I was down at Granville Island on the weekend and came across these bikes.

I hope they were still there when the owners returned.

Why is this a bad lock-up?

Look at what’s actually connected to the lock and the rack.

Only the tire. An intrepid thief with a spare front wheel, or even the brains to find another locked bike with an unlocked front wheel, could be riding away in less than a minute, simply by undoing the axle quick release, sliding the bike fork through the lock, and voila, one unlocked, AWOL bicycle, albeit in need of a front wheel. Here’s an even worse example.

How do I know this? I found out the hard way, trusting a similar locking choice would be sufficient in my underground parking at a previous residence many years ago. Nothing reinforces a lesson like a forlorn front wheel hanging uselessly from a u-lock and the realization that your two-week old Stumpjumper is gone baby gone.

photo courtesy of Mayacycle

Here’s an example of doing it right. The lock secures the frame and front wheel to the rack.

If you’re going somewhere for a while, or leaving your bike somewhere secluded, bring along a good plastic coated wire cable too, run it through your rear wheel and secure the end loops to your u-lock. Yes, I learned this lesson the hard way too. Happy, safe riding everyone!

CK

CHICAGO, March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — World Bicycle Relief, a Chicago-based not for profit that provides quality bicycles to people living in sub-Saharan Africa recently welcomed Todd Ricketts, Chicago Cubs owner; Mark Ishaug, president of AIDS United; and business owner Elaine Burke to its Board of Directors.

This coal seller's next purchase will be a World Bicycle Relief bike bought through a micro-finance program. They appreciate the durability of the bicycles because loads can weigh up to 250 pounds. The bicycle enables them to bring more goods, faster and to further markets. It is an inexpensive sustainable choice to aid in economic development. Photo by: Leah Missbach Day

“We are very grateful and excited to have Todd, Mark and Elaine on our Board, each of whom are passionate business and organizational leaders, and will help guide our vision for World Bicycle Relief into the future,” said F.K. Day, founder & president of World Bicycle Relief.

Ricketts joined the Chicago Cubs’ Board of Directors in 2009 when he and his siblings acquired a controlling ownership interest of the club from the Tribune Company.  Among other businesses, Ricketts also owns the Higher Gear bicycle shops in Wilmette and Highland Park, IL. Mark Ishaug is the president of the newly formed AIDS United, a not for profit whose mission is to end the AIDS pandemic in the U.S.  He was the former president of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago 1998-2011, and has worked and studied extensively in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Elaine Burke, a former teacher, has been a long time supporter of World Bicycle Relief. Elaine and the Burke family have made a huge impact on the global bike industry through their creation and development of Trek Bicycle Company.

Recently listed as one of Barron’s Top 25 most effective philanthropists, World Bicycle Relief has distributed 75,000 specially designed, culturally-appropriate bicycles to students, healthcare workers and entrepreneurs in Asia and Africa, which have improved the lives of more than 700,000 people. Specifically, World Bicycle Relief bikes help students get to school, connect healthcare workers to patients living with HIV & AIDS in rural areas and enable farmers to carry heavy loads while transporting goods to market.  Compared to walking, biking is four times faster and allows five times the carrying capacity, significantly increasing productivity and service range.

“A bicycle is a gift of time. In developing countries a bicycle can mean the difference between getting to school, to a doctor or making a living or not,” says Day. ”What we have found in Africa and are working to change is the fundamental gap that exists between the availability of quality, sturdy and culturally appropriate bicycles and the millions of its residents living at the bottom of the market.”

By partnering with other relief groups and using existing supply chains, World Bicycle Relief has created an efficient, sustainable method for delivering aid to high-risk populations that offers not just a means of transportation, but access to independence and livelihood.

For more information visit: www.worldbicyclerelief.org.

Other World Bicycle Relief Board members include: Brian Benzer (Chair), Director of Corp. Development, SRAM Corp.; Stanley Day, Founder, President & Chairman, SRAM Corp; Michael Herr (Treasurer), Chief Financial Officer, SRAM Corp.; Johan Bruyneel, Sports Director/Trainer, responsible for nine Tour de France victories; Bob Perkowitz, serial entrepreneur, founder/president EcoAmerica, partner, Arqua Equity Partners, LLC, and managing partner, Viva Terra, LLC and ecoSalon, LLC.

SOURCE World Bicycle Relief

Web Site: http://www.worldbicyclerelief.org

What direction will cycling in Vancouver take in 2012?

My latest article for Granville Online:

“It started in July 2009. The creation of a separated, protected lane for cyclists on the Burrard Bridge turned out to be just the beginning of Vision Vancouver’s ambitious plan for increasing cycling in Vancouver. In 2010, the addition of separated lanes on Dunsmuir and Hornby Streets not only created more protected routes for cyclists, they also added fuel to the fire, in what became a fractious and heated debate over the allocation of road space in the city.

Now, with the Vision Vancouver-dominated council having created a separated lane system running through the downtown core, they’re claiming it’s time to step back and take stock of the situation before launching any new initiatives. In fact, no major changes to the existing network are expected to be introduced before the next civic election. But, what might we expect after voters go to the polls, if another cycling-friendly council is installed at City Hall? Three central figures in the debate say planning, education, and communication are as important as painted lanes and concrete barriers in building the bike lane ahead.”

Complete article at Granville Online – Beyond the Vision for a pedal-happy Vancouver

June 23, 2009 – City of Vancouver communications and neighbourhood transportation staff gave a special media briefing Tuesday, explaining some of the details and logistics surrounding the upcoming $1.4 million cycling lane reallocation trial on the Burrard Bridge.

Here are seven things about the upcoming trial cyclists and pedestrians should know. Feel free to post questions and I’ll do my best to answer them. If you’d like to know more, read the media briefing for more detail on the plans at this Vancouver Sun link, take a look at the city’s lane reallocation technical details web page, or keep it brief with this summary backgrounder. (All images below are from the City of Vancouver reports)

1. Monday, July 13 is the big day. Barriers, lane painting, and roadwork will be done the weekend previous. Expect the bridge to be ready for your morning commute unless bad weather the previous week delays roadwork. Banners reminding drivers of the change will go up on the bridge at the end of the month and a three week media blitz will commence.

2. A particularly nasty section of road where northbound cyclists currently leave the bridge and merge with eastbound traffic on the north side of the bridge should see some improvements — with the addition of a bike lane and bike boxes on the stretch between Burrard and Hornby making it easier for cyclists to use the Hornby Street bike lanes as a route into the downtown core. A slip lane will allow bikers to cross over the eastbound car lane and continue north on Burrard, but extreme caution will be the order of the day as this problematic intersection may yet retain some of its inherent dangers.

3. All pedestrians will be using the west sidewalk. Apparently, city data suggests two-thirds of walkers already use this side, perhaps because of the ocean view. The best place to get over to the east side of Burrard before you get to the bridge itself is at First Ave.

4. Cyclists will have the benefit of barriers on both their protected lanes. With the lack of pedestrians to act as deterrents to excess speed, it will be instructive to see if any new safety issues related to cyclists passing each other arise.

5. Bike lanes on Pacific and Burrard on the northwest side of the bridge should give cyclists a clear route onto their new protected lane of southbound road space on the bridge deck.

6. There was no commitment to an end date, meaning that an unsuccessful trial can be abandoned early, despite assurances from the City that a report will be prepared after three months.

7. Buses heading south on the bridge will see their bus lane extended past Pacific Boulevard, so that buses will have some measure of priority when getting onto the bridge. If transit experiences severe and prolonged congestion problems, engineers may implement special transit phasing of traffic lights at the intersection to keep buses moving.

 June 24th, 6pm – the Bike Doctor

137 West Broadway, Vancouver (across from MEC)

Join the Bike Doctor for an Indian travel adventure. Based near the state capital of Panjim, Ulrike rode, wrote and photographed her time on two wheels for six months. Learn how to: stay cool cycling in tropical heat, drink Indian tap water, bellow “Let’s Go!” in Hindi, use a Goan pig toilet, cycle-camp, Indian style.

Ulrike Bemvinda Rodrigues writes about culture, cycling, travel, and magic for magazines and websites. She’s solo-cycled in India, Thailand, Laos, Cuba, Mexico, New Zealand and North America. She’s considering writing a  book.

 www.ulrike.ca, www.girlgonegoa.wordpress.com

European Cities Aren’t Afraid of Commitment.

Momentum magazine hosted a sewing workshop for cyclists on Saturday, Nov. 8. On hand to teach participants how they can recycle old sweaters and dress slacks into stylish arm warmers and cycling knickers was Nan Eastep of B Spoke Tailor. Here’s some highlights of the fun, and an interview with Nan about her company and its products.

I’ve created a shopping checklist that one can use to estimate the cost to upgrade a current bike to an all-weather, year-round commuting machine, or compare costs to equip a new bike for the same purpose. Email me at info@chriskeam.com for a printer-friendly pdf version that you can take with you when bike shopping!

photo: Chris Keam

One of my favourite films is the Spencer Tracy classic Bad Day At Black Rock. It’s not about someone taking the brown acid at Burning Man. It’s set in a tiny town in the Arizona desert. In the opening scene, Tracy disembarks with just a suitcase, at a small train station in the middle of nowhere. Luckily for him, he isn’t going to Battle Mountain, Nevada and bringing a bike, a laptop, a couple of cameras, camping gear, clothes for two weeks on the road, extra water bottles, bike tools, etc, etc. Because if he was, he’d have to disembark at Reno. As will I. 168 miles from where I’m going, rather than the 50-ish miles I’d be riding if the nearby town of Winnemucca had a train station.

In planning my trip I sought advice from the Washington Bike Alliance. Mark Canizaro helped me figure out which bus I could take from Everett to downtown Seattle (Thanks Mark!)… but it was his offhand remark about boxing my bike for the Coast Starlight train trip from Seattle to Sacramento that sent me scrambling to the Amtrak website. In reserving my tickets, the agent told me airily I could put my bike on the train as “checked baggage”. I imagined the delightfully convenient experience of rolling my bike onto some special freight car, (a service they do offer on some trains) racking it, and marveling at the forward-thinking nature and 21st century-ishness of such an experience. Alas, it is not to be. I’ll be pulling off pedals, loosening handlebars, turning down bar-ends, and generally monkey-wrenching to get my machine box-ready for the trip. Which is a drag, but so it goes. The real hassle is the lack of train station at Winnemucca, which means if you want to get off there, all you can take with you is two pieces of carry-on luggage. Cue the extra hundred miles of riding. With what seems like a hundred pounds of bike and gear. Nevada is pretty flat right? How hard can self-propelled, online reporting from obscure places on the high plains of the continental U.S. be anyway? Let’s find out.