Bicycle Culture in Los Angeles

Bicycle Culture in Los Angeles from Jimena Cuenca on Vimeo.

Bicycling on the Streets of California - Does Your Ride Comply with the Law?

Last week I posted on riding under the influence.  This got me thinking specifically about California Bicycle Law.  I found CA VC Section 21201 from www.DMV.CA.gov. Sec 21201 discusses equipment requirements for safely riding on the road.

"V C Section 21201 Equipment Requirements (Bicycle) Equipment Requirements 21201.  

(a) No person shall operate a bicycle on a roadway unless it is equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make one braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement. 

My Fixed Gear has a front break and I can skid with the rear (With a little finesse) Hmm, what exactly does, "which will enable the operator to make a one brake wheel skid ..." mean?  Does this mean the brake must make the skid or, in my case, the front brake slows the bike allowing me to lock the rear wheel by locking my legs up?  And for that matter, what is the definition of "brake"?

(b) No person shall operate on the highway a bicycle equipped with handlebars so raised that the operator must elevate his hands above the level of his shoulders in order to grasp the normal steering grip area.
I have no problems here, those Monkey Chopper Bars are ugly and pointless.
(c) No person shall operate upon a highway a bicycle that is of a size that prevents the operator from safely stopping the bicycle, supporting it in an upright position with at least one foot on the ground, and restarting it in a safe manner. 

Well, this is a problem.  Technically, I cannot put a foot down. And the police officers in the back ground didn't really seem to mind either.

(d) A bicycle operated during darkness upon a highway, a sidewalk where bicycle operation is not prohibited by the local jurisdiction, or a bikeway, as defined in Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, shall be equipped with all of the following: 

(1) A lamp emitting a white light that, while the bicycle is in motion, illuminates the highway, sidewalk, or bikeway in front of the bicyclist and is visible from a distance of 300 feet in front and from the sides of the bicycle.
(2) A red reflector on the rear that shall be visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle.
(3) A white or yellow reflector on each pedal, shoe, or ankle visible from the front and rear of the bicycle from a distance of 200 feet.
(4) A white or yellow reflector on each side forward of the center of the bicycle, and a white or red reflector on each side to the rear of the center of the bicycle, except that bicycles that are equipped with reflectorized tires on the front and the rear need not be equipped with these side reflectors.
I got this covered, I don't ever really ride in the dark. And I do have lights just in case.  Shoot, I even run at night with a flashlight.  You can't really trust drivers at night.
(e) A lamp or lamp combination, emitting a white light, attached to the operator and visible from a distance of 300 feet in front and from the sides of the bicycle, may be used in lieu of the lamp required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (d). 

Amended Ch. 723, Stats. 1979. Effective January 1, 1980.
Amended Sec. 1, Ch. 232, Stats. 2007. Effective January 1, 2008"

Pomona's "Open Street" Event

Visit their Facebook Page Click Here...

Good afternoon,

On behalf of Daryl Grigsby, Public Works Director for the City of Pomona, you are invited to participate in a stakeholder planning session for an event with exciting implications for the City and residents of Pomona.

The City of Pomona recently received a Technical Assistance grant from the LA County Health Department to promote an ‘Open Streets’ Event. With ‘Open Streets’ events, public streets are closed to motor vehicles for a few hours, while bicyclists, skateboarders and pedestrians of all ages have freedom to explore their city, visit local businesses and meet new people. A similar event, known as CicLAvia in Los Angeles, brings over 100,000 bicyclists to the streets of downtown LA for a day of car-free fun and community connection.

The consultants for the Health Department need to hear from you, a Pomona stakeholder, on possible benefits and considerations. Their next step after this is a presentation to the Pomona City Council.

Therefore, we are holding a stakeholder meeting on Tuesday, January 31st, at 6 pm at the Cal Poly Downtown Center. The consultant will have maps of proposed closed streets and other information for your consideration.

Please RSVP to Maura Montellano at 909-620-2262 or via email at maura_montellano@ci.pomona.ca.us.

Thank you,
Maura E. Montellano| Public Works
505 S. Garey Ave., Pomona, CA 91769 | (909) 620-2262
Pomona: Vibrant. Safe. Beautiful.

Glendora Mountain Road Fixed

Today I had it in my mind to ride up Glendora Mountain Road on my fixed gear.  When I left the house there was a chill in the air, just cold enough to numb the ears.  I was feeling unusually tired, but I wasn't to pressed for time, so I decided to take my time getting to the base of GMR. 

Getting to the base wasn't so bad except I didn't bring my beanie so my ears were hurting from the cold air.  I knew once I started heading up I'd quickly warm up.  

The ride up was a lonely ride until I was a mile from the Maintenance Shed.  There was a group of riders heading to Crystal Lake by way of GMR. They stopped at the Shed to rest up before heading on their EPIC ride. 

I rode to East Fork before deciding to turn around and head home.

On the way down I ran into Matt, Annette and Bill.  Matt was charging ahead of both Annette and Bill. I rode with Matt for a few minutes catching up on life.  He was moving to fast so I wasn't about to take out the camera while trying to ride fixed gear at that speed.  I guess some people can't chew gum and walk, I can't ride fixed gear and take photos at the same time.

Annette was the second person I ran into on the way down.  I turned around and rode with her to about the Kevin Unck Memorial. 3 years have gone by since I came upon Annette's GlendoraMTNRoad.com. 

Bill was bringing up the rear. Bill looked great and has lost about 20lbs.  We joked about it being cheaper to lose weight off the body then the bike.

It was clear and sunny today.  The winds were blowing moderately. 

Downtown LA.

My ride up GMR today was great.  I rode to East Fork on my fixed gear.  I  met up with some GMR celebrates, and when I got home, I wasn't bonked! Later in the day the kids and I walked a mile, got some Slurpees at 7 Eleven, and for dinner Jamie made Manhattan Clam Chowder.  Its been a great day!

Santa Barbara

Jamie and I decided on a nice weekend getaway to Santa Barbara last Saturday/Sunday.  While it was raining and wet in Pomona, it was beautiful in Santa Barbara.  The air was cool and a bit windy, but the sky was blue, blue, blue!

We walked on the harbor.  I took a number of photos of the boats.  My goal is to have Meme paint me a picture of the photo below as a Christmas Gift to my wife's grandmother Lois.   Lois is a sweet lady who travels the world 65% to 75% of the year.  The last time we were at her house, I noticed she had many paintings and photos of boats and harbors.  I think she will like a painting of the scene below. 

Beach communities love their bikes.  Hotel Oceana is right off Cabrillo, guests are welcome to use their complementary bikes to get around town.  

Penny Farthing - Wheel Fun Rentals on State Street had this Penny Farthing displayed outside.  I wonder how much this one rents for?  Jamie used to work for Wheel Fun while we were in college.

Ah Brophy's.  If you are ever in Santa Barbara you have to eat at Brophy's.  I recommend the Beer Batter Shrimp Cocktail and Cioppino. I mentioned to Jamie that when we first started going to Brophy's, we used to be the age of the waiters and waitresses.  Time flies.

If you are in Santa Barbara in December or January, I also recommend you visit the The Coronado Butterfly Preserve.  In Dec/Jan you will find thousands (100 Thousand!) of Monarch Butterflies basking in the sun. There were so many butterflies hanging off the eucalyptus trees.   

And the darker side of Santa Barbara - With so many bikes you have to make sure even your seat is secured to your bike.  Below is a picture I took of two bikes parked and locked next to each other.  The person who locked their bike on the left include locking their bike seat.  The person on the right didn't secure their seat and sure enough, it was missing.  I saw many bikes around town with missing seats.  

Riding a Bike While Under the Influence

Don't Ride Drunk, Its Dangerous and it may be Illegal. If you live in California, its illegal. See VC Sec 21200.5.

Read the entire article here ...

"States and courts are split on the subject of drunk biking. Some people automatically doubt the amount of harm a bicyclist can cause to others, considering the nature of a bicycle. However, some states and their laws acknowledge that, even assuming a bicyclist likely only harms themselves by drunk biking, an injury to a drunken rider can have a profound effect on others, especially their family members.

In any case involving an allegation of drunk bicycling, the first place to look to is the DUI/DWI law of that state. Some states exclude bicycles entirely from their definition of "vehicles." Other states limit the application of their DUI or DWI laws to "motor vehicles." But some states treat bicycles as just another vehicle on the road, regardless of the language used within their DUI laws. In these states, drunk bike riders face the same potential legal landmines as any other drunk driver.

In general, where a state law on drunk driving specifically prohibits the operation of a "motor vehicle," the chances are very high that the law will be interpreted by courts as not applying to bicycles or similar man-powered vehicles. On the other hand, where statutes apply more generally to all "vehicles," courts sometimes find that bicycles fall into this category. A local attorney can be of valuable assistance in finding out what, if any laws, apply in these circumstances, and can determine whether or not courts in the area have applied state DUI laws to cyclists."

Bicycle Law - Accidents, Who is at Fault?

I found this little bit of information on Findlaw.com regarding bicycle related accidents.  Its an interesting read and be careful while riding. The best advise I was ever given was don't assume drivers see you.  When possible, at intersections, always try to make eye contact with drivers. 

Read the entire article here ...

"Particularly when they involve an automobile, bicycle accidents can result in serious and sometimes fatal injuries. Lawsuits to recover damages for injuries in bicycle accidents with automobiles involve many of the same issues as any auto accident lawsuit. As with other vehicle accidents, liability for bike accident injuries often comes down to negligence – particularly whether the automobile driver's negligence caused the cyclist's injuries, and whether any negligence by the cyclist caused or contributed to the cause of the accident" 

Bikes of the Pros - 2012

A who's who of bicycles and teams.  Read the entire article here ...

"Being the bike geek that I am, the annual “Bikes of the Pros” article is always one of my favorites to do. 2012 sees some new team names for existing organizations (like Garmin-Barracuda and Lotto-Belisol), some mergers (Omega Pharma-Quick Step, Radioshack Nissan Trek) and some all new organizations (GreenEDGE).

As far as manufacturers lending their support to the Pro Tour, there is a good deal of diversity, with only Pinarello and Specialized sponsoring multiple teams. For componentry, Shimano and SRAM rule the roost with eight teams on Dura Ace or Di2 and seven on SRAM RED. Just three teams are using Campagnolo components, with Movistar and Lotto-Belisol likely riding the company’s new electronic gruppo."

Chinese Scenes

I've decided anything RED BULL is Extreme.


Chinese Scenes from BASE-Book - Matt Gerdes on Vimeo.

Garmin - Cervelo Pro Cycling 2011 Highlights

Garmin - Cervelo Pro Cycling 2011 Highlights from Matt Johnson on Vimeo.

Mathieu Peladan For DUO France

Mathieu Peladan For DUO France from DUO Brand on Vimeo.

Duo Brand Chris Doyle Spot

Duo Brand Chris Doyle Spot (2007) from DUO Brand on Vimeo.

Splinter Bike

Bloody Brilliant!


"SplinterBike" - the movie - documentary trailer from TopBox Media on Vimeo.

The Bicycle: An Experiential Tool For Living

The Bicycle: An Experiential Tool For Living from Dominic Prestifilippo on Vimeo.

Made in America - Bike Project

How easy would it be to make a bike entirely from American Made parts? My goal is to set out and make a Fixed Gear Bike from only USA manufacturers/makers (I don't think it can be done for a geared bike).

One Simple Rule - It needs to be 100% Made in the USA. From Frame down to the tires. Is this even possible?

Please give me ideas for this project:
Frame/Fork: Custom for sure but tubes need to be from US
Tube set:
Paint: Paint/Powdercoat needs to be from US
Seat:
Seat Post:Thompson
Seat Post Collar:
Handlebars:
Handlebar Tape:
Headset:
Tires:
Rims:
Rim Strip:
Spokes:
Nipples:
Tubes:
Chain:
Crankset: Pauls
Bottom Bracket: White Industries, or Phil?
Cog:
Lock Ring: Pauls

Did I miss anything else?

Urban Tree to Bicycle

Urban Tree to Bicycle from Spots Unknown on Vimeo.

Cervelo P5 Simply Faster

WOW! Click here for link ...

Gene Hackman - Bicycle Crash

Read the entire article here ...

"Gene Hackman was out for an enjoyable bicycle ride in the Florida Keys when something horrific happened: he was hit by a vehicle. Now, a lot of people who routinely bike along a street get nicks, bruises, or worse from an accident at some point in their bicycling lives. However, it is infinitely worse when you are not wearing a helmet, are getting up in years, or are hit by a vehicle larger than a small car. Unfortunately, 81 year-old Hackman suffered from all three."

Meme and Charlie Ride to the Beach

Friday night on FB Meme writes, "Big New Year Ride," and I knew this must mean Beach Ride.  Sure enough Charlie and Meme rode down SART to Newport.  This would be Charlie's first beach ride and I hope Meme took him to Chicago Bikes and Chronic Taco.

70 Miles - Santiago Canyon

It was a Personal Record Day for me.  I rode 70 miles and I feel great!  Michael and I set out early, 6:30 am from Anahiem Hills (Yorba Park) and headed to Santiago Canyon.  From there we rode to Irvine then to Laguna Niguel.  At Laguna we stopped and rested for a little while before heading to SART.  From SART, we headed back to Anahiem Hills.

It was a great ride, the weather was cool and on SART we ran into Mr. Beanz and Gina.  

My day started at 4 am.  That's when my alarm went off, kindly telling me to get my a$$ out bed and start preparing for my EPIC ride.  Above is a picture of the moon at a very early 5:45 am.  5:45 am, that's when I arrived at Michael's house. 

Santiago Canyon proved to be a scenic ride, with rolling hills, cattle, horses, and large ranch homes.  

The halfway point, Laguna Niguel.  Michael and I stopped for a food and bathroom break.  

We met up with a pack of riders who pulled us thru Newport to SART. 

A flock of seagulls on SART.  Something spooked them and watch out for gifts from above!

Mr. Beanz and Gina!  We ran into them on SART.  We chatted and I snapped a picture of the famous Mr. Beanz.  Gina and Beanz are two great people and larger than life personalities.  I was hoping to see them on SART.