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Long Beach Acts on Promise to Citizens by Becoming the Most Bike Friendly City in the USA- Fixed Gear Riders Rejoice

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 08:31:19 +0000

When people think of “bike cities” they think of Portland and Boulder. What they don’t know is that cities like Long Beach, California are listening to the needs of its citizens and taking action by making Long Beach the most bike friendly city in the USA. Not only does this resonate with life-long residents, bike commuters and kids, but also with the fastest growing bike segment in the USA- fixed gear bike riders.

The reality is that the fixed gear phenomenon has been alive and well in Long Beach for many years (like in most major cities) and these riders spend the majority of their time cycling the streets. Though not all fixed gear riders are angels, many in the Long Beach area subscribe to the adage of “live and let live”. There is no arbitrary beef with other cyclists and motorists. These riders, like all cyclists, just want to feel safe when going to the office, heading to class, to spending time with their loved ones and having fun with friends . Safety is normally not the first thing cyclists (of any type) as they venture out into the city as illustrated by a verbal harassment my buddy and I experienced this evening by a fellow Long Beach resident when riding (within the law, I may add) to a local retailer, “Go get some brakes, fags.” Though that does not represent the view of all residents in Long Beach, it does represent enough motorists that cyclists of all types feel nervous when riding around the city.

The good news is that thanks to a proactive city council and Charlie Gandy, the City of Long Beach’s Mobility Coordinator, residents and tourists are able to access more shops, offices and beaches via bicycle. As a resident of Long Beach, technology professional, husband and avid cyclist I am amazed at the progress Charlie and the City of Long Beach have made. Not only have they been able to bring cycling of all stripes together to create a solution, but they’ve been able to bring the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) to the discussion. The good news is that the LBPD has made it clear that they want to ensure the safety of all the residents of Long Beach; cyclists included. So, no longer is the LBPD “the man” out to hassle local cyclists or ignore their concerns as local, money-spending residents.

Last June Long Beach was the first city to implement green “sharrows” on the city streets. Pictured below, green sharrows were installed in Long Beach to remind cyclists and motorists that the law states that bikes are required to be on the streets and not on the sidewalks. This is a reality that most residents in most cities in the USA don’t realize. Sometimes we need a small reminder.

Another initiative they have put into action that will come to fruition in the next few months is the Vista Bike Boulevard. This is a special street that is being redesigned to accommodate pedestrians, motorists and cyclists. They will install 7 traffic circles, decorative signage and diversion areas. This will be the first of its kind in Southern California.

One of the key elements that the City of Long Beach and Charlie Gandy have identified is that cyclists spend money. They’ve been able to convey that to local merchants. The good news is that savvy merchants are listening and getting that famous “aha” moment. They realize that in tough economic times consumers- cyclists, pedestrians or motorists- speak with their pocket books and want to support merchants that care about their customers. Addressing the cyclists needs is just one of many ways merchants can benefit, but it is a way that many have not realized and are beginning to leverage.

My family, friends and colleagues support the work that Charlie Gandy and the City of Long Beach are doing. After all, when we distill it down to the lowest common denominator they’re just making Long Beach a safer and more desirable place to live, work and play.

Roadie vs. Fixed Gear

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:07:03 +0000

Most people can’t tell the difference between a $7K carbon fiber bike, like a Delta 7, and a steel fixed gear bike put together in a sweaty bike co-op. To cyclists, cycling apparel lines, equipment manufacturers, hipsters and the lifestyle brands that market to them, the differences couldn’t be bigger.

Before we get started, let’s get some terms out of the way:

Fixed Gear: This refers to a type of bicycle that has only 1 speed and has no coasting ability. This means that there is never a time when riding the bike when the rider can stop pedaling. This type of bike was brought to the streets from the velodrome where fixed gear track bikes have been in use since the early 1900’s with virtually no change functionality. It’s important to note that is viewed as cool to ride these with no brakes or helmet. Trivia: Madison Square Gardens in New York was constructed to house a velodrome for bicycle track racing.

Roadie: Roadies are cyclists that are highly competitive, usually extremely fit and look like Lance Armstrong when he’s racing: lycra cycling jersey, helmet, glasses, expensive shoes, etc. Their bikes typically have 27 – 30 different gear combinations and the technology surrounding the creation of these sorts of bikes is cutting-edge with use of carbon fiber, titanium and other alloys. This is the bike your probably refer to as a “10 speed”. Stop doing that. They are called “road bikes”.

Love him or hate him, Lance Armstrong (like Greg LeMond in the 80s) has done a tremendous amount for the popularity of cycling in the USA. It’s no longer uncommon to find that your dentist is a “roadie” that races crits on the weekends or that the girl in the cubicle next to you rides a fixed gear on midnight rides on the weekends through downtown. These folks represent revenue to thousands of companies in the cycling industry; and they couldn’t be happier. Next time you’re driving around your town or on your way to/from work, take notice of how many more cyclists you see. We’re not talking about the grizzled guy that looks like a science teacher that has been commuting on his bike since the 70s for environmental reasons. We’re talking about all of the others that put a lot of time into what they ride, what they look like when riding and how much money they are willing to spend to “fit the bill” among their cycling peer groups.

You may notice the classic college aged guy with a beanie, tight jeans, v-neck T-shirt, slip-on shoes and a bike messenger bag. Though meant to look like a meager outfit sending the message of “I don’t care how I look. I just ride”, most of these types of riders spend a large amount of money looking the part. That’s not taking into account the full customization that most of these riders do to their bikes. Factory built fixed gear bikes have an average cost of $800. Unlike other cyclists, it is more common in this genre to build a bike to fit custom color schemes. Think of it like you would a custom car show.

On the other side of that coin, there is the hardcore “roadie”. As with their fixed gear riding counterparts, the roadie spends a tremendous amount of money on gear and clothing. The ingenious thing about the road cycling industry is that they’ve convinced most cyclists that “lighter will make you a better cyclist”. This is similar to the cosmetics industry telling women that if they use cosmetics they will look better. But we all know that exercise and a lot of it makes everybody look great. But that won’t pay the bills of the cycling industry.

Regardless of where you fall in the cycling spectrum (if at all), there are still norms to which most feel obligated to conform. That means dollar signs for those in the cycling industry.

Urban Outfitters Sells Custom Fixed Gear Bikes, Neo-Hipsters Sing to the Heavens

admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:36:04 +0000

Now that the original hipsters are nearly extinct, neo-hipsters are rejoicing after learning that Urban Outfitters is now a distributor of Republic custom fixed gear bikes. Now every teenager can complete their uniform and ride a colorful bike to match their neon Nike high-tops.

Urban Outfitters has been known for bringing urban trends to the mainstream for over a decade. They’ve made a wise business decision to begin selling custom fixed gear bikes made by Republic bikes. Not only are they making the trendy fixed gear bike available to the public, they are pricing it to sell at $399. That is a steal.

The Urban Outfitter fixed gear is available in many bright colors and comes complete with a fixed/free flip flop hub and a front brake. The bike is called the Aristotle and is available in 3 sizes: 52cm, 54cm and 59cm. What does that mean? Well, it means that if you are under 5′3″ and over 6′3″ you are screwed. Here are the parts of the bike that can customize:

seat/saddle
hand grips
rims
chain
frame

Like purchasing clothing online, the site displays a sizing chart. I think that one of the sweetest things about this whole debacle is that the shipping is so cheap. At $34 per bike, veteran bike shippers are picking up their jaws from the ground. Nobody can ship a bike that cheaply. Another important note is that you’ll have to do some minor assembly after you receive the bike. Currently the wait time for bikes is approximately 7 days.

Fixed Gear and Other Bikes at Risk: How to Lock Your Bike to Prevent Bike Theft

admin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:16:43 +0000

If you’ve been paying attention to discussion boards, conversations in coffee shops and Craigslist you’ll know that the theft of fixed gear bikes (and other bikes, for that matter) has skyrocketed. Jackings are on the rise. You want to prevent bike theft; especially your ride? Here’s how.

Let’s get this out of the way first, however. I’m no Colombo or official authority. If your sick-ass one-of-a-kind keirin frameset that was 1 of 30 made on the international space station gets included on that tried and true 5 finger discount, I shall not take responsibility.

Step 1

Get a decent U-lock and 7” cable from Kryptonite (or some other company). Recently, I’ve noticed that some companies are selling combos that include both. I shove the U-Lock in my back pocket and wrap the uncoiled cable around my torso like Pancho Villa.

Step 2

Get a bike. Ride it. Place it next to a pole or bike rack so that you can lock it up. If the pole is too fat, your small U-lock may not fit around it. I use poles narrower than a parking meter pole. If you have a bigger U-Lock you’ll have more pole options than a stripper.

Step 3

Run the cable around your rim AND around your frame. Then run one end of the cable through the other end’s loop. I always run the cable through the “10 o’clock” position of the wheel.

Step 4

Wrap that cable around pole and through the “3 o’clock” position of your rear rim. There are a few ways to do this. I keep it simple and do it this way. (NOTE: if you don’t follow Step 5 (below) exactly how it is photographed, then doing step 4 this way may get your bike stolen…especially if you are using a parking meter pole.)

Step 5

Open the U-lock and ensure that it is wrapped around the pole, your seat tube AND through the loop of your cable. All 3 are key.

Step 6

Come back to find that your bike is still there after you’ve sucked down 4 coffees at your local spot.

It sucks that so many people are getting their bikes stolen. Fixed gear bikes are getting stolen by the ton. Fixed riders are more at risk than other riders. Think about it. Road and triathlon riders never lock their bikes up when running errands. They keep bikes in living room or garage and only ride to do training rides.

Protect yourselves and encourage your local police force to add a “Track Frame” or “Fixed Gear” category to their stolen bike questionnaire when people have to file a report.

Fixed Gear, Hydroisolation and Slovenia?

admin — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:39:42 +0000

Other than riding your Razor in Kansas City, you can’t stop thinking about riding your fixed gear bike in a hydroelectric power station in Slovenia. I get it. It’s an undying urge to fully charge into the belly of riding fixed gears across the world and across all surfaces; including the hydroisolation coating that covers this giant concave hydroelectrical bowl in this mysterious part of the world.

Nobody really knows how these guys were able to find this facility deep in the forests in Slovenia; not to mention thinking of turning-over their Odyssey pedals and actually riding it. Either way, they were able to document this epic adventure in the same vein as skaters did back in the 90’s. It’s a compelling story/photo/video: charge hard in other countries with your friends doing the thing you love doing. Watch an Epicly Later’d clip featuring John Cardiel on YouTube. You’ll get the gist of where we’re coming from.

Here’s my prediction. (Get ready because you’re hearing it here first, people)

The fixed gear video industry will begin to parallel skate videos from the 1990’s when skaters traveled to shred in far away countries and document it on film. This shift will reignite the waning interest in hardcore fixed gear riders and draw in new riders from all walks of life.

Sounds pretty deep, huh?

In those days, skaters could barely scrape up enough money for a plane ticket; let alone a trip to Australia or Slovenia and pay for hotels. No way. Many times they just used tents and camped on the side of the road or wherever they could. Sometimes, all they had were sleeping bags.

Is the same thing in store for fixed gear riders? The only disadvantage fixed gear riders have is that it’s more difficult and expensive to travel with a fixed gear bike than it is with a skateboard and a few back-up decks. Having said that, the MASH crew shows how it’s done on their trip to Austin, TX to mash with Lance Armstrong.

Cyclist Shot in Los Angeles on Midnight Ridazz Ride

admin — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:47:56 +0000

A few weeks ago LA showed its true colors when a group of gangbangers in the Highland Park area of East Los Angeles shot a cyclist in the back. Every few weeks the Midnightridazz, a bike enthusiast group, gathers to take part in themed mass bike rides across East LA, Hollywood, downtown LA, Silver Lake and Echo Park. Known to last until the wee hours of the morning, these rides are made up of hundred of bike riders. Unfortunately, last Friday’s “Neverland Ride” turned out to be more like the “Straight outta Compton, crazy muthaf&^%@# named Ice Cube” ride.

The sad truth is that on most of these rides there is a large percentage of people working on a buzz or already drunk as hell riding fixed gear bikes with no breaks, breaking traffic laws and/or wearing costumes. One could see how a 300 person ride like this could get out of hand quickly. But, did all of that culminate into the shooting on July 10th? Nobody knows.

As the group was riding through Highland Park (an area most people won’t walk through in the daytime), bottles began to fly from a house on the corner. The street was littered with broken glass, making it difficult for the bikes to get through. This split the large group of cyclists.

After word spread ahead that a female cyclist had fallen or been knocked down, many riders went back to check on her. That’s when the trouble started. Approximately 10 gangbangers ceased throwing bottles at the cyclists in the street and began beating riders and stealing their bikes. One of the gangsters had a shovel and was threatening to hit people. That’s when things escalated.

One of the riders yanked the shovel from the hands for the thug and yelled, “What’s up now!!!????” In the following seconds other gangsters and riders exchanged punches. Next, the rider holding the shovel found himself facing a black 22 caliber handgun. As the rider turned to run, the gangbanger shot him in the back.

Apparently the backpack the rider was wearing helped slow down the bullet; keeping it from lodging into his spine. The police arrived in a few minutes and were now faced with a gunshot victim and a standoff with the thugs. The police stayed camped out in front of the house until early morning. Eventually, there were able to apprehend all of the gangsters and return the bikes to the owners.

About these rides…

Midnight Ridazz and other rides like them across Los Angeles garner polar opposite responses from the bike and non-cycling community when asked about them. To some, these rides are an excuse for people to rebel and cause traffic problems and proclaim “bikes have rights too”, though this mantra is illustrated by incessant violation of traffic laws. To others, these sorts of rides are a way to “wake up” drivers in a city that is infested with car drivers that feel cyclists have no right to be on the road. What’s more, some cyclists feel this is their way of showing that they’re fed up and tired of being hit by cars or run off the road by malicious or irresponsible drivers.

It’s important to note that this is not a cyclists vs. automobiles situation. Many riders in the LA cycling community frown upon these sorts of rides, as they feel they drive a wedge further between the cyclists and drivers. To some it forces an unneeded tug-of-war. To others it creates a necessary discomfort that is needed to force motorists to learn that they don’t own the road.

Either way, this is the sort of Los Angeles we love. Viva Venice Beach.