Dust off your fenders Bay Area

Happy Monday, all. Yet another gorgeously warm and sunny day , but we finally have significant rain on the way to Northern California. Wednesday may begin dry, but we’ll have one to two inches of rain throughout the San Francisco Bay Area along with gusty winds so be prepared for your evening commute. Another storm is on the way Friday and Saturday.

Bike goodies under the photo of the Google handlebar grips, and then a short essay on gender inequality in bike advocacy.



The best way to get around in the Sochi Olympic Village is by bike, as shown in this gallery of bike riding Olympic athletes. H/T to Kim.

Weird video from Surly hints at an update for the Karate Monkey, while Dirt Rag Mag teases us about new fat bike from Surly called the Ice Cream Truck.

A modular passenger / cargo bike / trike design. Via JCT Design.

Slide in / Slide out Bicycle Shed.

Bike share on the way to Seattle.

Essay: What riding a bike taught me about prejucide, poverty and designed exclusion.

Commuting and the penalty of being poor and black in Chicago.

Walking across the street is a crime in Austin, Texas.

Why clearing sidewalks isn’t a priority like clearing streets after a snowstorm.

I’ve got a set of Revolights City Wheels. I planned to post a review this week but I think I’ll wait to see how they handle the coming rain storm. I’ll tell you right off that they are freaking amazing so far. I love them.

Sexim and bikes

You’ll find several photos of skinny white girls on bikes on these pages. I didn’t think much about it beyond that it’s harmless link bait. I think this comic about “cycle chic” from Bikeyface was the first one that made me think “Hmmm…, maybe ogling sweet young things on bikes isn’t so nice after all.”


So Ladies

I’m guilty of all of the sexist microaggressions listed in Echo’s thoughtful post about gender inequality in bike advocacy and bike marketing. I am a man but I can change (if I have to, as the Possum Lodge Man’s Prayer says), Since I’ve seen Bikeface’s commentary about Cycle Chic, I’ve consciously worked to shoot photos of people on bikes who might not fit the standard Scandinavian standard of a leggy blond exuding youth and vitality.


Diversity in bike events

Mikael Colville-Andersen’s Cycle Chic has worked to popularize and normalize cycling for those who wouldn’t dream of dressing up in athletic gear, and that’s a good thing. It’s time, however, to also encourage cycling for people with all body shapes and sizes. Riding a bike isn’t just for the uber fit, for the young, or for those with Viking forebears.

And now that we’re done here, I encourage you to go read Echo’s essay encouraging bike advocates to try harder and do better at inclusiveness.

After that, go look for your fenders and mount them to your bike. I’m a big fan of and can easily recommend the popular SKS Racerblade Long for road bikes. Mounts easily and quickly and fits on most typical road style bicycles.

2 Comments

  1. I remember seeing the photo you took of the gentleman above on a prior post and thinking to myself that it was so nice to see the body of someone who isn’t a stereotypical representation of a cyclist. He looks happy, and he’s enjoying his ride. Being a larger-than-normal bodied person myself, who rides regularly, it sometimes feels as though I am an outcast or a minority within what is already a very small group here in the U.S. I KNOW there are others who are larger and ride bikes regularly – I see them with my own eyes on the streets – but they don’t seem to be represented in magazines, blogs, and the like, so I appreciate you taking the time to be aware of your own thoughts/actions/etc, and for sharing this post.

    Thanks for the link to Echo’s site and post as well. It was very thoughtful and well written – and something for many of us to really think about within the cycling community.

  2. So the cycle chic book inspired me to ride a bike (again). I loved seeing people in normal clothes on bikes The book is bit more diverse than the blog. But I am also, not the stereotypical type. Size 14 30-something black woman here.

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