early ride
photo by Jay Morrison
Skyscrapers and cycling; how can I not love this picture?
I’m annoyed by all the cyclists I pass at night who don’t have lights on their bikes. So, even when I encounter another cyclist who has a light on the front, I still absent-mindedly look to see if they have a red rear light, too.
On my way home tonight I saw a cyclist riding the other way, and when I turned to see if he had a rear light, I saw him doing the same thing to me.
I felt like we were two dogs sniffing each other’s butt.
This is the kind of bike I’m thinking about getting, a Motobecane Fantom Cross UNO. My friend Paul says it would make a good commuter bike, with room for fenders and a rack, and also room for fatter tires if i want to take it off-road a little in the summer. It’s only $400, which I like.
Does anyone who knows a lot about bikes have any input for me?
un:
I rode my bike 10 miles in the rain today. I intend to be in shape for skiing this year.
20, for me! But I don’t ski… I’m just too cheap to drive to work.
![Do-It-Yourself Bike Headlights | The Steampunk Workshop
I WILL be making these
via lifehacker.com
[h/t crazyfishor]](http://20.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ksm3kiArU51qz7k5jo1_500.jpg)
Do-It-Yourself Bike Headlights | The Steampunk Workshop
I WILL be making these
via lifehacker.com
[h/t crazyfishor]
Hindsight
It started raining on me during my bike commute to work this morning (the Weather service had said it would be dry), and so I stopped along the bike path under a bridge to try to wait out the rain shower.
A cute gal rode by, then turned around and came back to make sure I didn’t need anything.
Only after she was gone did I realize I should have said, “Only your phone number!”
Dang.
According to my trip log on bikecommutechallenge.com, this month I burned 19,845 calories commuting to work in the month of September, and saved 396 lbs of CO2 by not driving!
Alchemy Goods Pike Messenger Bag at REI.com
I really really really want this. It’s made of recycled inner tubes so it’s completely waterproof. The whole thing is 76% recycled material.
Oregon Bicycle Laws
814.410: Unsafe operation of bicycle on sidewalk; penalty.
(1) A person commits the offense of unsafe operation of a bicycle on a sidewalk if the person does any of the following:(a) Operates the bicycle so as to suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and move into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard.
(b) Operates a bicycle upon a sidewalk and does not give an audible warning before overtaking and passing a pedestrian and does not yield the right of way to all pedestrians on the sidewalk.
(c) Operates a bicycle on a sidewalk in a careless manner that endangers or would be likely to endanger any person or property.
(d) Operates the bicycle at a speed greater than an ordinary walk when approaching or entering a crosswalk, approaching or crossing a driveway or crossing a curb cut or pedestrian ramp and a motor vehicle is approaching the crosswalk, driveway, curb cut or pedestrian ramp. This paragraph does not require reduced speeds for bicycles at places on sidewalks or other pedestrian ways other than places where the path for pedestrians or bicycle traffic approaches or crosses that for motor vehicle traffic.
(2) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, a bicyclist on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk has the same rights and duties as a pedestrian on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk.
Okay, so there you have it. In Oregon, a cyclist MAY, in fact, ride on a sidewalk (which I thought was illegal), so long as they yield to all pedestrians and slow down to a walking pace before crossing any street or driveway.
Either way, I won’t ride on the sidewalk, except for very short distances when there is no decent alternative.
