@bicyclist.xyz 10

BICYCLIST Magazine

LEFT The distant Cottonwood Mountains loom over Box Canyon. Bring water, definitely third bottle territory. RIGHT The forest of date trees line your route as you make your way around the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Photo by John Woodson

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Event Calendar May 2-6 Multi

Redlands Bicycle Classic Redlands Bicycle Classic ROAD: Invitational

3-5 Multi

Sagan Gran Fondo - Dirt Bike Monkey MIXED: Dirt

4-6 Multi

Wildflower Experience Motiv Sports TRI: Individual and Relay

5 Saturday

Skaggs and Super Skaggs Grasshopper Adventure Series MIXED: 96 miles Occidental Community Center

2018 Redlands

SCa

Downtown Redlands ___________________________________________________________________

Truckee

NCa

Truckee Tahoe Airport ___________________________________________________________________

Bradley

NCa Tri

Lake San Antonio Shore ___________________________________________________________________

Occidental

NCa

____________________________________________________

GUIDE TO THE CALENDAR

We do our best to comb the wild west of cycling event websites to get the information you need to make the most of your time in the saddle. We provide this comprehensive listing, without endorsement, but we ask that you support the events that support the magazine. To submit your event and view the full calendar, visit www.BICYCLIST.events.

SIGNS & SYMBOLS Date

17 Thurs Quick n Dirty Summer Series 2018 Quick n Dirty MTB: Course Lake Hodges The Grand Junction Off-Road Epic Rides MTB: 8.1 mile course Boulder

Colorado

___________________________________________________________________

Operation Ride for Red Ventura Red Cross of Ventura ROAD: 30,61,99 miles SCa Camarillo

____________________________________________________

King Ridge Dirt Supreme Occidental Grasshopper Adventure Series MIXED: 96 miles NCa Occidental Community Center ____________________________________________________

San Diego Century Spectrum Sports ROAD: 33,67,105 miles

San Diego

OC MTB Fremont XC Race Orange OC MTB MTB: 17 mile course SCa Fremont Canyon

UCI Anti-Cancer Ride & Run Renegade Race Series ROAD: 10,30,60,100 Miles

6 Sunday

So Cal Enduro Series Race #5 Team Big Bear MTB: XC, Enduro, DH

20-24 Multi

California North Coast Ride Climate Ride ROAD: 292 to 327 miles

8 Tuesday

Over the Hump - 1st Half of Series RaceOC MTB: TBD

22 Tuesday

Over the Hump - 1st Half of Series RaceOC MTB: TBD

Los Olivos

SCa

Los Olivos ___________________________________________________________________

Silverado

SCa

Irvine Lake ___________________________________________________________________

10 Thurs Quick n Dirty Summer Series 2018 Quick n Dirty MTB: Course Lake Hodges

Escondido

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

12 Saturday

Tour of Long Beach Renegade Race Series ROAD: 5,30,62,100 miles

Long Beach

SCa

Long Beach Convention Center ____________________________________________________

I Care Classic Morgan Hill Almaden Super Lions Club ROAD: 20-100 miles NCa Morgan Hill

____________________________________________________

Specialized TOC Party Costa Mesa Specialized MEET-UP: Viewing Party SCa Specialized Costa Mesa

13 Sunday

So Cal Enduro Series Race #5 Team Big Bear MTB: XC, Enduro, DH

15 Tuesday

Over the Hump - 1st Half of Series RaceOC MTB: TBD

___________________________________________________________________

Temecula

SCa

Vail Lake ___________________________________________________________________

Silverado

SCa

Irvine Lake ___________________________________________________________________

12

Irvine

SCa

Orange County Great Park ___________________________________________________________________

Fortuna

NCa

Fotuna TBA ___________________________________________________________________

Silverado

SCa

Irvine Lake ___________________________________________________________________

24 Thurs Quick n Dirty Summer Series 2018 Quick n Dirty MTB: Course Lake Hodges

Escondido

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

25-28 Multi

The Great Western Bike Rally Climate Ride ROAD: 292 to 327 miles

Paso Robles

29 Tuesday

Over the Hump - 1st Half of Series RaceOC MTB: TBD

SCa

Paso Robles Convention Center ___________________________________________________________________

Silverado

SCa

Irvine Lake ___________________________________________________________________

31 Thurs Quick n Dirty Summer Series 2018 Quick n Dirty MTB: Course Lake Hodges

Escondido

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

June 2 Friday

Ojai Valley Century Ojai Valley Rides ROAD: 120-180 miles

City, State

FEATURES

Tri

SCa NCa

Nv

MAGAZINE SUPPORTERS support our supporters COMPETITION events with posted participants and results ROAD events with 90% or more paved route MOUNTAIN events with 90% or more dirt trail CYCLOCROSS closed course road/mtb hybrid GRAVEL fire roads, grinders and adventure rides TRIATHLON running, swimming, and biking BICYCLISM arts, entertainment and BIKES! SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NEVADA

OREGON WASHINGTON ARIZONA

Or Wa

Az

SCa

Cardiff-by-the-Sea ____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

SCa

19 Saturday

Event Name Organizer TYPE: length Location

Escondido

___________________________________________________________________

18-20 Multi

Day

2018 Ojai

SCa

Ojai Valley ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2-3 Multi

Mojave Death Race Nipton Mojave Death Race ROAD: 2-day Race NCa Nipton Trading Post

3 Saturday

Bike MS Los Angeles Pasadena National MS Society ROAD: 30,60,100 miles SCa Rose Bowl

___________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

So Cal Enduro Series Race #6 Team Big Bear MTB: XC, Enduro, DH

Big Bear

SCa

Big Bear Lake ____________________________________________________

LA River Ride Los Angeles LACBC ROAD: 2-100 miles SCa The Autry Museum

____________________________________________________

Specialized Monthly Donut Ride Costa Mesa Specialized Costa Mesa ROAD: 35 miles SCa Specialized Costa Mesa

____________________________________________________

America's Most Beautiful Ride Lake Tahoe Bike the West ROAD: 35,72,100 miles NCa Hard Rock Hotel

3-9 Multi

AIDS LifeCycle Daly City AIDS/LifeCycle ROAD: Tour NCa Cow Palace

5 Tuesday

Over the Hump - 1st Half of Series RaceOC MTB: TBD

5-12 Multi

Dude Girl Presents Cycling in Tuscany Italy Dude Girl MIXED: 8-day Tour Tuscany, Italy

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Silverado

SCa

Irvine Lake ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

BICYCLIST Magazine

Escondido

SCa SCa

___________________________________________________________________

12 Tuesday

Over the Hump - 1st Half of Series RaceOC MTB: TBD

Silverado

SCa

Irvine Lake ___________________________________________________________________

14 Thurs Quick n Dirty Summer Series 2018 Quick n Dirty MTB: Course Lake Hodges

The Carson City Off-Road Epic Rides MTB: 17-50 miles Carson City

16 Saturday

Half Moon Bay Cycle For Life CF Cycle For Life ROAD: 20,40,100 kms

SCa Nevada

Nv

___________________________________________________________________

Half Moon Bay

NCa

Del Mar Fairgrounds ____________________________________________________

The Ultimate Duel OBRA MTB: 23,62 miles

Oregon

Or

Cascade Lakes Highway ____________________________________________________

21 Thurs Quick n Dirty Summer Series 2018 Quick n Dirty MTB: Course Lake Hodges

Escondido

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

23 Saturday

So Cal Enduro Series Race #7 Big Bear Team Big Bear MTB: XC, Enduro, DH SCa Big Bear Lake

23-29 Multi

Haute Route: Mavic Rockies The Climate Ride ROAD: 255 miles Boulder

___________________________________________________________________

Colorado

___________________________________________________________________

28 Thurs Quick n Dirty Summer Series 2018 Quick n Dirty MTB: Course Lake Hodges

Escondido

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

July 2018 1 Sunday

Specialized Montly Donut Ride Costa Mesa Specialized Costa Mesa ROAD: 35 miles SCa Specialized Costa Mesa

17-22 Multi

Glacier Climate Ride Minnesota The Climate Ride ROAD: 255 miles West Glacier

17 Tuesday

Over the Hump - 2nd Half of Series RaceOC MTB: TBD

21 Saturday

Green Valley Lake Aquathon RaceOC MTB: TBD

San Bernadino

22 Sunday

Manhattan Beach Grand Prix South Bay Wheelmen ROAD: Criterium

Manhattan Beach

24 Tuesday

Over the Hump - 2nd Half of Series RaceOC MTB: TBD

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Silverado

SCa

Irvine Lake ___________________________________________________________________

SCa

Green Valley Lake ___________________________________________________________________

SCa

Downtown Manhattan Beach ___________________________________________________________________

Silverado

SCa

Irvine Lake ___________________________________________________________________

BICYCLIST.xyz

Big Bear Cycling Festival San Bernadino Big Bear Cycling Association FESTIVAL SCa Big Bear Lake

31 Tuesday

Over the Hump - 2nd Half of Series RaceOC MTB: TBD

___________________________________________________________________

Silverado

SCa

Irvine Lake ___________________________________________________________________

GUIDE TO THE CALENDAR

We do our best to comb the wild west of cycling event websites to get the information you need to make the most of your time in the saddle. We provide this comprehensive listing, without endorsement, but we ask that you support the events that support the magazine.

SIGNS & SYMBOLS

Escondido

___________________________________________________________________

15-17 Multi

29-8 Multi

August

2018

4 Saturday

Tour de Big Bear Big Bear Cycling Association ROAD: 25-125 miles Big Bear Lake

5 Sunday

Specialized Monthly Donut Ride Costa Mesa Specialized Costa Mesa ROAD: 35 miles SCa Specialized Costa Mesa

7 Tuesday

Over the Hump - 2nd Half of Series RaceOC MTB: TBD

11 Sunday

Hotter N Hell Climb Back on Track Productions ROAD: 12 mile course 2470 N Mountain Ave.

Date

San Bernadino

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

Silverado

Tri

SCa

Irvine Lake ___________________________________________________________________

Mt. Baldy

SCa

Day

Event Name Organizer TYPE: length

City, State

FEATURES

Location

___________________________________________________________________

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT & view full calendar www.bicyclist.events

7 Thurs Quick n Dirty Summer Series 2018 Quick n Dirty

MTB: Course Lake Hodges

SCa NCa

Nv

MAGAZINE SUPPORTERS support our supporters COMPETITION events with posted participants and results ROAD events with 90% or more paved route MOUNTAIN events with 90% or more dirt trail CYCLOCROSS closed course road/mtb hybrid GRAVEL fire roads, grinders and adventure rides TRIATHLON running, swimming, and biking BICYCLISM arts, entertainment and BIKES! SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NEVADA

Or Wa

Az

OREGON WASHINGTON ARIZONA

on i t a r ope

RIDE FOR THE RED Saturday, May 19 2018 Salute the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces program in the Third Annual Operation: Ride for the Red! From the newly enlisted to long time veterans, Red Cross volunteers serve the military that serves our country.

5 mile fun ride 30 miles 50 miles 100 miles Sign up today for early bird pricing.

Active duty military and veterans ride free!

redcross.org/operationride

13

Event Calendar

GUIDE TO THE CALENDAR

We do our best to comb the wild west of cycling event websites to get the information you need to make the most of your time in the saddle. We provide this comprehensive listing, without endorsement, but we ask that you support the events that support the magazine. To submit your event and view the full calendar, visit www.BICYCLIST.events.

SIGNS & SYMBOLS Date

2018

29 Saturday

1-2 Multi

L'Etape California Folsom Le Tour de France ROAD: 60,90 miles NCa Folsom

HUNKR HUNKR Race Series ROAD: 100 km Irvine Lake

2 Sunday

Specialized Montly Donut Ride Costa Mesa Specialized Costa Mesa ROAD: 35 miles SCa Specialized Costa Mesa

29-30 Multi

Golden State Fall Series Southridge Racing MTB: TBD Southridge Park

7 Saturday

2018 UCC - Fiesta Island TT San Diego Bicycle Club ROAD: Time Trial

8 Sunday

Best Buddies Challenge San Simeon Best Buddies International ROAD: 15,30,60,100 miles NCa SCa Hearst Castle

Sept.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

San Diego

SCa

Fiesta Island ___________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

44th Annual Amtrak Century OCW ROAD: 100 miles

Irvine

SCa

Irvine Transportation Center ____________________________________________________

Tour de Fuzz Sonoma County ROAD: 100 miles

Santa Rosa

NCa

Santa Rosa ____________________________________________________

OC MTB Limestone XC Race OC MTB Races MTB: 12.3 mile course Limestone Canyon

Orange

12-19 Multi

Dude Girl Presents Cycling in Tuscany Italy Dude Girl MIXED: 96 miles SCa Tuscany, Italy

14-16 Multi

The Silver State 508 Reno Silver State 508 ROAD: 508 miles Nv Hilton Garden Inn

15 Saturday

Tehachapi Gran Fondo City of Tehachapi ROAD: 18-104 miles

17-23 Multi

Tour of San Diego San Diego Gran Fondo Cycling Tours ROAD: 40-60 mi/day SCa Downtown San Diego

22-23 Multi

Bike MS: Waves to Wine California National MS Society ROAD: TBD SCa Central Coast

22-29 Multi

California Coast Classic Arthritis Foundation ROAD: 96 miles San Francisco

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Tehachapi

SCa

Tehachapi Centennial Plaza ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

San Francisco

NCa

___________________________________________________________________

14

Share the Road Ride Soaring Spirits International ROAD: 18-104 miles

NCa

Alamo Street ____________________________________________________

Silverado

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

Fontana Tri

___________________________________________________________________

October 2018 6 Saturday

Baja Bike Race Mass Works LLC ROAD: 73 miles

Valle de Guadalupe

7 Sunday

Sacramento Cycle for Life CF Cycle for Life ROAD: TBD

13 Saturday

Tour of White Mountains Epic Rides MTB: TBD

14 Sunday

Los Angeles Tour de Cure Americans Diabetes Association ROAD: 20,40,100 kms

SCa

Tecate ___________________________________________________________________

Loomis

NCa

Loomis Basin Brewery ___________________________________________________________________

Arizona

Az

Pinetop-Lakeside ___________________________________________________________________

Los Angeles

SCa

Santa Fe Dam ____________________________________________________

UCC – Fiesta Island Time Trials UC Cyclery/SDBC ROAD: Time Trial

20-21 Multi

Bike MS: Bay to Bay National MS Society ROAD: 50,70,100 miles Irvine Transportation Center

San Diego

SCa

Fiesta Island Rd. ___________________________________________________________________

Irvine

SCa

____________________________________________________

Golden State Fall Series Southridge Racing Family MTB: 255 miles Southridge Park

Fontana

27 Saturday

Oceanside Double Century Mtn. High Cycling ROAD: 200 miles

Oceanside

Filthy 50+ MTB Ride with Benefits Quick n Dirty MTB: 30,50 miles San Pasquel Staging Area

Escondido

SCa

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SCa

Oceanside Days Inn ____________________________________________________

SCa

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Victor Valley Bicycle Tour Victor Valley Bicycle Tour ROAD: 10,25,62 miles Apple Valley Civic Center

Apple Valley

Event Name Organizer TYPE: length

City, State

FEATURES

Location

Simi Valley

SCa

Day

SCa NCa

Nv

MAGAZINE SUPPORTERS support our supporters COMPETITION events with posted participants and results ROAD events with 90% or more paved route MOUNTAIN events with 90% or more dirt trail CYCLOCROSS closed course road/mtb hybrid GRAVEL fire roads, grinders and adventure rides TRIATHLON running, swimming, and biking BICYCLISM arts, entertainment and BIKES! SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NEVADA

OREGON WASHINGTON ARIZONA

Or Wa

Az

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27-28 Multi

Phil's Cookie Fondo Camarillo Agent of Change ROAD: 32-113 miles SCa Camarillo Airport

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November 2018 1-3 Multi

Sagan Fondo: ROAD California Bike Monkey ROAD: TBA SCa TBA

3 Saturday

Bike/Taste the Coast Spectrum Sports ROAD: TBD

3-4 Multi

Golden State Fall Series Southridge Racing MTB: TBD Southridge Park

10 Saturday

HUNKR HUNKR Race Series ROAD: 100 km Irvine Lake

17-18 Multi

27th Annual Challenge Southridge Racing MTB: TBD Southridge Park

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Oceanside

SCa

Oceanside Pier ___________________________________________________________________

Fontana

SCa

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Silverado

SCa

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Fontana

SCa

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December 2018 8 Saturday

Dirty 30(ish) Quick n Dirty MTB: 30 miles 13920 CA-67

Lakeside

SCa

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SCa BICYCLIST Magazine

last page

The Lightweight, E-Bike That Gives Back Advanced electric bicycles that give back to organizations like MS Society's Bike MS

By Kelley O'Toole

Z

BIKE stands out from the rest of the electric bicycles on the market. We’ve seen a lot of iterations of similarly styled models with an emphasis on showcasing top speed, but without as much consideration for other elements that have shown themselves to be important when choosing an electric bike. The unique design of the ZBIKE frame allows for the bike to really excel in ways that stand out. Coming in at 34 pounds, with a top speed of 20 miles an hour, and a range of 36 miles, it's a very compelling option for the urban or afternoon bike path adventure. Mark Menta felt that the electric bicycles on the market just looked like “traditional bicycles with a motor and battery strapped to them. We wanted something that was different, and totally unique [and our] eye was on style with substance.” Continuing with emphasis, "both of these aspects must be present before a product can stand above the crowd.”

Mark and the folks at ZBIKE have started a Kickstarter campaign to bring these lightweight high quality, low price, electric bicycles to the public, and to support Bike MS. In line with their mission to provide an eco-conscious and cost-effective alternative to carbon-based vehicles, the company partners with “highly respected brands and non-profit organizations” who are aligned with their core values. A portion of the sales of the bike will go towards the National MS Society, an organization that delivers services to those who face the challenges of Multiple Sclerosis every day so they can live their best lives. Additionally, ZBIKE and Bike MS will be gifting a top fund-raiser of Bike MS Los Angeles with a special edition, blue and orange, ZBIKE. ZBIKE weighs just over 34 lbs, which, compared to most e-bikes on the market, is remarkably light.

The unique design accommodates a variety of rider heights ranging from 5’2 to 6’2. A handlebar throttle propels the bike forward without the need to pedal at all (20mph), though be sure of any regulations on trails or paths specifying throttles before you begin exploring. On a charge, ZBIKE is claiming 36 miles in flat commute/urban environments, and 15-20 miles in hilly off-road trail riding conditions with no pedaling.

The Bike MS community find these features particularly attractive, and we expect to see more blue and orange ZBIKES riding in one of their many road bike events.

The curvy frame is eye-catchingly flexible while maintaining the rigidity needed for a secure ride.

And the slim battery pack is discreetly stored in the frame for equal weight distribution. The bike comes equipped with a torque sensor along with a microprocessor that allows for precise energy management and provides the most efficient use of the battery. The bike is constructed with aviation-grade aluminum which keeps it lightweight but structurally sound, and the wheels are made from magnesium which has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any material. A small switch underneath the fork allows you to turn on and off the electricity, alongside a power plug for charging the battery while it’s on the bike.

We had a chance to take the bike out for a spin when we visited the Bike MS Los Angeles Training Ride at Empire Bikes in Chino. The bike we looked at had all the features besides the pedal assist and throttle, which will be on the bikes going into production. Indeed, both myself (5’4) and Chris (6’2) were able to comfortably test ride the bike despite our difference in height. The pedaling motion of the bike paired with the unique design felt like smooth sailing, and the distinct design of the bike earned some rubber necking from Saturday morning customers in the Chino Hills Marketplace. ▲

CLOCKWISE The futuristic model of the bike provides a lovely contrast against the trees and dirt in Chino. | A simple "on/off" switch is placed discreetly in the frame, alongside a spot to plug in the charger, and a port to play music. Yes, it has speakers. | The motor housing to power the bike also acts as the rear wheel and is cast in magnesium, a choice to maximize the strenght-toweight ratio of the material. | The ZBIKE model that will be awarded to the top fund-raiser at the Bike MS Los Angeles event.

For more on the bike go to www.zbikeusa.com

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