In a recent piece on NPR, the guest, a psychologist who has conducted studies on New Year’s resolutions, stated that approximately 46% of people who make New Year’s resolutions are successful in fulfilling their resolution. I was amazed by the numbers; I would have guessed the success rate to be in the low teens at best. She also stated that people who are considering taking on a new goal or activity, but don’t make a specific resolution (New Year’s or otherwise), are only successful in reaching their goal 4% of the time. I’ve never been one much for New Year’s resolutions, thinking that if I want to do something, I should just get on with it, but these numbers make me think New Year’s resolutions may not be such a bad idea after all.

With that in mind, here are a few things I’m going to set my sights on for 2009:

• Maintain a regular off-bike workout routine to increase my flexibility and strengthen my core with the goal of preventing injury. This could take any number of forms, but most likely it’ll be some combination of yoga and free weights.
• Improve my skills as a photographer. I’d like to participate in at least one or two workshops with the goal of more thoroughly understanding how to use my new equipment. I’m particularly interested in learning more about off-camera lighting techniques.
• Reduce my dairy intake. We’re vegans at home, but we sometimes eat a little dairy when we’re out at restaurants, mostly because we don’t want the hassle. I’m going to work a little harder at it this year. (Please don’t give me a hard time about how I eat – it’s definitely off limits and I’ll delete your comment if you do — sorry.)
• Figure out our cargo hauling solution. We’re doing most of our non-kid-hauling trips by bike, but we’ve yet to work out a way to carry oversized items that can’t be hauled on a pair of bikes with large panniers. I’m thinking it’ll likely be either a Big Dummy, or if the budget allows, a bakfiets.
• Chill out on the bike maintenance thing. I baby my bikes too much for someone that uses them on a daily basis. I need to think of them more as tools, maintain them to the minimal level that’s reasonable, and quit sweating the nicks, scrapes, and road grime.
• Stay focused. Most importantly, I hope to stay focused on the core mission of this site:

  This site is the public expression of our personal commitment to reduce our impact on the environment by employing bicycles as our primary mode of transport. By sharing what we learn from this endeavor, while also providing an aesthetically pleasing experience that celebrates the beauty of the bicycle and the joys of everyday bike riding, we hope to inspire others to make a similar commitment.

Please feel free to share your resolutions in the comment section below. Wishing you a prosperous, healthy, and happy 2009! —Alan

MetroPed is providing human-powered delivery services in the Boston-metro area.

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From the FBB website:

The deadline for entries is February 15th.

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[Excuse the randomness of this post - this is what happens when I'm on vacation...LOL. —Alan]

I’m doing a little routine maintenance on the bikes today. Nothing too Earth-shattering, just wiping off the accumulated grime, scanning for damage, checking wheel alignment, lubing where needed, adjusting cables where needed, checking for loose nuts & bolts, and topping off the tires. We’re talking 15-20 minutes per bike at most, assuming I don’t discover some problem. I run through this routine every few weeks and I rarely, if ever, get caught on the road with a mechanical problem.

We were on recumbents the past few years before switching to uprights earlier this year. Even though we rode high-end recumbents, I’m finding our uprights are requiring less maintenance. I’m guessing this is because recumbents have longer cable runs and chains, with cables and chains being the two things that require the most attention on bicycles. This isn’t a dig on recumbents, just something I noticed but didn’t expect.

About checking for loose nuts and bolts… Notice that I say “checking”, not “tightening”. When I say “check”, I mean just make sure nothing is backing off or settling to the point of vibrating loose. I try to avoid incrementally tightening every nut & bolt on the bike every time I check – doing so will eventually break something.

Get yourself some good tubes; I recommend Schwalbe. With good quality tubes you may only have to top-off your tires every 3-4 weeks, whereas cheapie tubes may require re-inflation once a week or more. We’re only talking a couple of dollars difference in price to substantially reduce your hassle factor.

With their teeny-tiny chains, any good quality lube will do on an upright; recumbents require more time and attention in this area. I try to avoid over-lubing my chain; I place one drop on each link, then wipe off the excess. Leaving excess lube on a chain attracts dirt and causes far more harm than running a little dry (assuming there’s no rust). How often I have to apply the lube depends upon the particular lube I’m using, what kind of conditions I’m riding in, the length of the chain, and whether the chain is exposed. For example, I haven’t had to lube the enclosed chains on our Pashleys in over 4 months, yet on my old Tour Easy I went through a fairly elaborate chain maintenance routine on a regular schedule. Again, no dig on ‘bents, just the result of a long, exposed chain running across idlers and picking up a lot of road grime.

I tend to like bikes that are overbuilt so I don’t have to spend too much time truing wheels, babying parts, etc. A heavy-duty, well-built, city or touring bike, if used and not abused, will rarely, if ever, require any maintenance beyond the basics of lubrication and minor adjustments. My LHT, for example, has been fairly heavily ridden for over 6 months, yet I haven’t had to do anything other than one minor headset adjustment a few weeks ago. Even the factory built wheels are perfectly true after a bunch of curb-hopping and pothole encounters. Of course, parts will eventually wear out and require replacement, but that doesn’t qualify as “maintenance” in my book.

I probably spend more time than needed maintaining our bikes, but it’s something I enjoy that adds to the overall experience of cycling for me. If I didn’t enjoy it, I could probably get away with squirting a little Phil’s on the chains once a month and riding the bikes until something falls off. We did that for years when we were kids and our bikes never suffered any ill effects for it.

U.S. News and World Report lists riding your bike to work as one of the top “50 Ways to Improve Your Life” in 2009. I couldn’t agree more.

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We made an errand run on the bikes today. We picked up tamale fixings at the grocery store, dropped off a video, and took a detour through the Enchanted Woods. It was cold, blustery, and lovely nonetheless. It felt good to get out of the house and get the blood flowing after sitting around stuffing ourselves for the past few days.

Spotted on the Rivendell site. Sweet.

Rivendell →

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday from the gang at EcoVelo.

Have you ever received a bicycle as a Holiday gift? One of my fondest memories from childhood was receiving a Schwinn Sting Ray that my older brother and our friend refurbished with help from my Dad. They painted it purple sparkle and it was something to behold. The fact that my big brother built it for me made it even that much more special. I rode the purple beast all over the countryside surrounding our small town and it brought me endless joy. Now, as an adult, I appreciate more than ever the effort and sentiment that went into that special gift.

The LAPD recently started enforcing a little known municipal code that requires all bicycles to be licensed within the City of Los Angeles. The stated purpose of the bike-license program is to recover stolen bicycles and help locate lost children, but many local cyclists are outraged, saying the law is “ridiculous” and designed to discourage bicycle use in their “car-obsessed city.”

From the L.A. Weekly:

Read the full story in the L.A. Weekly →

Cool!!

In a recent Op-Ed piece in the Seattle Times, David Hiller, Advocacy Director for the Cascade Bicycle Club, refutes the widely held misconception that our roads are predominately funded by motorists, and that pedestrians and cyclists are “funding freeloaders”, enjoying the benefits of public roads without paying for them. As he explains in his article, nothing could be further from the truth.

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Now and again I see the term “country bike” used to describe a type of bike that’s similar to, but not quite like, a city bike. I’m pretty sure the term was coined by Rivendell’s Grant Petersen in his 2004 essay titled Copying the Wrong Bikes and Riders. Here’s an excerpt from the essay:

I don’t see the name used much other than in Rivendell’s literature, but it may be useful nomenclature for bikes that look a lot like city bikes, but have a few subtle distinctions, most notably being handlebars that are set at or above the level of the saddle, and relatively robust wheels and tires that are suitable for light trail riding.

Grant’s definition limits tire sizes within a specific range, but I’d say anything over 35mm qualifies. He also states that country bikes should be “zippy” when the accessories are removed, but I see no reason at all why country bikes need to be fast.

I’d modify his definition just a bit. Here’s my take:

As you can see, that’s essentially the definition of a city bike, but with a specific emphasis on handlebar height and tire size/flotation. The way I see it, any country bike will function perfectly well as a city bike, but there are some city bikes with low, flat bars, and narrow rims with high pressure tires, that would not function well as country bikes.

I like the country bike concept — bikes that are robust like city and touring bikes, but with a few details that set them apart and make them suitable for dirt roads and hard-packed trails. My Pashley (see above) and my modified Long Haul Trucker are both functional city bikes, and they make excellent country bikes too.

Dear Motorist,

Now that winter is here, please make the effort to completely scrape the snow and ice off your windows. See, even though clearing a small hole makes it possible for you to stay centered on the road, it may not be enough to see cyclists riding on the shoulder. And those large chucks of ice and frozen snow that fly off your car may hit cyclists and cause serious injury. I know it takes a little extra time, but taking a few minutes may save a life or two, including your own.

Thanks from all of us bike riders, some of whom may be your friends, neighbors, or loved ones.

Idea submitted by Mike in snowy and cold Vermont

While we think it’s important to help protect the environment by riding our bikes, we have to admit, we harbor selfish motives as well. Here are a few other reasons why we ride:

• It’s fun. There’s really no other activity that gives us the sense of joy and freedom that we experience while riding our bikes.
• It’s healthy. Bike riding is a healthy form of aerobic exercise that we participate in just about everyday.
• We’re gear heads. We love researching new bikes, making modifications, tweaking parts and accessories, and maintaining our stable.
• It’s an opportunity to connect with friends. Sharing the joyful experience of riding with friends is special and unique. There’s something about the shared effort, the fresh air, and the endorphins, that always makes for good conversation and fond memories.
• It’s a great way to meet people. Wherever we go on our bikes, we inevitably end up meeting new people, and we sometimes even make new friends.
• It’s a photo op. Bike riding provides an endless stream of photo opportunities.
• It gets us in touch with nature. Bike riding is the one thing that gets us out-of-doors and in touch with nature every day.

What are some of the reasons you ride your bike?

The clever fellows over at TerraCycle sent me these photos of a pair of mounts they put together for the Fenix L2D using parts from their existing accessory mounts. The arms are from their Euro light mount (see last two photos), and the clamps are Cateyes. The fork leg version looks like a nice alternative to the A.N.T. and Paul/Gino mounts for those who don’t have lowrider braze-ons. The handlebar version is reportedly much stronger than the popular TwoFish block. If you’re interested in one of these set-ups—or some other custom configuration—drop them a note or give them a call and I’m sure they’d be happy to work with you on it.

TerraCycle →

World Bicycle Relief’s “Double Bike Match” program is taking place now through December 31st.

World Bicycle Relief →
DOUBLEbikeMATCH →

I ran across this important recall notice and thought I’d post it here. ;-)

View the Notice →