Cycling Tips & Stories

Ken Kifer writes: For some years, I have been intending to write a page which illustrates (rather than explains) various kinds of traffic situations which can lead to collisions. . . . The new page is http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/traffic/bike-car.htm
permanent link to article: "Ken Kifer: How to Avoid Bike-Car Collisions"
posted by Brent Hugh at 10/30/2002 02:53:00 PM |comment on this article

News Item #1: Nearly one-third of adults, close to 59 million people, are considered obese. Moreover, close to two-thirds of adults are either obese or overweight; that is nearly two out of every three Americans.

News Item #2: Researchers in the UK conducted a study in which they asked previously inactive people to start cycling a few miles every day (see p. 318 of this very large PDF file). Distances involved were modest--15-20 miles per week. "[G]reatest relative risk exists in the lowest 20% of the national population distribution of aerobic fitness, and that risk reduces continuously as one's ranking improves. . . . Those completing the whole trial moved from a mean of the 31st percentile to the 48th percentile, i.e. from the bottom third of the national fitness distribution to a near-average position. . . . Body fat was significantly reduced among most of those subjects who were overweight or obese at outset (59% of the participants)." Participants typically lost 5-8 pounds of fat during two-month study period.

Can you put #1 and #2 together to come to a logical conclusion? permanent link to article: "Putting 1 & 2 together . . . "
posted by Brent Hugh at 10/30/2002 06:29:00 AM |comment on this article

I was O.T.D and riding briskly to Union Station and ready for a fun train ride. Excited for the travel vistas that being able to take the trike along wouild bring to my recuperation. So imaging my shock when the Conductor informed me, after riding it to the station a week before, that it would not be going on that train. Even before that, I was charged an additional $10.00 for the trike (they had no record of my online reservation for the bike.) and then after paying the additional money, they turned it away.

So begins Randy's Katy Trail journey. It does end better than it started! Click here for the complete story . . .

permanent link to article: "Randy Niere trikes the Katy Trail, Spring 2002"
posted by Brent Hugh at 10/21/2002 08:09:00 PM |comment on this article

By Mighk Wilson. Undoubtedly, one of the most common deterrents to bicycling is fear. Fear of motorists. Notice I said "motorists," not "cars" or "traffic." When people talk about bike safety, especially those who are afraid to bike on the roads, they aren?t much concerned about potholes or dogs or sand on the corner or their ability to control the bike. They fear the motorist they can?t see and who supposedly can?t see them. This fear is based on the belief that a significant number of motorists are likely to hit bicyclists while overtaking them. Does it happen? Yes. Is it common? Not at all . . . Click here for the complete story . . .

permanent link to article: "Freedom From Fear"
posted by Brent Hugh at 10/21/2002 11:53:00 AM |comment on this article

By Ken Kifer. The idea that bicycling is very dangerous is common. When I ask people why they don't ride a bicycle, the most frequent reasons are, "It's too dangerous" and "It's too difficult." The perception that cycling is dangerous even causes some who value cycling and who are not worried about it being too difficult to confine their cycling to off-road trails.

But for those who obey the traffic laws, cycling is actually safer than traveling in an automobile . . . Click here for the complete story . . .

permanent link to article: "Is Cycling Dangerous?"
posted by Brent Hugh at 10/21/2002 11:47:00 AM |comment on this article