As far as cycling shoes goes, the usual racer-centric designs tend to leave urban riders underwhelmed as most folks don’t want to look like Ronald McDonald in neon shoes clicking around the grocery store or bar. A number of manufacturers have come out with more [...]
Chicago Breaking News reports that a cyclist’s death on December 15th during what seems to have been an unrelated dispute between other motorists has been ruled a homicide by the local authorities. Apparently the driver’s had rammed into each other once before one of them [...]
Charge Bikes_Lazy Susan from Charge Bikes.
Charge has shared this videos of their latest city model, the Lazy Susan which features a welded in rear rack, 3-speed Sturmey Archer hubs with drum brakes along with full fenders and chainguard to keep you clean. Priced somewhere around $800 or [...]
On January 6th the Snowcat Alleycat will go off for the second year in Ionia MI. The entry fee is free, and the event promises to be a challenge no matter what. Weather permitting, it’s about a 25 mile course but last year a winter [...]
Today at the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change researchers from MIT are unveiling the Copenhagen Wheel, with a regenerative braking system and various electronics to not only boost cycling range but keep track of all sorts of data along the way. Through wireless connections [...]
The San Jose Mercury News featured a story this weekend about delivery giant UPS utilizing a small fleet of bicycles for home delivery in some areas of Silicon Valley, bringing back memories of days past for some and making a bunch of others ask [...]
Pristine Fixed Gear in Amsterdam is celebrating its grand opening this Saturday December 12th with an alleycat and party all centered around a photo exhibition, FIXED FIXED FIXED.
Throw a rock in Amsterdam and you’ll probably hit someone on a bike. As a city [...]
Paragon Machine Works is a manufacturer that a relative few on the consumer end are aware of, yet has been a part of the custom bicycle world for over 25 years. They don’t create the bike itself, but the bits that make it actually [...]
Mikael is the publisher of Copenhagen Cycle Chic, and this interview sheds some light on his motivations, namely livable cities and demystifying the bicycle for the general public.
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Over at the other side of the state of Pennsylvania, Fabric Horse keeps on growing their product line with the introduction of their winter cycling cap designed by fellow Reload Bags alum Gerik Forston. The ear flaps incorporate polar fleece and a light [...]
Back in October on a visit to New York City I stopped in Brooklyn Machine Works to check out the facility and put some faces to the brand I’ve known of for nearly a decade. I didn’t expect to get a first look at [...]
Among the 9-5 business commuters that I know it’s been a common request for panniers that can be taken into the meeting room without looking out of place, yet that still perform as needed on the bike. Michaud à vélo has introduced the Executive [...]
There is no shortage of custom and semi-custom messenger bag companies out there, with Velo City Bags out of Salt Lake City joining in the game with messenger bags, backpacks and tool pouches. Everything is made by hand to your specs, with all of [...]
The Baltimore City Paper featured a profile of Baltimore and local bike-swap legend Sam Fitzsimmons back in 2001 that was recently brought forth from the archive and forwarded along by a reader. Sam is a collector, someone with an encyclopedic knowledge of antique bikes [...]
I saw this a few days ago and fell in love with the animation style, along with the message and the non-confrontational method it is conveyed. If you drive, always look in that mirror before popping the door open. Otherwise, send this on to your driving friends and relatives and [...]
We don’t usually link to specific parts from a reseller, let alone a cheap bottom bracket, but this one is a truly useful and sought after piece for some. Back in Urban Velo #15 we discussed the differences between JIS and ISO bottom bracket [...]
About two weeks ago we reported on a few council proposals in Philadelphia to require bicycle licensing and increase the fines for various cycling offenses, brought about at least in part by two recent pedestrian deaths as a result of cyclists colliding with them. The Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia [...]
Contributor John Prolly updates his site every Monday with pictures of Merckx bikes, sometimes delving into the history behind them and their components This past week the Merckx Monday post covered the mysterious fate of Eddy’s 1972 hour record bicycle with pictures and examinations [...]
The new and somewhat strangely named Sidi Ergo.com site has an interesting post showing off five particularly long journeys on penny farthing style bicycles, showing that this classic bicycle design can pedal around the world. In terms of trivia, one of the remnants of [...]
Ann Arbor’s annual Cranksgiving event is running a bit later the most, but is still part of the family. Come on out on December 6th and contribute to the cause.
[...]Mission Workshop made their debut at Interbike this year with the waterproof, US-made Vandal cargo backpack, and now has a video posted that shows in more detail how exactly this bag expands and handles various loads.
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Beyond Bicycles is an upcoming art exhibition in the spring of 2010 that is meant to document and celebrate all sorts of human-powered machines and kinetic sculptures past and present. Accompanying the art exhibition will be a printed zine featuring many of the works, [...]
Like many cities with greenways and off-street bicycle trails those in Indianapolis are officially closed dusk-to-dawn, creating outlaws of bike commuters forced to ride in the dark whether due to night shfits or the changing dawn of the season. In most communities commuters are given [...]
Urban Velo #16 featured an article about Mike Shih, an Urban Legend of Philadelphia known for his “future primitive” lifestyle and sharing his love of bicycling. Stories like these are best told by the people who know these under-the-radar legends in their own [...]
Hardcourt bike polo is largely still sorting things out when it comes to equipment, and mallets are no exception. While the vast majority of players use aluminum ski poles for shafts, heads vary widely player to player and city to city. Most are variations on [...]
Portland Design Works just introduced the super-bright Radbot 1000 blinkie light featuring a simple blink/steady 1 watt red LED, placing it in the class of the some of the brightest tail lights out there. The integrated reflector is a nice touch for when [...]
While we don’t necessarily recommend playing an instrument while riding your bicycle, there are certainly worse ways to spend an afternoon. Michael Kowalsky is a student in Montreal, and this is how he expresses his love of bicycles.
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Streetfilms posted a satirical look at a car advocate’s view of the the newly traffic free Times Square. Streetfilms is an NYC based team of filmmakers that has been making films documenting livable transportation issues for some 5 years now, and has dozen so fother shorts to view [...]
KYW Newsradio reports that after two pedestrian deaths in Philadelphia due to collisions with cyclists, Philadelphia City Council is considering bicycle registration.
“My [City councilman Frank DiCicco] bill would require everyone who operates a bicycle over the age of 12 to have his or [...]
The TyK [Thought You Knew] Ladies Pinup and Men’s Superhero Bike Calendars are being launched this Friday November 20th at the Mars Gallery in Chicago. Refreshments will be on hand, along with the photographers, some of the models, and the very first copies [...]
Cycling Inquisition recently posted a ride report from Bogotá, Columbia lending a present day outlook on the riding and culture surrounding it. For anyone who enjoyed Discovering the Bicycle in Bogotá back in Urban Velo #12, this is a great follow-up on the [...]
The Planet Bike Blaze Dynamo is, as the name would imply, the dynamo-powered version of the previously reviewed Blaze headlight. For the uninitiated, a dynamo hub is a front hub which uses the magic of magnets to generate a couple of watts of electricity; [...]
Filmed By Bike is an annual festival of short cycling films, limited to 8 minutes each. Entries for the 2010 festival are being accepted through February 15th, with chosen films being shown April 16-18 in Portland. With an annual run going back to 2003, [...]
Now in its second decade, New York’s Cranksgiving alleycat is coming up on November 21st. This marks the eleventh running of this now classic charitable event, with big goals this year of doubling their monetary and food contributions to the local food bank and [...]
According to Bicycle Colorado, to Colorado Department of Transportation has adopted a new statewide policy on bicycle and pedestrian access. Hard work by parties across the spectrum of politics and bicycle advocacy have made this possible, hopefully working as a model for other state [...]
It’s Cranksgiving time in Urbana, IL too. Bring some dollars and a bag to Chambana Cranksgiving and ride all over the place picking up food for the local pantry. Another in a line of successful charity Cranksgiving events.
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Ride SFO is bringing the San Francisco Bike Expo back for another year on November 21, 2009. One day absolutely filled with events—bike expo and swap, vintage and lowrider and bikes on display, a ‘cross race, dirt jump competition, bmx demo and fashion [...]
One of my favorite books in the bicycle-library is The Art of Wheelbuilding by Gerd Schraner. The book is a manual on all things wheels from Gerd’s experience as a master wheelbuilder, having laced up wheels for amateurs and racers for some 40+ years. As [...]
On November 1st Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong Foundation held an auction of 7 specially painted Trek models bringing in a remarkable $1.3 million in funds towards their mission to inspire and support those affected by cancer. See SlamXHype for a full breakdown of the [...]
Rollapaluza’s Halloween cyclocross went off with much fanfare last weekend in London, completely selling out all of the adult registration classes beforehand and attracting so many spectators that they ran out of sausages and beer towards the end of the night. What’s not to [...]
The Midwest Bike Polo Champeenships are this coming weekend in Columbia, MO. Over 30 teams are already registered with more expected game-day, this should prove a competitive tournament with talent from across the Midwest. Check out www.comopolo.com for more information including a schedule and [...]
The Rocktocycle is a seven seated pedal powered vehicle that a bunch of Reno folks have mounted amplifiers and instruments to, created a mobile platform for outdoor musical performances. It’s been around for a few years, and occasionally makes an appearance to create some [...]
The San Francisco Bicycle Ballet Enchante’ is on its way on Friday, November 20th. Doors open at 7pm, show at 8pm. Bands and special guests every hour on the hour with catered food by What’s in My Mouth.
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Sleepless Sprints are coming up on November 7th at Keirin Cycles in Miami Beach. The best part? It is followed by an 8pm showing of TRON.
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Stan Ridge Bicycles is a new builder from Columbus Ohio, a town with a surprising vivid bicycle culture to anyone who has not personally visited. Owner and builder Adam is pictured in the shop with his dad, creating some of his first custom bicycles [...]
Booby traps on cycling paths and trails are nothing new—mountain bikers dealt with such cowardly attacks as trail riding was gaining in popularity, and occasionally mainstream bike paths come under attack from locals with some sort of grudge against cyclists. No joking matter, trip wires strung across trails can cause [...]
Who doesn’t lust after highly polished bicycle parts? When done right the shine from a set of cranks or a stem can be stunning, really capping off a new or classic build. Friend and Urban Velo contributor John Prolly has just posted a tutorial [...]
Halloween is a favorite time of the year for alleycats, with another popping up in Indianapolis. Monster Mash, Monopoly style where the person with the most “money” at the end of the event wins. Earn cash through deliveries, pull cards just like the board [...]
The cycling scene in Chile is vibrant and growing, by all reports it is a leader in the South American cycling culture and a great destination for cyclotourists. This weekend Chile will host it’s first ever hardcourt bike polo tournament in Santiago. Maybe next [...]
The city of Grand Rapids, Michigan recently received a bronze designation from the League of American Bicyclists as a bicycle friendly community on the rise.
From mlive.com:
League officials said they were impressed by the 255 miles of shared-use bicycle paths found in Kent [...]
For a number of years, Suzue track hubs were “standard” equipment for people. Before the fixed gear boom Suzue made some of the only entry level hubs with a reverse thread lockring, along with a few higher end versions that were heralded for their value [...]
On November 15 the Pista De Tierra mixed terrain alleycat will go off in Albuquerque NM. While on- and off-road races are great fun, perhaps the best part of this race is that there is no entry fee, just an afternoon of riding.
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Green Guru is a manufacturer specializing in creating useful products from reclaimed materials, saving vinyl billboard wraps, climbing ropes and punctured bicycle inner tubes from the landfill. Pictured is the $25 wallet made from 98% reclaimed and recycled content, with enough pockets and dividers to [...]
What you see here is the BigBen Cyberbike stationary bike accessory for the Nintendo Wii gaming system, the next evolution first started with the Nintendo Power Pad. The Cyberbike ships with what seems like a questionable game of saving the planet by powering a [...]
Opensprints is a few year long project to bring Goldsprints roller racing to the masses, breaking down the technological barriers of indoor racing and providing a platform for developers to work with. We’ve covered the recent resurgence of roller racing in Issue #4 [...]
Halloween is a popular time for alleycats, even Kent Ohio is jumping in the game with the Dead on Arrival race. Taking place on October 31st, the race runs at 3pm with tricks, food and bands extending the fun into the evening. Thanks to [...]
The bicycle courier business is changing, and a couple of recent San Francisco transplants are bringing some new ways to the trade from back east. High-speed internet has completely changed the way businesses operate and has impacted the demand for traditional business-to-business messengers, TCB [...]
Chicago knows how to party and how to race, for Halloween ‘09 back to back alleycats are planned on the 30th and 31st. See chicagohalloween.blogspot.com for more info and for online registration.
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Back in Urban Velo #2 we profiled Arleigh Jenkins in our I Love Riding in the City section. The ever present blogger, Arleigh recently started Bike Shop Girl to answer some of the many questions women have about cycling from the perspective of [...]
The Oregon Bicycle Constructors Association (OBCA) has put together the 2009 Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show to run October 31st - November 1st this year. Some 40 exhibitors are expected at this local consumer show, giving attendees the opportunity to see masters of the craft [...]
ANT Bike Mike wants you to come to the Annual ANT Bike Open House this weekend in Holliston MA. Ride some bikes, eat some catered Indian food, tour the shop, play some games and call it a night. Mike Flanigan is one of the [...]
The 2009 Texas Custom Bicycle Show takes place October 23-25, held in conjunction with the Livestrong Expo in Austin. Local builders from Texas will be in attendance in addition to a few frame makers from around the country being lured in for this [...]
J Broski Delivery in Reno NV is hosting their first alleycat and general bike event on October 17th. The usual checkpoint alleycat, a bike polo tournament, skid contests, a raffle and then a showing of the Bootleg Sessions. Proceeds from the event benefit the [...]
The 2009 Los Marcos Melee weekend of generally bicycle polo themed debauchery in NYC went off this weekend as polo players across the land descended upon The Pit for some less than serious polo fun in a tournament without rules, and at times [...]
Projects many times spawn others, in this case One Less Car led to Bates Crates. First created on a whim, enough people have asked Cole for one that he’s decided to offer them for sale. Definitely for the spare-no-expenses crowd of bike commuter, [...]
Montano Velo is the shop behind the Broakland bicycle brand, and has a few other tricks up their sleeve beyond their in-house designed frames and ace mechanics. One said trick is this fixed disc converter—while flip/flop hubs with fixed threading on one side [...]
The questionably PC but fun nonetheless Columbus Bum Shuffle is back, this year on October 10th. Collect cans, do a fake drug run, drink Colt 45 under a bridge… There’s a big afterparty and tons of sponsors, this Columbus crew tends to throw down [...]
ESPN.com recently took notice of urban fixed gear bicycles with a well researched article that avoided harping on the cliches so often associated with the mainstream coverage of cycling in general. Covering fixed gear bicycles from Henri Desgrange through messengering and MASH SF, the [...]
‘Stache Bags is a small custom bag maker out of Oakland, CA making a variety of tool and painting supply clutches. Tool bags are handy for keeping things organized and in one place, especially if you tend to use different main bags at times [...]
Cyclingnews.com photographer Rob O’Dea caught Urban Velo contributor Stephen Cummings cleaning up and padding his pockets at the last week’s CrossVegas event. This is a now annual event in conjunction with Interbike that attracts elite and pro level cyclocross competitors from around the [...]
Chrome has a combined office and storefront space in the heart of San Francisco, a space that plays host to the everyday operations along with walk-in sales and special events like the September 18th benefit show for The Bike Kitchen that was unceremoniously [...]
The city of Toronto is a fairly bicycle friendly place, a total joy to pedal around in. Much of this is due to coordination between local advocates and the city government themselves, with the Bicycle Station hosting an open house on October 2nd featuring [...]
Profile Racing has fully embraced fixed city riding, and is listening to the people out there using and abusing their products. They’re recently created their first 144mm chainrings, and more importantly the spider to allow riders to use their tubular cromoly BMX cranks on [...]
Most wooden fenders look great but provide lousy coverage since they have a flat profile—not these new laminated bamboo fenders from Planet Bike. These are some of the first curved profile full coverage wood fenders to hit the market, keeping you as dry as [...]
Nutcase Helmets had their entire affordable line of helmets on display at Interbike 2009, showing off their hardshell skate-style designs to the dealer masses. For city riding and the rough treatment that helmets can receive bumping about from here to there, a hardshell just [...]
Knog had this prototype solid state u-lock on display, creating a mechanically keyless, pick-proof locking mechanism for bikes similar to those in high end automobiles. The artfully designed lock is expected to go for roughly $150 when it reaches market and utilizes a solid [...]
With the growing popularity of aggressive fixed wheel riding and hardcourt bicycle polo, the demand for 48h track hubs has spiked. For freestyle riding, the 48 spokes are stronger than more common 32 or 36 count varieties, additionally for polo the 48 spoke lacing pattern [...]
Racks and baskets have been a game changer for my bike experience since I was first introduced to them. Just being able to pile it on and ride brings a whole new element to riding, especially for practical reasons. I prefer front racks to rear [...]
Redline Bicycles just unveiled the Urbis, to be formally introduced at Interbike next week. This is the latest evidence that aggressive fixed wheel street riding is continuing to grow in popularity and scope, with another long time BMX company jumping on what may be [...]
The British folding bike brand Mezzo is coming to America, distributed by Marin Bikes. Mezzo makes relatively high-end folders starting at just under $1000, best suited to people who are able to use multi-modal transport for their daily commute, those who live in [...]
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