Month: August 2011

Open discussion: Bicycle access on trains

stevevanceAugust 4, 20114 Comments on Open discussion: Bicycle access on trains

I wrote a post on my new blog, Grid Chicago, about bicycle access on transit in Chicagoland. It’s that metropolitan area with Chicago, Illinois, as a hub and reaches to a small part of southeast Wisconsin and northwest Indiana. We’ve got Metra trains (like Caltrain), and Chicago Transit Authority trains (like BART and Muni underground lines).

There are definitely ways to improve getting bikes on trains over here, and I opened up the discussion to readers to suggest improvements. I’m going to record everyone’s comments into a database so that when it comes time to push the transit agencies to make changes, we’ll know where to start.

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Posted In advocacy | chicago | transit | transportation
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Good Enough Just Got Better

Biking VikingAugust 4, 2011Leave a Comment

For over a year now I have been eying a wheelset upgrade for the roadie commuter, but could never justify the expense while the existing wheelset was rolling just fine (stock Alex R500’s). Performance has always had a great price on their well-reviewed and popular Forte Titan wheels, but I always miss a sale or have another expense to attend to. Last weekend Performance was letting these babies go for $140 a pair, with $25 off for orders over $150, and I needed a chain tool. Perfect. The shop trued them for me and I went home and mounted them immediately. (more…)

Posted In colorado | commuting | review

Retrogrouch charity components

Richard MasonerAugust 3, 20117 Comments on Retrogrouch charity components

One Street’s Social Bike Business program tackles pervasive poverty through bicycle-related jobs. The Social Bike Business program helps local leaders establish their own local training centers where they can train and employ impoverished locals to design, manufacture and distribute affordable, quality transportation bicycles to people in need.

Each local program begins by refurbishing used bikes, and it’s during this initial stage they encounter the extinction of basic and inexpensive bike parts.

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