The Times, They Have A-Changed

Mea Culpa

Like every other person on the face of this planet, I balance a "push me-pull you" act with my time. So while I have no end of things I'm interested in sharing on this blog, there is also no easy way to find the time to do it.

So I thank you in advance for your forbearance!

Citations: Can They Make the World a Better Place?

While there is probably something cathartic about leaving a note like this on someone's car, I wonder if it does any good? For the well-intentioned but oblivious driver, perhaps. Otherwise, I could see this potentially fanning the irrational flames of resentment. Anyway, this particular citation comes with the Bicycle Defense Kit. (In fact, it's the nicest thing IN the kit.)

Holiday Shopping for the Bicyclist on Your List

Forget bike gear, let's look at a good gift for the biblioholic biker. And I have just the lovely volume in mind: Crap Cycle Lanes: 50 Worst Cycle Lanes in Britain.

Available at Amazon U.K., it's derived from a Flickr set of photos that has been expanded to include crap cycle lanes worldwide. And you can get a nice preview of them here.

"Grandpa, how did they sell cars in the old days?"

"By role-modeling aggressive driving behavior... and with huge dollops of cheese! Now scram, before I run over your tricycle."

Bike Designers' Considered Insecurities

Call me a rube, but one thing that caught me by surprise at the Oregon Handmade Bike Show was this bit of security engineering from the Pereira bicycle: A built-in lock! (The key slot is on the other side of the stem.)

As I've had to wrap my Kryptonite lock with rubber bands to keep it from rattling, I did wonder about how much sound this generates while pedaling. Also, I suppose its paint could chip more readily than one might like.


Oh, and I also liked the Pereira's built-in, generator-powered rear light.





There were some other bikes present that included some of these features, like this saddle leash from PsCip. More later, but additional photos from the show are here.

Prepare Your Engines— Wait, There ARE No Engines.

It's Almost Time for the Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show

As we're just two days off from the Handmade Bike Show, I thought I'd whet your appetite with a few more bikes from last week's Oregon Manifest event in Portland.

An oenophilic pannier from Signal Cycles'
design-award winner caught my eye.

Along the lines of toting a load, I was a little surprised to find that Joe Bike had an electric assist on this small cargo bike. Though I don't have one on my Bakfiets, I can't deny there have been times where I would have like one (hello, Alameda Ridge with three kids onboard).

And I did take my first test drive of an electric bike ever, courtesy of the folks over at the Kalkhoff booth. They'll be selling their electric-assist German bikes in a Pearl location soon. As to the bike, the "assist" that the motor provides is remarkably discreet. The Kalkhoff weighs in the neighborhood of 50 pounds, and so getting things moving from a dead stop is when the motor's silent assist is most welcome.

Of course, I don't see ANY electrical assist on Metrofiets legendary Hopworks Beer Bike, so perhaps this topic is unmanly. (I'd love to try taking this for a spin with just my power and two full kegs... as an academic exercise, mind you.)

Bike Alert: Beware of Candy Corn Traffic Cones

From over here.

Goats Dig Fixed Gears

Responding to the goat bike posting, Michael Mechthold-Jin points out that bikes and goats are a natural combination.