With the start of winter, the commute turns into more of a slog. Path, trail and road conditions worsen. There is packed snow and ice. Cities are using less salt and sand to mitigate against dangerously slippery roads. The commute becomes survivalistic. One starts riding outside the box or breaking rules to get by. We …
Yesterday morning I spent approximately one hour truing my rear wheel on the Fuji commuter bicycle. I noticed some mild wobbling of the wheel during a recent flat-tire change. I have a table truing stand. It’s portable for travel and compact for storage. I focused my very limited time on the areas of the wheel …
This early morning’s ride was especially exhilarating for a few reasons. First and foremost the early morning twilight was magical. The hues of bright pink contrasting with the deep dark blues of the sky were a phenomenal contrast. Second, I have realized that I am especially fortunate that all five miles of my commute are …
Value of errand riding. More than 50 percent of car trips occur within 2 miles. Riding a bicycle or walking instead of driving short distances like this saves not only fuel but also reduces deadly emissions in our towns as well reducing traffic and congestion. It makes our towns much more pleasant. Riding on my …
Pedaling with light strokes and entering into an orbit around town. My ride really gets me up and out in the morning and throughout the day. I’m able to commute to my place of employment where I participate in community with other cyclists too. I greet young parents as they ride past me on cargo …
One element of my commuter repertoire that I had been missing until early this morning is Cat 6 racing. For those who don’t know, Cat 6 racing is impromptu racing among any riders. You make your own start and finish or ride without any. This morning a young women on a steel road bike passed …
On Monday on my way to my place of residence, I was queuing for a pedestrian light at a busy four-way stop (below). I wasn’t just queuing as I was carefully surveying the intersection, cars and other lights around me. A major concern was the “right hook” to my left where cars illegally make right …
This blog has been about more than walking or riding a bicycle although this is important. It’s more about how we move between various spaces as we get to our destinations. For example, how do we decide which mode of transport to use in which space. Sidewalks and quiet streets or trails for walking to …
I managed to reach my weekly goal of 100 km this past week with a just short of 30 km performance on Sunday or more than 28% of the weekly total. One thing I’ve learned is to neither set goals too high nor too low. Consider taking an average-month total and dividing that by four …
Sign Warning of 10 Percent Grade On Thursday we rode the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail in Northern Michigan. The trail has at least 4 climbs with gradients greater than 9 percent. After climbing out of the saddle up a very short 11-grade hill, we rolled on to the next one. The hills are all marked …