{"id":35084,"date":"2017-01-21T14:25:40","date_gmt":"2017-01-21T20:25:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.texbiker.net\/blog\/?p=35084"},"modified":"2017-01-21T14:25:40","modified_gmt":"2017-01-21T20:25:40","slug":"texas-bicycling-news-january-19th-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.texbiker.net\/blog\/2017\/01\/21\/texas-bicycling-news-january-19th-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Bicycling News January 19th 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

Construction to begin soon on “University Connections” Bridge on Brays Bayou Greenway<\/a><\/h2>\n

Rachel Compton | houstonparksboard.org<\/h3>\n


\nHOUSTON, TX \u00e2\u20ac\u201c January 18, 2017 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Construction will soon begin on a new pedestrian\/bike bridge across Brays Bayou as an extension of the Brays Bayou Greenway hike-and-bike trails. The new bridge will connect the University of Houston across Brays Bayou to MacGregor Park.
\nThe pedestrian bridge will run parallel to Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and the METRO Rail Purple Line. Construction of the pedestrian\/bike bridge is funded through a Texas Department of Transportation grant matched with City of Houston bond dollars. Construction is expected to be complete fall 2017. Brays Bayou Greenway is just one of nine bayous being transformed through Bayou Greenways 2020, one of the most …<\/p>\n

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Trek issues recall of 720 disc and 24h Bontrager Approved TLR Disc wheels due to spoke breakage<\/a><\/h2>\n

By Zach Overholt | www.bikerumor.com<\/h3>\n


\nYou know how this goes, if you happen to have a 2015, 2016, or 2017 Trek 720 disc, you should stop riding it and head to your local Trek Dealer. The same goes for the wheels that were on the bike, the Bontrager Approved TLR Disc 700c 24h wheels. The reason for the most recent recall is a higher rate of spoke breakage on those wheels which were sold on the 720 or sold separately. Spoke breakage doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t usually lead to …<\/p>\n

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Austin B-cycle adding more bikes and stations, increasing free ride time<\/a><\/h2>\n

Pam LeBlanc | fitness.blog.austin360.com<\/h3>\n


\nHot off a record year for ridership numbers, Austin B-cycle is adding more bike docks, more bikes and more no-charge bike time for users. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s also changing the cost of a 24-hour pass.
\nThe bike share service is adding capacity to its busiest stations, and installing four new stations in the next two months. Look for the new stations at 13th and San Antonio streets, Henderson between 6th and 9th streets, Congress Avenue at …<\/p>\n

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Step Up Ride for January 21st 8 AM Start<\/a><\/h2>\n

by jtotaro | www.planobicycle.org<\/h3>\n

Looks like last few weeks sequence of rain activity might line up just right for us to get a Saturday AM ride in this weekend. Weather channel has it mostly sunny Friday to dry out the roads (and the trail through the park) and, as of Thursday noon, only a 15% chance of rain starting at 9 AM Saturday. Mid 50s temps …<\/p>\n

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3 things to know about the new Central Texas bike, pedestrian plan<\/a><\/h2>\n

By Amy Denney | communityimpact.com<\/h3>\n


\nFormation of the Central Texas region\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s active transportation plan is underway, and residents are invited to provide their feedback at 10 upcoming open house events.
\n1. This is the first Regional Active Transportation Plan for Central Texas.
\nActive transportation involves using one\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s body to get around, including walking and biking. …<\/p>\n

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Best Ideas Contest gets thumbs-up from IBD Summit attendees<\/a><\/h2>\n

by Marc Sani | www.bicycleretailer.com<\/h3>\n

TEMPE, Ariz. (BRAIN) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d It was billed as the Best Ideas Contest. Five dealers offered attendees at the annual IBD Summit their best ideas to improve their operations and profitability. And the winner as selected by the audience in a secret ballot was . . .
\nHill Abell. He shared financial data from his stores, Bicycle Sport Shop in Austin, Texas, on the success of his Trade In\/Trade Up program. A quick synopsis: Last year his staff sold $345,000 in …<\/p>\n

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Southern Tier Winter Tour<\/a><\/h2>\n

By David Hayes | www.crazyguyonabike.com<\/h3>\n

Day 25 – Marathon to Alpine TX: Vini Vidi Vindy
\nThursday January 19, 2017
\nI know I had an entire post about the wind coming out of Austin. And while it was pretty serious, it was wind made by a weak weather god, because the wind today came straight from Thor. Headwind so strong there was one point where I was pushing my rig up what couldn’t have been more than a 1% grade. Gusts up to 25mph with steady winds in the 15-20 range. Headwinds. But, luckily, it was at least sunny all day and it warmed up by mid-morning so I didn’t have rain or bitter cold in the mix.
\nI knew, of course, that the forecast called for this kind of wind. And I knew I would be, STILL!, riding uphill all day. Without overstating things, I was dreading the day ahead. I contemplated just staying in Marathon, but I also knew that these winds are supposed to last a FULL WEEK. And while anyone, including me, might question my courage in facing what I thought would be a riding day from hell, no one should question my desire to leave the terrible WiFi of Marathon. Even Langtry…lowly Langtry…had pretty good WiFi in that visitor center I could pirate at night. But Marathon…well, ’nuff said.
\nSo, off I want not long after breakfast at dawn. And it was just as …<\/p>\n

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Public Hearing on the Bike Plan Brings Many Supporters<\/a><\/h2>\n

Mary Blitzer | bikehouston.org\/<\/h3>\n


\nA big thanks goes out to the many (we packed the house to standing room only) people who showed up on this bleak Thursday, 1\/19 at 2:30 pm, to voice their support for the bike plan and tell decision makers why people on bicycles need safe places to ride and why Houston needs to develop better bikeways.
\nWatch the full testimony here: http:\/\/houstontx.city.swagit.com\/htv1\/ (The video feed should be uploaded to this link shortly, just click Planning Commission Jan 19 and then agenda item …<\/p>\n

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