Posts Tagged ‘bicycle’


Google bike maps make for smart pedaling

May 17th, 2010 by chelsea

Some athletes are born; others are made — that’s why Google Bike Maps allows you to choose your route’s difficulty.

The recently developed Beta version is just in time for National Bike to Work Week, providing routes for 150 U.S. cities and 15,000 miles of off-street bike trails, according to an article in Netted.

The new feature is especially convenient in the eco-minded Northwest where bikes aren’t just a mode of transportation — they’re a lifestyle. Simply select “bicycling” from the drop down menu in the directions section, and you’ll see a color-coded list of trails that specify whether it is for bikes only, if it is shared with cars or if it’s preferred for bicycling.

An added bonus: you can choose to avoid hills, too.

Now that’s energy efficient.

 



Photo via http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com





 

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Posted in L.A., Los Angeles, Orange County, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle | No Comments »

Two Seattlites still pedaling for charity

April 12th, 2010 by chelsea

It’s one thing to travel around the world — it’s another to do it on a bike.

Last year, two Seattlites braved the prospect of flat tires and injuries on a 25,000 mile road trip to raise money for an orphanage in India, according to an article in the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

The brotherly duo originally planned the trip to 25 countries to last two years — which is now looking like three or four years. So far, they’ve pedaled more than half the distance.

Their original goal for pledges was $10,000 — a modest amount considering they’ve raised roughly $30,000 so far.

“Travel is an education, and I hope I’ll someday be able to say, like Melville, that a bicycle was my Yale and my Harvard,” one of the brothers said in an article.

Thanks for continuing to push forward!

Photo via http://www.cycling-rentals.com

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Posted in Seattle | No Comments »

Surge in Seattle’s cycling population

December 10th, 2009 by chelsea

When it comes to commuting, Seattleites prefer two wheels to four.

At least that’s what a study from the Seattle Department of Transportation shows. Since 2007, 15 percent more people are hopping on their bike than in their car to head downtown, according to an article in the Seattle Post Intelligencer. The one-day study counted 2,609 cyclists commuting into downtown — from 6:30 a.m. until 9 a.m.

For the department of transportation, the surge in cycling is just one more step toward its goal of creating a more sustainable, efficient downtown area. With more people on their bikes, the two-way flow of traffic in the downtown core should be smoother, said Dale Sperling, a member of the Commute Seattle board, in the department’s report.

Slow and steady wins the race.


Photo via Bikehugger.com


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Posted in Seattle | No Comments »

Portland business founds sustainable novelty: Christmas trees by bike

December 8th, 2009 by chelsea

In Portland, it’s a white Christmas turned green.

TreesByBike is a man-powered operation to get you your Christmas tree on time delivered in a sustainable ride. The business went live last month and can bring you mammoth 8-foot Douglas firs for just $40, according to an article in The Oregonian.

Through Dec. 24, TreesByBike will service the Portland and Beaverton areas to help create a greener Christmas. “TreesbyBike means a lot to me because it is consumer-based, but it’s taking a small stance,” said founder Max Kirchoff. “I’m not an extremist, but I try to do what I can.”

Maybe next year they’ll offer decorating services.



Photo by TreesByBike



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San Francisco company replaces training wheels with ‘Gyrowheel’

November 26th, 2009 by chelsea

Training wheels may have met their match — a San Francisco company’s “Gyrowheel” is a single wheel guaranteed by the laws of physics to help kids maintain their balance and keep moving.

GyroBike’s wheel essentially serves as a gentle reminder to stay upright, an article in The Los Angeles Times said. Inside the wheel is a small disk that uses a “gyroscope procession,” spinning quickly to counteract the rider’s wobbling and keep him or her the bike. “It simulates fast riding at low speeds,” said Ashleigh Harris, GyroBike’s marketing director in the article.

The company will release the wheel Dec. 1 for $99.95 — a great Christmas gift for 10-year-olds still struggling to maneuver their bikes. Most kids learned to ride a bicycle in just an hour from the Gyrowheel, Harris said in the article.

We’d love to give it a test run!


Photo from GyroBike


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Posted in San Francisco | No Comments »

Burgerville lets Portlanders cycle through drive-thru

September 10th, 2009 by chelsea

It’s a good thing bicycles have drink carriers because Burgerville is opening its drive-thru to cyclists.

Now the Vancouver-based chain is not just supporting the Northwest economically with its locally sourced ingredients, it’s also celebrating the region’s eco-friendly culture.

Before, Burgerville let its general managers decide if and how they would serve their bicycle-riding customers, according to an article in the Oregonian. “It’s a brilliant example of how to be responsive to consumers,” Sarah Gilbert, a cyclist and Burgerville customer, said. “Most policies against bicycles are based on baseless fears of phantom liability.”

Now, how to eat and cycle on the go?

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Posted in Portland | No Comments »