In honor of the new school year, our new website, a great year for the bicycle community, and (hopefully) to inspire the inner Scraper in some more; we bring you the

Suffolk University themed Scraper Bike.

Almost everyone who has spent time in today’s modern bicycle community is familiar with the phenomena of Scraper Bikes.  If not, do yourself the pleasure and familiarize yourself  here and now.

The idea came together when a friend of mine (Joe) asked “Do you wanna paint your bike?” It took a while for me to realize that I didn’t want to paint my commuter- but it was that beach cruiser I scooped up last summer off of craigslist that was dying for a few fresh coats.

Joe has been powder coating bikes for the new extension of Geekhouse Bikes- Sugar Coat.  The full service powdercoat process was a breeze.  We went for the best; a blue and yellow sparkle coat frame with flat colors on the stem, handlebars, and fork.  Blue and Yellow; Suffolk Pride.

This bike is just plain beautiful.  There’s no denying the glamour of going to school on Beacon Hill, perhaps the only thing better.. is riding this sparkling gem to class.

Whether it’s scrapin’ through downtown Oakland- or just cruising through the last few days of Summer on Beacon Hill.  The Scraper Bike movement is one that encourages sustainable groups of peers and lifestyle choices that say yes to health and a cleaner planet.  We are both focused on bringing bikes and the pleasure that comes with them into as many lives as possible.

We are thrilled to have gotten the opportunity to collaborate with SugarCoat.  For more information on their services contact them at this link.

Now if you’ll excuse me- I’m movin’ on my scraper bike, cruising on my scraper bike.

My scraper bike go hard don’t need no car- I’m scrapin’ on my scraper bike.

This is simply amazing…amazing…love it. It has that force of truth that you will only realize if you do right a bike every day.

My blinky didn’t come with a helmet mount and I didn’t feel like buying one that did, so I used a few spare zip ties and an old tube I had lying around to make my own. Two ties hold two other ties to the helmet which act as a clip for my blinky to hang onto. The small tube keeps the ties from chewing up the styrofoam and helps keep the blinky stay put:


The supposed advantage to having a helmet mounted blinky is that drivers will react more cautiously to a light that’s clearly visible on your moving head rather than low on your (laterally) stationary bike. I hope so too.

This just in box

——

Mode shift: moving from driving to transit, biking, and walking

Wednesday, July 22, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
by Jason Schrieber, Principal, Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates

@ LivableStreets office space, 100 Sidney Street, Central Square, Cambridge [ map... ]

free and open to the public, donation suggested. beer/sodas provided compliments of Harpoon Brewery and delivered thanks to Metro Pedal Power!

What makes people shift out of their cars? Is it building more subways, bike lanes, and better sidewalks? Is it financial factors like a gas tax, congestion charges, and parking prices? Is it land use patterns like a mix of uses, local retail and where people live and work? Or how about the health and environmental benefits? Think about the factors that make you choose to walk, bike, drive or take transit. What would make you, or the people you know, take one mode of transportation over another?

Come to the StreetTalk to hear Jason’s perspectives on these issues related to the metro-Boston area, and get a visual tour of some of the great places in the world for getting around. Jason will reveal some surprising truths comparing the subsidy for transit versus that for driving. He will talk about several local initiatives aimed at helping us achieve “mode shift”.

Jason Schrieber has 14 years of multi-modal planning and design experience including changing parking policies to better balance cars and other modes of transportation. Jason previously worked for the City of Cambridge where he managed all planning activities for the City’s transportation department. Nelson/Nygaard: www.nelsonnygaard.com

Absolutely amazing, love the tall bike.

I fell asleep in my Sidis today.

With my bike under me.

No, I wasn’t on some insane 24 hour bike race [unfortunately]. I was on a bus, heading down to a once more familiar city, but one I’ve never biked in. Groggy from a four hour bus ride punctuated with fits of sleep, I climbed onto my bike for the first time in New York, NY.

In Chinatown, to be exact. Which was, predictably, crawling with pedestrians. Clipped in on a freewheel, I just managed to dodge some old ladies dragging groceries and middle aged men who have to be involved in less than legal business.

This is like Boston…on meth. Or pure PCP. While Boston may be sleepy and nearly deserted at 7am, I can’t imagine biking in NYC can ever be as lethargic as my morning ride into South Station this morning. Even navigating the few short blocks from Chinatown to my sister’s apartment was more fast-paced than anything in Boston.

My sister told me that I would probably feel stifled if I ever lived in NYC after seeing pictures of Lexington. An NYC bike virgin, I had agreed.

Stifled? Here? That would definitely take a few years.

Just a warning: this blog will becoming increasingly…boring…for the next few weeks. At least in the cycling department [which is the whole point of this blog, right?], due to finals.

However, it might be mildly entertaining in that can’t-not-look-at-that-train-wreck kind of way. In moments of clarity and sanity, even I’m amazed at what finals can do to me. I woke up this morning to some pretty disgusting carnage.

My knuckles are still sore from typing nonstop for the past two weeks. And there’s the final sprint to the finish which consists of a 3 hour exam where no one can manage to type fast enough to get every single issue out on paper. But that kind of fun starts in a few days. Until [and through] then, I’m apparently surviving off [bad] coffee and beer.

I got soundly hammered after drinking less than a third of that beer last night. I drunkenly stared at my notes, feeling guilty enough to try to study but knowing deep down that I was just staring at words that made no sense [although it's debatable if they make sense when I'm sober]. I looked at my rollers, decided that maybe I should wait until the Asian glow subsided to try riding my bike on them, and ended up passing out after just barely managing to brush my teeth.

Never much of an endurance athlete, I’m clearly losing the marathon that is law school [drinking this time last year would have been unthinkable...clearly my priorities have changed]. But the race is already on and I’m almost, almost two-thirds done.

And while what doesn’t kill me might make me stronger, my apartment and bike are clearly showing signs of wear and tear [the resulting decrease in value, which, by the way, is not deductible from your income tax return]. I’ve been reduced to begging the Bianchi to last through the next three weeks [please, please pleeaaase don't break/fall apart]. The dust bunnies in my apartment get no comment.

Except, maybe, that it’ll be May [12th] soon enough.

I once had the worst crush on a boy who was into ska. We’re talking one of those I-can’t-even-look-him-in-the-eye crushes. He never knew my name. Probably for the best, as my creepy was definitely reaching “old pedophile” levels.

My best friend tolerated my drooling, and when the crush finally disappeared one day, she proceeded to mercilessly make fun of me. I totally deserve it.

I did have a thing for checkerboard patterns, a good brass section, and the sugary sounds of pop-princess-disguised-as-rebel-punk ska before the crush though [seriously, who can resist the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra?]. And I still love the aesthetics; studded belts are still a must, checkerboard slip on Vans are key, and I love love love my black Chucks.

I understand how Avril-esque that might make me sound; and at 25, I’m way too old to be fronting like I belong in any kind of music scene. But old ID pictures of me with pink/red/orange/purple hair will bring an embarrassed grin to my face as I shake my head at how ridiculous I used to look.

Those same old nostalgic memories of my punkier days flooded back to me last weekend when I saw the spacers on my new bike. Given the sheer amount of pink on the bike, I was almost afraid that it would be too cute; an adjective that I don’t tend to identify with. But the alternating silver and black spacers – Erich’s signature touch, apparently – looks, well, amazing…and balanced…and though subtle, makes the bike just so much more me.

The spacers also balanced out the cranks and the chainring that got installed the other day as well. Having been tucked away under my bed, fueling dreams of new bike days and matching rims, I finally had a bike frame to put them on. The fruits of my sweatshop labor [Thanks Jason!] finally have a home. And a pretty gorgeous one at that…!

As for the crush, I coincidentally ran into him last weekend as well. Still on my new bike high, I was giddy with excitement and smiling everywhere. He actually said something to me, and looked me in the eye and smiled. My bike-fueled happiness smiled back at him, effortlessly, before I turned and bounced out the door.

That better absolve me of at least some of the old pedophile creepiness.

Last night, I went home with a guy I had just met.

Actually we parted ways about 200ft after getting on our respective bikes, but I’d been eyeing his bike for a while. A red ‘cross Alan; it used to be locked up at the bike rack near the parking lot. I recently switched to the one in front of the law library [mostly because someone seems to own my very same bike except in size "very very tall"], and the Alan’s been locking up there too. I took this as a sign that I was meant to be friends with this person. I just had to find him.

Okay, granted, it ended up that I had met him before [at my other home, i.e., IBC], where he was getting his other other other other bike fixed. Still, being sort of bike-friend-deficient until recently, it was fun to jump onto bikes together and roll away from the stress-fueled depths of the library.

Because despite the fact that I can now legitimately say I have [bike] friends who are growing into this big, lovable family [like one I actually am comfortable giving hugs to...and that's big, coming from me], as well as a growing network of internet friends [my Facebook friends count has significantly increased], I’ve barely gone on rides with any of them. I rode more than 100ft for the first time with Eric last Sunday, my first 10ft with Chris, and now 200ft with a new bike friend from school. The irony is that I’ve never gone on rides with friends I’ve known the longest; Jones is in Iowa, and my 1L study group friends are just starting to get back on their respective bikes.

I know, I should start taking my own advice and stop whining hanging out so much and start riding. Because I’ve been parking my bike next to friends recently. I just don’t find myself on the road with them so much.

But with emails from fellow cyclists with gorgeous pictures stunning enough to make me want to go out and train, that’s going to change. Just you wait.

Got this from MassBike. Bikes, math and pie can’t go wrong here.

—-

Pi(e) Day Bike Ride: March 14, 2009 (3/14)

If there is one thing that we’ve learned through rigorous scientific study here at MassBike, it’s that bicyclists love their pi(e). Be it the quintessential numerical misfit or the flaky, delicious treat. To celebrate our fascination with mathematics and dessert, we’ll be going for a pleasant, afternoon bike ride. Let your inner geekiness and hunger out for a short ride on Saturday, March 14th. Plan to meet in Boston Common near the Brewer Fountain (corner of Park and Tremont) at 12:45pm. We’ll go in plenty of circles and end with some delicious pie. Petsi Pie in Somerville will be giving out free small pies starting at 1:59. They’ll also give you a 10% discount for every 10 digits of pi you can recite. That’s right, 100 digits means a free pie. And you thought all that memorization as a kid was never going to get you anything! Led my Massbike’s own Shane and James. Extreme weather will cancel. RSVP to shane@massbike.org.

Here’s a head start on your free-pie pi memorization: 3.1415926…

Have you ever been “doored” while biking and not quite known how to handle the situation? After a near-death experience, in the frenzy of shock, anger and injury, it’s hard to tell what the best way is to hit the jerk up for money after he just hit you with his door. But now, thanks to the Massachusetts Bicycle Safety Law, just passed into effect in January, you can feel comfortable asking, along with any ensuing legal or medical costs, up to $100, which is the Massachusetts fine for dooring someone.

Senate Bill No. 2573 requires acts of common sense for drivers, such as changing lanes to pass bikers, not hitting bikers when they’re riding to the right of traffic and not opening your door when a biker (or pedestrian) is within striking distance. As stated in Section 12, “Whoever violates the proceeding sentence shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100.”

So depending on the scope of the damage, you can demand your rights as a cyclist. This can be expressed as: “Hey, buddy! You either hand over 60 bucks to me, or we can get the cops involved and you’ll owe $100 to the city!”

On the flip side, Massachusetts law already requires bikers to adhere to all applicable motor vehicle laws, such as coming to a complete stop at stop signs and using hand signals. Legally, bikers can now ride two abreast, but no more than two, and can only take up one lane of traffic. Imagine, instead of blocking rush-hour traffic as a huge clump, the Critical Mass parades of hundreds of bikers ride as two long lines stretching down the street, stopping at lights, filling up random blocks throughout the city.

Also, all riders ages 16 and under are required to wear helmets.  Bike rental shops must supply helmets. too.  And the bike registration law was repealed for being an unenforced waste of resources.

This is a great achievement for the grassroots cyclist organizations that have pushed this bill for years, writing and calling legislators and governors, asking to place accountability on drivers for dangerous and irresponsible conduct.

Of course, laws only go as far as they’re enforced, and we all know the relationship between bikers and cops has been a historically strained one.  So the law firstly applies to police departments by requiring a bike safety curriculum in their training. This may lead to more enforcement on the streets and cops understanding the trials of being an urban biker. Now, if we could only get some mutual respect of the law from the bikers, we’ll stand in good stead.

The thing that really gets me though is that it takes such a law and the threat of fines to get it into everyone’s head that people are getting hurt. Cars can be deadly weapons, and we’re talking about saving lives.  The real shame of the reality of cycling in Boston is the chance of death involved in choosing a bicycle as a mode of transportation. And each intersection with a “ghost bike” memorial reminds me — we have a long way to go.

check out the link to the Freep site: http://www.dailyfreepress.com/1.1568871-1.1568871

“Save your crushes for the unattainable.”

That’s one of the strangest pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten from a friend. I didn’t get it at all at the time. I still might be misunderstanding it. It sort of requires a sense of self-confidence that borders on the delusional, and that sort of turns me off. But it’s oddly comforting advice for when you do get crushed by your, um, crush, because in the end, unless they’re unattainable, you were way too good for them anyway. And if they’re unattainable, the crush wasn’t going anywhere to begin with.

I’m trying to save my bike crushes too. It’s hard though. What can I say? I fall in love maybe a little too easily.

Or more accurately, maybe I just like falling in love. Unfortunately that sort of tends to lead to poor decision making – like when I’m unable to find a track frame small enough to fit me and I actually start to consider buying another “entry-level” bike when I’m really looking to invest in something a bit better.

But fortunately for me, Cambridge Bikes came to the rescue with some sage advice: Fit’s important. Keep looking. Don’t buy something that I’m not in love with.

So basically, I shouldn’t sell out to the materialistic whore in me that’s screaming for another bike. Which seems painfully obvious to any outside observer, but really isn’t if you’ve forgotten – like me, sadly – how not to sell out.

It’s time to start retaining my integrity I guess [although I think I've lost too much of it to actually go back to punk rock and pink hair]. And I suppose, like most crushes, the hunt is part of the fun. Even if the whole roller-coater ride of getting my hopes up that a frame will fit, only to have them come crashing down on me, is…not so fun.

But hey, I’m too good for those frames anyway, right?

She will consistently fail you when you need her the most. Or at least when I depend on her the most.

She whispered in my ear that everything was fine – good, even! – while I spent sweaty hours at my sewing machine figuring out what worked for the hats and what didn’t. She assured me that this was the best way to make the brim, or line the hat, or whatever. She told me everything I wanted to hear.

And then, like most relationships, something happened. I didn’t believe in her enough. She didn’t want to keep up the endless moral support. She pointed out everything that was wrong with the construction of the hats. I pouted furiously because they just confirmed all of my suspicions and hated her for her dishonesty.

Confidence can be such a fickle bitch.

But a few more frustrated sweaty hours in front of my machine at least gave me some new ideas, and the promise of a better product. The brims are better; hopefully sizing won’t be such an issue, and just between you and me, I have some high hopes.

So fuck Confidence. I can roll out new (and better) hats without her.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino cordially invites you to
The Healthy Main Streets
Where’s Charlie Family Fun Celebration
on Saturday, August 2nd at 10:00 a.m.
at Town Field, 1565 Dorchester Avenue in Dorchester

Come celebrate Healthy Main Streets’
Where’s Charlie initiative! There will be fun fitness giveaways and a free drawing for great prizes including a 2009 model Specialized Globe Carmel 1 bike from Back Bay Bicycles!

Over the month of July, Healthy Main Streets encouraged residents of all ages and ability levels to explore various Boston Main Streets districts in search of Charlie. More than 50 Charlies were hidden in Main Streets businesses in 7 participating districts. Those who found Charlie won a fun summer fitness prize-pack including a MBTA pass and a pair of sneakers! Congratulations to those who participated!

Come celebrate with your friends and neighbors who participated and you’ll walk away with some exciting summer fitness prizes as well!

One reason why I hate public transportation. Or more accurately, one reason I need a bike friday.

And while even my own mental image of myself riding around on a folding bike is absurd, I still would have rocked that thing all over NYC yesterday when, after waiting 10-15 minutes for the 6 train, the metro employee decided to tell a handful of those who asked that the 6 “wasn’t running.”

(At least I got to go to the Museum of Sex.)

Which brings me to Bike Friday. The one in Beantown that started at the masochistic hour of “before 7am” and promised a police escort to government center. And free breakfast.

It was probably the latter that had me shooting down my usual commute to work to meet up with a convoy in the sticky heat. It was totally worth it. The police made corkscrews at every intersection, and for once, I rode in without anyone trying to kill me, honking at me to move into the door zone of parked cars, or feeling the need to race that one guy who thinks he’s faster than me but isn’t.

And, you know, there was free breakfast.

Hopefully I’ll be leaving hats around at the next one…

Measuring up has never really been my forte.

Even literally. Something’s always not right. I’ve mastered the art of miscalculation of seam allowances. Making patterns from my own measurements means drawing, cutting, sewing, making adjustments, ripping it apart, then repeating, repeating, repeating.

It’s easier when you have a friend be your “model.” You don’t have to twist around so much while using three strategically placed mirrors to make sure the back of the shirt you’re making is just right while you manage to jab yourself with about ten pins. In, like, your armpit.

But it’s also harder to please someone who isn’t you. Because everyone judges. I claim not to, but I still will. “The hem line is crooked.” “The thread tension’s off.” “Look at all the mistakes – I can’t ever wear this in public.”

Which makes making things that much more excruciatingly painful and annoyingly perfectionist.

“Why don’t you ever wear what you make?” my best friend once asked me.

“Because I’m too embarrassed by all the mistakes.”

“I think you’re just OCD.”

That’s probably true. But I’m still not sure if I’m measuring up, or even measuring correctly. So I’m still worried about the fit of the hats. Are they too small? Too big? What about the brims? Too small? Too floppy? Too…something?

Am I measuring up yet?

I’m still on that cheating high where you feel totally awesome because at least one person is sweating you hard enough not to care that you might actually be dating someone else.

Like when you get compliments and looks because of your shiny new bike and you totally forget about your trusty old beater and how you’re not even going to look at that new ride once it starts snowing.

Or like when the cute bike mechanic abandons the bike s/he’s fixing to look at yours. (But come on, like some dude’s mountain bike can really compete with your carbon frame, brakeless, fixed gear with 52/12 gearing, 650 on the front and 700 on the back?)

So I sent this hat out – to a (yet) undisclosed location. Via mail.

My bike probably hates me. But USPS is loving me…right?

There’s really no point in cheating.

Because in the end you figure out/come to your senses that you should have stuck with whatever/whomever you’re cheating on in the first place.

I would know.

Or at least my legs and ego would. (Who would have thought that I could get up hills faster with one gear as opposed to, say, twenty one?)

So I know I shouldn’t be cheating, but I am. I’m sending these hats out to one of my favorite bike shops in the area – International Bicycle Center in Allston. And technically that’s cheating because I’m supposed to drop them off by hand. I’ll feel the guilt later.

Oh and the return address? I borrowed that one from a friend. Because we all could use a good alibi when we’re, you know, cheating.

It’s hot out.

Like the sewing machine is melting off my face hot.

So maybe someone can use a hat or two in this heat. Or hopefully the owner of a white bike with matching helmet parked across the street from the Loew’s can.

At least it’ll keep the sweat out of your eyes. And, you know, it’s free.

You know when you start hooking up with someone who is clearly psychotic and who keeps trying to rip your balls off but you keep going back for more? And you tell yourself that it’s because the sex is so awesome or because she’s so hot and you probably couldn’t do better and all your friends are jealous of you? Until you realize that you don’t actually think she’s that hot anymore and you’re sick of disinfecting the bite marks she leaves on you?

That’s kind of what I’m beginning to think this project might be. Some misguided project in complete masochism.

It could just be my OCD though. I have no idea what happened to that hat I left last night at the Otherside. Which kind of bothers me.

But I have more. People seem to want Boston bike hats. Okay. But where do you people even park your bikes?

I’m letting this one go.

Part of me doesn’t want to. Probably because I’m OCD.

All the future mistakes bother me. The size won’t be right, the shape will look weird on whoever finds it, the fabric’s…kinda shiny, the brim’s bound to tear, the blind hem will come undone, the everything that’s wrong with this.

Yeah, I’m OCD.

But then again, they say perfection’s pretty boring.

So maybe it’ll tear or whoever finds it will throw it out or cover it in pins or patches or abuse/wear it until it falls apart. Whatever happens, it’ll be completely unpredictable. Maybe whoever finds it will even send me a picture of them wearing it. Maybe they’ll even like it. Maybe I’ll stop obsessing. All of which would be awesome.

And (imperfectly) perfect.

I have certainly seen a whole lot more bikes on the road since gas hit 4 dollars a gallon.

Hi Guys!

I did a little search in the net and I’ve found these info…enjoy!

How to Maintain a Bike

Bike maintenance helps you identify and resolve potentially hazardous safety problems, from loose bolts to leaking tires to faulty brakes. Moreover, prolonged neglect of your bike can lead to major, expensive repairs.

Performing routine maintenance is the best way to avoid these. The main tip: A clean bike is a happy bike.

Learn the proper way to clean a bike (hint: the pressure washer at the car wash ain’t it), and keep it clean especially after nasty muddy/dusty/wet off road rides.

1° Keep the chain cleaned and lubed (there are lots of good chain lubes, I won’t get into the religious warfare there). It’s recommended that your chain be replaced every year or 1000 miles. If you ride hard, or ride in mud and dust, you may need to replace it more frequently. If you’ve broken your chain, there may be some warp you can’t see, and the chain will eat away at the teeth of your rings, creating poor shifting and may even break while hammering up a hill or on a flat. I’ve broken many chains and it’s no fun when the power your legs once had turns into free-spinning inertia. The result usually leaves me bouncing my knee or chest off my stem/handlebar—ouch.

2° While you’re cleaning, inspect the frame and components for cust, cracks, bends, scratches, bulges etc that shouldn’t be there. Catch problems on the washing stand instead of on the trail.

3° Pay attention to your “consumables” mainly tires and chains – they wear fastest and take a lot of abuse, inspect them regularly.

4° Braking: This does not apply to disc brakes, but if your cantilevers have worn down the sides of your wheel from hours of braking, it is likely your rim has been slightly concaved. The brake pads create a channel from braking and this creates a loss in braking power. On long rides, if you’re finishing the ride on some radical downhill, the last thing you want is to have crappy breaking power. Your hands and forearms will be too tired to grab a reliable fist of brake, leaving you with a freaky forearm cramp or worse yet flying off a trail—been there.

5° Cable Cleaning: A dirty brake cable makes it harder to apply the brakes, and can keep the brakes from rebounding fully away from the rim. A dirty cable can also lead to terrible shifting and even broken shifter pods if not taken care of. There are two schools of thought about cleaning your cables. Both say to take a clean cloth and wipe the cable as clean as possible, however one says to oil the cable after cleaning. I generally follow the former. I think adding oil to the cable invites dirt and grim a nice place to live; adding oil to the cable just expedites the problem you’re tying to avoid.

How to Prepare for Adventure Hiking and What to Bring with You

# Define Your Trip Style – Does hiking in the Adirondacks or the Rockies sound like fun? Do you want to camp out at night, bunk in a rustic hut or overnight in a luxurious lodge? Would you rather walk from one European town to the next, stopping at small cafes where you can chat with locals while eating lunch? Does trekking on rough trails in third-world countries push your “gotta do it” button? Once you’ve defined your wish list it’s time to find a trip.

# Finding Your Trip – Now that you’ve dialed in on the type of hiking, trekking or walking trip that most appeals to you it’s time to find a trip. Many companies, including these offer walking and hiking trips. Talk to each company that has a trip of interest and ask what kind of shape you must be in to enjoy the experience.(On some European walking trips, cars will pick you if you decide not to walk all the way to the next town.)

What Green Tourism is and its effects on the Environment

Green tourism is a more popular form of tourism. general travel is going more green. But more expert say that the global warming is also caused by travel.

Citing green hotels, coconut oil fuel for airlines and even recyclable golf tees, executives in one of the world’s largest industries say they are urgently trying to shrink tourism’s oversized environmental footprint.

But with global travel projected to keep soaring, and those very leaders still eager to expand their own ventures, some doubt such efforts can significantly lessen global warming and other ecological woes.

“There are no simple solutions,” Anna Pollack, head of a British tourism consultancy, told a two-day conference which ended Wednesday. “Tourism is both a victim of and a contributor to climate change.”

What a Bike tour of Sicily suggested me during my last trip…

If you want to see our trip in Sicily. Please have a look below and find the attractions we visited. If you have the suggestions or practiced the same itinerary please comment below and stay tuned.

1° Arrival From Catania airport to Palazzolo Acreide, an important village on Iblei Mounts because its San Paolo and San Sebastiano Churches are included in Unesco World Heritage list.

2° From Palazzolo Acreide bike through Iblei Mounts until Cavagrande Canyon. Here the Cassibile river has created canyon and splendid waterfall where you can have a relaxing bath after hard biking.

continues here…

Guide to Tuscany Bike Vacations

From Florence to Pisa – A 8 days self guided biking in Tuscany from April to October

Program – Km 252

* Day 1: Individual arrival in Florence
* Day 2: Florence – Passo dei Pecorai 32 km
* Day 3: Passo dei Pecorai – Radda in Chianti 41 km
* Day 4: Radda in Chianti – Siena 40 km
* Day 5: Siena – Colle Val d’Elsa 41 km
* Day 6: Colle Val d’Elsa – Volterra 40 km
* Day 7: Volterra – Pontedera by bike and Pontedera – Pisa by train 58 km
* Day 8: after breakfast end of the tour

…more

The giro Italia tour by Bike in the Dolomites

In the winter there’s skiing, and the summer you can bike and hike the Dolomites. Cortina d’Ampezzo is perhaps the most famous mountain resort destination, called the “Queen of the Dolomites.” In summer, it’s a dream mountain-climbing destination as well. The Cortina Adrenaline Center will supply you with all you will need to get the adrenaline flowing:

“Adrenalin Park, Canyoning, Rafting, Kayak, Hydrospeed, Wheel Taxi Bob, Mountain Bike, Taxi Bob, Snow Rafting, Crazy sledge, Moon light sledge, Trekking with Snowshoes, Trekking with Snowshoes and sled, special events for conventions with Gymkhana,Sky race and much more.”

…more

http://bicycling.511.org/

You are the most important part of your bicycle. Your bike should be sized to fit your body proportions and should match your style of riding, your skill level and where you plan to ride. The equipment you need depends on the type of riding you plan to do, but a safety-rated helmet and a strong lock are essential. Whether your bike is new or old, its gears, chain, brakes and tires must be in good working order.  Continues…http://bicycling.511.org/aboutyourbike.htm

http://www.sbbike.org/

Want to find out what’s happening on the Web for bicyclists? Here is our list of sites to check out, with an emphasis on California and regional resources. Clicking on any site will open it in a new browser window. Jump to the area that interests you most:

• Santa Barbara County bicycling
• California bicycling advocacy
• US bicycling advocacy
• International bicycling advocacy
• Bicycling standards & planning
• Sustainable transportation
• Online periodicals about bicycling
• Bicycle commuting

http://la-bike.org/

The following presents a few guidelines for safer riding for cyclists and motorists:

• Always wear a helmet.
• Always ride in the same direction as traffic.
• Be predictable and ride in a straight line. Do not weave in and out of parked cars
• If the lane is wide enough to safely share with cars, ride to the right side. Do not try to share the lane if it is too narrow. Do not ride in broken pavement or debris at the side of the street. Take the center of the lane if necessary.
• Ride far enough in the lane around parked cars so that you will not collide with opening car doors.
• When proceeding straight through an intersection with right-turn lanes, move to the lane going straight and allow vehicles to turn right on your right side.
• When making a left turn, move to the left before completing the turn, just like a motor vehicle. If you do not feel safe doing this, ride straight and cross the street you want to turn onto. At the other side of the street, dismount and turn your bike in your desired direction, then proceed when it is safe and legal to do so.
• When riding at night, always wear light colored or reflective clothes, and use both front and taillights, as well as reflectors.

http://www.bicyclesource.com/

Choosing Bike parts and gear:

Saddles: Is Softer Better
The first impulse a newbie rider who finds a saddle uncomfortable is to replace it with a softer one. Soft seats put the force of the rider’s weight in all the wrong places, rather than the sit-bones. Big springs may look plush, but they don’t work.
Bike Suspension

Suspension has been advancing rapidly mainly because of the spread of mountain biking. Whether it is front or rear, this article describes the advantages of each different type of suspension for your bike.
Sportswear Fabric Types and Attributes

What to wear on a ride? This article describes the differences between several different fabrics. GoreTex, Dacron, Lycra, Polypro: which material will give the best performance in a given condition?
What to Bring on a Ride

A comprehensive list of what to bring on bike rides, remember it’s always the tool you don’t have that your bicycle will need. How much food you will need and how to not get lost, be ready for anything….
Frame Construction

Learn about the different ways bike companies are manufacturing their frames. Strength, weight, durability of each construction technique.

What should your new bike have? Better find out…
Testing Brake Pads

Brake pads can make a significant difference in the stopping power of your bicycle, especially mountain bikes. This test shows which pad performs best in both wet and dry conditions… read on…
Brake Performance

A paper testing the temperature rise and performance on a steep descent from using two rim brakes, only the rear rim brake, and using a coaster brake. Lots of interesting information.
Bicycle Hardware Manufacturers on the Web

Links to scores of web sites of companies that makes bikes and components for both the road and trail. One of the best cycling company hyperlink lists on the World Wide Web.