Cycling Tips & Stories

Ideas for running at a bicycle rodeo from MoBikeFed Board Member Coy Hart, who has been involved with running many of these events:

1) Helmet fit - There is a difference in quality of helmets and if you are going to be fitting a number of new helmets, those with knob adjustable suspension systems are way easier & faster to fit than the cheaper ones which only use pads. Local organizations have been buying these from a company called 'Gear Up' for around $8 each (about $1 more than the very cheapest - which are a nightmare to fit & being in a hurry just makes it worse). Down here, they get two sizes ... small and large, and do NOT get helmets for infants or toddlers. All the small ones are blue and all the large ones are red. This is for our benefit to speed up the process. We usually put the kids name on the black raw styrofoam part of the helmet with a black Sharpie. This doesn't stand out too much, but still identifies who's helmet it is (helmets should NOT be shared) Also, if you have similar organizations in your area, if you can cover half the cost it seems to 'grease the wheels' of those very helpful organizations.

2) Bicycle check - see the ABC Quick Check on the League of American Bicyclists website. Try to engage parents and older kids in this bike check. At the same time as the bike check, you also need to check the fit of the bike to it's rider. Younger kids (9 & under) will be more comfortable if they can put their feet on the ground while sitting on the saddle. Kids 10 & up including adults should have their seat higher and NOT be able to put their feet on the ground while seated. They should start & stop straddling the bike with their feet on the ground and raise themselves to the seat on the first pedal stroke & standing on one pedal and catching themselves on the opposite foot when stopping. Encouragement to get kids to accept this higher seating position is that they will be faster and more comfortable with the higher seat position. Sometimes we try to get local bike shops to help with this step.

3) Ride a straight line - If one is available, just use a painted line on a parking lot. I've seen a lot of zig-zag courses under the pretext of teaching balance, but motorists need to be able to PREDICT where the bicyclist is going ... difficult, if not impossible, if the rider can't hold a line.

4) Scanning to the rear for traffic (both to the left and to the right). Kids can pick up this skill a lot faster than most adults. Start by having the kid straddle the bike standing still while you straddle the front wheel of their bike and hold their handle bars to have them practice. The natural tendency is that they accidently steer the bike in the same direction they are looking. We want them to be able to scan while holding a straight line. Using the same straight line as above, have the children look back and shout out how many hands you hold up on your command (none, one, or two). Do this a number of times with them looking over their left shoulder and after that is mastered then try it to the right. If they are going to attempt a left turn, stress to them that if there is threatening traffic behind them to just pull over to the right & stop, get off the bike and walk across at an intersection. Signaling is also important, but it's not near as important as having them scan for traffic and maintaining control of the bike.

5) Entering a (busier) street from a side street or driveway. They need to learn to stop at the curb line, look left, right, and left again. If their view is obstructed by brush or parked vehicles, they need to ease forward and stop again at the street side edge of the obstruction and do it again ... look left, right, and left again. Enter the street only when it is clear.

6) They need to know they should ride on the right side of the street and NEVER on the left side against traffic. This is mostly because at intersections motorists are NOT going to be looking for traffic coming at them on the extreme wrong side of the street. In almost every town, it is illegal (and NOT as safe) to ride on sidewalks, especially in business districts. The youngest kids in residential neighborhoods are probably going to ride on sidewalks anyway. I tell them to do what their folks tell them to do. Your event can also be an opportunity to try to get the parents to come and learn the proper way to ride in traffic. And, BTW, if you want the kids to adapt a certain behavior, then the adults ought to behave in the same way to serve as an example! If you want your kid to wear a helmet, then YOU wear a helmet on EVERY ride.

Other items and tips:

• Keep looking up and ahead for what is happening in front of you!
  
• Ride far enough away from parked cars to avoid a car door being opened into their path.
  
• You can teach Rock Dodge (avoiding objects in the road), Quick Turn (an emergency turn almost always done to the right ... most often to avoid a car turning either right or left in front of the bicyclist), Emergency Stop (lifting off the seat and throwing your weight back over the rear wheel (especially while modulating the front brakes if the bike has them) ... to stop fast and avoid being thrown over the handle bars. See this web page for details.
  
• I would never recommend kids riding bikes at night, but if the do they should be equipped with a white front head light and a red tail light as well as a full set of reflectors.

If there is a school still in session or an art class, maybe you could get them to make you some traffic signs (about 2 foot square) and fix up some fronts of cars, trucks, brush, etc. ... everything on cardboard (easy to store) and some of which can just be held by your assistants.

You might contact your nearest MoDOT office or some local agency that maintains traffic signs for some real signs as loaners. The kids need to learn what the signs mean and they should be taught to obey them.

Related:

News: "Sharing the road" in Press Journal

Tips&Stories: Large trucks/buses pass bicyclists closer; cars pass helmeted bicyclists closer

permanent link to article: "How to run a bicycle rodeo"
posted by Brent Hugh at 6/21/2008 08:19:00 AM |comment on this article

BicycleTutor.com has videos showing you how to fix just about anything on your bike, from replacing cable housings to fixing a stiff chain.

It also has a few about riding techniques, such as how to shift gears and how to adjust your seat height and angle.

Related:

News: Celebrate National Bike Month in St. Louis!

Tips&Stories: Video: How To Adjust The Rear Derailleur On A Bicycle

permanent link to article: "How to fix just about anything on your bicycle"
posted by Brent Hugh at 6/18/2008 01:56:00 PM |comment on this article

"According to urban legend, polo lovers in Ireland who couldn't afford ponies hopped on two wheels instead and that innovation is still going strong right here in DC"--See the bicycle polo video or visit the Washington DC area bike polo page.

Related:

News: News coverage of Robert Osborn Memorial Ride

TourOfMO: 2008 Tour of Missouri News Links

permanent link to article: "Bicycle polo"
posted by Brent Hugh at 6/13/2008 12:47:00 PM |comment on this article

KanBikeWalk, the statewide bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organization in Kansas, is working to get organized and off the ground.

KanBikeWalk has a great board with representation from key organizations all across the state.

You can check out KanBikeWalk's new web site, join their email list, or join the organization--if you live in Kansas they need your support!

Related:

News: Transportation Enhancements comes to House vote Thurs, September 4th

News: KCStar on Kansas City's first Missouri River crossing

permanent link to article: "KanBikeWalk gets off the ground"
posted by Brent Hugh at 6/09/2008 05:59:00 PM |comment on this article

Today's Lee's Summit Journal has an article about Brian Mitchell, who is paralyzed from the waist down and a competitive handcycler:

Unable to maintain as active a lifestyle as he once did, Mitchell said he packed on some extra pounds after the accident. For that reason, and to help stay sane, Mitchell said he began looking into forms of physical activity he could do on a regular basis.

“I had to figure out what I wanted to do with my spare time,” he said. “It was like, ‘What does Brian want to do for fun?’ I didn’t really know.”

Whether he found it, or it found him, handcycling made its way into Mitchell’s life about eight years ago. He enjoyed it, he said, because he could ride his hand bike along with others on more traditional bicycles. . . .

So for the past four years, Mitchell and his handcycle have traveled the country competing in various events conducted by the U.S. Handcyling Federation. Already this year, he’s competed in a major event in Georgia. His third-place finish at the race is one of his favorite memories thus far, as he beat two of his top rivals. He’s also won races in Wichita, Kan. He left on Thursday to compete in an event in Denver, Colo., this weekend and will race again in Indianapolis, Ind., in August.

He’s also participated in various local events involving primarily bicyclers, such as the MS 150 and the Tour de Lakes.

“It’s a great physical and mental release,” Mitchell said of his new passion. “When I’m riding, I’m just out there thinking about riding — nothing else.”

Related:

News: "Sharing the road" in Press Journal

Tips&Stories: How to teach riding a bicycle

permanent link to article: "Handcycler finds fitness and passion"
posted by Brent Hugh at 6/06/2008 11:01:00 AM |comment on this article

The Joplin Trails Coalition has launched a new web site. Perry Johnson, President of the Coalition, writes: "The Joplin Trails Coalition develops and maintains rails to trails in Joplin, MO - Frisco Greenway Trail - and the new Carthage, MO to Kansas state line trail - Ruby Jack Trail - which is 16 miles long. Construction has began and will continue till the entire 16 miles are ready."

The Carthage Maple Leaf Ride, planned for October 13th 2008, also has a new web site.

Related:

News: Joplin Trails Coalition web site

Tips&Stories: Lewis & Clark Water Trail complements Katy Trail

permanent link to article: "Joplin Trails Coalition launches new web site"
posted by Brent Hugh at 6/03/2008 05:29:00 PM |comment on this article

According to a Kathleen Nelson column today in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a team of four riders from the St. Louis area will participate in this years Race Across America:

Three decades ago, long before non-traditional sports became eXtreme, they were goofy or oddball to outsiders. Only participants viewed offbeat, grueling endurance tests as a badge of honor for the fittest of the fit.

Ironman triathlons came along first, with cycling's Race Across America, or RAAM, not far behind. The latter never garnered the romance or cachet of the former but it has survived, and the 27th annual RAAM will start for solo riders June 8 in Oceanside, Calif.

From four cyclists in 1982, the 3,000-mile race has grown to 250 competitors, some of them on two-, four- or eight-person teams. Among them will be a quartet from St. Louis departing from Oceanside with the other relay teams June 11.

The solo division of RAAM starts June 8th, 2008.

According to the route published RAAM's web site, riders will pass through Missouri with time stations at Collins, Camendenton, Jefferson City, Marthasville, and West Alton.

Related:

TourOfMO: USA Cycling announces '08 Pro Tour calendar including Tour of MO

TourOfMO: Garmin to sponsor Tour de France team

permanent link to article: "St. Louis team to tackle Race Across America this month"
posted by Brent Hugh at 5/31/2008 07:42:00 AM |comment on this article

In the first "car-free parkways" program we know about in the state of Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri, had the "Grand Closing" of Cliff Drive May 16th. The drive will be closed to motorized traffic every weekend during the summer, from 2PM Friday to 8AM the following Monday.

Photos of the Grand Closing ceremony are here.

The Grand Closing ceremony was covered in the Northeast News:

The wrought-iron gates at the east entrance to Cliff Drive squeaked and groaned a little as parks and neighborhood officials swung them closed, inaugurating the first car-free weekend on Cliff Drive.

But as they pushed the locks into the place, they knew, along with several dozen others gathered Friday afternoon, that by closing the gates they were opening up the state’s only urban scenic by-way to a whole new era of recreation.

“Closing down a street is a beautiful start and says we want people out here biking, walking and jogging every weekend this summer,” North Division Parks Manager Mike Herron said during the dedication ceremony.

The presentation on Friday also gave city officials a chance to tout Mayor Mark Funkhouser’s new plan to designate Kansas City as a top destination for cyclists. The plan was unveiled earlier this week and will ultimately lead to a new task force that will look for ways to make the city and its urban core more accessible to cyclists. The Cliff Drive car-free program is the first step in that plan, officials said.

“This shows the kind of commitment this community and this city has to creating bicycle friendly alternatives for our citizens,” said Deb Ridgway, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator in the city’s Public Works Department.

As officials closed the gates, cyclists, walkers and casual outdoor enthusiasts walked into the park marking the closing of one era in the century old park and the opening of another.

Car Free Parkways are a great way to get more people out walking, bicycling, roller blading and generally enjoying a healthy lifestyle.

One of MoBikeFed's goals in its Vision of Active Transportation in Missouri is to develop more car-free parkways programs in cities throughout Missouri.

This video of the car-free Sundays program in Bogota, Columbia, shows the potential this program has for transforming a city.

Related:

Newsletter: Support MoBikeFed's Campaign for a Safer Kansas City

News: Recent bicycling incidents in Kansas City area lead to concern

permanent link to article: "Kansas City's Cliff Drive car-free weekends launched"
posted by Brent Hugh at 5/24/2008 01:14:00 PM |comment on this article

May 21st, 2008, at 7PM the Ride of Silence will roll across four locations in Missouri: Saint Joseph, Sedalia, Springfield, and St. Louis.

(Kansas City held its Ride of Silence on May 14th as part of the city's Bicycle Week activities.)

If you live in one of these areas, please consider participating in this powerful event, whose purpose is to:

To HONOR those who have been injured or killed
To RAISE AWARENESS that we are here
To ask that we all SHARE THE ROAD

More information:

THE RIDE OF SILENCE WILL NOT BE QUIET
On May 21, 2008, at 7:00 PM, the Ride of Silence? will begin in North America and roll across the globe. Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. Although cyclists have a legal right to share the road with motorists, the motoring public often isn't aware of these rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves.

Related:

News: Ride of Silence May 19th in Kansas City, Springfield, St. Charles, St. Louis

News: Ride of Silence attracts bicyclists across Missouri

permanent link to article: "Ride of Silence across Missouri May 21st"
posted by Brent Hugh at 5/20/2008 10:55:00 PM |comment on this article

This video from StreetFilms shows highlights of Bike to Work Day from four locations across the U.S.:

permanent link to article: "Bike to Work Day across the USA"
posted by Brent Hugh at 5/20/2008 07:06:00 AM |comment on this article

Kansas City Missouri Councilman Russ Johnson, chair of the city's Transportation Committee, bicycled to work Wednesday.

Later that day Mayor Funkhouser & Johnson held a press conference announcing that Kansas City is aiming for Platinum level Bicycle Friendly Community status by 2020.

MoBikeFed Board Member Eric Rogers took this photo, which is Johnson in the city parking garage at his assigned parking spot--with his bike (he's the 2nd district councilman "in district" vs. the other 2nd district councilman who is "at large"--thus the sign).

Earlier this week Representative Talibdin El-Amin bicycled to work from his home in the St. Louis area to work at the Missouri House of Representatives in Jefferson City.

Any other prominent Missourians you know of bicycling to work this week? Let us know--webmaster[at]mobikefed.org

More Bike Week photos here.

Related:

News: Springfield Bicycle Summit this weekend

News: Bicycle Friendly Workshop held in Kansas City

permanent link to article: "KCMO Councilman Russ Johnson bicycles to work"
posted by Brent Hugh at 5/15/2008 11:14:00 PM |comment on this article

MoBikeFed President Joe Torrisi, who works for the St. Louis School District, along with Mimi Deem, a Compton Drew teacher, developed an interesting program to combat childhood obesity--a middle school bicycle club that rides in Forest Park three times every week:

An area bike shop donated 30 Specialized hybrids, and the Compton-Drew Bike Club was in business. The club has become a fixture at nearby Forest Park, where the students have earned praise from park regulars for their manners and observance of bicycle etiquette while training at least three times a week, weather permitting.

Although riding the park's six-mile loop met the primary objective of exercise, Deem and Torrisi soon realized a larger goal was required to maintain the students' interest.

"We needed a culminating event," said Torrisi, currently the president of the Missouri Bicycle Federation.

And so, in 2002, the first batch of Compton-Drew students hit the trail.

When the year-end rides to Jefferson City on the Katy Trail proved a success, Deem and Torrisi added a 75-mile round-trip fall ride from St. Louis to Principia College in Elsah.

Read all about the Compton Drew Bicycle Club's trip to Jefferson City in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. (Be sure to view the slide show.)

Developing more youth programs to involved children in healthy activities like bicycling--one of the few sports children can pursue for a lifetime--is one of MoBikeFed's goals in its Vision of Active Transportation in Missouri.

Related:

News: "Sharing the road" in Press Journal

Tips&Stories: The Compton Drew Middle School Dolphins Bicycle Club

permanent link to article: "Compton Drew Middle School Bicycle Club rides the Katy Trail"
posted by Brent Hugh at 5/13/2008 09:32:00 PM |comment on this article

Bob Neidinger, an avid cyclist from St. Joseph, is teaming up with a co-worker to ride to work at Atchison High School for Bike to Work Day May 16th. The two teachers are inviting students to join them for the last few miles through Atchison.

The two are cycling "to celebrate National Bike Month and to promote a reduction of the use of fossil fuels."

The best part--students who bicycle in to school are getting extra credit.

Now that's the kind of high school I wanted to go to!

Read more on the Atchison High School web site.

Related:

News: Kansas City Bicycle Club Touring Director

News: Cities starting to plan Bike Month/Bike Week activities for 2008

permanent link to article: "High school teachers invite students to join them for Bike to Work Day ride"
posted by Brent Hugh at 5/13/2008 06:50:00 PM |comment on this article

Just in time for Bike to Work Day, the St. Louis Suburban Journals have profiled bicycle commuter Kyle Oberle, who works for TrailNet:

Q: What do you find most rewarding about biking all over?

A: It's the whole picture - better for the environment and my health, keeps the streets free from another car and my pocketbook free from my gas tank, makes me more aware of my surrounding and it's really just a lot more fun than hopping into the car. . . .

Bike commuters are invited to join The Great Rivers Greenway District, the YMCA of Greater St. Louis and Trailnet for breakfast at 20 Refueling Stations throughout the region. Breakfast will be served 6:30 - 9:00 a.m. For more information on locations of stations, visit http://trailnet.org/m_latest.php#may and click on "read more" under "May is National Bike Month" and click on the "Bike to Work Day" flier.

BTW, CBS is news is doing a story on Bike to Work Day (May 16th) and filming one of TrailNet's Bike to Work Day refueling stations in Forest Park.

We are hoping for a good crowd so please forward this to your friends and fellow cyclists. Don't Forget: 6:00 AM, Friday, May 16 at the Missouri History Museum Refueling Station.

Related:

News: Celebrate National Bike Month in St. Louis!

News: Hwy 40 construction in St. Louis present challenges, opportunities for bicyclists

permanent link to article: "St. Louis bicycle commuter Kyle Oberle profiled"
posted by Brent Hugh at 5/13/2008 06:05:00 PM |comment on this article