This mesmerizing time-lapse video of Toronto’s first “scramble” intersection was created by Spacing Toronto and photoblogger Sam Javanrough.

Scrambles are intersections where cars are stopped in all directions and pedestrians are allowed to cross in all directions at once, including diagonally.

Of course, bicycles are vehicles too, so cyclists must stop on the vehicle red light, though bikes can be walked through the intersection on the pedestrian light. It’ll be interesting to see if cyclists adopt some sort of modified dismount/walk/remount behavior—à la cyclocross—to take advantage of their ambiguous status and have it both ways.

Here are a few winter riding tips from the Portland Office of Transportation, a place where they know a thing or two about wet road conditions.

Stay Dry and Warm
You don’t need the latest and greatest cycling gear to get around town by bicycle. A decent rain jacket and pants are your best defense. They both cut down on wind and keep you dry. If you can afford it, GoreTex or other breathable fabric will keep the rain out and keep you from feeling clammy. Fenders are also a very good investment – they keep your clothes from getting gritty and dirty. Nice extras include waterproof gloves, a snug hood or cap, a synthetic layer next to your skin to wick away moisture, and rain booties to go over your shoes.

Use Front and Rear Bicycle Lights
Lights are required by law when riding after dark. A white light visible at least 500 feet to the front, and a red light or reflector visible at least 600 feet to the rear. These lights allow other people to see you from the back, front and side. For more visibility at night wear bright clothing, an orange vest, or use reflective tape. The more reflectors whether blinking, flashing or solid, the better.

Brake Early and Often
Allow plenty of stopping distance. Gently squeeze your brakes in the rain to clear the water from you brake pads before you need to stop.

Avoid Some Painted and Steel Road Surfaces and Leaves
Steel plates, sewer covers, grates and other metal can be very slick in the rain. For paint, Portland City crews use non-slick paint and plastics for bike lanes and bicycle markings (and those blue bike lanes); however, crosswalks and other painted surfaces can be slippery. Avoid using your brakes or turning on these painted surfaces and on leaves and oily spots.

Stay Out of the Puddles
While it is tempting to splash through puddles especially if you have really good rain gear, a puddle can disguise a very deep pothole.

Slow Down on Newly Wet Roads
That first rain brings all the oil on the road to the surface making for a slippery ride. This is especially true after a long dry spell. Give yourself longer stopping distances and keep a firmer grip on your handlebars.

[via BikePortland]

With the first-ever Bike Miami event coming up on November 9th, Miami joins the growing list of cities to host a Bogotá-style Ciclovía “street opening” festival.

Bike Miami →
Ciclovía Bogotá @ StreetFilms →

[via Cyclelicious]

Bike Hugger →

I ran across this interesting graphic in the Victoria Transport Policy Institute’s report titled “Valuing Transit Service Quality Improvements“, by Todd Alexander Litman (2007). From the Abstract:

The walking and cycling numbers really jumped out at me. The report is written for transit planners, so it naturally focuses on getting people out of cars and onto public transit, but I was surprised that the ped/bike numbers were virtually ignored in the document text. It would have been nice to see a column for Mixed (Cycling & Transit), my usual mode. It’s interesting that Automobile Only fared better than Transit Only, but the two combined fared the worst.

So what does all this mean? Ride your bike to work and be happy! :-)

I have friends who think I’m insane for riding my bike in the dark. They’re convinced riding at night is asking for it, akin to skydiving, tight rope walking, and alligator wrestling. They tell me I’m crazy for commuting in the winter, that riding in the dark everyday is playing a game of Russian roulette, and that I should put the bike in the rafters until spring.

The funny thing is that I find the early morning hours, before the heavy commute gets going, to be the most peaceful and relaxing time of day to ride a bike; and arguably, the safest. Traffic around here is nearly non-existent before 5:30 in the morning; our commute really gets rolling around 6:30-7:00 am. Prior to that, the roads are quiet and the occasional car can be heard and seen from a great distance. And drunk drivers, probably the biggest threat to any nocturnal rider, are already off the roads and passed out somewhere by that time of the morning.

It goes without saying that if you’re going to ride in the dark, you need high quality front and rear lights. My approach is to use a number of smaller lights and strips of reflective material placed here and there to produce a “road hazard” effect. Doing so causes motorists to give me a wider berth at night, when they don’t know what I am, than during the day when they know what I am and they don’t perceive me as a threat.

It’s also a good idea to slow down a little at night. Even if you have a ridiculously high-powered lighting system, we tend to overestimate our ability to see road obstacles in the dark. In his excellent book on traffic, Tom Vanderbilt cites a study that concluded automobiles should be driven no faster than 20 mph at night to allow sufficient time to react to obstacles in the road. For complex physiological reasons I won’t go into (and don’t understand anyway), all of us, whether on bikes or in cars, underestimate the amount of reaction time we need at night to respond to unexpected obstacles, whether they be potholes, raccoons, or SUVs.

Statistics do show that a high number of cyclists are killed at night. But if you dig deeper, the numbers seem to indicate many of those riders were caught after dusk without lights, riding at a time when traffic is still relatively heavy and motorists are tired and distracted. I’d argue that with proper lighting and a little restraint, riding in the dark can be as safe as riding during daylight hours, and I’d even venture to say the early morning hours before sunrise may be the safest of all.

I wanted to thank everyone for keeping the ongoing helmet discussion civil. It’s one of those tough subjects that, for some reason, tends to polarize people.

I may be pushing my luck here, but since we’ve had such a lively, yet civilized discussion on helmets, I thought we might take a look at rear view mirrors as well—another subject that always seems to elicit passionate opinions.

Bicycle accident studies are conflicted on the question of how frequently cyclists are struck from behind by cars. I don’t know if this is a result of where the studies were conducted, which demographic was studied, or what. The general consensus seems to be that cyclists overemphasize the danger of being struck from the rear, although that doesn’t change the fact that a substantial number of cyclists are killed this way every year.

Whether or not you perceive being struck from behind as a grave threat, looking behind is an essential technique for riding a bike, just as it’s an essential technique for driving a car. It goes without saying that anytime you change a lane or move across traffic you must look behind to make sure the lane is clear. The question is whether it’s best to use a mirror to assist in the process, or whether it’s best to just look over your shoulder.

Personally, I advocate the use of mirrors. I’ve used helmet mirrors for the better part of 25 years and I feel half-blind without one. I’m so accustomed to using one, that I often look up to use the mirror-that-isn’t-there while I’m walking through a parking lot. I’m an active user of rear-view mirrors in cars as well. I believe mirrors give us a better sense of situations as they develop behind us, and as a result, give us that few more seconds to react if necessary. Mirrors have helped me to avoid accidents more than once—both in the car and on the bike—possibly saving my life in one instance.

There are valid arguments against the use of mirrors, the most common being that they distract the rider from the road in front of them. The other is that they may tempt a rider to be lazy and take a lane without actually turning to look over their shoulder. I don’t buy the distraction argument—there are so many things that constantly distract us on the road, I don’t believe adding a mirror to the mix significantly changes the equation. And while I agree that a rider should always look over their shoulder before taking a lane, there’s no reason why adding a mirror will necessarily cause a diligent cyclist to suddenly drop their guard.

On the question of helmet versus handlebar mirrors, I say both! But if I had to choose one or the other, I’d pick the helmet mirror because it allows me to scan a wide arc behind me with a small head movement. Plus, handlebar mirrors can sometimes rattle and project a blurred image. The down side to helmet mirrors is that they take a while to get used to and, theoretically at least, they create a small blind spot in front of the rider. And, of course, there’s the question of whether you wear a helmet.. :-)

Ultimately, whether or not we choose to use a mirror is a personal decision very much like the helmet decision, but in this case we have even fewer statistics to support one position over the other. That said, my personal experience leads me to believe mirrors are an important tool that, if used properly, can help safeguard us on the road.

Photo © Dutch Bike Co.

Seattle’s Dutch Bike Co., purveyors of fine European city bikes, recently opened a second store in Chicago. Check out the story and slideshow about their opening weekend here.

I bought the Iron Horse Warrior Expert in 2004, I think. I used to be pretty hardcore Mtn Biker in the nineties and after about 5 year layoff, I really wanted to get back into it but, work and family obligations derailed those plans. I think, this bike has seen actual mtn trails 4 times. It’s probably been ridden a total of 50 times in 4 years. This year as the cost of fuel increased I started taking the bus for my 70 mile round trip commute to DC from Loudoun County, VA. After a couple of weeks driving to the bus stop, I got the keys to the bus stop bike locker and I started riding my my Iron horse to the bus stop.

After the first couple of days riding this bike to the bus stop, I realized that the standard Mtn bike setup (Cross country riser bars) were hurting my wrists and I decided that I needed to make some changes. I know the natural “hand-parallel-to-body” position would be better for my wrists and after some research I decided on the Nitto North bars. The other bar I was considering was the Nitto Albatross bar. With the barcons, the Nitto North allows me three different hand positions to choose, and just switching from one postion to another definitely helps my wrists.

The fork was switched out from the Marzocchi EXR fork with, I think, 4+ inches of travel to a Kona 29′er fork unsuspended fork (I wanted to maintain the bike geometry). Bike looks a little funny with a 29er for and 26 in wheels but it works and the bike handles very well.

Other things about the bike that might be of interest to commuters:

• Planet Bike Speed EZ ATB Fenders.  Easy to install on Disk brake bikes. Not rock solid but does what is supposed to do
• Topeak Explorer Rack w/ disc Mounts. Solid rack and verrrrry easy to install on bikes with disk brakes.
• Specialized Nimbus Armadillos tires – Great commuting tires. However, if i had to do it again, I would get marathon racers with tire liner.  I’m a big Schwalbe fan.
• Performance bike campus pedal – Nothing special but they work. Nice to be able to rid my bike with cycling shoes or regular shoes

Not shown:

• Dinotte AA headlight and tail light 
• Ortlieb large office bag- I can carry a laptop, change of clothes

Happy bike-commuting! Mike

I’m not attempting to start a helmet flame war here (though it will be a miracle if we avoid one), but I wanted to point out a pair of websites that may help you sort through the complexities of the bicycle helmet question and make an informed decision for yourself.

BHRF
The Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation website provides information on helmets and helmet laws, crash and injury statistics, and extensive links to related studies. They make an effort to debunk what they call “the great number of myths and exaggerations, some of which feature prominently in the promotion of helmets.” The BHRF, though they “strive to be objective”, clearly take an anti-helmet editorial position.

BHSI
The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute provides information on helmets including crash and injury statistics, helmet standards, and how to choose a helmet. The BHSI is a program of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association and is openly pro-helmet.

I have to say, the data seems to make a strong argument against mandating helmet use for adults because such laws appear to discourage cycling in general. That said, I don’t see anything in the data that would keep me from continuing to wear one myself, or encouraging my friends and family to do so as well.

Wherever you stand on this controversial subject, the most important thing is to learn as much as you can to be sure you’re making an informed decision.

Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation →
Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute →

It’s easy to get consumed by all the bad news coming across our desktops these days: war, recession (depression?), global warming, peak oil, and on, and on. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, don’t forget to take the time to stop and smell the roses. And by all means, go on a bike ride just for the fun of it once in a while, without the pressure of logging miles, saving money, or “doing the right thing”. You’ll be amazed at what it does for your outlook—the bicycle is powerful medicine indeed.

James over at Bicycle Design is running a “Commuter Bike for the Masses” design competition, with a brand-new Cannondale bicycle being offered as the grand prize:

Bicycle Design →

Check out these photos of separated bike lanes in Copenhagen. Whether or not you support the idea of separated bike paths and bike lanes, you have to agree, bringing infrastructure of this sort to the U.S. would undoubtedly lead to increased bicycle use.

The stock Surly Long Haul Trucker (LHT) is a capable touring bike, and with a few modifications, it also makes an excellent city bike. The thing I like most about it is its versatility; it reminds me of the do-everything steel-framed bikes of the 1980′s and ’90′s such as the Trek 720 and Bridgestone XO-1.

I’m riding a modified LHT as a commuter/city bike/grocery hauler. It’s been a great bike so far, but there were a few nagging issues I’ve been wanting to deal with:

1. The stock 175mm cranks were too long for me and I’ve been wanting to swap them for 170′s.
2. The stock triple comes with 26/36/48 chainrings which are fairly standard for loaded touring, but because I’m using the LHT for city riding, I found myself frequently shifting between the 36T and 48T chainrings, and rarely ever shifting to the 26T granny. What I really needed was a 40T ring for everyday city riding, and something around a 32T small ring for carrying loads.
3. The lack of a chainguard was becoming a real nuisance.

In searching around the web for a replacement 170mm crank, I ran across an unusual set-up on the Rivendell site. Their Quickbeam (QB) singlespeed comes outfitted with a reversible rear hub with a cog on each side, and a Sugino XD2 triple crank with a chainguard, 40T middle ring, and 32T inner ring.

Here’s the concept:

The idea of a four-speed with no derailleurs is vintage esoteric Rivendell, but what caught my eye is the QB crankset. With its 40/32 chainrings, chainguard in place of the outer ring, and square-taper compatibility, it was exactly what I was looking for. My original plan was to order a standard Sugino XD2 triple, change out the two smaller rings and ditch the 48T for a chainguard – a relatively expensive and wasteful idea. Fortunately, Rivendell sells the XD2 triple in the custom QB configuration on their website, so I ordered one and it arrived today.

The QB Sugino is essentially the same crank as the Sugino that came stock on the LHT, so it was a simple bolt-on affair. I slapped it on, took it our for a ride, and it feels great. The 40T places my cassette in the center of my comfort range for city riding, the 170mm arms feel more natural and easier on the knees, and the chainguard does what it’s supposed to do. I really lucked out; it’s not often you stumble upon a solution like this that kills three birds with one stone.

REI will be offering bike commuting classes at their Berkeley, CA store on November 2 and February 22, from 8:45 am to 3 pm. Cost for the classes is $55 for members and $75 for non-members. Class size is limited, so if you’re interested, be sure to sign up in advance.

Course description:

If you’re not in the SF Bay Area, check the listings below for schools in your area.

• New England
• Los Angeles
• Philadelphia
• Sierra
• San Diego
• Washington, D.C.

More Information →

Here’s a nice piece on bike commuting from the Wall Street Journal.

Photo © Pashley

David and Bryce completed the L’Eroica retro cycling event on 3-speed Pashley Guv’nors. The bikes were completely stock except for minor changes for fit and pedal preference.

Read the story →
View the video →
L’Eroica →
Pashley Guv’nor →

Photo © Bacchetta

There’s an interesting article on the Bacchetta website that discusses published versus actual recumbent seat heights. [Note: We're talking recumbent seats as opposed to traditional saddles as on upright bikes. —ed.] For the uninitiated, an important factor in determining whether a recumbent fits a person is seat height measured from the ground. This is not to be confused with saddle height which is the distance from the saddle to the pedals on an upright bike, or seat position which is the distance from the seat to the pedals on a recumbent, both of which determine leg extension while pedaling.

Seat height on a recumbent is critical because it determines whether a person can reach the ground with their feet while seated. Unlike riders on upright bikes, who dismount the saddle while stopped, recumbent riders remain seated while stopped, and must be able to touch the ground to keep from tipping over. If a rider is unable to firmly plant a foot while stopped, they’ll often feel less than fully confident on the bike, particularly in heavy, stop-and-go traffic.

The gist of the Bacchetta article is that there is no one industry standard method of measuring seat height and published seat height numbers are ballpark figures, at best, so it’s important to test ride a recumbent before making a purchase. I couldn’t agree more. Seat height is a critical factor that a person coming from uprights to recumbents might not consider until after the purchase. I can personally attest to the fact that not paying close attention to whether you can comfortably touch the ground, particularly if the bike is to be used for utilitarian riding of any sort, may eventually lead to dissatisfaction with the bike; I have a pile of receipts to prove it. :-)

A lot of this is old news to seasoned recumbent riders, but for ‘bent newbies this is a critical point to remember, particularly if the bike is to be used for utilitarian transportation, a style of riding which invariably involves lots of stops and starts, load carrying, and tight maneuvering.

Bacchetta Article →

Laura Domela is a professional photographer living in Portland, Oregon. Her book project Fietsen is a collection of photographs of bike commuters in Amsterdam. For five days in September of 2005, she spent one hour a day photographing cyclists as they rode past her second-story apartment window. She ended up photographing over 1600 cyclists, 118 of which were selected for her book. Take a look at the sample slideshow; it’s clever how she paired up the photos based upon characteristics such as color, contrast, activity, etc.

About Fietsen →
View the slideshow →

The Capitol Corridor (CC) commuter train makes daily runs between Auburn, east of Sacramento, to the San Francisco Bay Area and San Jose. The CC is operated by the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA), a partnership among six local transportation agencies to share in the management of the CC. The CCJPA partners with Amtrak to provide service to 17 stations along a 170-mile rail corridor. The CC is quite popular, with ridership currently running at nearly 1.5 million per year. July of this year saw 161,000 passengers on the CC; a new record and a 33% increase from last year.

I’m fortunate enough to live within 5 miles of a CC station and I take full advantage by riding the train to work 4 days a week. My current routine is to ride my bike 5 miles to the train station, store my bike in a City bike locker, take the train into downtown Sacramento, then walk the 5 blocks to my office on the other end.

Most of the CC train cars have a bike rack that holds 3 bikes, and often (but not always) the last car is a baggage car. The baggage car can accommodate approximately 12 bikes. With such a dramatic increase in ridership this year, there were days when every rack on the train was full and bikes were overflowing into the passenger areas. I’m guessing on those days there were at least 25-30 bikes on the train.

The above photo is of the baggage/bike area. Eight bikes can be stored on the racks in the photo, with 3 more racks behind and out of view of the camera. As you can see, bike ridership was light today. This will be my first winter riding the CC; it will be interesting to see if bike ridership drops off as the weather gets cooler and the days get shorter.

In my experience, the conductors on the CC have been very accommodating to cyclists. I’ve seen them go out of their way to help recumbent riders store their bikes, and I’ve even had a conductor—who happens to be a Brompton rider—show me all of the places to stash a folded Brompton on the train.

I feel fortunate to have access to the Capitol Corridor; it’s relatively fast and efficient, and it’s far more comfortable and accommodating to cyclists than the commuter bus alternatives in the area.

Capitol Corridor Website →