September 2010 archive

Columbus honors cycling legend Major Taylor with a bikeway

Major Taylor may have been a world-renown bicycle racer in his day, but he died forgotten and penniless in 1932 and was buried in a pauper's graveyard in Chicago.

In the past few years, however, more people are learning about the world-class African-American cyclist, due in part to the many bike paths, clubs and even a statue erected in his memory.

Columbus, Ohio, is the most recent city to honor the cyclist by renaming a four-mile section of the Alum Creek Greenway as the Major Taylor Bikeway. It was dedicated last weekend.

It's only fitting that Columbus honor Taylor in this way ….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/09/12/columbus-honors-cycling-legend-major-taylor-with-a-bikeway/

The pedal-powered Seattle Bicycle Music Festival

It wasn't faulty electronics that nearly washed out the centerpiece of the Seattle Bicycle Music Festival on Saturday. It was some cheap skateboard wheels that started melting.

But the show must go on. Organizers fixed the problem, and the audience enjoyed pedal-powered music all day long and into the night in the festival that everyone's calling a huge success.

The technical gurus behind the pedal-powered sound system had stayed up until almost midnight on Friday putting the finishing touches on the “Bike Bar.” That's the name for the 16-foot-long hand-made generator that holds the five bicycles that provides wattage for the PA system.

They thought they had worked out all the kinks for the first show at Bergen Park at 9 a.m. Saturday morning. But they noticed the cheap skateboard wheels they had used to support the Bike Bar's drivetrain against the bicycle wheels weren't up to the task of constant spinning. They started to melt.

Jon Murray, one of the folks who worked on the Bike Bar for the festival, said they put in a call to the local board-sports shop ….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/09/12/the-pedal-powered-seattle-bicycle-music-festival/

Lead changes with crash at the Vuelta a Espana

Italy's Vincent Nibali (Liquigas) took over the lead of the Vuelta a Espana on Saturday after overall leader Igor Anton (Eukaltel Euskadi) suffered a heart-breaking crash near the base of the final climb on Stage 14.

As the peloton moved on, Nibali, Ezequiel Mosquera (Xacobeo Galicia) and Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) battled for the red jersey on the steep slopes of the Pena Cabarga, with Rodriguez crossing the finish first.

The crash happened as Katusha was pushing the pace …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/09/11/lead-changes-with-crash-at-the-vuelta-a-espana/

Vincenzo Nibali

Cyclist for Liquigas

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/09/11/vincenzo-nibali-2/

Another stage win for Cavendish at Vuelta

It appears that Mark Cavendish has figured out the tempo of the 2010 Vuelta a Espana as the HTC-Columbia sprinter won his second stage in a row on Friday.

Once again, Cavendish was able to position himself behind teammate Matt Goff, who led his man charging through a wide corner on the way to the finish line in Burgos at …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/09/10/another-stage-win-for-cavendish-at-vuelta/

NHTSA report for 2009

Death toll for driving, bicycling

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/09/09/nhtsa-report-for-2009/

Bicycle traffic fatalities continued to decline in 2009

Traffic fatalities involving bicyclists dropped 12% in 2009, marking the second lowest number of bicycling deaths recorded by the Department of Transportion in the past 10 years.

Although 630 traffic deaths of bicyclists is still too many, the overall decrease is a good sign considering the increase in cycling that many have observed in the past few years.

The figures were included in a report issued by the Department of Transportation on Thursday that showed the number of people dying on America's highways dropped 9.7% between 2008 and 2009, to its lowest level since 1950.

The decline in bicycling deaths out-paced the rate of decline in most categories ..

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/09/09/bicycle-traffic-fatalities-continued-to-decline-in-2009/

Finally, an individual victory for Cavendish at the Vuelta

Mark Cavendish celebrated his first ever individual stage win at the Vuelta a Espana on Thursday when he followed his lead-out man's back wheel to the finish line.

Despite the chaos in the peloton as the cyclists entered Lleida, HTC-Columbia teammate Matt Goss sorted things out and exploded to the front with Cavendish on his wheel.

Red jersey leader Igor Anton (Euskaltel-Euskadi) retained his 45-second overall lead in the Vuelta ….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/09/09/finally-an-individual-victory-for-cavendish-at-the-vuelta/

Charity cross-country bike ride – Bike Free – delayed in Portland

A cross-country bicycle tour by two friends trying to raise enough money to buy 1,000 bikes for the children of military families has been side-lined in Portland for a few extra days.

You guessed it. Someone stole one of their bicycles.

Paul Lebelle and Adam Burkowske pedaled themselves and their gear 3,500 miles across the U.S. from their homes in Baltimore on the trek they dubbed BikeFree. Along the way they spoke to organizations and raised funds to buy bicycles for the children of military families. Their destination is San Diego.

The two arrived in Portland over Labor Day weekend, and Monday afternoon Lebelle's green Cannondale T2 bicycle – nicknamed Buttercup (above) – was stolen from the front porch of a house where they were staying in north Portland. ….

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/09/09/charity-cross-country-bike-ride-bike-free-delayed-in-portland/

Stolen bike – nicknamed Buttercup

Paul Lebelle and “Buttercup,” a green Cannondale T2 touring bicycle. Stolen in Portland. Photo BikeFree.org.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/09/09/stolen-bike-nicknamed-buttercup/