Off-road cyclists in Houston may like to play in the dirt, but they’re not too keen when an outsider plays dirty in their playgrounds.

It’s the Harris County Flood Control [...]]]> Save the Anthills: County to destroy rare hike and bike trail in the name of flood control
By Fayza A. Elmostehi            houston.culturemap.com

Off-road cyclists in Houston may like to play in the dirt, but they’re not too keen when an outsider plays dirty in their playgrounds.

It’s the Harris County Flood Control District’s (HCFCD) proposed initiative, Charting Buffalo Bayou, that has everyone’s bike chain in a knot. This flood control project covers 32 miles, and the “visionary study” is slated for completion in early 2012. …

How much do you need to know about your bike?
By Victor            bicyclelab.com
Do you know enough about your bike?

This video discusses one of the mistakes that many cyclists and triathletes make when learning about working on their bikes.

How much is enough? What things should all cyclists learn? What should be left to a professional mechanic?…

Motivation for Cycling and Life
Victor Jimenez, Darryl Kotyk, Rob Grissom        cycling360media.com
Getting and staying motivated

No matter what area of life you are talking about, Motivation is an important aspect of all we do.  Motivation and cycling definitely tie in together and in this Cycling 360 Podcast, we share tips, ideas, and suggestions for keeping yourself motivated and finding the motivation you need to achieve your cycling goals. …

Loving the Commute: Edition #3
by Darryl        lovingthebike.com
This is Edition three of a series on bicycle commuting by guest contributor, Aaron Madrid. These posts are all about Aaron’s experiences as a newcomer to commuting, and he’s here to share it with you. …
Loving the Commute: Gear
by Aaron Madrid
I love my lycra as much as the next guy.  To me a nice kit says confidence, dedication, pride, and style.  Unfortunately, to the 30 or 40 cubicles I pass in the morning after my commute on the way to our office locker-room, I think my kits say something else entirely.  For a good month or two I would strut my stuff and “peacock” my way through the maze of desks to change into my work…

What About Bike Parking
by dickdavid        Bike Friendly Richardson

So, we’ve got the great biking infrastructure in the works. Bike trails, bike lanes and bike signs are being set up all over town to encourage bike riding. But what about bike PARKING. Where are folks going lock their bikes once they reach their destinations? I’ve seen a few racks around town and I’ve managed to find some random…

Plano Encouraging Residents to Bike to Work
BikeDFW

A short video about how Plano is encouraging cycling, including an interview with Brian Bedingfield, a member of the BikeDFW Board and Plano Bicycle Association.

Beyond Bike Lanes meeting scheduled
By PaM LeBlanc        Fit City

Like the idea of cycling but worried about putting foot to pedal?

I love the sound of the Austin Cycling Association’s Beyond Bike Lanes program.

The series of neighborhood gatherings is designed to spur discussion about personal barriers to cycling and intimidation factors, and provide practical advice on everything from route planning to basic safety practices. (Light up! Ride in a predictable way! Obey traffic laws!)…

Beginner’s and Casual Ride
FWBA Ride List
Saturday, February 18, 2012 10:00 am – Art’s Park Trail Head Benbrook – Distance: up to 20 miles all on trails and park roads. Ride will normally be from Trail Head up thru Benbrook Lake Park to HI 377 and back. This is primarily a training ride for those new to cycling. Any level cyclist is welcome and club members will be on hand to provide guidance and answer questions. The goal is to introduce riders to the club and to help those new to our sport gain the skills they need to allow them to enjoy the normal club rides.

Heather Appleby – She da’ man!
Plano Bicycle Association
Heather is a champion for bicycle commuting in Plano. Follow link for video.

Austin Cycling Quarterly
Austin’s club quarterly publication:

Biking Downtown Amarillo: Survey  
by mwilhelm            www.oldtascosacycling.com
Cycling Advocacykennyg writes “If you have ridden your bike downtown Amarillo (to, in, around or through counts)  at least once in the last 12 months then please take this survey, courtesy of Community Amarillo Bicycles (CAB).

Tyler State Park Mountain Biking
by Shawn        Texas Mountain Bike Trails

Tyler State Park has one of the most aerobically challenging trails in North Texas with a surprising amount of climbing. Nestled just north of I-20 and the city of Tyler, this trail is a popular weekend retreat for those in the DFW metroplex.

Sitting under a canopy of hardwoods and evergreens the park surrounds the Tyler State Park Lake. This trail stays moderately cool during hot summer days and drains extremely well after heavy rains. Usually this will be…

Pedaling the Prairie 2012 in Hempstead, TX
by WB admin
The 6th Annual Pedaling the Prairie benefiting the athletic department of Faith West Academy invites you to join their ride happening on February 11, 2012 at Waller County Fairgrounds – 22000 Fairgrounds Road Hempstead, TX

We were lucky enough to be granted an interview with Cathy Sturn, Ride Director of Pedaling the Prairie to ask some questions about their upcoming ride.

Why Join this year’s ride?
We think we put on an excellent ride. We have breakfast tacos at the start, homemade goodies at the break points, and hamburgers at the finish. We have motorcycle support, ham operators, and friendly SAG drivers. We…

City Council dust-up pits newcomer against veteran By Chris Moran, HOUSTON CHRONICLE It was about a [...]]]> The Houston City Council had some fireworks over bike paths. Two council members sparred over spending in their districts in public. Interestingly the one council member that objected to spending in another district voted for spending in her district.

City Council dust-up pits newcomer against veteran
By Chris Moran, HOUSTON CHRONICLE
It was about a bike path. But it was about so much more.

Councilwoman Helena Brown and Councilman James Rodriguez squared off publicly Wednesday in the kind of bare-knuckled politics usually deployed in a back room.

The outer layer of the onion had them disagreeing on whether the city should spend $2.3 million on a bike path along Sims Bayou in Rodriguez’s District I. Brown called it a “luxury” the city cannot…

FrankenBike # 12 ~ JAN 14, 2012 ~ 10am-4pm
BikeSport ~ 2909 Joanel Street ~ 77027
FrankenBike (n) A free bike swap meet held once a month in Houston, Texas that is open to anyone who wants to buy, sell or trade bicycles and bicycle related gear or parts.
Houston FrankenBike is on the second Saturday of each month, at locations in and around the Greater Houston Metro Area. On months with 5 Saturdays, FrankenBike will be held on the 3rd Saturday. We will be flexible on special occasions, so make sure to check the schedule and you’ll be good to go.

FrankenBike # 2 ~ SUNDAY ~ JAN 15, 2012 ~ 10am-6pm ~ Lost Souls Fixies ~ 110 Lincoln Ave ~ 77840 ~ College Station
FrankenBike # 1 ~ SUNDAY ~ JAN 22, 2012 ~ 10am-5pm ~ House of Rock ~ 511 Starr St ~ 78401 ~ http://corpuschristi.frankenbike.net/
FrankenBike # 78 ~ SATURDAY ~ JAN 28, 2012 ~ 10am-5pm ~ FrankenBabe # 4 ~ The Parlor ~ 4301 B Guadalupe St ~ 78751 ~ http://austin.frankenbike.net/
FrankenBike # 20 ~ SUNDAY ~ JAN 29, 2012 ~ 10am-4pm ~ Leather Hands BMX ~ 105 Warren Street 78212 ~ http://sanantonio.frankenbike.net/

PBBA Friendship Ride on Jan 22 at the Scharbauer Sports Complex more info on http://t.co/h32c5Hjs #cycling #Midland — PeytonsBikes (@PeytonsBikes)
Bring a friend to the Annual Friendship Ride and let’s see if we can get more people on a bike! Afterwards we will meet for Pizza and discuss rides past, present and future.

Updated details for Rocky Hill Ranch ride Saturday January 14
by Laura Scagno             Austin Ridge Riders
It is definitely cold today and most likely tomorrow but Saturday should be warmer.

The Austin Ridge Riders will be cooking up sausage wraps post ride. We’ll wrap them up in warm tortillas and provide salsa, spicy mustard, guacamole, sour cream and other fixings plus some chips and sweets. I plan on picking up some veggies patties and/or veggie dogs for our non meat eating friends.

We also will have soda, water and beer (for those of legal drinking age). Everyone is encouraged to bring something to share. Potato salad or…

Must Read: Who pinched my ride?
by VeloNews.com
Outside — Infuriated by bicycle theft and empowered by Garmin tracking devices, Patrick Symmes set out on a quest to uncover the mangy underbelly of bicycle theft. By strategically leaving trackable bikes poorly secured around the city, Symmes tantalized bike vultures and lured them in to pick at his two-wheeled carcasses.

He found that “the futility of locking is shocking,” and every security product can be manipulated by a desperate junky. According to Symmes, “in America’s rough streets, there are four forms of currency—cash, sex, drugs, and…

Austin Bike Culture Calendar Events: 1/12- 1/18/12
by elliott            Austin on Two Wheels
Here’s a quick run down of recommended events for the coming week from our comprehensive calendar of all cycling events. As always, if there is an event you know about that’s not on our calendar contact us, and we’ll add your event on and possibly add it to the weekly round up.
Thursday, January 12
Thursday Night Bike Polo
5:00 PM, Metz Park, 2407 Canterbury St
The Austin Bike Polo Club’s holds 3 hardcourt matches a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, at Metz…

Dallas Bicycle Cafe coming soon!
by Christopher Curnutt            Biking in Dallas

I got this tip reading the Lakewood/East Dallas Advocate.  As many of you know Dallas Bike Works (Northwest Highway and Lawther – map) has an adjacent spot that begged to be utilized as some sort of eatery. Well it’s finally happening, Dallas Bicycle Cafe will be “opening soon” and from what I can…

ACA Meeting, Saturday, January 14th
Austin Cycling Association
Join us for ACA’s New Year’s Resolution meeting on Saturday, January 14th at 3:00pm at the Howson Library (2500 Exposition Blvd, Austin, 78703) and sign up for the ACA New Year’s Resolution Challenge!

Here’s how it works: each participant enters their cycling fitness goals for 2012 on a “pledge” form, for example frequency of riding, miles, hours in the saddle – something quantifiable. Then once a month, you send your actual numbers to vp@austincycling.org. At the ACA Holiday party in December, everyone who met or exceeded their goal will…

Airman injured as bicycle struck
Driver was not wearing her glasses
By Jennifer Rios            San Angelo Standard-Times
While bicycling to work, Robert Antoine Abrom wore his helmet, reflective vest and rode correctly with traffic on his way to Goodfellow Air Force Base.

About a quarter of a mile from base, the 31-year-old airman was struck by van whose driver, police said, wasn’t wearing her glasses.

Abrom was taken to Shannon Medical Center by ambulance after the crash, which was reported about 5:50 a.m. Wednesday in the 4000 block of South Chadbourne Street, police spokesman Lt. David Howard said. …

STCC SuperBowl Sunday Ride to the Ride V
by sooner1            Shawnee Trail Cycling Club
Mark the date, Sunday February 5th.

Yes, last year we missed – for the first time – our ride on Super Bowl morning due to ice accumulation on the streets.  Not this year.  Not even if I have to put studs in my tires.  This ride is too much fun even on the coldest of days!  This ride is open to all comers, Shawnee Trail Cycling Club is happy to host our “Super Bowl Ride to the Ride V”.  This annual event is known to attract more than 1,000 cyclists who depart from multiple locations throughout the Metroplex. …

Join the TX High School League’s Scholastic Cycling Conference
The Texas High School Cycling League is putting finishing touches on its first annual Scholastic Cycling Conference. While the conference is billed as a scholastic cycling coaches and organizers conference, it will be very helpful and informative for anyone interested in middle school or high school cycling.
WHEN: Saturday & Sunday, January 21 & 22
WHERE: Embassy Suites — Austin Arboretum, Austin, Texas
The conference’s breakout format will allow for multiple, simultaneous sessions so that conference attendees can choose which presentations are best suited to their interest and level of experience. Topics will cover the spectrum of school-aged cycling issues for parents, coaches, and organizers. …

City Wants A Bike Boulevard Downtown 02:10 video A one mile stretch of Nueces Street [...]]]> UT Reporter: Bike Study
02:41 video
You may have noticed new bike signs and lanes around town — they’re coming from UT. The city asked the university to help with a bike study. [www.clipsyndicate.com | KTBC FOX 7 Austin, TX]

City Wants A Bike Boulevard Downtown
02:10 video
A one mile stretch of Nueces Street will be transformed into a safe haven for bicyclists under this new plan, but drivers will have a harder time navigating the changes. Cars outnumber bikes on Nueces Street in downtown Austin now, but the City of Austin is trying to reverse that trend with Austin’s first bicycle boulevard. [www.clipsyndicate.com | KTBC FOX 7 Austin, TX]

Autumn in West Texas « Urban Spotlight
by urbanspotlight
Saturday morning some of our group did a grueling bicycle ride. Fortunately some friends invited me to go to Alpine for the annual Artwalk festival. Activities included art galleries, crafts, food, a silent auction and music. …

C y c l e * D a l l a s: A cause for thanks giving.
by PM Summer
Ken Dille, an old friend from my Greater Dallas Bicyclists and Texas Bicycle Coalition days, made the mistake of riding in a bike lane in Austin (as required by law) and came away somewhat the worse. This is the typical “right hook” …

A Ride in Austin Texas
by admin
This last week our editors had a chance to ride the roads of Austin Texas as part of an organized group ride presented by the Austin Cycling Association (ACA). Austin has quickly become known as the hip part of Texas where it is actually okay to lean slightly to the left. The city displays this liberal slant by creating, signing, and maintaining usable bike lanes and pedestrian walkways. …

A branch of MTB you don’t hear much from is observed trials.

Pics-Dallas TX Small Group Ride
Here are some shots from this past Saturday in Dallas… There are thousands of boulders here. We mostly stayed on the medium to small sized stuff for this ride. All sandstone boulders on a nice pitch…

Seminole Canyon State Park southwest Texas surprise RV Wheel …
by Julianne Crane
Arrived at the Seminole Canyon State Park and Historical Site late yesterday afternoon in time to go on a six-mile bike ride along the Rio Grande River (loop) Trail. It was a very challenging ride for me because more than 3/4 of the …

The Texas Triffid Ranch – “And the Bikepath Warrior? That was the …
by The Texas Triffid Ranch – Odd Plants and Oddities
“And the Bikepath Warrior? That was the last we ever saw of him.”
Okay, I’ve been bicycling to work and for errands for nearly six straight years, only driving when the weather was too foul, and I’ve been biking for a lot longer than that. In that time, I’ve come perilously close to being taken out on Dallas streets by inattentive, arrogant, and/or senile drivers more often than I’d care to admit to the Czarina. …

Recreational Sports Calendar and Sign-up Sheet – Nov. 25, 2009
by San Antonio Express – San Antonio,TX,USA

Bicycling: Friday, 9 a.m., Leon Springs Day after Turkey Day Leaderless Ride, 18, 33 and 50 miles, behind Starbucks at corner of I-10 access road and Boerne Stage Road (exit 551).

Bicycling: Saturday, 9 a.m., Cibolo Ride, 20, 27, 39, 51, 66 and 71 miles, city hall parking lot, Cibolo. (210) 884-9470.

Bicycling: Saturday, 9 a.m., Stay Together Ride at the Cibolo Ride, 27 to 39 miles, city hall parking lot, Cibolo. (361) 701-5369.

Bicycling: Sunday, 9 a.m., Woman Hollering Creek Ride, 26 to 70 miles, Judson High School, Converse. (210) 826-0884.

Bicycling: Dec. 5, 9 a.m., Bullis Park Ride, 21, 34, 48 and 66 miles, Bullis County Park. (210) 884-9740.

Bicycling: Dec. 6, 9 a.m., Castroville Ride, 11, 25 and 40 miles, park-and-ride off highway 90 by Sammy’s Restaurant, Castroville. (830) 931-9744.

Bicycling: Dec. 6, 1:30 p.m., Fair Oaks Afternoon Ride, 20, 32 and 45 miles, Fair Oaks Ranch Center. (210) 698-6625.

Bicycling: Dec. 12, 9 a.m., Boerne Ride, 25 to 70 miles, city hall, Boerne. (210) 325-2500, (210) 524-9393.

Bicycling: Dec. 13, 9 a.m., Comal Elementary Ride, 28, 48, 55 and 72 miles, parking lot across from Comal Elementary School. (210) 289-8905.

Bicycling: Dec. 13, 1:30 p.m., Fair Oaks Ranch Afternoon Ride, 20, 32 and 45 miles, Fair Oaks Ranch Center. (210) 698-6625.

Bicycling: Dec. 19, 9 a.m., Southside Mission Ride, 27, 39, 51 and 61 miles, parking lot of visitors center, San Jose Mission. (210) 533-3416.

Bicycling: Dec. 20, 9 a.m., Woman Hollering Creek Ride, 26 to 70 miles, Judson High School, Converse. (210) 650-2525.

Bicycling: Dec. 26, 9 a.m., Cibolo Ride, 20, 27, 39, 51, 66 and 71 miles, city hall parking lot, Cibolo. (210) 884-9470.

Bicycling: Dec. 26, 9 a.m., Stay Together Ride at the Cibolo Ride, 27 to 39 miles, city hall parking lot, Cibolo. (361) 701-5369.

Bicycling: Dec. 27, 9 a.m., Rebecca’s Mirror Ride, 25, 45 and 75 miles, Bulverde Elementary School. (210) 289-8905.

FtW CycEx: Dallas CX
by rab
So we’ve got three races coming up this weekend in Dallas. That is about the only good reason I can think of to head more than a few miles east of I-35.

Friday night Bryan Fawley (aka – Fort Worth CX Race Weekend Dominator) has an event at the usually TNX location. Heard it is good but never been there. Read all about the flyover in the txbra.org cx forums section. Even have some video links if you want a visual. …

Bike Lemming: This is cool if it wasn’t for the hype
by Bike Lemming
The Land of a Thousand Commutes – That’s what Texas feels like this time of year. This morning was chilly, foggy and damp. I started out before sunrise and rode in. Here are a few scenes fr… 1 day ago. Cycling Obsessions …

I wasn’t sure where Manor was located. This Google map shows the location.

Manor Texas Bans Cyclists from Road
by Dean
I don’t like the idea of the many oppressing the few but, I understand there really isn’t a large enough cycling population to support pro-cycling legislation on a local level. That being sauid I’m sorry for the cyclist that are there. …

New Braunfels Downtown merchants ready as shopping begins
by Herald Zeitung
“The cycling industry has always been pretty recession-proof,” he said. “If you have a good product at a reasonable price, people will buy it. …

Has Anyone Seen the Finish Line?
by roostertx
This race is part of the West Texas Mountain Bike Series… it’s a very low key race with a small town feel. The race was very different than the TMBRA races that I’m used to… not many racers, maybe 50 or so, no map of the course, …

read more at biketexas.org ]]> The Austin Cycling Association! In their most recent budget meeting, pledged a year’s commitment of $5,000 to BikeTexas.

read more at biketexas.org

“One thing I learned for certain after today’s ride — I’m getting better at this.

Today, I did my first organized ride since November. The Armadillo Hill Country Classic, the premier event of the Austin Cycling Association (ACA), follows [...]]]> Bike Noob writes about his adventures riding The Armadillo Hill Country Classic starting at Liberty Hill.

“One thing I learned for certain after today’s ride — I’m getting better at this.

Today, I did my first organized ride since November. The Armadillo Hill Country Classic, the premier event of the Austin Cycling Association (ACA), follows some nice country roads northwest of Austin. Routes on the ride varied from a 14-mile family ride to 105 miles. I picked the 51-mile route.”

Read more and see his pictures at the Bike Noob blog.

Bicycle and pedestrian experts, advocates and members of the public from around the region are converging Saturday, May 3 to discuss the latest in planning and implementation of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, education, and advocacy.  Part of the Austin Cycling Association’s Bike Month activities, the “Central Texas Bicycle and Pedestrian Summit�? is an event to promote improvements in bicycle and pedestrian transportation in the region by sharing ideas and bridging disciplines. The event is planned through a collaboration of the Austin Cycling Association, Austin Yellow Bike Project, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA), the City of Austin, Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), and the University of Texas. The entire program is open to the public, and will take place at the University of Texas’ Jester Center at Speedway and 21st Street in Austin.  Free, on-line registration is open until April 30, and full Summit details are available at CAMPO’s Bike/Ped website.

Link to full article at Community Impact Newspaper ]]> Bicycle and Pedestrian Summit
Saturday, May 03 2008, 9:00am - 4:00pm
Bicycle and Pedestrian Summit Brainstorms the Region’s Future

Bicycle and pedestrian experts, advocates and members of the public from around the region are converging Saturday, May 3 to discuss the latest in planning and implementation of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, education, and advocacy.  Part of the Austin Cycling Association’s Bike Month activities, the “Central Texas Bicycle and Pedestrian Summit�? is an event to promote improvements in bicycle and pedestrian transportation in the region by sharing ideas and bridging disciplines. The event is planned through a collaboration of the Austin Cycling Association, Austin Yellow Bike Project, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA), the City of Austin, Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), and the University of Texas. The entire program is open to the public, and will take place at the University of Texas’ Jester Center at Speedway and 21st Street in Austin.  Free, on-line registration is open until April 30, and full Summit details are available at CAMPO’s Bike/Ped website.

Link to full article at Community Impact Newspaper