Chicago Bike Blog

Fully loaded

I just came across this terrific contest on AustinBikeBlog (love the name): they're asking for submissions about the biggest thing you've ever carried on a bike.

Recently, I found myself at the parking lot of a big shopping center with a newly purchased vacuum cleaner, and my bike, equipped with grocery panniers. I had planned on inserting the vacuum cleaner box upright into one of the panniers, but found, to my dismay, that it was just a tad too wide. However, since I am rarely without two bunji cords, I was able to carry the appliance home after all. I laid it across my bike rack and the tops of the panniers, and secured it to the rack with bunji cords. The box wasn't especially heavy, but it extended quite a bit beyond the panniers and my biggest worry was that the load would slide around and slip to one side. To solve this problem, I took my house key and sawed notches in the edges of the cardboard box for the bunji cords to slip into and stay securely in place. Then I pedaled the four miles to my house.

All this prompted me to revive and update a post I did a while ago:

Can't carry it on  bike? Think again!
Things we and some of our customers have carried on a bike.

With trailer:

• All contents of an apartment while moving
• A supply of bicycle wheels & other inventory from a local vendor
• A folding bike delivered to a customer several miles away
• Vice, grinder, plus a box of tools & hardware supplies
• A pit bull
• Three cases of cat food & a 50lb bag of kitty litter
• Six large canvas bags of groceries
• Keg of beer
• A Christmas tree

With trailer, grocery panniers and bunji cords:

Four 10lb bags of cedar chips, two 10lb bags of cocoa mulch, a 20lb pag of sand, two 8x36" wooden planters, three 20 foot lengths of hose, two bleeding hears, three hostas, a flat of pansies, a flat of vinca and a small lilac bush. (What's amazing, is that this gardener still had the energy to plant this stuff after she hauled it all home.)

Without trailer:

• A 12' piece of lumber strapped to a frame
• Four large canvas bags of groceries
• A schnauzer
• A kitten
• Box of Franzia wine
• Case of beer
• Window washing supplies, including bucket & extension poles
• two bags of charcoal
• A vacuum cleaner

Also,
Five children, using a tandem & various attachments.

What have you carried?

With trailer:

• All contents of an apartment while moving
• A supply of bicycle wheels & other inventory from a local vendor
• A folding bike delivered to a customer several miles away
• Vice, grinder, plus a box of tools & hardware supplies
• A pit bull
• Three cases of cat food & a 50lb bag of kitty litter
• Six large canvas bags of groceries
• Keg of beer
• A Christmas tree

With trailer, grocery panniers and bunji cords:

Four 10lb bags of cedar chips, two 10lb bags of cocoa mulch, a 20lb pag of sand, two 8x36" wooden planters, three 20 foot lengths of hose, two bleeding hears, three hostas, a flat of pansies, a flat of vinca and a small lilac bush. (What's amazing, is that this gardener still had the energy to plant this stuff after she hauled it all home.)

Without trailer:

• A 12' piece of lumber strapped to a frame
• Four large canvas bags of groceries
• A schnauzer
• A kitten
• Box of Franzia wine
• Case of beer
• Window washing supplies, including bucket & extension poles
• two bags of charcoal
• A vacuum cleaner

Also,
Five children, using a tandem & various attachments.

What have you carried?

Could Chicago look like this?

Today, I am recycling some of my favorite images from last year's trip to San Francisco: the DuBoce Bike Mural.

Chicago is becoming a city of cyclists, and as more and more drivers give biking a try, I believe attitudes will change, and the use, enjoyment and safety of bicycles on the streets of our town will grow. Since biking (and walking) encourages closer contact with our surroundings and fellow humans, I hope this will lead to creating stronger and more engaged urban communities within the city.

Here are some efforts underway to turn Chicago into a more livable city:
Bike 2015 Plan
Bloomingdale Trail
Healthy Streets Campaign

Driver, be aware!

Are you a driver? I am. Have you taken a look at the new Chicago City Sticker for your vehicle?

Wow! Aside from the overt message on its face, "Share the Road", the new sticker also contains another, implicit message: "Driver, be aware!"

What can you do as a driver to increase the safety of more vulnerable road users, including cyclists?

• Slow down and use caution. Reducing your speed on urban streets almost always leads to increased safety and awareness. You have more time to process and assess the situation on the road, and more time to react, should circumstances change unexpectedly.
  When you pass a cyclist slowly and cautiously, you not only maintain greater control over your own vehicle, but also reduce the chance of starling the cyclist, and causing an unpredictable reaction.
• Relax, breathe and concentrate on the task. We have all experienced being stuck in traffic while late for an appointment. When you are worrying about consequences of being late, or other stressful things in your life, you are not really in the present. If you find yourself in this predicament while behind the wheel, pull over, use your cell phone to alert the person you are meeting that you will be late. Then, take a moment to breathe, look around you, and focus on the act of driving.
• Maintain perspective. Slower road users may seem like they are slowing you down, but more often, the traffic is simply not moving any faster. Think of the size of your vehicle, and the impact it would have on an unprotected cyclist. Remember how little you gain through reckless driving, and how much she could possibly lose.
• Communicate. But, please, avoid using your horn. An urban cyclist is usually aware of your presence as you approach from behind. When at an intersection, establish eye contact with the cyclist, and use hand gestures to signal your intention to let her go ahead.
• Look around you. Before pulling out of your parking space, opening your vehicle door, backing up or turning left or right, survey the scene for slower and more vulnerable road users.
• Yield the right of way. Is the cyclist going around a double-parked truck? A pothole? Is she making a left turn? Is it a narrow street, and you can't safely pass her? Just stop and let her go. It will cost only a few seconds of your time.
• Give them space. When passing a cyclist, give her plenty of space. If you stay aware, you too will notice obstacles or possible road hazards she may be trying to avoid. Let her take her time, and don't force her into a tight situation.
• Ride a bike. The best way to become a more cautious, more aware and ultimately better driver is to ride a bike yourself. Next time you have to pick up some milk, go to the post office, or meet a friend for coffee, grab a helmet and hop on your bike. Riding a bike on the street will give you a sense of what is a safe human speed; will help you relax, catch your breath and concentrate; it will give you a whole new perspective on traffic and the magnitude of a car; will teach you a thing or two about communicating with other road users; will force you to look around and notice things you can't see from a car; and it will make you understand why cyclists need the right of way and a little extra space.
  You'll never drive the same way again.

Patrick Sawyer

Patrick Sawyer, an Indiana resident, was struck by a hit-and-run driver while riding his bike to go swimming at the Michiana YMCA. As he lay in the hospital in critical condition, the driver turned himself in. Patrick died five days later, on July 21.

This news comes to me through a friend in the homeschool community. Patrick was a homeschooling father of four children, was an avid enthusiast of paddle sports, and gave workshops on kayaking at the most recent local homeschool conference.

The Sawyer Family has created a  website with information and tribute to Patrick. Here are some words from his wife, Nancy:

The biggest thing for me right now is the bicycle/road safety issue in our community.  It is simply unacceptable.  As a driver, I know how frustrating and even maddening it can be when I’m in a hurry and suddenly come up on a cyclist which forces me to completely slow down, wait for all oncoming traffic to clear, and give a wide margin.  As a concerned citizen with pertinent issues like fitness, environment, global warming, and high gas prices, I want to limit my driving and bicycle where I can.  I want my children to be able to bicycle to the library, nearby store, friend’s house, etc.  Right now, in our Michiana community, it is not safe.

If you’d like to help me and Patrick right now, please consider how we can make this community more bicycle-friendly and bicycle-safe; a place where both cyclists and drivers can peacefully and safely co-exist.

We are no strangers to loss here, and our hearts go out to you, Nancy, your kids, your entire close-knit family and your friends.

Peace.

Sauganash Trail may be going somewhere after all...

Remember the road to nowhere ? Well, it was officially inaugurated earlier this morning, and it seems that it may end up going somewhere in the future.

Ald. Laurino speaks to neighbors and cyclists gathered at the inauguration of the Sauganash Bike Trail.

39th ward alderman Margaret Laurino spoke at the inaugurtion ceremony, along with state representative John d'Amico Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Thomas Byrne. Interestingly, both Laurino and Byrne had considerable difficulty pronouncing the word "bicyclist", and in the effort, Commissioner Byrne coined the term "bikalist", which I don't think is too bad. Rep. D'Amico confessed that he used the new trail for running rather than cycling, and even when prodded a little bit, would not commit to cycling in the future.

All three were put to shame by the Mayor of the neighboring village of Lincolnwood, Gerald Turry, who arrived on a road bike in full cycling gear, and professed his readiness to extend the bike path through his town along the old rail line.

The proposed extension of the trail through the northern suburbs would eventually link this area to a network of bike trails.

Here are some other snapshots for the opening of the Sauganash Trail:

The requisite plaque.

What are we waiting for? let's ride!

There were quite a few bike police officers.

Of course, we rode our stretch-limo.

Many people brought rain gear.

Some cuter than others.

Rob Sadowsky of CBF wore a very cool rain poncho.

And rode a very handsome bike.

I don't know if the CBF were officially thanked. But I'm sure they deserve it.

Trendspotting at the mall

Giant suburban malls are not usually places where I look for examples of bike culture.

Car culture at the parking lot of Old Orchard shopping mall in Skokie.

However, as I was passing one yesterday, a duo of teenage girls riding an old-fashioned tandem caught my eye. I didn't want to freak them out by taking their picture, so I waited until they locked up.

Still not as many bikes as cars...

While checking out the tandem, I noticed that the very small bike rack at this very large mall, was full. I don't think I've every seen more that a couple bikes locked there in the past.

Cool old Schwinn tandem ridden by two teens to the mall.

Curiously, over the last few days, I've been seeing quite a few people on old tandems here and there: a couple on the bike route that runs in front of my house, the two girls at Old Orchard, a few more on a suburban path, and a guy riding one solo down Western Ave. Is it a revival? Is this just another example of people dusting off whatever old bike they have in their garage, and using it instead of a car? Has anyone else been spotting more tandems on the street?

Clinton Miceli

Clinton Miceli was killed when an SUV door opened into his path, and sent him into oncoming traffic.

As newscasters and local officials debate the safety of cycling on city streets, this statement about Chicago drivers, from the victim's mother, sums up the state of affairs pretty well:

"They're not sensitive to bikers. Bikers are an annoyance to them."

I know I speak for the entire Chicago cycling community, when I say our thoughts and prayers are with this mother and her family, and all of Clinton's friends and loved ones. We mourn your loss, and pray for change.

Rapid Transit Cycleshop offers new discount to CBF members

In observance of National Bike Month and the upcoming Bike to Work Week, we are stepping up our CBF discount program. We will be enticing card carrying members of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation with special perks.
Now through June 15, 2008 CBF members can enjoy:

• 20% discount on any merchandise, excluding bicycles
• $30 off on the purchase of any adult bicycle
  
• $20 off on the purchase of any child or youth bicycle

During the rest of the year, CBF members shopping at Rapid Transit still get a pretty darn good deal:

• 15% discount on any merchandise, excluding bicycles
• $25 off on the purchase of any adult bicycle
• $15 off on the purchase of any child or youth bicycle

These standard discounts are available to any current member of CBF, and apply to regularly priced merchandise in stock or on special order.

If you do not belong to CBF, sign up here, and you too can enjoy the benefits of membership.

Amanda Annis

Mandy Annis, a 24-year-old teacher and cyclist, was struck and killed by a driver yesterday in Logan Square. Our heartfelt condolences and sympathy go out to her family, fiance, her students, and all who loved her and will miss her.

How to get more people on bikes?

The Commute by Bike blog posed a question the other day, which, in one form or another, has been plaguing the bike industry for years: how to get more people on bikes?

As someone who has done the on-the-ground work of getting people on bikes for well over a decade, I have a few ideas. Unfortunately, historically, the bike industry hasn't been known for paying attention to small, quirky shops that don't order bikes by the truckload. When, as fledgling shop owners, we first started going to the industry trade show, no one wanted to talk about bikes as transportation. They all thought it was fringe.

Fringe, schminge. A "fringe", no matter how small, can turn into a fiercely loyal following for a bike company or shop that reflects their views. A "fringe" can double in size, and, though still a relatively small percentage of the wider population, can represent huge gains for the company or shop that responds to its needs.

On the one hand, it was heartening to see the bike industry finally embracing bikes as transportation at last year's Interbike trade show. On the other hand, I couldn't help thinking, that with the exception of a few really forward-looking companies, bike commuting was being turned into one more "trend". The banners that once featured mud-spattered, tooth-baring mountain bikers were replaced by images of guys in peg-legged jeans weaving through traffic with huge messenger bags on their backs, and sunny women with willow baskets full of groceries on their handlebars.

Well, these things aren't bad in and of themselves. They do create an image of cyclists that is more mainstream, and perhaps more acceptable as an urban presence. It's just that I think these are relatively shallow efforts. We don't want bike commuting to become fashionable, because fashions come and go. We want to evolve urban culture to embrace bike culture as its essential component.

Rapid Transit Cycleshop is no longer a fledgling business, but we are still a very small fish in the bike industry pond. Nevertheless, we have grown our business nearly tenfold since we first opened, largely on our unwavering commitment to cycling as transportation. So, if anyone in the bike industry is listening, I have a few suggestions on how to get more people on more bikes more often:

• Non-intimidating image and non-intimidating bike shops. Huge dollars are spent on products and marketing targeting the enthusiast cyclist, someone who is already deeply invested in the sport. I believe the industry, starting with top level executives at major bike companies down to the corner bike shop, should devote equal, if not greater, attention to the novice, or someone who has not been on a bike in many years. Don't criticize their walmart bike. Don't bombard them with technical details. Don't overwhelm them with expensive accessories. Don't try to "convert" them. Listen to their questions and concern, and show them how they can incorporate a modest, ordinary bike gradually into their lives. Don't translate their needs into dollars. Don't try to immediately turn them into a Customer. See if you can first win their trust.
• Safer bike routes. The main reason more people don't ride for transportation is their fear of danger. Experienced bike commuters have learned the skills necessary to maximize their safety in traffic. But, like it or not, riding alongside speeding cars is intimidating to most folks, and this makes commuting by bike out of the question for them. Off-street bike trails, thoughtfully designed traffic signals, and traffic-calming measures would make bike commuting safer, not to mention more pleasant, for novice and experienced riders alike. Bike manufacturers and bike shops should make working with state and local authorities a priority, to create biking facilities that would enhance rider safety, and driver education programs to increase acceptance of cyclists and curb driver aggression.
  Realistically, these measures can take a long time to implement. To get people biking sooner, get away from visions of messengers dodging buses and taxi cabs. Be prepared to talk to potential customers about alternative routes, quiet streets, and bike trails they may not be aware of. It helps if, as a shop representative, you ride these routes yourself and can offer first-hand tips, pros and cons, and have trail maps on hand.
• There is a fine line between fashion and self-expression. Don't sell bikes solely as a fashion statement, or you may only attract fashionable clients. In fact, I even question selling bikes for fitness, ecology, economy, or anything other than biking for it's own sake. It's not that I disagree with those ideals, but to a novice, they can seem judgmental. The last thing you want is to instill guilt in a new cyclist. You want them to celebrate and look forward to the occasions when they do ride, not feel bad about the times they don't.
  In fact, I think the industry should get away from the discussion of stuff: are shifters X better than shifters Y? are straight handlebars better than curved? is this geometry better than that? Who cares? Commuting is not about the the "stuff": the bike, the parts, the accessories, the bling. Most of that stuff can be changed, anyway. Commuting is a choice, and you can choose to commute on just about any bike out there. Really.
  
• Showing what is possible. We celebrate the big events: winning the umpteenth Tour de France, riding across America or around the world, winning the Ididabike. Inspirational stories, but, for most of us, unattainable feats. If bike companies are looking for people to put in their ads, I can think of quite a few ordinary people who have incorporated bikes into their lives in ways that anyone can. Some of these people are older, they could even be your grandpa; many are young and healthy; some are battling an illness, or disability; some struggle with their weight; many live on very limited budgets; some have a very long way to get to work; some live in iffy neighborhoods; some have children to cart around; some have dogs; some ride every day; others ride when they can; some buy all new equipment; others recycle found objects. Put these people in your ads, and show what regular people can do in the course of ordinary days. These people are the most loyal customers, the biggest fans, the best representatives, and the most vocal advocates for the cycling industry. Pay attention to them.