What is your true MPH on your car?

We think of cars being faster than bikes, but are they really? Sure, if you’re driving hundreds of miles the car is fast, but what about on your trips into and around town?

I remember the first time I was running late and decided to take my bike rather than my car. I was nervous about getting there on time, but using the electric, I was able to get to my appointment on time and in about exactly the time it would take for me to drive (actually less, because I didn’t have to search for parking in our downtown area). After that, I realized that time was often not a good excuse for driving rather than biking.

Here is the link to Mark Stosberg’s blog and “true mph” calculation spreadsheet. Be sure to look around for some of his great posts on transportaiton biking

http://mark.stosberg.com/bike/2006/09/calculate-your-true-mph.html

And here is a link to the Philadelphia commuting race

http://blog.bicyclecoalition.org/2010/05/commuter-race-results-are-inand.html

Ride on!

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

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Looks can sometimes be deceiving…

Have you ever been judged as someone you were not based on the way you looked? This has probably happened to just about everyone out there, especially those of us who don’t always take a lot of effort to consider our outward appearance every single day. This is a great excerpt about this concept. And if you need a lift today, humor will help! Enjoy.

This story was published in Adventure Cyclist magazine in December 2010, and was written by Joe Kurmanskie.

Ride On!

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below

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At Cycle 9, we love Surly’s no-nonsense approach to bicycles.  These bikes are not flashy or trendy, but are elegant and refined in their functionality.  Made from CroMoly steel, Surlys are built to last and ride beautifully.

Take the Surly Cross Check, for example.

Surly Cross Check

The versatile Cross Check handles all terrains with ease.  It’s a great commuter bike, offering a fabulously comfortable ride.  After work, go ahead and hit the trails.  You’ll love how this bike handles off-road as well.  Reviewers rave about this bike and for a good reason.  Come on in to see what all the buzz is about!

Another favorite at Cycle 9 is the Big Dummy.  Don’t let the name fool you, this bike isn’t a clunker.  It’s made for hauling a lot of stuff and it does its job gracefully.  Compatible with Xtracycle accessories, the Big Dummy can carry a week’s worth of groceries, an 8 ft ladder, passengers, or almost anything else you can think of – all while riding smoothly.  The options are endless and car-less, which makes this Big Dummy anything but dumb.

Surly Big Dummy

Ok – I quit this gig.  I’m packing up my crap and heading out West.  Peace out amigos!  While you’re watching the evening news, I’ll be riding into the sunset on Surly’s touring bike, the Long Haul Trucker.  Because the Trucker’s frame geometry is designed to carry a lot of stuff, I can make it out to there with everything I need.  The ultra durable components make me confident that my bike won’t let me down on the way.  Once I’ve reached my destination, I’ll still have a great bike to get around town.  Yup, the Long Haul Trucker is my long haul ride.  It can be yours too.  Stop by Cycle 9 to see why it’s one of our best sellers.

Surly Long Haul Trucker

I love folding bikes for a couple of reasons.  The first is that they’re great for traveling.  Compact enough to store in a suitcase, these bikes are the perfect way for cyclists to avoid expensive cargo charges on airplanes.  The second reason is that commuters or urban residents don’t have to leave these bikes on the street.  Instead of worrying about chaining down all your components, it takes just a few seconds to collapse a folding bike and tuck it safely into a corner of your office or apartment.

Not all folding bikes are created equal, however.  At Cycle 9, we’re carrying the high performance Melon Slice.

Melon Slice - Red

I was first attracted to the Slice because of it’s snazzy red frame and funky design.  But there’s more to this folding bike than just looks.  The aluminum frame is super lightweight and durable.  The short wheel base allows for agility, making it readily responsive to quick turns.  And although the wheels are only 20″, the super-sized front chainring compensates, making it easy to get this bike moving!  The comfort and ease of the ride make this bike truly enjoyable.  If you’re looking for a high-quality, comfortable, compact bicycle, I would definitely encourage you to stop by and check out the Melon Slice.

And if red isn’t your style, we also carry the Slice in white.

Melon Slice - White

Event wrap-up

We had a good turn-out for some of our Bike to Work Week events last week! Glad to see so many people out and supporting the biking community!

Did you find events in your area? Tell me about them in the comments field.

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below

Click to Sign UP for our list to be notified of new video topics and other great happenings at Cycle 9

Friends can give us that much-needed kick in the pants

Getting and staying motivated to make a life change like biking more is sometimes hard. And that’s where our friends can come in. In today’s episode of Go By Bike, I talk about motivation and the role people can play in it.

Did you have help making a bike lifestyle change? If so, share it in the comments below.

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below

Click to Sign UP for our list to be notified of new video topics and other great happenings at Cycle 9

If you aren’t riding BIG, you aren’t as safe as you could be

Riding in traffic is often un-nerving for bikers, and this is probably one of the biggest reasons people don’t bike. Fortunately, we can minimize our risks by changing our riding styles. Riding Big is one of these behaviors and it is often not intuitive. Watch today’s video to find out what it is and why I think it’s one of the best skills you can learn for riding in traffic.

For more bike safety tips, see my blog post on 7 tips for riding safely in traffic.

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below

Click to Sign UP for our list to be notified of new video topics and other great happenings at Cycle 9

Try biking to work next week – It’s Bike To Work week!

Next week (May 17-21, 2010) is Bike To Work Week. This is one week in May each year where there are events and activities that encourage people to try biking to work. If you haven’t tried biking to work before, why not try it next week! In today’s video I give 5 easy tips to think about if you want to try a new bike commute.

Below are the details of events in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area. In addition to the events, Cycle 9 is offering FREE inspections of your bike all week and will have some in-store specials going.

There may be events in your area. Check these web resources and your lcoal media to see what’s going on.

http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/events.php

http://biketoworkweek.org/index.php

What other tips do you have for biking to work? Add your comments below.

-Elise

Events in Chapel Hill and Carrboro:

In addition to these events, if you take the Smart Commute Challenge, you could win fabulous prizes! All you have to do is try an alternate form of transportation one time during the month of May. See info at the end.

Saturday, May 15: Bus & Bike Workshops:  Information on how to load a bike onto a bus, hands-on demonstrations and information about rules of the road.

-  Estes Drive (University Mall) Farmers Market –   8:30 a.m. to Noon

-  Carrboro Town Commons Farmers Market - 8:30 a.m. to Noon

Tuesday, May 18: Bike Breakfast Workshop – 7 to 10 a.m.: Meet in the parking lot across from the Open Eye Café for bicycle inspections and small repairs, special drawings and free coffee and snacks!

Friday, May 21: Bike Chapel Hill-Carrboro – An 8-mile cycling event for individuals or families ending with food, bands and other fun activities!

-  5:30 p.m.: Registration at the Wallace Deck (no fee). Bring your bicycle!6 p.m.: Tour begins.

-  6:30: Cyclists stop for water break at Carrboro Town Commons where Chapel Hill and Carrboro leaders will make comments and join the ride.
-  7 p.m.: The group finishes on the Wallace Deck in Chapel Hill with a band, food and informational tables.

Take the SmartCommute Challenge! Use any form of alternative transportation (bike, walk, carpool, bus, etc.) at least once before May 30 and register at SmartCommuteChallenge.org. You will be entered into a drawing for $1500, laptop computers and other great prizes!

Introducing my Daily Video Series – Go By Bike!

Today is my inaugural video of my NEW daily video series – Go By Bike! I started this series to talk about how to ride more and use your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike. Using your car less reduces your carbon footprint, saves energy, helps the environment, keeps you healthy, and makes your community a nicer place to live, so overall most people would agree it’s a good thing.

In today’s episode of Go By Bike, I show you how I set up my bicycle to carry 3 kids on my morning (and afternoon) commute. This may seem like a lot to carry, but I keep it fun, easy and practical. Check out my daily ride below…

What’s your daily commute vehicle? Post a comment and let me know.

Over and out…..

-Elise

p.s. if you like this video, please share it with one of the links below