Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup for November 17th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Discover, Explore and Create New Adventures with Updated Rails-to-Trails Maps
www.garmin.com
Cf-lgWhen surfing our many on-the-trail mapping offerings you may have stumbled across the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) trail maps, and wondered what the heck that is. Well, RTC is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., whose mission is to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build heSc-02-lgalthier places for healthier people. With that being said, you can see why we have…

Collegiate National Rankings Start to Take Shape
www.usacycling.org
With two of the four USA Cycling Collegiate National Championships completed, the national rankings for the 2011-12 school year are starting to shape up. Once again, Fort Lewis College and Mars Hill College are each out to an early lead in their respective divisions in the hunt for the coveted number one ranking at the end of the school year.

USA Cycling holds National Championships for four disciplines in its Collegiate program: Track, Mountain Bike, Cyclo-cross, and Road, and teams earn points based on their finishes at each, which accumulate to a total at the end of the academic year, when the final National…

TexSun Randonneurs
Schedule of Events – 2012
January 28
200KM ACP Brevet
Participation by pre-registration only.
Registration must be received by January 24
February 25
200KM ACP Brevet
300KM ACP Brevet
Participation by pre-registration only.
Registration must be received by February 21.

Querencia to expand to Denton square
by bikedenton

Denton’s nonprofit bike shop, Querencia, is moving to the square. Back in the beginning of the summer, I came clean that things were getting tough, and there weren’t enough volunteers. And it was crazy hot working outside. Since then, Querencia has had more coordinators, volunteers, and patrons than ever. Salut!

Starting January 1st, 2012, we’re growing up and expanding indoors. This week, we signed a lease with the SCRAP (based in Portland, OR) nonprofit for a garage shop space on Cedar St, just off the Denton square. SCRAP is opening this Denton location for their recycled art-supplies, and…

Volunteers needed to build bikes for Bike for Kids
By Pam LeBlanc            Fit City

Looking for a bike-friendly way to give back this holiday season?

Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop needs volunteers to help assemble bikes for the 15th annual Bikes for Kids campaign.

The JB & Sandy Morning Show on radio station Mix 94.7 has given away more than 10,000 brand new bicycles to needy families in the last 15 years. But someone has to put all those bikes together before they are handed…

Skellies’ FALL FREAK OUT! Benefit!
Austinist.com
The Skellies, Austin’s favorite ride-or-die bike crew, is populated by hardcore street cyclists who also happen to be do-gooders; each month, they throw a benefit bash.

The Skellies’ most recent benefit, which was in October, raised nearly $600 for Austin Children’s Shelter. Woot! We’re betting that this month’s benefit, FALL FREAK OUT!, will be equally fruitful. It’s…

The item below is an interesting overlay of photos on the ride route map.

Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Bike Tour – Texas, United States
by cyberdanny  with EveryTrail for iPhone
Pete, Kaye and I rode in the Inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Bike Tour.  It was only 22 miles long but we did it on the mountain bikes and kept a good pace at about 15 mph (stats are wrong for this ride, it was 1.5 hours).

The following is a GPS map of a ride in Austin. I think an iPhone app was used to record the ride.

Heavy Breather 11/16
www.trimbleoutdoors.com
Stiff North wind of 15-20 mph. Super nasty on the way out but we bombed back to town. We started with a group of about 20, down to 15 by Whip-In, a few went home around campus area, 8 finished at Btn.Spgs Saloon. I bailed at Btn.Spgs/Bouldin so ignore the route from there to Live Oak.

Walnut Creek Park, Austin
Mountain biking in Walnut Creek Park 7 miles South of Round Rock TX just off I- 35 … great …

OTC Christmas party/ride and cookout 12/4/11 HO-HO-HO!
Old Tascosa Cycling Club
@ Palo Duro Canyon
Road bikes, Mountain bikes, runners, and everyone welcome!
We will meet in Juniper day area @ noon to ride, or earlier or later however you feel, @ start eating around 3. Burgers will be provided by the club, and we are asking people to bring chips, or dips, or a deserts if attending. Ride the road or the trails, or come out and run or walk!
Please RSVP if attending by commenting on this message for an estimated # of burgers to buy.
VERY IMPORTANT-The date might be changed to a later Sunday due to bad weather, so be on the lookout for an weather update a few days before the event!

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for November 16th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

This afternoon Texbiker.net was offline for awhile due to excessive CPU usage at my web host. I think I have a fix for the problem. The event calendar was going crazy so I am in the process of moving to a new event calendar plugin. Unfortunately the new event calendar will not be displayed in the right sidebar but on a separate page. You can see what the event calendar looks like and the extra functions now available by clicking on the “Event Calendar” menu item above next to the Texbiker.net Home link.

Cibolo Ride
San Antonio Wheelmen
Date:     11/26/2011
Time:     09:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location:     Cibolo, TX
Details: Cibolo Ride (NE) [F to R]. Routes of 20, 27, 39, 51, 66 and 71 miles.
Meet at the City Hall parking lot in downtown Cibolo. From I-35 North, turn right on FM 3009 (Roy Richard Drive, exit 175) to FM 78; turn left and then left again on Main Street in Cibolo. City Hall is just off of Highway 78.
Comfort-Ladybird Loop Ride
Sna Antonio Wheelmen
Date:     11/27/2011
Time:     09:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location:     Comfort, TX
Details: Comfort-Ladybird Loop Ride (NW) [R to H]. Routes of 22, 32, 41, and 56 miles.
Ride some of the very best roads within easy access of San Antonio. Try the super “traditional” options to the rest of Comfort or travel to the land of the Hell’s Angels and Waylon Jennings on the 56-mile “Ladybird Loop,” which heads north past the Bat Tunnel toward Fredericksburg. There are limited store stops, so please carry water and snacks. Meet at Comfort City Park at the intersection of 5th and Broadway in Comfort. Take I-10 West to the Comfort/Hwy 87 Exit #524. Take Hwy 87 into town and follow Hwy 27. Turn left on Broadway to the park. Contact: Andy Hinck, 210/725/4438

Austin Bike Culture Calendar Events: 11/17- 11/23/11
by elliott            Austin on Two Wheels
The week before Thanksgiving has a lot to offer if you want to go off road. The Dirty Duathlon and Natural Bridge Caverns Duathlon make you do some running before you hit the trail while Bicycle Sport Shop continues its beginner friendly ride series with their No Turkeys Allowed Ride on Sunday. Of course, the Dirt Derby will continue their Tuesday night short course fun too.

And don’t forget Frankenbike! The monthly bike swap is not only part of the East Austin Studio Tour but is taking…

Seen at the Bike Friendly Oak Cliff 2011 Dallas Tweed Ride – Bishop Arts
by Christopher Curnutt        Biking in Dallas

Ok, this is the final installment of the 2011 Dallas Tweed Ride gallery from yours truly.  These were taken at the final destination – Bishop Arts in Oak Cliff.  You can see the Dealey Plaza gallery here, and the  shots taken at the Turner House here.

Dallas Tweed Ride 2011: Highlights
by UrbanPedal        Dallas Cycle Chic

Our favorite Bike Friendly Oak Cliff Ride of the year (well, at least one of our most favorite) was a smashing good time this past Sunday.

About 200 tweed-clad bike-a-holics from all over Dallas met at Dealey Plaza, tootled through downtown, raced across the Houston Street Viaduct, and finally arrived at the historic Turner House for cold beer on tap. …

Police Officer Cleared in Beating of Aransas Pass Man
by Steven Romo – sromo@kztv10.com
ARANSAS PASS – The police officer accused of beating an Aransas Pass man into a coma is now back at work and cleared of any wrongdoing.

In August, Martin Garcia Ortiz was hospitalized after being stopped by Aransas Pass police when he was riding his bicycle home.

Officer Jason Torres was placed on administrative leave while Texas Rangers investigated his role in the incident. This month, a grand jury…

Houston Bicycle Accident Attorney: Texas Drivers Must Safely Share The Road With Cyclists
PRWEB.COM Newswire
A string of fatal bicycle accidents in the Houston area in recent weeks should serve as a reminder to both cyclists and drivers about the need to behave responsibly on the roads, Houston bicycle accident lawyer Brad T. Wyly said today.

The first two days of November were deadly for cyclists, according to reports from the Houston Chronicle and KHOU Channel 11. A 58-year-old Harris County man was riding a bike when he was struck from behind on a dark road on November 1, and a teenage cyclist was killed in a…

Bike museum in planning stages
By NICHOLAS COLE, CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT
More than 20 years ago Joy Boone, owner of Daniel Boone Cycles, 5318 Crawford, had a vision to build a bicycle museum.

This week she took the first step to make it all a reality.

“I’m turning 75 years old this year, so it’s now or never,” said Boone, who recently hosted a fundraising event at the Hermann Park Garden Center, 1500 Hermann Drive, for the newly formed Houston Bicycle Museum organization.

The event featured a classic bicycle exhibit, $500 raffle, …

Squabble Creek Trail, Rockwall Texas
by Shawn        Texas Mountain Bike Trails
Description Squabble Creek Trail is more or less a small community trail tucked away inside the suburbs of Rockwall. This is actually the first trail I ever rode and is what I still consider my “home trail” despite never riding it. The Squabble Creek Trail is very easy and mostly flat. It does give you…

Sunscreen, short sleeve jersey and bike shorts… – November 16th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Sunscreen, short sleeve jersey and bike shorts were the order of the day for biking. The temperature was 76 when I started and 81 when I finished. Blue skies let the sun shine down and provide plenty of warmth. There was a line of clouds on the far north horizon and I suspect they will roll through tonight when a cool front is supposed to move through. The wind was a comfortable 4.6 mph from the west. Usually with a west wind the temperatures move up the scale. Where I grew up by this time of the year we were thinking snow and cold. Around Thanksgiving we could see the first snow flurries. I don’t miss the snow and when I need to be reminded there are plenty of pictures. Evidently I wasn’t the only biker that thought today was an excellent day since I met three other bikers out on the streets.

On Monday I wrote about my chain slipping when I was in the 43 x 12 gear and other combinations around that. After I got back from biking on Monday I removed the chain, waxed it and removed two links. The chain was a little droopy before I removed the two links and now it is not sagging and the rear derailleur is taunt. There were several points on today’s ride that should have caused the problem and did not so I have to think that fixed it. The SRAM PC-10 chain PowerLink master link had to be removed with a chain tool (per the instructions) which I did but it destroyed my ancient Rivoli chain tool that I have had for over 30 years. So I ordered a new Park Tool Company CT-3 to replace it. Amazon.com had a good price on it.

I did not ride yesterday  because the weather forecast said the rain would arrive mid-morning. It did not but when it did arrive after 1:30 we got almost .9″ of rain. Lately Tuesday is the rain day around here. So today’s 29.14 mile route is the second for the week. With the perfect weather my average speed was 15.9 mph, the highest average speed since October 24th. My max speed was 21.5 mph and my average cadence was 82.8 RPM. November miles are now at 263.96 (not far from my usual 300 for November) and year to date I have biked 5247.46 miles.

11-16-2011 Bike Ride Data and Route Map - SportTracks

 

11-16-2011 Area Weather End

Link to the Garmin Connect ride data and map.

[iframe http://ridewithgps.com/trips/447497 97% 700]

Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup for November 15th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Shimano showcases the Ultegra Di2 electronic bike gears, we go for a ride
by Lydia Leavitt            www.engadget.com

How much would you spend for an upgrade to smooth shifting on your next road bike? If $8,000 is in the ballpark, then Shimano-powered electronic shifters may be in your future. We took the cycling giant’s latest gear for a spin in Central Park, drawing envious glances from various spandex-clad bikers during the ride. Outfitted with the company’s newest Ultegra 6770 Di2 series of gears, the shifters gave us a taste…

 Bicycle Commuting Trends in the United States
dataviz.challenge.gov       (via tweet from BikeTexas)

The American landscape changed dramatically in the twentieth century due to a steady increase of and reliance on automobiles.  Public and private transportation needs were met with automotive solutions while the vast majority of government spending went towards construction and improvement of roadways.  As a result, the nation’s main transportation system and built environments have become difficult to navigate by methods other than the automobile. This reality is…

Isle Du Bois State Park – Lake Ray Roberts
by Shawn            Texas Mountain Bike Trails

Description Isle Du Bois State Park is located off of the southeast corner of Lake Ray Roberts park. There is a $5 park admission fee which is good for the day, alternatively you can purchase an annual pass through the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department website. The park’s name “Isle Du Bois” means “island of…

Shawnee Trail Cycling Club Store
by sooner1
Our next order will be submitted Monday, Nov 21st.  This will likely be our last order before the end of the year.  It will also be the last that will include Canari’s fantastic special, offering 20% off all custom winter gear.  Store pricing includes this.  If you want club branded arm warmers, leg warmers or long sleeve jerseys, place your order prior to noon on Sunday.  These items are local pickup only, no shipping will be performed.

Expected delivery is December 19th – In time for Christmas! This is our first time to use the new store setup so if you happen to notice any hiccup, …

I Didn’t Make the Tweed Ride on Sunday
by Justin        The Plano Cyclist

I wanted to go to the Tweed ride on Sunday, but family matters prevented it. Instead, I played with my Uberhood and rode around the neighborhood, which I greatly prefer to anything other than the commute. Commuting – wise, my commute has gone back to mixed now that night creeps upon her catlike feet earlier and earlier. I drop into the path from my office, ride to the train station, and then hop the train for the core of my commute. I generally get off at Galatyn Park or George Bush station and ride the rest of the way home…

UNT installs bike-repair stations
by bikedenton

UNT installed two bike-repair stations with Park tools and air pumps near two entrances for the Union building. When I stopped by to check these out, students were already using the tools and commenting how useful the stations are. If you appreciate these (or notice they’re broken), tell union@unt.edu. …

Texas Cycling: Lake Conroe & Sam Houston Forest
by TexFilms

This past weekend I hit the road on my bicycle covering 63 miles in the Lake Conroe / Sam Houston National Forest area of Texas. I put this highlight video together from all the footage of my ride. Sorry the camera battery died about 8 miles from the finish.

Annual bike ride ends in Nacogdoches
www.thecherokeean.com

NACOGDOCHES – The annual bike ride will include a 7.9-mile, 26-mile, 40-mile, and 56-mile route beginning and ending in historic downtown Nacogdoches, the oldest town in Texas. The view from the riders’ bicycle seats will include historic landmarks, scenic residential areas and the beautiful rolling hills and towering pines of the East Texas countryside.

“The Tour de Nac will be a fantastic, family-oriented event offering something for everyone from the serious cyclist to the casual rider,” said Lindsey Mathews, meeting and…