A Review of RIDE 2: More Short Fiction About Bicycles

I like reading about people riding bikes. And while many bike books contain personal accounts of tours and adventures across countrysides and continents, RIDE 2: More Short Fiction About Bicycles offers readers just a small glimpse into the hearts and minds of more everyday bike riders.

Each story or poem is written by a different author. Sometimes a bike pushes the plot of the story and other times it's just a way for the main character to get from A to B. The characters come through as real, relatable people that you may already know in some way as a friend, relative, or neighbor.

These short stories cover a variety of bicycle cultures, from bike polo to missionary work, and involve an even wider variety of people. I've read RIDE 2 three times over the last year and with each new reading I'm struck by my own intense interest in these stories. A different story has stuck with me each time: first it was the love story, then it was the one set in Oklahoma, and lately I can't get the bike polo grudge match out of my head.

I have since purchased the Kindle ebook version because I like taking these stories with me when I travel. I hope this short fiction series continues with a RIDE 3, because these snapshots of bicycles in everyday life beg to be read again and again.

RIDE 2: More Short Fiction About Bicycles is available on Amazon.

[Full disclosure: I was provided with a print copy of RIDE 2 for review purposes.]

More DIY Rain Covers: Recumbent Tandem Edition!

Back in September we spotted this cool three-person bike parked outside our school. It's a tandem with a front recumbent stoker seat as well as a trail-a-bike. Pretty sweet.

This morning I had a chance to talk with Todd about his super cool bike. Not only has his trail-a-bike rider moved on to her own geared 2-wheeler, but the tandem stoker now has a DIY weather cover made from coroplast campaign signs and a repurposed stroller cover. 

Todd said it's worked great in more than a few heavy rains. On this 35°F morning I'm going to guess his stoker was much warmer than her sister, too!

DIY Kid Bike Fenders

After an 81-day stretch of dry weather, it finally rained this morning. For people who enjoy walking and biking, it has been a long and blissful summer. With the inevitable dampness of fall on the horizon, I took some time last night to fender my second-grader's bike.

The fenders are made from coroplast, a corrugated plastic used for making campaign signs. I picked up the idea from Kent's Blog and a local elected official was happy to give me a stash of signs after his election. 

[Note: Around here campaigns are required to collect their signs from public spaces post-election. It is very illegal for private individuals to take them during election season. However, if you find a forgotten sign in a ditch post-election, it's your civic duty to pick up litter, right?] 

At her request, I had already customized the bike by covering the entire frame with fancy duct tape. We continued the look on the fenders; she digs the skulls. You can buy fenders for 16" and 20" wheels, but most shops will have to special order them. Inexpensive kid bikes like this one also don't have the usual eyelets for mounting manufactured fenders with screws, so zip ties and coroplast are an excellent alternative.

The best part: she thinks it looks cool and wants to ride, even on the rainy days.

UPDATE:

Here are some more detailed photos of the 20" kid fenders.

Pre-assembly: Using a razor knife on a concrete floor, cut two strips from a 2' long campaign sign. Make your cuts in parallel with the channels in the coroplast. The wider piece to cover the tire is 2 3/8" wide and the strut piece is 1 1/2" wide. (If you need a front and rear fender, repeat this step.)

Most campaign signs don't look that cool when chopped up, so wipe them clean and cover them with duct tape. It looks cool and helps keep the coroplast from buckling. 

Center the strut at one end of the fender and punch small holes for the cable ties. Join the two pieces so the sharp fastener of the cable tie is on the outside. 

This way there are no sharp edges near the tire. Pre-fold the struts around the edge of the fender piece, creasing the coroplast. This will help with mounting.

Rear fender: Notch the fender as needed to mount the front end near the kickstand plate. This bike had a screw hole, so I rummaged an old screw that fit. Otherwise, use cable ties.

One cable tie was all I needed to attach the struts near the axle.

You may need to make your fenders wider. This bike required the struts go around the outside of the huge fork blades.

And get creative with the cable ties! It may take more than one!

Thirty Days Of Biking

From time to time I've seen folks using the #30daysofbiking hash tag. And since "thirty days hath September," I figured I'd try to keep track of what I did with my bicycle for the whole month. I don't ride every day, but maybe it would work out?*

It's important to recognize that on most days bicycles are used as transportation in our household to avoid at least some trips in the car. But on those car days, we often still do something with bikes recreationally.  Here's the recap.

Day 1. Snapdeck surfing lessons at the park.

Day 2. Biked the kids to a friend's backyard BBQ. 

Day 3. My first cyclocross race. Our kids raced, too, of course.

Day 4. To the park for one last playdate before school starts.

Then to the elementary school to drop off supplies and meet the teacher.

Spotted this supercool three passenger setup.

Day 5. Biked with our oldest to the first day of school, 

then found this awesome sidewalk philosophy art while biking to the shops.

Day 6. Borrowed a neighbor's bucket bike (and their preschooler) for a day at the zoo.

Day 7. Our typical Friday ride downtown to Frost Park for some chalk drawing.

Day 8. After a long day of home improvement, I needed a ride 

to a local brewery for refreshments.

Day 9. Up early for a 15 mile ride around Point Defiance Park.

Day 10. First day of pre-K. The whole family biked to school! 

Day 11. Biked to school. Evening cyclocross practice for me and the girls at a local park. 

It was just far enough that riding there and back would have been too much for the kids 

(or too much for me to haul on the Xtracycle,) so we loaded up the bikes and drove.
It happens.

Day 12. We need more coffee! And new tools from the lumber yard. 

This marks the first fall day where a passenger blanket was needed. Brrrr!

Day 13. This may have been the day I rode to Veggies and Pint Defiance. Or maybe it was the day I biked the kids to a playdate. I know I rode everyday, but it's all sort of a blur when you're just trying to get from A to B.

Day 14. Decided to return my cross bike to dropbar mode. This required a trip to 2nd Cycle to borrow tools and get supplies. I love this place.

Day 15. Ran errands on my revised cross bike to test it out. 

Caught up with a bicycle tour of community gardens on my way home.

Day 16. More cyclocross racing and shenanigans with 

Tacoma Cyclocross at Fort Steilacoom Park.

Day 17. After biking the kids to school, Mrs. TBR and I biked to lunch at Peterson Brothers, where we ran into our pal Ben Davis. He's opening a new hangout at 11th and MLK called Broken Spoke (canned beers, wine, espresso, custom bikes and racks, made in Tacoma everything). Potentially the most RAD spot in town. Stay tuned.

Day 18. Biked to school. Then an enjoyable evening ride along Ruston on my SS with a friend before cross practice. Highlight: tackling a few of Tacoma's steepest cobbled hills.

 Day 19. Biked to school. In the evening, we adjusted the kid bikes for growth and had to upgrade Super T to her big sister's 16er. They grow up fast!

Day 20. More biking to school. More practicing afterwards on big-kid bikes. Though it may appear repetitive, this simply does not get boring.

Day 21. Toured the Park(ing) Day spots downtown with Super T.

Day 22. Errands. 4 bags of ice and bbq supplies? Xtracycled.

Day 23. Carpooled north for the race at Lake Sammammish. There was nearly as much running with the bike as there was riding on the bike. Phew.

Day 24. Coming down with a cold. Did the school run and a few short errands.

Day 25. Sick. Rode with the kids to school and was glad I didn't have to 

carry them on the Xtracycle. Exhausted. 

Day 26. Feeling better. Biked Kid #1 and her bike to a playdate in the morning.

Then biked both kids to a playdate after school. 

Day 27. Just the school run.

Day 28. Picked up the girls from school and biked to a birthday party playdate.

Day 29. Cargo Trike deliveries by day, 

Harvest Moon ride on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge by night.

Day 30. Just a quick ride to the grocery store before the dinner guests arrive.

*Hey, it happened! #30DaysOfBiking

Broken Spoke: Coming Soon to Tacoma's Hilltop

[UPDATE: EJ's article in the Tacoma Weekly says that Broken Spoke will open for business this Friday, October 5. I've also heard some top notch baristas will be slinging the espresso this weekend, so go check it out! My preview post is below. - Matt]

While having lunch in Tacoma's Hilltop last week, I crossed paths with Ben Davis. I met Ben several years ago on the first ever Mob Ride and competed against him in the Bone Collector Alley Cat Race. Ben, a 20 year Tacoma resident, has worked at many of our city's bike shops over the years. He has also run his own shop in town and builds some sick custom frames. (Many of the trick cruiser and bmx bikes hanging in Metro Coffee are his creations.)

Ben has a new spot opening up at 11th and MLK in Tacoma called Broken Spoke. The space will function as both a bike themed hang-out and studio space. The hand-crafted bar will serve canned beer and wine by the glass, as well as espresso and snacks. An open work shop in the back will give you a first hand look at Ben in his element: filing lugs or setting jigs for a custom bike frame, constructing custom racks, or possibly even repairing or modifying that frame you've cherished since college.

This isn't a bike shop so much as it is a workshop...with plenty of beer and coffee to fuel the creative process.  You can bring in food from any local eatery (Le Le, Peterson Brothers, Pho King, Quickie Too just to name a few) and enjoy a cold barley pop while you watch Ben build the bike of your dreams.

It sounds cool because it is. I've read about places like Minneapolis's On One Bicycle Studio and wondered why we don't have anything like this out west. And now we will. And it will be in the middle of Tacoma.

Ben says his initial focus will be on custom racks and a few frame projects. I like the idea that I can have a rack or a part or a frame fabricated or modified by a local craftsman, instead of driving to Seattle or Portland. This shop could easily be located in a big city, but Ben wants Broken Spoke to be an integral part of Tacoma's bicycle community and in the community itself. To be a place for him to hone his craft and where people can congregate and hang-out.

Look for Broken Spoke to open in the next few weeks.

Independence: Best Celebrated Together

A mom from my daughter's class invited us to an Independence Day bike parade in our neighborhood. My daughters decorated their bikes and I crafted a bigger and better flag pole for my Xtracycle.

We met at her house around 9am, along with many other neighbors and friends. We paraded our bikes, scooters, and dogs around the block a few times. Some folks knew we'd be coming and were waiting in their lawn chairs for the parade to pass.

We returned for a potluck breakfast on the lawn and were treated to part of the Freedom Fair airshow. An F-22 Raptor maneuvered loudly over the treetops above Commencement Bay as we chatted about schools, bicycles, houses, and pets. The kids played in the street and climbed trees.

I can't think of a better way to spend this national holiday.

2nd Cycle: A New Location for Tacoma's Bicycle Co-op

Tacoma's non-profit bicycle co-op 2nd Cycle opened it's doors last Saturday in their new location at 1312 Martin Luther King Jr. Way.  A few friends and I cycled over to check out the new space.

The new shop is cavernous compared to the old space!  They now have plenty of room for their vast collection of used parts, frames, and complete bikes. Customers can spread out as they tune bikes in the stand, search for parts, and share tools. Our kids were literally running around without bothering any one.

The steady stream of customers that came in during their first hour was evidence to me that 2nd Cycle is providing a useful and much needed service to the community.  Stop by and check it out.