It's Got Lasers!

We get some pretty tricked out whips in the inbox here at the saltmine. I've seen it all from custom rims and 12-pack carriers to skulls and even a stuffed squirrel riding the bars. I thought I had seen a lot in my days but that was until this morning when something new popped into the Outlook. The mad professors at Altitude have created the absolute must-have flyest bike commuter accessory. "Light Lane", a laser that projects the image of a bike while you ride despite whether or not there actually is one. Think about that. Lights are great for visibility but they don't exactly give the motorist a boundary while they approach you. This little stroke of genius takes care of that by offering clearance on both sides. Cheers to Altitude on this one.

If you're not down with lasers (and if you aren't you might as well just stop reading my blog because you are no longer welcome) or you're just old school but still want to help fuel the modern urban transport revolution, you might want to team up with the peeps at Urban Repair Squad. Keep up the great work gents! We'll be in touch soon....

via the good people of Good.

Resolution Fulfilled!

"I found that if you have a goal, that you might not reach it. But if you don't have one, then you are never disappointed. And I gotta tell ya... it feels phenomenal."
- Vince Vaughn, Dodgeball

I don't make resolutions. Too easy to break and I already work out. But this year I felt that I could maybe make an easy one that would be good for not only myself, but for other people. This year, I promised that I would help more people. So when a question from one of our readers came through the inbox, I hopped at the opportunity to help them out. This would be me helping another person and since I didn't help anybody last year with anything, that would make this, "more people". 5 days! that's gotta be some kind of record.  Here's the query:  "Hi, Im riding my trek 820 4 miles 2-3 days per week and having difficulty with consistency/motivation. It is tough sticking with this routine.   Any ideas?"

Actually, I've got plenty of ideas! First, let's breakdown everything that's right with the question:
"I ride my Trek 820" - Good for you! The fact that you ride a Trek, means I will continue answering your question. The Trek 820 is a steel framed mountain bike, not a dedicated commuter but a tough-as-nails get 'er done machine. This is an excellent example of the fact that you don't have to necessarily go out and buy a whole new bike for commuting to work (though I certainly won't discourage that behavior).
"4 miles" - Did you know that almost 50% of all car trips in the US are under 2 miles? And that most Americans live within 5 miles of where they work? 4 miles is the sweet spot of distances. You probably can wear mostly work clothing at that distance. Unless you're one of those people who wears a freshly pressed suit. If that's the case than just stuff it into a backpack. If you can shower at work or a nearby gym, hang your suit next to the shower and turn the heat all the way up. It may scald you but your clothes will be freshly steamed. This actually is how I do all of my ironing.
"2-3 days a week" - That's awesome. If we all rode our bikes that much, think of the impact! 2-3 times a week is great. You say you're struggling with consistency but I say 3 times a week is pretty darn good. Hopefully the tips below will get you up to 4 times.

Now, on to your dilemma. You're having trouble with motivation and it's tough to stick with the riding. Let's break it down into three areas of improvement:

1. The Ride
A. While your trusty Trek 820 is indeed a noble workhorse, it's really designed to be a clydesdale rather than a thoroughbred. If you don't work in the woods and typically ride on pavement, the tires are probably performing at less than ideal efficiency.
 - Try the Bontrager H2 Hardcase 26" tire. It'll fit right onto your wheel it's built specifically to handle the various urban terrain that you'll encounter. It's even got a Kevlar belt so they're bullet-proof. NOTE: Bontrager tires are not bullet-proof. Do NOT shoot at your tires and If somebody is shooting at your tires, use the smoke-screen function.
B. You're probably  riding through a lot of grime and debris. This will make your chain and cassette dirty and slow. There are some bright and shiny kits you can purchase to clean these but i'm old school when it comes to chain maintenance. Grab an old tooth brush and some de-greaser from your local bike shop and give the cassette and chain a good once-over. After you've cleaned the chain, give it some lube. Don't forget to spin and switch gears so that the lube is evenly distributed. Come the spring, pop for a new chain. Your bike will thank you.
C. Bikes, like cars, need regular maintenance to keep running at peak performance. Drop the bike by your local shop over the weekend. The cleaning fee is nominal to what you save in gas and if you do it now, you'll beat the spring rush. When you're there, consider fenders and a rack. The rack will allow you to carry your stuff off of your back and the fenders will keep any grime off of you. New tires, fenders, and a rack will make your 820 feel like a whole new bike.

2. The Route
A. Riding to work is a lot like working out. If you get bored, you're less likely to do it. Keep the route fresh by taking a new way. During the weekend, map out a new route that takes you past some new sights. It'll break up the routine and may lead to some new discoveries. Google maps is perfect for this and if you care, there's a cause to get Google to add a "Go By Bike" feature.
B. Find the "long cut". Getting to work doesn't always mean you have to take the shortest way possible. If it's a nice day, leave a little earlier for the morning commute and sneak in a little exercise or meet up with some friends on the way home. Stop by the bar or cafe. The more you enjoy yourself, the more you'll ride. And think of how chic you'll look pulling up to the pub all eco-friendly and what not.
C. Work it out! If you have shower capabilities, use your commute as your work out. A pair of cycling shoes can increase the speed and those new tires we suggested will keep you moving fast. Don't wanna rock the lycra? Go for a cycling liner under whatever you want to wear. You'll be padded without anybody being the wiser. For a pair of versatile urban shoes check out the Bontrager Street Shoe.

3. The Reason
A. Green. According to 1 World 2 Wheels, by riding your bike 8 miles total (4 miles to work and back), 3 times a week, you will save 23.28 lbs of CO2, burn 1,128 calories, and save $5.28 in gas. If you do this every week of the year, you'll save 1,210.56 lbs of CO2, burn 58,656 calories, and save $274.56 in gas. What this all means is that you can eat one more Krispy Kreme donut this year without feeling guilty.
B. Money. Buried in that bailout plan that was passed so speedily through Washington is the Bicycle Commuters Act. People who ride bikes majority of the time to work will receive $20/month tax free! That, coupled with the cash you'll save on gas, oil changes, etc. adds up to a pretty sweet little honeypot. Ask your employer about how to take advantage.
C. Smugness. Why are bicycles so awesome? Because you get to make the guy driving the Prius look like an oil spill. You think the people hopping out of the Insight feel good about themselves? look at the guy who gets to park next to the front door. Now, that's smug.

Now, I know you have ideas of your own. Send em' in! We'll publish them and make a top-10 list when it comes time for the thaw.

Urban Legends

Last month's Interbike show featured the typical Vegas fare. Among the overpriced hotels, underpriced shrimp, and scantily clad girls handing out promotional materials were a couple of new side show attractions. One of the more fun events came from Momentum Magazine's Urban Legends show. The runway fashion/bike style show is the first of its kind in the states as Momentum has brought their Canadian model to their southern neighbors. Nice concept: Great music with some beautiful people and bikes. But it has some detractors. How can a machine with an intentionally low barrier of entry like a bicycle share the same spotlight as exclusively-priced fashion? Can anybody riding a recumbant really be "fashionable"? I won't taint the pool with my personal opinions as i believe this is a topic better left to discussion.

So here's the question for all you readers: What are your thoughts? Can bikes and high fashion share the same runway?

Peep This: Mellow Johnny's

Bike Race Winner, Author, Philanthropist, Bike Shop Proprietor. Lance’s commuter-focused bike shop, Mellow Johnny’s, held their grand opening this past weekend and yours truly was lucky enough to score an invite to the event. Landed in the ATX (Austin, TX) on Friday morning to the captain’s welcome of “Welcome to Austin, the temperature is a balmy 94 degrees and not a bit of it dry.” 94 degrees? That’s only 4 degrees from a Nick Lachey solo. To put the swing of temp into perspective, it was 50 when I got on the flight. I wasn’t even sure that my pomade would work at such a temperature. I later found out that 90 degrees was really the cut-off temp.
I dig A-Town. I know I’ve gushed before about the capital of the Lonestar Republic before but I have to reiterate that it’s a great spot. Great music, cool vibe, stellar nightlife, beautiful people, bike friendly, 94 in May.  You don’t even need a car. The pedicabs might as well race and the bike lanes are generous and widely used. Our hotel was across the street from where one of the more forgettable seasons of The Real World was filmed (pictured on the left) which I thought was kind of funny. My Trek comrades don’t catch the show but having watched it since the San Fran season, I’m a bit of a Real World sommelier. Best season? London; and if you have beef with that, bring it, I will destroy your argument. A couple culinary discoveries the Trek squad made this trip were The Elephant Room on Congress (between 3rd and 4th) which treated us to live jazz and perhaps the city’s best Old Fashioned.  Two floors up is home to Kyoto the sushi haunt where we refueled for the evening. The tempura was light and the wasabi cleared your sinuses. One of the more enjoyable meals I’ve had in all of Texas.
Back to bikes. The shop is located in a building that’s been in transition for years but has retained a lot of its original charm and materials. The natural fibers make for fabulous aesthetics and the wall candy ain’t too bad either. Hanging from the rafters are more than jus a few of the bikes that have sat under the greatest cyclist of all time but there’s some chi-chi custom jobs thrown in the mix as well. The winner of the North American Handmade Bike Show (wooden rims and grips) hangs above some open counter space along with a few custom-built choppers from a builder in SoCal.  At the end of the rows of bicycles is a full-on wall size mural done up by a famous graffiti artist. I have no idea what the painting is of or what it represents other than it’s really cool and makes me want to start freestyling. The bathrooms come complete with full showers that are open for commuters to use. The attached coffee shop, “Juan Pelota” serves up liquid offerings with a mix of sandwiches and salads. I’m told “Juan Pelota” is south-Texas spanish slang for “one testicle”, a play on words that was certainly not lost on the locals I talked to.
Lifestyle bikes dominate a lot of the floor space with a wide selection of brands and styles represented which is nice to see if you have a little something to do with marketing them.  There’s a great road and mountain bike selection but you can read the other blogs if you want to read about those. The shop’s apparel selection is crazy diverse with brands like Mash and RVCA getting some decent shelf space. When was the last time you went to buy jeans at a bike shop? Start thinking about it.
Overall, the grand opening was off the richter with celebs like Gary Fisher and Lance himself dropping by to shake hands and kiss babies.  Former Wallflowers guitarist and author of Mike and the Bike, Michael Ward, dropped in to read his book and sing songs with the younger attendees. All I could think was “I wonder if any of these kids has heard Bringing Down The Horse?”

Go By Bike Month

Trek is deeming May as Go By Bike Month. In conjunction with our 1 World 2 Wheels program, Trek is encouraging all those subjected to $4 gas, a worsening environment, and horrid commutes (that means you) to take your shorter trips in the month of May by bicycle.  That grocery store you drive to is probably less than 2 miles from your house. Go by bike. That coffee shop with the mochas that make each Saturday morning worth looking forward to is probably less than 2 miles from your house. Go by bike. The post office where you'll be sending your taxes in next week is probably less than 2 miles from your house. Go by bike. And fast, you've got 5 more days people.

Now, I'm not one to get preachy. My high horse took off with my soapbox a while back but I have to be honest with you. 2 miles on a bike is nothing. Seriously. You could be the most out of shape person you know (God knows I am) and you can still ride a bike 2 miles. Most people will tell you it's a solution for the planet and this and that but I'm telling you to get off your butt and ride your bike a little. Don't think of what you'll save. Americans, as a people, are not good savers.  Americans are good at getting. If you need proof of that please refer to the Revolutionary War, Manifest Destiny, Louisiana Purchase, and exorbitant credit card debt. So let's talk about what riding a bike will get you:

- A better day. Riding a bike will change your day for the better, I promise.
- Fit. Riding a bike actually burns calories at a higher rate than driving a car. And you're less likely to pull through the drive-thru.
- A better attitude. Riding a bike = exercise. Exercise increases endorphins. Endorphins improve mood.
- Away. Dogs barking, kids are screaming, phone's ringing, tv's blaring. I'll bet you can't hear it from two miles away.
- A new outlook. Riding a bike gives you time to think. It may even give you time to reconcile.
- A better world. Think of yourself as one more solution.
- A rightfully deserved bigger ego. Driving an SUV is easy. Going by bike is a commitment.

I understand there are obstacles. Traffic is sketchy, there's limited bike parking, and it may still be cold where you live. Here's how to combat those. Start small and plan ahead. Ride around the block to get the legs warm today. Tomorrow ride around the neighborhood. The day after tomorrow, ride a mile from your house and back. Work up to it. Start now. By May you'll feel comfortable with the 2 miles distance and may even venture further. Map a route before the trip to avoid scary traffic spots and wear bright clothing. It's spring after all. If it's still a bit frosty there are two key items you'll want. Windproof gloves and a scarf. I know it seems simple but those are the two things that'll keep you comfy.

Nobody's saying you have to throw your car keys in the garbage disposal. Just think twice when you pick them up. If Pavlov could make dogs salivate just by ringing a bell, surely the jingle of keys can trigger your thought process. How far are you going? do you really NEED the car? Can the few things you're picking up fit into a backpack, purse, or basket? If you ask yourself those three questions you might be surprised at the answers. If you're curious on what it takes, check out the tips on our 1 World 2 Wheels site or send me a comment. You can just call me Niccoret cause I'm here to help you kick the habit.

Changing The Google

Who doesn't love Google? Ask yourself what has enriched your electronic life greater than Google in the past couple of years? Whether you realize it or not, you probably interact with Google at least 10 times a day. Google is so awesome it became a verb. Ever Googled yourself? Try it. It's fun and totally not shameful. You can even tell your significant other you did it. Don't be afraid, you can't hide the Google under your mattress. You may be amazed with what you come up with. Thought you put that sophomore year homecoming photo with the semi weave/perm/jheri curl* away for good? Guess again, slick. 

Google Maps is potentially the only way I've found anything I was unclear of the location of over the past couple of years. It even works on Blackberry. Turn by turn navigation without the annoying British woman's nagging voice. I like to think of my Google Maps voice as a more pleasing bass like Barry White. You get there but you feel a little more sexy. If you get turned around just plug in your location and it'll give you new directions. I can credit Trek's entire Tour of California success to the fact that Google could find me no matter where I was.

One thing that Google Maps does not have is a feature on how to get from point A to B by bicycle. This addition would be HUGE for getting more people on their bikes if they knew how to get places safely. I'm guessing features would include avoiding major highways and intersections, finding close bike paths to use, and maybe a coffee shop or two on the way. There is a group attempting to get Google to add this as a Google Maps feature. GoogleMapsBikeThere.org has made it their mission to get the folks at Google to add the mapping feature. Check them out to get involved. You can sign an online petition that has more than 25,000 signatures. Think about it, bike directions anywhere in the world. That would be sweet.

*BLOG NOTE: I Googled the word "Jheri Curl" because I was unclear on how to spell it. I thought it would have started with a "G". Google knew how to spell it. What do you want, I'm a white kid from Wisconsin who was born after 1980.

**BLOG NOTE: The picture is an illustration of the Googlebot by Stuart Brown. It is not a depiction of how I feel about Google. It's just an awesome picture.

A Different Brand of Drama

Who would think that delivering documents on a bike would spawn a phenomenon as the bike messenger? One part world class athlete, one part fearless masochist, the messenger cult is one of pride and poetry where stripes are earned with scrapes and bail-outs. If you live in an area where messengers are utilized, you probably have a pre-conceived idea of how you feel about these people. If you do, better yet if you don't, take a few minutes and allow yourself to be moved.

Do me a favor, take 7 minutes out of your day and watch this video. The motion is amazing, it's a nice tour of the city, and the music will offer a few moments of zen.

Takin' It To The Hill

  If you could give the year 2007 a theme, what would it be? Better yet, if you could match the year with a color, what would that color be? It's not often that you can cover two bases with just one answer. Green was the thing this past year with incarnations such as the the ever stylish Anya Hindmarch's "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" bag to Al Gore scoring the Nobel Prize for driving a hybrid Lexus. Green was so it that the term "greenwashing" was reared as a term to coin for environmental posers who seem to be more in the mindset of spending green to say they're green than actually doing anything to be green. As cynical as the examination of the environmental movement can be it goes without saying that at least it's happening at all. Better for green to be trendy than spilling oil or clubbing baby seals or something like that. Hopefully the trend will continue to the new year as the environment stays on the forefront of the American political landscape. Whomever Iowa and New Hampshire decide to allow to fill my mailbox and invade my tv with endless ads until November will certainly beat the environmental drum and it will be interesting to see how it all shakes out. I just hope the flyers that will soon adorn my front door knob will be printed on recycled paper.

Making the world a cleaner place will take more than Oprah wearing your name in 08 buttons. One politico that is doing the right thing by setting the example is Trek-owner Congressman Earl Blumenauer of (where else?) Portland, OR. His bike of choice? The Trek Portland. The congressman was featured this week in the Wall Street Journal for his dedication to all things two-wheeled. The only congressional office not to apply for a parking permit, Mr. Bluemenauer gets to work as many of his constituents do and doesn't seem to mind the dreadful Washington weather. You gotta respect a man that rolls up at the White House with a messenger bag and tracks down Newt Gingrich in the House gym to lobby for transit-fare subsidies for House workers. The craziest part of the whole article was the bit about Gingrich in the gym. Who knew that Newt like to hit the iron?