UL: DIY box fan filters are probably safe

Published / by Richard Masoner / 1 Comment on UL: DIY box fan filters are probably safe

You’ve seen the formula: 20 inch box fan ($30) + 20 inch furnace filter ($10) + duct tape ($5) = a quick, effective, DIY home air purifier for under $50. How effective are they? I measured my homebrew filter (made with a MERV11 filter), and it dropped the indoor air quality AQI from 57 to […]

Public comments open for Santa Cruz Rail Trail Segment 12 Draft EIR

Published / by Richard Masoner / Leave a Comment

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) will hold a public hearing to solicit community input on the Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment (DEIR/EA) for the proposed Coastal Rail Trail Segment 12 Project and Highway 1 Auxiliary Lane/Bus-on-Shoulder project. The proposed project includes construction of northbound and southbound auxiliary lanes between the State Park […]

Caltrans “complete streets” update and new draft design guidance open for public comment

Published / by Richard Masoner / Leave a Comment

Caltrans HQ is proposing new design guidance (titled DIB-94) related to “complete streets” to make design for walking and biking on certain state routes easier to accomplish. These proposed changes hopefully will allow Caltrans to use updated standards for vehicle lane widths, shoulder requirements, and bike lane widths that are not part of the Highway […]

The Jiangsu Snail and their solar powered scooter

Published / by Richard Masoner / 1 Comment on The Jiangsu Snail and their solar powered scooter

Welcome to the blog that discovers the cycling-adjacent weird and wonderful tidbits as I walk the aisles of the Sea Otter Classic 2023 Expo. Today, I talked with the two representatives of Jiangsu Snail Zhixing Technology Co.,LtdĀ , which manufactures solar-powered scooters. Photovoltaic panels cover the front and the deck of this scooter, which I’m told […]

What if Taco Bell and State Bicycle did a brand collaboration?

Published / by Richard Masoner / Leave a Comment

I don’t usually like to republish press releases without editing, but this brand collab is too good to not pass along. I’m at the Sea Otter Festival 2023 where I’ll look for State’s Taco Bell goodies. Taco Bell is joining forces with Arizona-based bicycle company, State Bicycle Co., to bring the heat with a new […]

Diamondback updates Haanjo gravel bikes

Published / by Richard Masoner / Leave a Comment

Diamondback will exhibit their updated Haanjo gravel bikes at the Sea Otter Classic 2023 taking place this week in Monterey, California. The models range from entry level commuter bikes to fully-featured, carbon do-it-all gravel bikes, that Diamondback says excel on both road and dirt. A major part of the redesign includes changing the axle-to-crown length […]