Texas Bicycling News December 4th

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I CAN’T FEEL MY FINGERS~VeloVlog #2

Preston Glace

Texas Cyclocross 2015

Venny Alub

clips and highlights from this season’s races including Georgetown Cyclocross Festival, Give Me Some Sugar CX, and Terra X

Log jumping session

DCRUZ547

Introduced Matthew to log jumping on his MTB.

Saturday is Global Fat Bike Day

by BRAIN Staff        www.bicycleretailer.com


LONGMONT, Colo. (BRAIN) — Global Fat Bike Day, Saturday, Dec. 5, is being marked with events, demos and product introductions from Estonia to Vermont, Australia to Colorado.
According to Fat-Bike.com, the day was designated by some British fat bike enthusiasts several years ago. This year, many ski touring centers with fat bike trails are planning demo events around the occasion. In Vermont, for example, the Catamount Outdoor Family Center is holding …

U.S. Olympic long teams announced for Rio

By Caley Fretz        velonews.competitor.com

USA Cycling announced its 2016 Olympic long teams for the men’s and women’s mountain bike and women’s road events on Friday, marking the first step in a long, frequently contentious selection process.
The men’s road team will be announced on June 24, when final Olympic selections are made.
Athletes must be on USA Cycling’s long list to be selected for an Olympic berth. The final mountain bike teams will include three men and two women, and the final women’s road team will include four women, including two time trialists. …

… Lauren Stephens (Dallas, Texas/TIBCO-SVB)*

The Woodlands Township seeks input for Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan

fatcatwebproductions.com

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS (December 3, 2015) – The Woodlands Township has contracted with engineering firm Jones and Carter for completion of a Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan.
The Township is interested in improving the Township-wide network of existing facilities and to develop new facilities to provide for improved and safer bicycle and pedestrian commuting and recreational opportunities. The proposed master plan will show a comprehensive transportation network that could utilize a variety of off-road and on-road facilities such as pathways, trails, bike lanes, shared lanes, multi-use pathways and other …

Austin Police arrest man connected to 97 high-end bike thefts

By KEYE TV

AUSTIN, Texas — A man accused of stealing at least 97 bicycles in the Austin area since 2013 has been arrested.
According to an arrest affidavit, police believe 30-year-old Marcelino Avelar-Rapalo is behind a series of bike thefts in the Central West and South West areas of Austin.
Law enforcement officials say that some of the stolen bikes turned up as far south as Harlingen.
Mark Wallace lives in Central West Austin and is one of the victims.
“It was frustrating that your house had been violated and you had been …

EVENT: Bike Through the Lights

www.gosanangelo.com


SAN ANGELO, Texas – The San Angelo Bicycle Association is inviting everyone to Bike Through the Lights with Santa on Sunday.
Participating riders can cruise through the Tour of Lights on the Concho River, taking in a view of over 3 million Christmas lights and more than 60 Christmas greeting cards. The ride is non-competitive and is presented by the Concho Christmas Celebration and the San Angelo Bicycling Association .
The event is …

Trinity Bicycles quietly shuts its doors in Sundance Square

by Joyce Marshall        www.star-telegram.com


Favored shop of area cyclists opened downtown in 2012
Fort Worth, which has been building an image as a bike-friendly city, has lost one of its champions with the sudden and surprising closure of Trinity Bicycles in Sundance Square.
The shop in the red brick West Sundance building at 343 Throckmorton St. has been locked, the lights have been turned off and the phone has gone unanswered since the week before Thanksgiving. Owner Bernie Scheffler, who moved his store to Sundance Square in February 2012 from South Main Street, didn’t respond to requests last week for comment.
Sundance Square management also has tried to reach …

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

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https://twitter.com/FtWMntBikers/status/672806851587604480

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https://twitter.com/GWCChuck/status/672765238660472832

Texas Bicycling Event Reminders

Texas Bicycling News December 3rd

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Big Bend Ranch State Park – November 2015 Ride Report

by Seths Pool        www.bikemojo.com

Alllright,
So just got back from my girlfriend and i’s 5 day camping/mountain biking trip at Big Bend Ranch State park in west Texas and it was AWESOME! We will absolutely be going back there!
It was about a 9.5 hour drive west- …

Weather –
Perfect riding weather. It was in the mid sixties all day long, and got down to the high thirties in the coldest part of the night before dawn. It heated up very quickly in the mornings only about an hour or so after the sun came up. One person with a good sleeping bag or …

bike thief caught

by mack_turtle        www.bikemojo.com

sorry for all the rumors, I just read this on the Facebook Austin Bike Theft Recovery board:
“Bicycle thief breaking into Zilker neighborhood homes and garages!! APD is looking for victims of these crimes. I spoke with APD early this am and then again just now on Anita Dr. They’ve recovered the stolen bicycles and are looking for the owners. These are high end bicycles one being a specialized and the other a cannondale I believe. This is a long term criminal that APD has been chasing for two years. Please contact Detective Knutson APD at …

Cyclists plan rally in support of keeping bike lanes on Mesa Drive

by Pam LeBlanc        fitness.blog.austin360.com


Want the bike lanes on Mesa Drive to stay put?
Bicyclists are encouraged to attend the Mesa Drive Family Walk and Ride at 10 a.m. Saturday to show their support for the stretch of bike lane on Mesa Drive between Cat Mountain Drive and Far West Boulevard.
At the request of a group of residents, City of Austin officials have proposed replacing the bike lanes with shoulders for car parking.
Not everyone wants …

Breakout Rider of the Year

texasbikeracing.com


Another great Texas cycling season, of mostly highs with a few lows, is coming to a close. How about Chris Carlson’s clinic for the hipsters on his forty year old steel frame at the Wolfpack Hustle! Sammi Runnels has been cleaning house on the road and dirt. Does Austin still have a black eye from January’s Cross Nats and the Heritage Tree fiasco? Don’t forget the #Elbros – Kevin Girkins and Colin Strickland’s impressive ride at Road Elite Nats! Plus, Elevate is going pro for 2016! …

FR512 Trail Work & Ride Sesh at RHR

Sunday, Dec 6, 2015, 11:00 AM

Rocky Hill Ranch
578 Farm-to-Market 153 Smithville, TX

3 Mountain Bikers Went

Work and ride sesh Sunday Dec 6th. Meet at the back entrance, (off Arrowhead RD), of Rocky Hill Ranch at 11AM. Weather should be great so check back here for updates. You must have a signed waiver to participate, go here to fill one out online: www.freeride512.com/Freeride512/Membership_2016.htmlMore info on Freeride512 may be found here:https://…

Check out this Meetup →

New transportation bill is a win for bikes

Katy Hartnett, director of government relations        www.peopleforbikes.org


On December 3, 2015, the U.S. House of Representativs passed the first long-term transportation bill in 10 years. (The official name of the bill is the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, FAST Act.) Next week, after the Senate passes the bill, President Obama will sign it into law.
The approval of the FAST Act is a victory for bicycling because it grows funding to $835 million annually for the first two years and $850 million annually for the last three years, over the life of the five-year authorization.
Most of this funding lives in the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). During the process of …

Brownsville considers bike-sharing program

By Aisha Baskette        www.brownsvilleherald.com


The City of Brownsville has released an online survey asking its residents a series of questions about their bicycling preferences.
The purpose of the survey is to gauge citizen’s interest in the establishment of a bike-share program the city is considering. The bike-share pilot program would improve mobility options for those living within the community.
Essentially, bike-share operates as a transportation system. Bikes are checked out from their station, much like a library book, allowing bicyclists to use the bike for …

12/5 and 12/6 Rides: Round Mountain (attempt #3)! Red Horn!

by Thomas        steinerranchcycling.com

NOTE: THE START TIME HAS CHANGED TO 8:30 AM FOR WEEKEND RIDES!
Saturday will be our 3rd attempt in a row for an excursion to the Liberty Hill store via Round Mountain. The weather looks good (but a bit cold… dress warmly!). After the ride we meet up at Lakeside (next to the start) for some discounted …

Texas Bicycling from Twitter

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Texas Bicycling Event Reminders

Texas Bicycling News December 2nd

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San Antonio’s Made Strides in Bike Infrastructure, but It Needs Leaps

By Mark Reagan        www.sacurrent.com


Antonio Petrov is one of those brave souls willing to bicycle on Broadway, a major corridor connecting downtown to the Loop 410, where a spattering of bike lanes dot a road with growing congestion.
“We’ve been perceived as the enemy … motorists try to ‘educate’ you by really coming close to you and pushing you off the road, but there’s also a demographic and they honk in a happy way,” Petrov says. “You know, there’s always a few that kind of step out in a negative way, but mainly, people are …

In this edition of Spoke&Word…

BikeHouston        us3.campaign-archive2.com


A Word from Michael Payne about #GivingTuesday, voting again and new positions @BikeHouston…read more>>
BikeHouston@Events Come see us at our events from socials to community rides, read more>>
BikeHouston@Work
Find out what BikeHouston has been doing to improve your rides, read more>>
BikeHouston&Me …

City Park Slow Pace Intermediate-Level Ride

Sunday, Dec 6, 2015, 1:15 PM

City Park – Emma Long Motorcycle Trails
7548 Oak Shores Dr Austin, TX

11 Mountain Bikers Went

For those who haven’t ridden City Park, it is definitely not a beginner-friendly trail.  It was originally designed for off-road motorcycles, so it basically goes straight up the bluff, then straight down, then straight up again many times over the course of 6-7 miles.  Most of the obstacles take the form of ledges about a foot high (often in seque…

Check out this Meetup →

Tuesday: Intermediate/Advanced Mountain Bike Ride at the Ant Hills

Tuesday, Dec 8, 2015, 6:15 PM

15200 Memorial Dr
15200 Memorial Dr Houston, Te

1 cyclists Went

This will be a medium to fast pace ride through the Ant Hills of Hershey Park! Bring WATER, spare tube/tire, snacks, etc…Helmets required. Call if you are going to be late so we can wait for you. Wheels rolling by 6:30! See you there

Check out this Meetup →

http://www.meetup.com/Come-Ride-With-Us-Meetup-Group/events/226845170/?a=me2_grp&rv=me2&https=off

Felt recalls 645 bikes with carbon fiber seatposts that can crack

by BRAIN Staff        www.bicycleretailer.com


WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — Felt Bicycles is recalling 645 mountain bikes that came equipped with carbon fiber seatposts. The posts can crack and break, posing an injury risk. The company has received reports of 10 posts that cracked but no injury reports.
Consumers are being told to take their bike to a local Felt dealer for a free inspection and post replacement. Consumers can contact Felt Bicycles toll free at …

The Hilly Chili Ride

Dallas Area Tandem Enthusiasts        www.doubledates.com

When: Friday, January 1st, -2016, 11:00 a.m.
Where: Donna & Steve Bishop’s house.
How far: 38 mile loop or 22 mile loop.
Road type: 6 miles of frontage road, the rest rural/residential.
Directions: Take Hwy 67 south through Cedar Hill to Lake Ridge Parkway. Exit and turn right onto Lake Ridge.
Turn left onto Park Ridge. (Turn is marked with signs for Valley Ridge Park and Tangle Ridge Golf Course).
Pass the park on your left and the golf course on your right.
At the second opportunity, turn left onto Line Drive.
At the second opportunity, turn right onto Muirfield.
At the first opportunity, turn left onto Royal Lytham Court.
Lunch: Chili, cornbread, soft drinks and beer at Donna and Steve’s house.
Other: Please join us, whether or not you are riding!
Showers available
Non-riders welcome
Please RSVP for lunch and bring a side or dessert.

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Overcast Sky But I Saw Blue Sky in the Distance Bike Ride

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I hoped the dreary weather would leave today but it hung around. I could see the blue sky to north of Kingwood but it just refused to move south. I rode my Motobecane 700HT MTB for the first ride in December for 11.69 miles on the Kingwood greenbelt trails. The temperature refused to get higher than 63 degrees (at the start) so I dressed up with leg warmers, a short sleeve jersey, a long sleeve jersey , windbreaker jacket and full finger gloves complementing bike shorts. The sun tried to shine through the overcast sky a couple of times as I rode through the forest surrounding the trails. Today was the 12th time biking the Kingwood trails in 2015.

The weather screenshots at the start (2:06) and finish (3:11).

Starting weather
Starting weather
Weather at the end
Weather at the end

I needed to get home by 3:15 which limited how far I could ride. This left me about 5 miles short of reaching my 6500 mile goal for 2015. I think I can ride 5 more miles before the end of December.

The next several days weather looks iffy for my biking though. I am a cold weather wimp and the temperature forecast just barely is above 60 degrees. I may need to bundle up and brave the coolness. At least sunshine appears in the forecast.

[iframe http://ridewithgps.com/trips/7231600/embed 45% 500px] [iframe https://www.strava.com/activities/443303343/embed/787cdfff56396938d5861ed8ff0fb42d87e1258e 45% 500px]

Summary of the 12 rides on the Kingwood greenbelt trails this year.

Activity Name Start Time Distance Elevation Gain Avg Speed(Avg Pace) Max Speed(Best Pace) Calories Total Strokes
Kingwood Trails Wed, Dec 2, 2015 2:06 PM 57:56 11.69 98 12.1 16.9 480 3991
Kingwood Trails Tue, Nov 24, 2015 1:06 PM 1:25:52 16.92 118 11.8 16.4 671 5621
Kingwood Trails Sun, Nov 15, 2015 1:19 PM 1:02:06 12.62 85 12.2 16.8 523 4193
Kingwood Trails Sat, Nov 14, 2015 1:03 PM 1:34:41 18.12 112 11.5 19.8 729 5702
Kingwood Trails Tue, Nov 3, 2015 2:49 PM 1:00:59 11.78 69 11.6 15.9 473 3751
Kingwood Trails Mon, Sep 7, 2015 12:22 PM 1:51:49 20.38 262 10.9 15.7 943 6297
Kingwood Trails Sun, Aug 9, 2015 12:16 PM 1:40:39 19.43 197 11.6 20.9 915 5673
Kingwood Trails Wed, Jun 3, 2015 12:48 PM 1:06:14 10.11 89 9.2 14.4 422 3094
Kingwood Trails Tue, Jun 2, 2015 3:20 PM 1:16:58 11.73 151 9.1 20.2 480 3682
Kingwood Trails Fri, May 29, 2015 3:06 PM 1:48:37 15.41 131 8.5 20.6 663 4892
Kingwood Trails Fri, Feb 13, 2015 2:46 PM 1:11:49 13.08 154 10.9 20.2 607 4444
Kingwood Trails Tue, Jan 6, 2015 12:51 PM 1:36:22 18.86 217 11.7 17.6 887 6500