Gravel riding is becoming ever more popular, and all of the GCN presenters have now taken part in at least one gravel event – except Dan Lloyd! We’ve made all the mistakes, and learnt a thing or two in how to avoid them, so here is a list of all the basic mistakes you could be making, and how you can make sure they don’t happen to you!
On Sunday, October 9, we’re opening up streets in in downtown Los Angeles so you can jog, ride, bike, skate, run, walk, skateboard, spectate, and enjoy the route however you want. Our routes are welcoming to people of all ages and abilities! This CicLAvia is presented by Metro.
Be sure to join our email list so you don’t miss any event news and updates. And check out our article on Local Gems so you don’t miss anything on or off the route!
Here are some things to know before you go:
From LA.streetsblog.org
I was quite popular last month. Until I returned the e-bike.
Friends and family of all skill levels enjoyed its breezy, near-silent motor and simple design. Three gears, four speeds, solid brakes, and that charming little bell. It’s all they talk about… IF they talk to me at all now.
All joking aside, the new monthly e-bike rental program GoSGV (from ActiveSGV and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments) should be a hit. The 750 watt, pedal assist commuter bike felt great from the first moment I got on it.
The four speeds of the bike aren’t drastically different from each other. The lowest setting, ECO, gets the job done the majority of the time, and lasts the longest. The Bosch motor’s digital display reads out about 32 miles for ECO on a full charge (or 4 hours according to the rental website). The fastest TURBO setting gets about 10 miles range, and I mainly used it for getting up hills.
On a short 10-11 mile ride I took with the new group SGV Cycling, the bike had no problem keeping up with the front, hanging in the back, climbing, or making a sudden stop when a vehicle blew through a stop sign as we pulled into a farmer’s market for a break. Guess they didn’t see the five people in front of me… Ride leader Vince La Rocca enjoyed himself taking a spin on the bike before we called it a night. “It’s so fast,” he said – relatively speaking. The motor cuts off at 20 mph, but its acceleration is effortless and smooth.
I can see these making a huge impression on casual riders at the next 626 Golden Streets event. My 70-year-old father left me chasing behind him on a ride around La Puente. Car guy that he is though, he immediately pointed out one of the downsides of the bike: the motor drag when you stop pedaling is immediate, and it’s a fairly heavy bike (45 lbs). Looked at another way, that’s an upside for making safe stops.
Obviously, this isn’t a bike you’re going to take on any kind of unpaved terrain. Wanting to get some comparison since this was my first e-bike experience, I visited Stan’s Bike Shop in Azusa (where there are two of the GoSGV bikes for rental, by the way). They put me on an Abrazo Sports Outrider, another 750 watt’er with pedal assist. The Outrider was faster, topping out at about 28 MPH, with full twist throttle, and large 26”x4” all-terrain tires. No bell though.
Image courtesy of: gosgv.com
Bikepacking and bike adventures are a lot of fun, but they can turn into a nightmare if you have a mechanical issue you don’t know how to fix, or worse don’t have the tools to deal with! Ollie takes you through the essential tools and maintenance skills you will need for bikepacking, as well as some more advanced equipment.
From SouthPasadena.com
Lace up your sneakers or strap on your helmet for Walk or Bike to School Day. Join the youth of South Pasadena as they participate in the annual Walk or Bike to School event. The program will take place on Wednesday, October 5, 2022. The event’s goal is to raise awareness on the positive impact walking or riding your bike to school has on children and communities.
Walk or Bike to School Day decreases traffic around schools, improves the air quality and environment, and helps promote a healthy lifestyle. South Pasadena Police, Fire, and Community Services Departments will be at all three Elementary Schools & the Middle School handing out a free giveaway to students who walk or bike to school that day.
For more information, please contact the Recreation Division at (626) 403-7380 or email Nathalie Wilcox at NWilcox@southpasadenaca.gov.
From Streetsblog.usa
As roundabouts decrease traffic deaths for drivers, some designs of the controversial traffic treatment may actually increase collisions for people on bikes while scaring others off riding entirely, a series of studies suggests — and its raising thorny questions about who might get hurt along the road to Vision Zero.
As part of an ongoing study of the safety impacts of roundabouts, Utah State University-based researchers Patrick Singleton and Nirajan Poudel surveyed 49 studies from roughly a dozen countries and concluded that, on the aggregate, roundabouts may actually increase crashes between bicyclists and drivers — and in some cases, they increase serious injuries and deaths of people on two wheels, too.
The operative word in that sentence, of course, is “may” — and Singleton is careful to point out that not all roundabouts are created equal. Researchers in Belgium, for instance, recorded a staggering 93 percent increase in injury crashes at the intersections that weren’t outfitted with accompanying protected bike lanes; meanwhile, Danish researchers studied roundabouts that did have separated lanes, and logged an almost-as-staggering 84 percent reduction in crashes. United States academics, by contrast, often struggled to draw any definitive conclusions, because there were so few roundabouts, crashes, or even simply bicyclists in U.S. communities.
Photo by Shane Rounce on Unsplash
Fall (or autumn) is a great time of year to ride a bike, but with days getting shorter and weather more unpredictable, there are a few things that make it different to riding in the summer. Conor outlines his top 7 tips for cycling in the season of falling leaves!
From Wired.com
By Stephanie Pearson
Track your mileage, keep tabs on your heart rate, or map a ride from here to eternity with these handlebar-mounted biking companions.
THERE ARE TWO schools of thought when it comes to cycling computers: Love them or hate them.
Those in the latter category crave the freedom of riding without technological interference. I used to be one of those people. I was disdainful of taking along a computer that could talk to GPS satellites, display where I was on a map, and tell me my speed, distance, heart rate, cadence, and a whole host of other data I didn’t particularly care about or even knew existed. Then my partner started training for a 350-mile gravel race, which in turn inspired me to train for the companion 100-mile race. I quickly discovered on our training rides that it was pretty nice to be able to have a trustworthy device designed to attach to my handlebars so I can safely see it.
Sure, you could always just mount a smartphone on your handlebars, but a bike computer is purpose-built to handle bad weather, a crash, and full days in the sun: all situations where a smartphone might become unreliable or difficult to read. And on those extra-long days when I bailed and my partner was out riding solo in the dark and in hypothermic conditions, I realized it might be good to have a way to find him should he run into trouble, which happened during the race. He blew out the sidewall on a tire and was stranded by the side of the road at midnight. Since his GPS-enabled cycling computer allowed me to remotely track his ride via a companion app on my iPhone, I knew exactly where to pick him up before my own race started at 7 am.
GPS devices aren’t foolproof when it comes to safety, however. Last May, gravel cyclist Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson was murdered by a bad actor who purportedly stalked her via her public settings on a popular training app. It is especially important for solo riders to carefully monitor their fitness apps’ privacy settings so their whereabouts remain protected from public view.
And as for carefree cyclists who prefer to enjoy the ride rather than obsess about stats, there’s a way to have it both ways: Most of these devices have screens that can be preprogrammed to turn off while riding. So I can still enlist safety features like precision mapping, ride tracking, and alarm alerts that will still go off if I get lost or have a crash. If I want to check where I am or how long I’ve ridden, I can push a button and the screen comes back to life. The dopamine rush of a hard-won Strava trophy, however, will have to wait until I get home.
Be sure to check out our other cycling-related guides, including ourbike accessories buying guide, which includes advice on finding the right helmet, lock, saddle, and other essentials. We also have buying guides for ebikes and electric cargo bikes.
Photo: Garmin
From LATimes.com
With year-round sunshine and scenic terrain, L.A. can be a bike-riding playground, but navigating the city solo can be daunting for even the most seasoned cyclists. Luckily, plenty of people are ready to roll alongside you.
There’s a cycling group for every type of rider in the city. Some specialize in specific levels of difficulty, while others host scenic trips or “drop rides” (a type of group ride that doesn’t wait for those who can’t keep up, unless there’s an injury). Many clubs are geared for specific communities. Women-led clubs and LGBTQ+ cycling groups prioritize inclusivity. Interest-based groups like East Side Riders and Bicycle Meals combine biking with charitable work.
Along with safety in numbers, these groups can offer a sense of community in a sometimes lonely city. John Jones III, co-founder of East Side Riders, believes that bicycling allows people to explore the areas they’ve probably sped past by car hundreds of times. “It gives you an opportunity to tour your neighborhood — and enjoy your neighborhood on a different level,” he said.
Ready for a ride? Grab a helmet, strap on a sense of adventure and join one of these nine biking clubs.
Try: East Side Riders
Recreation and altruism intersect for East Side Riders, a nonprofit that aims to feed the homeless, keep youth away from gang activity and drug use, and — of course — bike around the community. The group, founded by father-son duo John Jones Jr. and John Jones III, has served well over 100,000 free meals. Along with weekly rides, the club hosts special events like picnics and workout sessions. Meal distributions are on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. in Compton (2111 W. Compton Blvd.) and 11 a.m. in Watts (1513 E. 103rd St.).
Anyone who wants to make a difference in the community can join. “You don’t have to live in Watts, you don’t have to live in Compton, you don’t have to live in South L.A.,” Jones III said.
Image courtesy of East Side Riders
Over the past three weeks, Alex has been building a super lightweight hill climbing machine on just a £1000 budget. Starting with a cheap second-hand Trek Madone, he has sanded the frame (sorry again!) and bought a load of new budget parts. It’s now time to build the bike, find out how much it weighs and take it for a test ride. It’s super-light bike on a budget: part 3!
