New procare kits for bikes – http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS77310+03-Nov-2009+BW20091103

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AY SHORE, N.Y.–(Business Wire)–
The new Pro Care Bucket Kits are for cycling enthusiasts, serious riders and
do-it-yourselfers who want to keep their bicycles riding and looking like new.

Complete with an instructive maintenance guide, the kits from bicycle care
company Finish Line Technologies, Inc., include bike wash, chain cleaner, chain
lubricants, specialized grease and cleaning brushes.

“This kit is a lot of fun for anyone who enjoys cycling and wants to know a
little more about how to make their bicycle run better,” said Hank Krause,
president of Finish Line Technologies, Inc.

“You can use it to help refurbish an old bicycle or keep a new one in top shape.
There`s a guide explaining basic maintenance, and we`ve also included our
website address (www.finishlineusa.com) where there are step-by-step videos,”
says Krause.

Dirty chains and drive trains make cycling harder. Dirt and grime also act like
sandpaper wearing down expensive components.

The kit`s Multi-Degreaser cleans chains and drive trains. Finish Line
Technologies included its best-selling lubricant, Teflon DRY Lube, for use on
the chain, derailleurs, and brake and shifter pivots. For those intimidated by
the jargon, the maintenance guide explains it all!

A shiny bike looks great, but Super Bike Wash also has rust and oxidation
inhibitors that protect metal surfaces from rusting. It`s a complex bio-cleaning
compound that quickly cleans dirt, clay, road grime and chain soils with little
or no scrubbing. Plus, it`s fully biodegradable and non-toxic, so it won`t harm
the environment.

To make cleaning easier, the compact bristles of Finish Line`s Grunge Brush
reach all four sides of a chain, helping prevent premature wear and eliminate
chain skipping caused by dirt and grunge.

Contained in a water-tight, child-resistant, storage bucket that doubles as a
wash basin, the kits are available in bicycle shops throughout North America.
They come in two configurations, 6.0 and 8.0, (that retail for $49.99 and
$69.99).

About Finish Line Technologies

Founded in 1988, Finish Line Technologies manufactures more than 20 specialty
bicycle lubricants and related maintenance products. Its products are available
in 45 countries and produced in 12 languages. See: www.finishlineusa.com.

Note to Editors: Interviews and additional photos available by contacting Liz
Vogel, Vogel Communications, LLC, 631-741-7700 or liz@lizvogel.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6088273〈=en

Vogel Communications
Liz Vogel, 631-741-7700
liz@lizvogel.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009

Bike path draws objections — http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20091104/NEWS02/911040312/Colchester-bicycle-path-draws-objections

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Some residents along a proposed bike path in Colchester are objecting to it, saying it would be too big and affect their property.

The 10-foot-wide bike path would extend about a mile along the north side of Holy Cross Road between Porters Point and Church roads, Colchester Public Works Director Bryan Osborne said. It would help connect Airport Park and the Rosetti Natural Area, he said.

In the larger scheme of things, the new bike path would become part of a general pedestrian and bike link between the village section of Colchester and Airport Park, he said.

The town needs to take bits of property by eminent domain from landowners along the route of the path to complete it. According to files at Chittenden Superior Court in Burlington, at least five property owners object. Hearings are scheduled for today at the court as the landowners challenge the necessity of taking the land for the bike path.

According to the court papers, one couple, Timothy and Nadine Moran, say the bike-path construction would eliminate a significant number of trees and bushes near their house, and the town has not demonstrated that the bike path is a public necessity.

There was no word on whether a judge would rule today.

Osborne said he’s heard little objection to a sidewalk, which would be about 5-feet wide. The bike path would be double that to accommodate an expected combination of foot, bicycle, Rollerblade and other traffic on the path.

The Holy Cross Road bike path is expected to cost up to $600,000. Construction is scheduled to start in the spring, Osborne said

From http://www.examiner.com/x-27226-Seattle-Cycling-Culture-Examiner~y2009m10d29-Bicycle-Racing-still-doesnt-Stand-a-Chance-Unless
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This week MFG Cyclocross had to announce that a race venue permit was revoked by the City of Seattle. Usually a race faces cancellation because the race promoter fails in their due diligence. This isn’t the case here. Terry and Zac of Low Pressure Promotions are consummate promoters and made every attempt to properly address any concerns about the impact the race would have on Lincoln Park in West Seattle. The only reason their race was shut down was two citizen complaints after they had posted information signage about the event. What does this say about the City of Seattle’s willingness to let us use parks and streets to race?
Unfortunately there has been little effort by the racers to make an impact on decision makers within the city. To make my point lets consider that Seattle boasts the largest club in the US, the Cascade Cycling Club. Using their political and social heft Cascade consistently uses Seattle’s streets and parks to host a variety of events. These events range from a few hundred to the largest at ~10,000 riders. The majority of their events get support form the city because the organizational forces behind Cascade have demonstrated that their events benefit the community at large. There are many more examples of events that have as much or more impact on City land: Sefair Triathlon, Danskin Triathlon, and the Seattle Marathon to name a few. So why can’t the racing community assuage the City’s fears and present plans that allow for some complaints?
This is pure conjecture but I think it has to do with one thing: communication. Since everyone who races has a slightly self serving goal in mind when they race, there is little thought put into the political effort needed to coerce (I use that word from experience) city government into granting access to venues. Terry and Zac have had to commit their time to making the MFG series happen without the support of an organized racing lobby. The Washington State Bicycle Association struggles to keep its own races running, the Seattle Cyclocross Series loses venues on a regular basis, and the Indie Series is always searching for another venue to avoid paying the crippling fees they face. Somehow we need to address this issue as a community.
There are several ways to promote racing’s positive impact on Seattle but we have to be careful about how we address the non-racing cyclist. If we push too hard to include ourselves in their power sphere then we dilute the positive impact they have on issues that don’t concern racing. However, if we don’t convince them to support our causes we lose the political clout they have. Someday soon we need to see a concerted effort to push cycling beyond its self imposed divisions. We all benefit from a unified voice that can address the rights we all have to enjoy a day in the park, racing bikes or just riding.
That brings me to the reason for this article. The better of two letters written to the City had some questionable reasoning behind most of its points, but it did have something that caught my eye. Simply put, it asked why the racing community didn’t have a relationship with the huge non-racing groups. The purpose of these groups was misstated but it did bring to the fore the issue at hand. Why can’t we all speak with the same voice and use it to everyone’s advantage? Luckily for Terry and Zac the King County Parks stepped in and provided another venue. Go to the MFG site and write a letter to the City Employees and Officials listed in the post so that we can start to hear a different voice for cycling.

From http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6894569.ece

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A British adventurer who used the same bicycle to travel 30,000 miles across more than 30 countries has had it stolen from his back garden.

Geoffrey Williams, 53, crossed the Sahara Desert, was deported from Algeria and narrowly avoided being shot by guards in the former Yugoslavia while travelling with the second-hand 1949 Sun tourer.

Thieves negotiated 7ft (2m) gates, a chain and two padlocks to take the bike.

Mr Williams said: “My whole life has been with that bicycle. I didn’t go abroad until I was in my 40s.” Police believe the theft took place on October 22.

Good news for Pittsburgh cyclists – http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09302/1009266-100.stm

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Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl this morning oversaw the installation of the first of a planned 200 new bicycle racks.

“As the city continues to add bike lanes and shared lane markings, more and more city residents will choose the bicycle as a safe, convenient, and green way to get to work, shop, and visit entertainment destinations,” Mr. Ravenstahl said in a press release.

“Bike racks are one of the most important indicators of a bike-friendly city,” said Scott Bricker, executive director of Bike Pittsburgh. “They do more than provide support and security to bicycles; they act as a visual cue that bicycles are a welcome mode of transportation in our city.”

The first new rack sits in front of Enrico Biscotti in the Strip District and is the product of the Small Business Bicycle Rack Program involving the city, Bike Pittsburgh, the Richard King Mellon Foundation and the William Benter Foundation. They will finance the installation of the racks, half of which will be provided by Bike Pittsburgh and half of which the city will buy from Dero Bike Rack Co. of Minneapolis, which was the lowest bidder in a competitive process.

Groups or businesses in the Strip District, Bloomfield, South Side, Polish Hill, Squirrel Hill, Carrick, Lawrenceville, Friendship, Garfield, Shadyside and Brookline have requested racks. Businesses can ask to be considered for racks at the city’s Web site, city’s Web site..

City crews will install the racks. The $25,100 the city will pay for the racks comes from a state grant.

Sonoma at the top of cycling – http://empirereport.org/reports/20091026-city-of-sonoma-recognized-as-bicycle-friendly-community

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Washington, DC – October 20, 2009 – The League of American Bicyclists is proud to announce the City of Sonoma as one of our prestigious bronze-level Fall 2009 Bicycle Friendly Communities. “The League is proud to award the City of Sonoma for its work to promote bicycle safety and education while encouraging bicycling in their community,” said League President Andy Clarke. “The League congratulates the City of Sonoma and all of our BFC winners for implementing successful, long-term bicycle plans that provide quality of life improvements for their citizens.” The League is recognizing 15 new Bicycle Friendly Communities and three BFC renewals in its fall 2009 award cycle.

The BFC award recognizes the City of Sonoma’s commitment to improving conditions for bicycling and its practice of making focused investment in bicycling programs and facilities. The BFC judges were particularly impressed with the City of Sonoma’s dedication to implement its Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan that the City Council adopted in October, 2008. Clarke noted the impressive advances of all BFC applicants and said, “This round of applications had more communities in the east and Midwest than ever before that are investing wisely in bicycling – all areas of the U.S. are realizing the importance of bicycling.”

An awards ceremony for the City of Sonoma will take place at the Grinstead Amphitheater located in the Plaza on Thursday, November 5th at 4 p.m. The City of Sonoma and the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition will host a ceremony to celebrate the Bicycle Friendly designation. The public is invited to attend and is encourage to bicycle to the event.

The City of Sonoma is a stand-out community in California for its initiative and progress to become more bicycle-friendly. The BFC’s reviewers were impressed with the City’s strong community support for bicycling and the fact that eighteen of the City’s thirty-six proposed bikeways and project priorities indentified in the Sonoma Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan are currently in the process of being installed.

The award comes just one year after, at the first annual Sonoma/Springs Bicycle Festival in Depot Park when former Mayor Joanne Sanders and Mayor Brown both committed to applying for the award.

“The staff of the City of Sonoma worked diligently to acquire this wonderful award,” says the City’s Mayor, Ken Brown. “This further proves that the City of Sonoma is truly committed to creating a bicycle friendly community in Sonoma.”

“Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition commends the City of Sonoma for its commitment to creating better facilities for bike riders,” says the organization’s Executive Director, Christine Culver. “As the first City in the County to receive the League’s certification under its new criteria, Sonoma is leading the way. We’re thrilled that the City’s leadership wants to continue working toward a platinum certification.”

The BFC program is revolutionizing the way states and communities evaluate their quality of life, sustainability and transportation networks, while allowing them to benchmark their progress and work toward improving their bicycle-friendliness. The application process to become a BFC is rigorous; currently only 124 of the 318 total applicants have a BFC four-year designation. The renewal process and four levels of the award – platinum, gold, silver and bronze – provide a clear incentive for communities to continuously improve. The new and expanded BFC program began at the League in 1995, and in the past 14 years it has evolved into the tool it is today – evaluating, recognizing and improving cities, states and businesses.

The BFC program is generously supported by program partners Bikes Belong and Trek’s One World Two Wheels Campaign . Applicants complete a detailed on-line form with numerous questions in five key areas: engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation/planning. Local cyclists, national experts, and League staff review the applications.

To learn more about the League’s Bicycle Friendly Community program, visit http://www.bicyclefriendlyamerica.org .

The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. The League represents the interests of America’s 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates. For more information or to support the League, visit www.bikeleague.org

Bollywood actor getting behind cycling – http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/2009/ranbir-bicycle-environment-271009.html

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Bhopal, (ANI): Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor rode a cycle here on Tuesday to spread awareness about the benefits of a pollution free environment. The ‘Green Planet Bicycle Riders Association’, a voluntary organisation promoting awareness of environment protection and global warming, sponsored the event.

Buzz up!
Kapoor joined other cyclists, thereby suggesting that others cycle at least for short-distances to help save energy and improve their health.

“Our universe is going through global warming. Petroleum and other fuels are causing pollution, so whatever we can do to protect our health, our planet and to save greenery should be done. I believe cycling is a great mode of transportation. I completely encourage it. It not only helps in maintaining good health but also saves our planet,” said Kapoor.

Kapoor was shooting for his forthcoming film Rajneeti in the city. Film director Prakash Jha also took a cycle ride.

“Our universe is facing the brunt of energy consumption. So I believe this first initiative to promote greenery via cycling is a great effort. If most of the people would walk or cycle or use no-fuel consumption vehicle, it would be great help in saving our planet,” said Jha.

From the winnipeg sun: http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/canada/2009/10/27/11542826.html

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OTTAWA — The NDP wants to give commuters a tax break to go Green.

MP Denise Savoie introduced a private member’s bill today that would offer tax benefits to people who choose public transit, cycling and carpooling over driving to work.

It would apply to workers at participating employers who choose more environmentally friendly options for travelling to and from work.

The bill would make “employer-provided transportation benefits“ tax-exempt, allowing workers to be reimbursed up to $150 monthly for transit and carpool parking, or up to $240 a year for bicycle maintenance.

Bernard D’Amour of the Canadian Urban Transit Association has endorsed Savoie’s bill, saying the proposal can be cost-effective and an important incentive for increased transit use.

However, private member’s bills rarely make in through Parliament.

Neat! – http://inventorspot.com/articles/yike_bike_electric_bicycle_33788

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Combine the modern-day unicycle with the vintage Penny Farthing bicycle and you get the Yike Bike–a fitting name given that it doesn’t look any more stable than either of the aforementioned contraptions. Unlike its two inspirations, this mini-Farthing isn’t powered by calve muscles, but electricity. To increase awkwardness a little more, the handlebars are located on the sides of the rider–because how many cyclists have wished that they could hold on the way that you death-grip a car door handle when crazy Uncle Rodney is behind the wheel.
Despite its odd rider configuration, the Yike Bike actually features a lot of notable tech. The carbon composite frame keeps weight down to a scant 21 lbs., and the bike folds up to a size of 43 liters to help commuters transport it from place to place. Other features include electric, anti-skid brakes; leather, super comfort seat; and LED safety lights.
The unfortunate price tag of 3,500 Euros (app. $5,235) really brings this product screaming to a halt. For that kind of money, you could certainly afford a more functional, albeit slightly less environmentally-chummy means of transportation (scooter, motorcycle, used car). The 10 kilometers per charge that the Yike Bike travels also limits it to the lightest commuters. And we won’t even mention how damn stupid one would look riding one on a crowded sidewalk–pink button-up or not.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The League of American Bicyclists has added Anchorage to its list of bicycle-friendly communities.

From newsminer.com; Anchorage is now a bicycle friendly city! http://newsminer.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Anchorage+earns+bicycle-friendly+honor+%20&id=4148653-Anchorage+earns+bicycle-friendly+honor+&instance=home_news_window

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A strong education campaign was cited as the main reason for Anchorage’s award. The city provided bike education kits, including horns and helmets, to all Anchorage School District elementary and charter schools.

Anchorage joins Sitka as the only Alaska communities on the list.

States and communities can earn platinum, gold, silver and bronze rankings. Portland, Ore., is a platinum city, while gold cities include Seattle and San Francisco.

As a state, Alaska is ranked 47th by the league.