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Mexican bike team repeats win at El Tour; 10 cyclists struck by car


2008 Tour de Tucson finish

A member of the P&S Specialized team of Hermosillo, Mexico, won the El Tour de Tucson on Saturday in a bicycling event that was marred by a hit-and-run collision involving 10 cyclists.

David Salomon, 28, won the 109-mile event in 4:20:35, the same time as teammates Carlos Hernandez, 32, (last year's winner) and Eduardo Lugo.

The 26th annual El Tour was held under sunny Arizona skies and drew some 8,600 cyclists to participate in the race or the shorter distance recreational bike rides …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/23/mexican-bike-team-repeats-win-at-el-tour-10-cyclists-struck-by-car/

Networks compete to broadcast Armstrong's pro cycling return

Two months before Lance Armstrong launches his comeback to pro cycling, media outlets are already vying for the rights to carry the drama on TV and online.

The Versus cable network already has contracts to carry the Tour of California (Armstrong's first North American appearance) and the Tour de France (still a question mark for Armstrong). It signed to carry these races before learning of Armstrong's return.

Now it's making a bid to carry Australia's Tour Down Under, which officially marks Armstrong's return to pro cycling in January. It's also considering a bid to televise May's Giro d'Italia, the three-week race around Italy that Armstrong says he'll race to win …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/22/networks-compete-to-broadcast-armstrongs-pro-cycling-return/

Four week-long Colorado bike tours slated for 2009

Mark your 2009 calendar. Four week-long bicycle tours of the Colorado Rockies already are scheduled for next summer and three have posted their routes online and are accepting registrations.

RAGBRAI might have the history of being the grand daddy of the week-long, mass bicycle tours, but these supported bike tours in the Rockies certainly have bragging rights for vertical achievement.

The Denver Post Ride the Rockies, Bicycle Tour of Colorado, Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike Tour, and High Country Relaxed all promise high passes and amazing scenery …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/21/four-week-long-colorado-bike-tours-slated-for-2009/

Weekend bicycle lifestyle event online

If you're off your bicycle for a while this coming weekend, then you might want to head over to the Bicycle Touring Pro website and check out the bicycle lifestyle event there.

Webmaster Darren Alff has put together a two-day schedule of articles, interviews, videos and a live Q & A session dealing with bicycle travel, commuting and adopting a bicycle lifestyle.

While Darren has done the bulk of the work on the project, entitled, “Bicycle Travel as a Modern Lifestyle Choice,” he has called upon some other bicycling enthusiasts to contribute. Among these are articles from the Adventure Cycling Association, Chris Guillebeau, Joe “Metal Cowboy” Kurmaskie, …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/21/weekend-bicycle-lifestyle-event-online/

High cost of Seattle area commuter railway and bike trail

Officials who want to build a commuter railway and bicycle trail on the abandoned BNSF railroad in Seattle's Eastside suburbs might be suffering sticker shock today.

A report estimates the cost for the 42-mile corridor at between $1 billion to $1.2 billion for the railway alone between Renton and Woodinville.

The cost of the 34.4-mile parallel bicycle / pedestrian trail is put at between $245 million to $359 million, or $7.1 million to $10.4 million per mile.

That's too much, says the Cascadia Center in its response, pointing out that the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy estimates rail-trail conversions cost between $227,000 and $1 million per mile. Cascadia says the commuter railway could be built for one-third the cost …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/20/high-cost-of-seattle-area-commuter-railway-and-bike-trail/

Next big thing in bicycling? Luggage Locator

The breathless marketing of Trek's new chainless bicycle will no doubt capture bike industry news in coming weeks as the next new thing in bicycling.

But since I sometimes follow different trails, I'm going to report on something that I discovered this morning that could revolutionize and improve your sag-supported bicycle touring experience — the Luggage Locator.

I've been on many across-state bicycle tours and have never had to repair a broken bike chain (I always carry a chain tool though), nor have I got my pants leg caught in a bike chain.  But I have spent countless hours of my life searching for my black duffel bag amidst a pile of hundreds of other black or green duffel bags at the end of a bicycle tour stage …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/20/next-big-thing-in-bicycling-luggage-locator/

American Trails awards Underground Railroad bike route among others

A nonprofit that works on behalf of all trails — including those for bicyclists– recognized the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route at its annual meeting that ended Monday in Little Rock.

American Trails issued its 2008 Partnership Award to Adventure Cycling Association and the University of Pittsburgh and the Center for Minority Health, who worked together on the project.

The bicycle route takes cyclists along the path to freedom used by many slaves before the Civil War. It stretches 2,100 miles from Mobile, Alabama, to Owen Sound, Ontario.

“Since the route's official establishment in 2007, Adventure Cycling's Underground Railroad Route map sales have been exceptional, with 4,150 maps sold to date …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/19/american-trails-awards-underground-railroad-bike-route-among-others/

Ride your bicycle; save the Chesapeake Bay

An environmental group dedicated to protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay is launching a campaign — Cyclist for the Bay — to get people out of their cars and onto their bikes.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is asking people to pledge to use their bicycles whenever possible, bike to work at least once a week, and spread the word about the need to protect the bay.

The Chesapeake Bay on the East Coast is one of the nation's natural wonders. At the turn of the last century, writer H.L. Mencken called it the world's protein factory, for all the clams, oysters, crabs and varieties of fish that came from its waters.

Today the Bay is choked with pollution …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/19/ride-your-bicycle-save-the-chesapeake-bay/

Bikes by the bay

A cyclist locks up a couple of bicycles along the shoreline in St. Michaels, Maryland, a fishing and tourist town on the Chesapeake Bay. Photo by julziet at flickr.com.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/19/bikes-by-the-bay/

DiNotte Lighting recalls lithium-ion batteries for bicycle lights

DiNotte Lighting is recalling about 1,700 lithium-ion batteries used with bicycle lights.

The recall, in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, has been ordered because a loose wiring connection and improper venting can cause the battery to overheat, posing a burn hazard to consumers.

No incidents or injuries have been reported, however. Consumers are urged to stop using the battery and contact the company for a free replacement.

Manufactured in the US and China by AA Portable Power Corp. of Richmond, California, the batteries are distributed …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/18/dinotte-lighting-recalls-lithium-ion-batteries-for-bicycle-lights/