New Safety Stuff!

So everyone should be wearing a helmet... but if you don't like the way they look, or perhaps they aren't comfortable for you here's a solution! This beanie helmet by Ignite. Looks good and you can't even tell that you are protecting yourself!
(buy one here: http://www.ignitebeanies.com/)

Here's a great video showing how it works! Well only kind of...

P.S. This post is all thanks to Ryan the Bicycle Lion.

If This Doesn't Inspire You...

Then I don't know what will. I need to not only get a helmet asap, but once I do I will never ride without one... This is Rebecca Rae's story:


"starting at 6.30p. august 15th, i started in an alley cat bicycle race around the city i love and hate, birmingham, alabama. i was making excellent time, i was on my way to my 4th stop within 20 minutes. i was making a turn onto 14th street on my way to my 4th stop, then i don’t remember anything…

until i was riding in the back of an ambulance to UAB’s emergency. i was told i was going too fast as i hit a bad patch of pavement, and went head first over my handle bars landing directly on the crown of my head. i suffered a seizure at the sight, road rash along my left side, a black eye, and a major concussion. i was placed immediately into UAB’s NICU ( neural intensive care unit) and went into surgery early monday morning to have two sub-dermal hematomas removed to relieve a dangerous pressure on my brain, the procedure is called a bi-frontal craniotomy.

i am however, really lucky. as it has only been 5 days i am home, walking, talking, and am able to function. there are so many people who end up losing motor or brain function. i am extremely blessed.

i wasn’t wearing a helmet though i should have been.
please, if you ride a bike, for the sake of your life and mine, wear a helmet."

How to Lock Your Bike

Hal Ruzal tells you how to lock up and grades how people lock up!

Bike Lights!

"Columbia police stopped dozens of people on Monday night, not for drunk driving or speeding, but because they didn't have lights on their bicycles.

However, instead of getting a ticket for violating a city ordinance, police gave them free lights for their bikes, thanks to some generous donations.

The original plan was to have Columbia police pull over bicyclists riding at night without lights during several nights this week.

However, the “bike right, use a light” program was cut short when police ran out of free lights on the first night. Columbia police officers partnered with the PedNet Coalition to distribute about 50 free bicycle lights instead of handing out tickets. A city ordinance requires lights on the front and back of a bicycle at night. The lights do more than just help cyclists see where they are going.

“Safety, of course, is the main concern," PedNet Coalition spokeswoman Janet Godon said. "A lot of people think that you need a light so that you can illuminate where you are going, so you can see where you are going. Of course, that’s important. It’s more important for motor vehicle drivers to see you coming down the road at night, and to be able to see from behind with your red light or red reflector.”

The Mayor’s Council on Physical Fitness and the Columbia Bike Club provided the free bicycle lights. Columbia police also took another approach to improve bicycle safety. Last Wednesday, officers conducted a special traffic detail in downtown Columbia. They gave tickets to 17 cyclists for riding on the sidewalk and four cyclists for running stop signs. One cyclist got a ticket for failure to yield at an intersection."

Helmet Review...

I figured it's about time we talked more about helmets. Most people I see riding around L.A. don't wear them and you should (so should I). So to help you determine what the best helmet for you to be I gathered some very interesting and helpful information! Taken from this website (I really do think that everyone should read this), here is some reviews on various kinds, not brands of helmets in 2009.

Trends for 2009
"There are new helmets in 2009 that are worth a look if you need a new one. There are more new models appearing with the rounder, smoother profile that we think is best when you crash. But there is still no major advance in impact performance, ventilation or wearability this year that would compel you to replace your current helmet. Bell has announced a new True Fit system that is worth a look. Almost all of the helmets listed below meet national or international standards and offer good protection, although some standards are tougher than others. For the US market the CPSC standard is required by law for any bicycle helmet. Without comparative test data we usually do not know if a model exceeds the requirements of the standard and offers superior protection."

Highlights
Rounder, smoother "compact," "city," "urban" or "commuter" models are still growing in number, and most manufacturers have at least one in their lineup now. The older elongated styles with long rear points are beginning to look dated. We are pleased that the fashion pendulum is swinging, and most of the newer models are fine even if not fully rounded.

A very interesting new manufacturer arrived on the scene this year: Kali. They have new capabilities for molding variable density layers of foam in shells that most companies cannot equal, and it would appear that they will add some interesting new products in coming years.

The higher priced helmets have big vents, but no verifiable advantage in impact performance. A helmet with less liner foam must have denser foam, a disadvantage in lesser impacts. You can pay more than $200 if you want to, but Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us and other discounters have models that meet the same CPSC impact standard at an everyday price of $10. And for about $20 to $30 they have better looking and better fitting models. All three mentioned above have a round, smooth Bell Impulse for about $25 that is molded in the shell, a high quality construction technique.

Ring fit systems, the "one size fits all" solution, have taken over for most of the less expensive models. They work well for some, but not at all for others, who find that they have to tighten the ring uncomfortably to get a stable fit. You have to try them on to be sure. There are still models using fitting pads instead.

There are no new radical impact materials this year. Cascade introduced new liners in 2008 for their lacrosse and hockey helmets, but that construction has not spread to bicycle helmets yet. They use hollow bulging plastic cylinders that compress under load.

Carbon fiber is still found only in premium models, limited by variable fiber price costs. It does allow lighter construction, but there is so little of it used in a bike helmet that the weight saved is minimal except in heavy BMX helmets. Manufacturers are searching for ways to use titanium, another glamorous and expensive product that saves very little weight in a helmet. The kevlar craze is mostly behind us, but you will find some of that as well. In the 2009 economy it is not clear that high end frills will sell well.

Strap adjustment fittings--buckles and side pieces--badly need improvement. Most of them slip too easily, resulting in the "strap creep" that is responsible for many of the loose straps on many riders. We have noted the really good fittings below. You can check that when you buy just by tugging on the straps. You may have to sew your adjusted straps or snug rubber bands up under the buckles to make them hold.

Strap anchors on many helmets still stick up above the shell and are an unnecessary impediment to smooth sliding when you hit the pavement. The best helmets put the anchors below the surface of the shell, or at least recess the anchors to make a smooth surface.

Rubber finishes and a fabric finish were introduced in a few helmets in 2007, and have spread since. We do not recommend them for road use because rubber or fabric surfaces are likely to increase the sliding resistance of a helmet when it hits the pavement. We do not have lab tests yet to confirm that, but scrub one on pavement and see the difference.

Basics of what to look for:
1. Meets the CPSC bicycle helmet standard.

2. Fits you well.

3. Has a rounded, smooth exterior with no major snag points.

4. Has no more vents than you need. More vents = less foam.

On the site listed above there is a ton more information. So go and check it out and do yourself a favor, ride safe, be safe, and get a helmet! We promise it won't take your coolness points down!

Ignorance at Its Best...

This article is written by some jerk named Zach. There was speculation about it being satire, but its not funny. And although it was posted back in April, I think we as cyclists should still email him to tell him how ignorant and idiotic he is... Read through and then write him to say you're angry.

"Bicyclists need to stay on sidewalk by Zack Colman


Black 2001 Saturn SC2. That’s the car I drive — and if you’re a bicyclist on the road but not in a bike path and you see my car, I hope you're wearing a helmet, because I might run you over.

Maybe not intentionally.

But you see, with all these things I can do in my car nowadays, such as choose a different song on my iPod, send a text message while driving or fall asleep at the wheel because I had to wake up for a worthless 8 a.m. biology lab, I might not notice you.

And, considering you are where you should not be, I might hit you.

The simple fact of the matter is, MSU has so kindly provided sidewalks for people on foot and Rollerblades, and MSU's ordinance should be revised to require bicyclists be there too. The university has outlined bike paths on certain roads, but bicyclists can't just create imaginary bike paths like they do.

I cannot drive my car on the sidewalk, so why must you ride your bicycle where I drive?

Many of my friends ride bicycles on campus, so I'm not trying to berate a whole demographic of students. I appreciate bicyclists who advocate environmentalism, since they are making up for the damage I do with my car.

I respect bicyclists who use bicycles as a form of exercise, since people certainly can never get enough fitness in their everyday routines.

But for as much as I respect and appreciate bicyclists, I will not hesitate to honk at them when they are interfering with the roads.

My concern is not merely about inconvenience.

Bicyclists on the road are a driving hazard to people in automobiles, since many bicyclists make turns without using hand signals and ride too close to other vehicles when there is no designated bike path.

For example, I was driving to work Tuesday when a bicyclist pulled up in front of my car in the right lane on Farm Lane going northbound where it intersects with Shaw Lane. There is no bike path at this portion of the road, and I needed to be in the right lane to avoid the left turn only lane, but the bicyclist was in the way.

Instead, I had to speed ahead and veer away from the fast-approaching rear end of the car in front of me, just barely making it into the right lane.

Some will say I could be more patient on the road.

But roads are for cars, not bicyclists. The bicyclist should not have been in the car lane.

It's possible some bicyclists are trying to live out their dreams of being Lance Armstrong, and the smooth terrain offered by the roads where big, people-killing cars are designed to travel on are more desirable than the sidewalk pavement.

I get it, bicyclists you're in the Tour de France. Well, in your head at least.

But in reality, my gas-guzzling, carbon footprint-leaving car is trying to get around you, the bicyclist. And you, the bicyclist, prefer to coast, not along the side of the lane but in the exact middle.

Maybe in your head you are actually driving a car. Maybe that's why you believe you should be behind a pickup truck and in front of 15 other cars trying to pass you.

And maybe you are Armstrong, so talented and in shape and able to pedal so, so fast. But Armstrong's average speed in the 2001 Tour de France was 24.9 mph, which is 0.1 mph less than most of the speed limits on and around campus.

Plus, I've had difficulty finding students who actually obey the speed limit anyway.

It's common for motorists to drive at least 5 mph above the speed limit, which makes your task to out-pedal Lance Armstrong all the more daunting. And considering you're not actually Armstrong (even if you do wear a skintight yellow bicycle uniform), you likely are not going 24.9 mph.

And, oh yeah, Armstrong is competing when he is bicycling your leisurely ride through campus might not even register on a police radar.

But, hey, snap out of it. You're not Lance Armstrong.

And those are the headlights of my black 2001 Saturn SC2 bearing down on you."

Zack Colman is the State News opinion writer. Reach him at colmanz1@msu.edu.

The Ghost Bike

I don't know if everyone is as interested in them as I am, maybe I'm a bit morbid, or I really like to remember those who led the way... Anyhow I've always been interested in ghost bikes. When I was living in San Diego last year, we got our first one for a guy named Atip, I never knew him, but I remember how the bike community came together to construct his ghost bike after he was killed by a truck on University Ave.

This is Atip's ghost bike.
I thought I would do a little research on the ghost bike from Wikipedia... and here is what I have found:

What is a Ghost Bike?
"A ghost bike or ghostcycle is a bicycle set up in a place where a cyclist has been hurt or killed by a motor vehicle, as a memorial and as a reminder to passing motorists to share the road. A junk bicycle is painted white, with a placard attached, and locked to a suitable object close to the scene of the accident. These memorials are mainly a political statement – aiming to make a wider point beyond personal loss – erected by pro-cycling organizations, unlike a typical roadside memorial, which is usually purely personal. Not all ghost bikes commemorate real casualties: some merely reflect indignation at near-misses by careless drivers, or even protest against a poor road surface."


History Behind the Ghost Bike:
"The ghost bike idea seems to have originated with a project by San Francisco artist Jo Sota. Slota began the original ghost bike project in April 2002. This was a distinct, purely artistic endeavor.[2] Slota was intrigued by the abandoned bicycles that he found around the city, locked up but stripped of useful parts. He began painting them white, and posted photographs on his website, ghostbike.net. As the idea was taken up for different purposes, Slota faced a dilemma. San Francisco is one of the safer U.S. cities for bicyclists, but memorial ghost bikes sprang up there as elsewhere, changing perceptions of his project.

One of Jo Sota's ghost bike.

The first ghost bike memorial project was in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in October 2003. After observing a motorist strike a bicyclist in a bike lane on Holly Hills Boulevard, Patrick Van Der Tuin placed a white-painted bicycle on the spot with a hand-painted sign reading "Cyclist Struck Here". Noticing the effect that this had on motorists in the area, Van Der Tuin then enlisted the help of friends to place 15 more "ghost bikes" in prominent spots in the St. Louis area where cyclists had recently been hit by automobiles. They used damaged bikes, in some cases deliberately damaged to create the desired mangled effect."

Here is the original ghost bike.

This site is dedicated to ghost bikes and has some interesting information on it.
Via.

Helmet Hair? I think not!

Now, I don't wear a helmet, which is stupid of me, I know. For many who ride bikes, they don't want to look uncool or look as though they are a total poser, but let's be honest, wearing a helmet could save your life. And frankly if you aren't alive then you can't ride, so what's really more important?

These helmets were designed by Yves Béhar, Josh Morenstein, Nick Cronan, Matt Swinton, & Giuseppe Della Salle of Fuse Project and were commissioned by the state of New York. The outside covers are totally customizable and also comes off easy for cleaning. Now you can look hip and be safe!


Personally I think the added feature of being able to lock them up with your U-lock is the best and the ear flaps cause wind in the ears is quite unpleasant.

Light Lane

Most of us in Los Angeles ride around on streets that don't often have bike lanes. Often this can be a scary task, especially at night when no one seems to pay attention to bikers or if the area isn't well lit. Well the creators of Light Lane are in the process of developing the perfect solution for this.

Light Lane is a little device that attached to the back of your bike's frame and projects a bright LED "lane" behind the biker. As well it serves as a rear light. Check out this video to see it in action:

They currently are not available for purchase, but keep your eyes peeled for them to come out soon as well, check out their website here.