An occasional update on items from the Velo-city.
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RIDING WITH SOPHIE
A very well done cycling promo video from the Cascade Cycling Club inSeattle.
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Ron Richings: “Focused on getting back the joy and adventure that many have lost, this may be a very effective approach.”
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BIKELASH IN SEATTLE
Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat has never had more comments than than those he got (over 900) to a column he wrote on animosity towards cyclists. As he says:
I still think this backlash against bikes, or “bikelash,” is so over the top it must be about something else. But a few readers actually made constructive points about how to soothe our bike pains, so I’m going to move on to that.
And does so here.
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ENGLISH CIVILITY
Or not. Cyclist versus cabbie.
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INSANITY AT ITS FINEST
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The Valparaiso (Chile) Cerro Abajo Race is a legendary urban bike race and is more extreme than skydiving out of an exploding F-18 piloted by Cahrlie Sheen – while chugging a 2 liter of Mountain Dew. The rider must brave jumps, stray dogs, and flights of stairs along the steep downhill path. The first person perspective provided by the excellent helmet cam lets us take in every glorious and frightening detail.
Thanks to Michael Anstead .
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BIXI IN TORONTO
A missive from Ken Orhn:
It’s early days in Toronto, but it looks like BIXI has taken off with a roar — despite the early gloomy weather.
Since the number of bikes available in the first 28 days was on the increase from 400 or so on day 1 to around 780 today, the number of rides per bike per day ( the crucial stat) comes in at very roughly 3.8 rides per bike per day (suppose an average of 600 bikes available). This is very respectable.
More interestingly, 28,830 trips were taken on BIXI bikes last week, says BIXI Toronto. If the average number of bikes available last week was 700, then the magic stat becomes roughly 5.9 trips per bike per day. This is very good indeed.
Global’s video report, all couched in positive terms.
The usual growth stresses are visible — redistribution woes. One pol interviewee makes a pitch for *gasp* separated cycling infrastructure.
No sign of Mayor Ford.
