Category — biking

CNN reports about a man in the UK who has developed an inexpensive, fully recyclable cardboard bike. They can withstand rains and parts are easily replaceable, which makes it a great choice for people who are looking for a good bike for commuting and aren’t interested in a lot of expensive bike gear. And according to the creator, there is less chance of the bike being stolen because it’s so cheap. No word on if or when these will hit mass market, but I will be keeping my eyes opened.

The Teva Mountain Games were held this past weekend in Vail, Colorado. I have been a big fan of Teva sandals ever since my first pair, and I especially love the company’s community activities. Sadly, I did not get to attend the Games, but luckily there was plenty of blogging to keep me up-to-date on the action. It’s one of my goals to get to the Teva Mountain Games in the next few years because it seems like a really great gathering of cool people who are all into the same thing: enjoying the great outdoors, having some fun and getting some exercise. Maybe if I step up my training now, I’ll actually be able to participate in some of the events. They have cycling, trail running, climbing, kayaking, bouldering and even fly fishing, so there are activities to appeal to every personality. They have events for dogs too, but I am pretty sure Big Old Dog is more content to be a spectator.

Here are some more links about the Teva Mountain Games:

• Active.com: 2008 Teva Mountain Games
• IFSC Bouldering World Cup Coming to the 2008 Teva Mountain Games

We are planning to head out of town on a little bike trip this weekend in spite of the ridiculous gas prices, and I am really looking forward to the trip. My new bike seat is working out great, and my brakes and lower bracket were just replaced so I am feeling adventurous and ready to investigate some trails a little further from home.

I found a really cool site called Bikely that has great information and bike route maps, but I think PIC has a route in mind he wants to try. PIC also told me that he’s going to teach me to change my own bicycle tires in case of a flat. I wonder if that means I will also have to start carrying my own bicycle pump. Oh well, at least I will be learning a new skill!

Looks like this holiday weekend will be filled with lots of local activities. I think that maybe we’ll do some bouldering at Stoney Point, but I can’t see traveling much further than that at these ridiculous gas prices. At least the rising gas prices will help put a curb on some traffic though - that’s one way to help the environment!

Thankfully we have access to a lot of great biking opportunities here in Santa Monica, like Sullivan Canyon and the bike path on the beach. I cannot help singing the Three’s Company theme song whenever we are on the bike path, but luckily Partner-in-Climb claims not to find this behavior too embarrassing. However, we tend not to ride the bike path too often, and maybe that it part of the reason. The other part of the reason may be all the people who disregard the “Bicycles Only” signs and use the path as a sidewalk, creating a dangerous situation for bikers and walkers, but who can say.

It is also a bonus that it is drizzling right now and it’s supposed to be much cooler this weekend than it was last weekend. I was sweating buckets by the end of our ride last Saturday! I also rapidly depleted the water in two bottles, so now I am thinking it’s officially time for a CamelBak. Luckily, my Memorial Day holiday starts early and I can make a trip to Helen’s or Performance this afternoon to pick one up.

I am hoping it stays damp and hazy through tomorrow, because this is my favorite kind of weather to ride in. The trails don’t get really muddy and soft, but there is a nice cool mist and it adds a sense of adventure to even really familiar trails. Riding up the Westridge-Canyon Back fire road without sight of the usually expansive vistas somehow transforms the experience and makes it more focused. You can’t see the road ahead or behind, you have no way to gauge how far you have gone or have to go, and so you are really forced to be in the moment and commit to just accepting what lies ahead as it comes. It makes it really fun to come upon a slight downhill and cruise down it when you aren’t expecting any temporary relief at the moment. It’s like a great surprise. Sigh. Too bad I can’t hit the trail right now!

Only 5 hours til the weekend! Happy Memorial Day!

Tomorrow, May 16th is National Bike-to-Work Day! Save the environment, gas and your money while getting great exercise by riding your bike to work. Check out bike to work week info from:

• Bike to Work Week 2008
• League of American Bicyclists
• California Bike Commute

Don’t forget your bicycle helmet, and bring a bike light if you will be riding after dark.

I have said before that I am not that into “girlie bikes”, but my bike is starting to get girlie in a different way. It started with the Rock Shox Judy fork and now I am getting a Terry saddle…my bike is turning into a regular sorority!

The cool thing about the Terry Butterfly Carbon women’s saddle it is lightweight and reportedly one of Terry’s most comfortable bike seats. I love the design, which is much sleeker than many of the gel saddles I’ve been looking at. I am so exited about my new seat and can’t wait to get out on the trail!

Here’s a great way to plan your next hike: Google Earth! Lifehacker recently posted about the Trimble Outdoor Trips layer-feature on Google Earth that makes it easy for hikers, backpackers, and bikers to preview an upcoming route.

My favorite feature: if your cell phone has GPS tracking, you can have coordinates sent to your location with just a click.

There was a really bad bike accident at Sullivan Canyon this weekend. We apparently arrived just moments after it happened, because emergency vehicles blew past us while we were getting on our bikes. We briefly talked to one rider who said he was asked to call 911 because a biker was down and that fall was so bad that his helmet had been cracked. We rode down a little to see what was going on, and met an off-duty Mountain Bike Unit rider (MBU) who told us that they were clearing the area for the helicopter. He mentioned a few more accident details, and it didn’t sound good at all. I really, really hope that rider is OK. An on-duty MBU soon came down the trail to set up a barricade to prevent hikers and bikers from approaching the accident site. We didn’t stick around too long after that.

I mentioned in an earlier post that Sullivan Canyon can be a dangerous place, but I want to reiterate. By all means have fun, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be cautious. Don’t over-estimate your ability, or under-estimate the terrain. This accident happened only around a mile from the lower entrance to the canyon, but the emergency vehicles were stuck about 150 yards away from the accident due to the rugged trail.

Here’s some information on building a great bike first aid kits and bike safety in general:

• Utah Mountain Biking has DIY first aid kit instructions, plus a great first aid index of injuries
• Bicycle Touring 101 includes homeopathic remedies
• Bike Safety Tips from WebMD
• 10 Ways NOT to Get Hit by Cars from BicycleSafe.com

We made plans to definitely take a long bike ride this weekend, we just haven’t decided where to go. However, I have decided that I really, REALLY want to get some panniers for this and subsequent long bike trips. I found this great pannier comparison site, but unfortunately, it hasn’t been updated since 2003. The General Recommendations seem like they would still hold true for the brands, though.

My only concern is that I heard that panniers make bikes heavier and less responsive, and that trailers are a better option for long journeys. The panniers vs. trailer debate is a big one in the bike community, and I guess it ultimately comes down to personal choice. I like the look of panniers much more than trailers, so that is making a decision even tougher.

While perusing local stores and online reviews in my quest for new bike brakes and a padded bike seat, I discovered another must-have bike accessory: the Garmin Edge 705. It combines the best features of bike training computers with Garmin GPS navigation, so you can explore new terrain freely, confident you are getting the workout you want–and that you’ll find your way back home. It’s on the Men’s Health Lust List and got a write up on Engadget a couple of months ago. I have been reading a lot of positive reviews about the integrated personal training system and the wireless route sharing capabilities. I LOVE the fact that it comes with a wireless heart rate monitor; it is such a cool feature. Can’t wait to take one for a spin, but for now it will go on my wish list.