A few days ago, a very close friend of mine was pulled over on the side of the road during San Jose Bike Party, changing a flat tire. He was minding his own business, wasn't obstructing traffic, and hadn't been riding recklessly - in fact, if there was a poster child for safe cycling, he would be it. At one point a car drove by and he was hit in the face by what he thought was a substantially sized rock that had been kicked out by the car's tires. He went to ER, and they scheduled him for an X-ray and possible reconstructive surgery.
It turns out, my friend - someone who I care deeply about - was shot. He was hit in the orbital socket with a lead bullet from an air rifle, with the only motivation seemingly being that he was on a bike and the motorist was unhappy with cyclists. Thankfully he's alive and in one piece, and didn't lose his eye, but the idea that someone would do such a thing to another human being is so strange and sad to me.
Whether you're a cyclist or a motorist, and whether one or the other occasionally inconveniences you for whatever reason, we are all people. Be it someone's son or someone's daughter, someone's husband or wife, someone's father or mother - the ten seconds you might be delayed is not worth the potential cost of someone's life.
And if you truly feel that someone is inconveniencing you to the point where you should cause them physical harm, perhaps you should take a good, long look at your life.
Showing posts with label rant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rant. Show all posts
20160324
20150113
On Loving Two Wheels...And Four
I meant to write this back in August, so considering it's now January I'm going to go with better late than never. But why August?
Well, I bought a car in August.
When I had decided to do so, I had been driving my sister's Mazda 3 (recommended) while she was living abroad, and prior to that I had my grandma's old Hyundai Accent (not recommended) that she had graciously given to me when I was in high school and she decided that she didn't want to drive anymore. I've got some great stories about that car that all end with "don't buy a 2002 Hyudai Accent."
Though I don't drive much at all, as my family is in a too close to fly yet too obnoxious to take the train zone, and I don't have a cargo bike (yet), it's nice to have something to haul heavy things to and from the shop when I need to. So when my sister announced she was coming home, I had to finally bite the bullet and do it.
Most of my non-cycling friends were surprised that I would consider buying a car because I bike everywhere, but they were all pretty cool about it. Though a few were confused that I was still biking in after I bought the car.
The most interesting thing was the divide among my cycling friends. When I mentioned that I was going to be buying a car, half of them were excited, and I mean really excited. This group asked about models, years, specs, offered to take me to test drive, gave advice, sent me pictures of really beautiful vehicles, and were overall supportive and excited for me. Most importantly, they each gave their input on how well the cars I were considering could transport bikes, while still being reliable and fun to drive.
The other half of the cyclist group looked at me like I had just told them I'd given up cycling forever and had burned all of my bikes. And theirs were next.
This group of people seemed to take it personally. No one was really mean about it, per se, but there were a few that were genuinely trying to discourage me. A lot of people that fell into this group didn't seem to think it was possible to really love bikes if you also had a car, or drove a car, or even loved your car. To them, they felt like I was going to be losing a little of the part of myself that loved bikes if I went through with this whole car buying thing. All of this was told to me while I *did* have a car at the time...so that was interesting.
Which brings me here. If you bike everywhere, that's awesome. If you bike a lot but drive sometimes, that's awesome too. If you have to drive during the week and put in your miles during weekend rides, you're still awesome.
Come on, even Volkswagen teamed up with People for Bikes to make this shirt!
I've always hated the bikes versus cars argument, and really tried to stay out of it. But after this whole thing, I'll come out and say it. I like both, and why shouldn't I be allowed to? How does that make me any less of a cyclist? Why can't we all just get along?
Personally, I have a huge appreciation for both cars and bicycles - the engineering, the design, the many different models created for different applications, etc. You can admire a beautiful car or bike or respect the engineering that went into it. You can love a Sunday ride through the hills, or a Sunday drive down Highway 1. There's an art to driving just as there's an art to riding, and both bikes and cars have a fascinating history.
Plus, with the advances in technology that are making electric cars better, or developing self driving cars that are able to detect bicyclists faster than a human driver can, we're definitely headed in the right direction. And lets not forget that hating cars gets us nowhere - if you want respect on the road, no matter what vehicle you're in, you have to be respectful of others on the road...no matter what vehicle they're in.
So, I bought a car in August. And I love the hell out of it.
Do I ride any less? Nope. Do I enjoy driving more? Definitely! I get an entirely different sort of joy zipping around in this awesome little GTI that I love no more or less than I do zipping around on my bike.
And, I lovingly named it Merckx.
Anyway, this is a blog about bikes and will always be, so I'm not going to suddenly switch over to writing about cars or anything crazy like that. But that doesn't mean that I won't keep appreciating them. Enjoy the drive, and enjoy the ride!
Well, I bought a car in August.
When I had decided to do so, I had been driving my sister's Mazda 3 (recommended) while she was living abroad, and prior to that I had my grandma's old Hyundai Accent (not recommended) that she had graciously given to me when I was in high school and she decided that she didn't want to drive anymore. I've got some great stories about that car that all end with "don't buy a 2002 Hyudai Accent."
Though I don't drive much at all, as my family is in a too close to fly yet too obnoxious to take the train zone, and I don't have a cargo bike (yet), it's nice to have something to haul heavy things to and from the shop when I need to. So when my sister announced she was coming home, I had to finally bite the bullet and do it.
Most of my non-cycling friends were surprised that I would consider buying a car because I bike everywhere, but they were all pretty cool about it. Though a few were confused that I was still biking in after I bought the car.
The most interesting thing was the divide among my cycling friends. When I mentioned that I was going to be buying a car, half of them were excited, and I mean really excited. This group asked about models, years, specs, offered to take me to test drive, gave advice, sent me pictures of really beautiful vehicles, and were overall supportive and excited for me. Most importantly, they each gave their input on how well the cars I were considering could transport bikes, while still being reliable and fun to drive.
The other half of the cyclist group looked at me like I had just told them I'd given up cycling forever and had burned all of my bikes. And theirs were next.
This group of people seemed to take it personally. No one was really mean about it, per se, but there were a few that were genuinely trying to discourage me. A lot of people that fell into this group didn't seem to think it was possible to really love bikes if you also had a car, or drove a car, or even loved your car. To them, they felt like I was going to be losing a little of the part of myself that loved bikes if I went through with this whole car buying thing. All of this was told to me while I *did* have a car at the time...so that was interesting.
Which brings me here. If you bike everywhere, that's awesome. If you bike a lot but drive sometimes, that's awesome too. If you have to drive during the week and put in your miles during weekend rides, you're still awesome.
Come on, even Volkswagen teamed up with People for Bikes to make this shirt!
 |
| GTI + Bike = <3 - available here! |
Personally, I have a huge appreciation for both cars and bicycles - the engineering, the design, the many different models created for different applications, etc. You can admire a beautiful car or bike or respect the engineering that went into it. You can love a Sunday ride through the hills, or a Sunday drive down Highway 1. There's an art to driving just as there's an art to riding, and both bikes and cars have a fascinating history.
Plus, with the advances in technology that are making electric cars better, or developing self driving cars that are able to detect bicyclists faster than a human driver can, we're definitely headed in the right direction. And lets not forget that hating cars gets us nowhere - if you want respect on the road, no matter what vehicle you're in, you have to be respectful of others on the road...no matter what vehicle they're in.
So, I bought a car in August. And I love the hell out of it.
 |
| The only thing missing...a roof rack. |
And, I lovingly named it Merckx.
Anyway, this is a blog about bikes and will always be, so I'm not going to suddenly switch over to writing about cars or anything crazy like that. But that doesn't mean that I won't keep appreciating them. Enjoy the drive, and enjoy the ride!
20130905
"I've got the black lung, pop"
I haven't ridden my bike for two days.
My lungs have the maintenance level of a small dog - something that people carry in purses and that yaps a lot and breaks if you breathe on it. Cigarette smoke renders me useless in about thirty seconds flat, and once I walked into a hookah bar and then turned around and walked right back out so that I wouldn't die.
With wildfires still raging and the air quality pretty crappy where I happened to be staying last weekend, I developed a gnarly, phlegmy, quite attractive sounding smokers' cough over the weekend after leaving the window open all night and, well, breathing. Sometime during my ride in to work on Tuesday morning when I was wheezing and feeling like I was inhaling Jello, I figured that I needed to maybe take it easy until I wasn't keeping myself up all night with my newly acquired black lung disease.
The point of all this is that it's amazing how much of a drastically better day I have when I ride, and how it really turns me into (more of) a terrible person when I don't. I could have the exact same scenario day to day, and whether or not I ride determines how I concentrate and do good work or feel like crawling into a little ball under my desk sometime after lunch. Riding to work improves my attitude, my concentration, the way I approach tasks, and makes me not feel tired throughout the day. Even a little ride just from the train station makes a huge difference - and granted, I absolutely love my job, but it is very mentally taxing, so whatever it is that riding does to make my mind clearer, I'll take it!
Do you find riding improves your day and changes your attitude? Or that not riding makes you a grump?
If only my lungs had the strength of my stomach, as I've apparently been eating recalled yogurt for the past few weeks with no ill effects. I thought it was a bit tangy...
My lungs have the maintenance level of a small dog - something that people carry in purses and that yaps a lot and breaks if you breathe on it. Cigarette smoke renders me useless in about thirty seconds flat, and once I walked into a hookah bar and then turned around and walked right back out so that I wouldn't die.
With wildfires still raging and the air quality pretty crappy where I happened to be staying last weekend, I developed a gnarly, phlegmy, quite attractive sounding smokers' cough over the weekend after leaving the window open all night and, well, breathing. Sometime during my ride in to work on Tuesday morning when I was wheezing and feeling like I was inhaling Jello, I figured that I needed to maybe take it easy until I wasn't keeping myself up all night with my newly acquired black lung disease.
The point of all this is that it's amazing how much of a drastically better day I have when I ride, and how it really turns me into (more of) a terrible person when I don't. I could have the exact same scenario day to day, and whether or not I ride determines how I concentrate and do good work or feel like crawling into a little ball under my desk sometime after lunch. Riding to work improves my attitude, my concentration, the way I approach tasks, and makes me not feel tired throughout the day. Even a little ride just from the train station makes a huge difference - and granted, I absolutely love my job, but it is very mentally taxing, so whatever it is that riding does to make my mind clearer, I'll take it!
Do you find riding improves your day and changes your attitude? Or that not riding makes you a grump?
If only my lungs had the strength of my stomach, as I've apparently been eating recalled yogurt for the past few weeks with no ill effects. I thought it was a bit tangy...
20130620
On Infrastructure
I have a love/hate relationship with bike lanes.
I'm not at all saying no to bike lanes or similar infrastructure - I certainly welcome more of it - but I do wish that it came with a bit more education for both cyclist and vehicle. A few well placed signs or additions to driver's ED would go a long way, and more classes, billboards, and TV spots (though probably out of the question) would be ideal.
It was when I found myself behind a Honda Fit with a homemade "STUDENT DRIVER" sign pasted in the back window (Times New Roman, probably size 20 font) on my way home Tuesday I realized I should probably be a bit more careful than usual. Rush hour traffic in downtown with a new driver is generally not a good combination, and of course this point was driven home when Student Driver decided to right hook me.
I was in the bike lane with a green light, and the Honda Fit was right next to me. When I was just next to the car (and probably in an unfortunate blind spot) Student Driver turned on the blinker and started to turn across the bike lane into me. Fortunately I was being cautious - I stopped, shouted a combination of "hey/whoa man," and lightly knocked on the window to let them know I was there. Student Driver stopped, and then inched forward straightening out before proceeding to make a right turn across the bike lane, while managing to cut someone off and get honked at. Despite the fact I had right of way, I wasn't going to challenge or harass a student driver, so I let them go with a wave. I have a feeling I freaked them out enough as it is with my window knock and slurred shout.
Mostly though, I wanted to know what the law states regarding these situations, so when I got home I did some research.
- It is not technically illegal to turn across another lane, but like merging the lane must be clear before turning.
- The truly legal (and safest) thing to do is have the car signal ahead, merge into the bike lane before the turn, and then turn. The cyclist, in turn, is supposed to take the lane and pass them on the left.
So technically speaking, we were both in the wrong. Since I was going straight and Student Driver hadn't previously merged into the bike lane to turn, I did have the right of way. However, when I saw the turn signal, I should have taken the initiative to pass on the left...a bit difficult though, since I was already on the right.
Many cyclists I know scream at the idea of a car entering the bike lane, and many motorists seem to not like the idea of entering "the forbidden lane" (okay, well, some motorists), so this is where my love/hate relationship comes to a point.
I love bike infrastructure, but in situations like this I feel like lack of education is a huge issue. It's been proven that having adequate bike lanes and cycle paths is a leading factor in getting people out to ride, and improvements to this sort of infrastructure also help build better and more accessible communities. I know there are plenty of cyclists who are all for being straight vehicular cyclists, but that comes with experience...and you have to ride first.
Regarding the aforementioned lack of education, how often have you seen someone going the wrong way, thinking it's okay just because "they're in the bike lane?" Or the people who do unsafe speeds on MUPs and will give you a piece of their mind if you ask them to be careful? And then there are vehicles like the one I encountered where the driver doesn't know how to behave around bike lanes, either turn across them or treating them as a regular lane. Or the motorists who assume that cyclists will always run signs so they stop when the have the right of way and hold up traffic - I know they're trying to be nice, but it doesn't help. Yes, cars, cyclists, pedestrians, etc., all have these faults, but what I'm trying to say here is that often people use this infrastructure without really knowing how. I've been riding daily for years and try to keep up with the laws pretty well, but even in situations like mine I wasn't entirely sure who in the right.
When a new bike lane, box, or path is installed it's generally assumed people will automatically know what to do. Fortunately, some cities are taking initiative to help out a bit. Portland, specifically, has a sign installed to prevent right hooks.
Even something like this would help out, I'm sure.
 |
| I wonder if we'll get any of these in the near future. Photo from here. |
And Oakland is doing something about the Salmon.
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| I'm tempted to order a couple thousand and install them myself. Photo from here. |
There's also the not so subtle approach.
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| Photo from here! |
And in no way am I knocking Honda Fits. They're good cars.
20130610
On Caltrain Tags
I had some things come up this weekend, so I wasn't able to grab any photos. Instead, here's a PSA on Caltrain tags.
Watching people on the train, you'd think that organizing bicycles was something along the lines of rocket science. Apparently, "group all bicycles going to X" is a difficult concept for some people to grasp, and it's made even harder by the staggering number of bikes that lack Caltrain bike tags.
If you're a regular on the train, you know (or should know) that all bikes have to be tagged with their destinations so that they can be grouped together. Though the grouping system that Caltrain uses is pretty terrible to begin with, when all of the bikes have tags it makes it just a little easier to navigate the madness.
All said and done, it makes life a whole lot easier to have a train tag. For the few people that I've met who have used the excuse that Caltrain is either out of tags or the standard tags "are too ugly," here are a few ideas that you can use to give your bike a tag and make everyone happy.
Expert Mode: This guy decided to go all out and make not only a tag but a top tube protector as well. It's big, it's visible, and it keeps his bike safe from the insanity of Caltrain. Definitely the coolest type of tag I've seen.
Classy: If sewing usually results in you getting needles in various body parts, this might be more for you. In fact, this person will even print them for you and basically make the entire tag! I like these because they stand out and add a bit of personality to your bike, but without needing to be permanently attached or too over the top. Plus, it's easy to change your location if you need to!
Permanent: Lots of people use labels on their top tubes, usually made of vinyl, to show their destination. These are nice because they're permanent (meaning they can't be stolen), weatherproof, and also inexpensive. Occasionally people overlook it, but more often than not I get people asking about it. Places like Vinyl Disorder sell these for about $2 each, and you can do almost any color and font.
Tried and True: The regular tags work well enough, and people often take an old luggage tag and make their own. The only issue is they can be stolen and are not weather proof so touch them up every once in a while.
If nothing else, a post it note, a piece of tape, or lined paper wrapped around your top tube will all do the trick and let people know where you're going. And really, if you're too lazy to wrap some paper with your destination scrawled across it in ball point pen across your top tube, you might want to step back and reevaluate your life.
Watching people on the train, you'd think that organizing bicycles was something along the lines of rocket science. Apparently, "group all bicycles going to X" is a difficult concept for some people to grasp, and it's made even harder by the staggering number of bikes that lack Caltrain bike tags.
 |
| A standard tag looks like this - simple and effective. Image from here. |
 |
| From here. |
Expert Mode: This guy decided to go all out and make not only a tag but a top tube protector as well. It's big, it's visible, and it keeps his bike safe from the insanity of Caltrain. Definitely the coolest type of tag I've seen.
 |
| Super clever! Image from here! |
 |
| Image from here! |
 |
| I have mine on either side of my top tube. |
 |
| I don't think I know that transfer point. Image from here. |
20130604
Things From This Week
Just a couple random tidbits and cool things for today.
After a momentary setback involving the scale being about one tenth of what it should be, it seems that Shapeways has successfully sent these guys for printing. There was a lot of initial swearing when I got an e-mail saying my items were unprintable, but once I fixed the units and had the caps be more than 3mm wide, things were good to go. Really excited to see how they turn out. Even more excited that now the size is right I can get them in cool colors.
Strangely enough, I also received a letter from San Mateo County today, and was pretty psyched to find out they had sent me a $40 REI Gift Card as part of their commute.org incentive in which you pledged to take alternate transportation to work at least three days a week during April and May, and then you go online and fill out a survey telling them that you did. I figured I would be entered in a drawing of some sort, but apparently everyone who did the survey got one (and were then all entered into a drawing for a free iPad or something). How easy is that - ride to work, get money for REI stuff (or Clipper Card/some other commuter thing, I think).
Today the unthinkable happened and my dream wheelset for my YFBS Bike showed up on Chainlove. Meaning that now I have everything for that bike with the exception of the drivetrain, the pedals, and a few other small bits and pieces like tires and one more bottle cage.
Ridership on Caltrain is increasing quite a bit, and if you find yourself being a victim of getting bumped, please, please report it here! Caltrain does look at these reports, and they tend to switch out cars (if they can) if cyclists are repeatedly getting left behind. And if you don't have a tag already - for the love of whatever you feel is holy, tag your damn bike. If you can't get a free tag from the conductor, make one. At the very least, sit near your bike and tell other people where it's going. And if you leave your untagged bike to be surrounded by bikes heading to a different destination and then you have to dig your bike out and inconvenience everyone, you really have no right to be angry.
Photos of the headset on the YFBS bike coming this weekend!
After a momentary setback involving the scale being about one tenth of what it should be, it seems that Shapeways has successfully sent these guys for printing. There was a lot of initial swearing when I got an e-mail saying my items were unprintable, but once I fixed the units and had the caps be more than 3mm wide, things were good to go. Really excited to see how they turn out. Even more excited that now the size is right I can get them in cool colors.
Strangely enough, I also received a letter from San Mateo County today, and was pretty psyched to find out they had sent me a $40 REI Gift Card as part of their commute.org incentive in which you pledged to take alternate transportation to work at least three days a week during April and May, and then you go online and fill out a survey telling them that you did. I figured I would be entered in a drawing of some sort, but apparently everyone who did the survey got one (and were then all entered into a drawing for a free iPad or something). How easy is that - ride to work, get money for REI stuff (or Clipper Card/some other commuter thing, I think).
Today the unthinkable happened and my dream wheelset for my YFBS Bike showed up on Chainlove. Meaning that now I have everything for that bike with the exception of the drivetrain, the pedals, and a few other small bits and pieces like tires and one more bottle cage.
Ridership on Caltrain is increasing quite a bit, and if you find yourself being a victim of getting bumped, please, please report it here! Caltrain does look at these reports, and they tend to switch out cars (if they can) if cyclists are repeatedly getting left behind. And if you don't have a tag already - for the love of whatever you feel is holy, tag your damn bike. If you can't get a free tag from the conductor, make one. At the very least, sit near your bike and tell other people where it's going. And if you leave your untagged bike to be surrounded by bikes heading to a different destination and then you have to dig your bike out and inconvenience everyone, you really have no right to be angry.
Photos of the headset on the YFBS bike coming this weekend!
20130316
A peek at the 'drome, and another sexism rant about pants and stuff
I haven't seen all of the velodrome photos that were taken, but here's at least a preview of what I hope is a good batch.
If you're near the Bay Area, go.
If you're near the Bay Area, go.
20130110
On Sexism and Jeans: A Rant
UPDATE: REI's Novara line now offers a full section of commuter clothing for women! Including jeans. Props to Novara for stepping up and being the first line to offer a whole set of equal options for both men and women!
It was during a a rigorous Tuesday laundry session that I noticed my jeans are getting to a state much like that of tissue paper, mostly in the area that sees the most contact with my saddle. My rule with jeans is that if I can see through them, it's time for a new pair, and I'd heard some buzz from various other blogs about cycling jeans made by various companies, so I decided to spend a little time digging up reviews.
There's definitely a group of people who think cycling jeans are stupid and unnecessary, and while I do somewhat agree and think any clothing is good for riding, there are three little words that get me to sway the other direction: seamless, reinforced crotch. Seamless.
Plus, the little add-ons: reflection, stretchiness, and knee room, amongst others, had me intrigued. Jeans are expensive, and if I'm going to be spending an arm and a leg anyway, why not opt for something more beneficial to me than just pants?
So in my research, I found two things:
- (Most) Cycling jeans are actually pretty freaking awesome
and
- Nobody makes them for women
Reiterating on that:
NOBODY MAKES CYCLING JEANS FOR WOMEN.
Now, I would venture to say that a few years ago there wasn't quite as much of a market for women's cycling jeans - not that the market was by any means non-existent, it just hadn't exploded like is has in recent years. And still it is male dominated, but not nearly as much as it used to be - come to SF, we've got plenty of lady riders out here.
That aside, the fact is that nearly half of the ridership I see these days is female, and many of them (myself often included) ride in street clothes. There are a few companies that make cycling knickers for women, and as nice as that is, it sure as hell ain't optimal for the low thirties we've been getting here in the mornings, not to mention winter in general. But I guess there's some sort of predisposition that everyone at these companies thinks women who do ride only ride in cute skirts or sundresses or similar bullshit (nothing against skirts or dresses - you get my point), and, well, not jeans.
"But," I've been asked, as I tend to complain about this to everyone who will listen, "why not just get a pair of the men's style?" And as much as I would like to be able to, seeing as I've been told the Rapha Jeans are life-changing and bring you eternal happiness, I have an ass. And hips. Which equates to a combination that doesn't work with men's clothing - believe me, I've tried.
The closest equivalent I've found are Hincapie Athletic Jeans, which at least get a shout out for having a women's line, but aren't cycling jeans per se. I've been told there are small companies that do make them for women, but I haven't been able to find anything.
The point here though is less about jeans, and more about the blatant sexism in assuming only men rides bikes.
And I am not alone in my rage.
I did write to Levi's, and they did say they would pass their message onto their marketing department, which I'd like to be optimistic about. I am also planning to write to Rapha, Muxu, SWRVE, and a few others. A few other bloggers have also inquired, some who received the response that there wasn't enough of a market.
Maybe there isn't enough of a market because the market is so damn sexist. Maybe.
I would really like to hope that Levi's claim that they were just "testing the market" is true, but this advert seems so blatantly geared towards men (not even anyone riding with a girlfriend? Come on!) that I don't know.
I could go on, but it's all been said, and I've probably been beating a dead horse for the past three paragraphs anyway.
So this weekend when I go out to replace my disintegrating jeans, it looks like I won't be getting to replace them with the same style my male friends have been able to.
My dreams of a seamless crotch seem to far away.
It was during a a rigorous Tuesday laundry session that I noticed my jeans are getting to a state much like that of tissue paper, mostly in the area that sees the most contact with my saddle. My rule with jeans is that if I can see through them, it's time for a new pair, and I'd heard some buzz from various other blogs about cycling jeans made by various companies, so I decided to spend a little time digging up reviews.
There's definitely a group of people who think cycling jeans are stupid and unnecessary, and while I do somewhat agree and think any clothing is good for riding, there are three little words that get me to sway the other direction: seamless, reinforced crotch. Seamless.
Plus, the little add-ons: reflection, stretchiness, and knee room, amongst others, had me intrigued. Jeans are expensive, and if I'm going to be spending an arm and a leg anyway, why not opt for something more beneficial to me than just pants?
So in my research, I found two things:
- (Most) Cycling jeans are actually pretty freaking awesome
and
- Nobody makes them for women
Reiterating on that:
NOBODY MAKES CYCLING JEANS FOR WOMEN.
Now, I would venture to say that a few years ago there wasn't quite as much of a market for women's cycling jeans - not that the market was by any means non-existent, it just hadn't exploded like is has in recent years. And still it is male dominated, but not nearly as much as it used to be - come to SF, we've got plenty of lady riders out here.
That aside, the fact is that nearly half of the ridership I see these days is female, and many of them (myself often included) ride in street clothes. There are a few companies that make cycling knickers for women, and as nice as that is, it sure as hell ain't optimal for the low thirties we've been getting here in the mornings, not to mention winter in general. But I guess there's some sort of predisposition that everyone at these companies thinks women who do ride only ride in cute skirts or sundresses or similar bullshit (nothing against skirts or dresses - you get my point), and, well, not jeans.
"But," I've been asked, as I tend to complain about this to everyone who will listen, "why not just get a pair of the men's style?" And as much as I would like to be able to, seeing as I've been told the Rapha Jeans are life-changing and bring you eternal happiness, I have an ass. And hips. Which equates to a combination that doesn't work with men's clothing - believe me, I've tried.
The closest equivalent I've found are Hincapie Athletic Jeans, which at least get a shout out for having a women's line, but aren't cycling jeans per se. I've been told there are small companies that do make them for women, but I haven't been able to find anything.
The point here though is less about jeans, and more about the blatant sexism in assuming only men rides bikes.
And I am not alone in my rage.
I did write to Levi's, and they did say they would pass their message onto their marketing department, which I'd like to be optimistic about. I am also planning to write to Rapha, Muxu, SWRVE, and a few others. A few other bloggers have also inquired, some who received the response that there wasn't enough of a market.
Maybe there isn't enough of a market because the market is so damn sexist. Maybe.
I would really like to hope that Levi's claim that they were just "testing the market" is true, but this advert seems so blatantly geared towards men (not even anyone riding with a girlfriend? Come on!) that I don't know.
I could go on, but it's all been said, and I've probably been beating a dead horse for the past three paragraphs anyway.
So this weekend when I go out to replace my disintegrating jeans, it looks like I won't be getting to replace them with the same style my male friends have been able to.
My dreams of a seamless crotch seem to far away.
20121218
On Disappointment
Waking up to a flat tire is one of my biggest let downs. It's along the same lines of waking up thinking it's Friday when it's really Tuesday, or biting into a warm chocolate chocolate chip cookie only to realize you used salt instead of sugar, or having a shower interrupted by a power outage.
You get up, planning the day in your head, looking forward to a brisk ride to wake you up on the way to work. You pull on your warm gear to brave the chilly wintry morning, stashing an extra layer or two into the messenger bag, checking the weather to know for sure. You plan your evening errands, making sure you have enough room for that last Christmas present you'll be picking up on the way home, and then pulling your gloves on you check your tire pressure only to be shot through the heart.
Then you'll get grumpy because you won't have been able to ride in today.
You get up, planning the day in your head, looking forward to a brisk ride to wake you up on the way to work. You pull on your warm gear to brave the chilly wintry morning, stashing an extra layer or two into the messenger bag, checking the weather to know for sure. You plan your evening errands, making sure you have enough room for that last Christmas present you'll be picking up on the way home, and then pulling your gloves on you check your tire pressure only to be shot through the heart.
Then you'll get grumpy because you won't have been able to ride in today.
20121206
On Accessorizing
There comes a time, usually once, maybe twice a year, where I find myself going to a place or an event that people describe as "nice," "formal," or "classy." It's a rare occurrence, and not to say that I don't enjoy it, but it does require me to shed my usual attire of grease stained (chain print, of course) jeans and wear something deemed a bit more socially acceptable. Such as not this shirt (NSFW language there). Long story short, I'm going to a "nice" Christmas party, and I need to look pretty.
Since this party is pretty soon (read: two days) I wouldn't be able to do what I usually do in these situations and order something from Terry, who at the very least has nice clothing with a bicycle theme. And since it's also almost winter and cold outside, I needed to go out and find something that would keep me warm enough to not get cranky. Which is how I found myself wandering around Target last night.
This is about bikes, I swear.
Since this party is pretty soon (read: two days) I wouldn't be able to do what I usually do in these situations and order something from Terry, who at the very least has nice clothing with a bicycle theme. And since it's also almost winter and cold outside, I needed to go out and find something that would keep me warm enough to not get cranky. Which is how I found myself wandering around Target last night.
This is about bikes, I swear.
20121128
On Fenders
Everyone has that one part that they dread installing. Some people just hate changing flat, while others just have a terrible time with headsets. Then there are the people that are genuinely, vehemently afraid of deraileurs, occasionally to the point where they won't even bother.
For me, it's fenders.
For me, it's fenders.
20121107
On Trains
For those of you who know what Caltrain is, or those of you who take it, you can skip this part. But since most of the world is not based in the bay area, California, Caltrain is one of our train commuting systems. It runs up and down the Peninsula from Gilroy to San Francisco, and lots of people (more than ever, it seems) are commuting on it. It's public transportation, and you see all sorts - cyclists, drunk Giants fans, businesspeople, etc.
Caltrain has bike cars, which are probably the most terribly designed bicycle cars anyone could have conceived in the entire world. The system is: label your bike, group bikes going to same destination together with bungie cords, and cry as your bike is getting the shit scratched out of it. I watched in horror as a guy practically threw his beat up mountain bike against mine, then sort of grind it in place while my soul died a little. I don't bring my carbon bike on Caltrain anymore.
When I was living in the bay a few years back, I never had problems getting on or off the bike car. Even during peak rider season, cars were never this full. Things have changed since those days.
Caltrain has bike cars, which are probably the most terribly designed bicycle cars anyone could have conceived in the entire world. The system is: label your bike, group bikes going to same destination together with bungie cords, and cry as your bike is getting the shit scratched out of it. I watched in horror as a guy practically threw his beat up mountain bike against mine, then sort of grind it in place while my soul died a little. I don't bring my carbon bike on Caltrain anymore.
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| This. Seriously guys...this. |
20121029
On Competition
I didn't really learn to ride a bike until I was around thirteen. There was an awful experience when I was little involving my seat coming off of my beloved training-wheel-adorned-sparkly-streamered-training-bike that left me a bit too freaked out to try riding again until I was ten or so. Then, with utter determination, I climbed on a bike, sans training wheels, and proceeded to crash into my neighbor's garage and bounce off into his car. He was none too pleased.
Somewhere along the way I figured it out, and started riding one of those super high quality K-Mark mountain bikes to school on nice days. This was a huge accomplishment for me - biking two miles EACH WAY made me feel super cool.
The first time I rode a road bike was when I was nineteen. And I was hooked. Suddenly, I understood why people went out and did this for fun - road bikes were nimble, and fast, and not at all like slowly biking through molasses. I fell in love, and the rest is history.
Somewhere along the way I figured it out, and started riding one of those super high quality K-Mark mountain bikes to school on nice days. This was a huge accomplishment for me - biking two miles EACH WAY made me feel super cool.
The first time I rode a road bike was when I was nineteen. And I was hooked. Suddenly, I understood why people went out and did this for fun - road bikes were nimble, and fast, and not at all like slowly biking through molasses. I fell in love, and the rest is history.
20120316
More Anger Regarding the Spring Street Bike Lanes
I guess this is still a big issue.
Filmmakers are against the Spring Street bike lanes because they can no longer use Spring Street as "Anytown, USA" - sorry, but why can't Anytown have bike lanes again? Is it taboo to show infrastructure as promoting human safety? Also, the cost and difficulty of editing out these troublesome green lanes is not nearly as bad as it's being made out to be. And hey, since studios are outsourcing all the VFX work anyway, I think they should have to pay the extra that it costs to film in LA and have all compositing done offshore. Or maybe they're just upset that they lost all of their parking, something that the residents of Spring Street seem to have no problem with. By all accounts I've heard, people prefer the cyclists to film trucks.
Also - motorists are "baffled" that they can't drive in the bike lanes? Are you f***ing kidding me? When has it ever been legal to drive or park in any bike lane? Not that it's enforced here anyway, so I don't see what the real problem is, but I am so sorry that you're baffled about the bike lanes.
If these lanes get removed, you can bet there will be a fair amount of Angelenos up in arms about it. It would be a sorry excuse to sacrifice safety in lieu of shooting some film.
On the bright side though, BikingInLA featured an awesome Trade-Your-Car-For-A-Bike program that the Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery is doing. I'm tempted...
Filmmakers are against the Spring Street bike lanes because they can no longer use Spring Street as "Anytown, USA" - sorry, but why can't Anytown have bike lanes again? Is it taboo to show infrastructure as promoting human safety? Also, the cost and difficulty of editing out these troublesome green lanes is not nearly as bad as it's being made out to be. And hey, since studios are outsourcing all the VFX work anyway, I think they should have to pay the extra that it costs to film in LA and have all compositing done offshore. Or maybe they're just upset that they lost all of their parking, something that the residents of Spring Street seem to have no problem with. By all accounts I've heard, people prefer the cyclists to film trucks.
Also - motorists are "baffled" that they can't drive in the bike lanes? Are you f***ing kidding me? When has it ever been legal to drive or park in any bike lane? Not that it's enforced here anyway, so I don't see what the real problem is, but I am so sorry that you're baffled about the bike lanes.
If these lanes get removed, you can bet there will be a fair amount of Angelenos up in arms about it. It would be a sorry excuse to sacrifice safety in lieu of shooting some film.
On the bright side though, BikingInLA featured an awesome Trade-Your-Car-For-A-Bike program that the Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery is doing. I'm tempted...
20120314
On Rules
On the mornings when I hate myself for having to drive to work, there is a cluster of four way intersections that become complete and total chaos on weekdays, due to school, small children, dogs, strollers, and incompetent drivers. Those hellish seconds spent near those intersections trying to figure out if the small child on the BMX bike is going to make a mad dash for it across the street while the driver who has the right of way is far too busy putting on makeup to pay attention to the road are usually one of the worst parts of the days I drive.
Today was especially spectacular though. Today, while at hellintersection with eight other cars and families trying to cross, a fully kitted out roadie blew through the stop sign, almost hitting a child who was crossing as well as almost getting hit by two cars himself. Obscenities were shouted, roadie ignored everyone and blew the light at the next intersection to continue on his merry way.
Now, I'm already bitter because I had to drive today, but this has put me completely over the edge.
There are those of us out there who are advocating for cyclists' rights, who peacefully try to explain to other drivers why it's okay to take the lane, who obey all traffic rules in hopes that it will make motorists respect us more. And then there are people like this ass-wagon who blows a sign thinking he's better than everyone else, making everyone who sees him lose respect for all bicyclists in one fell swoop.
On the rare times I manage to be able to talk to a cyclist that does this, it seems like my words fall on deaf ears. I've tried passing them and blatantly stopping at all signs and lights in front of them, only to pass them again, but that too just seems to piss them off. And this is only when I'm on a bike - when I'm driving, forget it. They don't want to hear it. And it doesn't matter if it's a roadie or some kid who doesn't know any better.
What does it take to make people care? To make people stop and listen? I hear cyclists cry foul at police who target stop sign runners, saying there are more dangerous motorists out there who deserve the tickets more than they do. Perhaps this is true, but I for one am sick and tired of playing by the rules and slowly gaining respect only to have one douchebag ruin it for everyone. Like the time I was hit because I'm fairly certain the motorist was taking it out on me in lieu of another cyclist that cut him off and was running all the signs.
Granted, it's never going to be perfect, but I'm sick of the stop sign runners, salmoners and light blowers crying for bicycle rights when they're doing nothing to help the situation.
If we want rights, we have to play by the rules.
Today was especially spectacular though. Today, while at hellintersection with eight other cars and families trying to cross, a fully kitted out roadie blew through the stop sign, almost hitting a child who was crossing as well as almost getting hit by two cars himself. Obscenities were shouted, roadie ignored everyone and blew the light at the next intersection to continue on his merry way.
Now, I'm already bitter because I had to drive today, but this has put me completely over the edge.
There are those of us out there who are advocating for cyclists' rights, who peacefully try to explain to other drivers why it's okay to take the lane, who obey all traffic rules in hopes that it will make motorists respect us more. And then there are people like this ass-wagon who blows a sign thinking he's better than everyone else, making everyone who sees him lose respect for all bicyclists in one fell swoop.
On the rare times I manage to be able to talk to a cyclist that does this, it seems like my words fall on deaf ears. I've tried passing them and blatantly stopping at all signs and lights in front of them, only to pass them again, but that too just seems to piss them off. And this is only when I'm on a bike - when I'm driving, forget it. They don't want to hear it. And it doesn't matter if it's a roadie or some kid who doesn't know any better.
What does it take to make people care? To make people stop and listen? I hear cyclists cry foul at police who target stop sign runners, saying there are more dangerous motorists out there who deserve the tickets more than they do. Perhaps this is true, but I for one am sick and tired of playing by the rules and slowly gaining respect only to have one douchebag ruin it for everyone. Like the time I was hit because I'm fairly certain the motorist was taking it out on me in lieu of another cyclist that cut him off and was running all the signs.
Granted, it's never going to be perfect, but I'm sick of the stop sign runners, salmoners and light blowers crying for bicycle rights when they're doing nothing to help the situation.
If we want rights, we have to play by the rules.
20120307
Thanks Consumer Reports
20120306
On Bollards
I was out on a ride this weekend with my eventual goal being to acquire groceries, but mainly just because it was a lovely weekend here and I wanted to get out, enjoy the weather, and just ride. And that part was nice, the just riding bit. Then I got to the part where I remembered that I needed to support my food addiction, and I knew there was a Trader Joes nearby. Supposedly, there was also an "exit" off The Strand towards TJs. Awesome, fantastic, etc. What I didn't know was that said exit had something like a fifteen percent grade. I'll get to that later. Fifteen percent grade exit dropped me off on a street that led straight to a nice little plaza with flowers and lots of places to sit and a Jamba Juice and an ice cream shop and and a coffee shop the aforementioned Trader Joes...
But not one. Single. Bike rack.
None. Nada.
Okay, first of all: you've got this wonderful bike path that goes along the ocean that is packed every weekend with people riding. And that's awesome, I love to see that. Then, you've got this close little plaza with places to stop and get a snack, or ice cream, or whatever floats your boat. Cool. But not only does it suddenly become daunting for the average weekend rider to get off the path to get here due to that crazy fifteen percent grade - something that, I dunno, most beach cruisers can't handle - but if the entire family does manage to hike their bikes up that ridiculously steep hill, they have nowhere to safely put their bikes when they want to stop and get the kids ice cream.
I sat outside watching the bikes whilst my cycling cohort went in and got groceries. I had really wanted some frozen yogurt, but my only real option was one of these:
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| The saddest part was the few bikes in the plaza were "locked" to these. |
So I remained next to my bike, sitting in this lovely area (that was sadly quite empty for such a beautiful Saturday evening), and getting pissed that I had no way to go get ice cream. Though I did watch as people stopped by this area with bikes, looked around in confusion, then defeat, then either slowly road away or decided "screw it, I'll lock it to a bollard." And then they did. I also saw a man walk out of Trader Joes, take a look at one of these "locked" bikes, look around, notice me, then sulk off. Wow.
Really, it wasn't like there was no room for bike parking. First of all, there were at least 24 of those stupid bollards that the city could swap out for these:
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| Image via Kay Park Recreation |
Bam, problem solved.
Also, did I mention that this plaza was empty? Even though the beach with all of these people was right next to this place?
Here's my solution. Swap out the bollards for bike-lockable bollards, at least. Better yet, swap some, and put in some legitimate bike racks. Then, put a sign on The Strand next to that crazy steep exit advertising to people that their beloved decaf mocha tea latte whatever drink is only mere steps away! Once people know they have access to it and have a nice place to put their bikes, more people will come. Portland has proved the benefits of this. And hey, once people start noticing it, perhaps the issue of super steep exit can be addressed so that less experienced riders don't have to hike their bikes. There is plenty of room for a much more gradual exit which would not only make getting off the Strand easier, but also re-entering a lot safer.
Perhaps in the great scheme of things for Redondo Beach, this isn't that big of an issue. But I still plan to write to the city about it. Look at Hermosa Beach - tons of bike parking and the Strand basically goes through the downtown area, and that place is booming. Perhaps you can learn from this, Redondo?
2012 Distance Count: 344.4 Miles | 554.3 Kilometers
20120302
No NAHBS for me
Sometime during the period where I was a starving and sleepless art student in college, some sort of metamorphoses occurred unbeknownst to me that made getting plane tickets a nightmarish excursion. Before when I traveled, going online and getting tickets wasn't so bad, nor too expensive, usually. Now that I am no longer a starving student and have the desire to go places, it's turned into the worst video game I've ever played. My point here is, after scouring the internet, countless bargain sites, and even trying to change my miles, I could not for the life of me find a ticket back home for anything less than $360...before taxes.
Now, don't get me wrong - NAHBS seems like a cool thing that would be a great experience, but I would like to have a little money left to actually potentially spend at NAHBS itself. Also, it would be nice to eat this weekend.
So sadly, I won't be attending NAHBS as I previously thought I might. Instead, I will sit at home drinking coffee probably spiked with something and fuming while I scroll through various blog posts of the lucky people who do get to fly to Sacramento and see all of the beautiful bikes that will be on display.
Oh well. At least I'll get to work on my previously mentioned Nishiki Ultimate.
Go ride your bike this weekend.
2012 Distance Count: 337 Miles | 542.4 Kilometers
20120229
Car, Unfortunately
Due to circumstances beyond my control, coupled with the fact that I tend to put the health of my friends a bit higher than bicycling on my list of what is important in life, I've yet to be able to bike to work this week. To put it bluntly, it sucks, but it makes me appreciate my bike much, much more. It also makes me hate everyone else driving much, much more.
I experience a slight bit of stress when I ride on streets, mainly stemming from the fact that LA drivers enjoy telling me to go procreate with myself, informing me that I am making them at least five seconds late to Starbucks, and suggesting I change my mode of transportation to a horse. Most days though, my ride is awesome, and I tend to run into some decent human beings who make my day a bit brighter and help restore what tiny sliver of faith I have left in humanity.
They say that commuting by car is quite stressful, and I can attest to this. Between constantly having to worry about idiots not signalling, trying to cut me off, and treating the speed limit like it should be the number posted multiplied by two, I get to work a bit frazzled, cursing at the fact I wasn't able to ride on such a beautiful day.
You're not clever for speeding up in the turn lane and then merging over at the last second. You're an asswagon if you think that expensive car puts you above using blinkers. Your children are perfectly capable of walking a mile to school; you do not need to drive them in your massive SUV on a daily basis. The time it takes me to get to work by car is cut in half when school isn't in session, mostly because of the lack of soccer mom SUVs chauffeuring at most one child and three small dogs to school.
When the light turns green, I don't enjoy waiting ten seconds for the cars that are running the other red lights to finish going through the intersection.
How do people deal with this every day? I can't remember how I was able to cope with driving on a daily basis, which is something I used to do. That part of my life is shrouded in utter unhappiness, brought on by lack of bicycle.
Anyway, some good news!
LA will be getting 832 miles of bikeways in the future! Granted, mostly it seems like they will be Class III style, meaning not dedicated lanes or trails, but signage informing motorists they yes, yes we can legally ride in the lane. Even still, this is good news, and will hopefully encourage more people to ride, which I am always okay with.
Here's to hoping I will be riding to work tomorrow. At this rate, I might actually have to put gas in my car soon...like some sort of animal or something.
...maybe I'll sneak out for a late night Leap Day ride later.
...maybe I'll sneak out for a late night Leap Day ride later.
2012 Distance Count: 337 Miles | 542.4 Kilometers
20120223
On Attitudes
People seem to have a predetermined perception about road cyclists: mostly, that we're pretentious dicks. Roadies run signs. Roadies look down on motorists. Roadies look down on any other type of cyclists. Roadies aren't polite, etc. etc.
I used to always defend my fellow roadies - I'd insist that they're just riding defensively, and trying to focus on the ride and their speed. Perhaps they ride professionally, and as it's their job, of course they're going to take it seriously!
Once I started being serious about commuting though, I realized something. Commuters will talk to you. Say hi, ask how your ride was, wish you a good day. Most people out on a casual ride will do this, and even the roadie commuters I meet (I'm one of them!) are kind and courteous when out on a ride to work. I meet the coolest people this way!
The roadies though? The roadies will only glance at you to judge you by your bike.
And you know what? I know exactly why. You get into this strange perception on a fast road bike, something that you don't get riding a fun single speed or a casual commuter. It becomes about speed, about beating the guy in front of you, about being the fastest. When I ride my geared steel commuter to work, I often see roadies out training for a race, and almost instantly I feel like I have to beat them. I have to show them up. And granted, I've passed my fair share of kitted out, carbon riding racers on my steel, fendered commuter. And I'll be damned if I didn't keep up my speed just because I couldn't get passed. And yes, I did start to look at other "regular" cyclists as nothing more than obstacles. It's a strange thing that happens when you're on a road bike, and I'm not sure how I feel about it.
The point is, I can be a completely different rider depending on the type of bike I'm riding. And now that I'm aware that maybe I'm being a bit of an ass when I have the ability to really get some speed going, I'm going to start actively working on keeping my friendly, "hey-I'm-on-a-single-speed-wheeeeee" attitude even if I'm out in the go-fast mindset.
Even though most of the cheery "hellos!" I offer up to other roadies while riding is met with nothing more than a grimace before I shrug it off and leave them in the dust ride on ahead, I'm still going to try.
Also, I think it's good to change up the ride once in a while. It keeps you humble. And mountain bikers! Mountain bikers are the friendliest people! And really, I think it's because with mountain biking, it's not about speed.
So, if you're out on a road bike today, smile and wave at the next cyclist you see. Heck, even just smile and nod.
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| Image via Art By Comics |
2012 Distance Count: 330 Miles | 531.1 Kilometers
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