December 6/10 22:04 pm - Cycling (in the) News

Posted by Editoress on 12/6/10
 

Life is like riding a bicycle - in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving. Albert Einstein


Freewheeling in the snow
As temperatures drop, many cyclists put their bikes away for the season. But Brad Mitchell breaks out warm clothing and prepares for another winter of bicycle commuting.

Mitchell rides from Dunbar Road in Waterloo to the Toyota plant in Cambridge every work day — 17 to 20 kilometres one way depending on the route. The weather forces him into a friend’s car only a couple of times each winter.
Read more: The Record


Cold weather doesn't frighten diehard roadies
It may simply be because I'm a man. It may also be because I crave a little adventure. Whatever it is, I find that I sometimes do very stupid things.

I'd never cycle in the snow; it's completely irresponsible. But, once the snow is cleanly off the streets and the ice on the roads has melted, no negative temperature will scare away a diehard roadie
Read more: Vancouver Courier


Court clears way for extended bike lanes on Riverside Drive
Windsor cycling buffs are eager to get rolling after a court challenge to a Riverside Drive bike lane plan was torpedoed Monday.

The challenge to the city's Riverside Drive Vista Improvement Project, launched by residents' group Riverside Neighbourhood Inc., was thrown out by a divisional court in London, Coun. Alan Halberstadt said Wednesday. That clears the way for the city to lay down bike lanes along parts of the scenic route -- if city council can find the cash.
Read more: Windsor Star


Study Suggests Cycling Faster than Driving in Cities
I hate traffic with unbridled vitriol. I could never live in a big city with their maddening congestion and constant construction. However, a new study suggests cycling might be faster than driving in some places.

The new data comes from Lyons, France, a city that has no designated bike lanes but a huge bike-sharing program. Some 16,000 journeys a day are made via the bike sharing program, with 4,000 bikes at over 350 stations across the city. Lyons has had a problem with traffic congestion as its narrow roads were designed centuries before the invention of the car. The data collected from the bike sharing program was analyzed by Pablo Jensen at the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon.
Read more: Gas2


Biking through Kelowna
A new tool is now available for Kelowna-area cyclists trying to find a safe and efficient route around town.

At the beginning of December, Kelowna joined the ranks of cities such as Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa that can search for bike routes and pathway directions through Google Maps.
Read more: Global Regina


Omnium a no, no - Editorial
To quote Dennis Cometti, I went into watching the omnium at the Track World Cup optimistically but came out mystically optical.

Any event that requires a one-page fact sheet, to explain how it works, and a calculator to figure out who is leading is a stinker.
Read more: SBS


Athletes use top technology in race to the Olympics
The race for Olympic glory is hotting up and British sport finds itself in the technological equivalent of an arms race as the competing nations attempt to give their competitors a crucial advantage in the knowledge that the margin between first and second is often measured in fractions of a second.
Read more: The Telegraph


Italians call for change after seven cyclists killed
Italian cycling federation president, Renato Di Rocco wants change after the death of seven cyclists yesterday.

"A very discouraging day. It's terrible to die while on your bike, it should be a passion, an enjoyment, nothing else," Di Rocco told Italy's DataSport.
Read more: Cycling Weekly


Thor Hushovd to support Tyler Farrar as Garmin-Cervelo aim to reel in Mark Cavendish at 2011 Tour de France
Garmin-Cervelo have unveiled their master-plan for beating Mark Cavendish, Britain's sprint king, and it involves Thor Hushovd, the road race world champion, riding as the unlimate super-domesitique for Tyler Farrar in the Tour de France and other big stage races.
Read more: The Telegraph


Geox to abandon Gianetti's team after ProTeam exclusion?
Geox may abandon Mauro Gianetti's team, according to Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper. Despite having top stars Denis Menchov and Carlos Sastre, the Italian footwear company is reportedly concerned the team will miss the top races without a first division licence.
Read more: Cycling Weekly


Cyclists in an 'undeclared civil war'
Around 350 cyclists gathered at Queen's Wharf following a horror month in which five cyclists were killed in as many days.
Read more: TVNZ


Copenhagen plans super highways ... for bikes
Copenhagen, one of the world's most bicycle-friendly cities, has begun turning its extensive network of cycle paths into bike highways in an effort to push more commuters to leave their cars at home.
Read more: The Independent


Cyclist Mark Beaumont named top Scot
Perthshire-born Beaumont (27), who set a record when he cycled round the world in 194 days and went on to pedal the length of the Americas, follows in the footsteps of Olympian Sir Chris Hoy and Harry Potter author JK Rowling in taking the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland honour.
Read more: The Courier


UCI said on Friday it plans to raise the number of target drug tests next year.
The UCI said in a statement that such tests on suspicious athletes would be a priority in testing 2011 and beyond, and that top performers and newcomers would also face more targeting.
Read more: DigiBet


On the road to safer cycling
OPINION: People cycle to work, to school, to get fit, for the challenge it provides – or simply because they love it.

Whatever the reason they have for getting on their bikes, more people are doing it and we need to make it safer.
Read more: Marlborough Express


London 2012 Olympics: organisers manage to avert 12-month velodrome track delay
Oops. It was a small mistake, but could have been rather costly. Someone, somewhere forgot to order hundreds of pallets of wood for the London 2012 Olympic velodrome track.

It was only when the world renowned track designer, Ron Webb, was talking to the German mill that was to precision cut the 56km of surface timber that was to be sourced from Siberia, that the error was detected.

The mill was fortunately able to divert another large construction order of the Siberian pine to the Olympic project.

The Siberian pine is the best wood because it is particular tall and straight growing.
Read more: The Telegraph


Taiwan to unveil first locally produced cycle for disabled
A government-funded research center based in central Taiwan will unveil the country's first cycle especially designed for people with physical disabilities Saturday, after which it will donate 10 prototypes of the machine to local charities.
Read More: Focus Taiwan