October 2023

Cruise & Connect Sea Turtle Ride

Have you heard? There are sea turtles in the San Gabriel River! BikeLA will host a Cruise + Connect ride during high tide to catch a glimpse. Meet us at El Dorado Neighborhood Library parking lot in Long Beach.

Don’t have a bike or want to test ride a Brompton? We have a limited number of Brompton Bicycles we’ll be bringing on the ride for participants to use. Request one by emailing margaret.douridas@bike-la.org. We can only guarantee a Brompton for up to six participants, but we’ll let you know if you are chosen. 

When: Saturday, October 28, 2023

Start Location:  El Dorado Neighborhood Library, 2900 N Studebaker Rd, Long Beach, CA 90815

Check-in Time: 8:30 AM

Start Time: 9 AM

End Time: 11 AM

Ride Description:

This 10-mile bike ride is ideal for all rider types, including children. The route is briefly along a protected bike lane then the San Gabriel River Bike Trail.

 

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13 helpful tips for a worry-free first-time bike commuting experience

From MomentumMag.com

Written by:

Are you ready to embark on a two-wheeled adventure through the city? It’s easy to forget those initial butterflies in your stomach when you first set out on a bicycle, but fear not! We’ve got your back with some tips to make your bike commuting journey a breeze, whether you’re a newbie or just need a refresher.

1. Practice, Practice, Practice

Before you hit the bustling city streets, take some time to rekindle your romance with your trusty bike. Find a quiet spot, be it your driveway, a serene park, or a calm side street, and brush up on your cycling skills. From cruising with one hand to quick stops and even standing up to pedal, practice makes perfect.

2. Bike Check-Up Time

Give your bike some love. Clean the chain, pump up those tires, and ensure your brakes are in tip-top shape. If you’re not a bike mechanic pro, don’t worry! Pop by a local bike shop or co-op for a tune-up, and you’ll be riding in style, while there get them to show you how to change a flat!

3. Buddy Up

Feeling a bit jittery about your first ride? Don’t fret! Find a seasoned cycling friend, family member, or coworker and join them on a city adventure. Let them lead the way while you soak in the joy of the ride.

4. Plan for Success

Create a master plan by scouting out bike lanes and pathways in your community. Opt for routes with protected bike lanes or traffic-calmed roads, ensuring your ride is as smooth and safe as possible. If you can’t find a map online, consult a local cycling organization or bike shop for some expert guidance.

Photo by Noralí Nayla on Unsplash

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The GREATEST Display Of Cycling Skill We’ve Ever Seen? | GCN Racing News Show

Thibau Nys has hit the big time with a win at the first UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup of the season, and he did it in some style, riding the steps and a 100% gradient climb on the technical Waterloo course. There were also more wins for Jasper Philipsen at the Tour of Türkiye and plenty of other news as the road racing season draws to a close.

HUB Cycling: Switching to bike commuting could save you $9,200 a year

From BurnabyNow.com

By Lisa Storey

As people around the region continue to grapple with rising housing costs and the growing challenge of affordability, it’s essential to find innovative ways to address these issues.

One such solution lies right under our noses — cycling. At the end of August, gas prices in Vancouver soared to the highest they have been at $2.13 per litre at many stations.

British Columbia’s consumer price index (CPI), representing changes in prices as experienced by consumers, was 3.8 per cent higher (unadjusted) in August 2023 than in August 2022, with the most significant inflationary increases being:

  • Food: an increase of 6.3 per cent
  • Health and personal: an increase of 5.9 per cent
  • Shelter: an increase of 5.1 per cent

As many people look for unique ways to cut costs, non-profit organization HUB Cycling suggests a sometimes overlooked solution to easing the blow of Metro Vancouver’s affordability crisis: bike commuting.HUB Cycling’s recent Pedaling Towards Equity report finds that people can save up to $9,200/year by switching their main mode of transportation to commuting by bike.

Photo by Eduardo Alemán on Unsplash

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12 best gravel bikes of 2023, according to real riders

From CNN.com

By , CNN Underscored

Gravel bikes — versatile, beefed up road-style bikes with fatter tires and off-road friendly gearing — are the fastest-growing style of bike today, with sales increasing by 109% since 2019. It’s not hard to see why since they appeal to pretty much any type of cyclist. Hardcore mountain biker? Spandex-clad roadie? You’ll both like gravel, and more and more riders are hitting unpaved roads across the United States to try the new discipline.

Gravel bikes have drop bars like road bikes, but with more relaxed frame geometry and lower gearing so you feel more stable on rough, rolling terrain but can still cruise while riding pavement. Wider tires with lots of tread mean you can easily handle dirt or gravel. While they’re not typically meant for extremely technical and rocky terrain, if you’re an experienced off-road rider, you can still take some of the gravel bikes out on flowy singletrack and have plenty of fun.

“Gravel riding gives you the freedom to explore and head off the beaten path, especially if you are coming from a road cycling background,” says Massimo Alpian, a cycling industry veteran and current board member for Ride for Racial Justice. “With this category exploding over the past several years, there are so many options now.”

Ready to call yourself a gravaficionado? We talked with various gravel grinding experts to get the lowdown on the best gravel bikes for all abilities. Whether you’re a first-timer hopping on the gravel ribbon or an experienced cyclist looking to get into bikepacking, here are some of our favorites.

Image courtesy of Kona

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3 Powerful Ways To Boost Your Cycling Recovery!

Taking time off the bike can be annoying, but rest and recovery are just as important as training. Manon and Hank tell you why and how to recover like a pro, making the most of your rest days so all your hard cycling training doesn’t go to waste!

Trek Bicycles Launches First-Ever Manufacturer-Led Bike Trade-in and Refurbishment Program

From Bicycling.com

BY NATASCHA GRIEF

This week, Trek stores and participating Trek retailers will begin accepting the return of used Trek bicycles in exchange for in-store credit to buy a new bike, the company announced. The used bikes will then be refurbished and sold on the brand’s website, trekbikes.com. This will be the first manufacturer-led trade-in and refurbishment program in the bike industry.

The program, which has been named Red Barn Refresh in a nod to Trek’s storied birthplace, the Red Barn, has a lot of similarities with vehicle trade in programs and purchasing a “certified pre-owned” car.

How does it work?

Once a used bike is traded in, it will be returned to Trek in Waterloo, Wisconsin, where trained techs will repair and replace what’s needed before it is ‘certified awesome’ and resold online to people looking to score a great bike with a lower carbon footprint—and a more affordable price.

 

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8 of the Best San Diego Bike Events to Attend Each Year

From SanDiegoMagazine.com

Pedal your way through these annual cycling adventures

By Cole Novak

Every year, San Diego hosts a multitude of biking events, races, meet-ups, and community rides that allow you to connect with fellow cycling enthusiasts through hilly terrain, coastal cruises, and speedy raceways. Whether you’re a casual two-wheeler or love a good sweat-inducing trek, here are eight annual bike events to plan for in the coming months.

Bikes and Beers San Diego

After a satisfying bike ride, there’s nothing like a cold one. Bikes and Beers is the perfect event for craft beer-loving pedalers around town. Join fellow biking and beer enthusiasts at Alesmith’s tasting room in Miramar before embarking on a 15-, 35-, or 45-mile bike loop through San Diego. The event provides riders with fuel stations, GPS turn-by-turn instructions, ride marshals, and rest stops. It all wraps up at Alesmith’s brewery for brews, live music, and a charity raffle.

Month: November

Registration Fees: Starting at $50

Where to Register: Bike Sign Up

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When Are Inner Tubes BETTER Than Tubeless?

When is an inner tube a better option than tubeless? Tubeless tyres are great for cycling, with a lot of advantages such as lower rolling resistance and excellent puncture protection. However, there are some disadvantages too. Alex and Ollie give five examples of when it would actually be best to use inner tubes on your bike instead of running a tubeless set-up.

Amazon Prime Day cycling deals: The best deals on the market in the build-up

From CyclingNews.com

By

The Prime ‘Big Deals Day’ is yet to land, but there are already discounts out there. We’ve rounded up the best of them for you

There’s another Amazon Prime Day just around the corner. Well, it’s technically called the ‘Amazon Big Deals Day’, but it’s the same as any other Prime Day in all but name. October 10th-11th is the official event, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t already deals to be had.

Our team of deal hunters have trawled what’s already on offer, not just on Amazon but across the web too.

We’re all cyclists first and foremost here at Cyclingnews, and pride ourselves on providing solid consumer advice. We’re not going to recommend you buy any old tat just because it’s been reduced; all the products below are ones we’d happily use ourselves.

To take advantage of the Amazon cycling deals, you’ll need to be signed up for Amazon Prime. Amazon offers a free trial period for new users, so just remember to cancel your trial before the first payment is taken.

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