treasure finds: saddle
2/27/2012
i've been in dire need of a new saddle. i've been experiencing some hip and lower back pain from the saddle i have been riding with for some time. i've been putting in a lot of miles and have been planning on investing in a new one but was always weary about finding the right fit. with that in mind i made a little trip out to the flea market near my place on sundays. they have a huge collection of brooks saddles for cheap prices and some guys who know how to help you find the right fit. after looking at a few and getting some info i was recommended the Team Pro S, specifically made for women riding long distance on rough roads. i'm looking forward to testing it out and getting some comfort on on my rides.
do any of you ladies have this model saddle? if so, how has your experience been with it?
Different spokes, Different folks
2/22/2012
“Different spokes for different folks” right? I say this because I encounter lots of people on the road at different times of the day and I see that people like to ride either fast, slow, competitive, or vigorously, usually depending on the bike. I would describe my rides as a commute leisure ride. I'm efficient and comfortable at a certain speed yet cautious and communicative which I find to be the best strategy to riding 16 miles in a day while keep safe on the road. I'm not a perfect cyclist by no means but I tend to worry for the safety of other cyclists and find myself getting upset at them for being careless on the road. I find myself thinking “they should be wearing a helmet for how vigorous they ride,” or “they should ride slower on this road during this traffic hour.”
Recently, on my commute home from school, I found that I was coincidently riding in front of a group ride. I turned quickly to assess my environment and found some riding fixed, some riding with gears, and some weaving in and out of traffic recklessly. One cyclist, weaving in and out of traffic, had to suddenly skid in front of me while trying to avoid hitting the car in front of them, being that this was an emergency break, I had maneuvered quickly to avoid any impact between us both or the riders behind me. My initial reaction was that I was upset as clearly we could have injured one another but more impressed by my skills of maneuvering, ha! Although I shook off my anger once I was out of the situation, I thought immediately of how much fun this cyclist must be having riding with a group and having a good laugh at it. I couldn’t be angry any longer as I thought how every person likes to ride differently and either way we should always be looking out for each others safety on the road. I may or may not be the only cyclist who thinks this way but I like to imagine how transformative our attitudes can be if we didn't have a need to prove our entitlement to anything.
It makes me happy to see groups taking over the streets and riding their own way while having fun, as it should be! I think that group rides are a transformative tool to getting more people out on the road and comfortable about cycling while promoting sustainable transit. I've always been interested in organizing one but I'm a super student but who knows, now that spring is on it's way, the possibilities may present themselves.
holidays are for riding
2/20/2012
happy presidents day americans! i hope you're all enjoying your long weekend and getting in some good fun with your bike. this weekend has been great hanging out with friends, going on bike rides, eating good food, and meeting some really great folks. i keep finding myself talking about the blog and why i do it, it's a good reminder to keep me going and i'm finding that people are really excited to hear about something different in the blogosphere. i realized that my time blogging is usually taken over by study sessions but i'm hoping to make this space a greater place as i hope to share some great stuff i'm learning and events to inspire people to get on a bike and positively change their communities.
anyone making today a fun day on bike?
bike love: a valentine's mix
2/14/2012
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| onegirltwowheels |
happy valentine's day! i bring you some inspiring links, videos, and stories from across the webs that others have shared about their love for their bikes. i like to think the love of cycling is contagious and hope these stories inspire you. enjoy this short mix of goodies i found on the web, remember to share the love! happy riding and enjoy!
xoxo!
Bike Love: Bikers Swap Stories (Oakland Represent!)
hella bike oakland and events!
2/10/2012
We Hella Bike Oakland, found at the Tip Top Bike Shop on Telegraph Ave on my commute to school. Oakland is well known for is colorful language, "hella" being a major one of them. i love finding bits and pieces of local culture throughout the city, and especially in local bike shops.
Oakland has been blessed with gorgeous weather this week and i've been taking advantage of the opportunity to go out and ride a lot whether it's commuting or running an errand. i know many places around the world are having some cold winter days and some of you are biking bravely through it. i commend you all! us west coasters, especially Bay Area Californian's, are really spoiled with gorgeous weather.
if any of you Bay Area folks are looking for some bikey fun, check out some events below:
East Bay Bike Party- feb 9
Alley Cute Race- feb11
Bikes4Life Grand Re-Opening- feb 11
2nd Annual Sidewalk Sale and Swap Meet
hosted by PushBike- feb12
have a great weekend!
Oakland has been blessed with gorgeous weather this week and i've been taking advantage of the opportunity to go out and ride a lot whether it's commuting or running an errand. i know many places around the world are having some cold winter days and some of you are biking bravely through it. i commend you all! us west coasters, especially Bay Area Californian's, are really spoiled with gorgeous weather.
if any of you Bay Area folks are looking for some bikey fun, check out some events below:
East Bay Bike Party- feb 9
Alley Cute Race- feb11
Bikes4Life Grand Re-Opening- feb 11
2nd Annual Sidewalk Sale and Swap Meet
hosted by PushBike- feb12
have a great weekend!
Cycling As A Lifestyle Choice
2/08/2012
Personally, cycling is a lifestyle choice. For many of us it is the best lifestyle choice we have made. Some people don't like to work out, I'm one of them, so cycling has become not only our choice of transit but also our choice of physical activity. One of the greatest perks about cycling is that it doesn't have to feel like exercise but nonetheless you still reap its health benefits.
Having active lifestyles tend to make us feel energetic and younger. this is especially true for me as i still feel and act 13yrs old. Plenty of cyclists I've meet act and look younger than I would have ever thought. One of my professors whose gone bald and gray acts like an 18yr old and is full of life, he says it's his bike who's keeps him feeling young. Not only does it keep you feeling young but also keeps you healthy.
Since I started cycling, I've become less susceptible to viruses, depression, and weight gain. Even if everyone around me has the flu, I don't get sick. I can proudly say that I haven't been sick for a year and a half in my two years of cycling. I tend to brag about his a lot because I do really owe it to my bike. I feel a lot happier when I'm cycling. If I'm having a crappy morning, the moment I hop on my bike I forget it all and my mood boosts. cycling has kept my weight down and I tend to eat whatever I want, alot. This last year I lost 5lbs commuting to and from school and I'm really already tiny. My muscles have become defined, stronger, my endurance lasts longer, and I suffer less injuries than I would get from working out at the gym.
Cycling and it's benefits are always an adventure.
I'm sure many of us can relate in that our lifestyles as cyclists has changed. What's your story?
bike love sharing
2/06/2012
cycling is contagious and addictive. without my bike, life would probably be different. i've been given many opportunities to build and share with a great community of cyclists local and global. it just seems like cycling was the perfect opportunity to doing what i love, find solutions to improving our communities and work with passionate individuals who want to do the same. i hear often from many cyclists, and i share this too, that they find solutions to issues when riding their bike, and when we share it we also share a piece of the journey that took us to that solution.
whenever i go into detail about how i started blogging about my experiences on bicycle, i simply state that bicycles are fun and that it's helped me to make sense of the world in a different way that i simply just cannot keep it to myself. it seems that once people hear our stories of why we started riding, they start to evaluate their own communities and life and gain inspiration and confidence to ride.
i often love hearing peoples stories of why they started riding and how it's changed their lives and view of their city. i have friends and readers that tell me that i have inspired them to get a bike, which is super great, but if they can keep riding then i've made the world a better place.
with valentine's coming up around the corner, i wanted to open up the blog for many of you readers out there who would like to share your bike love stories here. you can email me your story (and pictures of you and your bike!) at citygirlrides@gmail.com. i look forward to your stories.
what does it all mean?
2/02/2012
this entire week i have been biting my nails in anticipation to whether the House of Representatives was going to cut bike and pedestrian funding or not. as of this morning, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee eliminated funding for bike/ped projects in the Federal Transportation Bill. tomorrow a vote will be placed in the House of Ways and Means on whether they will kick out public transit out of the Highway Trust Fund. this will mean cutting funding from public transit while they fight for full share of funding annually. from what i have experienced in recent years with budget cuts, public transit in san francisco and in the east bay have undergone many fee hikes in recent years while cutting services and paying extravagant benefits to those who work for BART and MUNI. there have been many protests against higher transit costs in recent years, regardless, it's become increasingly expensive to afford transit for many, and those who are fined for not paying $2 are severely punished with expensive charges. aside from the provisions this eliminates for the public, i also have my worries about how this will impact public health and safety as well as compromise the future of programs for clean air and development of sustainable cities. i'm curious to know how these systems will react. i'm also curious to find out what this means for the public and what they will do when services are cut.
some communities, like Oakland who is constantly undergoing budget cuts, have heavily invested more in creating walk/bike infrastructure than highway projects, and are currently creating ways to fund these projects for the future (vote yes on Measure B this November!). i'm proud to see this city prioritizing it's community.
some communities, like Oakland who is constantly undergoing budget cuts, have heavily invested more in creating walk/bike infrastructure than highway projects, and are currently creating ways to fund these projects for the future (vote yes on Measure B this November!). i'm proud to see this city prioritizing it's community.
what do you think this means for communities across the states? how do you think this will impact your community?
still a little more curious or want to take action? read more here... Transportation for America.
save bike and pedestrian funding!
2/01/2012
for those of us who think bicycles can save our communities, this is something we can all stand up for and take action. please sign and share with your friends.
"Congressman John Mica (R-FL) announced the introduction of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act The proposed bill eliminates dedicated funding for bicycling and walking as we feared, and it goes much further and systematically removes bicycling from the Federal transportation program. Andy Clarke, president of the League gives us the top 10 reasons why the proposed bill is not any good for bicycling and walking. Watch and share the video -- and don't forget to contact your representatives today"
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