From the MassBike website, this looks like a good time.

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Beer, Free Snacks, Roller Sprints Racing, Good Times!

This year’s Annual Meeting, a fun, open-to-the-public event, will be held at Coogan’s Pub in Boston.

Come out and join us Wednesday, December 9th at 6:00-9:00pm. The annual meeting will start at 6pm, with a quick review of our 2009 successes with Executive Director David Watson, followed by Q&A. Learn what MassBike has been up to and hear about our future plans.

Then the real fun starts! You can get a drink from the bar and enjoy some free snacks donated by Coogan’s. We will be watching a great short movie “The Impossible Journey” by John Bonner. After you have a drink (or two) and are limbered up, we are going to have Roller Sprints provided by Open Bicycle!

If you have never experienced the fun and excitement of indoor roller racing, now is your chance! Picture two bicycles side by side on rollers (don’t worry, they use a fork stand, you don’t need to balance), the crowd counts down 3,2,1 and they are off! The first person to pedal 300 meters wins! High drama, loads of fun, and thrilling to watch! Come out, challenge your friends, challenge yourself, or maybe just watch other people go for the win! Bicycles provided so you don’t even need to have your bike to race! This is a great time, and something you don’t want to miss.

The Details:
What: MassBike Annual Meeting
When: Wednesday December 9th 6pm to 9pm
Where: Coogan’s Pub, 171 Milk Street, Boston
Why: Beer, free snacks, good people, Roller Sprints!
Cost: Free (suggested donation to support MassBike $5)

A Reason to Bike from Brighter Planet on Vimeo.

Thought provoking, the real reason that gets me every time is that it is just so damn fun!

First off congratulations to Christina Peck, who won the main race at this year! As far as I know the first lady to ever bring that title home, way to go!

Now that my legs are no longer shaking, my ears are no longer ringing, and my head has some semblance of a thought in it I feel qualified to write a recap.

If I wanted to be brief, I could just say “wow…” but I wont be brief.

The weekend was a blur of racing, riding, bike polo, parties, nakedness (don’t ask), and more fun than can safely be had in just three days.

Friday kicked it off with “bostonopoly” a zanny scramble around Boston picking up “ayyos” with each checkpoint resulting in more and more insane and fun side events. Bostonopoly was followed by a party, then an after party, then an after after party…no sleep till….Boston!

Getting up early Saturday I headed over to dry docks. Skid comps, track stands, sprints, car pull (yes a giant of a man pulled a car on his bike…I was very impressed), red bull’s, friendly cops (!! I know right), and general fun. I did pretty well in the track stand competition and made it to just before “one foot” before crapping out. This was followed by Bike Polo, and this was followed by the fast wheel alleycat. And fast it was, 20+ miles in less than an hour…I have never gone as far as fast before. Then it was to the after party at Harpers for Tetris comps, arm wrestling, and general good times on the dance floor. No sleep again.

Sunday had me waking up early again to go help run a check point, sweaty bikers stopping by all day picking up dropping off. From what I hear it got a little crazy near the end with different places sending bricks, pictures of male anatomy, relish sandwiches, and other fun items from checkpoint to checkpoint.

Between Friday morning and the end of the day Sunday I had put well over 200 miles on my legs, met a million amazing people from all over the place (Holla Atlanta!), saw more naked people than I thought I would see in a long time, and was utterly and totally exhausted. It was a fantastic weekend, big ups to all the planners, and to all the racers, and to all the cool people who made it happen. Can’t wait till next year!

find pictures here, and here, and here.

Come meet Marty from Geekhouse, drink some beers, eat some food, do some BoldSprints (maybe), see some pretty bikes, and meet some awesome bike people. Got the following from Marty.

(and yes this picture is related…that’s a Geekhouse she is on)

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Guys,
I’m having my annual Open House/BBQ on Sat May 16th from 4pm until later. We’re going to have a bunch of free beer, and also veggie burgers, and pizza from Upper Crust. All are welcome! Also, I’m going to try to get Bold Sprints going on in the evening if Brandon C is nice enough to let us use them. Hope to see you all there! Thanks!

-Marty

As per the usual morning routine, I grabbed my eyeliner pencil yesterday morning, unsheathing the magic black wand that helps accentuate the eyes that I don’t have. One eye squeezed shut with the accompanying eyebrow raised, hand poised, leaning in towards the mirror…

I stopped. Who was I going to need this for? The exam proctor???

The pencil got capped and tossed back into my make up bag. Besides, I figured that looking absolutely haggard would keep me from hanging out anywhere on the way home.

I should have known better. I mean, I do know better…but despite my age, I’m still recovering from junior-high-nerd-status and can’t resist the opportunity to hang out with the cooler kids. Bags under my eyes, skull still freshly throbbing from the effects of a tax law exam, sweaty from being overdressed for the warmer afternoon weather, and with no eyeliner on, I bounced into Cambridge regardless.

And found that not only were all the cool kids working there yesterday, so was the infamous [and slightly intimidating] Mr. Croth. I got to bask in his vicarious cool for a grand total of five minutes before he jetted off in those rocking red gloves and the giant Ortlieb bag that was made to smuggle small children into the country. Meanwhile, customers came and went, Jason had his nose buried in paperwork and I started to feel bad skipping around and just being in the way.

Until, of course, Dan came in from the service door, announcing a shipment of bike goodies that Pete described was “as big as a Christmas tree.” And indeed it was. There were countless boxes of…everything. Taped and tied together, then wrapped in a plastic cocoon, all it was missing was a big red ribbon. It was like Christmas morning; for once, the bags under my eyes and general haggard appearance seemed appropriate for the occasion. And with the energy born out of unexpected surprises, I pitched in a hand, carrying and ripping open the plethora of boxes.

It was awesomely fun…the best part being that I didn’t even have to clean up or organize the huge pile of everything. I left two hours later, secure in the knowledge that Cambridge is currently fully loaded with pretty much everything I happen to currently need. Tubes in every size imaginable? Check. Wicker baskets? Check. Freewheels? [Yes, freewheels.] Check. Cookies? Probably.

Well, okay, maybe they’re not stocking any mini road bikes with my name written all over it. But I’m working on that. Maybe, hopefully, for Christmas.

Almost exactly six months ago, I was still freewheeling it on the Bianchi. I bought into the hype and was consequently terrified of going fixed; hence I was stuck in that gray area of the freewheel where I almost got scene points until I started coasting. The resulting inferiority complex really killed me.

Ironically, I flipped my wheel over last October not because I wanted to belong to a “scene,” but because I stopped convincing myself that I wasn’t good/cool/skilled enough to go fixed. Fuck the “scene,” fuck the trendiness, fuck my scarred up knees – it couldn’t be that hard. And, honestly, it was stupidly easy. I even stopped crashing every month.

Six months later, I’m back on the freewheel…and I’m quickly developing a new appreciation for it. Having officially gone clipless, I figured I’ll minimize the chances of crashing [I don't really miss it] by getting used to the whole clipping in and out thing on cranks that don’t always have to move with your rear wheel. I struggled with it both on a trainer and in the parking lot behind IBC but managed to clip in, not crash into an SUV, and get out on the street.

In the middle of traffic, I belatedly realized that I wasn’t fixed anymore. I tried to slow down by stopping my feet and nothing happened. I was still moving. And I was headed straight into the back of a stopped car.

My sluggish brain finally pooped out a memory of Erich, a mere 10 minutes ago, saying, “oh yeah, you have brakes. Use them.” Brakes! Shit! Use them now! I managed to slide up next to the stopped car, slowing down, then accelerating again as I jerked my knees up and down like a wind-up toy soldier until I figured out that I needed to clip out to stop because my feet were attached to my pedals.

It took about a good half hour but I finally got the feel of a freewheel again. There’s more planning involved, now that I don’t have my feet to slow down with, and going really slowly is actually really hard. On my evening ride last night, I felt faster though; and while hills are sort of a bitch, coasting through turns is so much fun.

This might be cheating, but I’m almost tempted to keep that freewheel on for that century…

Bike picnic, a good time was had by all.

(via)

You can’t argue with Venn Diagrams.

Maker Profile – Cyclecide from make magazine on Vimeo.

I got a very Scul type feel from these fun people out in the Bay Area. Check cyclecide out here, and Scul out here.

The first bike Friday was so much fun (and such a success) that they are doing it again! Get yo ass on one of these sweet convoys, and get down town. You will be greeted by a whole host of smiling faces, free coffee, free breakfast (pastries bagels, and other ultra-carbs).

View Larger Map

BOSTON BIKE FRIDAY – This Friday August 22nd is the second Boston Bike Friday of the Summer. In a build up to the Hub On Wheels Ride scheduled for September 21st the city is sponsoring a ride into City Hall Plaza and a free breakfast and expo.

WHAT: SAFE, GUIDED CONVOYS WITH POLICE ESCORT Lead by experienced cyclists and escorted by Boston Police. The police escort will regulate traffic at intersections so this will be a virtually non-stop ride at an easy 10 mph pace. If you aren’t used to riding on city streets this is a perfect opportunity to get more experience.

FREE BREAKFAST, BIKE EXPO AND MUSIC Whether you ride in with a convoy or ride alone, join us at Boston City Hall for free food and fun, courtesy of 100.7 WZLX, Mass Commute, MassBike, and all the sponsors.

For more information and to register see http://www.cityofboston.gov/bikes/bikefridays.asp

They are still looking for ride leaders (Dorchester and Allston Brighton). You will get a free t-shirt. If you are interested contact Daniel Hoagland at Daniel.Hoagland.bra
cityofboston.gov

Fun day at a local beach! With Tenean Beach Day 2008 we plan to revive the annual tradition of the neighborhood “beach party.”
Tenean Beach is a hidden gem in Neponset’s community. For years and years, the beach was packed daily with visitors. In past decades, Tenean lost its place in the community due to polluted harbor waters and beaches. Now the water and the beaches are clean but the beach remains empty.
One of the most important goals of the Tenean Beach Association is to simply get people to come to the beach again. The Association believes that if people come to the Tenean Beach Day event, they will lose the misconception that Tenean and the other beaches in the City are inferior.
Swim races, free refreshments and much more!
This beach is located on the Neponset Greenway/Harbor Trail. Bike racks available.
Sponsored by the Tenean Beach Association and Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. Call 617-825-4063 or email teneanbeach[at]gmail[dot]com.

HIDDEN LAKES OF MOONSHINE from SHOW UP on Vimeo.

Now get off the internet and go ride your bike!

Here is a little bit of fun to get your Friday going.

trailer for FUMIKIRI from JAN on Vimeo.

Untitled from james newman on Vimeo.

Untitled from james newman on Vimeo.

more below

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Everyone like cruising the Dirty Dot, be sure to check out this sweet ride, presented by my Homies over at DotBike.

Dorchester Recreational Ride on Sunday June 22th, 6:00 PM

This is a relaxed 10 Mile scenic ride in Dorchester with about 4 mile on street, and 6 miles off-street with an all important stop for ice cream at the end. It is welcoming to riders who have little or no experience riding a bike on the city streets, and would like to get more confident in doing so as well as experienced riders who want to explore neighborhoods and enjoy biking with others. The pace will be slow, (about 10 miles an hour), the route is flat, and we will do our best to make all riders comfortable and safe.

The ride itself will start at the intersection of Dorchester Ave. and Talbot St., in front of the Ashmont Grill restaurant, next to the Ashmont train station.

We will start by riding North on Dorchester Ave., then take a right in Savin Hill. Those who wish to test their bike climbing skills will have the option of climbing Caspian Way, (a short -300 yards- but steep street leading to the summit of Savin Hill), and be rewarded by one of Dorchester’s most scenic view. People who find it too challenging to climb Caspian way on a bike will be able to walk their bike to the top, or just take a break and wait a few minutes at the bottom of the hill.

From there we will bike along Malibu Beach (yeah, Malibu!), down to Tenean Beach, port Norfolk, and then follow the very scenic Neponset Bike trail to Lower Mills where we’ll stop for local homemade ice cream at the Ice Cream Smith! Then we’ll ride back to Ashmont on Dorchester Ave. We expect to be back in Ashmont between 7:30 and 8:00 PM

The ride will be led by experienced Dorchester riders. People who want to learn how to fix a flat tire can show up at 5:30 PM in front of Ashmont Hill. There will be an impromptu “How to survive a flat” seminar starting 30 minutes before the ride.

If you would like to join the ride or have questions, please contact (Melissa at melquirk@gmail.com, 617-288-5548) or Vivian at 617 290 5822. Maps will be provided. We’d like to have an idea of how many riders to expect so please RSVP!

More info here.

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.

I just added a whole bunch of new rides and events to the calendar. Be sure to check them out over there on the right —>

I have reprinted them below in case you want to look at them all at once.

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A circular bike:

A concept bike wheel that can be folded:

Two tutorials on building a carbon-composite bike frame: