October 24/97 0:29 am - Critical Mass Ride in Vancouver

Posted by Editor on 10/24/97
 

Critical Mass Ride in Vancouver  We have received multiple e-mails over the past few days about a planned bicycle protest ride this coming weekend in Vancouver. Below are some details of the ride (provided by Rodney Hsu).  There is a critical mass ride in Vancouver this Sunday the 26th of October. Here are the details:  The meeting place is 9:30am at the parking lot behind the Horse Kiosk in Stanley Park, just past the Vancouver Rowing Club as you enter the park from Georgia Street. We expect a large number of riders from a range of cycling groups around the city. We also expect the media. The ride will proceed to the Lions Gate Bridge to North Vancouver and back.   This is a window to send some very clear messages to city planners and engineers. In part 1) Your bridges and roads generally are inconsiderate of cyclists, often to the point of being dangerous, 2) there is a very large number of cyclists who use roads and bridges every day and 3) there are hundreds, maybe thousands of people who would love to ride their bikes to commute but don't because they are afraid.  Earlier last week World Champion Larry Zimich was pushed off the curb by two city workers while crossing the bridge and is currently in hospital with several broken bones. If you are looking for complete details about this incident, go to this website:  Http://www.nsnews.com/issue/w102097/10179701.html   Trade Show Changes  Interbike West announced a few days ago that they were moving the Interbike West show from its traditional Anaheim location to Las Vegas for 1998. Moreover, the show was going to be 2 weeks earlier than previously announced. The new dates are September 11-15. Interbike spokespeople said that the move happened so quickly because an unexpected opening came up for the Las Vegas location, and that their market research showed that the industry preferred a show in Las Vegas. However, this has left things a complete mess in Canada. The Canadian BTAC (Bicycle Trade Association of Canada) show had been scheduled for September 12-14, ahead of the original Interbike show dates. BTAC is currently discussing possible alternate dates to avoid conflicting with the much larger Interbike show (North America‚s largest bike trade show). It appears that the current plan will be to hold the BTAC show on something like the 14th -17th, while Interbike will shift to the 10th-14th, reducing the overlap to one day. A final decision will be made early next week. Unfortunately, this will put the Canadian show in conflict with the first 4 days of the Mountain Bike World‚s - held in Canada at Mont Ste Anne, Quebec next year.   Salsa Cycles Sold (report by the Coffrin Group - Consulting Services & Industry Research)  Ross Shafer, founder of Salsa Cycles in Petaluma, California, today announced the sale of his company to Steve Flagg and Mary Henrickson. Flagg and Henrickson are the owners of Quality Bicycle Products (QBP), a USA distributor of Shimano and other parts and accessories. Shafer said in a phone interview, „This is a good scenario. Salsa, Mary, and Steve share a lot about how we feel about bikes, the industry, and how you treat people. This is good for me and good for Salsa. I get to spend more time doing what I do best, which is R & D and Promotions.‰  Ross Shafer was the sole owner of Salsa Cycles. The company had been profitable for 15 of 16 years and was profitable at the time of sale. Terms of the transaction were not announced. Allan Hermansen, Salsa‚s former General Manager, has been named President.  COFFRIN GROUP ANALYSIS.  Salsa was one of influential northern California frame builders that helped start the off-road bicycle revolution. Ross Shafer has been elected to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame for his pioneering efforts.  Salsa frames were among the first to use the steeper frame angles needed for a more responsive ride. This geometry redefined industry standards, which to that time had used a relaxed geometry similar to the frame angles of Schwinn cruisers.  Salsa‚s designs have emphasized simplicity, function, and durability. In 1984, Salsa created the industry‚s first broad line of durable, mountain bike stems. These handlebar stems set a design standard that influenced every company that later built stems. In 1987, Salsa designed one of the earliest butted MTB handlebars. In 1992, Salsa introduced the Flip-Off quick release lever that redefined industry directions. The Flip-Off quick releases has been top rated by numerous magazines. In 1993, Salsa launched a full range of sports wear for cyclists, one of the earliest lifestyle lines of clothing.  The Salsa logo has long been promoted on T-shirts, coffee mugs, caps, and team jerseys. A national mail order firm even sells Salsa mouse pads. Salsa has a unique breath, having gained design credibility in the three areas of bicycles, components, and clothing. The Salsa logo is arguably the most colorful and fun in the industry.  Shafer wanted to partner with a larger company with more resources to promote his designs and the Salsa name. Salsa, like QBP, has a strong reputation for friendly and responsive customer service. I see no strong negatives holding back the accelerated growth of the Salsa brand. The challenge will be for management to develop the right products and the right strategy to take Salsa to a larger audience. We wish Ross Shafer, Salsa, and its new owners good success.   1998 TOUR DE FRANCE  Itinerary of the 1998 Tour de France  July 11 - Prologue: Dublin (5.7 kms) July 12 - 1st stage: Dublin - Dublin (180 kms) July 13 - 2nd stage: Enniscorthy - Cork (200 kms) July 14 - 3rd stage: Roscoff - Lorient (171 kms) July 15 - 4th stage: Plouay - Cholet (248 kms) July 16 - 5th stage: Cholet - Chateauroux (227 kms) July 17 - 6th stage: La Chatre - Brive-la-Gaillarde (210 kms) July 18 - 7th stage: Meyrignac l'Eglise - Correze (individual time trial 58 kms) July 19 - 8th stage: Brive - Montauban (189 kms) July 20 - 9th stage: Montauban - Pau (224 kms) July 21 - 10th stage: Pau - Luchon (197 kms) July 22 - 11th stage: Luchon - Plateau de Beille (170 kms) July 23 - Rest day July 24 - 12th stage: Tarascon-sur Arihge - Le Cap d'Agde (221 kms) July 25 - 13th stage: Frontignan La Peyrade - Carpentras (191 kms) July 26 - 14th stage: Valrias - Grenoble (185 kms) July 27 - 15th stage: Grenoble - Les Deux Alpes (189 kms) July 28 - 16th stage: Vizille - Albertville (204 kms) July 29 - 17th stage: Albertville - Aix-les-Bains (149 kms) July 30 - 18th stage: Aix-les-Bains - Neuchatel (218 kms) July 31 - 19th stage: La Chaux-de-Fonds - Autun (238 kms) Aug 1 - 20th stage: Montceau-les-Mines - Le Creusot (individual time trial 53 kms) Aug 2 - 21st stage - Melun - Paris (147 kms)