#30DaysofBiking Registration Kicks Off Today - I've joined Team #LovingTheBike

"30 Days of Biking" is an initiative to get people around the world to commit to an entire month of biking, every single day beginning April 1, 2013. The registration kicks of today, March 1. To register, sign up at http://30daysofbiking.com/
I've already signed up and have pledged to ride for Team #LovingTheBike.

One of the bike bloggers I follow and read regularly is Darryl at LovingtheBike.com. In case you don't recall, I wrote a response to a post he published several months ago called "Using the Full Lane: A response to Darryl at Lovingthebike.com" about the issues of bicycle safety, and why I believe cyclists should be encouraged to take the lane whenever possible. While our philosophies were slightly different on that issue, fortunately, Darryl's post about signing up for #30DaysofBiking and riding with Team #LovingTheBike is something we can both see eye-to-eye on, unconditionally! I'm very pleased to lend a hand in the effort to help the team win this year.

What's great about #30DaysofBiking is that the emphasis isn't on how much you ride, but how often you ride. What that means is that anyone can do it, even if they only ride a few miles a day. Getting people up and riding, committing to a healthier, happier lifestyle is what this is all about.
Signing up is easy, just take the pledge to ride every day for 30 days. Signups end on March 31 and the challenge begins on April 1. Even if you don't plan on joining a team, please sign up and make your individual effort count! With all of us committed to this, no one is truly riding alone.

You can follow 30DaysofBiking on Twitter and use the hashtag #30DaysofBiking to help spread the word. You can also follow Darryl on Twitter and even my Twitter account, if you're so inclined. If you decide to join, let us know!

Read more

2012 Giant Defy 5 - I'm just burnin', doing the new bike dance!

Regular readers of this blog (all 2 of you) might remember that I found my dream bike at Valley Cycles back in October. After months of scrimping and saving, I finally brought it home!

Dave, the owner of Valley Cycles, gave me a fantastic deal on this bike; just an unbeatable bargain. He made sure the bike was fitted properly and that I would be comfortable while riding it (as any good bike shop should do) then gave the drivetrain a good adjustment and had me ride it around in the parking lot for a bit. Everything was just as it was several months ago, when I first took this bike for a test ride -- just a few good cranks, and I was blasting off. I couldn't wait to get this thing home and go for an extended ride.

My first ride around town was a short, 2-mile sprint. This is my first "real" road bike, so I have to take some time to adjust to the drop bars and reaching for the brake levers. All in all, I only almost killed myself twice.

The side-streets in Hazleton are a mess. Many still have piles of snow on them and even the ones that don't have a fresh coating of gravel on them, making the ride an unsure one as the thin tires try to grip the pavement. I hate to admit that I didn't exactly engage in the most safe riding practices, either. It's been a while since I've ridden in heavy traffic, and my skills have deteriorated a bit.

The thing that surprised me was the number of drivers who waved me through intersections and patiently waited for me to cross streets -- and this was even as traffic was ramping up for rush hour. Maybe Hazleton is becoming more bike-friendly? Certainly not the streets, but the drivers are at least less willing to throw things at me.

I'm happy to report that the Defy ascends like a dream. Even after sitting out from serious riding for a few weeks, I was tackling challenging hills with with ease and grace. The bike is aluminum, but still the lightest bike I've ever owned. Seriously, it shocks me how light the bike is.

Snow was beginning to fall as I headed home, but that didn't stop from taking some time to make a Vine video, celebrating that "new bike" smell.

Another notable thing about yesterday's ride was that I was able to squeak it in right before February was over. My commitment to make at least one ride a month, no matter the weather conditions, remains in tact!

Read more

The Orp: A "Smart" Bike Horn and Light in One - Kickstarter

"Can you hear me now?" This bike horn almost guarantees it.

What is it?

The Orp is a "smart" bike horn that allows cyclists to be seen as well as heard because it's also a bright headlight that straps to your handlebars. The so-called "smorn" (smart horn) produces a very audible, 96dB blast of sound when the operator activates it. It's sure to get attention, which is exactly the point.

The light normally puts out 87 lumens with 4 modes: Slow/Fast Strobe and Steady On. However, when activating the horn, the light goes into a Fast Strobe and brightens to 92 lumens. The whole thing operates on a battery that can be recharged through the micro USB port.

How loud is the Orp? At 96dB, this is where the Orp falls in comparison to other noisemakers.

This Kickstarter project is currently sitting at $100,269, well above the $90,000 goal, with 1,326 backers ready to make it a reality. The project will be funded on February 11, 2013, so you still have a little time to jump in and pledge money to get one for less than retail.

For $45, backers will get an Orp of their own, but if you go for the $55 package, you get a special "glow-in-the-dark" Orp. Of course, the more money you pledge, the more goodies that are included.

The Orp is expected to retail for $49.95.

Why I Think This is a Great Idea

You can buy a loud bike horn and still not have a good light. Or, you can buy a bright light, but it's not going to make a sound (unless you drop it, maybe.) The Orp, however, is both. And the best part is, because it's one unit, that means more room on your handlebars for... your hands.

Why I Think This is a Bad Idea

To be completely honest, I don't think this is a bad idea, at all. It's about on par with a motorbike/scooter horn, and the shrill tone should easily cut through the sound of noisy engines and loud music in headphones (a lot of cyclists ride with headphones on, making it difficult for them to hear a bell or a, "Hey! Passing on your left!") I really don't have anything to complain about.

Would I Buy One/Fund This?

I'm not reaching for my wallet just this minute, but I am very interested in buying an Orp.

As mentioned, I think it's a great idea. Although I already have a very bright light (several, in fact, that are much brighter than the Orp) I don't have a single bell/horn/whatever. I do have a loud mouth, though, and while I can usually get attention when I need it, why strain myself when a quick double-tap on the Orp's "wail tail" will do? Shut up and take my money!

Full Disclosure

I don't contribute money to every Kickstarter project that I feature. In fact, there are some I'd only write about as a warning to avoid. Some of these projects never see funding and fade into obscurity, while others look like great ideas, get funding and are things I might actually purchase. In any case, don't see these posts as a full-on endorsement. Unless otherwise specified, I have not received payment in any form to write about these products, they just happen to catch my eye and I think they warrant some attention.

Of course, if you are starting up a new project or have a product you'd like me to test and write about, contact me with details and we'll talk.

Read more

New Mexico Man Sentenced to 6 Months in Prison for Killing Schuylkill County Cyclist

Gilbert Waconda was sentenced to six months in prison for killing 19-year-old John Anczarski of Ringtown, PA, in June 2010. Anczarski was riding his bike in New Mexico on a cross-country trip to raise money for breast cancer awareness. The story about Waconda's sentencing originally comes from WNEP, along with this video clip.



This is a travesty on many levels. You have Waconda, who clearly shows NO remorse, and whose behavior towards the surviving family members is utterly disgusting. Then you have the charge of "negligent homicide," which provides a maximum penalty of only six months imprisonment.

I don't know the full details, so I can't really judge by anything other than what I see, but what I've seen in the clip above seems to show a sick man who admits to what he has done and who doesn't seem to feel anything other than regret that he got caught. Is he mentally ill? And if so, he clearly shows danger to the public. Why not lock him away for much longer? Was this legitimately a case of negligence or did Waconda purposefully strike and kill Anczarski?

I'd be willing to assume some fault on John Anczarski's behalf if it weren't obvious that the young man seemed to know what he was doing. This wasn't just some guy riding his bike around and not taking extra precaution, he looked to be well-prepared and capable of riding to the best of his abilities. The questions I'd like to know the answer to are, was he alone on the road, that day? Was he clearly visible in the lane? Was he riding safely and obeying traffic laws? Was there some sort of confrontation that precipitated the incident? Again, I'd like to know, was this just an accident, or did Waconda purposefully run Anczarski down?

As someone who entertains the thought of doing his own cross-country ride someday, things like this certainly weigh heavily on my mind. I don't believe justice was done. I believe that there are more people like Waconda out there who might now feel emboldened; who might feel they can drive recklessly and/or kill someone with their vehicle and get nothing more than a few months in jail for it. That sets a terrible precedent for others who might be mentally unstable and willing to commit murder for kicks. But, until I know more, this is all I can say.

My deepest sympathies go out to the Anczarksi family. As a fellow cyclist from NEPA, my thoughts are with them, this evening.

Read more

"The Bike Ride" - short movie created using Ptch on iPhone

Making movies on iPhone with Ptch

"The Bike Ride" is a short film I shot on my iPhone in September 2012.

This movie was edited and published with Ptch, a free iPhone app that lets you assemble photos and videos into short films that are about a minute or less in length. You can even add text and music to help tell your story. It's a lot of fun to mess around with!

Read more

InterLock on Kickstarter: Innovative Bike Lock Hides Inside Your Seat Post

Would you fund this innovative bike lock?

What is it?

The InterLock is an innovative bike lock that hides inside your bicycle's seat post when not in use. In fact, it is both a lock and a seat post, in one. Because of this, it also keeps the seat secure while sparing your paint job by hiding inside the tube. It is currently seeking $48,000 in funding and sits at  $35,921 in pledged money. If it doesn't reach $48,000 by February 5, the project will not be funded and all those who pledged money will not be charged.

The InterLock is expected to retail for $50 plus tax.

Why I Think This Is a Great Idea

Bike locks come in a variety of shapes and forms. I personally carry a key-operated cable lock wrapped around the top bar of my bike. It's not the most secure lock, but it should help to discourage most bike thieves from seeing my bike as an easy target.

The problem with wrapping the lock around the top tube is that it's slowly rubbing the paint off. By carrying the lock inside the seat tube it can't damage the bike by rubbing and scratching while riding. Not only that, it's also tucked safely out of the way, making room for whatever else I might be tempted to wrap around the top tube.

Why I Think This Is a Bad Idea

From the looks of it, the cable isn't long enough to secure the front wheel, leaving it open to an easy theft. While that doesn't make this a bad product, it does have make it a flawed one. I believe the cable needs to be extended to secure the front wheel.

Look, we know bike thieves are scum, but we live in a world of people who have some strange quirks. Someone making a statement about their dislike of bicycles, or a disgruntled driver exacting revenge on a cyclist for some transgression, might be tempted to steal a front wheel to "get even." Some people might need a front wheel, or think they can make a quick buck by selling it. Then again, some people will steal a front wheel just because it's there.

I've seen all kinds of things that people do; the point is, you should always secure your front wheel, and I don't think the cable on this lock is long enough to do that. In the video, they even show how a U-lock can be used in combination with the InterLock to keep your bike extra secure. That's all fine and dandy, but wasn't the point of this product to eliminate the need to carry a bulky lock?

Would I Buy One/Fund This?

I'm definitely thinking about it. You can never be too careful, and now that I'm seeing the kind of damage my current bike is taking by carrying a bike lock the way I do, it just makes sense. I'm sure I'd be a lot more upset about it if I had a much more expensive bike. Then again, I could just slide a cuff between the tube and the cable to protect it from rubbing. Is that really worth $50?

Another potential deal-breaker might be the weight-conscious cyclist who'd want a carbon seat post instead of the material currently being used in the InterLock. I'm sure you could expect to pay a lot more for one, however.

As I said, I'm very tempted, I'm just not convinced I need one.

So, what about you? Would you buy this? See any potential problems this could cause, or would the InterLock be a perfect fit your bicycling lifestyle?

I chose this project because I've decided to highlight a Kickstarter every week.

Well, maybe not every week, but it certainly seems like new, interesting and innovative products that are targeted at cyclists and the cycling culture come out all the time, and most of them begin life as a Kickstarter project. This is one that caught my eye.

Full Disclosure

I doubt I'll contribute money to every Kickstarter project that I feature. In fact, there are some I'd only write about as a warning to avoid. Some of these projects never see funding and fade into obscurity, while others look like great ideas, get funding and are things I might actually purchase. In any case, don't see these posts as a full-on endorsement. Unless otherwise specified, I have not received payment in any form to write about these products, they just happen to catch my eye and I think they warrant some attention.

Of course, if you are starting up a new project or have a product you'd like me to test and write about, contact me with details and we'll talk.

Read more

Welcome to Mountain Top. Here, have a flat tire.

First ride of the year, and the first significant ride in weeks. The predicted temperature was supposed to be in the 60s, but after weeks of freezing in the 20s, I decided to take what I could get. Upper 30s/lower 40s? Sure, why not?! And so began a 50 mile ride. Or so I had hoped.

I work for a computer repair shop in Mountain Top, PA called NEPA Geeks, which is just under 20 miles from where I live. My plan was to do a trial ride and see what it would be like to commute by bike. Also, to pop in and say, "Hi!" to my boss, Jason Percival, who was working today. And then there was the Dunkin' Donuts a few blocks from work... Hey, you need to restore glucose if you don't want to bonk, right? So, off I went.

Being a bit out of shape, and carrying a few extra holiday pounds, I certainly wasn't charging up hills like I was a month ago. Even then, I was hardly one of those guys who'd shift it into the big ring and stand out of the saddle. I honestly don't know how those guys do it... I'm fine with just sitting down and peddling a little faster in the granny gears, especially since this is supposed to be a commute to work, not an intense, 4 hour workout. As long as I get where I'm going, I'm happy. And I was going pretty good, until I heard the dreaded hiss of an inner-tube, rapidly deflating.

12.7 miles into my effort, just as I was rolling past the "Welcome to Mountain Top" sign, as seen at the top of this post, it happened; another inner-tube bites the dust. I blame gravel. Well, I blame myself for not inserting something to cover the hole in the front tire from the last time I had a blowout, but I blame the gravel for getting into the hole and cutting the tube. That is, if that's what happened. I didn't really inspect the damage, I just started walking as I texted my boss.

As luck would have it, he wasn't even at the office -- he'd left an hour early this week. D'oh! The next part of the tale is pretty amazing, though, because after texting Jason to let him know I was a bit stranded at the side of the road, he came all the way back from getting pizza at Maroni's in Scranton just to give me a ride back to Hazleton. Can this guy get any more awesome?

One day, I will make my goal and commute to work by bike. Just not today. Also, invest in a patch kit and frame pump. Let this be my lesson to you.

Hey, look! I figured out how to embed Strava results in a blog post!

Read more