I remembered to grab my video camera before taking off for a ride, and this time I stop in at Mocha Spoke for another segment in our “Grenada by Bike” feature.

Please excuse the fact that I cut off the top of my head once again in the video.  I either need to practice centering my face I the shot, or hire a camera person.  Anyone wish to apply?

I was out repping #bikeschool in this video and stopped in to show you the beginning stages of Mocha Spoke.

Here’s another edition of our Grenada By Bike feature in which we highlight a different aspect of Grenada as seen from a bicycle.  This time around I stopped just West of the capital city of St. George’s to capture a cruise ship in at port.

It’s said that the cruise ship industry injects nearly $2 billion a year into the economies of the Caribbean, so you can easily imagine what these floating hotels mean to an island like Grenada.

Enjoy Your Ride.  Bike Grenada.

My friend Victor from Bicycle Lab and the Cycling 360 Podcast told me that he’d really like to see some video of what it’s like biking around Grenada.  He’s a wise man (he is a guru after all) so I’m taking his advice and today’s post is the start of our new Grenada By Bike feature at Loving the Bike.

When I’m on my road bike it’s all about the training so I decided to take Tina Turner (my commuter) out for a spin so I could grab some shots of me riding around.  The roads are the same ones I road bike on and maybe one of these days I’ll even take the camera out on a training ride as well.

Here’s a first look at Grenada By Bike…be sure to keep tuning in for more in this feature, and also let me know if there’s anything in particular you’d like to see me film while out for a ride.

Readers in the US might be interested to learn that here in Britain we’re taking a leaf out of your book – and carrying out a trial run of traffic lights designed especially for cyclists.

The scheme has been launched after the government looked overseas for solutions to counter increasingly grim cycling accident statistics – this year alone 84 cyclists have been killed on Britain’s increasingly busy roads, whilst the number of those seriously injured has risen by nearly 25% in the last five years.

Research from the state of California showed that the introduction of cycle traffic lights led to a significant drop in the number of accidents involving cyclists. At a particularly dangerous junction the number of collisions involving cyclists dropped from 16 in the two years before introduction of the traffic lights, to two accidents in the two years after.

The impressive statistics have inspired the testing of similar lights at a dangerous roundabout in East London – and if they prove successful then they are likely to be rolled out nationwide.

The lights have proven successful in the US because they give cyclists a head start in front of traffic turning left – a manoeuver particularly dangerous for cyclists, because it’s often difficult for motorists to see those on bikes when making a left turn.

Whilst statistics from the US suggest the lights have successfully reduced cycling accidents, some in Britain remain sceptical about the proposed scheme. It has even been claimed that drivers might be distracted or confused by the new lights; as they are to be placed at eye level, however, and will be much lower than regular traffic lights, this is unlikely to prove an issue. The new cycle traffic lights will be distinctly different to those used by motorists.

The president of the British Automobile Association, Edmund King, has also expressed scepticism about the traffic lights. King acknowledged that traffic turning left at lights is a safety problem, but questioned whether it was worth the expense of introducing an extra set of lights. Cycling organisations, road safety campaigners and personal injury solicitors have however welcomed the move.

Brit Peacock is a keen cyclist from the UK, currently blogging on road safety issues and we thank him for providing this insightful guest post today.

Image c/o icc.org.uk

I’m so proud to be part of a riding Family, and thanks to the cool cats over at Kryptonite Locks we can now be ultra protected when locking up our bikes.

When me and my Family head out on our bikes there are four of us riding and also the Chariot trailer that I pull my Son in behind me.  It’s a great set up, but now that we’re riding to destinations and leaving our bikes unattended we need to make sure they’re going to be there when we return.

It really sucks that there are people out there who want to take bikes, but the load of Kryptonite locks that we now have makes it very easy to keep them secure.  I told Daryl from Kryptonite my needs and he sent a few options for us to try out.

After dealing with Kryptonite and diving further into all they have to offer, I can honestly say that they are the kings of the lock business.  They know what we need and they know how best to keep us safe.  They also provide a whole whack of information on how to best lock up your bike and how to choose a lock system that works for you.

How to Lock Up Your Family of Bikes

I wanted to focus this article on how best to lock things up when you venture out on a Family ride.  With all those bikes and the Chariot I know I want to make sure I keep them secure and here’s how we do it.

I was going to include a picture to show you how our set up looks, but it was hard to capture it all in one or two photos….so I’m providing some ideas for two different lock up options.

Lock up when nearby and can see bikes

It’s as simple as wrapping the KryptoFlex Double Loop Cable through all bikes and frame of Chariot.  For this type of lock up there are countless ways to secure a group of bikes, but I find this one is simplest and works great.

Lock up when further away from bikes

This one takes a bit more time, but it’s definitely worth the work to ensure the bikes stay safe.  Below are few points for the main aspects of locking up a group of bikes when you’ll be away from them for a while.  Again, there are countless methods and options but here are a few things that I keep in mind.

Quick Release Tires – three of our bikes have quick release tires so I take the front tire off each of these and place it beside the back tire.

Secure Locking Point – Hopefully there is a nice big rack for you to secure your crew of bikes to.  If not, find a thick tree trunk, fence, or other place that provides a secure locking point.

Pairing up the Bikes – in order to keep things as clean as possible, I group together my bike with the Chariot and then lock the bikes of my Wife, Son, and Daughter together.

Locking up the Bike and Chariot – I use one KryptoFlex Double Loop Cable and wrap it through my frame, around the back tire (and front tire that is placed beside it).  It’s a long one so I also wrap it through the frame of the Chariot and its two tires, and then I wrap it around my securing point and lock it up.  If I want to be extra secure, I use one KryptoLok u-lock around my two tires and frame…and another u-lock for the two tires of the Chariot.  We don’t stop at too many shady neighborhoods, so the first option is generally all we need.

Locking up the Bikes – For the other three bikes I use my other KryptoFlex Double Loop Cable and wrap it through the three frames and through the front tire of my Son’s bike that doesn’t have quick release. Then I wrap it through the secure point and lock it up.  Next, I take the KryptoFlex Key Cable and wind it through the back tires and the two quick release tires that are sitting beside the back ones.  I also wrap it through at least one frame as well.

Padlocks and Combinations – to lock up the Double Loop Cables I have been using the Steel Padlock and Steel Round Padlock that Kryptonite sent me.  These require a key which is fine by me, but if you prefer to walk around keyless after leaving your bikes…you’ll want to use a combination lock on the cables and will also want to choose the combination options for any of the other locks you use as well.

Quick Release Seat Posts – Only two of our bikes have a quick release seat post and I usually take those off and put them in the backpack I was carrying all the locks in.

In my personal opinion, choosing Kryptonite for all your lock up options is totally the way to go.  These guys offer everything you’re going to need and will provide great customer service should you need it. Be sure to go to their FAQ section and read up on all the great information in there….or ask a question of your own.

Check out their “where to buy” directory so you can make the purchase online or at you  local bike shop.  Be sure to pick up the locks you need for your own personal family bike riding needs.  Most important of all….get out there and ride with your family.

It might seem like a minor topic, but this month were discussing cycling socks and want you to help build up this post by letting us know your thoughts, comments, and opinions on high cut and low cut socks.

Have a look at this quick little video going over this month’s “Let’s Talk” topic, or just skip on down to the comments section and tell us what’s on your mind.  Which ones make a better fashion statement? Which ones do you prefer and why?  Are there unknown benefits to high cut socks?  Maybe you don’t even wear socks at all while cycling.  Give us all you’ve got….this post will be built up by you.

Let’s Talk.

You don’t have to be a Tibetan Monk in order to know where you come from and what you stand for.  We all know ourselves better than anyone else… but what is necessary is a constant connection with this identity.  All of us are cyclists, and that alone speaks a lot of the kind of person we are….but we’re so much more than that.  It is so easy to lose sight of ourselves and focus our attention on what lies outside.  It is much easier to learn, watch, and get to know the world we live in then it is to become closer with who we are.  Do you feel me?  We strive to get closer to a distant world, and stray from getting to know that which lies within us.

Are you living true to yourself and staying in touch with the real you?  Okay, today’s post might just be a little deep for a cycling lifestyle website…but it’s been on my mind and I wanted to share some thoughts today.

When it comes to honesty, our minds initially seem to turn to the thought of lying.  While this is often the case, I would suggest that it goes deeper then that.  I’m not sure if dishonesty is the best word to describe it, but I would compare many occurrences in daily life to that of being not totally honest….let me explain.

We are programmed to act and respond in many ways, and one common one is the automatic response of “Good, how are you?” after being greeted with a “Hi, how are you doing?”.  This is a kind gesture on both accounts, but how many times do you really mean it?  What’s even more interesting is that we often don’t even listen for the response to this question.  I overheard a greeting the other day where one man asked another how he was doing.  The second man replied “Awful”, and the first replied with the conditioned “That’s good”.

How about when we say we will do something that we have no intention of following through with, but we say it because we are not brave enough to say something the other person doesn’t want to hear.  I’m not sure about you, but I seem to have a hard time saying no to others.  But over the years I’ve worked on this and it’s now easier to say it.  I’ve learned that in situations where I know I cannot follow through with something I need to say no, and stick to my word.  It’s not a negative response at all….but an honorable way to stick to my word.

The next time you catch yourself about to make a statement that you know you won’t follow through with, stay true to what you’re really feeling and see how much less stressful you feel when you can leave that situation knowing you didn’t promise something you won’t deliver.

Whoa, now I’m feeling like the Tibetan Monk.  We’re cyclists, dang it…..and I know we’re all strong enough to stay true to ourselves, to speak honest and heartfelt words, and to continue making the world a better place with each pedal stroke.  Stay true to yourself….and keep on riding.

Photo c/o ouestef.net

I think it’s safe to say that Austin, Texas is one of the top Tech cities in North America….It’s also safe to say that it’s also one of the top cycling cities as well. Because of this, it’s no surprise that CycleTracks is using this city to collect bicycle data through their Smartphone application design.

What is Cycle Tracks?

I don’t know about you, but I always seem to go to Twitter to get a nice little snapshot of what a person or company is all about….so I thought I’d do this for Cycle Tracks as well.  Here is how they describe themselves on Twitter:

If you need a little more than the Twitter bio to give you details on what these guys do, let me give you the low down in a few more than 140 characters. CycleTracks is an IPhone and Android application that collects data on why and where a cyclist rides their bike.  The program was developed by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) and uses a smartphone’s GPS capabilities to track bicycle trip routes.  The only other input required from the user is to specify a purpose for each of their bicycle trips (commuting, shopping, exercise, etc).  All of this data is then sent to the SFCTA servers and added to their pile of Austin bicycle routes.  All identifiable data is kept confidential, of course.

Why Austin?

As I explained earlier, it’s pretty easy to see why Austin was determined to be the city of choice for CycleTracks to get things going, but why do they say they selected our fine city?

Austin was chosen for this project because of its strong cycling culture, its known bicycle-friendliness, and the presence of several universities including the University of Texas which makes it an ideal test environment.

Get Involved

If you live in the Austin area and would like to take part in the data collection, you still have time.  CycleTracks plans to collect data here until the end of October so get cracking if you’re into this.

To get started, download the CycleTracks application for your iPhone/Android phone using the links below. Once you have installed the application on your phone, follow these instructions from the SFTCA website about how to use the application.

For iPhone:

Download Link – http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cycletracks/id338203326?mt=8 

Instructions - http://cycletracksaustin.com/cycletracks#iPhone

For Android Phone:

Download Link - https://market.android.com/details?id=org.sfcta.cycletracks&feature=search_result

Instructions - http://cycletracksaustin.com/cycletracks#Android

Other Cities

I would say it’s a safe bet that if all goes well with the Austin test site, the CycleTracks crew will be coming soon to your city.  Keep your eyes and ears open and let’s see how this form of data collection changes or improves things.

For more information on CycleTracks, visit them at http://cycletracksaustin.com/cycletracks.

I’ve always found it quite interesting that good old Albert Einstein rode a bike…..and tossed out a few great cycling quotes along the way.  He was a brilliant man and I’m so very proud to have him as a fellow cyclist.

I’ve found myself leaning on him for support lately in the way of following his techniques to help get some big time ideas formulated in my head.  One of Einstein’s most famous quotes revolves around him stating that he came up with the theory of relativity while riding his bike…..and I am currently wishing for the same sort of great thoughts to come to me.

I’m not sure if you’d call it a funk, but I’ve been in some sort of distant groove lately and my mind has been transfixed on coming up with the Billion Dollar idea that I know is inside me.  To be honest, it’s not about the money….but any idea that can allow me to live the kind of lifestyle I desire is worth at least a cool Billion.

Einstein isn’t the only one who’s come up with great ideas on a bike.  My cycling friends Heather (aka @ridempowered) and Wade (aka @cyclingtips) are just two of the many cyclists I hear about jumping on a bike to gather up their best ideas.  I’m sure you’re one as well, and have found yourself thinking up great ideas while out there riding.

So for the past week or so my focus has not only been to get out there and have a great ride, but I’ve also been doing all I can to open my mind and get in the Zen-like state so that my mind can be flooded with incredible ideas.  Yes, I’m relying on the Einstein Vibe to fill the void I’m searching for.

Is there anything that a bike can’t do?  Exercise, de-stress, oxygen, ideas….and so much more.  What has your bike done for you lately?