critninja

New Blog - Visit Us Over There!

2009-12-15T14:13:00.002-07:00

Hey All

I have a new blogspot setup - The BikeBike Blog - come visit us over there!

I will be posting about the various goings-on at the store as well as the adventures that will inevitably arise while living car-free.

Cheers!

New Directions!

2009-11-30T08:34:00.003-07:00

Hey All!

Well, the time has come for me to do something I have been dreaming and thinking about since my first days as a young teen in my local bike store back in Etobicoke ON - I am opening my own shop here in Calgary.

About a year ago, I was struck by what I like to call an "entrepreneurial seizure" and it was right then that I decided that the time had come for me to make the leap into small business ownership. There are many reasons why this "seizure" happened, not the least of which is a desire to make a positive impact in my community - but importantly, I feel that Calgary has an unmet demand for a bike store that is a little different, very accessible to non-cyclists, passionate, and professional.

BikeBike's focus will be to provide products, services, and advice to people who are looking to make bicycles a bigger part of their daily life. We will have bikes for families, bikes for commuting, bikes for exploring and shopping - everyday bicycles. We will also be working really hard to offer Calgarians a bikeshop experience that is fresh, modern, and professional.

As a result of this new direction I will be not be posting here too too often. I am hoping to setup a blog of some sort on our store webpage so if you are looking for my rants and opinions it might be best to check the store website in the future.

If you would like to support our new store, feel free to follow our progress on Twitter or if you are the Facebook sort, you can find our BikeBike FanPage here. You can also click on the title of this post and that will direct you to our website. The website does not have much on it for now but will be updated as we approach the opening date - sometime in February 2010 is the projected opening.

If you like, you can also email me and i can add you to our email list. We promise not to spam you!

Make sure you come visit us soon!

Happy Trails!

Bicycle Repairman!

2009-11-21T13:27:00.000-07:00

what can you say - Monty Python is awesome!

Wow! Am I Glad Times Have Changed!

2009-11-17T07:18:00.003-07:00

click on the title to get back to where i found this.

what can you say to this? too funny!

Fall Polo

2009-11-15T07:05:00.004-07:00

november polo here in calgary should not be possible due to our northern exposure and proximity to the mountains. however, the snow seems to be falling in the mountains only and leaving us with a nice dry court. todays polo was good, although we could have used 2 more bodies for a full game - but the 2-on-2 made sure we stayed warm against the fading sun and cool winds.

picture from here.

Upcoming Bike Infrastructure Session for the Strathcona Community

2009-11-14T11:52:00.002-07:00

pulled from www.bikecalgary.org -

November 23 Strathcona Bike Route Information Session
5 - 8 p.m., Strathcona Community Centre, 277 Strathcona Dr. S.W.

As part of The City's commitment to encouraging alternative forms of transportation, we are proposing improvements to bicycle routes in the Strathcona community. A public information session will be held to share the concept designs with interested members of the public and to gain feedback.

Contact: Mat MacDonald, 403-268-2196 or email: mathew.macdonald@calgary.ca

30 Seconds to Mars Video Featuring Bikes Bikes Bikes!

2009-11-13T15:16:00.002-07:00

i really like one of the lyrics - "...we are the kings and queens of progress..."

found here.

Andreas Taking Pictures

2009-11-07T14:41:00.002-07:00

click on the title to see more of my 'lil man's photo work today.

we rode over to the douglas fir trail for a hike this morning. it was beautiful out, maybe a little chilly, but wonderful to be out before everyone else.

Road Raging Driver Found Guilty

2009-11-04T08:20:00.005-07:00

(photo from velonews)

a driver in california has been found guilty on all counts in the case involving him and 4 cyclists who he braked suddenly in front of to "teach them a lesson". the picture here shows you the bloody aftermath of that "lesson".

UPDATE - guilty on all counts!

for more info on this case, check out velonews, as they have been covering all aspects of this case.

one of the things that really resonated with me was the comments made by the doctor - that he wanted to teach them a lesson. what lesson was he planning on teaching these riders by impailing them with his bumper? that cars rule the roads? that he is entitled to the road because he is rich and driving a fancy car? that cyclists are second-class road users, and as such, can be crashed off the road at will? its too bad the officer didnt ask him what lesson exactly he was teaching them?

also interesting were the comments by one of the victims -"...to be honest, it's sad for both sides. I'm glad it sends a message to the community that it is dangerous and we have to watch out, but at the end of the day, I lost a lot of my time and my life, and he's losing a lot of his.”

who knows whether this case will resonate in the enforcement community - aka police, who, historically have tended to regard car-bike collisions as minor fender benders and not personal injury situations. ask almost anyone who has had a run-in with a motorist and quite often the attending officer - if one shows up at all - almost alway approach the the situation with a pro-car stance. dont believe me? ask around.

the reality is that is you are riding a bike and a driver decides to "teach you a lesson" you are going to find yourself on the receiving end of a personal injury while the driver might have dent in his sheet metal.

hardly equitable outcomes for the driver and cyclist.

this case illustrates a huge problem we have here in canada and the US. for 60 years now; governments and industry have been squeezing out other road users to accommodate the single occupancy vehicle to the expense of our health, our communities, and our future. beacause of this, motorists have been sold the idea that streets are the sole domain of vehicles only, when in reality, streets are in the public domain and are for use by everyone.

people. bikes. everyone.

add to that mix the media feeding us images of beautiful people in fancy cars, on wide open roads, travelling at a million miles an hour - and you can begin understand, to a point, why motorists are getting more frustrated and aggressive while behind the wheel. essentially, we have been lied to for 60 years by the car industry and - although people probably dont make those connections consciously, they are feeling it inside them and acting out in dangerous ways.

thankfully, some governments are beginning to awaken to the disaster that has been created and are trying to correct the imbalance. we have a long way to go but we are beginning to move in the right direction.

Bike Industry Needs to Spend More on Bike Advocacy

2009-11-03T06:08:00.003-07:00

the president of trek bicycles, john burke, presenting his ideas at the taipei cycle show last year. basically, he is saying that the bike industry needs to divert some of their R&D/Advertising dollars towards advocacy efforts that are going on around the world.

makes sense, right? i mean, if you are a bike company, wouldnt you want to support the efforts of those organizations that are trying to get more people on bikes?

found here

Riding to School

2009-10-31T15:49:00.003-06:00

andreas loves our new whip and is begging to go for a ride in the madsen everyday.

i find myself making up reasons to take him out in it.

what a great problem to have!

First Grocery Run a la Madsen

2009-10-30T08:53:00.001-06:00

yesterday had me heading out for the first grocery shop on the new bike. after dropping off Andreas at school (he giggled the whole way!) i headed out to the westhills shopping district, with staples, the post office, and superstore on the to-do list.

as you can see in the top photo it was pretty chilly with a light dusting of snow on the ground and patches of black ice here and there (more on that in a moment). i live really close to a safeway, about 4 blocks, but decided that a longer trip out to westhills was needed to give the bike a better test ride. the ride over to my local safeway is about 5 minutes, the ride to westhills worked out to exactly 15 minutes.

one thing i have noticed (not sure if i am imagining this) is that cars are giving me more space than on a regular bike. i like this. i am guessing the reasons are that the bike is very visible, being bright baby blue and/or they are hanging back before passing me 'cuz they are checking out this machine they've never seen before. either way, i like this too.

so, nothing special to report about the stops at staples and the post office. upon arrival at the superstore, i locked up the bike and went looking for a shopping cart. i forgot that the carts here require a loonie to release them and i was without cash. so, off it was on foot over to the bank to get some cash.

well, as luck would have it, i wiped out on some black ice walking across the parking lot. walking, not riding. figures i crash walking, not cycling. probably should have been wearing my pedestrian helmet!

$150 later, we're loaded up and ready to go! success!

one thing i noticed when running errands with this bike is that there is nowhere on the bike to keep things stored securely, i mean, out of sight. this is a problem that needs to be solved, and i think i have a solution.

i am going to make a full deck that will sit right where the seats are now. it will fit snugly in where the seats are, except that when it is in place, you will not be able to see whats underneith it. once it is complete, i'll post some pics.

otherwise, the madsen is doing what it is suppose to do. nice.

Bike to Work Guide

2009-10-29T07:58:00.003-06:00

this 52-page online magazine is packed full of very useful information on what to do if you want to start commuting to work. i would also suggest that this guide is very useful for people who simply want to add local bicycle trips (shopping, errands, etc) into their daily lives.

click on the picture and read through. also, make sure you pass this link onto those in your own community who need a little push to try biking again.

found here.

Madsen kg271 Bucket BIke

2009-10-28T15:08:00.007-06:00

madsen is based in salt lake city and has been selling bikes for a few short years. this is their first model and enters that market as an affordable box bike.

it arrived at my door in the biggest bike box ever, was fully assembled and mostly ready to go. i had to do a few adjustments and tire seating before the first ride - that was about it. braking duties are handled by a cable disc brake on the front and a v-brake on the back. shifting is provided by a sram 8-speed rear derailleur. a bell, full fenders, chainguard, 2 seats and 4 seatbelts and super-sturdy kickstand are also standard issue. i am especially happy to have the seat and seatbelts for transporting andreas around.

being that this bike is slotted into the "affordable" category (under $2000) of box bike it does come with low-spec parts, tires and hardware, although, this doesnt seem to be noticeable when you are riding the bike. i will be curious to see how some of these parts hold up over the long term.

how does it feel? fast! man-o, this thing feels pretty fast, of course you have to consider its length and weight. the only bike i have to compare was my old xtracycle "tankbike" and the madsen feels much tighter, faster, and sturdier. it proudly states it weight limit right in its name - kg271 (thats almost 600lbs folks!) but definitely doesnt ride like a bike that is basically a pickup truck. the gear range is more than enough for me but others may find themselves wishing for one more easy gear on some of the steeper slopes around here and the sram shifter and derailleur performed perfectly.

my only real complaint (and its not really a complaint as i knew i would have to change a few things) is that the handlebar that it came with is too narrow for me on a big bike like this and the tires and saddle are pretty cheesy.

cant wait to do my first grocery shop and farmers market run soon. i hope andreas likes it too as this will be the way he gets to school everyday.

The Bloody Ball Halloween Alley Cat!

2009-10-27T07:40:00.003-06:00

see you there? what are you dressing up as?

A Message Worth Spreading

2009-10-18T08:04:00.000-06:00

Move Over Lance - There's a New Super(Urban)Cyclist in Town!

2009-10-16T14:28:00.004-06:00

do you recognize this man?

yes? good we can move on.

no?

if you answered no, you are either really young, super uncool, or in need of some music education. maybe even some education on recent bicycle advocacy news.

this is a photo of david byrne. bicycle advocacy's first superstar supporter posing with one of his bike rack designs.

in a very short period of time he has become bicycle advocacy's highest profile booster and the timing could not be better. cities all over the world are starting to take the first steps towards creating more safe places to cycle and he is exactly the kind of person we need to push the "bicycles for transportation" agenda forward.

here he is chatting with a journalist while riding in NY. here he is chatting with george strombo, and whats cool, is they talk about bikes before anything else. here is the youtube page with a bunch more videos of him and bikes. the point i am trying to make is that in what seems to be a very short period of time, he has placed himself squarely in the bikelane and is happy to be spreading the good word about transportation cycling and why more cycle infrastructure is good for cities.

i recently picked up a copy of his latest book and have been very slowly working my way through it. the book is not so much about bicycles, but more about exploring places by bike and how the bike can transform the way people see the world around them. he has been using bikes while touring the world for decades - here is a short passage -

"this point of view - faster than a walk, slower than a train, often slightly higher than a person - became my panoramic window on much of the world over the last thirty years - and it still is. its a big window and it looks out on a mainly urban landscape. ...through this window i catch glimpses of the mind of my fellow man, as expressed in the cities he lives in. cities, it occurred to me, are physical manifestations of our deepest beliefs and our often unconscious thoughts, not so much as individuals, but as the social animals we are."

interesting perspective and the more i think about it, the more those statements make real sense. have a look around the city you live in and think about those statements he made.

anyway, i am hopeful that transportation cycling issues can be moved forward by the superstar power a guy like david byrne generates.

keep it up david!

The Wave

2009-10-13T18:30:00.005-06:00

i was reading an article in an american paper about bicycling and bicycle advocacy and one thing in that article really struck me - the author talked about how we (cyclists) are in fact, all more or less the same - whether we are racers, commuters, or bottle pickers, or anything in between.

it doesnt matter whether you dodge traffic downtown all day delivering packages, ride once a week on the pathway with your kids, slip into your lycra and head out into the wind to crush yourself with some intervals, or shred trails in the mountains on your full-sus'd mtb.

we all sit on a saddle, push pedals, and move forward. we all have to deal with the weather in all its forms. we all fall off eventually.

we are all members of the same tribe - the tribe of bike.

and, as like in every tribe, there are families within the tribe with their own customs, likes/dislikes, and ways of doing things to get from sunrise to sunset. these families include...

- messengers
- commuters
- racers - all of 'em in all their forms
- recreational riders, aka weekend warriors
- freeriders/downhillers
- bmx/flatland riders
- xc mtb riders
- errand runners
- pathway users
- urban hipsters/fakengers/posengers
- and some i cant think of right now. you get the picture.

the point is this - we all have to share the same spaces, deal with the same issues, and feel the same exhileration by simply pushing the pedals.

simple - push for pleasure.

which brings me to "the wave". one of the ways that we (cyclists) can begin to acknowledge our tribe is to employ "the wave" - as demonstrated by the happy fellow above. here are the steps...

1 - using your eyes, spot an oncoming cyclist
2 - using your hand (either one will do, but the left is best), simply remove your hand from the bars and acknowledge the other cyclist.
3 - if removing your hands would be dangerous, a nod to the oncoming cyclist can achieve the same effect.
4 - bask in the feeling of connectedness with your fellow tribe member and ready yourself to wave again.

this simple gesture will undoubtedly catch some of guard and they may not wave back. do not fret. simply do it again at the next cyclist. this simple gesture lets others know that you see them, you are a cyclist too, and you are part of their ride too. this simple gesture can brighten someones day and embolden them to wave at someone else. pay it forward if you will.

be an active part of the tribe of bike. wave at me. i promise to wave back, or nod if i am afraid i might spill my drink.

Update - it appears i need to add brompton owners to the list above - especially after watching this...

Urban Legends Fashion Show

2009-10-09T07:10:00.002-06:00

i had the opportunity to watch this while i was in las vegas attending the interbike show. good music, free beer, and plenty of rad bikes with stylish riders.

fun!

Movie Trailer for Calgary Hardcourt Bike Polo

2009-10-04T20:59:00.000-06:00

have a look - pretty good effort by sean speer - aka seanbob. looking forward to the full edit, which i understand is being premier'd at the year end polo party.

Las Vegas Baby!

2009-09-28T12:08:00.003-06:00

keep your eyes peeled for me (green shirt), james from campione, and john from bow cycle. so awesome to play polo in vegas!

also, check this link for photos from the Interbike show floor, as well as a couple videos of CrossVegas and the Urban Legends Fashion Show.

Bike Shorts Film Fest Tomorrow!

2009-09-14T12:18:00.005-06:00

for more information on the programming, tickets, and times - check out www.bikecalgary.org.

European Hardcourt Bike Polo Champeenchips!

2009-09-07T15:05:00.001-06:00

Polo from RockSteady! on Vimeo.

polo is so fun it should be illegal!

Dead Cyclists (sadly) Not Really Unexpected

2009-09-04T09:15:00.005-06:00

the airwaves and internet has been abuzz all week with news surrounding the death of toronto-area cyclist Darcy Allan Sheppard.

anyone who has ridden a bike on the roads for any length of time will find this situation to be shocking, sad, and not really surprising. we have all had run-ins with irate motorists that can be something simple as drivers yelling the ridiculous standard "Get Off The Road!" (which immediately demonstrates the motorists ignorance of the rules of the road) or the equally stupid "Roads Are For Cars! Paths Are for Bikes!".

sometimes drivers will use their vehicle as a weapon by not giving you space and buzzing you, passing so close you could reach into the vehicle. sometimes drivers will pass you then jam up against the curb trying to prevent you from passing them. really big assholes will swerve their vehicle right at you. really really big assholes will throw things from their moving vehicle as they pass you. personally, i have been spit on, been hit by beer cans, hit by spare change (that hurt alot) and too many beer bottle near misses to count. on every single occasion, i was riding along minding my own business and simply trying to get where i was going.

variations on these incidents have been experienced by probably every single cyclist. every one of these incidents serve to create quite a bit of animosity and mistrust towards motorists. that animosity and anger felt by many cyclists towards motorists can occasionally boil over and explode. personally, i can see why many cyclists lose it and fight back - u-lock justice we'll call it. u-lock justice comes in many forms, and experienced cyclists have their own responses - keying vehicles, smashing taillights or side mirrors, spitting into vehicles - retribution takes many forms. none of it is good, but completely understandable.

the truth is, legislators and administrators still view bicycles/cyclists as second class citizens. dont believe me? see what happens if you have a run-in with a motorist. police rarely side with the cyclist and usually try to find some way to let the motorist off-the-hook. another truth - more cyclists are going to die on canadian roads before we are given the protection we deserve. by protection i mean more designated road space, equal protection under the law, and proper education of motorists (and cyclists) relating to our collective responsibility on the roads.

many motorists see bicycles as pests, merely a insect to be smeared on their windshields at the first opportunity. many motorists see cyclists as second class citizens because they are on bikes and not in a car. motorists see the roads as THEIRS ALONE - not to be shared with other users. dont believe me, read the comments at the end of this news item. or this news item. or this one. or this one.

get the picture?

so, where to go from here?

hopefully this tragic incident will push toronto's city council to finally get on with creating safe bicycling spaces for cyclists. hopefully this incident will inform other cities as to the very real threat that cyclists face almost daily. hopefully no one else needs to die.

Tall Bike and Taller Sunflowers

2009-09-01T10:02:00.000-06:00

Building Tall Bikes

2009-08-29T22:28:00.007-06:00

the full set of photos can be found here.

Calgary Critical Mass Organizer Pulls the Plug

2009-08-28T09:35:00.003-06:00

long time critical mass organizer, grant neufeld, is finished with organizing this ride. you can read his blog post explaining his reasons by clicking on the title of this post. you can also get more info on this ride by checking this out.

ending are also beginnings.

does calgary have enough "bike culture" to support a monthly advocacy ride?

is there a need for an advocacy ride at all?

could calgary cyclists raise bike-awareness with a different ride? maybe a ride that is more focused on having fun and less on agitating motorists? i think so.

maybe the end of critical mass with birth a new monthly fun ride? i could support that.

Haultain and 1st Urban Festival

2009-08-27T13:23:00.003-06:00

what are doing on sunday the 13th? nothing? perfect. why not check out this cool little event.

my understanding is that the organizer is encouraging people to bring their bikes down for a show-and-shine, trackstand comp and freakbike showcase.

got a cargo bike? bring it.

got a freaky tall bike? bring it.

got a beautiful cruiser? those are cool too!

a few of us are (hopefully!) going to build some tall bikes this weekend and we are talking about bringing them down to the show-and-shine.

i cant wait to swing my leg (way!) over my very own tall bike - stay tuned for pics if it is indeed built.

Bow River Flow

2009-08-18T09:44:00.004-06:00

this sunday, from 10am-4pm the two eastbound lanes of memorial drive near kensignton will be closed for a one-day trial of a "ciclovia" type event for the first time in calgary's history.

the initial idea floated by ald. farrell was to hold the event on 4 consecutive sundays in august - however, after a huge amount of critisism from other aldermen and some media in the city, the event has been reduced to one day this year. if all goes well there is a chance that this type of event could expand to include a longer route and more days. i say - BRAVO!

calgary's love affair with cars has been allowed to go unchecked for long enough. the time has come to take back some of the streets for a few hours a week for people, bikes, and the community in general. fighting car culture will be hard, but with events like this, we may begin to have a chance to show car-loving calgarians what this city can be in the future - if we just get out of our cars once and awhile.

all of us who love this city and want to see a more sustainable, ped/bike friendly community need to support this event and events like it.

streets are for people too! see you out there!

Hypocracy on the Pathways?

2009-08-13T07:32:00.003-06:00

the calgary herald has an article in the paper today about speed enforcement on the pathways.

why hypocracy?

simple. the city has been actively encouraging calgarians to get out of their cars and to try and find other ways to commute to work - including cycling - and invariably, many of these cycle commuters end up on the regional pathway network because calgary lacks a connected network of crosstown, on-street bikeways that are safe, well signed, and maintained.

the problem is that the speed limit on the pathways is 20kph - and 10kph in many other areas - and any reasonably fit person can cycle at 25-35kph without much difficulty - possibly resulting in a speeding ticket from bylaw bill.

so, from the saddle of this guys bike, calgary bylaws seem to unfairly targeting cyclists on the pathways. i have never seen an irresponsible dog owner or clueless pedestrian receiving a ticket, or even a warning - yet bylaws feels that cyclists are the user-group that needs to be punished more than any other.

i guess what i am getting at is this - bylaw bill would not need to worry so much about speeding cyclists on the pathways if there was a well signed and maintained city-wide network of on-street bikeways (pained bike lanes) with route-finding signage. if we had such a network, people could travel from all over the city on a direct road network and maybe never need to be on the recreational pathways during their commute.

less cyclists on the pathway = less conflicts with slower user-groups.

what is this city waiting for?

calgary has arguably the biggest "network" (term used loosely) of pathways (and some on-street bikeways) in north america yet this "network" is not yet connected to itself in so many places, making use of this "network" becomes an exercise in route-finding, map-reading, and urban exploration. all of that is fine on the weekend, not so fine when you are trying to get to work on time.

PathwayPedalPotluck - August 15

2009-08-01T16:55:00.003-06:00

everyone is welcome to join us!

hope to see you there!

JUST FOR LAUGHS - BICYCLE RACE

2009-07-30T09:53:00.001-06:00

just a little something to giggle at today. i think this might be fun to do during the "commuter olympics" that happens every morning along the pathways into downtown.

STOLEN!

2009-07-28T10:01:00.005-06:00

about 10 days ago, during a weekend evening, some folks walking down the alley behind my house felt brazen enough to waltz into my yard and steal 4 bikes from me - including my sons trail-a-bike.

thankfully, the trail-a-bike was found along with my dads bike and the brown bike but the fuzzy bike is gone. keep your eyes open for it - its kinda hard to miss and we really miss having its fuzzy-happy-vibe here.

so, after the bikes were stolen we decided it would be a good idea to move the rack to a more secure location down the side of my house. you cannot see the bikes from the alley now and we were feeling better about continuing to keep bikes in the rack and not worrying about bikes being ripped off.

well, that doesnt seem to matter as someone has again stolen bikes from me - this time it was one of my dyno cruisers and i am pissed! its obvious to me that whoever stole bikes that first time has come back and pinched another bike from me and i think that fact is what is bugging me the most.

i have been targeted by someone and they feel comfortable enough that they can trespass on my property and steal bikes from me at will. well, mr.bikethief, i have some news for you. if i find you riding my bikes you had better be feeling fit because i am going to chase you down, take back my bike(s) and offer some "hard education" on the results of thieving from this guy.

please keep your eyes open for me and if you think you have seen these bikes, let me know.

BICYCLES X HIPHOP

2009-07-23T12:00:00.001-06:00

here is another, somewhat related satirical video

LEGO CITY BIKE SHOP

2009-07-23T07:27:00.003-06:00

i dont know if you are a lego fan or not - but you have to admit that a lego bike shop is pretty cool.

the set has been added to lego's "city" range and includes a bike shop, pizzaria, transit bus and a bike mechanic. no indication yet whether the mechanic is certified to perform repairs on lego bikes, but i am looking into it.

NEW POLO VIDEO

2009-07-21T10:41:00.004-06:00

ottawa hosted their NSPI a couple months ago and this cool video was born from that weekend. the video illustrates how tight the game can be, how rough it can be at times, and most importantly how discombobulated the action can be sometimes. with bikes going in all directions and mallets flailing about, its easy to see how intense the games can be and the mad bike riding skills required to play at the highest level.

on a separate note, calgarybikepolo will be hosting a series of new player nights, starting july 31st and running on successive thursdays until the end of the season. if you have been wanting to give the game a try but have been a little nervous or intimidated - NOWS YER CHANCE! come on out and play with us. you are guaranteed to have a good time!

Pops - Ramsay, Alberta

2009-07-20T08:44:00.006-06:00

Some photos from the ice cream ride this weekend and a few hilites...
- watched a home burn down on memorial
- stops at amato gelato, northeast grocery, and pops in ramsay
- great to see a few new faces (mikie, leslie) and some familiars (dan, john, sherwood, stewart)
- 30+ temperatures made the frozen treats even more delicious
- nadia's awesome radio was tuned into baba's grooves for most of the ride

next up is the PathwayPedalPotluck august 15. details to come soon.

Lickie! Lick! Ice Cream Ride This Saturday

2009-07-13T08:45:00.004-06:00

RAMSAY BOWL II BIKEPOLO TOURNAMENT

2009-07-07T07:43:00.005-06:00

hey you!

ya, you!

ya, i am talking at you - mr. or ms. urban dweller. what are you doing this weekend? wanna watch some seriously awesome action - complete with crashes, bashes, bands and beers?

come on out on saturday and sunday this weekend for the second annual ramsay bowl hardcourt bikepolo tournament. teams are coming from as far away as ottawa, nyc, portland, and eastvan. there will be kegs to quench your thirst, beef-on-a-bun to soak up that hangover, and mad poloaction!

see you there?

CANADA DAY BY BIKE PHOTO ESSAY

2009-07-02T08:08:00.017-06:00

photo 1 - on our way to enjoy canada day.

photo 2 - t-binx - look at this handsome devil ladies!

photo 3 - fellow bikecalgary.org director, stewart midwinter, enjoying lunch at the ship and anchor

photo 4 - FFWD readers voted the ship and anchor staff as the sexiest and surliest. geez, i wonder why?

photo 5 - fort calgary festivities

photo 6 - regional pathway along memorial drive

photo 7 - the hoards invade princes island

photo 8 - festive rafters at edworthy park

GLIMPSING THE FUTURE (i hope!)

2009-06-30T09:26:00.005-06:00

(spotted outside pulcinella)
i was standing outside molly malone's in kensington a few weeks ago, waiting to depart on our pubcrawl when this handsome machine rolled in - complete with twin boys, their bikes, a happy dad - and big smiles all around.

this is a "bakfiet" - basically dutch for "box bike" - and these are very popular in some european cities like copenhagen and amsterdam. there are many versions available, but they generally offer the same features:
- a (removable) bench seat and seat belts for kids
- integrated lighting
- fenders
- wide gear range
for many european families these bikes are used everyday for shopping, errands, and kid transport - basically allowing a family to live with only one car, or no car at all or to facilitate deliveries of products/services in a more economical fashion for businesses.

after eye-balling the bike for a few minutes i had to walk over and take a closer look. the owner (i think his name was eric?) was very receptive to see another person who knew what the bike was and after a brief conversation, eric asked if i wanted to ride it. my answer, hells yes! i am not going to give you a roadtest report here, lets just say that riding it was unlike anything else i have swung a leg over and was more akin to driving a truck than riding a bike. it is so big that cars cannot miss seeing you and i noticed right away that motorists were giving me lots of room (this may have had more to do with the swerve-inducing pints consumed earlier than the size of the bike, not sure) and it was really easy to ride.

seeing this bike in action got my thinking - are we witnessing the birth of a more sustainable, urban calgary? new city bike sales are on the rise, the media seems to be paying more attention to commuter cycling, more people are trying to find alt-transport options for commuting, plan-it calgary has brought "new urbanism" into the spotlight and a new generation of city dwellers is choosing to eschew car ownership and suburban lifestyles for a more sustainable, compact life.

i hope so.

calgary has the highest per-capita car ownership rate in canada and this city has always been seen from the outside as a "frontier" town. many calgarians view car ownership as a birthright and that birthright also extends to everybody deserving their own litle piece of lawn in the suburbs and 3 cars in the driveway. thankfully, there is a movement of people who choose to say "BOLLOCKS!" to this birthright and the movement is getting bigger and more vocal everyday.

this bike offers us a glimpse into a future calgary that could be more sustainable, community centred and healthier. all we need to do is to keep the pressure on the city decision makers and make lifestyle choices today to live more efficiently and closer to your community.

POLE RIDERS

2009-06-29T07:14:00.003-06:00

i think i may have posted about these folks before and after reading another story about them i was compelled to post their link again.

pretty "out there" - but fun all the same.

New Kranked Freeride Movie Coming Soon

2009-06-22T21:23:00.004-06:00

Kranked - REVOLVE Teaser from KRANKED/ReJeK+ on Vimeo.

did you ride your bike like this today?

no?

why not?

are you washed up?

Lords of Cowtown 2009

2009-06-19T08:03:00.002-06:00

the 6th lords of cowtown longboard and cruiser pubcrawl is tomorrow and this guy is pretty stoked.

my liver is quivering in fear as i type this.

BIKEPOLO IS THE NEW COOL

2009-06-18T09:34:00.003-06:00

there are quite a few bikepolo videos out there and i think this is one of the better ones.

in calgary, we play every wednesday and thursday from 6pm till dark at the knobhill community rink and new players are always welcome. all you need is a bike and some enthusiasm.

if you like riding bikes, you owe it to yourself to give this game a try.

SELF-PORTRAIT - crescent rd nw

2009-06-16T10:51:00.003-06:00

i'm diggin' my new hat!

thanks to heather schade for these great caps.

BIKE COMMUTING ON THE NEWS TONITE

2009-06-15T07:55:00.004-06:00

tonite, at 6pm, bike commuting will be on the evening news on global tv calgary.

last week, you will probably remember the news story about the two guys that collided head-on on the pathways. well, that story has seemed to have the effect of jump-starting the conversation surrounding bike paths and bike commuting in the media here in calgary too.

none too soon is what i think.

well, one of the directors from bike calgary will be discussing some of the issues with the reporter from global tonite. hopefully, this will serve to keep bicycles as transportation on the front burner for a little while longer and help us move our cause forward.

UPDATE - there will be another news piece again tonite (tuesday) focusing on the current pathway/bikeway network. here is the link to the news items.

2010 NORCO SPADE SPY SHOTS

2009-06-14T11:02:00.007-06:00

norco bikes has introduced this fine little number recently as a 2010 model. it is called "the spade" and should retail for just under $800.

this is norco's first real entry into the "urban fixed gear" category and i think they have done a good job. the bike is sold with front and rear brakes, flip-flop free/fixed, lots of chrome bits and - of course - the all white style is the new punk rock! the frameset is steel, as well as the unicrown chromed fork.

below are a couple fuzzy shots of some nice detail work and the required bling(chain, cable clamps, blue stuff, chrome), which seems to be necessary these days for bikes in this category. god forbid making it all flat black or boring looking.

very cool seat binder bolt detail.

i also liked the "N" carved in the dropouts.

all and all, i would say this is a pretty good bike for that person looking for some urban style without breaking the bank.

now all you need to do is put on your messenger bag, roll up your tight pants, slip on your vans and fakenger it up with the other urban hipsters.

these guys LET IT RIDE RIDE RIDE

2009-06-12T21:50:00.002-06:00

Road to Amsterdam from Let It Ride Ride Ride on Vimeo.

these fellas have been adventuring around northern europe on their fixies - and this is a great little video they put together.

i think its funny that the one guy kinda looks like t-binx and the other guy looks like kent.

WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE - DRUMHELLER!

2009-06-12T16:02:00.005-06:00

this guy is glad to see that a naked bike ride is finally gonna happen in alberta. i was beginning to lose hope that something as "out there" as a naked bike ride would ever happen in our province. thankfully, i have been proven wrong.

sadly, i cant be there as i am in edmonton for the canada cup xc mtb race - le sigh.

i am sure it will be fun. lets hope the fun spreads south next year.

SLOW BIKE RIDE TO NORTH GLENMORE PARK

2009-06-11T10:26:00.004-06:00

...click on the title to see more pics.

what a beautiful ride, with a beautiful girl, on a beautiful day.

BURN DOWN THE MALLS!

2009-06-10T11:06:00.004-06:00

thanks for this TTT - still poignant today.

HEAD-ON COLLISION A SYMPTOM OF BIGGER ISSUES TOO?

2009-06-09T08:35:00.004-06:00

yesterday, 2 bottle-pickers collided under this bridge resulting in serious injuries to both men.

if you have ever ridden through here you will know that this section of the pathway system was an accident site waiting to happen. it is impossibly narrow, has blind corners and has a descent to the bottom in both directions. simply put, it is an accident trap that was finally sprung by these two unfortunate fellas.

(picture pulled from cbc webstory)

sadly, this section is not the only death-trap on our pathway system - there are many, many more areas that are just as dangerous.

say what you want about the city's responsibility here - the reality is that our current pathway system was never designed with the amount of bike traffic it is seeing now - and the situation is only going to get worse as more people choose to get out of their cars for commuting, exercise, eco-consciousness or what-have-you.

the thing that i am most concerned about is that through all the media reports and news articles is the focus seems to be to make these two guys look like irresponsible idiots and to chastise them for not wearing helmets. irresponsible? maybe. wearing helmets? who the fuck cares???

helmets are not mandatory for adults in this province. full stop.

yesterday afternoon, i was listening to the homestretch and the host jeff collins going on and on about this story, he made no effort to put the focus on the actual pathway system's difficiencies but instead kept talking about the fact that these guys were not wearing helmets. helmet use is not the issue here - the issue is our pathway system. i had to phone into their talkback line to voice my frustration at their focus on helmets and not on the pathways.

the real issue is that the city has made virtually no effort to establish functional on-street bikeways that average folk can use safely. instead, the city has consistently directed bicycles onto the regional pathway system and the conflicts with other users is growing. if the current situation is allowed to get worse we will probably be reading a story soon about someone getting killed on the pathway. on top of that, you have you have "bylaw bruce" saying that they will be using radar to ticket speeding cyclists this summer - it appears that there is an effort to disuade people from commuting by bike.

what needs to happen is that the city needs to make a real, long-term, sustained effort to establish safe on-street cycling facilities and routes that will allow commuting cyclists to get to work/home without using the regional pathways. the speed limit on the pathways is 20kph (10kph in many areas) and it is impossibly easy to break that speed limit without trying. 20kph is also too slow to make commuting viable for most folks as an average rider can attain 30kph without really trying.

until the city "gets off their wallet" and begins to direct the required funding to the transportation solutions department we will continue to see these sorts of collisions and cycle commuting as a viable form of transportation will never become as popular as it should be.

we need to the city to allocate 2% per year of the roads budget to cycle-commuting facilities and we need to start now.

you know, its sad really. calgary already has inplace an incredible "skeleton" of roadways that could be easily modified to include bikes without adversely affecting motorists.

what we lack is the political will to make it happen.

FULL MOON RIDE PICS

2009-06-07T09:19:00.003-06:00

what a good time! even if it rained on us a little...

30 hearty souls gathered inside and out of tubby dog's on saturday nite for a fun ride along the river. with the rain coming down sporatically and overcast skies there was not much hope we would see the "strawberry" full moon...

with vladimir's tunes booming out of his cool improvised sound system we departed tubby dog at 1030pm and made a run for the river paths. once on the pathways, the group cruised along at a nice pace, heading west towards edworthy. the rain was falling on us lightly as we departed but eased up - and eventually stopped - revealing the beautiful full moon!

wonderful!

it was so cool to see all the blinking lights rolling along in the pitch black. the sparklers were super nice too and of course, a few fireworks here and there just added to the "renegade" feel of the ride.

good times!

Object of desire - for some

2009-06-06T16:31:00.002-06:00

"Just south of the Globe building in Toronto is a thicket of shiny new glass towers reaching toward the sky. These are the dwellings of the Condo People - hip young multiracial 20- and 30-somethings who labour in our city's knowledge industries. They have all the stuff you can fit into an 800-square-foot condo - iPods, iPhones, flat-screen TVs, and (for couples) fluffy little condo-sized dogs.

What they do not have is cars.

They don't need them. They can walk to work, or take the subway. If they need a car, they can walk up the street and rent one for 11 bucks an hour. Not only is a car not a necessity for them. It's an expensive nuisance."...

...more commentary on the coming auto-apocalypse and subsequent lifestyle changes that will be forced on the late-adopters.

i too was once seduced by the hype surrounding automobiles. in my case, my lust was for a VW EuroVan - which i eventually bought new back in 2003. i saved my pennines, ordered if from germany - then waited. finally it arrived and i too had my picture taken standing beside it in the dealer's lot.

so proud of myself.

then, 2 years later i lost my job, almost went broke and had to sell it at a loss. that hurt. alot.

but lusting after it, saving for it, finally owning it, and ultimately having to unload it taught me a badly needed lesson - cars cost a lot of money, they never fullfill their promise, and i dont want to spend money on one if i dont have to.

dont believe the (auto makers) hype!

FULL MOON RIDE TONITE? I HOPE SO...

2009-06-06T08:18:00.003-06:00

snow, snow, go away - we want to ride our bikes today!

hopefully the weather cooperates in time for our club to host this fun bike event. i know i was tempting fate by trying to organize a ride in june, considering that june is calgary's wettest month - however - tempting fate is fun sometimes, especially when everything works out.

i guess one of the benefits of all this moisture is that there will be less of a chance of something catching on fire from the fireworks i will have with me!

26 AVE SW BIKEWAY IS A SYMPTOM OF BIGGER ISSUES

2009-06-04T11:30:00.004-06:00

here is a picture i took of 26 ave sw looking east towards crowchild trail a few weeks ago.

over the last 3 years, the city spent $5million dollars on pathway and bikeway improvements - including fixing a vital pathway link to the south near southland and realignment of the vehicle lanes and addition of bike lanes to 26 ave sw. there was a article in the calgary herald last week touting the improvements and hoping the improvements will draw more people out of their cars and onto bikes.

this is all well and good - however - if the roadway pictured is to be considered an improvement, who is the improvement for? cars? people? bikes? none of the above?

the paint is gone after one winter - all the paint. yellow centre line gone. bike lanes gone. bike sharrows gone. cars have reverted back to their original "lanes". cars are parking in the bike lanes. there is no indication whatsoever that any amount of money has been spent here on improvments in the last 10 years, let alone last year. even the calgary herald has seen this situation to be bad enough to write another article.

i think this is just a "symptom" of a transportation department that does not have enough resources to do the job right the first time. it is also a symptom of a city administration that seems to throw just enough money at alt-transport projects to keep people quiet and to check off their projects as being completed - when they clearly are not!

i say bullshit. do it right the first time. give the transportation solutions people more money and more staff.

SELF-PORTRAIT - 530am commuter cycling survey

2009-06-02T12:15:00.004-06:00

coffee? check.

muffin? check.

pen and paper? check.

numb bum, toes, and fingers? check.

Farewell, consumerism.

2009-06-01T15:14:00.005-06:00

"Piles of dusty books. Junk drawers. Overstuffed garages.

Homes across Canada are filled with useless gadgets and rarely worn clothes, evidence of a society that often associates status with personal belongings."...

timely article methinks.

i know that i am in the minority, but this topic is something that i have been pondering for a few years now. i was wondering whether the demise of consumerism could actually be for real - or - whether this is just a figment of my own imagination.

after reading jeff rubin's new book, i began to look at the scourge of consumerism with a little more clarity. not because I woke up after reading it and decided that wal-mart is bad, multipacks are bad, SUV's are bad - NOPE - i knew that already. consumerism appears to be on its way out because - very simply - you wont be able to afford all the crap you currently buy when the price of a barrel of oil reaches $200+. read the book - pretty interesting.

in the near future, your life will be made simpler because you wont be able to buy as much stuff - period.

simple.

ok.

Paris Bike Polo Video

2009-05-31T07:55:00.001-06:00

BIKE POLO TOURNAMENT - CPCV09 from Androsky Knauer on Vimeo.

pretty good short video from the polo nutcases in paris.

enjoy.

then come out and play polo with us on wednesdays and thursdays.

Get some exercise and vent at Stride Gallery

2009-05-30T18:45:00.003-06:00

...from here.

seems like a trip down to the stride gallery is in order this week.

i think it would be fun to ride around a (virtual) city and shoot at bush, cheney, rice and co.

might also feel therapeutic - especially for this closet politician hater.

CARS ARE LIKE CIGARETTES

2009-05-28T07:48:00.005-06:00

click on the title to get to the article.

his arguement makes a lot of sense but also shows what we are up against if we want to reduce car usage by the masses. i dont think i can say anything extra to support his view - he seems to have covered most of the bases.

with the commuter challenge happening next week here in calgary, i thought it would be a good idea to reflect for a moment on this idea that we are addicted to cars and that that addiction is not unfamiliar.

Calgary Cyclist's Killer Faces Sentencing

2009-05-25T11:43:00.002-06:00

all i want to say about this is get it over with, sentence this bastard, and put him away for life. Brian's family deserves to have their son back - thats not going to happen - however, getting this saga over and done with will allow everyone that was close to Brian to finally close this painful chapter and move on with their lives.

Links are here and here and here .

WINNIPEG BIKE POLO

2009-05-23T10:18:00.008-06:00

SMALLER WORLD?

2009-05-22T07:47:00.004-06:00

my latest read...

here is an exerpt from the book -

“ Once the dust settles from the various crises rocking financial markets, we are looking at the same basic demand–supply imbalance that we were looking at before the recession began. That imbalance took us to nearly $150 per barrel before the recession set in. In the next cycle, the same imbalance will probably take us to $200 per barrel before another recession temporarily knocks back prices and demand. ”

pretty interesting read so far. i am not 100% sold on everything he is saying but do agree that we are going to see some big changes coming in the not-too-distant-future. arguments like this serve to support the idea that we need to change the way we have been living for the last 5 decades. the funny thing is that most people are just living for today, without any thought of tomorrow - and its those people who are going to be the ones who complain the loudest and have the hardest time adapting to the new reality that will be higher prices for EVERYTHING!

all you have to do is look at the price of gasoline right now. i was in canmore yesterday and gas was already at $0.98/L - and the summer "driving season" isnt every upon us yet and we are supposedly in the middle of "the great recession". whats gonna happen to those prices when the economy turns around and begins to take off again???

well i am am happy to predict away - and my prediction is that gas will be over a dollar within the next 2 months and by next summer we will again see prices close to $1.50/L. you watch.

once those gas prices get there - and higher - big ideas like Plan It, or small ideas like bike commuting will suddenly not be so revolutionary or radical. they will simply make sense.

ADVOCATE IT AND PLAN IT

2009-05-22T06:38:00.005-06:00

the city of calgary is holding open forums on their proposed Plan It policy for the city. if you have been paying attention to the local news you will know that there is alot of resistance coming from the "free market" crowd - the same crowd that has given us sprawling suburbs and brutal commutes. if you are merely curious or a supporter of the concepts and direction of this plan, make an effort to go to one of the open houses in your area and dont be afraid to give the "planners" your thoughts. there have been some critisisms leveled at Plan It for not having any "teeth" to enforce the policies outlined - however - i think it is better to have this plan approved by City Council as is - over not at all. Maybe once it is passed the "teeth" can be added?

on a separate, but similar, note - City Council voted on the Memorial Drive Sunday Parkway closure a couple weeks ago and thankfully it passed - although not without some grandstanding from Ald. McIvor and his pals on council. if you are not familiar with this issue - check this out for an idea of what is inspiring this closure. What i dont understand i why the alderman that are opposing this concept are choosing to make such a big deal about yet another road closure. roads are closed all over this city - all the time. stampede. lilac fest. marda gras. the list is endless. the only thing that makes sense is that these alderman (mcivor, chabot, dcu mainly) must have a grudge against the "lefties" on council - that would explain alot.

regardless, if you are in favour of more livable streets, safer roads, street parties, and a calgary that puts people ahead of cars - you should plan to come down to memorial drive on august 16th to enjoy the summer and your fellow calgarians. if the closure is deemed successful, there will be a push to expand the closure's length and add more days of closures in the coming years. see you there?

finally, my time on the BoD of Bike Calgary has been truly inspiring and i have this feeling that cycling for transportation in this city is going to continue to grow. through bike calgary i have met some incredibly passionate people who are fully commited to getting transportation cycling on the agenda at city hall. we (the BoD) have begun to foster good working relationships with the "lefties" on city council and they are listening to our concerns and are beginning to advocate for them. these city councillors are very important to our cause, but they cannot do it alone. they need us - all of us - to support them too.

supporting these initiatives is easy. write a letter to your alderman in support of plan it and/or the memorial closure. if you read the herald online, dont be afraid to leave comments of support for alternative transportation issues. ride your bike to work when you can. ride to the grocery store once and a while. SPEAK UP! anything and everything helps.

TUESDAY NITE RACING IS ON!

2009-05-19T16:36:00.004-06:00

calgary's summer criterium series kicked off tonite. this race series has been running pretty consistently since 2000 (although it was started many years before that) and offers road racing cyclists a chance to tune up their sprinting and cornering on a technical, 4-corner circuit.

the races are short, usually around 30 minutes and features a few different ability levels for "newbie" cyclists and experts alike.

if you are new to road racing, curious about road racing, want to work on your pack-riding skills, or improve your speed - these are worth checking out. the racing is usually great - egged on by the fast course and hairy corners.

people fall off sometimes. thats racing. as i say to my son, "if you ride bikes, you will fall off of bikes."

STREET SLAYER PICS

2009-05-19T08:54:00.006-06:00

last thursday, the right on track charity auction went down at the bamboo tiki room. it seemed to be very well attended and i think all the frames ended up being auctioned off to happy bidders - to the benefit of the charity right to play. i chatted with a couple of the organizers (tasha and michelle) and they are hoping to do the event again next year, maybe with bmx frames and cruiser bikes too!

great event, great cause, good times!

i won the auction on this devilish looking frameset and am looking forward to getting it assembled soon. look for a review as soon as its built.

FRONT YARD PROJECT - PHASE 1, EXTRACTION - COMPLETE

2009-05-18T09:24:00.006-06:00

i have been wanting to remove my front lawn for many reasons, for many years. i have finally decided to pull the trigger this year and make it happen.

man-o, what a job!

i rented a sod cutter and it worked pretty well with multiple passes, however, what a workout! the tool weighed about 200lbs and was a brute to operate. i also rented a tiller to loosen the soil and that tool was also a brute to operate!

behold the destruction!

next up is to set the stone patio back in place (next to the deck) and then the transplanting/planting of the 30+ native shrubs, trees, and perrenials will begin.

after that we will install one fence panel on either side of the walkway to give us a little more privacy and wind protection and i guess it would be appropriate to hold a party for the official opening of club1410's new patio...stay tuned.

if you want an invite to the opening, leave a comment.

2 BOTTLES FOR THE LONG WEEKEND

2009-05-15T14:11:00.005-06:00

yum. i cannot wait to dip into these two new bike wines this weekend.

the weather is suppose to be beautiful, and i'll be parched from digging up my lawn all weekend.

cono sur organic cabsav, 2008 and hill of content shiraz, 2005.

ok, so the hill of content shiraz 2005 was the first one we drank.

quickly. yum!

it was incredible smooth with very prominent fruity flavours and a medium tannin - super good. i would recommend it as a summer wine for sure. our bottle was a little chilled (15c) and it was nice like that. definitely recommended.

next up was the cono sur organic cabsav 2008.

i have enjoyed a few bottles of this fine example of chilean perfection before and this particular bottle did not disappoint. yummy yummy yummy - classic cabsav, no surprises, went perfectly with bbq'd burgers and grilled sweet potatoes. highly recommended.

PRODUCT REVIEW

2009-05-14T09:50:00.010-06:00

product review might be the wrong language to use here - more like a "dont-buy-these-tires-cuz-they-are-shit" product review.

the photos were taken after 3 polo sessions totally about 8hrs of riding and show the smaller patches. there are bigger patches and - actually - chunks of tire are missing in other areas.

to be honest, if i was the person that designed and marketed these tires as suitable for "courier" use (that is the name of the tire), i would be embarrased at my own incompetence. these tires are shit, probably the shitty-est tire i have ever used. in fact, the tire gave up after polo yesterday forcing me to ride home on a flat tire.

my advice - to quote Flava-Flave from Public Enemy - "dont believe the hype!".

RIGHT ON TRACK - this thursday nite!

2009-05-11T16:38:00.002-06:00

2009-05-10T21:42:00.004-06:00

POLO IN THE 'PEG

many thanks to the 'peg polo people that came out tonite.

some good polo action was had fo' sho'!

2009-05-09T09:50:00.003-06:00

THE TRIBE OF BIKE IS EVERYWHERE!

i ventured out last nite to find some live music here in "the 'Peg" - and - after an exhaustive search online for a suitable show, i settled on going to see somastate at "the zoo". as luck would have it, i pulled up out front where the bands were loading their gear in and, after locking my bike up, i rolled in through the band entrance and got in for free! nice!

once inside, i was bummed to find out that the band i was there to see wasnt in the lineup at all - wtf?

so, i stuck it out for a couple of the opening bands (barf! - lame!) and eventually bailed cuz the music was not doin it for me.

as i roll out the "front" door - which is in the back of the building (go figure), i notice a group of about 12 cyclists who are obviously riding together and are stopped at the beer store for supplies. i quickly unlocked my bike and asked if i could tag along with them on their ride. "no probs" they say.

turns out, the ride is organized by the bike dump - winnipeg's main community bike shop and after chatting with a few people i find out that one of the riders - glen - knows jarvis and justin through the messenger community.

small world.

it turns out that the ride was actually over and the last stop was at one of their friends houses, complete with a nice warm fire in the back and lots of friendly faces. it was super nice of them to let a stranger into their little party - and it was great chatting with jeff, greg, glen, sarah - a few others i cannot remember - about their community bike shop and all the things we as members of the bike tribe have in common.

thanks for the dose of winnipeg bike culture - many thanks!

2009-05-08T20:14:00.005-06:00

INDIAN HEAD, SK

"a progressive little town on the prairies" - or so their sign said.

i find it very strange that i have not spotted a single "big thing" since crossing into manitoba.

i wonder why that is? are manitobans more modest than the rest of canada? they must have something they want to share with the rest of us?

i think this is going to require a little more investigation on the way back west next week.

i am 5 days into this mondo roadtrip and today felt the first "i-want-my-own-bed" pangs.

i'm such a homebody.

2009-05-07T09:02:00.003-06:00

CRAIK, SK

buffalo hunter statue, on hwy#11 between saskatoon and regina.

ironman's got nothing on this fella!

2009-05-06T17:03:00.002-06:00

DAVIDSON, SK

hows do you like your coffee?

a little dash of creepy grandpa, maybe with a couple lumps of goose shit, with a side of trucker butt?

you want butter or marmalade on that trucker butt?

2009-05-06T07:47:00.004-06:00

ROSTHERN, SK

does big wheat make big pasta and bread?

what about big, iron wheat?

is it better for you?

hard to eat?

2009-05-05T08:43:00.003-06:00

PRAIRIE ROADTRIP

people in canada - and the prairie provinces in particular - love "big stuff".

if you have spent anytime on a roadtrip in canada, you have definitely spotted some kind of oversized thingy near the hiway. one of the things i like about these installations is how totally random they are. one town will have a giant moose, another a giant axe, another a giant spaceship. there is always a story behind this "big stuff" and a little bit of local history.

can-con at its finest.

on a side note, i spotted my first cycle tourist on the transcanada today near lloydminster - it must be may, the start of the cross-canada-cycling season.

2009-05-03T17:51:00.003-06:00

POLO ACTION!

some great polo was played today, in glorious sunshine, on the new court.

ramsay bowl II will be held here this year.

2009-05-02T20:33:00.002-06:00

club1410 OPENED TODAY

2009-05-01T16:19:00.003-06:00

CALGARY IS AWESOME

...from their website - "Calgary Is Awesome, and we are dedicated to everything that makes it that way. If you want to read ugly, bad news about this beautiful city of ours, you’re going to have to look to traditional media and other blogs; C.I.A. promotes everything that makes our city awesome, from old to new and everything in between. We’re like the human interest piece on the news… only different.

critninja likes.

2009-05-01T13:13:00.004-06:00

CONO SUR PINOT NOIR

my sugarpie brought this one over the other day to review.

my advice - avoid it.

it tasted like shit.

dont confuse this with the organic, cabsav available. that wine is real good and i will post a review as soon as i find a bottle (or 2).

2009-04-29T07:56:00.003-06:00

BIKE TO WORK DAY IS COMING!

it is great to see that calgary's edition is getting bigger and more organized. also, very heartening to see the city actually getting behind this in a big way. in the past, this event has been run in the month of april - basically killing any possibility of it being well attended due to notoriously cold weather that is still around.

if you have the option of riding to work on this day, and if you care about cycling in calgary - take the time to ride down to eau claire for some FREE yummy flapjacks and sausage. it appears the weather is going to cooperate too!

pictures are here...

2009-04-26T12:46:00.001-06:00

THE "NEW" HARDCORE!

found here...

2009-04-23T10:47:00.010-06:00

LITTLE 500

this classic race is happening this weekend - the same race that inspired the movie "Breaking Away", which won an Oscar for best screenplay. over 25,000 people come out to watch the race, with separate mens and womens events. the teams consist of 4 riders each, using the same bike which is setup with a singlespeed/coaster brake. it is run as a relay with teams entering a "pit" area to make the transfers and the track is a flat gravel skin eater!

there is a good article here with more info on the event. if you havent seen the film, its worth a watch - i especially like the scene where the main character is drafting a truck down the hiway at 60mph - in the small chainring!

or maybe its the scene where his dad catches him shaving his legs and singing opera.

in fact, i think my favorite for real is when one of the riders from the italian "cinzano" team takes his frame pump and stuffs it into the protagonists front wheel - during a race! really - who carries a frame pump in a race?

anyway, a good movie, that still stands the test of time.

UPDATE - more on this story, and a video of the finish of this years race here...

2009-04-22T08:25:00.002-06:00

CARGO BIKE RACING!

Svajerløb 2009 - Danish Cargo Bike Championships from Colville Andersen on Vimeo.

2009-04-22T08:01:00.003-06:00

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

2009-04-20T15:23:00.005-06:00

FRENCH RABBIT CABSAV AND MERLOT 2007

i have been searching around looking for more wine selections featuring bicycles on the labels, or bicycling culture in one way or another without much success. while these next selections may not appear to fall under my "cycling wines" category - appearances can be deceiving.

specifically, the appearance (and construction) of the packaging.

if you have ridden bikes whislt consuming/transporting alcoholic beverages, you have definitely dropped said beverage(s) at one point or another. i have lost full bottles of red wine out of my bottlecage - at full speed (trying to beat a red light), dropped 2-4's off my handlebars and otherwise mistreated perfectly harmless liquor. this is always sad.

no worries with this "bottle" of wine. being of the species tetrapak makes this wine perfect for transporting by bike. no broken bottles in a pannier. no ejecting-vino from your bottle cage. lightweight too!

we wont even talk about the twist-off, replacable cap and a shape that fits a bottlecage perfectly!

so, the first one we tried was the merlot 2007. full disclosure, i thought this wine was going to be very average beacuse of the funky "bottle" - however i was very happily surprised by the fruity bouquet and the refreshing flavours. it was actually really good! i am not going to even try to give you some wine-snob-hoity-toity-oaky-tannin shitspeak. its tasted great. i followed the temperature recommendation on the packaging - 16c - and it was very refreshing and yummy.

2009-04-20T13:26:00.001-06:00

FILE THIS VIDEO UNDER "HOLY SHIT!"

found here...

2009-04-20T10:15:00.005-06:00

DE RONDE VAN COWTOWN REPORT

pictures are here...

24 brave souls assembled at eau claire market, ready to tackle the daunting task of 18 climbs in 78km - with some climbs approaching 20% grades!

the day was pretty much perfect, not too much wind (early on at least), glorious sunshine, and light traffic. the course markings (hi-tech spraypainted arrows) were easy to follow, and the suffer faces on the riders - sensational!

fergus and bix beer market welcomed our shattered legs and lungs with tasty pints, yummy eats and a well deserved rest.

great job to the 8 (out of 24) riders that completed the entire course. for the rest of you (well, me included) - you now have some training to do in preparation of next years event. see you all then!

special mention has to be made for Leon - he rode the entire course on a singlespeed road bike - ridiculous! when asked at the pub post ride if he would do it again, his answer was - "are you fucking kidding? not a chance! i dont know what i was thinking"!

no shit dude! did you look at the map???

2009-04-18T08:05:00.005-06:00

SUNDAY NITE IN CALGARY!

here is an audio interview with the filmakers. one of the CUFF programmers was on cbc radio1 this morning talking about the screening and apparently there will also be some bike jousting going on too. should be fun! get your tickets early as this film has sold out in other cities.

2009-04-18T07:33:00.003-06:00

CADBURYS BICYCLE FACTORY PROJECT

now all you chocolate lovers can indulge your vice AND help send bicycles to africa at the same time. i must admit that this project gives me warm fuzzys all over - probably because chocolate is so yummy and now that yummy feeling can tickle your charity bone too - all at the same time!

cadburys chocolate is super-good already, now it just got even better! i hope i win the trip to africa - how kickass would that be?!

now, stop reading, go buy some cadburys chocolate and visit the link at the top of this post. do your part and feel good all over.

2009-04-16T06:35:00.006-06:00

hello from "tunder baie"!

well...what can i say about this place....hmmm....home of the sleeping giant. i took a drive up to the lookout at mt.mckay today to take in the view of "the giant" and the surrounding area - pretty cool actually. i wish i had my camera - le sigh - so instead, just click on the link above.

travelling here yesterday had us flying over winnipeg, and if you have been paying any attention to the news lately youll know that southern manitoba is dealing with some very severe flooding. how bad is it? pretty bad. from the window of the plane the flooding is beyond description - water overland as far as you could see south of winnipeg, looking very much like a small inland sea. i heard on the radio today that the city of winnipeg has declared a state of emergency and is requesting 600+ more people to help fill sand bags. crazy!

man-o, am i glad i live on top of a hill!

today will involve me running around doing my sales rep thing - and then - and then - i am planning on going to see "the united steel workers of montreal" tonite. its either this show or the cannible corpse show - not sure i need to stoke my tinnitus further at that one! bleeding ears can be fun too, non?

it will be nice to get out and see some live music tonite - being on the road can be a drag sometimes but live music usually makes it all ok.

2009-04-14T18:43:00.000-06:00

SPEEDPLAY PEDAL MUSEUM

Epicurean Cyclist - The Pedal Museum from Russ Roca on Vimeo.

found here.

2009-04-13T08:28:00.006-06:00

GOLDEN POLO REPORT

my pictures are here...

hats off to the the GTBF - good job!

considering how early in the spring this tourney was held, and how ominous looking the clouds were all weekend - the rain and snow stayed away long enough for the teams from east van, calgary, and golden to start the polo season off with a bang. many of us expected that one of the east van teams would eventually walk away with the title - and sure enough, the team of martin, john and polly cleaned up - but not without a fight from the "old sods" grasscourt team from calgary - consisting of the franzky, bolno and mike.

the weekend events started off with an "alleycat" in golden on saturday night. with a light rain falling, we set off in search of the checkpoints. a few of us ended up getting lost and as a result did not complete the course - opting to head to the finish and get some beers in us instead. i think john from east van was first and polly from east van was second.

sunday dawned with beautiful sunshine and much anticipation for the polo action to come. i wont even try reporting on the matches - just look at the photos and add in your favorite sports commentator voice. personally, i'll never forget howard cosell's voice.

well done golden, see ya in july and hopefully again next spring!

2009-04-09T06:53:00.004-06:00

THIS WEEKEND!

there seems to be quite a bit of excitement amongst my friends about this first polo tourney of the season. i think it has alot to do with the horribly long, snowy, and cold winter we had this year - however - i think the excitement is also being generated by the simple fun of bikepolo mixed with a roadtrip to the mountains with buddies.

i am planning on taking lots of pictures and will post them here next week.

happy easter! if you are of the jebus persuasion, well, right on! for the rest of you, eat lots of chocolate, setup an easter egg hunt, and enjoy the the long weekend!

2009-04-07T15:01:00.002-06:00

f80

bagged it today - using the venerable bragg creek ride via Hwy#8. 2h45m ride time. at the time of typing this i feel really good, however, ask me in 2 days to get the real story cuz after doing the f60 i was not able to walk for three days after! when i decided to start doing more "road" rides on the fixie i was concerned that the hills (going up) was going to be the toughest part - but i am quickly beginning to realize that the uphills are not as bad as 30km of tailwind at 110rpm - thats hard!

i was hoping to provide you with a fancy-schmancy GPS map but unfortunately my garmin305 died 15km from home.

you'll just have to take my word on it.

2009-04-06T08:39:00.005-06:00

SLOW BIKE RIDE CLOTHING

it is extremely gratifying to see that the bike business is finally starting to produce bike-riding-specific clothing that...is designed for cycling, designed to look great, and designed to make you look good on a bike!

why must you look like a racer when riding? why cant we have cycling-specific-urban-chic for all?

this is not the only company selling stylish bike clothing. here are a few other links to check...

osloh clothing
red boots
dromarti
swrve
yakkay

now - the real challenge - where to find this stuff in calgary? any investors out there who want to help me set up a distribution business?

2009-04-05T17:28:00.002-06:00

Slow Bike Ride

a few more pics here...