Momentum- May/June 2011

Momentum

( smart living by bike )

david

byrne leading the bike lifestyle and loving it

+ the

oment of m

years

minneapolis by bike

inside

explore

issue #

American Edition

um

+venture: 40

helmet debate + bells&whistles: nahbs winners | bike prom | heels on wheels | events | 16 + goodybasket: new and innovative bikes with aesthetic appeal | 46 + familystyle: lunchtime bike club | kids' helmets | 25 + mohow: how to fly with your bike | 50

4th Annual READER SURVEY! MOMENTUM MAGAZINE

It’s that time readers when we want to hear from you. Your feedback helps us shape our editorial and advertising vision for 2012. Fill out our survey and be entered to win one of these fabulous prizes from our sponsors! Prize winners will be drawn on Friday, June 10th.

GREEN GURU RUCKUS BIKE TUBE BACKPACK The Ruckus is designed for the roving adventurer who plays hard and needs great gear yet doesn’t want it at the expense of their environment. Made from six bike inner tubes and 100% recycled PETE fabric, it’s built to withstand all you can throw at it and gulp up all the gear you can put in it. greengurugea greengurugear.com

SUPERFLASH TURBO TAIL LIGHT We paired our time-tested design with a powerful 1 watt LED, and then added the new attention-grabbing Turbo flash pattern. It’s ultra compact vertical design is weatherproof, lightweight and durable. planetbike.com

RICKSHAW BAGWORKS MEDIUM ZERO MESSENGER BAG The Zero Messenger Bag. Made from scratch in SF using locally sourced materials. rickshawbags.com

SOMA MORNING RUSH COFFEE HOLDER Now available without a mug! This stainless steel ring holds travel mugs in style. The quickrelease mount fits bars 22.2 - 25.4mm. merrysales.com

PRYME 8 V2 LITE HELMET 300 grams of goodness. In-Mold technology make this helmet HALF the weight of most Half Shell Helmets. seattlebikesupply.com

MIA BIRK’S BOOK, “JOYRIDE” Joyride: Pedaling Toward a Healthier Planet, by Mia Birk, tells the dramatic and enlightening behind-thescenes story of how a group of determined visionaries transformed Portland into a cycling mecca and inspired the nation. miabirk.com / altaplanning.com THE MONKEYLECTRIC MONKEY LIGHT This is a revolutionary bike light that keeps you visible. monkeylectric.com

prize

GRAND

win ME

TORKER GRADUATE - GRAND PRIZE! Thanks to internal Sturmey Archer 5-speed gearing, ultra-efficient internal drum brakes and clever thumb shifter, Torker has equipped The Grad with increased terrain capability for 2011. The Graduate is as simple on the outside as it is full of performance on the inside. seattlebikesupply.com

go to

WWW.MOMENTUMPLANET.COM/READER-SURVEY CONTEST CLOSES FRIDAY JUNE 10TH

Boomer Wearable Boomer Wearable – Integrated clip plus magnetic attachment Hi Powered Strobe Light – Red and White LEDs – 6 colours www.knog.com.au

Momentum

( smart living by bike )

david byrne

The Talking Heads star wants to see more people on bikes, and has the right prescription for that in mind.

helmetdebate the

34

features

40

minneapolis Our adventure series continues with a look at the City of Lakes.

inside:thebike

62

What to know about Belt Drives.

the

cover

Should wearing a bike helmet be a matter of personal choice or do we need mandatory helmet laws?

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

36

Mark Johann is a San Francisco, CA-based photographer whose images of David Byrne grace our front cover and contents page (see above). He photographed Byrne at Hunters Point, an old naval shipyard in San Francisco. You can see more of Johann’s work at markjohann.com.

may>jun>11

3

on the web

Momentum

mar + apr 2011

departments 16 bells+whistles

The hottest up-to-date news, gear and arts & culture information – all in one place!

arts & culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 heels on wheels . . . . . . . . . . . 17 what’s new . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 top 20 songs for your iPod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 event roundup . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 bike curious . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

front matter contribs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 intandem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 takethelane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 inbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Lunch-time bike club! Find out how to get one at your school. Plus kids’ helmets and the Weehoo.

thebigidea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

28 readytoroll: Camera-ready celebrity style.

30 bikeshop Clever Cycles: Two families marry their love of cycling with a Clever solution.

collection of the latest helmet designs.

48 behindthebrand PUBLIC Bikes gets back to basics with lovely

How to take a bike on a plane: essential steps that will get your bike into the air and with you on your next trip.

4

May>jun>11

momentumplanet.com/articles/ new-amsterdam-bike

Videos

53 54

Mia Birk and her daughter’s garage sale adventure – why you can ride with big loads, too.

do it yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

momentumplanet.com/videos/portlandia-bike-clip

People for Bikes: If I Ride Video:

56

Change your bike chain… the right way.

BikevsBike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

58

Are separated bike lanes a boon or bane?

bikeStyle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

64

Anne DeOtte, of Mithun and Iva Jean, keeps it simple with skinny jeans, heels and layers.

momentumplanet.com/videos/people-for-bikesif-i-ride

Blogs

marketplaces handmade bicycles . . . . . . . . . 61 smart Finds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

city rides.

50 MOhow

New Amsterdam Bicycle Show 2011:

Encouraging seniors to cycle.

44 goodybasket Bikes we like, how to pick a helmet and a

/momentumplanet.com/articles/new-map-ofamericas-bike-habits

columns asktheadvocate . . . . . . . . . . .

New Maps of America’s Bike Habits:

Portlandia Video:

25 familystyle

Momentum puts a new spin on family life.

Highlights from momentumplanet.com (mar/apr) News

DIY Mini Messenger Bags for Young Cyclists:

momentumplanet.com/blogs/families-on-bikes/ diy-mini-mess

The Bicycle: A Lady’s Best Friend:

momentumplanet.com/blogs/opinions/ the-bicycle%3A-a-lady’s-best-friend

want more?

Visit momentumplanet.com to see extended content in our digital edition.

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

NuVinci Makes Shifting the New Uptown Infinity a Breeze. ®

2011 Uptown Infinity with NuVinci N360™ Drivetrain.

Frame Award-winning, Joe Breeze Design, Aluminum Drivetrain NuVinci N360 CVP Front Hub Shimano Dynamo Headlight Busch & Müller IQ Cyo LED with Standlight, 60 Lux Taillight Busch & Müller Toplight XS LED with Standlight Tires WTB Freedom Cruz Elite with Reflex, 26x1.5.

Rear Carrier Breezer Tubular Aluminum with Spring Clip And More Full-length fenders, Axa Solid Ring Lock, Kickstand, Chime Bell

Available from these dealers: A Bicycle Odyssey Sausalito CA B&L Bike Shop Davis CA Box Dog Bikes San Francisco CA

The Uptown Infinity marks yet another milestone in Joe Breeze’s lifelong pursuit to make cycling simpler, easier and more accessible for more people. It pairs Breezer’s award-winning Uptown frame with the award-winning NuVinci N360 drivetrain. Smooth. Quiet. Infinitely variable within its wide 360% range. With the NuVinci N360 maintaining the perfect cadence is as easy as adjusting the volume on

Uptown Infinity Low-Step

a radio. Test ride the Uptown Infinity at one of these authorized dealers today. We think you’ll agree… Nothing shifts like NuVinci.®

TRANSPORTATION FOR A HEALTHY PLANET

Menlo Velo Bicycles Practical Cycle The Bicycle Business Sports Garage Sekka Bicycle Shop Landry’s Bicycles

®

www.breezerbikes.com www.nuvinci.com Menlo Park CA Sacramento CA Sacramento CA Boulder CO Savannah GA Natick MA

Bike Peddler Bozeman MT Commuter Bike Store Rockaway NJ Freewheelers Rochester NY Mt. Hope Bicycle Millersburg OH Arriving by Bike Eugene OR Clever Cycles Portland OR

Revolver Bike The Bike Commuter Falcones Tim’s Bike Shop Wheel Sport, Inc Bikes Limited

Portland OR Portland OR Olympia WA Everett WA Spokane WA La Crosse WI

©2011 Breezer is a registered trademark of Advanced Sports International. NuVinci, N360 and their stylized logos and elements are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fallbrook Technologies Inc. All rights reserved.

1

2

4

1

5

elly blue

Elly Blue lives in Portland, OR, and works as a freelance writer. She is a regular contributor to Grist, BikePortland and Momentum. She publishes a feminist bicycle zine and is writing a book for people new to bicycling. She is the cofounder of PDX by BIKE, a resource for visitors to Portland who want to discover the city by bicycle, which is scheduled to launch in May 2011. See her feature about bicycle helmets on p. 37. Twitter @ellyblue

2

tom everson

Tom Everson is the owner/ founder of Cars-RCoffins and author of this issue’s city feature about Minneapolis on p.40. He recently shuttered the CRC refocus energy on writing and long, gravel road rides throughout the Midwest region and single-speed mountain bike rides on any and all single track. He lives in Minneapolis with girlfriend Kelly Mac and two cats, Pescado and Molly.

3

aretha munro

Aretha Munro is an intern at Momentum's Vancouver, BC, office where she gets to write, research and talk about people and bikes – she sourced the bike helmet statistics found on p. 39.

Munro recently graduated from the University of Victoria with a degree in anthropology and environmental studies. This summer, she is excited to explore BC’s Southern Gulf Islands on two wheels.

6

3

May>jun>11

6

4

bryna hallam

Bryna Hallam, Momentum’s Victoria, BC-based Arts and Culture Editor, listened to David Byrne’s music almost non-stop for six months in anticipation of interviewing the former Talking Heads performer and cycling advocate, see p. 34. Her favorite tune at the moment: “Here Lies Love,” about former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos. Twitter @brynahallam

5

mark emery

Mark Emery started out in photography and bicycles at the age of 15. An oatmeal box that he turned into a pinhole camera quickly gave way to a film SLR. He reluctantly moved to digital 20 years later, though occasionally shoots and develops his own black-and-white film. A mechanic turned mechanical engineer, he is commonly seen on group rides as well as relaxing with friends at local Minneapolis bicycle shops. While his single shot is featured on p. 37, his Minneapolis pics are used all over p. 40 and 41.

6

darko sikman

Darko Sikman, whose photos are featured in our Ready to Roll photo spread, p. 28, spent the past 10 years traveling around the world. His nomadic lifestyle allowed him to create a diverse photography portfolio that includes everything from weddings and portraits to high fashion and fine art. He settled down in Vancouver, BC, last summer and currently works as a freelance photographer. darkoroom.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Momentum

Momentum

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Momentum Mag

is an independent media company that promotes, encourages and inspires Smart Living by Bike. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Publishers Mia Kohout, Tania Lo Marketing and Advertising

Mia Kohout • mia@momentumplanet.com Finance and Operations

Tania Lo • tania@momentumplanet.com Editor

Sarah Ripplinger • sarah@momentumplanet.com Photo Editor

David Niddrie • photo@momentumplanet.com Creative Direction

Jim Nissen SWITCHStudio.com • momentum@switchstudio.com Art Direction

Chaidi Lobato • momentum@switchstudio.com Designers

Kris Olmon, Carla Rogers, Elizabeth Dam, Kat Randall momentum@switchstudio.com Arts Editor

Bryna Hallam • bryna@momentumplanet.com Style Editor

Molly Millar • molly@momentumplanet.com Gear

gear@momentumplanet.com Columnists

Mia Birk, Kristen Steele, Dan Goldwater, Elly Blue, Lolly Walsh Contributing Writers

Mia Birk, Elly Blue, Rhiannon Coppin, Geoffrey Earl, Brian Ellison, Tom Everson, Dan Goldwater, Bryna Hallam, Brett Heneke, Molly Millar, Aretha Munro, David Niddrie, Torrey Pass, Sarah Ripplinger, James Shambhu, Kristen Steele, Carolyn Szczepanski, Jeremy Towsey-French, Benjamin van Loon, Lolly Walsh, Dina Weinstein, Kathleen Wilker Contributing Artists & Photographers

Marc Amsterdamize, Patrick Barber, Sam Bradd, David Byrne, Gwendal Castellan, Bjorn Christianson, G.R. Christmas, Cold Iron, Mark Emery, Kyle Ferguson, Dan Goldwater, Dawn Gordon, Scott David Gordon, Mark Johann, Kyle Johnson, Bernard Klevickas, Paul Krueger, Krisztina Kun, Joah Lui, David Niddrie, Rajiv Sainath, Jeremy Scholz, Doug Scott, James Shambhu, Darko Sikman, Kristin Tieche, Allisa De Vogel, Kathleen Wilker Office Manager

Lindsey Wasserman • lindsey@momentumplanet.com

Aretha Munro, Shay Sinclair Paloma Vita Proofreaders Aretha Munro, Shay Sinclair Interns

Copy Editor

Send Correspondence to: Momentum Magazine, Suite#214-425 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 6E3 letters@momentumplanet.com

Subscriptions and Customer Service subscriptions@momentumplanet.com Printed six times a year. 19.95 yr US + Canada/ 39.95 International http://www.momentumplanet.com/subscribe To distribute Momentum in your store become a Community Partner http://www.momentumplanet.com/distribute Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the publishers, sponsors, advertisers or anyone else for that matter.

Publication Mail Agreement #40565523G

printed in the

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

RALEIGH AMERICA MODEL YEAR 2011: PERFORMANCE HYBRID

SIMPLY FAST CADENT i8

·Atomic 13 SL Aluminum Frame ·Carbon Fork · Nexus Internal 8-speed ·Vittoria Randonneur Tires ·Rack and Fender Mounts

raleighusa.com

“Sexism or sexy?”

T

weeted Carlton Reid of BikeBiz (re: Momentum launches its 50th issue with a brand new look). This is the second issue of Momentum since our redesign, and we would like to share with you our experience since its unveiling.

Some of you saw our cover and were immediately worried that we would lose the depth of our content (we hope that worry subsided when you dove into the

pages). We wanted to shock you, to turn heads and to give you the exact opposite of what you have grown to expect from Momentum, hoping you were ready for a new approach, too. Approximately 90 percent of the feedback we received has been positive! People are excited and ready for more, see InBox on p.10. Not everyone will agree with our editorial choices, but if we can inspire even one more person to try

photo by David Niddrie

photo by Gwendal Castellan

intandem

riding a bike, then there is hope that we can reach new people and increase our cycling mode share in Canada and the US beyond a dismal one percent.

From the feedback we received and from browsing through ongoing web discussions, we are still stricken by cyclists that spend so much time arguing amongst other cyclists about rules of the road, helmet laws, proper gear and attire. These are important topics

of understanding if you ride a bike, but not worth the constant infighting amongst should-be allies. Why do we need to be purists? We forget that for many the simplicity of riding a bicycle is what makes it the most beautiful machine, no matter our style and our surroundings.

Let’s embrace the different facets of bicycle users: the fixies, the family cyclists, the fashionconscious riders, the gear heads and the “serious cyclists,” and promote cycling to all.

The beauty lies in its simplicity.

It’s smart living by bike.

Tania Lo and Mia Kohout Publishers, Momentum Magazine mia@momentumplanet.com tania@momentumplanet.com

Please take a moment to fill out our Annual Reader Survey and be entered to win!

We take your feedback very seriously.

Help us shape the vision of Momentum in the year to come.

A Fraction of What It Should Be

0.5%

of Americans bike to work

0.8%

of residents in major US cities bike to work

0.9%

of all trips are made by bike in the US –2007 American Community Survey and 2001 National Household Travel Survey

1.3%

of Canadians bike to work

45%

bike at all

1.1%

of residents in major Canadian cities bike to work

1.9%

of all trips are made by bike in Canada –2006 Canadian Census

Check it out: momentumplanet.com/ reader-survey

takethelane Championing the Cause

W

photo by David Niddrie

hile attending an advocacy seminar at the 2011 National Bike Summit in Washington, DC, in March, I was reminded of one message in particular: we need champions of the cause.

Movements, whether for civil rights, women’s rights, democratic freedom, etc., have all had figureheads – individuals who, by way of their charisma, public speaking ability and dedication, attract the eyes and ears of a lot of people and bring them together under one banner. Added to that, if the examples of the Libyan and Egyptian democratic uprisings have taught us anything, the willingness of the masses to get behind a cause has much to do with the success of a movement – that’s where you come in.

David Byrne, on the cover of this issue, can certainly be counted among the notable individuals getting behind the cycling banner in North America. His work in New York City – including designing several themed bike racks – and speaking tours have done much to change perceptions about what it means to ride a bike, i.e., it’s fun and cool to bike in the city, and you don’t have to be an athlete to do it.

People like Byrne and the many other dedicated advocates of cycling in North America make our job here at Momentum easier. They present shining examples of how mainstream, popular and natural it is to choose to include biking in your

transportation mix. And the more people recognize the utility and attractiveness of biking, the more policy-makers will take notice and the safer and more convenient city cycling will be.

Safety is a key issue that is causing some tensions in the bicycling community.

The whole discussion surrounding helmet use often seems to come down to a “you’re either with us or you’re against us” mentality, leaving “us” without a clear resolution (or message for that matter) in sight. Reporter Elly Blue does a great job of exploring both sides of the argument, and the gray areas in between, in our feature story about helmets, p. 36.

We also have some fantastic Arts and Culture content in this issue, p. 16, along with our feature chat with David Byrne, which was covered by Arts and Culture editor Bryna Hallam, p. 34. And don’t miss our look at cycling in Minneapolis, p. 40, our MOHow about getting your bike on a plane, p. 50, Mia Birk’s load-bearing experience at a garage sale, p. 54, bikes we love, p. 46, kids’ helmets, p. 27, and much, much more!

It has been six years since Momentum Magazine re-launched as a business designed to get more people on bikes. I hope you enjoy our six-year anniversary edition.

Keep it wheel, Sarah Ripplinger Editor, Momentum Magazine sarah@momentumplanet.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

may>jun>11

9

( smart living by bike )

MOMENTUM

Louis Melini PA-C, Wasatch Pediatrics Salt Lake City, UT

More Female Power, Less Allure

Congratulations on your 50th issue and your new look. I’m definitely into the design. However, I’m really frustrated with the image on your new cover, and I need to express this. First of all, yes, super aesthetically pleasing. Pretty and summery, and very evocative of summer biking in the city. I also understand it’s an image that’s featured as part of an art project inside the magazine, and one that seems really cool and is focused on New York, the city you highlight in the issue. I get all that, definitely. But I really wish you’d picked another picture from the project.

It’s not that this picture isn’t beautiful and that the woman riding isn’t empowered to ride, and this isn’t a question of women not being able to wear whatever they want when they ride and feel empowered. I don’t have a problem with her outfit, I have a problem with the picture and what it represents when it’s on the cover of a popular cycling lifestyle magazine. Women are sexualized in this society every single day, and this is ESPECIALLY true for bike culture, to the point where it can be alienating to a lot of women to even walk into a bike shop to learn how to fix a flat tire … And

redesign survey feedback 200 sample size (54% male/ 43% female)

bike

inside

samponaro UP CLOSE WITH caroline , NYC VISITORS GUIDE + FRESH fare

curious | 16 culture | what’s new | bike + bells&whistles: arts & s | 25 Party | Bicycling with Newborn + familystyle: Bike Birthday | 52 : 44 | how to plan a bike tour + bestcyclingdestinations

2/17/11 6:01 PM

to see this image on the cover of a magazine that I feel should be encouraging women to cycle feels sexualizing and objectifying in a negative way.

1

Lau Mehes Vancouver, BC

Helmets on Heads Please I recently picked up a copy of your magazine, intrigued by the concept.

While I really enjoyed many of the articles, I was astounded how many pictures and advertisements showed people riding with no helmets! I would love to see more images focused on a message of “safety is sexy” and less about fashionable people riding (for instance in a swimsuit and see-through skirt) with no helmets. The gal on the cover in particular was riding in the meridian lines of a crowded street; not obeying traffic laws, not wearing a helmet and possibly verging on indecent exposure and a causative agent in traffic accidents. It seems like a dangerous message. When biking is truly your lifestyle, it should be made as safe as possible. We should also encourage acceptance from cars and trucks by following the rules and being visible on the road – but not distracting.

Otherwise, keep up the good work. I look forward to reading another issue.

What do you HONESTLY think of the new Momentum Magazine?

62% I love it!

84% believe Momentum (we) is going in the right direction 92% would pick it up if they saw it in a coffee shop 93% believe you are in Momentum’s target audience

I love it! I’m not sure how I could have loved it more than before, but it’s even better!

May>jun>11

+venture: 38

50 MOM COVER P 00-00v3.indd

90% can’t wait for the next issue!

10

I have my copy of issue #50 and I am very impressed with what can best be described as a complete rework of the magazine. It flows well, has a wide variety of articles and achieves success in carrying the message of cycling as a “lifestyle.” While the focus on clothing style is more than I would seek out in a cycling magazine, the magazine does give me much of what I am looking for: a validation of my choice of transportation, a strong sense of the larger community and a good look at other cities and how people there make their cycling environment work for them.

lifestyle issue #

Bicycling with Newborns is a great article. As a physician assistant, I am sometimes asked this question from patients that know that I am also a cyclist. Ryan Mijker stated that “research produces very little information on bicycling with newborns.” In my search to answer this question for the parents in my pediatric practice, I came up with the same conclusion. The reason is that there are no helmets made for infants less than one years of age; therefore, no agency that researches safety issues with children will do research because it is generally recognized that all children should have helmets.

With regards to “vibrations causing brain damage,” I also found no evidence to support the claim. I have recommended that using a lower tire pressure in a bike trailer may help abate this concern.

Overall, Ryan wrote a nice article on a subject that needs more research.

Thank You,

Digging the New Mag

THIS IS THE

American Edition

Re: Bicycling with Newborns, March/ April 2011

Brooke Sullivan Seattle, WA

Is there anything that you would change about the new layout and/or design?

My only issue is that this is a great magazine and I always need more more more!!!

Dave Somerford Vancouver, BC

Mandatory Helmet Laws Aren’t the Answer In Ontario, if you’re over 18 years of age, it’s up to you to decide

weather you want to wear a helmet or not. So, for me, it is optional.

Saying that, I am of the opinion that wearing a “bucket” just makes good sense, much the same as lifejackets make sense when you’re boating.

Still, mandatory helmet laws would be the wrong approach because it is next to impossible to enforce them. Technology, fit and, especially, style have come a long way in the past 15 years. Keep making funky, cool and functional helmet designs and the masses will follow.

Pat Verriet Kitchener, ON

Helmets Should be a Choice Very detailed information related to your question of mandatory cycling helmets has been done by the Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation. … This is an issue of personal freedom – since helmet -wearing or the decision to not wear a helmet directly affects only its user – and parents should be able to decide this for their children for the same reason. … My accepted abstract for the last Velo-city conference in Seville, Spain, “Helmetism & Hyper-illumination,” provides further information and references.

I have a Facebook page on the subject focused on Velo-city Global, which will take place in Vancouver, BC, next year.

Todd Edelman, Green Idea Factory Berlin, Germany

I’m incredibly impressed all around; the only suggestion I would make, is to consider using 9-point body type (it looks like 8-point?). The font size makes the text on the verge of hard to read.

I think you’ve done a fantastic job. Feels hip and urban. Love it!

Well, the cover was done under the rubric of sex sells. You could have given her a cool helmet at least! THAT would have been a radical redesign!

I just received the newest issue in the mail. I was taken aback, I thought it was some new stylish catalog or something, then I read the title...Momentum!

Yup. First, though, I think the new style will appeal to a larger audience. It’s clean and fresh. I think the logo is SPOT ON.

Wow! Totally cool, much hipper look and feel. Love it.

Loving the new design. Keep up the great work

No way! It’s beautiful :) No, it’s great as it is - nice & fresh!

No, the layout and design look absolutely perfect professional, forward thinking and very eye-catching. I picked up the new issue at Reading Frenzy in Portland, Ore. and couldn’t believe this was a free publication. Momentum is a magazine I would gladly pay for.

I really, really, really like it.

Content trumps design I like the new design. It gives the magazine a new fresh look with a cool retro style feel.

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

on the web

@momentummag Re: DIY, “The Way of the Inner Tube,” Issue 49, p. 40 Sometimes riders need more than patches or spare tubes to repair flat tires. Inner tubes are mostly rubber. They are elastic and flexible – even if they’re the thick-walled “thornproof” tubes. Tubes don’t hold their size and shape very well. Generally, this is a good thing. One tube can stretch or squeeze to fit tire sizes, or even wheel sizes in a jam.

Unfortunately, inner tubes without constraints can bulge out and get punctured, or burst like overinflated balloons.

The shape, and size, of the whole rubber assembly is held in place by the tire or, more specifically, the 1 fabric casing of the tire.

Tire casings are somewhat flexible, but not very elastic.

When there’s a gap or fault in the tire casing, tubes can 2 blow out, and keep blowing out. Gaps in a tire’s casing can come from sharp-edged glass shards, a twig sticking up from a branch on the ground, wear from brake arms or pads and manufacturing defects. Image 1 is an example from a recent ride. That faint little full crescent?

Something cut or punched all the way through the tire. This led to three flats before the rider figured out what was going on.

An on-the-road repair for tire casing faults is a “tire boot.”

Just put something that’s flat, flexible and inelastic between the tube and the tire. My companion had a cut-out section of

a worn-out old tire with him, so he used that – see picture 2. Other candidates for tire boots include food bars and candy wrappers, cutout sections of Tyvek or similar shipping envelopes and duct tape. The “classic” tire boot is a folded dollar bill or other currency note – government printers usually use tough paper that won’t fall apart when wet. This little list of tire boots isn’t comprehensive.

I hope you and your readers won’t have to use tire boots often, if at all. However, it’s great to know about this if you need it.

Happy riding!

Robert Leone San Diego, CA

Bare Heads Might be Best I must say that I disagree with Michael Wade (letters to the editor issue #50). Maybe what we actually need to make cycling safer is fewer photos with helmets. Here’s why: 1 In regions/ countries with mandatory helmet laws, there have not been fewer head injuries (per kilometer ridden), but, instead fewer cyclists. Yes, the cycling rate decreases with mandatory helmet laws. And fewer cyclists on the road means less awareness from motorists, faster cars and more and more serious injuries to cyclists.

2 Helmets give the impression to non-riders that cycling is dangerous and a fringe activity. That decreases the number of new riders -- not what we want.

3 People have a set innate risk level. When cyclists start wearing a helmet for the first time, they go a bit faster, maintaining a similar risk level as before. I absolutely do notice this with my riding behavior. I’ll come bombing around a corner or down a hill when I’m wearing my helmet, but will be slower in the same parts of the city when I’m not wearing my helmet.

Let’s do what we can to get more people on bikes. Once a critical mass of cyclists is reached, all drivers pay attention and everyone benefits. This is possible. I experienced it in The Netherlands.

Bryan Keith Boulder, CO

top uploaded pic’s:

readershots: mar + apr 2011

mar + apr 2011

+ Feedback about the re-design facebook.com/ momentummag As you may have guessed - we are getting loads of feedback about our latest cover. We love the debate, and are also happy that most seem to like it. What did you think?

sambradd Sam Bradd @MomentumMag- your new layout is great. I’ve been with you from the beginning but this is the best yet.

BikeLaneDiary Martin Reis @MomentumMag Just when I thought it could not get any sexier.

Tracy Stefanucci As a woman, and a feminist, I stand behind Momentum in choosing this cover. To me it suggests not only cycling, but also whimsy, beauty, fashion, and fun -all things that draw me to the magazine :).

Dana Putnam Not interested in glossy mainstream magazines with women on the covers...this issue of mo is one of those now--one of the magazine covers that piss me off. Haven’t we been assaulted with those types of images long enough?!? It looks like a chanel ad. It turned me off and I am not inspired to pick it up, let alone read it.

Big disappointment. p.s. thanks for asking Mike Poirier Why is it always a matter of sexuality? Why can’t a cigar just be a cigar? All I see is an artful picture of someone riding a bike and wearing a pretty wrap over a bathing suit (OMG! Women at the beach must wear burkas! Anything else is indecent!). Why do some people view every picture of a woman as being about sex? It is a picture of a woman on a bike wearing a summer outfit that would be common in almost any community, especially a costal one.

Adele Teresa i am scandalized by both covers and their blatant disregard for helmet laws...this anarchy must stop.

momentum wants your photos.

It’s easy: shoot. upload. get picked. be printed.

photos by: (l-r)Bjorn Christianson;

Cold Iron; Kristin Tieche, Vélo Vogue M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

flickr.com/groups/momentum_magazine

vonherwig Dan Herwig @MomentumMag launches it’s 50th issue with a new look and tagline. Bikes without all the testosterone. momentumplanet.com carltonreid Carlton Reid Sexism or sexy?

Frumpy or sassy? @ guitarted1961 kicks off a mag cover debate. http://bit.ly/ i9gMXG Tx to @MomentumMag AccoBillie Alisa Be Loves that someone finally understands me! @MomentumMag your “Heels with Wheels” section says it all! #heels #bikeculture #truelove lindajellison Linda Jellison Thanks again to @be_radpdx for introducing me to @MomentumMag. How did I survive without it until now? Great reading, love the layout! devindrock Devin Morrow currently addicted to downtownfrombehind. blogspot.com - thanks @MomentumMag! maddogmedia @carltonreid @guitarted1961 @MomentumMag It’s all OK as long as it’s not dudes in non-black shorts. One’s religion is immediately apparent.

corrections In the “Cycling with Newborns” story that ran in our March/ April, 2011 issue, p. 26, we should have said that Brett Hondorp lives in Berkeley, CA, not Portland, OR. We neglected to credit photographer Tomas Quinones for his image of Elly Blue riding a unicycle that accompanied the Bike vs. Bike column, p. 59, in our 50th (March/ April) issue. may>jun>11

11

join our

group

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

and submit your photo. www.flickr.com/groups/momentum_magazine

p h oto s u b m i t t e d by

Kristin Tieche, VĂŠlo Vogue 12

May>jun>11

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

may>jun>11

13

Another ‘every day’ bike profile There’s no denying that Norco City Glide looks great. Dressed in a soft blue hue, it comes complete with center-mount kickstand, wicker basket and comfortable matching saddle and grips. But beyond the good looks lies it’s every day practicality. An aluminum Step-Through frame doesn’t interfere with your wardrobe, while the fenders and chaingaurd keeps the dirt off. The gearing is handled by a Shimano Nexus 8-Speed Internal hub and bringing things to a safe stop are Shimano Nexus Roller Brakes.

Easy pedaling and easy braking for easy riding. That’s the Norco City Glide.

Visit norco.com

Shimano Nexus was bred for every day. Reliable shifting, dependable braking and consistent performance in any weather.

A perfect compliment to the easy riding Norco City Glide.

Features include comfortable shifting with easy-to-read Optical Gear Indicators so your chosen gear is always in view. Roller Brakes with precision cam-and-roller design that delivers strong yet easily controllable braking power. Sealing channels keep out dirt and water to assure safe and dependable braking performance in wet or dry conditions. And finally an 8-Speed Internal Hub with seals and robust construction that have been meticulously engineered to deliver accurate and smooth shifting.

So you can enjoy riding, every day.

Visit bike.shimano.com

Š 2011 Shimano Canada Ltd.

bells+whistles arts & culture

cream of the custom crop writer: sarah ripplinger

F

1

NAHBS award winners

NAHBS update 1. Bilenky Cycle Works’ Shelly Horton won Best Lugged Frame.

Photo by Scott David Gordon

2. The busy show floor at NAHBS 2011 in Austin, TX. Photo by Scott David Gordon

3. Mark DiNucci with his Best In Show city bike.

Photo by Scott David Gordon

16

2

C

3

ity bikes were a big winner at the seventh annual North American Handmade Bicycle Show, which took place in Austin, TX, from February 25 to 28, 2011. They captured first prize in four categories, including, not surprisingly, the city bike category, which made its debut at NAHBS four years ago – the show has been running since 2005.

Over 7,000 people attended the Austin Convention Center during the threeday show, which included over 150 builders and vendors. The exhibition of all things handmade and custom is a huge draw for anyone who enjoys the raw aesthetic and craftsmanship of personally-tailored bikes. Next year’s NAHBS is scheduled to take place in Sacramento, CA, from March 2-4.

Out of 16 categories, city bikes scored top marks for: best lugged bike, Bilenky Cycle Works; best in show, DiNucci Cycles; best city bike, Signal Cycles; and people’s choice, Naked Bicycles.

May>jun>11

our-year-olds can be pretty speedy on two wheels. So Shelly Horton suggested to her husband, Brett Horton, that they invest in a town bike for her that would be comfortable and fast enough to keep up with their son, Trevor, on the streets near their home in San Francisco, CA. A simple-enough request, unless your husband is a famous bike racing memorabilia collector with a penchant for lugged steel.

Within three hours of getting on the phone, Brett Horton had secured some of the top handmade builders in North America to design and construct a fully custom bike. His pitch to the handmade craftspeople: “Let’s see if we can build the coolest bike that the world has ever seen.”

Horton started racing in the 1970s and now owns one of the largest collections of original bike racing memorabilia in the world. It probably won’t come as a surprise, then, that the Shelly Horton mixte bike was designed around a vintage French chain guard.

Bilenky Cycle Works (BCW), of Philadelphia, PA, was commissioned to do the job of designing and building the frameset because of their expertise and experience building bikes for women. The inspiration for this, Horton said in a telephone interview, was drawn from a door that BCW owner, Stephen Bilenky, came across while at a train station.

The town bike is considered to be part of the constructeur tradition that began in post-Second World War France. The Art Deco aesthetic of the frameset is complimented by a custom handmade Brooks, England saddle, built around the B67S ladies saddle – something, Horton said, they were very lucky to get.

While the Shelly Horton bike isn’t complete yet – some newly fabricated elements will be added before it is shown at Interbike 2011 in Las Vegas, NV – Shelly is already happy with the design, Horton said.

The Shelly Horton bike was debuted at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show in Austin, TX, from February 25-27, 2011, where it took home the grand prize for best lugged frame

by Bilenky Cycle Works.

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

bells+whistles

arts & culture Not Your Average High School Prom “It’s making a kind of political or social statement,” Warbeck said. “But it’s not a kind of political or social statement that people find unapproachable or confrontational. It’s something that amuses, delights, entertains and creates a sense of fun around choosing an alternative method of transportation.”

In Victoria, what began as a dance party at a local shop soon grew into a three- or four-day festival with everything from bike polo and group rides, to film festivals and art shows. Soon it wasn’t just the Victoria bike community in attendance, but

writer: James Shambhu

C

yclists are showing their truest friend – their bicycles – some love by dressing up and letting loose at the prom.

“Bike prom is essentially a party for bike people … where your bike is your date,” explained Lauren Warbeck, a core organizer of Victoria, BC’s bike prom for the past two years.

Participants get decked out in whatever they deem to be their personal best – and the same often goes for the bike – and cycle en masse to the big dance, playing music and dancing all the way.

1

people from all over the Pacific Northwest. And whereas the first event in 2007 had fewer than 100 people, last year there were upwards of 500.

Overall, Warbeck said, the event is a celebration not just of bike culture, but of the DIY community in general.

“You think of a high school prom as more of a traditional and conventional and kind of circumscribed occurrence.

I think bike prom is kind of an ironic play on that,” she explained. “It’s this alternative community of people coming together to create … an event that they would actually enjoy and appreciate and that would actually reflect their values.”

model: Sandra Allen Photographer: Krisztina Kun

Reviewer: Bryna Hallam available at metalcowboy.com

You might be a cyclist if... + A smokin’ bod rides by, and the first thing you check out is the bicycle. + You use your bike helmet to cart around 10 items or less in the grocery store. + Your stylist asks how your hair does that. You tell ‘em it’s a little thing called “helmet.”

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

+ Montreal, QC + Washington, DC + Miami, FL + Denver, CO + Austin, TX + Lexington, KY + San Diego, CA Next stop, your city! Check out this video of Miami’s first annual bike prom for inspiration: miamibikescene. blogspot.com/ 2010/04/bikeprom-video.html

1. Bike Prom is a fundraiser for the Living Arts and Science Center in Lexington, KY. Participants ride through downtown in their formal duds and use a prom map to collect stamps on dance cards. At the balloon draped photobooth, a couple have their picture taken before doing a quick obstacle course and heading out to the next spot on the map.

heelson wheels

a Cyclist if...

J

Victoria’s not the only city that simultaneously celebrates bikes, music and looking good. Here are a few other cities that have hosted bike proms:

High School Prom

You Might be oe “Metal Cowboy” Kurmaskie’s new book has something for just about every type of cyclist in his new collection of riding affirmations. From a list of 2,000 entries, the book has been whittled down to 250 pages, but with each one-liner split onto two pages, it’s hardly heavy reading. If you can’t find something in the book that makes you simultaneously laugh and nod knowingly, well, maybe you’re not a true cyclist.

Bike Proms across America

Photo by James Shambhu

+ The happy realization that getting lost means more time in the saddle. + Your commute to work is more important than the job.

By Joe “Metal Cowboy” Kurmaskie Cadence Press, 2011 $20 USD; 248 pages

El Naturalista Tesela N740 in Mora. www.elnaturalista.com/index.php/en/collection/spring-summer-2011/tesela/?force=16288

Submit your heels on wheels photo to

photo@momentumplanet.com

may>jun>11

17

bells+whistles

arts & culture

blooming Bike Planter

Look Who Rides A Bike

writer: Bryna Hallam

writer: Geoffrey Earl

I

Louise Allbritton during the filming of San Diego, I Love You in 1944.

Shirley Temple, seen shortly after her first cycling lesson, riding on a street in Palm Springs, CA, 1936.

William Holden outside the Paramount Pictures Studio, circa 1954.

18

See who else Rides A Bike at ridesabike.tumblr.com May>jun>11

Photo by Bernard Klevickas

Look Who Rides A Bike

t’s difficult to explain the popularity of Louise Allbritton Rides A Bike, a single-serve site featuring only black-and-white photographs of movie stars riding bicycles, the captions a variation of the actor’s name and “rides a bike.”

Since the site launched in November 2010, thousands have scrolled through the promotional stills and candid shots of Rita Hayworth on a beach cruiser, Errol Flynn on a track bike and Humphrey Bogart speeding through a studio back-lot, one hand hanging casually in his pocket, with the calm and confident ...thousands have scrolled expression of an everyday cyclist. through the promotional stills “Rides A Bike combines two and candid shots of Rita of my passions in life: movies Hayworth on a beach cruiser, and bikes,” said the site’s curator, Steven Rea. Errol Flynn on a track bike, and Rea, a longtime film critic Humphrey Bogart... for the Philadelphia Enquirer, is also a daily commuter, pedaling around town on a 1970s Raleigh DL-1, the 28-inch-wheel, rod brake “postman’s bike.”

After quietly collecting stars-on-bikes photos for several years, “but not with any purpose in mind,” Rea launched Rides A Bike without much expectation. “The response was … pretty remarkable,” he said.

The site currently has more than 2,000 followers. Its photos have earned almost 4,500 “likes” on Facebook and received praise on numerous cycling, movie and fashion websites. A book may be on the horizon, too.

With two or three pictures posted each week, Shirley Temple Rea is always searching for new material. He scours eBay and Google Image, peruses New York memorabilia shops and, increasingly, receives photos from fans. His current mustfind: a photo from Saturday Night and Sunday Morning of Albert Finney riding a 1950s Raleigh Lenton (that’s a hint, folks).

Rea’s long list of favorites include one of Gene Tierney with her dog; Marlene Dietrich “in that impossible outfit” from The Spoilers and a revealing shot of Geneviève Bujold from the obscure King of Hearts – with more than 750 notes, it’s also the site’s most talkedabout image.

“There are some true fans of the movie – it’s a cult classic – but I think mostly there are other reasons for its popularity, if you get my drift.”

William Holden

The Bike Planter as a guerrilla art installation outside the New Museum in New York, NY, March 2011.

W

hen Bernard Klevickas wanted to bring awareness to two of his passions – cycling and gardening – he turned to his third one: art.

The Long Island City-based artist said he wanted “to create an unusual experience; to make something that is different from the same stuff we pass by and see every day; to elicit consternation” with the piece – a bike frame that spirals up poles and sprouts flowers from its handlebars Klevickas, whose background in sculpture focused specifically on metal fabrication, fashioned the guerrilla piece – it popped up in two locations in March – from abandoned bicycles he found in New York.

“I like that it takes a common object and alters it,” he said of the Twisted Bicycle Planter. “I feel that I am taking excess material and making something interesting to look at. It can bring an awareness to bicycling, even if it’s with a touch of dark humor; and, it is a way to place more flowers in the city.”

You can see more of Klevickas’ art at bernardklevickas.com

want more?

Check out momentumplanet.com/ arts-and-culture for more articles and interviews with the artists featured here.

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

bells+whistles

what’s new the latest and greatest people, events and things happening in bike-friendly North America

Lacoste Cork Bicycle Helmet Concept

Photos by Kyle Ferguson

Industrial designer Kyle Ferguson entered into a twopart exploration of products for fashionable urban cyclists with the aim of creating “cycling products without the stigma of traditional devices, such as dorky helmets and unsightly (un-eco) PVC panniers.”

Ferguson said he originally designed the Lacoste Cork helmet “with the young urban female user in mind,” but, after receiving a favorable reception from the male population, the helmet is now decisively unisex.

bicycleconcepts.blogspot.com

Mobility Cycling Magazine Cyclingmobility, “a quarterly magazine for professionals involved in urban planning, cycling policy and mobility research and development,” was recently launched by German specialist publishing house Verlag Moderne Industries. The magazine will be available by subscription, as an iPad app and through Twitter @cyclingmobility.

Does this Bike Make My… Upload a photo of you and your bike and vote on which image of an everyday cyclist you like best at ratemyvelo.com.

Sunglass Camcorder You can record your travels with Interactive Group’s Active-i Sunglasses, which can record and play video and audio, while protecting your eyes with polarized lenses. See instant replays of your recordings using the “monocular viewer.” active-i.net

Powder Bike The world’s first powder bike, known as “Airbike,” was recently revealed by the European aerospace and defense group, EADS. The bike is made out of nylon, using a process called Additive Layer Manufacturing, which involves laser-sintering and some fancy computer-aided techniques. The bike is said to be similar to steel in its robustness,

but is substantially lighter than its metal counterpart. There are plans to use it in aerospace engineering and elsewhere to cut down on weight, manufacturing costs and fuel consumption. kurzweilai.net/how-to-print-anylon-bike

People for Bikes The Bikes Belong initiative aims to gather a million names in support of making cycling safer and more convenient and enjoyable in America. To sign the pledge (you must be a resident of the United States), go to peopleforbikes.org.

ReeCharge Case for iPhone A weatherproof case that doesn’t cut you off from you apps. The ReeCharge Case is completely sealed, but still gives you access to your iPhone’s touch screen.

The case includes a 1400 mAh lithium polymer battery so you can also charge your phone on the go: $99.99 USD; youtube. com/watch?v=eb0sw0fgJFE. Also available is the ReeCharge Case Bracket – which can pivot 180 degrees – for mounting your case on your bike: $19.99 USD; youtube.com/ watch?v=9kFsNq0QIJ4.

Design Sponge Urban design with bikes in mind: designspongeonline. com/2010/09/best-of-bikes.html.

Momentum wants to know What’s New.

Send us information about the latest bikerelated app, music and news story that’s adding to your commute/ bike-friendly lifestyle. Email WhatsNew@momentumplanet.com

20

May>jun>11

music&apps top

20

Songs for Your iPod

writer: Brian Ellison

W

hen I was asked to put together a list of the top 20 songs urban cyclists should have on their iPod right now, I thought “easy.” I came up with the first 10 songs right away. The next 10 were a struggle. All of these songs came out within the past six months, except one: “Quiet Little Voices” came out in 2009. We Were Promised Jet Packs is a Scottish band of high school friends that, if you listen to their music, you’d think were in their mid-to-late-30s.

There’s something for everybody here. It’s a list that will have you cruising along and, when you get to your destination, chilling out with a good beverage and good friends.

Brian Ellison is the host of Prologue, an eclectic music show on BicycleRadio.com that mixes in cycling talk. He lives in Gillette, WY, where he is also the morning guy for KOAL 106.1. Ellison has an 11-year-old son who he spends a lot of time with and an old Trek SL1000 that he spends less time with than he would like.

Artist

Song

tUnE-yArDs ��������������������������������������������� Bizness Radiohead ������������������������������ Morning Mr Magpie Adele. .......... Rolling In the Deep (Jamie xx Shuffle) Teddybears. ............... Cardiac Arrest (feat. Robyn) NY Is Killing Me Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx Cut Copy ���������������������������������������� Take Me Over Cults ������������������������������������������������ Go Outside Crystal Castles. ..... Not In Love (feat. Robert Smith) The Decemberists ������������������� Down By The Water We Were Promised Jet Packs...... Quiet Little Voices The Strokes....................... Two Kinds Of Happiness The Dodos ������������������������������������������ Don’t Stop Fitz and The Tantrums... Breakin’ The Chains Of Love Tennis ������������������������������������������������� Marathon Withered Hand ������������������������������������ New Dawn Dum Dum Girls. ....There Is a Light That Never Goes Out Best Coast �������������������������������������� Crazy for You Wavves..................................... King of the Beach Yuck ��������������������������������������������������� Get Away James Blake �������������������������� The Wilhelm Scream M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

event roundup Bicycle Music Festival tour

May to October Salt Spring Island, BC to Tijuana, MX The largest 100 percent bicycle-powered music festival in the world! This tour will feature a human-powered PA system and a Live on Bike mobile stage. bicyclemusicfestival.com Various Locations/ Various Dates San Fran, CA – May 12 Houston, TX – May 20; Vancouver, BC – May 30 to June 5; Come ride your bike during your city’s Bike to Work Day/ Week. Absolutely anyone can join in. The goal for 2011 is to motivate new riders to participate.

Cycling employees are more physically active, alert, healthy and productive.

MontrĂŠal Bike Fest 2011

Classic Rendezvous

May 20 to 22 Cycles de ORO Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC Fans of Vintage Lightweight bicycles and modern “Keepers of the Flame� bicycles can meet and discuss the craft with frame builders. Come out to the Classic Rendezvous to see rides and participate in workshops, talks, socials, shows and an awesome swap meet. classicrendezvous. com/Weekend2011.htm

Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby

May 21 Trenton and Norris St. in the Kensington Neighborhood, Philadelphia, PA

May 29 to June 5 MontrÊal, QC Eight days of cycling events and activities produced by VÊlo QuÊbec. The Bike Fest kicks off with the Metropolitan Challenge, drums up support for Operation Biketo-Work – starting on May 30 – and, on June 1, features a presentation by Mikael Colville-Andersen, founder of Cycle Chic and Copenhagenize.com. Participants can join the Tour la Nuit and Tour de l’Île that will both finish at a 105-foot-high Ferris wheel! veloquebec.info/en/feria/TheMontreal-Bike-Fest

Romance of the Wheel

June 1 to 30 Jet Fuel Coffee Shop in Toronto, ON This bike-themed art show will run during Bike Month in Toronto, ON. The work of a group of talented, young Toronto artists and illustrators will be displayed from June 1 to June 30, with an opening reception and party on June 3.

Velopalooza

June 2 to 19 Vancouver, BC A two-week celebration of bike fun, including a kickoff party, rides (decided by you) and the Velopalooza Finale at Car Free Day! velopalooza.ca Photo by Rajiv Sainath

Photo by Rajiv Sainath

May 21 to 22 San Mateo County Event Center in San Mateo, CA Deemed the world’s largest DIY festival, Maker Faire is a two-day family-friendly and bike-friendly event. It will feature a human-sized mousetrap board game, fire sculptures, robot battles, humanpowered amusement rides and more! makerfaire.com

“Kensington Airlines� piloted by the soon-to-be-wed Kevin Musselman and Thea Gallis.

A design competition and parade celebrating human-powered transit and art in Kensington. Participants will create themed sculptures to ride through an urban obstacle course, which will end at the Trenton Avenue Arts Festival.

Free valet bicycle parking at the corner of Trenton Avenue and Dauphin Street. kinetickensington.org

LA River Ride

June 5 Griffith Park in Los Angeles, CA Register for a day of cycling fun, an Eco Expo, a raffle, live music and an International Food Faire for the 11th Annual Los Angeles River Ride. There are six great rides: Century, 70-Mile, Half Century, 36-Mile, Family and Kids. la-bike.org/ events/los_angeles_river_ride.html

Safe Routes to School National Conference

August 16 to 18 Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, MN This conference focuses on ways to improve the health and safety of children who walk and bike through policy, partnerships and infrastructure. saferoutesconference.org

The longtime Minneapolis cycling culture hub and caffeine refueling stop, Cars-R-Coffins Coffee Bar, closed its doors on March 25, 2011. Owner, Tom (Hurl) Everson, wrote the Minneapolis feature in this issue, p. 40.

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

Klean Kanteen™

Bike to Work Day/ Week

Maker Faire - Bay Area

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT may>jun>11

21

bells+whistles

bike curious How to Ride on the Road

Surveys show that about 60 percent of North Americans are curious about cycling, but are reluctant to take the next step. Our Bike Curious series is designed to teach you the basics, give you helpful tips and encourage you to share the message that biking is easy and fun! writer: Benjamin van Loon illustrator: Sam Bradd / sambradd.

Road Riding Basics:

10 Quick Tips 1 Learn the best way to get there (on your bike)

2 Use hand signals for

slowing, stopping and turning

3 Watch out for

obstacles (glass, sewer covers, potholes)

4 Inflate your tires properly before each ride

5 Use front and rear lights for riding at night

6 Know your rights as a cyclist

7 Call out to

pedestrians and cyclists when passing

8 Take a skills course

and ride with a buddy

9 When the going gets

tough, walk your bike

10 Always, always,

always ride safe and consider protecting your head with a helmet

W

ith the weather finally turning in our favor, it’s high time to dust off our bikes, pump up the tires and get back on the open road. The problem is, if you’ve been off the road for a while, or you’re planning on hitting it for the first time, the idea might seem a little haphazard. Don’t worry, it’s not.

Of course, there are a few guidelines (written and unwritten) that riders of all levels should follow. Riding on the road can be dangerous, whether you’re on a bike or in a car, but this shouldn’t be an excuse to let your bike go unridden.

No matter your cycling skill-level, a prescribed mixture of safety-consciousness road knowledge and a few drops of common sense are enough to cure even the worst case of “Unridden Bike Syndrome.” The formula is simple: it’s a matter of knowing where to start.

Use the following points to equip yourself with the courage to log some miles on your cyclometer. Once you’ve been on the road a few times, these approaches to cycling become second nature and make getting in the car that much harder (which isn’t a bad thing).

cyclists). When passing a parked car, keep at least three feet between you and it and watch for opening doors. When passing other cyclists or pedestrians, call out to notify them of which side you’ll be passing them so you don’t catch them off guard. Don’t assume drivers will signal their turns. And if you’re near an intersection or corner with traffic, don’t overtake anyone or cross without first looking both ways for oncoming cars and bikes.

Know your road.

Some roads have two lanes, some four; some have shoulders, some don’t. A busy, high-speed road may be the shortest distance between two points, but that doesn’t make it safe. Use maps and local resources to chart safer alternate routes using any combination of slower roads, roads with shoulders and bike-specific avenues, such as bike lanes (where bikes share the road), bike paths and separated bike lanes (which are exclusive to bikes) and trails or even the occasional sidewalk (if allowed).

Know your bike.

While this may seem obvious, this point is often the most ignored. Think of it as “Zen and the art of bicycle maintenance.” Keep your derailleurs in line, your skewers tightened, your wheels trued and your tires filled to the correct pressure. If you’re not comfortable doing this, bring it to your local bike shop at least once a season for routine maintenance.

Check your tires once a week, too, because tires lose pressure periodically. The best bike is not the newest or the fastest, it’s the bike that’s best for you and the roads you choose to take.

Know your conditions.

When the weather is adverse, things become more precarious for everyone on the road. Try to keep your bike off the road when there isn’t a lot of visibility, as in a rainstorm, blizzard or heavy fog. Different road textures, like gravel or sand, can be equally precarious. If the going gets tough, walk your bike.

Know your drivers.

You’ve heard of “Defensive Driving?” This is “Defensive Cycling.” Ride confidently, but watch for bad drivers (and

22

May>jun>11

Know your rules.

In some places, cyclists are subject to the same laws as automobiles. In others, different laws apply. Most municipalities will have cycling laws publicly listed on a website or other civic resource. No matter where you are, however, you should form a few basic conscientious habits: Use the appropriate hand signals to indicate when you’re turning or stopping, use flashing front/ rear lights at night, consider wearing a helmet and don’t ride on busy sidewalks. Though some cities are more serious about enforcement than others, cyclists should apply these common practices whether they’re in Miami, Cincinnati or Toronto.

Ride with others.

Many cities have local cycling organizations that run riding skills courses. Check with the one nearest you for information about how to ride on the road safely and legally. Riding with a more experienced cyclist is also a great way to learn the tricks of the trade. Consider recruiting a friend or coworker to ride with you to work, home or on your lunch break. @benvanloon M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

bike $1,299 USD; Yepp seats $170 USD (maxi); $140 USD (mini) This bike is speciall y carry both a front designed to and rear child bike seat – perfect for moms Bloom comes comple on the go. The te gears, internal dynam with internal kickstand, step-thr o hub, double-leg u frame and locking system on handle bars ment while parking to prevent move– expect from a Dutch everything you’d gazellebicycles.us bike.

LS BY NAYA

MONTAGUE BOSTO N8 FOLDING BIKE

$1,099 USD

The Boston 8 combin with the convenience es sleek design internal hub. Just of an eight-speed like its single-speed counterpart, it is perfect for urban riding and can easily be stowed until your next ride. montaguebikes.com

ERGON PC2 ERGON

MAR>APR>11

Available May 15, 2011

MOMENTU

M P L A N E T. C

OM

print copies mailed free to subscribers!

freedigitaledition Available May 15th:

www.momentumplanet.com/gear

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

Authorized Signature:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

CHECK EACH BOX AS A GUIDE:

46

OMIC

PEDALS $69.95 USD This new pedal is the first non-SP D (non-clip pedal) performance and designed to maxim comfor ize formance, these pedals t of your ride. For those of us who don’t care about the grip high heels, prevent pedals and getting pering your feet from runs in your nylons. slipping off your ergon-bike.com

corrections are made

corrections indicated

❑ Ad approved as is ❑ Ad approved with

❑ Re-Proof after

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com

MAIZE SANDA

SHOES $134 USD A beautiful, comfor table leaves a softer footprin shoe that This woven wedge- t on our earth. wrap you a “Latin-inspired sandal gives ” look – perfect for pairing with print of shorts and a pattern dresses or a pair ed T-shirt. nayashoes.com

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

COLORED LOCK

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

ABUS BORDO

starts at $80 USD The Bordo lock is the smartest and strongest foldabl we’ve found. It is e lock now available in new smoother surface s. Most importantly, colors and has ity is backed by its its durability and “Made in Germa qualny” stamp. abus.com

GAZELLE BLOOM BIKE WITH YEPP SEATS

• Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors.

AD APPROVAL:

RIDING

JACKET $149 CAD Protect yourself from protect the planet, the elements, and prepare for any challenge (while looking great) in this riding jacket. Made from Modrobes recycled pop bottle technology, the fabric is windproof, water repellent, moistur wicking, and has e 360-degree stretch. modrobes.com

❑ Phone # correct? ❑ Ad copy correct? ❑ Offer correct, if any?

MODROBES LADIES

Date:

SPRING PRODUC T

Address correct?

FAX

showcase

❑ Name correct? ❑

PHONE

CONTACT

goodybasket

CLIENT

Our special edition Gear Guide showcasing the latest and greatest bikes and accessories for (smart living by bike)

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

goodybasket

AD FORM

PRESENTS ITS FIRST EVER

© 2010 SWITCH Studio, All Rights Reserved

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

may>jun>11

23

urban transport system

www.ortliebusa.com

DOWNTOWN

Waterproof Briefcase Pannier

5 Ye a r Wa r r a n t y Made in Germany www.ortliebusa.com

Adjustable fold-over closure Reinforced Bottom Shoulder Strap QL2 pannier mounting system Internal organization

Lunchtime familystyle

W

hen our daughter, Anna Sierra, mastered riding a bike with no training wheels, kindergarten was one of her first destinations. Parking her little bike next to the big kids’ bigger bikes was a rite of passage.

It was easy for Anna Sierra to learn to ride her very own bike. We are a biking family. Long before she rode on her own, Anna Sierra rode on our bikes, first in a bike trailer, then a front seat and a back seat. As soon as she showed the slightest interest in biking, we made sure Anna Sierra had a properly fitting helmet, a great little bike and every possible opportunity to ride.

But not all kids grow up in families where biking is such a high priority. Not all kids have helmets, or bikes, or enough supervised time to gain the skills to become safe and confident riders.

A School Bike Club

An elementary school bike club can fill this gap and provide kids with the opportunity to become skilled cyclists. Helmet fit, basic bike maintenance and repair, hand signals, shoulder checking, general bike handling skills and route selection can all be taught in a school bike club.

Location and Time

At my children’s school, we initially planned to start an After-school Bike Club. This might work well at some elementary schools. But given that the majority of kids at my children’s school go directly to some form of after-school care, this option would exclude some of the very kids we are trying to reach.

The whole school has a common lunch hour, so we decided on a Lunchtime Bike Club. There are already lunchtime yoga and chess classes at the school, so a bike club is a natural next step.

The only problem was space. My kids attend a downtownish school with limited outdoor play space. At lunchtime, the children who were not in the Bike Club would be playing in the schoolyard so that space wouldn’t be available.

Resources for School Bike Clubs Nova Scotia Active and Safe Routes to School: saferoutesns.ca

Bike Club

Making Tracks Program: saferoutesns.ca/index. php/special/makingtracks

writer & photographer: Kathleen Wilker

Jennifer McGowan of Halifax’s Active and Safe Routes to School program runs the Making Tracks program that teaches kids how to safely walk, bike, in-line skate and skateboard to school. She suggested we use the school’s gym. “Many of the components of our Making Tracks program can be taught inside,” said McGowan. “We drop a melon with and without a helmet on it to practice helmet safety. We play ‘Name that Bike Part,’ and we teach the kids how to fix an inner tube and change a tire. You can do all of those things inside if your access to outdoor space is limited.” McGowan also noted that some schools offer cycling instruction as a phys ed class.

Making Tracks Cycling Module: saferoutesns.ca/images/ uploads/makingtracks_ cycling.pdf CAN Bike Courses: canbike.net/cca_pages/ schedules-default.htm

Convincing Administrators School Bike Clubs are Important

Bikes for Everyone

Gord MacGregor, the City Wide Sports coordinator who runs CAN Bike courses for Ottawa, ON, realizes that not all kids have access to their own bikes and helmets. To keep his program accessible, he said: “We’re making ‘handlebars’ out of old and broken hockey sticks so everyone can learn basic traffic rules and practice signaling.”

McGowan contacted Halifax’s Bike Again! recycled bike shop. The volunteer mechanics were willing to tune up and provide her with a set of kids’ bikes that schools could borrow. “Most cities have an equivalent recycled bike shop that might be willing to tune up donated bikes,” said McGowan.

Kids know bike clubs are awesome. If teachers, principals or parents ask why, tell them: ++ Biking helps to stave off childhood obesity and all the health risks that accompany obesity. ++ Biking encourages independence and responsibility. ++ The Making Tracks Program is designed to meet elementary curriculum expectations. ++ In some school districts, high school students need to volunteer a set number of hours in order to graduate. Teaching elementary kids to bike is a great way to volunteer. ++ Biking is a kid-friendly form of active transportation.

Helmets

Used bikes can be repaired, reused and widely shared. But any helmets distributed to kids should be new to be sure they meet safety standards.

This is especially important at a bike club run on school property. Local bike stores may be willing to partner with your bike club to donate helmets or sell them to your club members at a discount.

Kathleen Wilker also writes about Families on Bikes on her blog. Visit momentumplanet.com/blogs/families-on-bikes for more suggestions, tips and stories about riding as a family.

(l-r) Sophie, Marlee, Jasper & Anna-Sierra having some fun on the bike racks.

Check out more content on our Families on Bikes Blog! momentumplanet. com/blogs/ families-on-bikes/ bike-books-foryoung-cyclists momentumplanet. com/blogs/ families-on-bikes/ diy-mini-mess M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

may>jun>11

25

Schwalbe_Momentum_2011_1-2h.ai 1 2/4/2011 12:47:21 PM

ad Form

MARATHON. THE ORIGINAL CLient

Phone

ContACt

FAx

Authorized Signature:

GreenGuard ® inside

Longer lasting: new Endurance compound and Anti-Aging sidewall.

3 mm thick puncture protection layer of

E-Bike ready.

which is made from recycled material.

CheCk eaCh box as a guide: ❑ Name correct? ❑ C

Address correct?

if any? ❑ Phone # correct? ❑ Ad copy correct? ❑ Offer correct, highly elastic natural rubber, a third of

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

• Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors.

M

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

Y

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com

CM

Date:

The latest. More security: new puncture protection GreenGuard.

ad approval: ❑ Ad approved as is ❑ Ad approved with corrections indicated

❑ Re-Proof after

corrections are made

MY

CY

CMY

K

Schwalbe North America ◊ Ferndale, WA ◊ USA

26

May>jun>11

www.schwalbetires.com

ad Form

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

familystyle

Happy Heads

1

Helmets that protect little noggins.

Photoographer: David Niddrie 1. Raskullz - Shark Attax $24.99 USD 2. Nutcase - Little Nutty, Dazed and Amused $55 USD, $60 CAD 3. Giro - Rodeo, Pink Princess $30 USD, $37 CAD 4. Bern - Brentwood Nino $50 USD, $74.99 CAD 5. Bell - Dart Kids, Red GP Flames $35 USD, $45 CAD

5 3

want more?

Visit momentumplanet.com for complete reviews of the helmets shown here.

2

40%

4

Weehoo iGo review $369 USD, $389 CAD weehoogear.com

writer: Brett Heneke photographer: Joah Lui

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

CONTACT

of momEnTum CHECK EACH BOXchildren AS A GUIDE: readers have

T

Authorized Signature:

❑

Name correct?

❑

Address correct?

❑

Phone # corr

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Mome

• Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match

advertise here

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.co Photo by

he Weehoo iGo takes the standard trail-abike a step further with its recumbent design, which gives your child a comfortable seat to relax in while she or he happily contributes to the cycling effort. The adjustable seat position makes it easy to grow with the Weehoo iGo; and the quick-release seat post connection makes separating the Asha is ready to ride on the Weehoo attached to her dad, Brett’s bicycle. trailer from the bike a snap. compensate for the added weight.

The first few rides were a bit of an adjustment, You get great storage space, foot straps, a secure but there were shrieks of joy by the third time. seatbelt system, a fully enclosed drivetrain and The trailer sits closer to the ground, making it usability for ages three to nine. feel more like a part of your bike and enhancing Overall, the Weehoo iGo is a pleasant the smoothness of the ride. experience, which has allowed my daughter, At 35 pounds (16 kilograms), the Weehoo is who can ride a two-wheeler, to go on longer heavier than other trail-a-bikes, but the quality of rides, pedal as much as she feels like and feel the design and the numerous features more than safe and comfortable.

CLIENT

Let them know about your family-friendly product. ads@momentumplanet.com may>jun>11

27

readytoroll:

Fantasy Night Out writer: Molly Millar PHOTOGRAPHER: Darko Sikman / darkoroom.com

I

t-girl Risa Fay and Black Swan guitarist, Marinho Maelissa, are snapped as they leave Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar* – a well-know celeb hangout in Vancouver, BC – and head to pick up their bikes from the bike valet. Our reporter caught up with them after their meal. “Over and above the mussels, the reason we keep coming back to this place is because they offer bike valet,” said Fay. “It’s great to be able to bike up to a place and not have to worry about finding a bike rack and everything. It’s a total perk!”

Fay, a huge fan of sustainable fashion, is wearing the Wild Flower Frock from Adhesif’s Spring/ Summer 2011 collection. “This dress is perfect to cycle in because of the loose skirt,” Fay said. “The rich colors are absolutely to die for. This dress feels like spring to me!” Fay’s look is completed with chunky square sunglasses and a topknot. Fay favors this look because she can easily let her hair down when it comes time to put on her Nutcase helmet.

Maelissa is wearing a Ben Sherman bomber jacket and a Ben Sherman L/S Henley Sweater in red. Dark jeans and a vintage shirt complete his look. The jacket is great to cycle in because of its warmth, but it’s stylish enough to wear dining out or going to a show.

When asked about his “typical riding outfit” Maelissa said, “Whatever I can wear both on and off the bike.

I’m super busy and don’t have time to change into a different outfit every time I want to jump on my bike.

If it’s something that I can wear on stage and on my bike, that’s a winning outfit.”

Speaking of which, what are they riding? Fay is riding a white Hearts Desire cruiser by Marin Bikes and Maelissa is riding a green Raleigh Hybrid Route 4.0. The cruiser style of the bike is perfect for a relaxed Saturday evening of dinner and drinks; said Maelissa: “The bike I ride completely depends on the task I need to accomplish that day.”

A huge thank-you to models Risa Fay, Marinho Maelissa, designer Melissa Ferreira of Adhesif Clothing Company (2202 Main St., Vancouver, BC), Lloyd’s of Gastown (157 Water St., Vancouver, BC), Reckless Bikes (110 Davie St., Vancouver, BC) and the Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar (1095 Hamilton St., Vancouver, BC).

* The Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar doesn’t have a bike valet, but we can dream. @mollyemillar

28

May>jun>11

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

may>jun>11

29

bikeshop ( best retail shops catered to lifestyle riders )

Clever Cycles Two families marry their love of cycling with a Clever solution. writer: Carolyn Szczepanski

Courtesy of Clever Cycles

Clockwise from left: Martina S. Fahrner, Dean Mullin, Todd Fahrner and Rachel Mullin.

30

May>jun>11

Photo by Jeremy Scholz

C

lever Cycles got its start when two ingenious sets of strangers eyed each other’s rides.

It was 2006 and Martina and Todd Fahrner pedaled over to a party at a friend’s house in Portland, OR. They rode their Xtracycles for all sorts of everyday activities. But their bicycles weren’t exactly the standard model: Todd had enhanced each with a bright-red electric-assist motor.

Portland being a bike-curious town, the Fahrners weren’t the only folks who showed up on creative wheels. Dean and Rachel Mullin also attended that gathering, arriving on a tandem bike with a daisy-chain of trailers hitched to the back.

“So we were ogling the Mullin’s tandem trailers and they were ogling our Xtracycles,” Martina Fahrner said with a laugh. “It took off from there.”

The show floor of Clever Cycles in Portland, OR.

The two families quickly discovered they had a lot in common. They lived just 10 minutes apart.

They viewed bicycling not as a way to burn calories, make a statement or win some sort of competition.

They loved riding because it was simply the most efficient and enjoyable way to get around town.

Relying on bicycling for all the necessities of transportation, though, meant both families needed more from their bikes than some commuters and recreational riders.

“Dean and Rachel had four kids under 10 years old and they were trying to figure out how to get four kids onto one bike or onto bikes in general,” Martina said. At the time, there was one Dutch woman who transported her two kids around

“...you should be able to head out to your bike and put a laptop on the back and pick up something to eat and even pick up your kids from school.”

–Martina Fahrner

Portland on a bakfiets bike, which featured a wheelbarrow-like seat in front of the handlebars.

That was enough to send Todd and Dean on a trip to the Netherlands to test ride some bakfiets for themselves. They were inspired and, almost immediately, knew they needed to import them to North America.

So, in March 2007, Clever Cycles opened its doors. Co-owned by the Fahrners and Mullins, the shop sells a number of European-inspired city bikes, such as Breezer, Linus and Retrovelo. But what makes Clever Cycles unique is its impressive selection of cargo bikes. Need to transport two kids and a week’s worth of groceries – and not exhaust your body and lose your mind in the process?

Clever Cycles has some smart solutions. They carry bakfietsen and Gazelle Cabbys with big cargo seats in the front. They sell Xtracycles with hitchless trailers capable of hauling up to 200 pounds (91 kilograms) in the back. They’ve got tricycles, WorkCycles and a wide array of children’s seats for any style of bicycle.

If their mission could be summed up in one word, it would be “utilitarian.”

“Biking is supposed to be fun,” Martina said.

“You’re not supposed to have to dress up for it. It’s something you just do. Just as easily as you grab your car keys and head out for your car, you should be able to head out to your bike and put a laptop on the back and pick up something to eat and even pick up your kids from school. It’s all about bikes as active M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

pick up your

Photo by Jeremy Scholz

Free momentum

magazine

The Christiania cargo trike.

at these locations! california

michigan

Banning Bikes 206 North Harbour, Fullerton, CA 714-525-2200 | banningsbikes.com

Wheelhouse detroit 1340 E. Atwater Street Detroit, MI 313-656-BIKE (2453) | wheelhousedetroit.com

Photo by Jeremy Scholz

Practical cycle 114 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 916-706-0077 | PracticalCycle.com

The wonderful world of cycling caps.

transportation. Most of our bikes are relatively heavy.

It’s not like fine-tuning a sports machine where God forbid you put a bell on your bike because it adds five grams to it. That’s not our thing. Our bikes have to be comfortable and people have to be comfortable on them.”

To add to their customers’ ease, Clever carries internally-geared bikes. “When you’re trying to make sure no sippy cups get flung at people, the last thing you want to think about is shifting and getting going at a stop sign,” Martina said with a chuckle. Clever Cycles also specializes in those Stokemonkey electricassist motors, because certain hills and cargo loads are just too demanding for even the strongest cyclist.

In the spirit of that first night when the Fahrners met the Mullins, Clever Cycles also aims to build community. They provide bikes for elementary school auctions and participate in local festivals. “In the summer, we have dinner rides for the parents,” Martina said. “We move at a gentle pace between three restaurants. And we keep it to a kid-friendly time, so they don’t have to spend too much on a babysitter.”

Talk about clever.

oregon

talBot’s cyclery 445 South B Street, San Mateo, CA 650-931-8120 | talbotscyclery.com

arriVing By Bike 2705 Willamette St. Eugene, OR 541-484-5410 | arrivingbybike.com

Velo cult 2220 Fern St, San Diego, CA (619) 819-8569 | velocult.com

alta Planning + design 711 Se Grand Ave. Portland, OR (877) 347-5417 | Altaplanning.Com

colorado

texas

salVagetti Bicycle Works 1234 Speer Blvd, Denver, CO 303-691-5595 | salvagetti.com

MelloW Johnny’s 400 Nueces, Austin, TX 512-473-0222 | mellowjohnnys.com

maine Portland VelociPede 45 York Street, Portland, ME 207-899-3133 | portlandvelocipede.com

maryland

washington

keloWna cycle 103-2949 Pandosy Street, Kelowna, BC 250-762-2453 | kelownacycle.com aaron’s Bicycle rePair 6527 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA siMon’s cycle (206) 938-9795 | RideYourBike.com 3-1841 Comox Avenue, Comox, BC 250-339-6683 | simoncycle.com eVeryBodyBike 314 East Champion Street, Bellingham, WA suncoast cycles 360-671-BIKE (2453) | everybodybike.com 9440 Highway 101, Powell River, BC 604-487-1111 | suncoastcycles.com steVe’s on cannon street 145 South Cannon Street, Spokane, WA 509-747-5220 | stevesoncannonstreet.com noVa scotia BikeWays coalition 5516 Spring Garden Road, 4th Floor, Halifax, NS BikeBike (902) 425-5454 | nsbikeways.ca 1501 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB 403-457-BIKE (2453) | bikebike.ca

nova scotia

alberta

Peyton Bikes 4712 Midkiff Rd, Midland, TX 432-699-1718 | peytonsbikes.com

edMonton Bicycle coMMuters’ society 10047 80 Ave NW (Back Alley), Edmonton AB 780-433-2453 | edmontonbikes.ca

utah

united cycle 10323-78 Avenue, Edmonton, AB 780-433-1181 | unitedcycle.com

saturday cycles 2204 North 640 West, West Bountiful, UT 801-298-1740 | saturdaycycles.com

virginia

Maryland Park Bicycles 101 Maryland Park Dr. Capitol Heights, MD shareBike.org 301-350-7433 513 S. Jefferson St. Roanoke, VA 540-982-8289 Mt. airy Bicycles 4540 Old National Pike, Mt Airy, MD 301-831-5151 | bike123.com

british columbia Bikes on the driVe 1350 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC (604) 215-7433 | bikesonthedrive.com

ontario

rideMore.ca 456 McArthur (at St. Laurent), Ottawa, ON 613-747-7433 urBane cyclist 180 John St, Toronto, ON M5T 1X5 416-979-9733 | urbanecyclist.ca

quebec les Vélos roy-o inc.

463 rue Saint-Jean, Québec, QC 418-524-0004 | velosroyo.com

MoMEnTuM is AvAilABlE AT over 700 Free piCk up spoTs AcRoss noRTh AMERicA. For a complete list go to momentumplanet.com/pick-up

give

... become one of our

CommuniTy parTners momentum’s free distribution is intended to encourage smart living by bike!

If you would like to become a valued distribution spot that keeps people coming back to your store every 2 months for the newest issue and to see your name listed above, please join our Community Partner Program!

To geT listed go To momentumplanet.com/distribute

clevercycles.com

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

may>jun>11

31

david byrne:

on bikes & cities writer: Bryna Hallam

1. David Byrne with one of his art bike racks in NYC. David Byrne, The Jersey, 2008 powder coated steel 42” x 70” x 6” (106.7 cm x 177.8 cm x 15.2 cm) Photos by G.R. Christmas / Courtesy PaceWildenstein © David Byrne, courtesy PaceWildenstein

2. “Torre de Dulces” (Candy Tower) - a glimpse of the unusual spotted on a ride in Mexico.

Photo by David Byrne

3. Merida, Mexico, at sunset. Captured

by David Byrne during his travels through the city.

Photo by David Byrne

Bicycle Diaries: Audiobook

By David Byrne $19.95 USD reviewer: David Niddrie David Byrne’s excellent Bicycle Diaries (reviewed in Momentum 41) is re-assembled as a unique audiobook in this new, digital-only edition.

Clocking in at more than eight hours, Bicycle Diaries: Audiobook sets the tone quickly with original music, sound effects and Byrne himself narrating the tales.

Byrne’s bike has accompanied him as he toured the world with his music and art. Here, he takes you along for the ride; noisy street scenes, music from open windows, the tinkle of silverware – all transport you to a new place while Byrne waxes poetic. It works. You find yourself rolling through the cultural capitals of the world and catching up on what’s happening from the vantage point of a bicycle saddle.

Inspired by radio shows of old, the listening experience is akin to audio art with a strong running narrative. Consumable in any order, the 11 chapters offer a personal travelogue on global affairs, culture and, yes, the role of the bicycle in shaping our urban world.

Available for purchase at bicycle-diaries.com 1

34

May>jun>11

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

L

istening to David Byrne talk about bikes, you might forget that the man is a legendary musician and world-famous artist, as well as an impassioned cyclist who’s keen to improve infrastructure and get more people on two wheels.

But the former Talking Heads performer is a reluctant advocate, although he is becoming one of the most famous faces of the North American bike revolution, thanks to his online journal and the book it spawned – The Bicycle Diaries (see the audiobook review on p. 34). His follow-up tour, Cities, Bicycles and the Future of Getting Around, features a set of arty bike racks and stories from his years in the saddle.

“I haven’t wanted to be a real advocate or proselytizer,” he said in a phone interview from New York. “But if I sense that people are kind of ready and willing to try something, later I’ll say, ‘Well yes, this is how you do it, and this is how it’s done, and this is my experience, and the rest is up to you’.”

The tour, which took Byrne to 16 cities in North America and could carry on to South America, also featured local civic leaders, planners and bicycle advocates. It was less about converting people and more about creating a critical mass, he said. “The events tend to bring together people who are sometimes of like mind, but haven’t met yet.”

The number of those like-minded people is growing as cycling becomes more popular, something Byrne attributes to a wider change in attitude. “It used to be considered something that you did as a child or you did as a sport, but there was no in-between,” he said, “and now it’s a little bit more acceptable.”

He should know: Byrne’s been cruising the streets of New York on two wheels since the early 1980s, when he collected his trusty adolescent ride – an English three-speed – from his parents’ suburban home and brought it to the city. He now rides a “new version of an old-school bike,” made by Jamis, when in New York; a Dahon folding bike accompanies him on his travels.

The original decision to ride was made out of convenience – a bike is a fast, cheap way to travel – but since then, Byrne’s motivations have shifted to include the liberation, exhilaration and connection bikes provide.

“I don’t think people are doing it to be more green, or because it’s good for exercise, or something like that,” Byrne said of cycling. “I think those are side-effects. People are doing it because it actually feels good, because it sometimes saves money, and sometimes is the fastest way to get from A to B if you’re not going too far. You have a feeling of selfempowerment, that you’re in charge of when you go, how you go and when you get there.”

Of course, there are things that could help more people make the decision to ride. Infrastructure – Byrne would like to see me more linkages between existing bike paths and routes – and education are a big part of that picture. In order to work, he said, they need to develop together.

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

Tune Your Ride to David Byrne’s Playlist

By Bryna Hallam

If you’re curious as to what music has caught David Byrne’s ear lately, the answer is only a click away. The artist started his eponymous online music stream, Radio David Byrne, in 2005. The music is eclectic, ranging from psychedelic, to country, to Turkish pop.

There’s even (of course) a playlist (August 2010) classified as good bike riding music – and described

by Byrne as likely to “suck one into a trippy cozmic vortex of sensuous timelessness.”

Perfect for a leisurely ride in the sun.

2

3

“I heard a Danish guy say you can’t just throw a million people out there at once and expect them to know how to do this,” he said. “You’ll have a kind of chaos, you’ll have people having accidents and injuries and all kinds of things going on.

You have to kind of bring it in gradually so they learn how to behave when using bike infrastructure.”

But to develop a perfect urban cycling environment, what you really need is a perfect city.

“Ideally, our cities become exciting, sexy and profitable places to live, play and work – that’s the most important part,” Byrne said. “When people have no investment in the places they play or work or live, they act accordingly.” davidbyrne.com

++Jóhann Jóhannsson– Odi Et Amo ++David Behrman–On the Other Ocean ++Skuli Sverrisson– Summer Star Water ++Silver Mt. Zion–13 Angels Standing Guard ‘Round the Side of Your Bed ++Slow Six–The Pulse of This Skyline with Lightning Like Nerves ++DB– Hurdy Drone– ++Julia Kent– Gardermoen ++Sebastián Escofet– Soledad

davidbyrne.com/ radio

may>jun>11

35

Riders in the Netherlands rarely don helmets, partially because helmets are not required by law and partially because riding is relatively safe.

Separated bike lanes, bike boxes at intersections and a high volume of cycling traffic makes riding safer in the Netherlands than in most major cities in the US and Canada.

In this image, several cyclists are seen crossing a busy intersection on the edge of downtown Utrecht, NL. Riders often pedal at a slower place, wearing the same clothes they would normally wear to go to work, a friend’s place or the shopping mall.

Photo by Amsterdamize.com

writer: Elly Blue

36

May>jun>11

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

Helmets were first introduced to cycling as a way to protect racers’ heads from injury. Unlike the typical commuter cyclist, road racers travel at high speeds, in close proximity to other riders in a peloton, such as during the Nature Valley Grand Prix depicted here.

Racers often take risks and push their bodies to their limits in hopes of winning the top prize, which can also increase their chances of taking a spill.

Photo y Mark Emery

I

n the cycling arena, nothing has been more hotly debated or more polarizing than the debate about the merits of mandatory helmet laws.

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

may>jun>11

37

C

+

for

“

…[my husband] is really clear that he wants me to use bike lights at night and have a helmet on all the time. And I’m good with that.

“

– carla danley

38

arla Danley is a former emergency room nurse who has seen her fair share of head injuries. She has also been a daily bicycle rider since 2009 when, at age 50, she moved to Portland, OR, and launched headlong into the city’s vibrant bike scene. In Portland, bicycling verges on the mainstream.

Danley is one of many who choose to wear a helmet every time they ride. “It’s in my marriage contract,” she said. Her husband lost his teenage sister after she was struck by a car while on a cross-Canada bike trip. “One of the things I give him credit for is: when we moved to Oregon, I was like, ‘I’m going to get rid of my car and ride a bike’, and he has always been behind me 100 percent,” she said. “But he is really clear that he wants me to use bike lights at night and have a helmet on all the time. And I’m good with that.”

Across the globe, in Western Australia, Sue Abbott, a 50-year-old mother of four who has cycled for transportation for 46 years, has never worn a bike helmet. Even after 1991 when Australia became the first country to pass a law requiring them for adults and children, she rode helmet-free, an act that soon earned her a stiff ticket.

Abbott emerged victorious last August from a string of court battles over her right to cycle bare-headed in her town of Scone, New South Wales. Aiding her suit was the embattled and contradictory state of scientific research on helmet use.

Since the helmet question is one of the most fiercely debated and polarized issues in transportation bicycling, the question is, which is more important: personal freedom or a precautionary approach that mandates defensive cycling? Should the government step in to enforce head protection or should the onus be on the individual? The science is murky, but the political philosophies in question are sharply delineated.

May>jun>11

A Brief History of Helmets and Laws For much of the history of the bicycle there were no helmets, only protective leather caps occasionally worn by bike racers, motorists, aeronauts, rugby players and mountaineers.

Helmets, as we know them today, did not exist until 1975, when Bell Sports introduced the first polystyrene model to the United States market. First constructed to protect the skull by crushing on impact, there has been little aesthetic or material innovation in their design until recent years.

Now, in North America, fanciful or sleek helmet shells with minimal venting, such as those made by Nutcase and Bern, are becoming popular among utility cyclists. In Europe, the Ribcap – a knit hat with soft inserts that harden on impact – is all the rage for bicycling and skiing.

The first mandatory bicycle helmet laws that went into effect in California in 1987 and New York in 1989 applied only to young children who were passengers on a bike. Since then, laws passed across North America and the world mostly govern children under 16 years of age.

These laws are increasingly contentious. In Tel Aviv, an attempt to repeal existing helmet laws is being fought as fiercely as successful attempts to impose them in Vancouver, WA, which passed an all-ages helmet law last year. Northern Ireland, Chicago, IL, and Minneapolis, MN, are all considering instituting mandatory helmet laws for children under the age of 16. Mexico City may have had the shortest-lived helmet law – it was passed in 2009 and repealed a year later in the face of intense opposition.

A Heady Debate Pro-helmet advocates compare helmets to seat belts – a commonsense response to a known safety problem. They have at their service a wealth of data. In the US, head trauma is the cause of over half of bicycle-related fatalities, with survival of serious crashes strongly linked to helmet use.

Also to the point, helmet laws have been shown to be more effective than education campaigns at getting helmets on heads.

Opponents of helmet laws see them as a barometer of a society’s regard for personal freedom. They point to research finding that helmets do not in fact protect wearers in the most common types of bicycle crashes, which result in scrapes and other injuries to the arms and legs. In some cases, research shows that helmets might even cause brain injuries as a result of the mechanical twisting effect that occurs upon impact.

Others insist that helmet laws lead to more dangerous bicycling conditions. A British traffic psychologist used sensors to discover that when he biked to work without a helmet, passing drivers gave him more room on the road – though not as much room as when he wore a flowing wig!

Australia experienced a drop in bicycle use after its helmet law came into effect. Commonsense might lead one to believe that this is a good thing, that fewer bicyclists would mean fewer injuries. But studies worldwide have repeatedly shown the opposite to be true: the more people ride bikes, the safer bicycling becomes.

This phenomenon is called “Safety in Numbers.” Its core principle is that people on bikes rely largely on the kindness of strangers for their safety – the ones whizzing past them in their cars. As more people ride, drivers become more skilled, tolerant and aware of the presence of cyclists, making roads safer for people on bikes – and for everyone else, too, for that matter.

The popularity of public bike sharing systems raises another issue around mandatory bicycle helmet laws: how to have both at the same time?

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

The Anti-helmet League It isn’t just helmet laws that face growing opposition. Increasingly, helmets themselves have come under fire.

Mikael Colville-Andersen, a cycling advocate and marketing consultant in Denmark, took the cultural battle to the next level in a highly publicized speech called “Why we shouldn’t wear bike helmets.”

In his TEDx talk, viewable on YouTube, Colville-Andersen associates helmets with what he calls a “culture of fear.” Helmet use, he said, sends the message that bicycling is dangerous. We’d laugh at wearing helmets for other daily activities that carry a significant risk of head injury, such as walking, driving, bathing and using stairs. Why, he asked, is bicycling singled out as dangerous?

Debra Rolfe, an American-British urban planning master’s student in Vancouver, BC, agreed. North America’s helmet culture is the worst, she said. “It’s like complete strangers walking up to you and lecturing you about how what you’re eating for lunch is going to kill you.”

“Most societies in the developed world spend far more money on inactivity-related illnesses than they do on trauma care,” she added.

“We should be doing everything we possibly can to save lives by getting people to exercise.”

Ultimately, Rolfe calls helmets “an unfortunate distraction from the real major safety issue affecting cyclists: Cars. Whether or not individuals choose to wear bike helmets is irrelevant, but the cycling community in North America spends a huge amount of time debating it, when it could be doing so much more to improve conditions.”

The 800-pound Gorilla One perspective that seems capable of bringing about agreement across the fiery lines of the helmet debate is equity.

Ellen Jacobson, who coordinates the Kiwanis Club’s bicycle program in Sparks, NV, is a true helmet believer, having devoted much of the past decade to bicycle safety programs for kids. But she wants to make one thing clear: “I am against having a helmet law in Nevada. Most of the kids who don’t wear helmets are extremely low income. If you fine them, what you’re really doing is taking food off the table. And the fine doesn’t put a helmet on their heads.”

Carla Danley, the former ER nurse, leans instinctively towards supporting an all-ages helmet law. “I think it almost has to be something that’s legislated so that people are fined,” she mused, quickly adding the caveat, “but I’d be concerned about certain populations being targeted more than others.”

aga

Conclusion It seems we have reached a decisive moment in the history of urban cycling. If the pro helmet faction wins, it’s likely that we will see mandatory helmet laws sweeping across Canada and the US. If, on the other hand, the pro choice group wins, existing helmet laws will soon be abolished, potentially changing the face of cycling in those cities that currently require helmet use by law.

There is a lot riding on this debate, and it’s unlikely to fade into the distance anytime soon.

inst

“

[helmets are] an unfortunate distraction from the real major safety issue affecting cyclists: Cars.

“

City leaders worldwide are discovering the appeal of self-service kiosks where bicycles can be rented cheaply for short trips. Bike share systems are an affordable way to boost bicycle mode share and safety nearly overnight. But no feasible means has yet been found to incorporate helmets into such schemes, leaving all-ages helmet law cities, such as Vancouver, BC, struggling to find a way to reap the rewards of a public bike system.

– DEBORAH ROLF

The Hard Facts Bike Helmet Laws Across North America

Stats compiled by Aretha Munro

To Helmet or Not to Helmet?

When it comes down to it, the decision about whether or not to don a helmet is often less about scientific studies, political philosophies or even laws, and more about one’s beliefs and sense of safety, or lack thereof, on the road.

Elena Findley-de Regt, 29, a Dutch-American citizen who has lived and cycled in the Netherlands, the US, Spain and, now, the UK, has observed a wide range of helmet customs.

“When in the Netherlands,” she said, “I don’t wear a helmet, never have and wouldn’t dream of it.”

There, she feels that riding is safe, thanks to “very minimal interaction with motor vehicles due to separated bike paths” and a “critical mass of cyclists with generally low overall riding speeds.”

And there’s a cultural element. “The Dutch tend to have a pragmatic approach to most things in life – the simplest answer is most likely the best. Fussing with a helmet is an extra, unnecessary step.”

“Philosophically,” she said, “I believe that cycling should be such a normal, integrated part of transportation infrastructure that no special equipment is required.”

But when riding in any other country, she wears a helmet. “This has a lot to do with my confidence in the riding conditions, and especially my trust in other road users to behave appropriately.”

Habitual use and cultural norms, as well as compelling personal stories, influence helmet beliefs. Ellen Jacobson said that her husband, also a fervent helmet advocate, began wearing one only when they became mainstream in the 1980s. She doesn’t recall exactly when he made the transition, but does remember that he began wearing a ski helmet after the highly publicized skiing death of Sunny Bono in 1998.

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

The United States has 22 state laws and at least 201 local laws governing helmet use.

Only 13 states have no state or local helmet laws at all: Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming. Canadian provinces and territories are split on the issue – half have or under-18 helmet laws and the other half leave it up to the individual to decide whether or not to don a helmet.

U.S.

California State Law Under 18 Bidwell Park, Chico All ages El Cerrito All ages San Francisco Under 18 New Hampshire State Law Under 16 Oregon State Law Under 16 New York State Law Under 14 Erie County Parks All ages Greenburgh All ages Washington Seattle All ages Texas Houston Under 18 Austin Under 18 Rhode Island State Law Under 16 New Mexico State Law Under 18 Hawaii State Law Under 16 Massachusetts State Law Under 13 Chicago Bike messengers only

Canada Nova Scotia All Ages Prince Edward Island All Ages New Brunswick All Ages British Columbia All Ages Alberta Under 18 Ontario Under 18 Saskatchewan No Legislation Manitoba No Legislation Quebec No Legislation Newfoundland and Labrador No Legislation All three territories No Legislation

may>jun>11

39

+venture:

Minneapolis 1. Bikes on Stone Arch Bridge.

writer: Tom Everson

T

Photo courtesy of Meet Minneapolis

2. This is a bicycle gathering billed as “A Casual Bike Ride Through the Backroads and Byways of Minneapolis with Hundreds of Yer Friends.” True to the billing, 200300 bicyclists are common during this summer ride.

The Midtown Greenway, shown here in the foreground, is a bicycle path through an old freight rail right-of-way, bisecting south Minneapolis from east to west.

Photo by Mark Emery

2

40

1

May>jun>11 May>june>11

he secret is out, though it’s not really a secret to those who live here: Minneapolis, MN, is the number one bicycle city in the US. As Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak is fond of saying, referring to the 2010 Bicycling Magazine decree where the Mill City recently usurped Portland, OR, for top honors: “Portland is just another street in Minneapolis.” And Rybak’s employer practices what he preaches. At the National Bike Summit held in Washington, DC, this past March, the City of Minneapolis was honored by the League of American Bicyclists with the Gold Award designation for a Bike Friendly Business. Hyperbole aside, this big city with a small town feel does have some incredible bikefriendly features.

In June of 2010, the bike share program ‘Nice Ride Minnesota’ launched making 700 bikes available for rent at 65 kiosks located across the city. Ridership that year topped 100,000 trips. For 2011, the popular program is expanding into North Minneapolis and Saint Paul, with the number of kiosks rising from 65 to an impressive 85 and the number of bikes reaching a total of 1,000.

According to the federally-funded Bike Walk Twin Cities, cycling in the Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis increased by 33 percent between 2007 and 2010. Simply put, getting around town via cycle is easy, thanks to the city’s grid-system of streets and avenues and, perhaps more so, the ever-increasing network of trails, bike lanes and paths.

The Midtown Greenway extends from the Mississippi River on one end, all the way to the western suburbs, and is used by thousands of commuters every week. The Cedar Lake Bicycle Highway, which also brings commuters downtown, is just finishing its final extension which passes under the new Minnesota Twins stadium and connects to the West River Parkway.

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

But what about during the snowy winter months? No bother. Both the Greenway and the Cedar Lake Trail are generally plowed within 24 hours of a major snowfall, often before the city streets. And if you choose to break up your transport options, nearly every city bus now has a bike rack on the front, as do the light rail LRT trains.

While there is no shortage of resources for local pedalers, no visit to Minneapolis is complete without a visit to the “Grand Daddy” of local bike culture, Gene and Jennifer Oberpriller’s One on One Bicycle Studio. Located in what remains of the heart of the downtown’s Warehouse District, One on One offers a fullservice bike shop, coffee bar, art gallery and bicycle boneyard. It simply has to be experienced to be believed. When asked what makes his community unique, Gene Oberpriller replied: “We have a 100-year-old bicycle trail that goes around the city, called the Grand Rounds. That’s unique.”

A very unscientific, random visual sample of downtown riders and bike racks definitely skews toward the single speed/ fixed-gear ride. Hipsters are everywhere, but there are plenty of nice urban/ Euro-style bikes showing up around town, replete with full fenders, front and rear racks and a prevalence of dynamo lighting systems.

And never underestimate the power of a vintage three-speed!

Load up your baskets at one of the many farmers markets around town – at last count there were no less than 50 in the metro area – and enjoy a bicycle picnic. You’re never more than a few blocks from a city park in Minneapolis. It is also not uncommon to see Mom (or Dad) zipping down the Greenway towing the kids off to school, or grocery shopping at one of the many area co-ops on a Surly Big Dummy/ XtraCycle.

Makes sense, as Surly Bikes/ QBP is located just downwind in Bloomington. For those of a more sartorial bent, be sure to check in with the Minneapolis Tweed Ride for upcoming events.

Regardless of your cycling flavor, Mill City has a vast, year-round menu to sample. The infamous annual bike messenger alleycat race, the Stupor Bowl, is held in the dead of winter. On June 12, 2011, the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition is promoting an Open Streets/ Ciclovia. There are also weekly bike polo events, ice racing in the winter on frozen lakes and miles of commuter-friendly paths and bike lanes to keep you rolling all day long.

3. Chuck Cowan and his wife Stephanie Sakes co-own the Behind Bars Bicycle Shop in Northeast Minneapolis. Here, Cowan puts the final touches on a custom set of wheels for a customer. behindbars.com

3

Photo by Mark Emery

4. Biking at Chain of Lakes.

Photo courtesy of Meet Minneapolis

...the Greenway and the Cedar Lake Trail are generally plowed within 24 hours of a major snowfall, often before the city streets.

5. Chelsea Strate is the coorganizer of the annual Babes In Bikeland allfemale bike race and ride that has attracted several hundred women for four years running. Chelsea is seen here minutes prior to the start of the 2011 Stupor Bowl race, which she would later win. babesinbikeland. com Photo by Mark Emery

6. Pat Starr and his wife KJ, seen here following the May Day Parade with their two children in the sidecar, own a restaurant on the West Bank neighborhood of Minneapolis called The Wienery. The son of a mechanical engineering professor, Starr has a passion for building his own human-powered vehicles from found and lowcost parts.

minneapolisparks.org/grandrounds/home.htm tweedride.wordpress.com/about Mplsbike.org (Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition)

4

5

Photo by Mark Emery

7. Taking a spin on the 84 miles (135 kilometers) of off-street bicycle paths Minneapolis has to offer.

Photo courtesy of Meet Minneapolis

6

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

7

may>june>11 may>jun>11

41

+venture: experience

minneapolis visitors' guide

writers: Tom Everson & Dina Weinstein illustrator: Doug Scott

minneapolis map 7 Hiawatha bicycle shops 1 Calhoun Cycle Cyclery 2 Alternative cafes etc.

Bike and Board 8 Bryant Lake Shop Bowl 3 One on One 9 Modern Café Bicycle Studio 10 Grumpy’s Bar 4 Behind Bars and Grill Bicycle Shop 11 Peace Coffee 5 Varsity Bike 12 Birchwood Shop 6 Angry Catfish Café

T

he most impressive part of cycling in Minneapolis is the infrastructure. The light rail line into the city comes equipped with out-of-the way bike hooks that prevent them from blocking seats and falling over. The city has 46 miles (74 kilometers) of streets with dedicated bicycle lanes and 84 miles (135 kilometers) of off-street bicycle paths.

Although the warmer months are the most pleasant, cycling is embraced in all four seasons. Word to the wise: some of the most beautiful trails are along the Mississippi River. And you can leave your bike at home.

Visitors can easily enjoy the sites listed below on a Nice Ride bike, available through the eponymous city-wide bike sharing program.

shops

1. Spoonbridge and Cherry at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden The giant spoon stretches 52 feet across a small pond shaped like a linden tree seed.

A fine stream of water, just enough to make the aluminum cherry gleam, flows over the cherry from the base of the stem. A second stream of water sprays from the top of the stem over the cherry, down into the spoon and the pool below.

Photo courtesy of Meet Minneapolis

42

Behind Bars (208 13th Ave. NE) Freewheel Midtown Bike Center (2834 10th Ave. S) One on One Bicycle Studio (117 Washington Ave. N) Seward Co-op (2823 East Franklin Ave.) Sunrise Cyclery (901 West Lake St.) Varsity Bike Shop (1316 SE 4th St.)

food The Modern Café (337 13th Ave. NE) Jim Grell, owner/ chef/ cyclist.

The Birchwood Café (3311 East 25th St.) Each summer the parking in front of the restaurant is replaced with a Nice Ride MN kiosk.

Bryant Lake Bowl (810 West Lake St.) Ride your bike, wear your helmet, get $2 PBR Tallboys!

Grumpy’s Bar and Grill (1111 Washington Ave. S) Huge back patio with ample bike parking.

Peace Coffee Bike Delivery (2801 21st Ave. S #130) Commit to your

May>jun>11

beans and your bike. Awesome local roaster, delivers to their wholesale accounts via bicycle (or bio-diesel van) year-round.

places to stay Le Meridien Chambers Minneapolis (901 Hennepin Ave.). Right in the heart of the downtown theater district. lemeridienchambers.com The Aloft W Hotel (900 Washington Ave. S) Located near the Guthrie Theater. One on One has worked with this hotel to offer bike rentals for downtown customers. starwoodhotels.com/ alofthotels

events ArtCrank – Bicycle-inspired poster show organized by the One on One Bicycle Studio and Go Coffee shop. artcrankpostershow.com Babes in Bikeland – All female bike race and ride. babesinbikeland.com Bicycle Film Festival – A celebration of bicycles through film, art and music.

bicyclefilmfestival.com/ minneapolis Minneapolis Bike Tour, Bike/ Walk to Work Week – June 4-12. Will feature the very first Minneapolis Open Streets celebration. bikewalkweek.org Nature Valley Bicycle Festival – naturevalleybicyclefestival.com No Name Alleycat – Bike messenger community races. mplsbikelove.com/events-list No-Hater Rolling Dance Super Bike Mega Party – facebook.com/ event.php?eid=130864813642926 Stupor Bowl – Largest alley cat race in the country; held the day before the Super Bowl.

bike rentals

saint paul

Minneapolis’s Twin Cities Bicycle-destination Neighbor

places to stay

The Saint Paul Hotel (350 Market St.) Centrally-located in the downtown Rice Park District and close to bike routes along the Mississippi River. saintpaulhotel.com

food

Tavern on Grand (656 Grand Ave.) Serves Minnesota State fish in a casual dining atmosphere. tavernongrand.com Grand Ole Creamery (750 Grand Ave.) Ice cream and pizza. grandolecreamery.com

things to do

St. Paul Classic Bike Tour. bikeclassic.org

shops

Sibley Bike Depot (712 University Ave.) A community-based space to educate and empower people to use bicycles as transportation. sibleybikedepot.org Omnium Bike Shop (520 Selby Ave.) Ave.) A new commuter and racing shop with excellent customer service. omniumbikeshop.com Green Tire Bikes (1213 Randolph Ave.) A new family-oriented shop focusing on entry-level cycling. greentirebikes.com

bike maps Calhoun Rental (1622 West Lake St.) calhounbikerental.com One On One (117 Washington Ave. N) oneononebike.com Resources Twin Cities Bike Map – bikeverywhere.com Mpls Information Center– maps and where to ride: www. ci.minneapolis.mn.us/bicycles/

stpaul.gov/index.aspx?NID=1212 where-to-ride.asp and www. ci.minneapolis.mn.us/visitors Minneapolis Bike Love – mplsbikelove.com Metro Transit’s Guaranteed Ride Home Program – Helps stranded cyclists get out of sticky situations. commuterpage.com/ridehome.htm M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

NO BIKE LEFT BEHIND.

Mµ Uno

Nothing is better than a bike for getting around town... as long as you have it with you. That’s where the Mµ Uno shines. Take it on the train.

Put it in the trunk. Hide it away in the closet.

You’re never more than about 15 seconds away from a great ride.

us.dahon.com/promo

goodybasket

Yakkay - Smar t 1, Tokyo Blue Stripe

$175 USD and CA D

Picking the

Right Helmet Po pB ul ls

want more?

Visit momentumplanet. com for complete reviews of the helmets shown here.

44

Sure, price matters. You can DY spend anywhere from $40 KAN , to $400 depending on how ic at ventilated or lightweight you m o- AD want to go. But fit, as any ur 99 C d . helmet-hunting advisor will tell En $119 e - D, you, is paramount. Common g US Ur 9.95 e helmet brands (Giro, Bell, 10 2 Lit $ -8V Alpina, Lazer, Specialized) offer e m Pry 9 USD a handful of sizes you need to $59.9 map into with a measurement of your crown. Some women’s models fit smaller, and the largest size most helmets go is VISOR W/ 25 inches (63 centimeters). d i u Sq Mountain bike or road-style ey r ,G helmets use adjustable plastic od bands that let you “dial-in” woAD t en 9 C your size – and some even leave - Br 04.9 room for your ponytail. If you Bern D, $1 US have either a very narrow or $75 a very round head, you’ll find Plus Whisper Catlike a better fit with a band that D $319.95 CA adjusts all around.

The “skate-style” solid shells that Nutcase, Pryme and Protec produce are trending in 2011, which means there’s a ace urf AD S huge selection of prints and C GiroUSD, $90 solid colors in both shiny and 0 6 $ matte. Bell, Bern and Giro offer “urban” models – some even with equestrian-style brims.

The urban genre comes in fewer Lazer $79 US - Urbaniz sizes – often just one or two – D, $90 e CAD and it’s up to you to make it fit by choosing the right thickness of padding.

Factor in whether you’re going to wear some sort of cap Bell under your lid for style, warmth $65 US Muni Ur ban S or catching rain drops. And D, 75 C port AD if you just can’t find that one all-weather, all-occasion, allbike-style helmet, the solution is simple: don’t limit yourself to one!

May>jun>11

Photo by David Niddrie

N

$6 utc 0 US a s D, e $7 St 0C r AD eet

Sp or t,

H

elmets aren’t forever. Sunlight, physical stress and plain-old age – just as they weather your skin – will do a number on a helmet’s plastics. Though you can’t change your face, you can change your headgear; and after a few years or a lot of hours, it’s time to replace your hard hat.

Ey e

writer: Rhiannon Coppin

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

8 ball

airmail

pretty pink

blackdana

pop bullseye

dutch orange

blue star

candy swirl

checkerboard

Watermelon

daisy stripe

danger red

dazed & amused

gold sparkle

flower power

american argyle

chartreuse

glo-brain

vanilla sky

union jack

l•ve ll• •ve

modern dots

powder blue

pink 8

urban caution

stars & stripes

blackish

swirl

tattoo olive

purple pedals

paint fight

aesthetic appeal: new and innovative bikes

Photo courtesy of Beloved

goodybasket

Your ideal bike should be able to meet the demands of your commute and your lifestyle. Here are a few that feature innovative designs and functionality.

Beloved Every Day

Soma Mini Velo

$1,195.99 USD It looks like a normal bike, but mini! The mini velo concept is popular in Japan because these bikes are a little easier to squeeze into small office and living spaces. They are also easier to walk through crowds on the street and train station. Soma Fabrications brings this concept to North America with its aptly named Mini Velo. somafab.com

Photo by Allisa de Vogel

$4,195 USD Handbuilt in Portland, OR, from lugged steel and detailed with the finest components, this bike is designed for everything you do every day – commute, shop or carry rear loads. We particularly love the handle detail on the frame that makes it easier to pick up and carry up and down stairs. Available as a Chris King single-speed or with internal gears. belovedcycles.com info@belovedcycles.com

VANMOOF No5 ($995 CAN) and No6 ($895 CAN)

Aluminum frame (lightweight), internal gears, integrated lock systems, integrated lighting (solar powered LEDs) and it looks really cool. vanmoof.com Distributed in the US by VANMOOF and in Canada by partOne international.

46

May>jun>11

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

F Series Folding Commuters

CLient ContACt

Authorized Signature:

Date:

CheCk eaCh box as a guide: â?‘ Name correct? â?‘

Address correct?

â?‘ Phone # correct? â?‘ Ad copy correct? â?‘ Offer correct, if any?

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information. • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors. • Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum. • Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com

www.origin-8.com

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

may>jun>11

47

behindthebrand: PUBLICBikes

2

1

RetroRevolution writer: Carolyn Szczepanski

These bikes should make you feel like a kid again, and this is every bit as important as anything else.

– Dan Nguyen-Tan

PUBLIC bikes are built to be savored.

Their sleek simplicity is pure urban eye candy. Their signature colors are mouthwatering mandarin orange and the pale baby blue of birthday cake frosting. And that decadence is more than frame-deep.

“They ride like butter,” said Dan Nguyen-Tan, the company’s spokesman.

Based in San Francisco, CA, PUBLIC sells crave-worthy commuter bikes, but their brand is a lip-smacking hybrid of retro utility and ultramodern design. So, it’s not surprising that the man behind the brand is a star in the art world. Rob Forbes is the founder of Design Within Reach, a modern furniture retailer that exemplifies a clean, simple aesthetic. But long before he imported his first Danish armchair, Forbes had a love affair with bicycles. In 2010, he created PUBLIC bikes to put his passion for pedaling within reach of the general masses.

“Sometimes he jokes that he spent years getting people on couches at DWR and now he’s inspired to get people off their couches with PUBLIC,” NguyenTan said. “Rob has a strong passion for design – bicycles as a design object that provide significant social and personal well-being benefits – and urban design as it relates to how we build communities.”

48

May>jun>11

3

To meet those two missions, Forbes debuted with a modest fleet of city rides: single-speed, seven-speed derailleur and three- and eight-speed internal hub bikes in three different frame models – diamond, mixte and step-through. The colors were inspired by, among other objects, a 1968 Vespa scooter. The frames drew from elements of the “double diamond”

– a style that flourished in 19th century Britain. The prices cater to the general masses, starting at less than $500 USD. The one-word company name sums up Forbes’ desire to serve cyclists’ present needs while pushing the envelope for a better future. PUBLIC bikes, NguyenTan said, are for everyday people who commute to M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

work each morning or pedal to the farmers market on the weekend. Their steel frames have been field-tested and endorsed by members of the public, such as Bert Hill, a safety course instructor for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. While the ride itself is seamless, the company aims to make a statement.

“The quality and usage of our public spaces is a measure of the success of our democracy,” NguyenTan said. “That is why we call ourselves PUBLIC. We want to help in our own way. Our vision is for a time when we think as carefully about the way we get around on an everyday basis as we do about what we eat, how we dress and how we furnish our homes. It’s not a utopian or unrealistic vision. In most modern cities in and outside the US, people make daily choices between trams, buses, walking, cars, trains, bikes, scooters, ferries and other transportation alternatives.”

But PUBLIC doesn’t let politics overshadow style.

They blur the line between advocate and artist. “We want PUBLIC bikes to be visual statements about joy and simplicity,” Nguyen-Tan explained. “These bikes should make you feel like a kid again, and this is every bit as important as anything else. We also want to be the most female-friendly bike company, and that’s reflected in the mixte and step-through frame bikes that we offer.”

Clearly, there’s an appetite for PUBLIC’s aesthetic. Their store in San Francisco’s South Park neighborhood is bustling. Their bikes are now seen in retail shops from San Diego, CA, to Boston, MA, and the list is growing quickly. PUBLIC also offers a “Ready to Ride” option, which allows customers to buy online and have their purchase shipped – 99 percent assembled – anywhere in the US. “We’ve gone from concept to validation in less than one year with thousands of customers,” Nguyen-Tan said.

And those customers aren’t shy to report that their bikes put them in the spotlight. “The most common feedback that our customers share with us is that they’ve never ridden a city bike that gets the level of joyful attention that our bikes elicit from friends and strangers,” he added.

Building bikes that cater to design geeks, fashionistas and public space revolutionaries? Clearly, PUBLIC has designed a recipe for success.

PUBLICbikes.com

YOU LOVE YOUR BURLEY Legendary bike trailers

YOU LOVE YOUR BURLEY CHILD TRAILER CLient ContACt

Authorized Signature:

Date:

CheCk eaCh box as a guide: ❑ Name correct? ❑

Address correct?

NOW, GET TO KNOW TRAVOY

❑ Phone # correct? ❑ Ad copy correct? ❑ Offer correct, if any? ®

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

The urban commuter trailer

• Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors.

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

It handles it all—groceries, potting soil, coolers, yoga Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com mats, garage sale finds, or a 60 lb. bag of coffee.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

4 1. Rob Forbes, founder of PUBLIC, outside the PUBLIC Retail Store and Design Studio in San Francisco, CA. Photo by Dawn Gordon

What will you haul on your Travoy?

Let us know at travoy@burley.com

2. The PUBLIC M8 on a stroll in San Francisco, CA. Photo courtesy of PUBLIC Bikes

3. Lovers relaxing on a PUBLIC M8.

Photo courtesy of PUBLIC Bikes

4. Inside the PUBLIC Retail Store and Design Studio in San Francisco, CA.

www.burley.com

Photo courtesy of PUBLIC Bikes

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

may>jun>11

49

the mohow

fly with your bike how to

writer: Torrey Pass

F

lying with your bicycle can be a real gut-wrencher. Aside from the handling surcharge that can sometimes rival your airfare, there’s also the risk that your baby will get mangled in transit. Every time you fly, it’s a roll of the dice. The airline employee who checks your luggage and the baggage handlers at either end are the variables.

You can stack the odds in your favor, however, by doing a little research and packing your bike with care.

Read Up!

Read and compare each airline’s baggage policy before you book your flight. The fine print will likely help you decide which company to fly with.

Most major US and Canadian airlines will accept a bicycle in lieu of a checked bag and won’t add a surcharge. You just have to stuff it into a box smaller than 62 linear inches (length + height + width). Given that a standard bike-shipping box is roughly 90 linear inches, the 62-inch standard is effectively going to leave you with a hefty oversize luggage fee. Unless you have a folding bike, the only workaround is to put your wheels and your frame (with seat post, pedals, stem, bars and fork removed) in two different boxes. Consider this option if you have the mechanical expertise to strip your bike down and build it back up again.

How to Find a Box

You should be able to get a free box from your local bike shop. Have one set aside about a week before your flight; boxes are usually broken down and stuffed into the recycling bin as soon as they’re emptied. Ask for a pair of plastic braces that snap into your dropouts (every new bike is shipped with them).

These will keep your fork legs from puncturing the cardboard and prevent your frame from being bent due to side impact or stacking.

Ask for some plastic inserts that snap into your hubs.

They’ll protect your wheels and keep your axles from punching through the box. If you decide to go with two small boxes, grab one designed for shipping wheelsets – a perfect fit for your hoops. The box should also include some anti-crushing cardboard sections.

DIY?

Many shops will box your bike for a fee. This is a good option only if you aren’t comfortable doing it yourself and if you’re sure someone can assemble your bike for you at the other end.

50

May>jun>11

How To

• Your ride will fit into a standard bike box with pedals removed, handlebars turned or removed and one or both wheels removed. If you remove both wheels, place your frame in the box upside down.

Never rest the frame on the derailleur hanger.

• Deflate tires to about half the max PSI written on their sidewalls so they don’t explode at altitude.

• Turn or remove the handlebars. To turn, loosen the stem bolts that clamp onto the fork steerer. To take the stem off, remove the headset adjustment bolt, loosen the stem bolts and work the stem off the fork. Have someone show you how to adjust your headset upon reassembly if you aren’t sure how to do it yourself.

• Remove pedals, remembering that the non-drive side pedal is reverse-threaded (clockwise to loosen).

Using an Allen key, remove your rear derailleur from the hanger, first making sure there’s no tension on the chain; this will keep the hanger from getting bent or snapped. Zip-tie or tape the derailleur to the inside of the chainstay.

• Remove quick release skewers from the hubs to save space and prevent damage; tape or zip-tie them to your spokes. Snap the plastic inserts into your hubs.

• Snap the plastic braces into your fork (and frame) dropouts.

• Keep all parts separate and organized. Make sure there are no loose bolts rolling around in the bottom of the box.

• Wedge sleeping pads, clothes, shoeboxes or cardboard inserts (shipped with new bikes) between the frame, parts and box to prevent crushing due to impact or stacking. Your boxed bike should be able to withstand a karate kick or a kung-fu punch from any direction.

Getting There

Unless you plan to bag your bike, take a taxi to the airport. Specify that you have a boxed bike and ask for a van.

What to Expect at the Airport

To avoid problems, print the airline’s baggage policy and keep it handy when you check your bike. Make sure you’ve measured and weighed your boxes so that they meet the airline’s requirements. Be nice!

Preventing Damage and the Unthinkable “What If?”

Some airlines require that you sign a limited release form that prevents you from claiming damages incurred during handling. If you refuse to sign, your bike simply won’t be accepted. Again, read before you book.

Take photos of your bike going into the box. Pack with care to prevent crushing. “This Side Up” and “FRAGILE” stickers can’t hurt.

Putting the Pieces Together

If you’ve boxed your bike yourself, putting it together again shouldn’t be a problem, assuming you’ve remembered your tools. All you should need is your set of Allen keys and a pump.

• Carefully thread in the rear derailleur with an Allen key, making sure it’s snug. Reinsert the quickreleases, put on your wheels and reconnect the brakes. Turn stem, make sure headset is properly adjusted and tighten stem bolts. Insert seat post (of course you remembered to mark the height with some electrical tape!) and thread in pedals (clockwise for the drive side, counterclockwise for the non-drive side).

• Inflate tires, hop on and ride!

Want a bag with that?

Some airlines (such as Air Canada) provide a big plastic bike bag. Some recommend placing the bag over the box on the assumption that a baggage handler will treat a bagged bike with more care. These airlines will definitely have you sign a release form.

Some Numbers:

Handling Fees for Bicycles/ Oversized Baggage + Continental: Baggage over 62 linear inches and/or over 50 pounds (23 kilograms): $100 each way for domestic (US) flights, $200 each way for international flights.

+ US Airways: Baggage over 62 linear inches and/or over 50 lbs (23 kgs) $200 each direction. + American Airlines: $150 each way if over 62 linear inches. + WestJet: $50 oversize baggage charge if over 62 linear inches. + Air Canada: $50 each way regardless of box size.

Bag vs. Box: travellingtwo.com/resources/flying-with-a-bicycle-in-a-plastic-ctc-bag Reinforcing you box: a great guide on how to reinforce your bike box: members.shaw.ca/boxyourbike M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> > > >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> > > >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> > > >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> > > >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> > > >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> > >>>> >>> >>>> >>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>>> > > > >>> >>> >> >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> > >> >>> >> >> >>> >>>> >>>> >>>> > > > > >>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >> >>>>SUBSCRIPTIONS! > > > > > > >> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >>>www.momentumplanet.com > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> > >>> >>>> >>>/subscribe > >>> >>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> > > > >>> >>> >> >>>> >>>> GETMO > > > >>> >>>> >>>> >>>> > > >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >> >>>> >>>> >>>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >> >>>> >>>> > > >> >>>> >>>> > >>>> > > >> >>>> > >>>

FREE DIGITAL

CLIENT CONTACT

Authorized Signature:

Date:

CHECK EACH BOX AS A GUIDE: â?‘ Name correct? â?‘

Address correct?

â?‘ Phone # correct? â?‘ Ad copy correct? â?‘ Offer correct, if any?

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information. • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors. • Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum. • Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

may>jun>11

51

SUBSCRIBE AND

SAVE 30%

www.momentumplanet.com/subscribe-promo

Only $13.95 for 6 issues + the 2012 Gear Guide!

Offer ends June 30th

FREE MOMENTUM “TAKE LIFE BY THE HANDLEBARS” T-SHIRT WITH THE PURCHASE OF A LIFETIME SUBSCRIPTION www.momentumplanet.com/subscribe

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

AD FORM

asktheadvocate writer: Kristen Steele

dear advocate:

I really want to get my grandparents out of their cars and onto their bikes. How can I get them interested in riding? Are there bicycles out there built specifically for the comfort of seniors?

– Hopeful Granddaughter

dear hopeful,

Many seniors love to reminisce about their two-wheeling days.

I would first talk with your grandparents to help revive their interest in saddling up. Cycling gives seniors a relatively low-stress means of exercise that has been proven to increase health and longevity.

It is also a great, inexpensive and social activity that can help them stay active and connected to their community in their retirement years.

while boosting their confidence.

The League of American Bicyclists hosts an online directory of these courses at bikeleague.org/programs/ education/course_schedule.php.

Lastly, support your grandparents in their new mode of travel. Invite them to go on a ride with you. Buy them a membership to their local bicycle advocacy group. See if there are any senior bicycling clubs in your area they could ride with. If

Cycling gives seniors a relatively lowstress means of exercise that has been proven to increase health and longevity.

Then, help them find a bike that’s right for them. Go to a bike retailer rather than a big box store. They will be more passionate about cycling and more knowledgeable about what’s on the market. Step-through frames make it easy to get on and off a bike. Recumbents may be the right choice for seniors with back issues. Tricycles may work for those who have trouble balancing or are afraid of falling. If hills are a major deterrent, they could try an electric bicycle that will give them a boost up hills and help them save energy for the flatter parts of the ride.

Once they find a bicycle that suits them, they’ll need a safe place to ride. Many people, seniors included, are nervous about riding in traffic.

If your grandparents are in this camp, look for some car-free trails or off-road paths to start. You can also seek out local road riding classes that can help them hone their skills M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

cycling becomes a social activity as well as a way to stay fit, they’re more likely to keep riding for years to come.

Kristen Steele is the benchmarking project manager for the Alliance for Biking and Walking. She has 11 years of experience working with nonprofits and seven years of experience working as a bicycle/ pedestrian advocate. She is also a freelance writer and lives in Northern California.

TO WORK

WEEK: MAY 16-20 DAY: MAY 20 www.bikeleague.org/bikemonth

Reached a bump in the road? Feel like you’re spinning your wheels and no one’s listening? The Advocate is here to help.

Kristen@peoplepoweredmovement.org

@BikeWalk Alliance for Biking & Walking may>jun>11

53

>> > > > >>> > > > >>> >>> > > >> >>>> >>>> >>> > > >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > > > > > > > > > >>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> > >> >> >> >>> >> >> >> >> >>> >> >> >>> >> >> >>> > > > > > > > > > > >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>>> > >>> >> >> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >>> >> >> >>> >> >> > > > > > > > > > >>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> > > > > > >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>> >> >>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>> >>> >>>> >> >>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>>> >>> >> >> >> >>> >> >> >>> >>> >> >>>

thebigidea

writer: mia birk

hoa Mom, beep beep, turn around!!!”

Sasha, my delightfully spunky then-kindergartner, had spotted her new best friend, a big pink stuffed something. Unicorn?

Bear? She had a million of them. Before you could say “lickety-split,” my wallet was empty. Thank goodness they didn’t take credit cards at this garage sale.

Sasha, standing by the ever-increasing pile of merchandise, clutching her pink gorilla, looked worried. “Mom, I think you got too much.”

“Silly Sasha,” I smiled. “When I was in India I saw a guy carrying a big crate of dishes, a load of rebar, his wife, uncle and four kids!”

She looked confused. What did this have to do with her?

“Just last week at the market I tied a box of butternut squash, oranges, apples, onions, grapes

“W

ad Form

❑ Name correct? ❑

54

May>jun>11

Address correct?

CLient

Phone

ContACt

FAx

Authorized Signature:

Date:

CheCk eaCh box as a guide:

❑ Phone # correct? ❑ Ad copy correct? ❑ Offer correct, if any?

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

• Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors.

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com

ad approval:

❑ Ad approved as is ❑ Ad approved with

corrections check out our indicated ❑ Re-Proof after website forcorrections dailyare made stories, gear reviews, blogs, videos, digital edition, free pick up spots and more!

www.momentumplanet.com

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

and zucchini to the rack, stuffed my pockets full of garlic and shallots and dangled two plastic bags of baguettes, flowers, goat cheese curds, lettuce and kale from the handlebars. When there’s a will, there’s a way, honey.”

I stuffed one pannier full to bursting with the kids’ new jeans, socks, athletic pants and shirts, the other with two adorable pairs of boots (only $2 each!)

“Hand over your backpack,” I ordered, then jammed it with $0.50 videos, books and Othello (the board game), which would provide me and son Skyler with hours of entertainment.

But where to put the white and pink flowered twin-sized sheet set and comforter set? Oh yes, on the rack, secured by a bungee-cord.

...as I pedaled away, with a giant pink elephant wedged between my back and Sasha, clutching it tight like a long-lost friend.

“But Mom, where am I going to sit?” asked Sasha.

“Oh, right. You’ll just have to sit on top of the mountain.”

I sat her on top, and started wheeling the bike to the street. She screamed and pointed at the pink hippo. “Stop!! We forgot Sweet Pea!” “Well, honey, we can’t carry another thing, so Sweet Pea has to stay here.”

Her big green eyes filled with tears, plump cheeks quivered with emotion “But, Mom, I need her.

Please? Please?”

Finally, we took off, to great fanfare from the garage sale shoppers, who cheered as I pedaled away, with a giant pink elephant wedged between my back and Sasha, clutching it tight like a long-lost friend.

To gain acceptance as a serious form of transportation, bicycling has got to be seen as pleasurable and fun, something delightful, not a chore, not a hassle, not scary, not a pain in the ass, or people won’t do it. So bring your bungee-cords with you everywhere, and look for opportunities to put smiles on your neighbors, friends and colleagues’ faces and simultaneously open their eyes and minds.

Sure, I could have come back later to collect my things by car instead of turning us into a carnival float, but where’s the fun in that?

Mia Birk, author of Joyride: Pedaling Toward a Healthier Planet, rides with her two children in Portland, OR. She has been a researcher for an international think tank, a bicycle program manager for the City of Portland and an urban studies professor. She is presently the president of Alta Planning + Design.

LACBC Presents 11th Annual Client

Los Angeles Lo Ange ng s River Ride ContaCt

Authorized Signature:

CheCk eaCh boxRIDES as a guide: dss for Kid BIKE FOR Free der and un 12Name

❑

ALL AGES correct? ❑ Address correct? ❑ Phone # correct? ❑ Ad copy correct?

GREAT FOOD LIVE MUSIC Free fo r Kids 12 and under

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

• Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors.

100

70

50

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

36

15 Miles

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com

Kids Ride

Sunday, June 5th, 2011

www.la-bike.org 213-629-2142

joyride@miabirk.com

@miabirk M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

❑ Of

may>jun>11

55

diy fix a bike chain How to

writer & photographer: Dan Goldwater

b

Expert Do-It-Yourselfer and Instructables.com co-founder Dan Goldwater has the hands-on solution for just about any bike project you can dream up. In this issue, he gets back to basics with the best approach to fixing a broken bike chain.

U

a

how does a chain work?

Each link of a chain is held together by a steel pin/ peg.

With the chain tool (or a hammer and pliers) you can push out and push in the pins, allowing you to remove or attach links.

Fixing a broken chain amounts to removing the broken link and re-attaching the remaining loose ends. On bikes with derailleurs, there are enough extra links that it’s no problem to remove a couple.

On a single-speed bike, you probably won’t have enough slack in the chain to remove a link, you’ll need to borrow some links from an old chain or else buy a new one.

how do chains break?

The most common way is by pedaling full force at the same moment that you are shifting your front derailleur.

Other breaks I’ve seen were caused by an assortment of seemingly one-in-a-million occurrences, yet I’ve seen enough of those cases that I guess, if you ride long enough, onein-a-million happens. Things like a nail getting thrown up by my front wheel and lodging in the chain, then getting cranked across the sprocket. Who’d a thunk?

want more?

You can find this article with extra photos at: instructables.com/ group/momentum

56

May>jun>11

nless you do a lot of mountain biking, it isn’t often that you’ll need to repair or change your bike chain.

However, chains do break now and then, and being able to fix one on the street is no harder than fixing a flat tire if you are prepared.

To fix a broken chain, all you need is a chain tool. These are compact and built into many common multi-tools, such as the one shown a . You may even already have one on your multitool – now you know what it’s for! At home in your garage, it’s possible to repair a chain with just a hammer and pliers, but a chain tool is easier, and really the only option on the street.

if you are on the street and your chain breaks:

1

Are you wearing nice clothes that you care about? Probably best to lock your bike and take the bus. Come back later with your old jeans and fix it then. Fixing a chain is the dirtiest job there is on a bike.

Okay, you’re back and ready to go. Flip your bike over so you can get at the chain more easily.

Take a look at the two broken ends. You’ll need to remove two segments of the chain because the two types of segment alternate.

If you just remove one segment, you can’t reattach it. Place the chain into the groove in the chain tool b at the spot you want to disconnect. If you are replacing a worn but non-broken chain, you’ll do the same thing here.

Turn the screw on the chain tool to start pushing the pin out of the chain c . Be careful to keep the pin on the chain tool lined up with the pin on the

2 3

4

chain; they sometimes like to slip around a bit.

Don’t push the pin all the way out! Only push it just far enough so that the chain comes apart d . You need to leave the last bit of the pin in the chain so you can push it back in later.

Okay, now feed the chain back onto your sprockets.

It helps a lot if you have a friend who can hold the two ends in position while you reattach them.

Now use the chain tool to push the pin back in e . The trickiest part is to keep the tool lined up with the pin. Note: if you are putting on a new chain here, many new chains come with a special link that makes the firsttime installation possible without pushing any pins in.

Once the pin is in, the link you just attached will be stiff.

Work it back and forth f , until it loosens enough to bend.

Take a look at your hands and feel proud. You have done something real today.

5

6

c

7

d

8

9

If you were putting on a new chain in the comfort of your home, you’ve now got an old worn out chain to upcycle!

Since you know how to remove links and reattach the segments, you can use part of the old chain as a cable to lock your seat onto your bike g . This is very handy in urban areas. You can also make yourself a bike chain bracelet h or an earring. You’ll need a fairly big piercing and a tough ear to get that stud through.

g

e

h

To get in touch with the DIY man himself, contact dan@monkeylectric.com

facebook.com/Monkeylectric

f M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

6th Annual Bay Area THE

World’s Largest

DIY Festival

A two-day, family-friendly event to MAKE, create, learn, invent, CRAFT, recycle, think, play, celebrate, and be inspired by arts, crafts, engineering, food, music, science, and technology.

Free bike valet parking for 2,000 bikes + $5 ticket discount at the gate if you ride your bike!

RIDE TO MAKER FAIRE! For bike routes & social rides: www.tinyurl.com/makerfairebybike

COME

PLAY

WITH 600+

MAKERS

OF ALL AGES!

Brought to you by MAKE: magazine

May 21 & 22

Sat 10am–8pm Sun 10am–6pm

SAN MATEO COUNTY EVENT CENTER DON’T WAIT IN LINE!

Buy tickets online today and get more info. Check out the website » Brought to you by MAKE magazine

MAKER FAIRE DETROIT July 30 & 31, 2011

WORLD MAKER FAIRE NEW YORK September 17 & 18, 2011

The Henry Ford Dearborn, MI

New York Hall of Science, Flushing Meadows, Corona Park, Queens, NY

FREE

ADULT DAY PASS ($25 value) when you subscribe to MAKE.

writers: Lolly walsh & Elly Blue

In an effort to spark debate about hot topics hitting the bikeosphere, Momentum columnists and bicycle advocates Elly Blue, of Portland, OR, and Lolly Walsh, of Pittsburgh, PA, will duke it out to see which bike steers the truer course. on

s ti

at

ha

nd

the q

Q: ue

Photo by Paul Krueger

Separated bike lanes: do they improve our city riding experience or transform previously harmonious streets into splitting headaches?

Lolly’s Defense I’ve been riding my bike for years on the road, fighting for space, fighting for visibility, fighting, rather dramatically, for my life.

The recent emergence of separated bike facilities in cities around North America, such as San Francisco, New York, Portland, Vancouver and Montreal, among others, means that the fighting style of riding is no longer a necessity. A more leisurely and comfortable way of riding bicycles, whether for transportation or recreation. is a real possibility.

When cities include well-designed and developed spaces for bicyclists to ride, it shows that people’s lives are valued in that community, no matter how they choose to get around. Riding a bicycle is a beautiful way to live, and separate facilities make it available to everyone: from an eight-year-old child to an 80-year-old grandmother.

Different speeds and needs demand different solutions; we’ve seen this at work for the last decades in the evolution of urban design for pedestrians. We move more slowly when walking and so spaces were created in the urban environment to accommodate and – when done well – encourage people to walk.

Bicycles require a solution independent of roads made for cars and sidewalks made for people strolling.

Separated bike lanes are often visually striking, making it much easier for motorists, cyclists and walkers to anticipate approaching bicycles. If we provide a space where people can safely and comfortably ride away from heavy, loud motorized vehicles, more and more people will be apt to ride a bike.

Separate bike space slows down the pace of life and provides a safe place to observe the world more casually, without having to race to keep up with automobiles.

Lolly Walsh is a bicycle advocate living in Pittsburgh, PA. She loves the elegance of the bicycle and rides hers for transportation, convenience and pleasure. She manages the Membership and Outreach programs for Bike Pittsburgh and writes about cities, bikes, possibility and Pittsburgh at Reimagine an Urban Paradise.

Elly’s Rebuttal Separated bike lanes take a lot of heat – and rightly so.

Yes, they separate bikes from cars, creating a safer environment – until you get to an intersection. You’re riding along and suddenly someone in a car is turning right across your path, because they did not see that you were coming.

This conflict is avoided only if the cycle track has been wisely planned, with expensive signals at each intersection. In North American cities, this isn’t usually done right.

Cycle tracks eliminate your choice to share the road and merge with car traffic. What if you want to turn left? Left turns from a separated bike lane are awkward and not intuitive; unless, again, proper markings and signals are installed.

People love to walk in cycle tracks; park in them; drive quickly through them to get around traffic. These uses all pose a major hazard to everyone involved and create difficulties for people bicycling. That is, unless the cycle track has been designed to minimize these conflicts and their proper use is enforced.

When done well, cycle tracks are dreamy. But when done halfway, they’re worse than nothing. We know how to build them, but do we have the guts to demand they be done right?

Elly Blue lives in Portland, OR. She writes about bicycling, including a column about the bicycle economy for Grist.org, a regular news roundup for BikePortland and a zine called Taking the Lane. She is the co-founder of PDXbyBIKE.com. @ellyblue

Add your voice to the debate: momentumplanet.com/articles/bike-vs-bike

58

May>jun>11

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

I n t e g r at e c y c l I n g I n t o m o r e o f y o u r l I f e .

Same 5 functions as the award-winning Leader X2, now available as a single-child carrier. Sleeker profile, nimbler turning.

Introducing the WWW.cO-MOtiOn.cOM/urBAn American Made, Oregon Made, Handmade| 866.282.6336 | We’ll Build one for You!

Zigo Leader X1

Visit myzigo.com/momentum2011 or call 877-GET-ZIGO for more details.

AD FORM CLIENT

PHONE

CLient

CONTACT

FAX

ContACt

Authorized Signature:

Authorized Signature: Date:

CHECK EACH BOX AS A GUIDE: ❑

Name correct?

❑

Address correct?

❑

Phone # correct?

CheCk eaCh box as a guide: ❑

Ad copy correct?❑ ❑ Name Offer correct? correct, ❑ if any?

Address correct?

❑ Phone # correct? ❑ Ad copy correct?

AD APPROVAL:

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect info • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors.

• Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may❑ not match actual printed colors.

Ad approved as is

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

❑ Ad approved with corrections indicated

❑ Re-Proof after

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com corrections are made

may>jun>11

59

9W

A Journal of Cycling Photography Available at 9wmag.com

ad Form Client

Phone

CLIENT

ContaCt

Fax

CONTACT

Authorized Signature:

Authorized Signature:

CheCk eaCh box as a guide:

CHECK EACH BOX AS A GUIDE:

❑ Name correct?

❑ Address correct?

❑ Phone # correct?

Date:

Namecorrect? correct? ❑ correct? if❑ Phone # correct? ❑ Ad copy correct? ❑ Offer correct, any? ❑ Ad❑copy ❑ Address

ad approval:

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect informat Adactual approved • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors. • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may❑ not match printed colors. as is • Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com

60

May>jun>11

❑ Ad approved with

corrections indicated

❑ Re-Proof after

corrections are made Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

handmadebicycles

inside: the bike

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

belt drives

Naked Bicycles - 250.285.3181 Naked Bicycles - 250.285.3181

writer: Jeremy Towsey-French

C Photo courtesy of Gates

Bi Cus Bicy ust

C

yclists have had a love/ hate relationship with chains since the first chain-driven bicycle rolled off the line in 1874. Simple in their design, inexpensive to replace and easy to diagnose, chains are also dirty, heavy and not particularly robust in the urban setting. Frequent hard-acceleration, varying pedal pressure, track stands and a myriad of automotive-grade grime are all part of the daily grind that can cripple a chain. Quite simply, city bikes take a lot of abuse from the road, yet need to perform reliably. Enter the belt drive.

Made out of polyurethane, carbon belt drives don’t require lube, making them a cleaner option.

They are also lighter, quieter and more durable than a chain. Gates invented the automotive V-belt in 1917 and subsequently has the industry know-how to ensure that bicycle belt drive technology is more than a flash in the pan.

According to Gates spokesperson, Paul Tolme, “Paired with today’s wide-range internally geared hubs, belt drives have produced a super lowmaintenance commuter bike.” Portland’s Joe Bike takes advantage of Gates’ carbon-reinforced belt on the shop’s premiere front box utility bike, the Shuttlebug, where the belt’s increased durability boosts rider confidence.

While the advantages are many, there are challenges, too. Belt drives only work on bikes with internallygeared, fixed gear and single-speed hubs, as they cannot be used with derailleurs.A belt drive requires an opening in the frame, often positioned where the chainstay and seatstays meet at the chain-side dropout, so if you’ve already got a bike you love, upgrading might not be an option. You cannot take apart a belt, so installation is a bit trickier and you will need the right size of belt for your frame. Also, paired with an internal hub, a new belt-driven bicycle is likely to cost more than a freehub and derailleur-powered bike.

Fortunately, the rewards to urban cyclists are worth any added upfront expense. Riders can expect their bicycle’s drivetrain to have a long, trouble-free life. They offer smoother operation with less friction. And, if you get a pant leg or skirt caught in your belt drive, you are more likely to get it back intact and grease-free. @towseyfrench M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

c wwi ycclle toom t ith ess m m h l ma o ad ee aan lovvee, d nd d , lloo gr elb gic e o BC ase w , . in Ca na da

“NOTSPORT...TRANSPORT” SPORT...TRANSPORT” “NOT ANTspecializes specializes in in fabricating fabricating handbuilt ANT handbuilt bicyclesdesigned designed for for transportation bicycles transportationand and madeto tomeasure measure for for women made women and andmen. men.

Wealso also offer offer frame frame building We buildingclasses classes and frame building business training. and frame building business training.

It's time.

visit antbikemike.com for info visit antbikemike.com for info

www.timetogetnaked.com www.timetogetnaked.com

Client

Client

ContaCt

ContaC

Authorized Signature:

Authorized Signature:

CheCk eaCh box as a guide: CheCk eaCh box as a guide: ❑ Name correct?

❑ Address correct?

# correct? correct? ❑❑ Ad Address copy correct? correct? ❑ ❑ Phone ❑ Name ❑O

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy

• Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors.

• Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital • Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com Email Back To: ads@momentumplan

CLient

Client

ContACt

ContaC

Intensive study in Authorized Signature: Date: frame building and design, machining, CheCk eaCh box as a guide: welding and CAD. CheCk eaCh box as a guide: Name correct?

Address correct?

Phone # correct?

Ad copy correct? correct, if any? ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ correct? ❑ Offer Join the Human correct? ❑ Name ❑ Address ❑ Powered Network!

Authorized Signature:

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy • Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

• Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors.

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com Email Back To: ads@momentumplan humanpoweredmachines.org may>jun>11

61

( advertising marketplace info: ads@momentumplanet.com )

VELO VISION magazine

Brings you the best workbikes, folders, recumbents and more from Europe and around the world

BikeSchool.com BikeSchool.com

More professionals and enthusiasts choose UBI! More professionals and enthusiasts choose UBI! We offer beginning and advanced training in bike We offer beginning and advanced training in bike repair, shop operation, mechanic certification repair, shop operation, mechanic certification and frame building in our two state-of-the-art and frame building in our two state-of-the-art facilities in Oregon: Ashland and Portland. facilities in Oregon: Ashland and Portland.

Get your copy from: C a m b i e C y c l e s ( Va n c o u v e r ) U r b a n e C y c l i s t ( To r o n t o ) Fairfield Cycles (Victoria BC) or order from anywhere in the w o r l d v i a w w w. v e l o v i s i o n . c o m

541 488 1121 541 488 1121

STAY VISIBLE Client

Client

ContaCt

ContaCt Fax

Authorized Signature:

Authorized Signature:

ad Form

Phone

Client

Authorized Signature: Date:

CheCk eaCh box as a guide: CheCk eaCh box as a guide: CheCk eaCh box as a guide: â?‘ Name correct?

â?‘ Address correct?

Phon

ContaCt Fax

Š 2010 SWITCH Studio, All Rights Reserved

Thesingle single speed speed -- two The two speed! speed!

Swiss made made by Swiss

by Schlumpf Schlumpf w ww.sch pf.ch ww w.s c h lu lum mpf. ch

# correct? correct? â?‘â?‘ AdAddress copy correct? correct? ninthpage Phone Name correct, # correct? correct? if any?

AdAddress copy correct? correct?

Phone c 7/27/09 2:33:14 PM â?‘ Phone â?‘ Name â?‘â?‘Offer â?‘vertical.pdf â?‘â?‘ â?‘â?‘Offer ninthpage vertical.pdf

PM ad 2:33:14 approval:

7/27/09

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information. • Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information. • Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or conten

� Ad approved as is • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors. • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors. • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof ma • Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum. � Ad approved with

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

corrections indicated • Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

â?‘ Re-Proof after

are made Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com Email Back To: adscorrections @momentumplanet.c

MonkeyLectric.com

Bicycling and the Future of our Cities

ad Form

Get inspired, learn how to make change happen Authorized Signature: Authorized Signature: Date: in your CheCk eaCh box as a guide: CheCk eaCh box as a guide: community.

C

CLient ContACt

Client

C

M

Client

Phone

ContaCt FAx

Phon

ContaCt Fax

M Y Y

Authorized Signature:

CM

â?‘ Name correct? â?‘

Address correct?

CM MY

MY

Š 2010 SWITCH Studio, All Rights Reserved

CheCk eaCh box as a guide:

Ad copy correct? correct, if any? â?‘ Phone # correct? â?‘ correct? â?‘ Offer correct? # correct? correct? â?‘â?‘ AdAddress copy correct? correct? â?‘â?‘ Offer Phone c â?‘ Name â?‘ Address â?‘ Phone â?‘ Name CY CY

CMY

ad approval:

Pedaling Toward A • Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or conten • Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information. • Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

Healthier Planet CMY

� K • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors. • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof ma • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors.

BICYCLE CULTURE, PRODUCT NEWS & REVIEWS K by Mia • Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum. • Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

Birk • Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum. � Ad approved with Ad approved as is

with Joe �Metal Cowbo y� Kurmaskie

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials. corrections indicated Order today at � Re-Proof after www.miabirk.com, amazon.com, Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com Email Back To: ads Email Back To: adscorrections are made @momentumplanet.com @momentumplanet.c or look for it at local bike shops.

URBAN VELO.ORG • Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

62

May>jun>11

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

( advertising marketplace info: ads@momentumplanet.com ) SUNDAY

SEPT 18, 2011

Register today at NYCCENTURY.ORG

PRESENTED BY

We don’t do lightning bolts.

Or skull and crossbones either.

ad Form

CLient

Client

ContACt

ContaCt FAx

Authorized Signature:

Authorized Signature:

CheCk eaCh box as a guide: ❑ Name correct? ❑

Address correct?

Date:

Client

Phone

Ph

ContaCt Fa

Authorized Signature:

CheCk eaCh box as a guide: CheCk eaCh box as a guide:

Ad copy correct? correct, if any? ❑ Phone # correct? ❑ correct? ❑ Offer correct? # correct? correct? ❑❑ AdAddress copy correct? correct? ❑❑ Offer Pho ❑ Name ❑ Address ❑ Phone ❑ Name

ad approval:

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or co • Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum is not responsible for typos or incorrect information.

❑ • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors.

• Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match actual printed colors.

Ad approved as is

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum. ❑ Ad approved with • Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials. corrections indicated

❑ Re-Proof after

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com Email Back To: adscorrections are made @momentumplanet Serious Cycling Clothes For Real People www.roadholland.com

ad Form CLient

CLient

Phone

CLient

Ph

ContACt

ContACt

FAx

ContACt

FA

Authorized Signature:

Authorized Signature:

CheCk eaCh box as a guide: ❑ Name correct? ❑

Address correct?

Date:

CheCk eaCh box as a guide:

Authorized Signature:

Date:

CheCk eaCh box as a guide:

correct?

Ad copy❑ correct?

Address❑ correct?

Offer correct, if any? # correct? correct?

Ad copy ❑ correct?

Address❑ correct?

Offer correct, if any? # corre ❑ Phone # correct? ❑ Name❑ ❑ Phone ❑ Name❑ ❑ Phone

ad approval:

• Look over your project and check for errors; spelling, address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum • Look over is not yourresponsible project andforcheck typosfor or errors; incorrect spelling, information. address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momentum • Look over is not your responsible project and forcheck typosfor or incorrect errors; spelling, information. address, telephone #’s, copy or content. Momen

❑ calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match • Please note that due to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match • Please actual noteprinted that due colors. to differences in moniter calibration, colors on this digital proof may not match • Please actual note printed that due colors. to differences in moniter Ad approved as is

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum.

• Sign this page and fax it back to Momentum. ❑ Ad approved with

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials.

• Any Changes from this point forward may cost you in time and materials. corrections indicated

❑ Re-Proof after

Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com Email Back To: ads@momentumplanet.com Email Back To: ads@ momentumplanet.co corrections are made bikes, coffee and everything else you’re hooked on www.oneononebike.com

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

may>jun>11

63

bikeStyle Ann DeOtte City: Seattle, WA Occupation: Marketing Manager for Mithun, Owner of Iva Jean, LLC ivajean.com Photo by Kyle Johnson

what is your bikeStyle?

B iking is a huge part of my life, but it doesn’t define my style. I can’t imagine myself changing wardrobes just to bike to and from work, and I have no intention of showing up to brunch in spandex. Most days I look for something that works well in all scenarios – somewhere between classic and kitschy. You’ll often see me on my vintage Motobecane Mixte sporting skinny jeans, heels and lots of layers on top. where are we most likely to spot your bike?

Somewhere in the Pike/ Pine Corridor on Capitol Hill. I love biking the eight blocks to Elliott Bay Book Company or Oddfellows Cafe + Bar on a Saturday afternoon.

64

May>jun>11

what do you like most about riding your bike?

Biking just makes the most sense for me. It’s the easiest and quickest way for me to get around Seattle, but I’d be hesitant to say that’s what I like the most. Perhaps the best part is the thrill of being on my bike and feeling like a part of the city and its landscape – your perspective and awareness really changes on two wheels. what are your favorite clothes to bike in?

My J.Crew Minnie cropped pants and Camper patent leather heels (a little stretch and a rubber sole make a world of difference).

What is your dream bike for everyday biking?

I’d love for my next city bike to be handbuilt – I’ve been crushing on Seattle’s Boxer Bicycles and look forward to testing one out. what did you eat for breakfast?

Greek-style yogurt and strawberries. what song is most played in your iPod? Lately – Lykke Li’s “Get Some.”

Basket or panniers?

Basket. I thought about purchasing waterproof panniers for a while, but a basket just feels classic, offers a bit more flexibility and was much more affordable.

M om e n t u m p l a n e t. c om

Fantastic Lightweight

Love it? Lock it!

Ask your local bicycle retailer.

ss cck k o L o L U i U n i i n i M M rr o f o f t c t e c f e r f e r P e P eess k i k b i b r a r e a g e dg fi fixxeed

ABUS Granit Futura 64 mini

The Mega Strong

Mini-U

ABUS U-Mini 40

Lighted Key

Paint work protection

For the ABUS Plus cylinder: Virtually unpickable

Softtouch cover for the lock body to prevent any harm to the frame.

ABUS Mobile Security Inc. Chicago, IL sales@ABUS.com

www.abus.com

www.abus.com

inner height 141mm

inner height 150mm

< 750g

DURHAM 6/25 • NASHVILLE 7/9 • CHICAGO 7/16 MINNEAPOLIS 7/23 • MILWAUKEE 7/30 BELGIUM BOISE 8/20 • FT. COLLINS { NEW BREWING CO. } 9/3 DENVER 9/10 • SAN FRAN 9/24 • SAN DIEGO 10/1 LOS ANGELES 10/8 • TEMPE 10/15 • AUSTIN 10/22