Texas Bicycling News Digest March 3rd 2018

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Bikes everywhere! Dockless bikes up access, sometimes chaos

www.valleymorningstar.com


DALLAS (AP) — Shared bikes that can be left wherever the rider ends up are helping more people get access to the mode of transportation that reduces car traffic and increases exercise. But they are also producing some chaos — discarded bikes cluttering public spaces, blocking sidewalks and even placed in trees and lakes. …

Harris County plans bike trail in Atascocita

By Kaila Contreras | www.chron.com


Atascocita residents can expect to see some traffic improvements and a new hike and bike trail coming soon to their area.

During Thursday’s Atascocita Bizcom meeting at Atascocita High School, Harris County Precinct 2 Capital Improvement Program Manager Jennifer Almonte gave a presentation on the various projects the precinct has planned for the area this year. …

New bike lanes coming to Bryan

By Blakeley Galbraith | www.kbtx.com

BRYAN, Tex. (KBTX) – The City of Bryan is working on ways to improve safety for cyclists.

The city received a highway safety program improvement grant to work on multiple traffic lights and roadways around town. One of those new changes include the city’s first buffered bike lanes. …

Child hit and killed by pickup truck while riding bike in Sugar Land

By Christine Dobbyn | abc13.com

SUGAR LAND, Texas (KTRK) — A family is mourning the loss of their only son after police say he was hit and killed while riding his bike on a side walk in Sugar Land Saturday afternoon.

This happened on on Dulles near Vikings street around 12:30 p.m. in front of Dulles High School. …

Child struck, killed while riding his bike near Sugar Land high school, police say

BY ASHLEY E. TILLERY | cw39.com

SUGAR LAND, Texas – A middle school-aged boy was fatally struck by a pickup truck while riding his bike near a Sugar Land high school Saturday afternoon, according to the Sugar Land Police Department. …

Texas 2018

By Mike Booth | www.crazyguyonabike.com

Ridgewood Trail and White Rock Lake
Saturday March 3, 2018
Friday, we pedal northeast as far as the new Ridgewood trail takes us ,out in the countryside, where workers are on site constructing the next bridge. They give us permission to carry on but ” be careful – no finished “. He was right- 1/2 mile later it came to a muddy halt- it will be great when finialised.Next we complete our previous cycle around White Rock Lake. Stopping often to admire the birds – hundreds of Ruddy ducks and American Coots. A belted …
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/pics/docs/00/02/06/00/small/IMG_4629.JPG?v=0

Photos: Roughneck Challenge and Heads or Tails Time Trial

www.beaumontenterprise.com


A cyclist participates in the Heads or Tails Time Trial during the Gusher Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K on Saturday. Photo taken Saturday 3/3/18 Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

https://twitter.com/paul_s_jones/status/9699976378512547851

New Events Added to Texbiker.net Calendar

Food Trucks Plus A Curious Man bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Somehow the “indoor” setting got selected before I started today’s bike ride and 1.6 miles elapsed before I caught it. But the “indoor” miles still register in the ride total even though the map shows me starting at a spot after the start. I will take it. The route chosen: “Atascocita – Walden – Huffman” with 35.62 miles putting the week’s total at 199.2 miles so far. If the weather cooperates on Sunday I could be over 200 miles. March is up to 104.4 miles with a goal of 585 miles.

After yesterday’s ride I wrote about the mounting tab breaking off the Wahoo Elemnt computer and the other one looking very fragile with a stress line pointing to it breaking soon. I don’t have another computer except for my phone so I wasn’t sure how I could use the Elemnt while I wait on a response from Wahoo support. After some “heavy” thinking I thought of a way to hold it in place. Not fancy or aerodynamic but functional.

I also considered Velcro but I didn’t want to cut off the remaining tab and rely solely on Velcro. No problems with the temporary mount during the ride.

Wind continues to be challenging during the ride. It was from the SE at 15 mph today which made for extra pedaling effort whenever I had a headwind. The tailwind finally came into play at the turn from Old Atascocita Road onto FM 2100 north but it was still bothersome until I started west on FM 1960. At the 11:49 am start the sky was overcast after some sun earlier and the temperature was 73 with 53% humidity. I dressed differently than yesterday with shorts, long sleeve thermal jersey and windbreaker jacket. At first I thought maybe I overdressed but as the sun feel behind the overcast sky I felt cooler and glad I wore the jacket.

Nothing unusual along the route except when I arrived at Kingwood town Center Park there were a bunch of food trucks, booths and people. I forgot the event rescheduled to today from a rain out a week or so ago. On the way back I decided to stop and take a few pictures. When I stopped a man hurried walk towards me. I wasn’t sure if he was coming to see me or I was in his path to somewhere else. It turned out he wanted to talk to me about my Canyon Endurace CF SLX bike. He has been looking at the Canyon bikes online but had not seen one in person. We talked about the Canyon and I told him I am pleased with purchase. It rides great. He told me his road bike is 10 years old but he hasn’t been able to ride for awhile due to an injury. I handed him a Texbiker.net business card when he was getting ready to leave. A few photos of the event.

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From Town Center I rode home to finish the ride at 2:34 pm.

Second day using the TICKRFit heart monitor. It works great. I hope to learn more about my heart rate as I ride more.

Tomorrow the weather looks like a repeat of today. I must decide how to fit in a ride and watch the University of Cincinnati Bearcat basketball game with Wichita State. The game starts at 11 am and I usually get home from church around 11:35. I have the DVR set to record it. Do I ride and then watch or watch and then ride?

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

Bike Ride Summary

Link to Strava Ride Summary

 

Texas Bicycling News Digest March 2nd 2018

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Don’t be a cycle-path, lock up your bike

BY LILIANA HALL | www.dailytexanonline.com


If you find yourself reporting your bike stolen to the Austin Police Department, chances are you will never see your bike again.

According to the APD, nearly 800 bikes were reported stolen last year, and of those reported, very few made their way back home.

Biomedical engineering sophomore Jeong Ha Choi last saw his bike outside Duren Residence Hall, one of the three most common locations for bike theft on campus. Since the incident, Choi was left with the question many victims of bike theft contemplate — what could I have done to prevent this? …

Caution (Do Not Slip on Tracks)

by Cat Cort | www.velopaso.org


As many El Pasoans are aware, the $97 million El Paso Streetcar Project is coming to fruition in 2018. The route is slated to run nearly five miles, in two loops running downtown and uptown with 27 stops along the way. From a bike rider’s perspective, maintaining cycling safety around the tracks can at times, literally be a slippery slope. Many experienced urban riders have already sustained injuries due to crashes in and around the tracks, as most of the usual bike routes through the city and around the UTEP campus now run parallel to the streetcar project. In even just a short trip downtown, cyclists are forced to cross or ride parallel to …

This weekend’s rides: Pflugerville Loop! Lamppost!

by Thomas | steinerranchcycling.com

Saturday we will do a fast lap around Pflugerville! It is a 66 mile ride and the route is https://www.strava.com/routes/3955052. After the ride we meet up at Lakeside for some discounted burgers and beer!

Sunday is our usual Coffee Shop ride. Our destination will be Lampost Coffee in Round Rock. The route is 50 miles and takes us to Lamppost Coffee in Round Rock. The route is …

25th Annual Tour De Braz Bike Ride – 4/22/18 – Feb 27, 2018 3:15 Pm

www.publicnow.com

It is time for the 25th Annual Tour de Braz Bike Ride on Sunday, April 22nd, 2018! Come ride with us through the Brazoria County countryside as an experienced rider preparing for the BP MS150 or as an inexperienced rider just wanting to get out on the open road. Tour de Braz is the perfect ride for the whole family and open to all experience levels.
This year’s ride is being hosted by the Alvin Convention & Visitor’s Bureau in …

Texas Ranked 13th Highest In The US In Pedestrian Deaths: Report

By Don Johnson | patch.com

Walking across the street is more dangerous than it has been in more than a quarter-century, according to a new report by the Governors Highway Safety Association. On Wednesday, the group released its yearly “Spotlight on Highway Safety” report based on preliminary state data and estimated that nearly 6,000 pedestrians were killed by automobiles for the second straight year. …

… Texas Children’s Hospital’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Education and Outreach project educated communities about safe pedestrian and bicycling behaviors in an effort to reduce the prevalence of fatalities and injuries to children in the Houston metropolitan area. …

PAYDIRT – ARR – Pace Bend Trail Maintenance

Sunday, Mar 18, 2018, 9:00 AM

Pace Bend Trailhead
5100 Grisham Trail Spicewood, TX

30 Mountain Bikers Went

• What we’ll do Check back here for weather cancellation on Friday 3/16 by 6:00 PM. We will also see if the park will waive the entrance fee for volunteers. We will be preparing the trail for the race the following weekend. Wear closed toes shoes and work / weather appropriate clothes. Children are OK with parental supervision. • What to bring Brin…

Check out this Meetup →

Thursday Morning Cruise

Thursday, Mar 8, 2018, 8:45 AM

Starbucks
7049 S Desert (Outlet Mall) Canutillo, TX

3 Cyclists Went

Meet at 8:45 am at Starbucks at the Outlet Mall in Canutillo. Ride out at 9:00. 20-25 miles at 14-16 mph pace. Mostly flat, a few hills. Breakfast someplace after the ride. Bob Clark,[masked]. The startup time will be adjusted throughout the year as the seasons change, keep your eye on this page for changes.

Check out this Meetup →

Houston Bike Summit

bikehouston.org

April 16, 2018
Join us this year at the Houston Bike Summit: A Celebration of Cycling in Houston. The Summit is our opportunity to honor those who are making a difference in transforming Houston into a more people- and bike-friendly place. This year we are honoring Houston’s Mayor Sylvester Turner for his leadership in passing the Houston Bike Plan.

The festivities will be from 5:00pm-8:00pm with food and beer provided by Saint Arnold Brewing Company as well as an expo of local partners and bike shops. The Summit is BikeHouston’s chance to bring people of all stripes that ride together to celebrate this year’s accomplishments and prepare for the challenges ahead. …

VBikes leaving Denton; Spin to apply for city’s pilot bike-sharing program

Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe | www.dentonrc.com

VBikes notified the city government that the company will not participate in Denton’s bike-share pilot program and is removing its bikes from Denton, according to a staff report to the City Council on Friday afternoon. …

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

Broken Ears on Elemnt Bike Ride

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First ride with my new TICKRFit heart rate monitor. I never used a heart rate monitor before so I had no idea what to expect. Connecting it to the Elemnt computer before the ride everything worked perfectly and during the ride the display showed my actual heart rate and the average rate. Future rides will see what the range is.

The ride began at 11:36 am with me selecting the “New Caney – Tavola – Valley Ranch” route heading north. Thankfully the wind let up some and it wasn’t so hard pedaling like the last few rides. The weather: start 74 (58% humidity), finish 74 (60% humidity), mostly cloudy, wind NE 10 mph. That wind had some chill in it though. As the ride started the sun was shining some and it helped keep me comfortable but by mile 5 or so the clouds rolled in and changed to overcast. Fortunately I choose to wear shorts, long sleeve thermal jersey and short sleeve jersey. I almost chose a regular long sleeve jersey but thankfully didn’t. I was on the edge of being cold riding into the wind but I generated enough body heat to be just above the chill point. Near the end of the ride the sun came out a little more making for the mostly cloudy description but it was still cooler than I prefer.

In Woodridge Forest I stopped to take these photos with the blooming flowers.

One other cyclist was on the route as we passed in Kingwood near the end of the ride. I finished at 2:07 pm.

As I was removing the Elemnt computer from the mount I noticed it wobbled more than it should. Turning it over I saw one of the mounting tabs was broken and the other one was close to breaking off. I called Wahoo Fitness and submitted a support ticket to see how to get it fixed. I will need to be creative to use the Elemnt while I wait for an answer.

Weather forecast for Saturday repeats today. I plan on biking.

SportTracks Bike Ride Summary

Bike Ride Summary

Link to Strava Ride Summary