2007 almanac - League of American Bicyclists

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LEAGUE NEWS & NOTES letters.to.the.EDITOR THE ERRORS THAT SPELLCHECK DOESN’T CATCH DEAR EDITOR: I know I won’t win a medal for meddling, but you shouldn’t use peddle for pedaling. I just recently began reading American Bicyclist and applaud all the great work you are doing. I was surprised though to see a bicycle article use “peddle,” “peddling,” “pedal” and “pedaling” interchangeably in the same article (Fall 2006 article on sizing). In fact it drove us to the dictionary to be sure we weren’t wrong. Keep up the great work and content and give us more malaprops to find. Jon Korin, Olney, MD KEEP YOUR BALANCE DEAR EDITOR: Congratulations on an excellent fall issue of American Bicyclist. I especially enjoyed the article “Unbridled Bicyclist: Seeing America at 10 mph.” I met Joe Bowen at a LAW National Convention in Marion, Indiana. The year was 1969. I biked to the convention 4 American Bicyclist from Lexington, Mass. and Joe from Kentucky. Joe and I still talk from time to time via e-mail. I especially enjoyed the balance that you have projected in the fall issue: it was a balance that would pique the interest of the entire cycling membership. Please keep up the good work. Ralph W. Galen, DDS Past President and Life Member #1 BIKE FITTING DEAR EDITOR: Thanks for your insightful article on Bike Fitting written by Tom O’Brien. Having been a professional bike fitter for the last 26 years, I have seen every kind of bad fit there is. Like Tom, I believe that bike fitting is a matter of experience rather than calculations. People aren’t built to formulae and they can’t be fitted by a formula either. There are simply too many variables. Everyone sits on a bike a little differently. Their age, flexibility, riding style, fitness level, and skill level all come into play. I also design custom bikes which we build in-house, and people are sometimes put off that I take so few body measurements. It isn’t exactly rocket science, but does require a lot of common sense. I read between the lines a lot and I can’t always explain why I choose the size or fit that I do, but it always fits right and rides right. Robert D Freeman, Life Member Elliott Bay Bicycles HOW TO BECOME AN LCI DEAR EDITOR: The most recent newsletter had a nifty sidebar box describing the joy of teaching and the benefits of taking the “road” course taught by League Certified Instructors. I was looking for the little tag (and maybe a hotlink) at the end telling me how I can sign-up to take the required training to become a League Certified Instructor, but didn’t see anything in the box, or elsewhere in this issue. Could you run it next time? Bike on, Geoff Steele, Arlington, VA Editor’s Note: Find out how to become an LCI and more about our Bike Ed programs at www.bikeleague.org. Click on ‘bicycle education’ to see a list of courses. CLEAR VIEW(POINT) DEAR EDITOR: In Andy Clarke’s last Viewpoint (Fall 2006) he eloquently, honestly, fairly and most important, accurately described the situation as it exists today. The current hostility we have in the U.S. with motorists, who feel that they own the road and have to put up with non-motorists, have created a dangerous place to be a pedestrian and biker. Our problem is all about attitude and when held up against European and other countries that respect non-motorists as a matter of social convention and policy, our U.S. car-obsessed society, comes out looking selfish and aggressive in comparison. Our culture needs a dramatic overhaul and re-education into how to recognize one another and co-exist safely in our society. We need more advocates like you and a cultural revolution to bring this change about. We did it with cigarette smoking, perhaps we can partner with politicians, auto and bike dealers and manufacturers, civic leaders, and citizens to establish safe road conditions to be shared by all motorists, pedestrians, and bikers in the U.S. Thank you. D. Stancevic, Minneapolis, MN SAFETY FIRST DEAR EDITOR: I totally agree with Steve Weeks observations in his letter Objects in Mirror. People I ride with are confident that all they need is a helmet which they seem to think makes them indestructible.
The cyclist must see what’s behind him. With my rear-view mirror I can notice a car that’s pulling to the right, closer to me, and likely to cut me off at the upcoming intersection: I take a timely defensive action. Riding in the busy streets of NJ’s Union County, I’ve come across countless situations in which my being aware of the traffic behind has allowed me to take preventive or evasive measures and avoid a likely accident. Turning your head is no substitute since it can only be spotty and is intrinsically unsafe. Jose Sanchez-Bernat Linden, NJ DEAR EDITOR: I read the letter from Steve Weeks (Objects in Mirror, Fall 2006) encouraging the use of a rear-view mirror on bicycles. I wholeheartedly agree on that issue. I have used a mirror on my bike ever since I’ve been riding on the roads. I would feel naked without it. Constantly keeping in touch with traffic is a must no matter what type of road you travel. For years as a teacher and fund raiser for the MS Society, I would give bike demos to elementary school age children. I talked about safety and wearing helmets, but I always extolled the use of a mirror and hand signals on road travel. My advice to them was the two next purchases after getting a bicycle was a helmet and a rear view mirror. If your readers would pass this on to all their riding buddies and anyone else they come across on their travels, I’m sure the injuries and fatalities would drop even further. Ted Kovall, retired teacher Connellsville, PA THANKS FOR YOUR LETTERS We.eagerly.await.all.of.your.comments.—.good.and.bad.—.on.cycling,.the. League,.our.publications,.and.just.about.anything.else.you.want.to.tell.us. about..E-mail.elizabeth@bikeleague.org,.fax.your.letter.to.202-822-1334.or. mail.it.to.us.at.1612.K.Street.NW,.Suite.800,.Washington,.DC.20006.. Letters may be edited for style and length. STANDING UP FOR THE RIDE OF SILENCE DEAR EDITOR: I felt a need to comment on two letters in the Fall issue. On the Ride of Silence issue, we conducted our first ROS in Green Valley, Ariz. this past May and it was a success. I wonder if the originator of this letter, who seems to be opposed to such celebrations, will next want to tear down war memorials because of the dangers of war and then to cancel all funerals because of the dangers of living. I have become accustomed to (and now dependent on) a rear view mirror to enhance my awareness of the surroundings. In a recent issue of the Greater Arizona Bicycling Association newsletter, there was an excellent article regarding the advantages of using a rear view mirror. The author pointed to many advantages with the only significant disadvantage being the ‘nerd effect.’ Maybe some day all bicyclists will be so equipped, and perhaps some day all bicyclists will stop for stop signs. Chuck Hill Green Valley, Ariz. YOUR BIKE SHOPS . During.the.summer,.the.League.carried.out.a.member.survey.with.the.help. of. the. Gluskin. Townley. Group,. LLC.. In. addition. to. asking. questions. about. our. member. services. and. programs,. and. their. bicycling. habits,. we. also. took. the.opportunity.to.ask.them.a.few. questions. related. to. their. bike. store. experiences.. We. learned,. for. example,. that. 100. percent. of. our. members. purchase. cycling.products.through.specialty. bicycle.retailers,.and.one-in-five. plans.to.buy.a.new.bicycle.in.the. next.six.months! . Members. were. asked. to. write. in.the.name.of.their.one.favorite.bike. shop.and.city.where.it.is.located..Among. the.many.reasons.given.for.votes.for.particular.stores.were: •. A.commitment.to.customer.service. •. Support.for.local.bicycling.activities. and.programs. •. The. attitude. of. shop. owners. and. staff. . These. are. the. top. stores. in. each. region..Congratulations,.and.thanks.for. providing.great.service.. •. Region.1:.Belmont.Wheelworks,.MA •. Region.2:.High.Gear.Cyclery,.NJ •. Region.3:.Spokes.Etc.,.VA •. Region.4:.Hubbub.Custom.Bicycles,.OH •. Region.5:.Richardson.Bike.Mart,.TX •. Region.6:.The.Bike.Gallery,.OR . . In.addition,.there.were.several.that. scored.well.but.weren’t.top.in.their.region.. We. want. to. also. recognize. their. good. service.to.our.members..They.are:. •. Cycles.de.Oro,.NC •. City.Bikes,.DC/MD •. Bicycle.Sport.Shop,.TX •. Harris.Cyclery,.MA •. High.Gear.Cyclery,.CO •. Wooden.Wheels,.DE •. The.Bike.Doctor,.MD American Bicyclist 5
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS 8 SNAPSHOT A Day in the Li
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Page 9 and 10: BIKE ED 12 LCIs CERTIFIED at first
Page 11 and 12: 1 MANUFACTURER Bill Cook, owner, Ba
Page 13 and 14: 3 MECHANIC Brett Flemming Vancouver
Page 15 and 16: 5 LONG-DISTANCE TOURER Peter Maron,
Page 17 and 18: 7 LEAGUE CYCLING INSTRUCTOR Jim Bar
Page 19: American Bicyclist 17 nk you Nina.J
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2007 ALMANAC AMERICA Cycle America
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2007 ALMANAC 3-State 3-Mountain Cha
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FAVORITE RIDES Peter N. Baker Chica
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2007 almanac - League of American Bicyclists

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