February 26/09 14:25 pm - Cycling News of the World

Posted by Editoress on 02/26/09
 

"Pain is a big fat creature riding on your back. The farther you pedal, the heavier he feels. The harder you push, the tighter he squeezes your chest. The steeper the climb, the deeper he digs his jagged, sharp claws into your muscles." - Scott Martin

HyDrive signs world's fastest cyclist Sam Whittingham as 'spokes'person
HYDRIVE Energy announced today that they have signed Sam Whittingham to be the 'spokes'person for their enhanced water energy drink brand.

Whittingham holds the world record in speed cycling and is known internationally as the 'fastest self-powered man in the world,' traveling 82.3 miles per hour on a flat course at the World Human-Powered Speed Challenge in Battle Mountain, Nevada in September 2008. Whittingham will be featured in the HYDRIVE outdoor, print, POS, and web campaign that is slated to break in March.
Read more at BevNet.com


Backyard slopestyle awaits Showcase Showdown riders
Whistler Blackcomb's popular Showcase Showdown returns this Saturday (Feb. 28) with a new look based on the backyard stylings of riders all over Whistler. The all-day event is being billed as a Backyard Slopestyle, featuring a snowboarding throwdown event at the base of Whistler Mountain, in full view of the Skiers' Plaza or the GLC.

The course has been designed with input from Olympic halfpipe designer and builder Steve Petrie, Showcase team manager Brad Broughton, Kevin Sansalone of Sandbox Films and WB's Park Rangers, ready to host a local and fun grassroots event.
Read more at Whistler Question


Farmers market taps cargo bikes
The city's bustling farmers markets are supposed to bring out the green in Vancouverites. But they also attract too many drivers.

That's why the Kitsilano Farmers Market will offer free food delivery by cargo bicycle when it reopens June 1.

"The whole idea is always to encourage people to walk or to cycle or to transit to the farmers market and not to bring their car," said Mel Lehan, who founded the market. "With this, people can come, they can buy 20 pounds of potatoes and know that they can get them home."
Read more at Vancouver Courier


Bike racks to be installed on four city bus routes
London Transit riders will soon be able to rack their bikes on some bus routes and take them on trips across the city.

Stainless steel bike racks will be mounted on the front of 40 buses serving four major routes in London, transit commissioners decided yesterday.
Read more at London Free Press


Sky to sponsor British Tour de France team
Sky TV was yesterday confirmed as name sponsor for a British Tour de France team to be run by Dave Brailsford. The multi?million pound Team Sky will be backed by the satellite broadcaster until the end of 2013 and will aim to produce a British cyclist capable of challenging for the Tour within that time.

"We are in this to win the Tour de France. It's never been done by a Briton and it's time to put the record straight," said Brailsford, who guided Britain's cyclists to eight gold medals in Beijing and was elected coach of the year for 2008. The GB cycling performance director had spoken previously of his desire to build a British pro team – a story broken by the Guardian in 2007 – but said now "it is going to become a reality".
Read more at Guardian


Big crowds no guarantee bike race will return
Despite all the superlatives heaped Sunday on Escondido and Rancho Bernardo for their great job hosting the Amgen Tour of California, bike race officials said Monday there was no guarantee the race would return for a second local run in spring 2010.

Meanwhile, community leaders said Monday that the financial boost and enormous excitement created by the race had persuaded them to do everything possible to make sure the race returns.

But Escondido Mayor Lori Holt Pfeiler said her city might have to raise nearly $100,000 to pay for the police, fire, recreation and maintenance workers required to host the event again next year. This year, those costs were covered by a donation from a local resident and some money from the tour.
Read more at Trading Markets


Tour a success, but sport feeling crunch
A few news items, observations and ruminations left over from the Tour of California:
Read more at ESPN


Elk Grove bicycle race ranked among top in nation
It may not be an official ranking, but Elk Grove leaders are touting the village's annual three-day Tour of Elk Grove as the number one race in the United States, thanks to new recognition from the sport's governing body.

USA Cycling, the national governing body for bicycle racing, has added the Tour to its national calendar, which is the signal that the race has arrived in the national bike racing consciousness and among the top races.

The Tour of Elk Grove, this year July 31- Aug. 2, and the Chicago Criterium each got the highest score, 46 points, based on USA Cycling criteria, including prize money, field of participants, course type and quality, public participation and sponsorship.
Read more at Daily Herald


Man arrested, car found in Zabriskie burglary
Police have a break in the case of a Utah bicyclist whose house was practically cleaned out by burglars.

The Joint Criminal Apprehension Team along with the Salt Lake Metro Gang Unit recovered one of the vehicles stolen from the house of Salt Lake resident David Zabriskie.
Read more at Deseret News


Sinkewitz loses court case
German cyclist Patrick Sinkewitz was ordered to pay damages Thursday to a former sponsor who terminated the contract after the rider tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
Read more at International Herald Tribune


Spanish federation wants cycling probe record
A Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) official has confirmed it will be asking authorities for records and test results relating to the recently reopened Operation Puerto probe into an alleged doping ring.

"The Federation will be asking for the Puerto records from the judge," the official, who refused to be named, told Reuters on Tuesday.
STV.tv


French body confirms doping ban for German cyclist Stefan Schumacher
France's anti-doping authority has banned German cyclist Stefan Schumacher from French races for two years after he tested positive for a banned performance enhancer at the 2008 Tour de France.

Anti-doping agency AFLD also asked the French cycling federation to strip Schumacher of his results and prizes won at last year's Tour, when he won two stages and wore the race leader's yellow jersey for two days.
Read more at The Canadian Press


Protect your bicycle from thieves
I've seen it hundreds of times: people go out to shop for a new bike, make their selection and become the proud owner of a shiny, new bicycle. They may even select a helmet, gloves and other accoutrements to go along with their new toy. They pay for a license and fill-out all the accompanying paperwork to finalize their purchase.

But, then they make their biggest mistake: they decide to save some money and buy the cheapest bike lock they can find. While they express the natural fear that some one might steal it, they seem to lack the basic understanding of bike thieves and how to counteract them.

This one mistake could result in the loss of their new bike, along with all the money they've spent on it and all the other things they purchased to go along with their new bike.
Read more at The Examiner


BBTouring.com Announces Phase I Launch of Bicycle Touring Bed & Breakfast Inn Web Site
BBTouring.com, a new bicycle touring e-magazine, ride map, and B&B directory announced today the phase I launch of their new Internet Web site for health conscious adults and families who enjoy cycling between Bed & Breakfast Inns.

Referred to as "credit-card touring" in the bicycle touring world, these types of touring cyclists prefer to travel lighter, stay in bed and breakfast inns along the way, and eat out in restaurants instead of bringing along camping equipment and carrying their own food to cook and eat.
Read more at PRweb


Successful Bike Co-op in Tucson AZ
Do-it-yourself bicyclists on a budget
Read more at azstarnet.com


Green Valley-Sahuarita recognized for cycling safety
In some areas of the county, motorists and bicyclists have a contentious relationship when it comes to the road.

In Southern Arizona, they've learned to share the pavement while increasing safety for everyone.

Last March, Pima County became one of nine gold-rated areas in the United States for bicycle safety, as rated by the League of American Bicyclists. The other eight include Portland, Seattle and San Francisco, while Pima County - which includes Green Valley, Sahuarita, Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, the Pasqua Yaqui and Tohono O'odham areas - is the only region listed.

As a result, "Bicycle Friendly Community" signs will be placed in high-traffic cycling areas over the next couple of months.
Read more at Green Valley News


US company produces e-bikes for obese
Super Sized Cycles has launched the iZize line of pedal-assist bikes for obese people looking to lose weight.
Read more at Bike Biz


Bicycle not included
Men's Style


LightLane's Lasers Make an Instant Bike Lane
Fed up with seeing friends getting clipped by cars, the designers at Altitude combined two things we love -- bikes and lasers -- to create an instant bike lane and make nighttime cycling a whole lot safer.

Their bike-mounted gadget, called LightLane, beams two bright red lines and the universal symbol for cyclist on the pavement, neatly delineating a bike lane to remind motorists to yield a little space. It should make everyone feel a little more comfort on the road.

See Wired


Chicago: World Bicycle Relief
Five years ago, Chicago businessman F.K. Day watched in horror the television footage of a tsunami devastating people's lives and livelihoods in Indonesia. It was then that the co-founder of bicycle component company SRAM Corp. thought that getting bicycles to these folks may help their recovery efforts.

Fast forward, he spearheaded the building and distribution of 24,000 bicycles to victims in Sri Lanka which dramatically sped up their recovery back to independence. What F.K. thought would be a one time effort, turned into World Bicycle Relief (WBR), a not-for-profit organization that has distributed more than 50,000 bicycles to nine countries and provided life-changing results for 1.1 million people living in Sri Lanka and sub-Saharan Africa connecting them to much needed healthcare, education and economic opportunity.
Read more at MSNBC


Video: Dog Rides Bicycle
You Tube