Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for September 20th

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Cerevellum Hindsight 35 Rearview Camera System
urbanvelo.org

Given the traffic in the United States and the way that the legal system looks down upon cyclists, it is no surprise that rear view cameras are coming into play. There are a number of people out there using headcams on their daily commute to document potential crashes or otherwise unsafe driving, and the $299 Hindsight 35 is a simply an extention of that. The bar mounted display is attached to a rear camera providing a real-time view of what’s behind, just like a luxury car. It also incorporates a black-box recording function where it…

Day 12: El Campo to West Columbia – 50 Miles – Faulty Tube, Rough Road, Smoke and Almost home
by Jim Fox                Cycling Across Texas
I was hoping to end the day in Angleton today, but decided to split the distance between today and tomorrow and stop in West Columbia. I will have about 50 miles to go tomorrow and the last 20 or so miles will be on roads that I’m familiar with. With any luck, those miles should go quick.

The morning started out a bit discouraging. Not even a half a mile from my hotel I had a flat. Stopped to change it, and the supposedly new tube I was about to install was leaking before I even put it in the tire. For you non-bikers that are reading, a bit of air goes in the tube to get it to hold its shape before you put it on the rim and in the tire. The ‘new’ tube I pulled out the box this morning wouldn’t even hold the small amount of initial inflation. DOH! I have plenty of tubes, so I pulled out another one and completed the tire change. It held for the rest of the day. I had a bit of headwind nearly all day, but otherwise the ride was rather uneventful. Oh wait, I remember seeing a truck pulling a boat trailer…not all…

Roosevelt Park to Mission Espada and to Siclovia Event
Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club
October 7, 2012 8:00 am
331 Roosevelt, San Antonio, TX
Meet at 8:00 at Roosevelt Park at the intersection of Lone Star Blvd, Mission Road for a leisurely 17 mile ride from the Roosevelt Park over the newly opened trail along the San Antonio River and then on local streets to Mission Espada and back again to the Park.  After the ride those wishing to participate in the Siclovia festivities on Broadway will bicycle as a group to Siclovia.  For more information on the ride, contact ride leader Alice Pearce at (210) 286-7166. For more information about the Siclovia festivities visit its website at www.siclovia.org/

Traffic Skills 101 Cycling Course, Sept. 30
by marc            BikeDFW

Even if you think you are an experienced cyclist, this course may be for you. There is always something new that you will discover about cycling safety, skills and handling with the TS 101 course. Or, if you are like me, the course may make you aware of some of the bad riding habits you might have picked up over the years. If anything, the course also servers as a great refresher of stuff you may already know. It’s well worth the time if…

Members needed for Bicycle Advisory Council
By Pam LeBlanc            Fit City
Got some ideas on how to make Austin a better city for cyclists?

The City of Austin’s Bicycle Advisory Council advises city officials and other jurisdictions on all matters relating to the use of bikes. Members work with city staffers and other officials to improve cycling conditions in Austin.

The council will elect four new standing members and at least three alternate members on Oct. 18. …

‘Ghost Bike’ placed along Texas highway
CNHI
MINERAL WELLS, Texas — Similar to a roadside cross, a white “ghost bike” has been erected as a memorial to a fallen cyclist who has been killed or severely injured by a motor vehicle.

A white mountain bike was placed alongside U.S. Highway 180 West , near where a woman died after she was struck from behind by the driver of a pickup truck.

Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Jeffrey Poole said the completed investigation into Monday’s fatal wreck…

White bike a haunting reminder for motorists to share the road
Mineral Wells Index
By LIBBY CLUETT
Similar to a roadside cross, a white “ghost bike” is a memorial to a fallen cyclist who has been killed or severely injured by a motor vehicle.

On Tuesday morning Iris Stagner’s family members and friends installed a white mountain bike alongside U.S. Highway 180 West, just west of the Brazos River bridge, near where she died Monday evening, after she was struck from behind by the driver of a pickup truck. Ghost bikes, dappled throughout Texas, the nation and world, are meant not only as a memorial to the…

Conquer the Coast cycling event attracts more than 1,000 riders to the Coastal Bend
By: Sarah Acosta            caller.com
A ride over three bridges, through five cities and several scenic sky lines makes the 9th annual Conquer the Coast ride one of the unique courses in Texas.

More than 1,000 cyclists will take over the coast line Saturday during the bike riding event, which will start and end at Whataburger Field. …

Memorial ride planned for Friday for Mineral Wells cyclist
By Domingo Ramirez Jr.            www.star-telegram.com
Iris Stagner was a fitness and bicycle advocate, helping to bring exercise equipment to her workplace and make Texas roadways safer for cyclists.

The 54-year-old mother of two especially loved the bicycle trails in Mineral Wells, where she lived.

“Iris knew that the more bicyclists there are in a community, the safer it is for all of them,” said Robin Stallings, executive director of Bike Texas in Austin. “Unfortunately for all of us, Iris Stagner died about 50 years too soon.” …

Interbike!
by djcurtin            bicyclesportshop.wordpress.com
For the uninitiated Interbike is the largest cycling trade show in the US. It’s a chance for dealers like Bicycle Sport Shop to meet with product makers and distributors and to make buying decisions that will impact what you see in your local shop. It’s sort of like the bike shop going down to the bike shop to pick up a few things–we’ve all done that, right?

I’ve always wanted to come to Interbike. Not because my job necessitates it (our buyers are here doing the aforementioned work), but because it’s a chance to see all the latest product offerings from nearly every…

https://twitter.com/CrystalKalogris/status/248977083685040128

Cramp in My Left Foot – September 20th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

When I went to the kitchen this morning to check on the temperature a little after 7:00 AM I was surprised to see 60 degrees. The forecast actually was close this time. I wondered how long it take to warm up so that I could ride comfortably. I prefer to ride when it is a few degrees warmer but 60 is within my tolerance range. By 10:40 when I rolled out the driveway it got up to 76 but I thought it might be cooler in the shade so I wore a long sleeve jersey for the first time in many months. I was a little warmer than I would like in the sun but in the shade the long sleeves were appreciated. When I got back home the temperature was 88 with 30% humidity. This weather should be here for a couple of days.

The clear blue sky and calm breeze made for a fast ride. I chose the New Caney – Gene Campbell Road route mostly for the distance since wind was not a factor. The 37.25 miles was just right. My average speed was around 16.0 mph at the 32 mile point and ended up at 15.7 mph. Max speed surprised me at 27.4 mph and average cadence was 81.0 RPM, higher than normal. One of the reasons I enjoy this route is the smooth pavement and wide shoulders on FM1485 and FM1314. Gene Campbell Road doesn’t have shoulders but is wide enough for the traffic to go around me easily. Most of the traffic is 18 wheelers going to the WalMart Distribution Center. They always give me a wide berth.

The ride went great until I stopped at the Valero station on FM1314 and Sorters Road. While I was eating a banana and drinking a Diet Pepsi my left foot started to cramp. I ended up taking my shoe off and massaging my foot but this didn’t do any good. Finally I stood up and pressure on the foot and the cramp went away. Not sure what cause the cramp since I was sitting on the sidewalk with my legs stretched out relaxing. I waited a few minutes before getting back on the road. Glad I didn’t have to call my wife to come get me.

Ride data:

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Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for September 19th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Day 11: Smithville to El Campo – 87 Miles – Long Easy Ride, Closer To Home and A Mysterious Riding Partner
by Jim Fox                    Cycling Across Texas
Today was the longest ride of my journey, just a few miles longer than my ride into Lubbock one week ago. Todays ride was much easier though. I had a bit of a tailwind, with some hills, but a lot of flat miles as well. My elevation now is about 150 feet, so even though I’ve experienced a lot of up-and-down-and-up-and-down miles during the past few days, there have been more downs than ups.

Todays ride was rather uneventful, sorry to say….or maybe that is a good thing. I had no flats, no particularly challenging hills and I managed to stay within about 15 minutes of my ‘hope to finish by’ time when I pulled into my hotel this afternoon. I biked through the towns of Smithville, La Grange, Ellinger, Columbus, Garwood and now I’m typing this in a hotel room in El Campo. I’m past Texas Hill Country and spent some miles riding through the Texas Coastal Plains. Today I noticed several subtle signs that I’m getting close to home: while buying some Gatorade at a convenience store today I noticed a newspaper rack filled with a couple of dozen Houston Chronicle, I saw several mileage signs for…

Let’s Talk About Fear and Cycling
by Darryl            lovingthebike.com
It’s unfortunate, but there are a lot of people who have a fear of riding a bike.  This generally applies to road riding, but no matter what kind of riding you do….this post is here to fill you with suggestions on how to overcome this fear.

As with all editions of our “Let’s Talk” series, this post is all about you and the content will come from your tips, suggestions, and comments.  Don’t be shy…speak up and help others out by providing ways to ride a bike without fear.  If you have a question about the fear associated with riding a bike, please add that to the…

Cyclesomatic 2012: PhotoVelo Scavenger Hunt, October 7th
Bike Friendly Oak Cliff
You won’t get this event anywhere else in North Texas!  One of Bike Friendly Oak Cliff’s more popular and well received Cyclesomatic events will be one of the most fun times you’ve ever had on a bicycle, guaranteed.
Here are the details:
Date:  Sunday, October 7th
Meet Up Time:  11:30 AM
Race Start Time:  12:30 PM  Race End Time:  4:00 PM
Meet Up Location:  Ten Bells Tavern, 232 West 7th Street  Dallas, TX 75208…

Bicyclist dies after being hit by SUV
www.chron.com
A bicyclist was killed when he was hit by a sports utility vehicle in northwest Harris County Tuesday night.

Louis Luangraj died in the collision, which happened about 8 p.m. in the 9200 block of Fairbanks North Houston near Taub, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said a green Chevrolet Tahoe was traveling northbound on Fairbanks North Houston and when it approached the intersection at Taub, Luangraj rode into the path of the SUV and was hit.

Luangraj was thrown from the bicycle. He was rushed to Cy-Fair Hospital, where he died.

Alcohol and drugs do not appear to be involved in the collision. Deputies are investigating the case.

EVENTS: Monthly Calendar
The Texas Bicycle Racing Association

Study finds bipartisan accedence in support of biking infrastructure
by Julie Bird of North Texas Daily
Getting Democrats and Republicans to find political harmony on any issue is no easy task, but according to a recent poll, there’s one thing almost everyone can agree on: bikes.

The national Princeton-conducted survey, commissioned by the advocacy group America Bikes, found that 80 percent of Republicans and 88 percent of Democrats, as well as 83 percent of all respondents, supported maintaining or increasing federal funding for…

Rolfe wins first SCCCC race
www.gocentenary.com
BURNET, Texas – Sophomore Will Rolfe took his first ever win in South Central Collegiate Cycling Conference racing action during the Reveille Peak Ranch Bobcat Brawl hosted by Texas State University Sept. 15-16.

The mountain bike race weekend consisted of three events: short track, uphill challenge, and cross-country.

Rolfe won the Men’s Class C cross-country event, winning by more than two minutes over the second-place finisher in muddy and rainy conditions. Rolfe’s 51-minute time would have been good enough for sixth place in the Men’s Class B race, so he may be upgrading…

Recreational Sports Calendar & Sign-up Sheet – Sept. 19, 2012
San Antonio Express-News
Bicycling: Today, 8 a.m., Wheelers Senior Ride, 30 miles, Floore’s Country Store, Helotes. 210-643-0314.
Running: Today, 6:15 p.m., SARR Wednesday Night Zoo Run, Brackenridge Park. 210-286-6291.
Bicycling: Saturday, 7 a.m., Cystic Fibrosis Cycle for Life, Selma. 210-829-7267, cff.org…

Safety Tip: Avoiding End-O’s
by Chris Mathews            Plano Bicycle Association

Follow this simple tip for avoiding flying over the handle bars (“End-O”) on a descent…

Into the Last Race of the Season. And Beyond!
by Ken Day            Texas Racing Life
Wow, it’s been a long time since I have updated my blog! There are many reasons for this, house buying, working, not racing much, etc. Not to mention that I just didn’t feel like updating it. I’ve got some newer ideas and am feel like writing again. So I’ll start.

10 days from now will be the last race of the season for me, State Road race.   It is also one of the most fun races, with a great course, good weather, and big fields.

To get my best performance, I will be tapering into the event. Tapering is a process by which you decrease the volume of your training to be fresh for an important event. The downside is by not training as much, you are also slowly losing fitness. The idea is to get to a place where…

Feature: Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club
by WB admin                The Wheel Brothers – Cycling in Texas
Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club
By Amber Barnett
1. Who founded the club and how did it come to life?

The Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club was founded by Chris and Jan Marsh in 2000. Chris is a life-long avid cyclist, a past club president, and is now in retirement in New Mexico. He is now associated with the New Mexico Bicycle Coalition. There were initially 12 founding members who had been members from another major San Antonio cycling club.

2. What is your cycling club’s mission?

Our mission is to leave no rider behind and to open the club to riders of all levels. We have remained true to that mission over the years. We adopted a stretch of highway for trash pick-up a few years ago, and this has been a…

A Mountain Bike Type Day – September 19th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

I got up early this morning to go to our 6:00 AM church monthly men’s meeting. I was surprised that the temperature did not match what the forecast called for; 71 degrees instead of 66 degrees. The clear sky though was beautiful as the sun rose. When I got home after our meeting the air felt a little cooler but still not as low as the forecast. After reading the newspaper and checking my computer I decided it was time to go riding. When I started my ride at 10:29 the temperature was 76 and it went up to 82 by the time I finished at 11:57 AM.

My plan was to go road biking but as I got ready I changed my plan to riding the trails on my mountain bike. It just felt like a good weather day to cruise among the trees and take in nature. Several other people had the same idea. I passed two women twice when our paths overlapped. At one point a large group of Kingwood High School track or physical education boys ran on the trails in the opposite direction as me. They must have experience encountering bikes since they would call out “biker ahead.” The cool feel as I rode in the shade definitely said fall is in the air. In the slide show below I include 4 pictures I took on the trails.

The ride was not as long as my road routes but still ended up with 16.05 miles at a 12.2 mph average speed. I hit 22.2 mph as my max speed and 75.6 RPM average cadence. Riding time was 1:18:38 and 9:20 stopped time. When I stopped at Kingwood Drive and W. Lake Houston Parkway I noticed the handlebars moved when I tried to turn the front wheel so I got out my allen wrench to check the two bolts on the stem holding the handlebars. They were loose and tightening them up fixed the problem. Glad I noticed the problem.

The mountain bike runs on some stout knobby tires which makes the usual noise when on concrete so I am thinking the next set need to be less knobby since I don’t spend that much time in the dirt. Tomorrow should see me back on the road bike. Maybe the temperature will stick to the forecast.

Links to Garmin Connect and RideWithGPS.com metrics and maps.

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