This Earth Day weekend, Bike Trailer Shop staffers Josh and Jeff, got out to help clean up Flag’s south side. Not wanting to get too dirty, we naturally volunteered to haul around the bagged trash and deliver refreshments, while the thirty-or-so other volunteers donned hip waders and dredged the infamous Rio de Flag. When they filled up a bag, we picked it up and rolled back to the collection site.
Commute by Bike
Earth Day 2008
Tomorrow is Earth Day! If you are a sometimes commuter, why not make tomorrow one of the days you ride your bike to work? Earth Day has been celebrated every April 22 since 1970, sparked by US Senator Gaylord Nelson’s desire to push the environment on to the national agenda. It was intended as a…
Batavus Personal Bike AT
Seattle Bike Supply is the USA distributor for “the Dutch Biking Sensation,” Batavus bicycles. At the 2008 Sea Otter Classic, SBS showed some of the Batavus models now available in the United States such as the Personal Bike AT. The Batavus Personal Bike AT features a very low step through frame, skirt guard and chain…
Basil bags now available at YOUR local bike shop
I and many of you have gone ga ga over the beautiful panniers and bags available from Basil Bags in the Netherlands. I loved them so much I bought for my wife last year from Clever Cycles of Portland, OR, which had arranged their own import deal. I learned just today that the big bike…
The bike industry is coming along
My biggest beef with the US bike industry is the lack of vision of what a bicycle is and can be. The bicycle was stolen by the sport market and they are now seen large and wide as a hobby and/or toy. But things are changing. I spent a lot of time the last three…
Award: Swobo Del Norte
I got to spend a good while riding the Swobo Del Norte around this morning. While it’s obviously not enough time to do a full review, it was a nice smooth ride I would expect from a single speed. Lots of red bits and chrome handlebar tape (while not the most comfortable) is what makes…
It's Spring… Time to get a BOB Trailer!
Thought I’d mention that BikeTrailerShop.com just launched their annual Spring BOB Trailer Sale.
It’s a great opportunity to get a BOB Trailer at 10% 0ff. Get a BOB Yak from $269 or an Ibex for $332.
New Pedros Trixie tool
Pedros is well known for their bike care products and for being a very environmentally minded company. They’ve recently picked up some new investors and gotten a new infusion of cash. During the press conference yesterday I asked what they would be doing with their new found money and they said: We’re very interested and…
New Redline "Chick" 925
We’ve reviewed and posted 2008 pics of the Redline 925, however they are now showing the new “Chick” specific model (with matching bag) here at Sea Otter. All the same specs and features as the original 925, but with updated graphics that match from the frame to the saddle to the Basil brand bag. What…
Schwinn Coffee (and Cream)
The Schwinn Coffee is a budget minded commuter bike built with design and function in mind. This very classic looking bike has a lot of great features for the commuter. A rear rack, chain guard, kickstand and steel fenders come stock. The brakes are both Tektro dual pivot and coastor. The swept back handlebars will…
The Wacky World of Bike Trailer Tents Part 1
As I scrape the edges of the internet for all things related to bike trailers I’ve come across a surprising variety of bicycle trailers with tents built into them. The amount of design that has been put into these towable shelters is at the same time impressive and a bit odd.
When it comes to tents and bike trailers it would seem to me that the simple, obvious solution is to just bring along one of the numerous lightweight backpacking tents. That being said let’s humor these interesting setups with the spirit of invention.
Commuter profile: Suit in the City
One of the more common reasons given why people don’t bike commute is because they can’t wear office wear on their Bianchi Pista track bikes. This bike commuter is architect Riyad Ghannam in San Francisco. He rode is bike to elementary school, middle school, high school, to his college classes in North Carolina, and now…
2008 Sea Otter
I’m currently sitting in an airport in Chicago on my way out to Monterey, CA for the annual Sea Otter event. I’ll be there with the rest of the Crooked Cog crew covering the show and keeping an eye out for all the newest and brightest products for your commuting pleasure. If you want to…
Update: How the Surly Big Dummy Rides
I’ve been riding the Surly Big Dummy on a daily basis for a month now and am reading to give my thoughts on how it works from a commuting standpoint. This first segment will focus on how it rides. One of the regular question of longtail bikes is how it rides. In general, it feels…
Natalie Ramsland on city cycling
Natalie Ramsland is one of the principles of Sweetpea Bicycles and one of the few female framebuilders in the American bicycling industry. Earlier this year, Natalie participated in a panel discussion about City Bicycles in Portland, OR. Though “Women Specific Design” bikes are more available, many of these are either recreational sport bikes for athletes,…
SealLine Urban Backpack : Preview
Last week I took delivery of two bags from SealLine, their Urban Backpack and Shoulder Bag. The first one I really will be testing out the next few weeks is the Urban Backpack. With its dry sack design and roll top it really is water proof. This right now is needed in the South East…
New Rideshare Program for Ohio Bike Commuters
The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency has just announced a new service for those of you in Ohio who commute by bike in Lorain, Medina, Cuyahoga, Lake or Geauga counties. OhioBikeBuddies goal is to help you find a partner to share your commute. If you’re interested, access the site HERE and register. It may take…
What happens when a bicycle helmet meets the wheels of a car?
Lest you’re ever tempted to believe claims that bike helmets can hold up to the weight of a truck, allow me to direct you to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (aka Randy Swart) page demonstrating the true effectiveness of bicycle helmets when placed underneath a car. Click here for more photos, which feature sticky red…
State Farm Backpedals on "Humiliated Cyclist" Ad
I came across this State Farm ad last week and at the time found it to be somewhat insulting to bike commuters. The video has been pulled from YouTube, but the link describes the commercial. Apparently many of the commenters on Streetsblog also took offense, and surprisingly, Tim Van Hoof, the Director of Marketing Communications…
Q&A: What gearing should I use on a singlespeed mountain bike?
Ed. – This question came in from a reader who needs some advice. If you’ve got an answer and/or opinion, please leave it in the comments. Also, if you have a question you’d like answered, email diggers@commutebybike.com. From Anthony: I’m going to give commuting a go and need some advice. I’m a singlespeed mountain biker…
The Slacker's Guide to Bike Commuting
This article isn’t for the detail-oriented bike commuters. It’s also not for the hardcore, race-to-work riders either. This one is for those of us that don’t like to plan ahead. Bike maintenance isn’t our thing. We consider rain showers wash-day for our bikes. And we certainly aren’t using our daily commute as training for a…
Georgia Cyclist Will Carry the Olympic Torch
Congratulations to Bonnie Bobbitt of Fayetteville, GA! This fellow cyclist will be carrying the Olympic Torch on it’s route to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Bonnie will be one of 80 Americans to carry the Olympic Flame during the San Francisco leg of the Relay, the only U.S. stop during the torch’s world tour. “Judy…
Earth Day:!@%$#! Cars, Ride Your Bike
Earth Day is around the corner and, the way we see it, the only thing better than having an excuse to ride our bikes is having an excuse to get lots of people to ride their bikes.
You might have guessed that we have a passion for bicycles here at the Bike Trailer Blog. A big part of that comes from our desire to minimize our individual impact on the environment. Join with us this Earth Day in promoting bicycling as a solution for earth friendly transportation.
"Flintstone Car" Case Thrown Out of Court
You may have seen this video floating around the interwebs a few months back, which shows Michel de Broin’s so called Flintstone Car hitting the street and eventually getting pulled over by Toronto Police. The ’86 Buick Regal was gutted and “equipped with 4 independent pedal and gear mechanisms that make it possible for passengers…