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Posts Tagged ‘Bicycles’
Man Zou: Beijing to Shanghain wins at Emmy Awards
Tuesday, June 28th, 2011
Another Bike to Work Week is only days away, Will you ride?
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011It’s May, and though the weather might being doing its best to pull the wool over our eyes, summer is just around the corner. And that means that soon we may actually get a glimpse of the elusive daystar. This also means that perfect commuting weather is also here, well, almost… positive thoughts.
Regardless of the current state of precipitation here in Vancouver, next week is Bike to Work week. An entire week dedicated to ditching the auto and pedaling your way to work. I will admit that through the years, depending on where I have been situated, my participation has been spotty at best for many reasons – enter lame excuse here. But this matters not, because it is a new year.
The question is whether or not you plan on getting in on the riding festivities? The Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition or VACC will be out with sponsors next week offering support at key commuting stations around the lower mainland. If you are thinking of getting involved then there is a website dedicated solely to the pursuit of bicycle commuting glory which you can visit here.
On this site you can sign up, log your commutes and find out where these support stations are (which is good because they always have snacks and coffee, which is a bonus on the ride to and from work). If you have friends who also would like to participate you can sign up as a team and go head to head against other commuters around town. Norco, usually has a pretty good turn out, but you’d be surprised who else participates.
Check it out. If you have been thinking about commuting by bicycle then next week is a great week to get involved.
Photo Shoots: The Early Season Madness begins
Thursday, April 21st, 2011The bicycle season is upon us already, it seems like just yesterday that I was on a local ski hill, with spring a distant pondering in my mind. Yet, it is officially spring, May is only a hair over a week away and around here it is photo shoot season once again. To be honest this is a bit of a filler post, because it has been a while and I don’t want to let this blog drop by the wayside. Don’t worry though, there will be plenty of posts just around the bend. Anyway, the other day we had a bit of a photo shoot, I wasn’t the photographer but I managed to snap a few pics while I was out and about as well so i thought, why not post a few, because everybody likes to look at pictures.
And incase you are wondering who our commuter model is, it is our very own Sandra Ross, who rides to work pretty much everyday of the year; rain, shine or any other weather that comes along. So here we go.
Communication is key: how being obvious is being safe on a bicycle
Tuesday, February 15th, 2011If you work in an office, I do, then you have probably experienced the strange and troubling phenomenon of communications break down. It can be a disruptive and most distracting occurrence. The result is usually confusion, a string of long emails and somebody making an error in judgment. All of these things could generally have been avoided with a brief conversation to bring direction and clarity to a simple misunderstanding. But instead people just keep pushing forward oblivious to the train wreck that is piling up around them. When it comes to communication it pays to be direct, concise and clear about your intentions and needs, it can avoid serious confusion and costly traffic jams.
It stands to reason then that communicating effectively has benefits outside the office too, like say with a significant other or on a more relevant note on your bicycle when you need to communicate with drivers. These are times when it pays to be clear about what you want. There can be no wishy-washy at times like these because the outcome is generally negative in these situations.
What I am getting at then is that when you are riding your bicycle it is more than advisable to be direct and clear about what you are doing. It’s a good habit to get into in general. You may not see the results right away; in fact you may never realize that you are getting the results you desire because the real result is arriving safely at your destination every time you set out for a bicycle ride.
Safety is all about making conscious decisions: a conscious decision not to suddenly change lanes directly in front of a large, hulking, metal vehicle barreling down the road. A conscious decision to signal properly when you are going around a corner so drivers understand your intent. A conscious decision to realize that even though you may have the right of way, if you exercise your point against a car there is an excellent chance your point will be lost when you make an abrupt introduction to the car and then the pavement you were both travelling on.
Learning how to communicate effectively, you see, can have many benefits. It can bring you happiness in your relationships, reduce stress in the workplace and help you make it to your next destination safely without repose in the nearest hospital. So from now on when you are riding your bicycle think about being obvious, stating your intent and then following through while not being afraid to give way when needed, these are good skills to learn for everyday.
New “Manzou: Beijing to Shanghai” screenings announced
Monday, January 31st, 2011Just a short while ago, a group of intrepid riders set off on the adventure of a lifetime on their bicycles. They rode from Beijing to Shanghai filming their journey and the trials that a 1,000 mile bicycle adventure threw their way. To pack along all of their camera gear, equipment and supplies they used Axiom pannier bags and racks and Axiom pumps for any flat tires that slowed them down along the way. We just got a release this morning that featured three new screenings of this epic film. Check out the details below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2011
New “Man Zou: Beijing to Shanghai” screenings announced
China documentary to re-air during Reel NW series on KCTS 9
SEATTLE, Wash. — “Man Zou: Beijing to Shanghai,” the newest feature documentary from the Webby Award-winning producers of “Sonicsgate: Requiem For A Team,” will re-air on PBS affiliate KCTS 9 as part of the Reel NW series on Thursday, March 3 at 10:00 p.m.. The 86-minute documentary first premiered Dec. 2, 2010 to strong reviews as part of the first season of Reel NW, which showcases the best independent film from the Northwest.
The producers of “Man Zou: Beijing to Shanghai” today announced two special theatrical screenings of the film on Feb. 1 at the University of Washington (Allen Library Auditorium) and Feb. 18 at the Seattle R.E.I. (222 Yale Ave. North).
Upcoming Screenings of “Man Zou: Beijing to Shanghai”:
Tuesday, Feb. 1
3:30 p.m.
University of Washington (Allen Library Auditorium)
Presented free by the UW Dept. of Geography
Friday, Feb. 18
7:00 p.m.
Seattle R.E.I (222 Yale Ave. North)
Presented by the Cascade Bicycle Club
Tickets are $7 ($5 for Cascade members)
Thursday, March 3
10:00 p.m.
Television Re-Broadcast on KCTS 9 (PBS)
Presented by Reel NW
A recipient of the Seattle CityArtist Grant in 2008, “Man Zou: Beijing to Shanghai” follows director Jason Reid with his three American friends and their Chinese guide as they bicycle more than 1,000 miles between China’s two largest cities. Their journey provides the framework for both a bike adventure film and an in-depth examination of the cultural, social, economic and environmental factors affecting this rapidly changing nation. Official movie website: www.manzoumovie.com
The film’s director and producer, Jason Reid and Ian Connors, are available for interviews. If you would like a press screener of the film for review, please direct any media inquiries to the contacts listed in this release.
“Man Zou” — The Film and The Philosophy
“Man Zou” is a common phrase in Mandarin that translates literally to “Walk Slow.” Used as a farewell, it is a way of reminding one another to be careful and mindful on our journey and take the time to see things along the way.
Shot in fall of 2008 after the close of the Beijing Olympics, the film presents an insightful portrait of China, juxtaposing modern urban cities with breathtaking rural countryside. Featuring interviews with environmental visionary Ma Jun (named as one of the “100 most influential persons in the world” by Time magazine in 2006) and China urbanization specialist Kam Wing Chan.
“Man Zou: Beijing to Shanghai” is the highly anticipated follow up from the creators of the award-winning documentary “Sonicsgate: Requiem For A Team,” which exposed the shocking scandal behind the sale and relocation of the Seattle SuperSonics NBA franchise to Oklahoma City.
# # #
“A poetically entrancing journey…”
- Sara Michelle Fetters, MovieFreak.com
“It blew my assumptions about China
out of the water…”
- Ryan Schuetze, Go Means Go
“Compelling, intelligent and uncommon…”
- Reed Wacker, Seattle P-I
Cycling has a lot going for; its getting easier to become a cyclist every day.
Thursday, January 13th, 2011Cycling has a lot going for it: its great exercise, a quick way to get around a city, less expensive than a car, pollutes less than other forms of transportation and an awesome way to experience the full gamut of sense provoking sights, sounds and smells that the world holds around us. So here’s a question, why don’t more people do it?
I had tweeted this question a little while ago and was surprised by how many other people were wondering the same thing. Let’s face there are a lot of reasons to leave the car at home and hop on a bicycle at least once a week, even twice or maybe more, but it would seem that there are also a lot of reasons not to.
I can almost hear a number of excuses being lobbed my way as I write this. It’s easy to make excuses, what’s difficult is overcoming these hollow challenges. Luckily, and thank you to those helping make these changes, many of the age old excuses for not riding a bicycle are slowly being eroded by passionate and creative advocacy and bolstered city infrastructure and support. However, as we continue to push forward one pedal stroke at a time we still face an uphill battle when it comes to getting more people to swing their legs over the trusty top bar of a bicycle.
Despite all of the new infrastructure, cycling can still be a dangerous transportation proposal. For much of last summer it seemed like there was a new case of vehicular bullying every week; often ending poorly for the guy or gal on the bicycle with little to no effect for the person behind the wheel. Road rage and careless driving can make it a daunting undertaking when getting out on the road.
Luckily new bike lanes, paths and trails are making it easier for cyclists to get away from being brushed by mirrors and tagged by doors, making riding safer and less intimidating. Technology is making it easier to find these new routes.
Google recently, and by recently I mean a few months ago, introduced bike paths and routes to its uber popular Google maps. It was just more recently introduced to Canada as well. Now you can plan your journey to avoid as much traffic as possible from the comfort of your home computer. Then hop on your bike and enjoy a ride without those clenching moments of terror.
It may not be tomorrow that everyone takes to the two wheeled ways, but things are getting better and more people are seeing the proverbial cycling light. There are still a lot of days where it will just be easier and more convenient, and drier, to hop into the front seat and push go, but as more people pick up the pedal it is becoming easier for others to join the ride. Infrastructure continues to improve but most of all its easier to get into it when your friends are doing it. And one cyclist at a time, someone’s friend is joining the ride. It might only be once in a while but it’s better than never and its getting better every day.
Bike To Work Week: Will you saddle up?
Wednesday, October 27th, 2010Here in Vancouver, as the sun begins to run and hide behind the mountains a little earlier in the evening and rise a little later in the morning and the rain at times beats down with an almost unrelenting resolve, the temperatures slowly dip towards freezing and the minds of many drift to day dreams of their winter pass times. It is not the time of year most people are thinking about pulling out their bikes, filling the tires and getting ready to ride to work. In fact for most it may be the last thing on their mind. But it is that time of year again, it’s time for Bike to Work Week. Some might question the timing and of our Bike to Work Week and the sanity of those involved, but if you take a moment to reflect you might find that it makes more sense than you would have thought. Because this is about more than just a week of riding to work, no, this is about working towards a change.
This week is about planting a seed and helping it grow. Find a group of committed commuters that can band together and convince others to park their cars for a week and momentum will start to build. If you can find the motivation and resolve to ride for a week in November then there is a chance that you might keep riding afterwords. And riding in better weather than November weather, which isn’t difficult, will be a cinch once you have pedaled in the Novembuary drizzle. Maybe you won’t ride everyday but even once in a while is better than not at all.
Best of all during this week (November 1-7) there are resources to help you ease into the waters of cycling to work. The Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition or VACC for short provides web resources for businesses, individuals and teams to help get involved and motivated. There will also be stations around the city that offer free technical support, hot coffee and snack for commuters, and who doesn’t love free coffee and snacks.
Even though it may seem like an unlikely time of year to start commuting to work by bike, those that do it love it. So pull that bike out of the garage read a couple of the articles below on commuting and get some friends, co-workers or whatever together and challenge each other to ride to work. Who knows you might find you like it and suddenly find that more and more often you leave your car keys at home and take your bike instead.
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Resources:
Commuting 101: A guide to Getting out There – Download the PDF
How to dress for winter riding – Read the Article
Arm and Leg Warmers : Why the will make your ride – Read the Article
Outerwear 101: Enjoying Wet Weather Commuting – Read the Article
See the world around you: why you should ride with a mirror.
Thursday, May 20th, 2010Fastflash DLX Mirror
Every time I read through the news, which is daily, it seems there is a new and disturbing article about an accident involving a cyclist and a vehicle, the cyclist always loses. What I find troubling is how many people are oblivious to the extra safety precautions they can easily take to avoid being another unfortunate and possibly preventable statistic.
Cycling Mirrors are not usually a very exciting subject. They often conjure the image of a dorky rider with a reflective vest, a helmet pushed far back on their head –displaying a good amount of forehead- and a milk crate secured with faded bungee cords on a rusted pannier rack –I apologize if this describes anyone reading this. Okay, that’s not true a lot of people use mirrors, but certainly not the majority.
But if you commute by bicycle they are an important safety item. Cars and the bicycles motorized cousins, the motorcycle have figured this out, even fighter pilots use mirrors (watch Top Gun closely, Tom Cruise has one in his plane), and we all know fighter pilots are damn cool, but in the cycling world the common mirror remains firmly in the realm of cycling nerds. They are clumsy, awkward and often just get in the way. I think that Axiom has a solution to all this nerdery, and lack of safety with its new FastFlash DLX Universal Mirror, and I’ll tell you why.
See the World around You: a Mirror is inexpensive safety
Have you ever noticed that when you do a good and proper shoulder check you tend veer a bit to the side of where you are looking, it might just be me but I think that could be dangerous. This is a normal tendency; you go where you are looking, but it could lead into the path of danger –also known as a vehicle. A mirror can help prevent you from straying into traffic, with a quick glance you can make sure the coast is clear, shoulder check for extra safety and then make your move. The mirror is an inexpensive way of keeping yourself out of harm’s way, and off the grill of larger vehicles.
Mount it Anywhere, I mean anywhere
The Fastlash was designed to be mounted anywhere and everywhere. You could probably use that as a party trick if you wanted, but it also means that no matter where you want to mount it you can. With more mounting choices than a Starbucks has coffee, you can make sure that you have the best position possible for your mirror. They can mount on: flat bars, moustache bars, cruiser bars, road bars, road brake hoods, over road tape, aero bars, 31.8 bars, and too many other places to mention here, you get the picture though.
Convex or Super-Convex that is the question
Well, maybe not the question but a question none the less. A regular convex shape gives you a medium-wide field of view and better long distance magnification; great for roads in areas with less traffic. Super-Convex shape for the widest field of vision possible, this is ‘most good’ for urban areas with higher density traffic. The optics have been designed to be free of any inconsistencies or ripples that you might normally find in a cycling mirror, and they have been given a treatment to make them scratch and shatter resistant.
Mirrors are inexpensive, they can help you avoid veering in front of traffic and give you a clear view of the world around you, how can you lose? Getting a mirror for your bicycle seems like a small price to pay for a lot of extra safety, but maybe that’s just me and I don’t like the idea of being a hood ornament.
Spring Tune UP: Is your bike ready to ride?
Thursday, May 13th, 2010This morning was one of those mornings. To start things off I couldn’t find my arm or knee warmers or gloves for that matter, then the presta valve on my rear tire literally blew off as I was filling it with air, leaving me to change a tube in the cramped storage room of my building. To top it off the gears were out of whack and I dropped my chain in the first two minutes of my ride -sigh. The net result was me being half an hour late for work. It was all my fault, I know, I hadn’t taken the time to give my normally trusty ride its spring tune up to make sure both of us were ready- oops.
I don’t want to sound like a bad midnight infomercial for tune ups but… “don’t let this happen to you” – now imagine yourself on the side of the road with an exaggerated look of frustration, shrugging your shoulders- and enter voice over “Get your spring tune up, NOW!” This sounds like common sense but taking the time to make sure your bicycle is in sound working order before your first ride can save you time and large piles of frustration.
Your best chance at success, unless you really know your way around a bicycle, is to take your bike to a shop. If you are reasonably sure that your bike is ready to roll and confident in your own skills then you can give it a once over yourself before your first ride. Check tire pressure, make sure your quick releases are tight, lube your chain and make sure nothing has come loose. But remember if you try and fix it and make it worse, it will be more expensive to get someone else to fix your mistakes. If its been a while and your bike needs a little more love or you want someone else tune your bicycle, then wheel it by your local shop and get a professional to give it a once over and the tender loving care it deserves.
The extra effort will make sure that your gears are shifting properly, your brakes will brake properly and most importantly that your bike is safe to ride. It may seem like a pain in the butt, but as I was poignantly reminded this morning it is a small price to pay to avoid a the cursing, stomping and generally unpleasant experience of dealing with repairs as you are about to go for a ride. Trust me.
2 Months After the Dempster: David Raithby Update
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009Looking back and looking ahead.
Well it has been over a couple of months since I returned from my Yukon trip. I have been following the adventures of others on their Dempster rides since my return.
I last saw Mary England at 4300 feet above sea level and the North Fork Pass. We shared a cup of coffee in the clouds. She did make it all the way to Inuvik some 10 days later while battling high winds and August snow on the Eagle Plains. Cool and wet weather followed her all the way to Inuvik.
Mark Ooms, of Whitehorse, and a group of guys flew to Inuvik from Dawson in late August. Unfortunately, one in the group had a knee injury that flared up and they had to give up their tour around Fort McPherson. I can certainly understand their disappointment.
I also got a note from Ralph Krauss who drove to Dawson City from Chicago and successfully rode on to Inuvik arriving in early September. The Porcupine caribou herd had started its migration so he was fortunate to see a few hundred caribou and many following grizzly bears.
I also have been communicating with Dave Cambon from Vancouver. He road his recumbent bike all the way from Vancouver to Inuvik. Check out his story and beautiful fall photos at www.crazyguyonabike.com. He took pictures looking up valleys from basically the same place I stood. What a difference when the smoke clears! Click Here to check out the photos.
I did learn a few good lessons on this ride. Firstly, if there is smoke…delay your trip. I ended up with a nasty lung infection…the consequence of riding when forest fires are around.
When it comes to packing food, gear and clothing, I think I hit it right on. The Norco Quest was perfect for this trip. A light weight stove and a couple of fuel canisters worked well. A small 2 man tent with an inflatable sleeping pad took up little space. I ate lots of noodles, oatmeal and high protein quinoa and peanut butter. It was hot and dry so I didn’t need the raingear I brought but I would have been thankful to have it for both snow and rain. I took bug and bear spray and didn’t have to use either. I also think it is important to allow days for rest days….to give you body a day to recover.
It is raining in Muskoka and the snow is coming. There may be only a few good riding days before the bike has to go in the basement and on the trainer. We don’t do much winter riding here as there is too much snow and salt on the roads. Cross Country ski season is around the corner and as far a cross training, I can’t think of anything better. It is also a good time to research next year’s trip.
Looking ahead to next summer….I think a family trip closer to home is in order. South of Montreal in the Eastern Townships of Quebec looks like the destination. Now this is an area that the rest of the country should look for in terms of developing relationships with cyclist. Quebec is miles (or kilometres) ahead of everyone. There are a variety of companies that do the planning for you. Pick your route, transport your gear and offer support throughout. There are a multitude of bike routes to choose from so planning is not that difficult if you intend to camp instead. And if you run into trouble, just call the Taxi-velo. They will pick you up and drive you to your destination. (I don’t recall this service being available on the Dempster.)
It has been a stellar cycling season for me; lots of cycling firsts and many riding challenges. Some good family and friend tours and my first solo tour. Now the planning for next year begins…..
Cheers,
David