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Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup January 11th

Rick Ankrum — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:42:15 +0000

Thule/Chariot recalls bike trailers and kits
Bicycle Retailer & Industry News

WASHINGTON, DC (BRAIN)—Thule Child Transport Systems is working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to recall about 44,000 Chariot bike trailers and 70,000 trailer conversion kits.

The trailers’ hitch mechanism can crank and break, causing the trailer to detach from the bike.

The company has received reports of 24 incidents worldwide, including three in the U.S. No injuries were reported.

The recall involves trailers with serial numbers from 1205-xxx to 0710-xxx, which represent manufacture dates…

Tour de Life
Jan. 3: Carlos & Shiro, Tiny Spots Along the Way to Huntsville on TX 30
by Steve
Carlos was a tiny little place where i stopped for a min to try to come out of my East Central TX allerginess a bit more. Sort of refreshingly sparse landscape, population probably in the 100′s for both towns, with lots of farmland. Shiro was a bit more of an extended stop, a tiny bit bigger. The bull in the attached pic was in Carlos I think, while the “Have a Nice Day” was in Shiro, i believe. Either way, was a cool, mostly low traffic day. Biggest drama came from learning to live…

The Hump Day Quick Tip – Get Rid of Butt Pain
by Shawn Texas Mountain Bike Trails
One of the first complaints that new mountain bikers have is that their butt hurts.

As active as mountain biking is it still puts you sitting square on your butt for some pretty long periods of time. Texas mountain biking covers a lot of rough terrain that intensifies the soreness when you hop over a rock or a root and feel your seat jab into your rear.

Today’s quick tip is how to deal with that discomfort and overcome the pain you feel. …

Circumnavigation Diary. Exploratory Report.
By Justin The Plano Cyclist

In the year of our Lord 2012, I have determined that it is necessary to navigate every mile of bicycle path in the city of Plano. I will document the excursion here in my “web log”, and hope that the knowledge I bring will be used well by those that come after me. Should I survive, I expect to be feted and recount the incredible tales of my adventure over countless glasses of sherry. Plus…

Fort Worth toll road paves the way for cyclists
www.wfaa.com

by CASEY NORTON
FORT WORTH — The North Texas Tollway Authority isn’t just about cars. Bicycle riders and joggers are about to get some new lanes thanks to the Chisholm Trail Parkway.

The $1.4-billion project includes connections and access ramps for bike paths to cross the Trinity River and the new toll road. The most obvious improvements will be near…

Boulder’s Valmont Bike Park one of three finalists to host national cyclo-cross championships
Camera staff
Boulder’s Valmont Bike Park is one of three locations selected as finalists to host the 2014 and 2015 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships, city of Boulder officials announced Wednesday.

The other two finalists are the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., and Zilker Park in Austin, Texas.

“The news that Valmont Bike Park is one of three finalists to host the 2014 and 2015 United States Cyclo-cross National Championships further establishes Valmont Bike Park as an industry leader in…

Recreation calendar, sign-up sheet, camps, clinics: Jan. 11
www.mysanantonio.com
Bicycling: Today, 8 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314.
Bicycling: Saturday, 9 a.m., Boerne Ride, 25 to 70 miles, city hall, Boerne. 210-325-2500, 210-524-9393.
Bicycling: Sunday, 9 a.m., Woman Hollering Creek Ride, 26 to 70 miles, Judson High School, Converse. 496-693-8247. …More

UNL grad’s two-year bike trip crosses countries, cultures
By PETER SALTER / Lincoln Journal Star
His co-workers thought he was cheap, this Nebraskan living in Austin but not really living.

Trevor Wright didn’t go out. Didn’t eat out. Didn’t buy drinks. Didn’t drive. Shared a room to cut rent.

He was socking away more than he was spending, collecting enough cash to get out of Texas, out of the United States and out of North America. Two-and-a-half years later, he had saved $35,000 — more than enough to spend the next two years seeing, and tasting, South America from two wheels. …

Bike tour returning to Houston
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
The tour, now in its seventh iteration, will return March 18 courtesy of the Apache Corp., which has sponsored the charity ride after a lack of funding caused the event to not happen last year. An Apache representative said the Houston-based oil and gas company, which just planted its millionth tree in the city and wants to plant 3 million throughout seven states, was willing to sponsor the event if all proceeds could go to the reforestation program. Susan Christian, director of the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, said Parker is appreciative of corporate efforts to save the event after economic hardship claimed it last year. …

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for January 4th

Rick Ankrum — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:57:54 +0000

Performance recalls 2,900 Forte pedals
Bicycle Retailer & Industry News
CHAPEL HILL, NC (BRAIN)—Performance, Inc., is working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to recall about 2,900 Forte Pro Carbon road pedals. The pedal body can break, causing the rider to lose control. The company has received reports of three pedals breaking; no injuries were reported.

The 2011 model year pedals have black bodies made of a carbon-injected thermoplastic. The front, top of the pedal has “Carbon” printed in red; the top middle has “EPS-R” embossed in the body with the “R” in red and on…

Safety in numbers: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling.
by: P. L. Jacobsen
Injury prevention : journal of the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention, Vol. 9, No. 3. (1 September 2003), pp. 205-209.
X Abstract

A motorist is less likely to collide with a person walking and bicycling if more people walk or bicycle. Policies that increase the numbers of people walking and bicycling appear to be an effective route to improving the safety of people walking and bicycling.

With all of the trees being cut down due to the drought and pine bark beatles this is a way to use some of the output.

Converting Condemned Trees into Bikes
by Mark Frauenfelder Make Magazine

Urban Tree to Bicycle from Spots Unknown on Vimeo.

Jeff Diehl made this short film about Bill Holloway and Mauro Hernandez, of Masterworks Woodworking, who “salvage condemned city trees, then build beautiful bicycles out of them.”

He says:
The story of these bikes goes from the felling of a family’s guardian tree, through the woodworking process, and finally, the completion of art you can ride.

They’re self-taught, and the custom bikes are an offshoot of their larger woodworking and detailing business. Bill is a native San Franciscan, and his family has deep roots here. The dynamic between him and Mauro is a compelling…

Kid Trips Event – Austin Ridge Riders
Saturday, January 14, 2012 – 13:00 – 16:00
Kid Trips will be conducting our 4th annual Girl Scouts ride at Colorado Bend State Park near Lampassas on Saturday January 14. We will carpool from Austin leaving at 9:45 a.m. to arrive by 11 a.m. to be ready for the Kid Trips ride with the girl scouts beginning at 1 p.m. (to conclude around 4 p.m.).
If you haven’t been to Colorado Bend you’re missing a great ride venue. And the girls scouts are a pure joy to ride along with. …

Trail Section to Close for Implosion
by Paul Sorelle bikehouston.org
A section of the Brays Bike Trail in the Texas Medical Center will be closed Sunday morning from 6:45 a.m. to noon while contractors implode the Houston Main Building for The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The section of the trail from Fannin St. to Bertner Ave. will be closed to bicyclists and pedestrians. Bicyclists can use Braeswood Blvd. as an alternate route during the trail closure.

See Safety Perimeter for Implosion for information on street closures.

Georgetown Cyclopaths of Texas Ride Schedule

San Angelo Bicycling Association
Concho Bike
Randy’s Bike and Run
January 7 and 14
9 a.m-3 p.m.
Club officers and members will be on site each day to assist the application process. Dry shirt will be available at the January 17 meeting.
Membership Meeting
January 17, 2012
7 p.m.
Hospitality House, across the street from the Harris Avenue Baptist Church, 1026 E. Harris.
The club will be providing beverages. Please bring snacks.
Club t-shirts (dry-fit) will be available at this meeting for members to pick up. Each membership comes with one t-shirt. You will need to purchase any extras you may need for $9.95.

Bicycle Retailer & Industry News
BERKELEY, CA (BRAIN)—The National Interscholastic Cycling Association, which organizes high school mountain bike racing leagues in several states, says it expects to have licensed 1,000 mountain bike coaches in the U.S. by the end of 2012.

NICA trained 250 coaches in 2011. The coaches are trained in cycling and coaching skills and wilderness first aid. There are now more than 500 licensed NICA coaches.

NICA will hold Leaders’ Summits and wilderness first aid courses this spring in Utah, Minnesota and Colorado, and this fall in Northern California, Southern California, Texas, …

USA Cycling to provide live online video of elite ‘cross championships
By: Cycling News
Watch all the women’s and men’s action from Madison, Wisconsin
You don’t have to brave the elements in Madison, Wisconsin this weekend to watch all the action from the elite/U23 women’s and elite men’s races at the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships.

USA Cycling is providing live streaming video coverage of both the elite/U23 women’s and elite men’s national cyclo-cross championships from Badger Prairie Park on Sunday, January 8. …

5th Annual LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour Jerseys Have Arrived!
Those planning to ride in this iconic Texas ride in the magnificent Texas Hill Country just west of Austin will find these jerseys available for purchase at any of the three Ride Away Bicycles locations in San Antonio (Huebner Oaks Center, 1604 @ Redland, and 1604 @ Culebra).

Those riders outside the San Antonio area wishing to order one may do so as follows: Send check for $90 ($85 jersey cost + $5 S&H), payable to “Friends of LBJ NHP”, to:
Nolan Kuehn, LBJ 100 Ride Chair
29370 Duberry Ridge
Fair Oaks Ranch, TX 78015
For details of jersey design, go to the ride web site, www.LBJ100BicycleTour.org

Corinth trail beauty
by bikedenton

I haven’t written much for BikeDenton lately, but I’m still riding around and taking photos. We’ve had some golden weather, and I’ve taken my own advice to get off the internet and ride a bike. As often as possible.

Just before the new year, I went out and explored the Corinth mountain bike trails on my CX bike, and I snapped these photos on the first section, just off the Denton Katy rail trail. It’s the least challenging section of the trails, but I really like the aesthetic. Creek, grazing horses and cows, barns, timber fence. The rest of the trail is twisty, as it has to be in such a small space, but it’s still fun to ride and easy enough that I’ve done it on wider road tires…

Our Thoughts are with Liberty Kat aka Misty
by Christopher Curnutt Biking in Dallas

For those of you who are not aware, last Saturday Kat crashed during a downhill on the group ride in McKinney. Someone who was with her said that they noticed her front wheel began to wobble and the next thing they knew she was down. After the crash her chain was undone but that could have been a result of the…

Taking your dream out for a spin from the Pacific to the Atlantic
M. Kate West, Chester Editor plumasnews.com
After cycling for more than two months across the southern United States, Seneca Healthcare District CEO Doug Self treats himself to a bit of well-earned fun in the surf when he reaches his destination Nov 18: Jacksonville Beach, Fla.

“I’ve been a cyclist since I was a young teen. I bought my first bike, a Schwinn model, for $150, with money I earned working 30 hours a week in a fast food restaurant,” said Seneca Healthcare District Chief Executive Officer Doug Self.

He grew up in Wichita Falls, Texas, where there is an annual bike ride called the “Hotter than Hell 100.” …

Recreational Sports Calendar & Sign-up Sheet – Jan. 4, 2012
San Antonio Express-News
Bicycling: Today, 8 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314.

Bicycling: Saturday, 9 a.m., Bullis Park Ride, 21, 34, 48 and 66 miles, Bullis County Park. 210-862-6559. …More

2012 Hill Country Ride For AIDS: Annual Texas Bike Ride
BY Rebekkah Adams askmissa.com
Although it is still winter, here in Texas we are already gearing up for the summer weather and all that it brings. Included in this is one of the best forms of exercise: biking. Of course, this is good to do recreationally for health and fitness but in Austin we also host a number of charity rides. The Hill Country Ride for AIDS, an annual Texas bike ride, does not take place until April 28th but it is never too early to start training. To build up expectations and encourage participants to train, they are holding a series of events between now and the ride itself. It all begins on January 13th with the Kick-Off Party at Austin Music Hall. …

Why Be Offended By Winning?
By Justin The Plano Cyclist
I finally got my trophy from the 2011 Tour De BBQ in the mail the other day. I was (to say the least) very excited to receive it. I haven’t won an award of any type in years, and sometimes, like a 12 year old, I need validation. I’m not proud of it, but I am honest about it. Thanks to lots of fundraising, emailing, begging, and cajoling, I was indeed the first place fundraiser for the ride this year. Not second, not third, or someone who merely met their goal, but number one. …

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for December 21st

Rick Ankrum — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:08:17 +0000

Today marks the turning point with the daylight increasing beginning tomorrow. The march to summer is on!

Houston Bicycle Club Zube Park (regular Ride) Ride
Ride Type: Countryside Sat 01/07/12
Location: Cypress
Distances: 33(B), 40(C), 49(C) miles

Flat county roads in Harris, Waller, and Montgomery Counties. Pay attention to the map – there are a lot of turns. Only one store on the route.

New maps for Reveille Peak Ranch
by Laura Scagno Austin Ridge Riders

Hot off the presses—a new map of our mountain bike and running trails! With more than 62 miles of rugged single-track, packed Jeep roads and twisty downhill trails cutting across the exposed granite of the Llano Uplift, Reveille Peak Ranch has something for every level. …

Lone Star Trail Building School
ntmbp.org

January Rides Announced

The January ride list is up. Please go to the Ride Events page for all of the exciting details!

Reflections from my first season of cyclocross.
by minorbaker Austin on Two Wheels
I have finished my first official season of cyclocross racing in Texas. Full disclaimer here before I continue, I am using the word “full” very loosely, because I only participated in races close to the Austin area. Along with local races, I have attended a number of Dirt Derby’s, and will continue to attend through the end of the series in February. None of the races I participated in were sloppy, so I didn’t learn anything about MUD (maybe next…

Dallas Arts District Bike Crawl Thursday Dec 29th
by Christopher Curnutt Biking in Dallas
Thursday December 29th, 11am – 3pm-ish
Meet at Dallas Museum of Art 1717 North Hardwood (at Flora)
Join Biking in Dallas as we tour the Dallas Arts District, marvel at the architecture, take photos of the sights (and each other), see the Crow Collection of Asian Art, eat from a food truck and most…

Richmond inmates help build Christmas bikes for kids
By ALLAN TURNER, HOUSTON CHRONICLE

RICHMOND — Gray is the color that dominates this bleak, wet morning a few days before Christmas at the Carol Vance Unit, a minimum-security state prison in central Fort Bend County.

With its razor wire, steel bars and dim-lit, concrete-floored cubicles, Vance may seem the last spot to seek holiday warmth. But if you close your eyes – and heart – you may miss one of…

Special delivery for East Texas foster kids
By Amanda Roberson www.cbs19.tv Tyler, TX
TYLER (KYTX) – Christmas came early for a special group of East Texas children Wednesday. Santa dropped into Tyler and made a special delivery to a group of foster children. CBS 19′s Amanda Roberson was there as the man in the red suit rolled up and explains why it’s special for both the children and the Tyler Police Department.

Tyler Police have been teaming up with the Bair Foundation and giving bikes to foster children for five years now. It’s the biggest gift of the year for many of…

Recreational Sports Calendar & Sign-up Sheet – Dec. 21, 2011
San Antonio Express-News
Bicycling: Today, 8 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314.

Bicycling: Saturday, 9 a.m., Christmas Eve Leaderless Ride, 20, 27, 39, 51, 66 and 71 miles, city hall parking lot, Cibolo.

Bicycling: Sunday, 9 a.m., Christmas Day Leaderless Ride, 21, 34, 48 and 66 miles, Bullis County Park.

Bicycling: Dec. 28, 8 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314. …(more)

Wheelbrothers/UCLEAR Christmas Contest: Ryan Tibball – Entry
by WB admin

Here is a picture after completion of my first Ironman. I hope this counts as a picture submission considering I rode 112 miles during this event. My machine’s name is “Marissa”…she carried me through a tough century plus ride that day. Not only this day of riding, but many training days in preperation. I rode the HH100 with some great Wheel Brothers (love you guys). I also rode Kwanis Kicker and Make a Wish100 ride this year. All the while…

Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup December 7th

Rick Ankrum — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 05:18:10 +0000

There are a number of bikers that use this application.

Strava Updates iPhone App, Improves Access, Control and Ride Details
by Tyler (Editor) – www.bikerumor.com

strava cycling app for iPhone tracks bike rides via GPS and uploads to social network for sharing and comparingStrava has updated its iPhone app with improvements on virtually every front.

You can now log in using Facebook Connect or via email, and you have improved access to your account settings, making it easier to change your profile or controls from the phone.

Location initialization is said to be faster, and pausing and starting your rides are easier. Post activity, you can pull up a more detailed…

Sometimes when I am fixing a flat I wish I had this inside my tires.

Mr. Tuffy Ultra-Lite Tire Liner
urbanvelo.org

Mr. Tuffy tire liners have been around forever as far as I’m concerned—I remember placing them in my mountain tires back when I was a kid. They’re still around, and even with significant advances in tires with integrated flat protection Mr. Tuffy liners have their fans that swear by them.

Mr. Tuffy liners are dual durometer polyurethane strips made to fit a given tire width and diameter, with different sizes available for just about…

Bigger in Texas? Yes. How about Bikier?
blog.bikeleague.org

Houston, TX, is not known for its bicycle-friendliness, at least not yet. A group of nearly 60 advocates, agency staff, and elected officials are aiming to change that. A full room of people interested in dedicating more transportation funds to bicycling and walking met in Houston on Friday for an Advocacy Advance Action 2020 workshop.

Action 2020 workshop participants in Houston, including members of BikeHouston, discuss transportation funding. …

BikeTexas Receives Award from Texas NAACP
www.biketexas.org

NAACP Award_Ceremony_Ft_Worth-0554On October 7th, 2011, the Texas NAACP presented BikeTexas with Texas President Award at the 75th Annual Texas NAACP State Convention. Gary Bledsoe, President of the Texas NAACP, handed the award to Robin Stallings, Executive Director of BikeTexas. Inscribed on the award are the words “For going above and beyond the call of duty to develop interest in biking and green benefits from…

Shifting Times Newsletter December 2011
Lone Star Cyclists

Which Bicycle Wheels Are Best for Heavier Riders?
by Tyler (Editor) – www.bikerumor.com

Rolf Prima 2012 VCX disc brake cyclocross wheels for heavy riders
Recently we got an email asking which wheels we’d recommend for a cyclist around 250lbs.

Well, we didn’t know, so we turned to several wheel manufacturers to see which of their models they’d recommend for everything from road to mountain bike to cyclocross, even downhill and touring bikes. We also asked ENVE and Chris King how they’d build up wheels for bigger riders, just to get the opinion of folks that…

With the cold weather this is something to think about but not for me. Where is my windtrainer?

Winter cycling means wearing layers
by Christopher Curnutt Biking in Dallas
Whether you’re a dedicated commuter or just ride for health and recreation, when the thermometer drops to near and sub-freezing temperatures cycling loses a bit of it’s luster. This is especially true when the sun goes down.

A couple of years ago when I rode in my first Christmas light ride and as soon as darkness settled I thought I might start crying like a baby. It was damn cold. I wore the wrong shoes, socks, gloves, and…

Big Bend State Park Focuses on Drought Resistant Tourism
Shelley Childers CBS 7 News
Big Bend State Park, TX – Texas Parks and Wildlife has sent out an S.O.S asking Texas residents to help make up $4.6 million they expect to lose because of wildfires and droughts that have impacted tourism numbers.

Big Bend Ranch State Park says their numbers have been on par, and they are operating as normal, but because state parks like Bastrop State Park, which brings in about $1 million a year, will see a huge decline other parks will now be forced to pick up the slack.

Big Bend Ranch State Park Superintendent Barrett Durst tells us they will be focusing on drought resistent tourism like mountain biking to bring in more visitors.

For the second year in a row the state park will be hosting their Chihuahuan Desert Dirt Festival, a three-day mountain biking event. …

Coming soon to Kyle: Sidewalks, bike lanes
by Jonathan York haysfreepress.com
Getting around Kyle is not so much fun, however you choose to do it. There are potholes if you drive, tight lanes if you bike and ditches if you walk.

In council meetings this fall the city’s leaders have talked at length about how to fix our troubled roads. And most of the focus has been on motor traffic, which is a natural choice for a town that makes its living along the interstate.

There have been a few indications, too, that the city is interested in helping non-motorists get around. The new city planner, Sofia Nelson, told the Hays Free Press that she is…

Recreational Sports Calendar & Sign-up Sheet – Dec. 7, 2011
San Antonio Express-News
Bicycling: Today, 8 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314.
Bicycling: Saturday, 9 a.m., Boerne Ride, 25 to 70 miles, city hall, Boerne. 210-325-2500, 210-524-9393. …

Great Video About Texas Mountain Biking
goodbyecycle.com
This is a super video produced by the Texas Parks and Wildlife. Fred is inspiration to all of us who ride mountain bikes, I hope I am still riding at bicycles at…

Installing The M210 Mini Monkey Light Bike Light – And A Review
by Justin The Plano Cyclist
One of the things I dislike the most about cycling in Dallas is riding at night; I never feel like I am visible enough. One option is to dress like a cellphone while I ride so that drivers will pay attention to me. The other is to light myself up like a Christmas tree and pray that I catch someone’s eye so they don’t kill me on their way home. …

December STCC Express Ride
by sooner1 Shawnee Trail Cycling Club
Tell your friends! It’s time again for our STCC Express Ride. It’s Saturday, Dec 10th, and is now on schedule for the 2nd Saturday of every month. A little different this month in that we guarantee there will be two pace groups. We had combined the groups the last two months, which has made for a fun ride, but challenging for those wanting a true A or B pace. Same start location, different route. …

This biker better be careful he doesn’t go into any banks to get warm. I would be dressed like this too if I could stand anything below 60 degrees.

Coming Back From Hiatus
by Ken Texas Racing Life

Cycling is a sport that traditionally has a definitive off-season. In Texas, this off season can be blurred thanks to mostly nice winter weather. For instance, up until last week, weather in Houston this fall/winter has been downright balmy: mostly in the 70′s and sunny. Only now has the temperatures dipped below comfort levels. Cold days can be brutal, but I just think about kicking the pants off the guys that aren’t willing to brave the…

Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup for November 9th

Rick Ankrum — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:15:55 +0000

Church Statement Regarding Missionary Deaths in Texas
newsroom.lds.org
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following statement Tuesday:
Two missionaries were killed and another was injured when a vehicle struck all three while they were riding their bikes in Donna, Texas Tuesday evening. Elder Trevor Reinhold Strong, 21, of…

Suspected driver nabbed in hit-run that killed 2 LDS missionaries
by Salt Lake Tribune
By bob mims The suspected driver in a Tuesday night hit-and-run crash that killed two bicycle-riding Mormon missionaries and critically injured a third turned himself in to authorities at a Texas-Mexico border point of entry early Wednesday. …

Ride Like A Girl 2011 Build-A-Bike-4-Kids
Austin Ridge Riders
Ladies- come help us build bikes for kids! Last year we did our part to help bring smiles to the faces of lots of kids and it was a blast.
Monday – November 14
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
101 San Antonio – Downtown Austin
(corner of San Antonio & Cesar Chavez)
Once again, the gang at Mellow Johnny’s has asked for help in building lots and lots of bikes. Big bikes, little bikes. Pretty pink bikes and bikes with flames. No experience necessary as a staff member will show us what we need to do. Get a little dirty, …

Public Meeting on Off-Street Parking Ordinance Changes
by Aaron Chang BikeHouston.org
Recently, we updated you on the City of Houston Planning Commission’s new bike parking ordinances that are part of the city’s proposed off-street parking ordinance (Chapter 26) changes.

On Thursday, November 10 the Houston Planning Commission is hosting a public hearing where anyone may comment on the proposed changes. The public hearing will take place at 2:30pm at the City Hall Annex, Public Level (900 Bagby Street). …

Lone Star Cyclists November Issue Shifting Times

Raleigh has teamed up with Bike MS
Bicycle Retailer & Industry News
Raleigh has teamed up with Bike MS to become the official bike partner of the charity ride group for 2012. The bike brand plans to involve its dealers at various levels. As part of the deal, Raleigh will provide grassroots support at Bike MS events, a cause-marketing program for bike purchases, benefit from onsite exposure at Bike MS events, and assemble dealer teams at local rides. The company also will support Bike MS corporate teams with bike rentals, training support and bike fittings. …

Rothe and Jerman Win Tour de Gruene Team Time Trial
By Andrew Hood velonews.competitor.com
Stefan Rothe riding for Tulsa Tough and partner Wes Jerman of Alchemy Racing took the win at the 28th annual Tour de Gruene two-man time trial.

Stefan Rothe and Wes Jerman after their win in the team time trial

The traditional end of season time trial was held on the roads along the Guadeloupe River just north of San Antonio.

Rothe and Jerman, both 30, completed the 27-mile course in 58:59, finishing more than 5 minutes ahead of 38-year-old former US Postal & Telekom rider Kevin…

Austin Bike Culture Calendar Events: 11/10- 11/16/11
by elliott Austin on Two Wheels
The cycling scene is starting to slow down towards its winter slumber… if you can call 60 degrees and sunny winter! Still, there are some great end of season tours on Saturday and the return of the “Dude Looks Like A Lady Ride” on Sunday.

Here’s a quick run down of recommended events for the coming week from our comprehensive calendar of all cycling events. Thanks to Jason at ATXBS for letting us know about some events we couldn’t find elsewhere. As…

Interview: Getting to know Alison Starnes
By Imelda March www.dailypeloton.com

Alison Starnes represented Team USA in the individual time trial at the recent Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. She placed 5th among a small field of 15 women from the Americas. We chatted to learn more and to take a look at the next year in racing.

DP: Tell me about yourself: Where were you born? Do you have any siblings? Where did you study?

Alison Starnes: I was born in Solvang, California. My parents have a cattle ranch in Redding, California.

I attended Abilene Christian University, a Division II school in Texas. I played tennis and earned a degree in biochemistry with a minor in nutrition. I lived on campus for two years, since it was requirement and…

Warriors on Wheels Bike Across Texas

Warriors on Wheels (WOW!) are making a trek across Texas on bicycles to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. The seven day trip from Wichita Falls to Corpus Christi will end on Veterans Day at the USS Lexington.
Day 1 – Nov. 5th (A-B 98.5 miles) – Witchita Falls to Fort Worth
Day 2 – Nov. 6th (B-C 95.5 miles) – Fort Worth to Waco
Day 3 – Nov. 7th (C-D 90.6 miles) – Waco to Austin
Day 4 – Nov. 8th (D-E 60.7 miles) – Austin to San Antonio
Day 5 – Nov. 9th (E) – Day of rest in San Antonio
Day 6 – Nov. 10th (E-F 88.9 miles) – San Antonio to Beeville
Day 7 – Nov. 11th (F-G 68.4 miles) – Beeville to Corpus Christi
The ride concludes on Veterans Day 11-11-11 at the USS Lexington

Recreational Sports Calendar & Sign-up Sheet – Nov. 9, 2011
SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
Bicycling: Today, 8 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314.
Bicycling: Saturday, 9 a.m., Boerne Ride, 25 to 70 miles, city hall, Boerne. 210-325-2500, 210-524-9393.
Bicycling: 9 a.m., Woman Hollering Creek Ride, 26 to 70 miles, Judson High School, Converse. 210-884-9470. and more…

Today was rough. We ended in Abilene but not before we hit 15+…
Tour de Tejas Wes Foster

Today was rough. We ended in Abilene but not before we hit 15+ mph head winds all the way there! We ended at biketown bike shop to get new tires and a few things we needed. While there we found out Kyle’s bike was broken and unridable. God was able to buy Kyle a new bike ! God has been protecting us all the way. The bike…

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for October 12th

Rick Ankrum — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:26:19 +0000

Austin Safe Routes to School response to A2W critique
by elliott Austin on Two Wheels
Editor note: In September, I shared how my children’s school was selected for Austin’s Safe Routes to School, a program designed to encourage children to walk and bike to school and do it safely. I expressed support for this program but also offered a critique of how some of the fear inducing facts might cause parents to drive kids to school more, not less. I was also unhappy that drivers, outside of parents, are not being asked to be active participants in making our streets safer for all users. In response, the Austin Program Coordinator Kristi Stillwell sent me this letter.

We welcome the opinions and thought-provoking statements in this article, found them interesting and overall positive, and we hope to be able to partner with you Elliott (and other interested parents) on walking and biking…

We Rode To The State Fair of Texas
by Christopher Curnutt Biking in Dallas

I hadn’t joined the Tits Tuesday ride in ages, so last night was a good chance for me to catch up with friends I hadn’t seen in a good while, meet some new folks, and put some names to faces. Speaking of catching up Toni Youngblood will be writing an update about her car free life (since around Feb 2010) and escapades later this…

Recreational Sports Calendar & Sign-up Sheet – Oct. 12, 2011
San Antonio Express-News
Bicycling: Today, 8 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314.

Bicycling: Saturday, 8 a.m., Southside Mission Ride, 27, 39, 51 and 61 miles, visitors center, Mission San Jose. 210-213-7382. …

Huge turn out for Bike around the Bay
By Dayna Haynes www.theanahuacprogress.com

This year’s Bike around the Bay had about a 1,000 participants riding the 150 mile, two day trek around Galveston Bay with the starting line at Fort Anahuac Park. Organizers commented that the first event had only 300 participants and now they are up to 1,000 entries. Proving the popularity and growth of the event. The bicyclists enjoy the scenic and picturesque countryside of the Southeast Texas coastal roadways with stopping points in the bay area towns along the route, starting with Anahuac, High Island, Bolivar Peninsula, …

Bike riders help raise funds for charity
www.news-journal.com
The Mineola Chamber of Commerce’s second-ever Mineola Metric Century Bike Ride raised $500 for charities and grew in size, which the chamber of commerce’s Pam Franklin said was encouraging.

Among the 64 entries were riders from as far away as Austin and Dallas and they had their choice of three…

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for October 5th

Rick Ankrum — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 03:37:28 +0000

How-To: Speed Vest for Night Cycling
via MAKE by Goli Mohammadi

If car users knew how fast cyclists were moving, would they be more willing to share the road? That’s the question posed by Mykle Hansen in the intro to his Speed Vest project from MAKE Volume 19.

Bicyclists receive a lot of honk-based grief from car drivers who perceive them as slow and in the way, and when drivers misjudge a bicycle’s speed, it can cause “right hook” collisions that kill several bicyclists each year. This lightweight night-cycling vest displays your current speed in glowing, 7-inch-tall numbers easily visible to cars. On the back, an Arduino…

First-Ever Bike Parking Ordinances for Houston
by Aaron Chang bikehouston.org
City of Houston Planning Commission Subcommittee has released their recommended changes to the city’s off-street parking ordinance (Chapter 26). These include Houston’s first-ever bicycle parking ordinances.

The proposed bike parking requirements (outlined in Section XII on Page 15) would require one bike parking space for every 25,000 square feet of gross floor area (GFA). Buildings with less than 5,000 sq. ft. GFA would not be required to have bike parking. Businesses are free to have as many bike parking spaces as they want, but the proposed…

Cat C Official’s Clinic
10/29/2011 Austin, TX
Event Registration Website
The clinic will cover the basic rules of road, track, cyclocross and mountain bike officiating, as found in the current rule book and will be taught by Steve Crews, National Commissaire Road, Track , Cyclocross and Mountain Bike.

An open rulebook exam will be given at the end of the session and those individuals passing with a 70% or higher will be certified as Category C officials and be eligible to start working events. The official’s license fee is $60 and will be collected at the end of the clinic. Checks payable to…

Rick Perry – Greasing The Wheels Of Injustice
by Christopher Curnutt Biking in Dallas
Each year approximately 50 cyclists, 400 pedestrians and 500 motorcyclists are killed in Texas. As a cyclist I can tell you that there’s a perception in this state that the drivers who are responsible for the death of people riding bicycles are seldom, if at all, actually held responsible. In Texas if two automobiles collide, chances are someone is at fault, but if a car or truck hits a cyclist it’s just bad luck. In other words, “the sun got in my eyes”…

Recreational Sports Calendar & Sign-up Sheet – Oct. 5, 2011
San Antonio Express-News
Bicycling: Today, 8 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314.
Bicycling: Oct. 12, 8 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314. …

Hilltopper Austin and cyclist trains by treading Austin terrain
By Maryella Medina www.hilltopviewsonline.com
Hilltop Views Sports dedicates the month of October to special coverage of cycling culture. Every week will feature a unique cyclist, from the environmentally conscious casual rider to the sports’ poster child, Lance Armstrong.

The Dam Loop: a biking route that begins at Bee Caves and Hwy 71, extends out to FM 620, crosses Mansfield dam by Lake Travis, circles back around on FM 2222 and finishes up on Loop 360. This route is approximately 50 miles and is a staple ride for junior James Austin.

A category four cyclist, Austin has competed in numerous races and is a member of 787 Racing, a non-profit organization that makes competitive cycling accessible while promoting the highest athletic and ethical standards of training and racing, according to the…

Bike around the Bay starts in Anahuac
www.theanahuacprogress.com
Samson is a “breakpoint sponsor” for Galveston Bay Foundation’s Bike Around the Bay cycling event that will be held on October 8 and 9, 2011. Samson will have several volunteers working its breakpoint, providing food and refreshments to the cyclists on Saturday, October 8 at the Bolivar ferry landing on Bolivar Peninsula.

The Galveston Bay Foundation is a non-profit organization that works to preserve, protect and enhance Galveston Bay — one of the world’s most productive estuaries. Bike Around the Bay is a fully supported two-day, 150 mile bicycle ride around the Galveston Bay showcasing the natural…

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for September 28th

Rick Ankrum — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 03:41:34 +0000

2011 ARR Tour De Fat Volunteers
Presented by Austin Ridge Riders & New Belgium Brewing
Austin, TX
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Online Registration Closes Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 11:30 PM ET
Merchandise Booth Shift A 9:30 am – 1:00 pm
Merchandise Booth Shift B 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Registration Booth 8:30 am -10:30 am
Bike Parade Marshalls 9:30 am – 11:30 am

Kid Trips — Sat, 11/19, 9 am, BSA T165, Pace Bend County Park.
www.austinridgeriders.com
Volunteers to be there at the East Trail Head Parking Lot at 8 am (Right furthest corner, just past the RV area that is ARR Race Set-Up.) This is BSA T165 from Round Rock. They will be our first BSA Troop that is camping at the Trail for the Kid Trips Event. …

This weekend is NWCC’s Fall Kick-off.
www.northwestcyclingclub.com
Grab your camping gear, your family, and your bikes (road and MTB). Join us for any one, or all three of the following fun events!

All weekend: Club Camp-out at Huntsville State Park
We have 4 sites reserved, tents or trailers welcome.
Check-in as early as Thursday evening. Check-out Sunday.
When you get there, call Val (cell 713-397-1158) for directions to the campsites. …

Austin Bike Culture Calendar Events: 9/29- 10/5/11
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. Thanks to Jason at ATXBS for letting us know about some events we couldn’t find elsewhere. 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. …

Minnehaha pannier long-term review
by bikedenton

I snagged one of these Minnehaha canvas utility panniers last year (on sale at Restoration Hardware – weird, right?) and have put it through daily rides since then. Minnehaha touts the “Utility without a utilitarian look”, which I think means it doesn’t look super sporty like…

Texas Custom Bike Show Oct 15-16th in Austin Texas
by The Announcer Guy Biking In Dallas

If you missed NAHBS in Austin this year there’s still time to repent! In less than a month the best handmade frame builders from Texas (also Oklahoma, Arkansas, & New Mexico) will gather in Austin Texas for the 4th Annual Texas Custom Bicycle Show. This year’s show has 24+ exhibitors and…

Recreational Sports Calendar & Sign-up Sheet – Sept. 28, 2011
San Antonio Express-News
Bicycling: Today, 8 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314.
Bicycling: Saturday, 8 a.m., Bullis County Park Ride, 21, 34, 48 and 66 miles, Bullis County Park. 210-862-6559. …

Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup for September 27th

Rick Ankrum — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:11:49 +0000

Biking to Work Is Ruining Your Lungs
gawker.com
Aside from the issues of safety and the ongoing bike lane wars there’s another reason that riding your bike in the city sucks: it makes your lungs black.

A new study in London found that bicycle commuters had 2.3 times as much black carbon in their lungs as those who get to work on foot. What does that mean? Well, cyclists breathe harder so…

Three Exciting Bike Happenings in San Antonio!
www.biketexas.org
San Antonio cyclists – mark your calendars for three important bike events in the next week:

The San Antonio Bike Plan. The bike master plan will be at city council this Thursday, Sept. 29 as item #27 on the agenda. If you’d like to speak on the plan, to offer comments or support, you should arrive at Council Chambers before 9 a.m. to sign up. (City Council Chambers are located in the Municipal Plaza…

SWCC Race Team Party
The SWCC Race Team will hold an end of season party on Friday, September 30th from 6-8 PM. If you are a current SWCC racer or are interested in racing for SWCC you are invited. Contact Race Team Director Jeff Dingler (jeffrey.dingler@gmail.com) for more information.

The Peddler Dirt Derby mountain bike & cyclocross series starts tonight!
by elliott Austin On Two Wheels
Tonight is the season kickoff of The Peddler Dirt Derby now entering its 5th season of dirty fun. The weekly Tuesday night affair offers a lighted course for short course mountain biking and cyclocross at the Del Valle Motorcross. The guys at the Derby are kicking it off in style with a Ladies Night for the opener: all ladies and…

Mother’s diagnosis of cancer motivates daughter to ride
By JENNIFER SUMMER www.yourhoustonnews.com
The first in her family, the diagnosis of breast cancer was a surprise for Heather Zeboski.

During a routine check-up in March, her doctor found a lump that she had not felt herself through self-examinations and immediately scheduled a biopsy.

When the lump was removed, doctors realized the severity of the lump as Zeboski was diagnosed with invasive ductal incarcinoma, which could have spread if it had not been caught in the early stages.

“The diagnosis changed everything. For years, I had regular mammograms, but last year was the first year I missed an exam. My well woman doctor had left so I was referred to a new doctor, but when I went they would no…

Local Cyclist Tries To Raise Bike Safety Awareness After Being Hit By Car
By Braid Blanks, KTXS News
ABILENE, Texas — An Abilene man was hit while biking on a busy roadway this past Saturday.

Former KTXS sports director and Football Friday Night contributor, Mark Rogers, was riding down Highway 351 when a car hit him. It was a very close call.

Rogers said he wants to use this accident to remind people about staying safe while sharing the roadways. …

Ride Recap 9/26/11, River Legacy
by Shawn Texas Mountain Bike Trails
Tonight was perfect for a quick mountain bike ride. My wedding is only 12 days away (holy crap!) and I needed a little time in the trees after work tonight. Since River Legacy is only about 9 miles from my Bedford office I decided this morning to take full advantage of it.

River Legacy is in tremendous shape after the rain we got in the prior weeks. I rode the trail for the first time about one month ago and it wasn’t looking great. The soil then was cracked and brittle making some of the hard cornering a little more difficult. Today the trail was smooth and the flow was…

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for September 21st

Rick Ankrum — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:16:57 +0000

2011 Tyler Retreat
Lone Star Cyclists
The club has once again decided to hold its annual Fall Club Bicycle Retreat at Whispering Pines RV Resort October 7-9 (www.whisperingpinesrvresort.com). The resort’s address is 5583 FM 16 East. This location is 4.5 miles northeast of Tyler State Park, which is north of Tyler. It will be beautiful riding in what should be ideal fall weather. A note about Whispering Pines RV Resort: their online reservation system is not currently…

Maple & Waylon Cyclocross
Contact Name Andrew Willis Contact Phone 512-745-5469 Contact Email andaroowillis@gmail.com

Recreational Sports Calendar & Sign-up Sheet – Sept. 21, 2011
San Antonio Express-News
Bicycling: Today, 8 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314.
…Bicycling: Saturday, 8 a.m., Cibolo Ride, 20, 27, 39, 51, 66 and 71 miles, city hall parking lot, Cibolo. 210-884-9470. …

Favorite Bike Shops – Mountain Bike Review
by Pat
I’m trying to compile a list of favored bike shops in a few TX cities and was hoping you all can help. The list will be given to our Rep who will be visiting the Southwest.

I need shop info for Dallas/FW, San Antonio, and Austin. If you have other cities/shops you prefer I’d like to hear them. I hope you can help. …

Sid Richardson Trail work day, September 24, 2011
NTMBP | North Texas Mountain Bike Patrol
The Sid Richardson End of Summer Order of the Arrow (OA) event will occur on September 24, 2011. This event requires adults to supervise scouts working to achieve their Order of the Arrow status. If you are interested in supporting this event and helping to build more trail at Sid Richardson then this will be a…

Review of Strava.com bicycling GPS based “social fitness” site
by Lars Texas Cyclist
If you do a lot of cycling and ride the same rides regularly, chances are that you’ve probably compared your average speed to some of your previous rides. And you’ve probably wondered how your speed compares to everyone else who rides that same stretch.

Well, wonder no more! Because when you sign up for an account with Strava.com and upload data from your Garmin device, or use the Strava app on your iphone or Android phone, you can record your ride and upload it to…

Review: Serfas TSL-500 True 500 LED bicycle headlight
by Lars Texas Cyclist

Because of work and family obligations, my cycling begins at 5:45 a.m. each morning, when I leave the house and start riding toward White Rock Lake in Dallas.

Riding that early in the morning, I need a good headlight for most of the year. In June and July, I usually only need it for 30 minutes or so. But for the rest of the year, I might need it for up to an hour or more before the sun comes up and it is light enough to see without a light. …

From pavement to dirt: Training
by elliott Austin on Two Wheels
“From pavement to dirt” is a new series I am writing about my experience taking up mountain biking and training to compete in the Sabertooth Offroad division of the Natural Caverns Duathlon. This will be my first mountain bike race, and I will use the Dirt Derby series and TXBRA cyclocross races to racing myself into shape. This week’s installment will cover training. The next post will be about the bikes I will use to train.

I have to admit mapping out a training plan is one of my favorite parts of preparing to do a race or challenging endurance event. It is a fresh start and everything looks so impressive laid out on the training calendar. There is…

Endurance cyclists to race 500 miles in Glen Rose
By Matthew Reagan mreagan@star-telegram.com
Give a randonneur at least a dozen gallons of water, a giant stash of protein and carb-loaded fuel, a sleeping bag and a tent, a few bottles of sunscreen and a reliable, comfortable bike and you’ve got one happy weekend warrior.

Randonneurs, or endurance cyclists, thrive on competing against the clock on long distance rides and more than 300 of them from across the world will be in Glen Rose starting Thursday for the Texas Time…

Shops Focus on Service to Better Compete
By Matt Wiebe Bicycle Retailer
HATTIESBURG, MS—Internet sales are the largest challenge to brick-and-mortar shops. And many shop owners respond by doing what they do best: face-to-face communication with customers.

…Jeff Bailey, owner of Bikesport in Houston, Texas, doesn’t downplay the impact of Internet retailing when he notes that he felt the same way when mail-order retail took off in the ’80s.

“We just are not going to beat anyone on price, and that is not the business I want,” Bailey said. “I had two Internet bikes come in this morning in boxes that needed…

Ride Recap 9/21/2011, Erwin Park
by Shawn Texas Mountain Bike Trails
Today was a wonderful day, I took the day off of my 9-5 job so that my fiance and I could get our marriage license. Since the Colin County courthouse is only miles away from Erwin Park I jumped at the opportunity to get some hard miles in. Especially after just having the first good rain in months on Sunday night. …

Ode to Froyo =>Coaching => Recovery Week
by Ken Texas Racing Life
One more race weekend to go! My anxious thoughts are paradoxical and jumbled in my head. Things like:

I love racing. I don’t want to take a break until November. God, I need a break. I can’t wait to take a break. Running and plyometrics will be fun. I can’t wait for the break to be over so I can start training in earnest for next year. Ft Hood NEXT WEEKEND! So lots of tapering this week. But, am I tapering too much? Actually I’ll fit in a…

Snapple-ATC Racing
Austin Women’s Cycling Team
There’s one sure way to turn heads in the road racing community – throw a group of uber-fast age-group triathletes into the women’s cat 4 race and see what happens. (“Surprise” would be an understatement.)

This June, we got ATC Women’s Racing off the ground, putting together a team of some of the fastest female triathletes and time trialists in Austin. In the ranks, we have five Kona qualifiers and elite age-group triathletes, a former Division-1 runner, and me, a duathlete/time trialist who’s officially abandoned her running shoes for the bike. Even though…