The Cycling Dude

Bike Commuting and Walking: Survey Finds Folks Make Excuses Not To

Researchers with Kansas State University's Physical Activity and Public Health Laboratory, have discovered a few things from two surveys, administered in 2008, which interviewed 1200 people (800 of them from the college), looking at demographics, psychosocial factors and environmental characteristics related to active commuting.

Of the college folks:

Students were most likely to actively commute, then faculty members, and then staff. Women and men were equally interested in walking or biking. Older individuals were less likely to actively commute than younger individuals.

Depending on distance to campus, those living within a 20-minute walk actively commuted four times per week, and those within a 20-minute bike ride, biked to campus five times per week.

Researchers found that certain things influenced people's choices to actively commute:

"We learned from the community survey results that people who hold ecologically-friendly attitudes are more likely to actively commute and less likely to drive to work,"...

Some of the hindrances to active commuting, according to the surveys, included a perceived lack of bike racks, showers or a place to freshen up before work or teaching, and an "office culture" where driving to work is the norm and there is limited support for walking or biking.

Respondents also listed time constraints, weather, a need to go elsewhere before or after work or school; parking availability; parking costs; concerns about the environment, such as pollution; cost of gasoline; safety from traffic and crime; and the terrain they have to traverse.

This is a very interesting article, and the full thing can be read at SCIENCE BLOG.

Maybe it's just me, a guy that has never owned a car in his life, and walked, biked, bused, trained, or planed, everywhere he goes, except when with family or friends who have a car, but the more someone unsure they want to ditch the car thinks about reasons they shouldn't, the harder it might be for them to take the plunge.

Of Pickles and Bicycles

I just felt silly, this morning.

I haven't blogged much of late, hell, I haven't rode my bike in a couple of months, and so I Googled "Pickle Bicycle"

It's fascinating what even what you might think would be the silliest of searches on Google will turn up. ;-D

On the blog Digital Lemonade, there is a cute little poem that mentions the two. ;-D

Jaime writes on her blog about the search to replace the bikes of her kids after they were stolen, in a piece she calls...I Don't Want A Pickle..I Just Want To Ride On My Bicycle.

The writer of Fixbert, "a blog about track bikes, fixed gear bicycles, comics, illustration, random acts of awesomeness!",  has a confession to make...

My Name is Sally. I Drink Pickle Juice for leg cramps. ;-D

Then there is video of Pickles, the Parrot on a Bike! ;-D

Oh, and one more thing!

There's even a song you can sing!

Brian Kinder and his Pickle Bicycle Song! ;-D

National Journal Reports on Influence Pedaling at Dem Convention

On Sunday the influential political magazine/website National Journal had a lengthy advance report on the goings on in denver this week.

The best part of the report, for bicyclists anyway, was buried halfway into the piece, by reporter Randy Barrett:

Can't find a taxi? No worries. The convention host committee and Humana have partnered with Bikes Belong, a nonprofit bicycling-advocacy group, to bring 1,000 bikes to Denver this week.

At no cost, delegates, locals, and other convention-goers can check out a bicycle at one of seven bike kiosks in and around the downtown area starting on Monday. Helmets and water will also be available.

Anyone who registers online at freewheelinwaytogo.com  or at one of the kiosks can pick up a bike beginning at 7 a.m., and return it to a station by 10 p.m. the same day. The stations are easily identifiable by their blue tents with the letter "F" for "freewheelin" on top.

The largest supply of bikes (275) is on 14th Street, between Wynkoop and Wewatta, just off the Pepsi Center site near the Invesco Field light-rail station. Another station is at the Denver Art Museum, and one is across the street from the convention center, where many delegation events will take place.

Anyone really, truly, interested in the REST of the report can find it here. ;-D

Melancholy not Compatable with Bicycling

Thoughts Colored With Words of Wisdom is a website whose writer is a man with a lot to share:

Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances. you just have to live life to the fullest...

Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back.

A recent post touched on the subject of bicycling by sharing some familiar, and not so familiar, past quotes on cycling:

Get a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live.

The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets.

The bicycle is a curious vehicle. Its passenger is its engine.

When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.

The hardest part of raising a child is teaching them to ride bicycles.

Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride.

The rest of the list is here. ;-D

A Hearty Thanks to Carnival of the Vanities

Over the years I've submitted posts for acceptance in the Granddaddy of all Blog Carnivals, the Carnival of the Vanities, and its various hosts have thus helped get the word out to the wider Blogosphere about our Niche.

It had been a while since my last submission, so I figured that my 5th Anniversary post would be a good place to make a return. ;-D

I wish to thank Andrew Ian Dodge, of Dodgeblogium, the current Keeper of the Flame, for including me in a recent Carnival.

This Carnival inspired the creation of my own Tour De Bicycling Blogs.

The 11th Tour will be up this coming week. ;-D

From City Bike to Lowrider in Nothing Flat

It's called the SwitchBike.

The bicycle can be used in two different settings: 1) as the "Old Faithful" city bike, 2) as a lowrider. Switching from one setting to the other is done by turning the left handle on the steering wheel.

Created by Ron de Jong, this baby is a fascinating two-fer that would appear to make a good commuter bike, as well as a class 1 trail ride, here in Orange County, on our river and mountain to sea trails.

According to Fresh Creation Blog, the creator is still looking for a company to put this baby into production.

Hat tip to Randy Eady for the heads up! ;-D

Signs that Some Folks Should Get out and Bicycle

PC World announces its 100 Favorite Blogs

.... and no, I ain't one of them. ;-D

Here are our favorite stops in the blogosphere, covering everything from high tech to low comedy and all manner of pursuits in between.

Ah, well, such is life. ;-D

Just more proof that the wider Blogosphere has yet to discover our little Niche in the Community, hee, hee. ;-D

PedalPub Roars onto American Streets

.... At 5 mph. ( Get a load of this baby in action! ) ;-D

The ever popular pub crawl has evolved for the 21st Century, and this Cylist, and fitness-minded,  friendly activity has made it's way to Minnesota.

I learned of this from James Lileks, in his Blog in the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you one of the greatest manifestations of Dutch technology to hit our shores: the Pedal Pub. The owners are petitioning the city to let them drive this thing around the lakes, which would be fun. Unless you’re behind them.

Born in The Netherlands the concept has now come to America, and seems to be getting a lot of attention, and popularity.

Check out the Brochure, the FAQ Page, and more, here.

A Tip of the Hat to the prolific James Lileks! ;-D

For much more Lileks go to his more well known Blogs: The Bleat, and The Screed.

Photograph of a Cyclist Receiving CPR

This is about a man receiving CPR after crashing his bicycle into a rocky outcropping while descending Brasstown Bald Mt. in Georgia, last month.

About the Photographer.

Vivid, and amazing.

Blogosphere Covers Bicycling 6: A Quick Look Around

On January 5th, 2003, a Blog was born with a BANG.

It was created by a then little known Mainstream Blogger who had been sharing his opinions for less than a year, and who was a lifelong cyclist.

He only knew of 1 other person plying the trade of BikeBlogging, and that person had begun his blog the previous month.

The Cycling Dude was born that month, and has been pedaling his way into peoples lives ever since.

The Cycling Dudenization Of America, and the world, had begun! ;-D

A New Era in online writing for this niche was born, and the affect on my life has been profound.

From sharing my bike ride adventures, to new BikeBloggers joining the ranks because of me, to debates with politicians, activists, and regular cyclists, on the opposite end of the political spectrum from me ( Hint: I'm a former Liberal who became the Conservative he was always meant to be. ), the contents of which have made for some the best posts I've done, to an Instalanche, and the current, um, Quickie ( Hee, hee! ), and the heads up on news, events, sites, and stories from readers, and those in the industry, this ordinary cyclist ( There are several BikeBloggers with more knowledge, time, and resources, than I doing wonderful work. ) has done my best to share my love of Bicycling.

I want to celebrate the 4th Birthday of The Cycling Dude by re-invigorating a Series I began more than a year ago.

Only 4 times last year did I Blog about Mainstream Bloggers Blogging about Bicycling, and I regret the lapse. :-(

In 2005 I had begun a Series that I called BLOGOSPHERE COVERS BICYCLING.

The idea?

This series is dedicated to a singular quest:

How many bloggers in the Blogrolls of my OTHER blog, Sneakeasy's Joint, and the non-cycling Blog Bloggerverse in general, have written about the Bike, Bicycle, Bicycles, Bicycling, Bicyclists, Bikes, Cycling, and/or Cyclists on their sites, and in what context?

Why not report on any stories I find?

The last entry in the Series was in November, and all entries in this Series, and other similar postings, are in the similarly named Archives, found here.

Something has occurred that served to remind me of this project and is the reason for a return to it in 2007.

Yesterday Bill Quick, the Daily Pundit, celebrated the creation of a word that personifies how, in infinite diversity, truly Great Minds do not all think alike, and benefit the world by this contrariness.

The word is BLOGOSPHERE.

Now you know who to thank when you use that word. ;-D

I left a comment, and this led Bill to use his deductive skills to connect the dots, of authorship, between 2 Blogs. ;-D

As you will see that discovery made my day, and led to his 1st Cycling related post since September! ;-D

As for me, I had not noticed that he had a Cycling Archive, and that's where this post comes in. ;-D

So let's start Pedaling!

I've added Bill's Archive to the Blogroll not only because he is a fellow California Blogger, and someone whose work I've Blogged on my other Blog, and greatly respect, but because he's a fellow cyclist who I hope will continue his occasional BikeBlogging.

What Bill has done is just give me incentive to find a way to someday make my wish to visit San Francisco, especially for some bike riding, come true.

To readers of Daily Pundit, especially those who are fellow cyclists, I welcome you to The Cycling Dude, and encourage you to read, and comment on, 4 years of BikeBlogging ( It's all in the Archives! ), make use of the resources in the sidebar ( Unmatched in the Blogosphere! ), and let me know of events and stories, and websites related to cycling ( My e-mail is in the sidebar, and there is a special INVITE further on in this post. )

Oh, and spread the word! The word is BICYCLING! ;-D

Now let me introduce MY readers to Bill:

1. Sept. 12th, 2005:

Kayakers, hikers, mountain bikers and anyone who stays out in the elements might like the waterproof (not just “weatherproof”) Pentax OptioWP.

A Truly Waterproof Digital Camera

2. Nov. 11th, 2005:

Another cyclist discovers the fun in dragging a Camera long on the ride. ;-D

I’m spending a lot more time on my bike these days, so I decided to haul a camera along and take shots whenever I see something I like, or that is especially “San Francisco.” Some of these pics will seem fairly touristy, and some won’t.

Great Photos! ;-D

Another Something for the Weekend.

3. Nov. 20th, 2005:

Here are pics from my bike ride today.

More Great Photos! ;-D

The desciptions, this time around, are more lengthy. ;-D

4. Feb. 9th, 2006:

Okay, turns out my itch for a new bike was easy to scratch. I just grabbed a late-70s to mid-80s Raleigh out of my local Goodwill in very good condition - some chips and nicks, but that beauty golden head badge still gleams like it was 18kt. Total cost? $25.00.

Check out the cool photos. ;-D

Retro-Grouchiana.

5. Feb. 19th, 2006:

A Weekend Biking Thread is inaugurated with cool photos of a new purchase, and his current Commuter Bike. ;-D

I started a weekend cooking thread because I like cooking. I like biking, too, so we may as well have a weekend biking thread....

Okay, the thread is now officially open. You got anything you want to post about biking? If so, feel free. Your bike(s), rides, memories, thoughts, whatever.

I think this was the best idea he has had since inventing the word Blogosphere, if you ask me! ;-D

Weekend Bike Blather. ( Some interesting Comments. )

Just to remind everyone I've had an open invite, since the beginning of this Blog, in January 2003, to folks who want to share something Bicycling related in a post on The Cycling Dude.

Few, sadly, have taken me up on it so far.

The link to all you need to know has always been in a prominent spot in the sidebar.

AN INVITATION - Looking for news tips, story ideas, and the rare contributor appearance.

The Archives for all such posts, and related items, is called Voices from the Open Road.

6. March 4th, 2006:

Finally another reader gets into the spirit, and sends some nice pics that Bill inserts in a Comment.

Rob sends us some primo bike porn.

7. April 1st, 2006:

Sharing the interesting thoughts on cycling of the blogger Cold Fury.

The last of the officially titled "Weekend Bike Blather"posts seemed to have stopped in mid-May.

While reader comments were always plentiful the original purpose of the series never got off the ground.

8. August 1st, 2006:

What happens when Judges don't understand Bicycles.

Yesterday at the Multnomah County Courthouse the law came down against fixed gear bicycles.

On June 1, 2006 Portland bike messenger Ayla Holland was given a ticket for allegedly violating Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 815.280(2)(a) which states,

“A bicycle must be equipped with a brake that enables the operator to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level, clean pavement. strong enough to skid tire.”

A big thanks to Bill for bringing this story, by my fellow BikeBlogger, at Bike Portland, to the attention of the non-Bicycling Blogosphere. ( Check out the discussion in the comments at both Blogs, especially at Bike Portland. )

Another Fixe-Gear Cyclist, ticketed by the same cop, WON his case in Court several months later ( The Judge was an avid Cyclist! )!

Please read follow-up posts linked in bottom of both Bike Portland pieces for more on these, and related, stories, through the FAll.