December 9/10 11:45 am - Cycling (in the) News

Posted by Editoress on 12/9/10
 

The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart. ~ Iris Murdoch


Quebec oddball bikes spark 'cycling revolution'
The predominant colour on London's roadways is still double-decker red. But over the past four months, a shade of blue has been steadily encroaching. During rush hour, executives cruise down the city's blue cycle lanes, their manicured hands clutching curved handlebars on sturdy frames that bring to mind cartoonish Harley-Davidsons.

Score one for Félix Gauthier, president of Chicoutimi, Que.-based Cycles Devinci, which built the bikes for London's new bike-share program.
Read more: The Globe and Mail


Hornby Street bike lanes fully open as of Tuesday
Work on the controversial Hornby Street separated bike lane was completed Monday and the downtown connection for cyclists was fully operational Tuesday, according to a city spokeswoman.

The $3.26-million project, which took up a parking lane on Hornby, links the Burrard Bridge bike lane with the Dunsmuir separated bike lane and gives cyclists a west-to-east connection as well as a safe route into downtown.
Read more: target=_blank>Global News


Bike share program is almost ready to ride
A new pay-as-you-go bike-sharing program, proposed by the National Capital Commission, is in the final stages of completion.

A new pay-as-you-go bike-sharing program, proposed by the National Capital Commission, is in the final stages of completion.
Read more: Centretown News


Snow bicycle beats British winter
A kit that transforms any bicycle into a caterpillar track-driven snow bike has been imported from Canada by the Environmental Transport Association (ETA).
Read more: ETA


Cycling helmet laws: what does the evidence really say?
Sue Abbott, a longstanding cycling enthusiast, argued that the laws are misplaced, and a leading public health advocate Clinical Associate Professor Chris Rissel described the laws as “failed public policy”.

In another post, Rissel reported on research concluding that it was likely that factors other than the mandatory helmet legislation reduced head injuries among cyclists.

But those findings have been questioned by an analysis of the data by medical epidemiologist Tim Churches.
Read more: Croakey

UPDATED


Year-Round Cycling Councillor Challenges Don Cherry
I’ll start this off by unabashedly declaring that I’ve been a Don Cherry fan ever since I was a little kid and was given the green light to stay up a bit late to watch Coach’s Corner with my father. target=_blank>I’ve always enjoyed Cherry’s bombastic flair and personality, his unwavering patriotism, and his undeniable love for the men and women who defend our country.

I own every Rock Em’ Sock Em’ VHS and DVD to date and even spent a portion of my reckless youth as a wannabe hockey enforcer.

I also ride a bike. Not quite year-round, but close.

So I was more than a little perturbed when I heard that Cherry’s ill-advised and by many accounts, embarrassing, tirade at City Hall Tuesday included a glove-less jab at cyclists.
Read more: City News


Rasmussen named captain of new cycling team
A Danish watch designer has named former Tour de France yellow jersey holder Michael Rasmussen of Denmark captain of a new cycling team.

Christina Hembo said Wednesday her company had bought 100 percent of a UCI-registered professional continental team and the new outfit will be known as Christina Watches.
Read more: Today

Rasmussen says he likely won't ride in Tour again
Read more: Today


Fed-up cyclist takes action by taping abuse during journey
A cycling barrister is fighting back against bad tempered motorists who threaten him.

Martin Porter QC, 48, who lives in Sunningdale is one of the country's leading personal injury specialists. He regularly cycles to work in London and has attached a camera to his bicycle helmet to record the abuse and threats.

He said: "The worst abuse I had from a driver was a man who threatened to follow me home and burn my house down.
Read more" Maidenhead Advertiser


2011 Census will seek to quantify extent of Britain's cycling boom
Next year’s UK-wide Census will seek to establish how patterns of bicycle usage have changed over the past decade, as well as establishing what current habits are relating to usage of bikes.

The government surveys of the UK population – separate Censuses are carried out by the Office for National Statistics for England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – takes place every ten years.
Read more: Road.cc


Ten-year-old scoops prize for inventing device that warns motorists of cyclists ahead
A ten-year old boy from Conwy in North Wales has won a national award after using the experience of losing a friend killed in an accident while out cycling to invent a safety device that warns motorists of cyclists ahead of them on the road.

The device, called the Bike Bleeper....
Read more: Road.cc


Team Sky Training Room
Follow Team Sky's training like never before as the riders prepare for the 2011 season. The Training Room, powered by Map My Tracks, tracks the pro rider's training rides and lets you follow their progress with real-time telemetry.
Read More: Map my Tracks


Fundraising Event Series Also Will Return to Austin, Texas and Philadelphia
LIVESTRONG announced that Davis, Calif. will serve as the new location for the LIVESTRONG Challenge, the organization’s popular three-part series in Team LIVESTRONG’s roster of more than two-dozen athletic events designed to raise funds for the fight against cancer. The Team LIVESTRONG Challenge Davis will take place on Sun., July 10 with a multi-distance bike ride of 15, 40, 65 and 100 miles. Registration is now open at www.TeamLIVESTRONG.org and the cost is $35 through Dec. 31, 2010 and $45 beginning Jan. 1, 2011.
Read more: SMR


Cyclo-Cross Brings Big Bucks Back to Bend
It's five days of epic racing, and draws cowbell-clanging crowds in the thousands.

The 2010 Cyclo-Cross National Championship event provides a welcome boost to the local economy and allows Bend to live up to it's title as 'Bike Town USA'.

An estimated $2.5 million will pour into Bend's economy this week, and it's all thanks to the return of the cyclo-cross race.
Read more: KTVZ


Why Canada's coaches are leaving home
Canada used to be an importer of coaching talent to get better results in sport.

After a successful Winter Olympics -- and dominance in some summer events -- we’ve become an exporter. Other countries -- at least four of them -- are seeking our success and the coaches that led to it.
Read more: The Globe and Mail


Across Canada on a bike, with love
Photographer's arduous 1,600-kilometre trek results in a sumptuous book chronicling a dream come true.

The two natives of France are now, proudly, Canadian citizens and this is an homage to the splendour of this country.

O Canada, 10,000 miles from Coast to Coast, is chock full of the kind of awesome pictures that elicit strong emotions: you can't help but shiver at a double page spread of the bleak winter landscape in Apex, Nunavut, marvel at the vistas of Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta or laugh at a shot of the second biggest pipe in the world, in St. Claude, Man.
Read more: The Gazzette

See also the Promo Videos on YouTube
Part one
Part two

Order the book at: bertrandlemeunier.com