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Cyclists getting attacked and robbed, once again. (Sept. 2013)

Cyclists are being clothes-lined and robbed in Riverside Park this week
(from New York Magazine)


Bicyclists: Watch Out for Riverside Park Tripwires

By Adam Martin (New York Magazine)

In a rather startling series of robberies in Riverside Park, thieves have apparently used a tripwire to knock down bicyclists and rob them. But the tripwire trap has a tell: A rope lying across the bike path that thieves pull taught in order to clothesline the rider. Police think the same gang also robbed a bicyclist by simply ambushing him from behind some bushes. So if you see any misplaced bits of rope, or suspicious shrubbery, probably best to avoid them.

Cyclists are one of the more vulnerable crime targets in the city.  In the city, one travels at speeds and distances similar to a car, so it’s tempting (and easy) to ride into shady neighborhoods at all times of the day and night where one might normally never walk but might normally drive or bike.  (A great example are the areas around the Brooklyn Navy Yard, including the area east of the Manhattan Bridge’s Bklyn anchorage where there’s a beautiful bike path on a road in the midst of projects.)  A cyclist is frequently carrying — riding — in one’s possession, and in plain sight, something of obviously high value — their bike.  And riders take predictable routes, which makes them predictable prey and an easy target to ambush: it’s a bike lane, it’s only a matter of time before a mark comes along; a pedestrian might simply stay away from the neighborhood, or change directions or the side of the street they’re on if they see bad guys up ahead, but a cyclist may be forced to stay on the road, or on a particular side of the road, or may not be able to turn around so quickly, or may have no other route besides “straight ahead.” In a car, you can just drive through, assuming the punks haven’t hidden an IED along the road.

Then there’s the demographic of cyclists: they’re soft, easy, unarmed targets.  They are usually hippies, or yuppies, hard-working ordinary people, practical, just trying to get to work, or the dentist, or home, or the whatever.  And they’re unlikely to be armed: what cyclist is going to carry the weight of a weapon, or a crow bar, or a big f*ing stick, or a knife and risk being poked (or shot) by it as you ride?  And what, you’re going to get off your bike, your best means of quickly running away, and try and use a weapon?  Drive-by shootings I’ve heard of; bicycling-by shootings sounds like something only Conan O’Brien could stage.

For decades, and probably centuries, there are stories of punks swinging bats and sticks at cyclists and knocking them off their bikes, throwing rocks (and food and water balloons and bottles and spit), spreading tacks on bike paths, jumping cyclists at red lights, etc.  This week, we have assholes laying down a “trip wire” that they pull up to neck level when the cyclist comes close, injuring the cyclist, and then robbing them, presumably of their bike, but maybe of their clothes as well.  How very 15th century.

So this is pretty fucked up and disheartening.  It’s just one more thing we deal with as city cyclists.  If it’s not pedestrians walking on bike paths or into the paths of bikes; or debris in bike lanes; or motorists driving distracted, drunk, drugged, disconcerted, half-dead or generally driving dangerously; and if it’s not other cyclists ignoring traffic laws and generally riding like idiots; then it’s street punks trying to fill the vacuum in their hearts by injuring people, why not a cyclist.  There are days I really get tired of this.  I’m just trying to get where I’m trying to go.

Look out for random ropes and strings along the ground.  Look out when riding by bushes near the side of the path.  Look out for people milling about or who seem like they may be the “look outs” for a gang.

What is city hall and law enforcement doing about this?  Are our city council members interested in or informed about crimes against cyclists and their seriousness?  Do the police have strategies for fighting these crimes?  And where’s Batman?  Generally, I’ve seen nothing to make me believe city government is on the case, but I’d like to be wrong about that.

And I’m rather disappointed that even the New York Mag article makes it sound softer than it really is.  They call it a trip wire.  It’s not a trip wire.  It’s a “clothes line,” a rope pulled up to body or neck level.  Even if it’s simply up to the level of the bike wheels, it will result in the cyclist being thrown in an endo, skull first over his/her handlebars.  This can cripple or kill a person, not merely trip them and cause a broken wrist.  What, if NY Mag publishes something alarmist about crimes against cyclists, people will stop looking at the ads on their web site?

(Did I swear here?  If so, I beg your pardon.  But I think swearing may be appropriate when an innocent person’s neck is on the line.)

What plans do the mayoral candidates have to decrease crimes against cyclists?  I haven’t heard a position on this — or on bicycling — from any of them.  No surprise.  As a voting block, we don’t have a check book, so, should they care what we think?  I think they should.

So, what can you do to help?  Don’t just sit there, don’t just ride.  Get involved in the political machinations of our society.  Tell your political representatives what you think.  Write your council members, write those who are running for city council in your district, write those who are running for mayor.  Apply to serve on your community board.  Join Transportation Alternatives and/or Times Up and donate some volunteer hours.  Run for City Council.

How to do it?  Your first step is to click here:
http://transalt.org/getinvolved/neighborhood

Stay safe and get involved in bicycling advocacy,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2013 Robert Matson

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This will be trouble: CitiBike bike racks prove they make great…city bike racks.

CitiBike enthusiasts find common ground with city bike enthusiasts: “CitiBikeRacks” are great places to lock up a bike.

New York City has been slow to install sufficient numbers of bike racks.  Now, in several fell swoops — and after over 400 community board meetings — the CitiBikeRacks have been installed all over South Manhattan and North Brooklyn.  However, ordinary city cyclists still need ordinary city bike racks.

Problem solved, hardly.
This evening at the Bike to Work party hosted by Transportation Alternatives we saw a future battle that will be played out here in NYC, between CitiCyclists and city cyclists.  Visitors to the party had claimed every pole-like object within 200 yards of the party.  Some, unable to find nearby bike parking, saw the CitiBikeRacks and must have thought “Hey, a bike rack” and locked up their bikes there.  As long as your chain was long enough, the CitiRacks worked perfectly.  (I tried, but my chain wasn’t long enough.)

Attention New York City Department of Transportation: start installing large numbers of ordinary bike racks for everyday cyclists.  Otherwise, the CitiBikeRacks will be full of ordinary bikes and CitiBikers will be unable to use them for their intended purpose: to return bikes.  I wonder if this doesn’t also herald a certain class consciousness among cyclists: CitiCyclists who don’t own bikes, or who are tourists, or who are occasional riders, and who will be readily identifiable by their cute blue bikes and harder-core city cyclists who own their own bikes and commute beyond the horizons of the CitiBike program.

The City needs public bike racks that provide secure bike parking, in large numbers, in all neighborhoods.

I applaud the bike share program, but we’ve jumped forward with it without also massively expanding bike parking and that may create problems.

Idea: install more city bike racks, sell ad space on those racks, and apply the revenue to improving bicycle infrastructure.

How YOU can increase bicycle parking in your neighborhood: help install a bike corral.

Bike corrals are rows of [New York] CityRacks installed in the curbside lane of the street instead of on the sidewalk. This design is a great solution for places where demand for bicycle parking outstrips the available sidewalk space. Anyone can request a bike corral but every bike corral needs a maintenance partner to keep the bike corral clear of snow and debris.

This website at the NYC Dept. of Transportation gives the skinny on bike corrals: how to apply, a link to a downloadable application, locations of completed bike corrals, and a list of bike corral community board presentations.

Nothing will improve unless YOU get involved.

Just CityRide,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2013 Robert Matson

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“Fun, Fast, and Far: Confessions of a Recumbent Bicyclist.” May 3 at Bike Expo New York

“Fun, Fast, and Far: Confessions of a Recumbent Bicyclist.” May 3 at Bike Expo New York

Description:
Is a recumbent bike in your future?  If you hope to ride happily for ever after, then perhaps you should consider it.  Robert Matson, a recumbent bicyclist and the owner of New York City Recumbent Supply, plans to separate out truth from fiction — as it concerns recumbents — and help injured and middle-aged cyclists discover that biking wickedly fast and unbelievably far is not only still possible but it is also still a heck of a lot of fun.

Start:__May 3, 2013 4:00 pm
End:____May 3, 2013 5:00 pm

Venue:__Bike Expo New York Learning Zone 2

Where:__Pier 36, 299 South Street, Basketball City, New York, NY
Located along the East River at South Street and Montgomery Street

FREE and open to the public

Bike Expo NY Hours
Friday May 3, 2013 (10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.)
Saturday, May 4 2013 (9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.)

If you drop by, be sure to say hello.

Have fun, ride far, ride fast,

Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2013 Robert Matson

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Using Amtrak to start a tour in the Northeast (bikes onboard)

Matthew Hopkins’ Street Machine Gte ready for re-assembly during his 30,000 mile Pan American tour.
Photo: M. Hopkins

If you’re like 7,500,000 other New Yorkers, you don’t own a car.  Good for you.  However, it also means that when you want to start a bike tour in the region, it is a challenge to get to the start.  You can begin riding from The City, but that requires 85 or so of urban miles before you’re singing country roads.  If your aim is to ride something like Adventure Cycling’s “Adirondack Park Loop,” it’ll be a few days of riding before you’re even on their map, in Niskayuna, near Albany.

Enter Amtrak.

Amtrak train service may not always run on time, but it will take you and your bike to the Adirondacks, or the Green Mountains, or Montreal… and that’s a pretty darn good start for a trip in the northeast. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as simply wheeling your bike onboard. This is doubly-true if your wheels-of-choice are recumbent. Your bike has to fit within Amtrak’s baggage policy.

Amtrak’s baggage policy as it concerns bicycles and bicycle trailers:

These are the rules as of April 2, 2013.  The source for this information is Amtrak’s publication entitled “Baggage Policy” and their website.  To verify anything you read here — and you should, in case the information changes between the time I wrote this and the time you travel — contact Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL (800-872-7245) or check Amtrak’s “Bring Your Bicycle Onboard” page. There are ongoing changes in Amtrak policy regarding bikes onboard, so be sure to check their website.

(As an alternative to Amtrak, there are regional bus lines that offer service to further flung towns. However, the bent-riding Bo or Belle may still find butt-busting barriers to get his/her bike on board that bus starting with “got your bike in a bag?” That said, I’ve recently heard from friends who put their bike in the bus’ luggage hold without any trouble whatsoever. Who knows. Best: just put it in a bag or box.)

Bicycles carried onboard: 50 lbs limit.  Standard bicycle sizes apply.
Bicycles checked as baggage: 50 lbs. limit and 70″x41″x8.5″
Includes bicycles, bike trailers and folding bikes.

Requirements:
– Bicycles/bicycle trailers may be checked in a bicycle container for $10.00, in lieu of a piece of baggage. Bicycle boxes are sold at most staffed locations for $15.00 per box. Customers may supply their own bicycle container.
– Folding bicycles under the dimensions of 34″ x 15″ x 48″/860 x 380 x 1120 mm will be allowed onboard all trains in lieu of a piece of baggage. They must be considered a true folding bicycle.
– Full-size bicycles may be carried on certain trains with designated walk-on bicycle service. Bicycles must be stowed in the designated space within the body of the car. Reservations may be made online or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL (800-872-7245).
– Passengers utilizing the walk-on bicycle service, where bikes are carried on select trains by the passenger and stored in designated areas, must be able to fully handle their bicycle, and be able to lift their bicycle to shoulder height. Passengers are responsible for stowage and security of bicycles.
– Recumbent, tandem and special bicycles over the standard bicycle dimensions and will not fit in a standard bicycle box are prohibited.

Folding Bikes Brought Aboard as Carry-On Baggage
Folding bicycles may be brought aboard certain passenger cars as carry-on baggage. Only true folding bicycles (bicycles specifically designed to fold up into a compact assembly) are acceptable. Generally, these bikes have frame latches allowing the frame to be collapsed, and small wheels. Regular bikes of any size, with or without wheels, are not considered folding bikes, and may not be stored as folding bikes aboard trains.

You must fold up your folding bicycle before boarding the train. You may store the bike only in luggage storage areas at the end of the car (or, in Superliners, on the lower level). You may not store bikes in overhead racks.
Grasshopper fx folding recumbent bike almost ready to go on Amtrak
If you ride an HP Velotechnik Grasshopper fx, here are your folded dimensions:
(length x width x height):

38″ x 20″ x 28″ (96 cm x 50 cm x 70 cm) with under seat steering
38″ x 24″ x 28″ (96 cm x 60 cm x 70 cm) with above seat steering

New York City Recumbent Supply sells an Amtrak version Grasshopper fx

New York City Recumbent Supply sells a version of the Grasshopper fx that fits within the Amtrak size restrictions of 34″ x 15″ x 48″ (86 x 38 x 112 cm).

Please note: When traveling on Amtrak, be fully cooperative with the train staff always, even if you don’t like what they say.  If they don’t allow you to take a bike on-board, leave the train and take it up with the customer service people. Do not become belligerent; it won’t help you get your bike on-board; it’ll ruin access for cyclists; and it’ll tell me that I should not publish a cool tips like this on my website.

 

HP Velotechnik Street Machine Gte ready for Amtrak. Photo: M. Hopkins

 

Bicycles in Checked Baggage
Bicycles may be checked on Amtrak between all cities where checked baggage is offered. Not all trains have baggage cars and not all stations are equipped to handle checked baggage. Also, you as a passenger may not be able to travel on the same train as your bike (see wrinkle, below).
– The fee for checking a bike as baggage is $10.00. This is subject to change without notice.
– Check your bicycle at the station at least an hour before departure.
– Bicycles must be partially disassembled to fit in an Amtrak bicycle box. For standard frame bikes, loosen and turn the handlebars sideways and remove the pedals. Amtrak does not supply tools for disassembly. Most recumbents will require a lot more disassembly. And, though it’ll be easier to fit a short wheelbase recumbent in a standard bike box than a long wheelbase bent, neither is a sure bet. Try packing it at home before trying it at the station.- It may be helpful to disassemble and reassemble your bike before your trip to avoid any surprises. Some parts may be especially difficult to remove.- Attach your name and address to the box.
Note: Expedition cyclist Matthew Hopkins, who also has 20-years experience as a bike mechanic, dropped by NYC Recumbent Supply during his 30,000 mile Pan American tour. He found the Amtrak bike box far too small for his HP Velotechnik Street Machine Gte (he commented that the Amtrak box seems too small for a fixie).  He packed his Street Machine in an airline bike box to take it onto the train.

Here is the wrinkle. It is not convenient. And your bike may travel separately from you.

The train with the baggage car may be unable to carry you as a passenger along with your bike. In this case, the train will take your baggage (your bike) but it will not take you. You will need to take a different train. Amtrak will be carrying your bike as if it were delivering a package. (This is true at the time of writing. The rules may change. Verify trip details with Amtrak.)
Example. You want to go from New York City to Albany and start riding from there.  Both NYC and Albany have checked baggage service because there is one particular daily train that runs this route and has a baggage car, however NYC passengers will not be discharged from that train in Albany. Your bike will be discharged, but not you.
These trains have baggage cars and therefore provide checked baggage service between NYC and Albany:
Train #49 leaves New York City every day at 3:40pm and arrives in Albany at 6:20pm. It will take your bike to Albany (but not you).
Train #48 leaves Albany every day at 3:50pm, arrives NYC at 6:35pm. This is how you get your bike back home.
In NYC, you will put your bike in a box and put it on train #49. Then you will buy yourself a ticket for a different “commuter” train that will take you from NYC to Albany. In Albany, you will pick up your bike at the Baggage Department, reassemble it, and start riding.
Coming back, you will put your bike in a box on train #48, then buy yourself a ticket on a different train that will take you to NYC, and there you will reclaim your bike from the Baggage Department.
Baggage handling fee: $10.  Bike box: $15.
NYC Baggage Department hours: 5:15am-9:45pm
Albany Baggage Department hours: 6am-11:30pm
Long Wheelbase Recumbents and Tandems in Checked Baggage
Your bike has to go into a bike box and fall within Amtrak’s dimensions for checked baggage. If your favorite bent is longer than the dimensions, which may often be the case with long wheelbase bents, install bicycle torque couplings so you can split it into two pieces. A good brand is S and S Couplings. Hire your best local frame builder to install them. If the separated bike still doesn’t fit into one box, then pack it into two boxes and pay for the extra box. I’ve had a few bikes in the shop with S and S Couplings and I recommend them.
Amtrak Stations in the Northeast that have Checked Baggage Service
 

New York
Albany-Rensselaer
Buffalo-Depew
New York City
Rochester
Schenectady
Syracuse
Utica
(The Metro North has additional options)

Massachusetts
Boston
Springfield
Worcester

Connecticut
New Haven
(The Metro North has additional options)

New Jersey
Newark
(New Jersey Transit provides more options)

Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh

Rhode Island
Providence

District of Columbia
Washington

Walk-On Bicycle Services

The following Amtrak trains have walk-on bike service.
Number of Spots Reservations Required Checked Service Available Bicycle Fee**
Amtrak Cascades* (British Columb., Wash., Oregon) 10 per train Yes Select Stations $5
Capitol Corridor (Calif.) 6 per train No No —
San Joaquin (Calif.) 6 per train No Select Stations —
Pacific Surfliner (Calif.) 6 per train No Select Stations —
Downstate Illinois Services (Illinois) 4 per train Yes No $10
Missouri River Runner (Missouri) 4 per train Yes No $10
Downeaster
From Boston (North Station) to Brunswick, Maine		 8 per train Yes No $5
Piedmont (North Carolina) 6 per train Yes No —
Bicycles Stored Onboard in Bicycle Racks
Reserve Space Early
For trains with reserved bicycle space, bicycle racks may be reserved when booking travel; service fees may apply. Tickets must be supplied when tickets are collected onboard.
Secure Your Bike
Passengers are responsible for supplying their own cords and locking devices.
Specially Designated Spaces Only
Bicycles must be stored in the designated racks. For trains with unreserved walk-on bicycle service, racks are available on a first-come, first-served basis. When the racks are full, bikes will no longer be accepted onboard.
Liability
Amtrak disclaims liability for loss of or damage to bicycles carried onboard and stored in bike racks.Bicycles on Amtrak Express
Regular bicycles and unicycles may be shipped on Amtrak Express. Bicycles are generally exempt from Amtrak Express size requirements.
~ ~ ~Have fun, stay healthy, and go out and ride some Green or White Mountains or the ‘Daks,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2013 Robert Matson
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Staying strong through winter, ready for summer.

It can be a challenge to stay strong over the winter, especially if you live in an area where winter cycling means riding short and frantic trips on studded tires while wearing windproof underwear, multiple layers of wool under wind jackets, insulated boots, and neoprene Glacier Gloves. And still freezing.

The tendancy is for riders to get strong over the summer, reach a peak in the fall, and then loose much of their conditioning over the winter. For me, as it concerns my recumbent muscles, this is definitely true. To combat this, a strategy is to incorporate exercises into one’s exercise routine that, at minimum, keep those muscles active so the body remembers why it needs to spend precious energy to maintain them.

My own exercise routine won’t work for everyone, but it may help you generate ideas on how to stay in shape over the winter so that, once spring comes, you don’t have to spend the first three months building up strength so you can — dare I say it? — ride a recumbent up a steep hill.

Maintain your summer body weight

First and foremost, over the cold winter months, when you’re craving sweet and high-fat foods to keep your body warm, try not to add a layer of warm, cozy fat. Maintain your summer weight. It’s incredibly difficult to lose fat once you gain it, so don’t.

Another aspect of this is that a large proportion of recumbent riders are middle-aged and as we age, our metabolisms generally slow down, we get cold more easily and it gets harder to lose the weight we gain.

When it’s cold out, and your body feels chilled, your instinct is to eat, both because you need energy to stay warm, but your body also wants a layer of fat to keep comfortable in the chill air. If you’re like me, you’re more than happy to oblige with two or three cups of organic hot chocolate with added organic heavy cream from grass fed cows. Uh oh. But there’s a way to trick the body into thinking it’s already warm and comfortable and needs no extra layer of fat. This may help you (me) keep it to just one cup of hot cocoa a day. A trick I use is to wear what is essentially an artificial, removable layer of fat: long johns. I wear a merino wool base layer, top and bottoms, more or less every day during the cold, wet months, from November through March. I’m wearing a base layer anyway when I ride down to the pool in the morning (see below), so I just leave it on the rest of the day. I also sometimes wear a hat while I work.

Another trick is to eat hot meals as often as possible. The classics are soups and stews. These help you stay warm without relying on sugars. And it goes without saying, eat your vegetables. Root vegetables are at their best during the winter and so are greens like kale. Go heavy on them. You can also go heavy on nuts like walnuts, which have loads of highly nutritious fats. Avoid sugar except when you’re expending huge amounts of energy for example while you’re active and outside.

Keep up a winter exercise routine

I probably spend more time swimming than cycling. Fortunately, it’s a sport I can do all winter long and it keeps me fit for just about any other sport I frequently do, which is mostly cycling, skiing, running, and hiking. The trouble with swimming is that it doesn’t work the same leg muscles as cycling. That’s also a good thing: cross-training saves the body from overuse injuries.

Here’s my exercise routine, on a normal day:
4:45am up and at ’em; fumble around in a haze; eat a light breakfast; put on shoes.
~5:15 bicycle (usually on a recumbent) a half-hour down to the pool or else jog/walk 45 min.* to the pool.
~5:45 stretch, short pilates workout
6:00 swim (typically an individual medley workout)
~7:15/7:30 stretch, pilates, jump rope
8:00 bike a half-hour — or jog/walk 45 min. — back home.
8:30 breakfast
9:00 begin work

(*My jogging/walking route takes a direct, nearly crow-flies route from home to the pool. My cycling route has less car traffic, but is far less direct. I also stop for red lights, which slows me down considerably.)

After that, any errands, any commuting, everything I need to do out in the city I do by bicycle. I consider that  element of the day’s exercise icing on the cake (please forgive the sugar and butter metaphor).

If I miss my swimming workout (for example, if I’m up late the previous night), I’ll either run for one to one and a half hours, or do a high-intensity biking workout, or do a rowing workout on my Concept II rowing ergometer. The erg has been with me for over two decades. Highly recommended.

Key elements of the workout as it concerns biking.

Obviously, the swimming is the main workout; it’s great, low-impact cardio. It’s fun. I enjoy seeing my teammates on my U.S. Masters team. I like the challenge of the individual medley, which is my event of choice. And there’s little chance of being hit by a car while I’m exercising.

The benefits of the jog/walk probably don’t have to be explained though it may be useful to specify that I alternate walking and jogging when I go to the pool by foot. I don’t jog the whole way. There are a few reasons for this. First, I’m taking cement sidewalks, which are hard on the body, so the walking segments give my body a necessary break. Secondly, I no longer train as a runner and don’t wish to inflict that on my body, so the jog/walk gives me speed for a quick foot-based commute, without stress — I can make it as hard or easy as I like by increasing/decreasing how much and how fast I jog. Thirdly, I’m still stiff at that hour and I use this foot-based commute as my warm-up so, by the time I’m at the pool, I’m really ready to go. A fourth benefit is that running, more than swimming or cycling, is really unforgiving of excess body weight so it firmly reminds you of why you want to keep down your weight.

The stretching. It’s necessary for helping you avoid or minimize injuries. And it becomes more necessary as you get older because — yes, as you get older, you get stiffer — but mainly it’s preventative: it takes a really long time to recover from injuries as you age.

Jumping rope. This is the primary way I remind my legs to stay strong for biking. This is also how I push my max heart rate to again, remind my heart and lungs why they have to stay strong. My rope workout isn’t particularly fancy, but I do something like a Tabata workout, alternating sprints with slower jumping and alternating one-legged jumping with two-legged jumping to keep it interesting. Maybe that sounds fancy.

And the biking part of it? Not really a key element. It’s too short and easy to count for much, but it does serve a little to remind my cycling muscles why they exist. Sometimes I’ll add a few miles around Prospect Park when I head home, sometimes loaded with groceries from the Park Slope Food Coop. The park includes a hill, but normally the cycling part of my morning routine is purely practical; it’s just commuting and, though better than nothing, I’m going too slowly for it to feel like exercise.

Have fun, stay healthy, stay in shape,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

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Casey Neistat Videos: Stealing bikes and bike lane tickets

Casey Neistat has created some great bike videos.

Stealing bikes in NYC.
Funny video and he makes his point, but I’d like to see all the same scenarios with a “real” lock, like an Abus Granite or Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit.  Does anyone who rides beyond the month of May really use such a flimsy lock and chain?  I don’t think so.

Getting ticketed for not riding in the bike lane. (What?)
Well done. (Fight the ticket).

Join Transportation Alternatives and advocate for better bicycling,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2013 Robert Matson

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Bike Clubs in the New York Metro Area that Recumbent Riders May Enjoy.

A note about riding with groups and clubs:

Bent riders need to be particularly attentive and careful on group rides.  Recumbents handle differently than standard frames (SF), with different turning radiuses and different speeds on the hills, making your riding behavior hard to predict by SF riders.  This has created a perception that bent-riders may be prone to cause accidents on group rides.  Also, from the low position, speaking personally, I find it hard to see beyond the riders around me.  I generally recommend bents stay either a few bike lengths ahead of any pack, or a few lengths behind.  Bent riders shouldn’t request or expect special treatment just because we’re riding a recumbent; like any other participant on the ride, we need to be able to join in the conversation, keep up with the group and complete the ride.

If you’re unsure if you have the skills or strength for a group ride that interests you, call or write and speak with the ride leader in advance.  And then, if you show up (or if you ride for a while and aren’t fitting in well with the group) and the leader asks you not to participate on the ride, be nice and cooperative.  It may be a frustrating experience to be sent off on your own, but the time to change club or leader policies is not on the day of the ride.  More likely the time for that is at a club meeting.  Better yet, volunteer to be a leader and begin leading your own bent rides.

Please post or e-mail me with any clubs or list-servs you believe should be added.

MARS (Metro Area Recumbent Society)
The home page is stale, but the e-mail list is active and worth joining.  MARS members arrange rides on a casual basis, when someone feels like leading.  Pioneers of human powered vehicle design are on the e-mail list, so it’s an interesting group.

Meet-up Group: New York City Recumbent Riders
Rides are organized a few times a year, sometimes in conjunction with the Appalachian Mountain Club.  Last-minute rides are posted when there’s interest.  This is a new meet-up with a small, but growing membership.

The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC)
Robert Matson (hi) leads bike trips for the AMC from time to time.  His trips range from one to twelve days and recumbents are welcome.  Riders must be strong, have bikes in good condition, and bring all their own food and gear.  Routes are chosen for beauty and destination and not for easy riding.  There are a range of AMC rides with other leaders at varying levels of difficulty.  Leaders are volunteers; the AMC is a non-profit.

Five Borough Bicycle Club
“New York City’s friendliest bike club” is bent-friendly as well.
On their website they write: “Whether you are new to cycling, a commuter seeking new adventures, or an avid cyclist, we have rides for you. Quite simply, when you ride with the 5BBC, you ride with friends.”
Better yet, they offer training to those interested in becoming a 5BBC ride leader.

New York Cycle Club

New York’s hard core bike club. Historically, NYCC has discouraged bent riders on almost all group rides.  However, if — and that’s a big if — you’re a highly skilled and strong rider with group riding experience, there are opportunities.  Mainly, their appeal to bent riders is they have the area’s greatest ride library, they are active in cycling advocacy and they host excellent events.  There are usually bents on their big public rides like Escape from New York.  I’m a member and I support them because they are a world-class cycle club.  I ride with them a few times a year.

Westchester Cycle Club
“Open to everyone.”

Randonneurs USA

From the website: “Randonneuring is long-distance unsupported endurance cycling. This style of riding is non-competitive in nature, and self-sufficiency is paramount. When riders participate in randonneuring events, they are part of a long tradition that goes back to the beginning of the sport of cycling in France and Italy. Friendly camaraderie, not competition, is the hallmark of randonneuring.”
Self-explanatory.

PA Randonneurs

PA refers to Pennsylvania.  The website summarizes their mission: “Organizing long distance, endurance bicycle events in the Eastern Pennsylvania Region.”


Have fun, ride far, ride with friends,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson
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Wind chill, warm hands and telemagenta Speed Machines.

Reckless abandon
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wind
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chill

Let’s talk about wind chill.  When you ride a bike, you create wind and, on a cold day, that results in wind chill, which means immobile hands and numb feet.

It’s January.  You’re stir crazy.  It’s cold but the roads are clear and dry.  And you’re thoroughly jazzed about the new telemagenta HP Velotechnik Speed Machine you bought yourself for [insert your winter gift-giving holiday here] from New York City Recumbent Supply :-).

You put on your coat and hat and gloves and head out for an early morning ride to Nyack.  Eventually, the day’s high will be 25 degrees fahrenheit but it’s 15 deg. F when you hit the George Washington Bridge at 7am.  You warm your fingers in your arm pits, first the right hand in the left arm pit, then the left hand in the right pit.  At this point you’re still impressed with yourself; it’s amazing what you’ll do for a muffin.

Let’s pretend there’s no west wind, and no runners or walkers or slow cyclists weaving all over the place, so you’re making time, hitting 20 mph up the west side bikeway to the bridge.  With the chill and your early morning start, you’re feeling fast, and hardcore and, frankly, a tiny bit cold.  Well, no wonder.  That 15 deg. F temperature with a headwind of 20 mph results in a wind chill of -2 deg. F.

You’re wearing warm clothes, of course.  On the way there, as you ride up the hills of Henry Hudson Dr., you’re slowing to a very bent-like 5 mph (15 F at 5 mph = 7 deg. F wind chill).  You get warm, even a bit sweaty.  That’s bad.  Moisture compromises your insulating layers.  And you really don’t want sweat freezing on your face, but it’s too late to stop sweating now.

As you ride towards State Line, you hit some good downhills.  This is the fun part.  Usually.  How fast does this Speed Machine go?  Who cares what Robert said about staying within safe speeds.  It’s your bike now and you decide to push it.  40…45…50 mph.  Cool?  More than.  It’s frigid.  15 F at 50 mph = -10 deg. wind chill.  The thrill only lasts a minute and that’s a good thing because now you’re really frickin’ cold.  You can barely move your hands, you can’t feel your feet, and your most prized possession (not the bike) has shrinkaged to the point that it’s inside out.  The women’s equivalent, whatever it is, is doing the women’s equivalent, whatever that is, probably something a lot more sensible.

You begin to wish you were in a car.  Or maybe not.  At the bare minimum you begin to wish you had a fairing and a pair of windproof underwear.  But for now you’ll settle for a scone and hot chocolate in Piermont.  Eventually, you warm up.  You go back outside and start riding back, stopping at the police station and again at the ferry terminal to warm up.  This is beginning to sort of suck.  You can hardly wait to brag about your misery on Facebook.

How could you have dressed for this?  Do you dress for the 15 F temps when you first walk out the door?  The -2 F wind chill of your cruising speed?  The -10 degrees that freeze your fingers beyond any chance of rewarming as you ride?  Or the 7 deg. temps so you don’t sweat on the hills?  Isn’t the idea that you get warmer as you move?

Some people say layers and lots of zippers so you can vent as you get hot.  I tend to believe in vapor barriers which at least prevent sweat from compromising your insulating layers.  Winter backpackers have told me they wear windproof layers over bare legs.

Currently, this is what I’m trying (without using a fairing).  Wearing windproof layers, like rain gear, I dress for the wind chill I predict I’ll experience most of the time with the ability to vent as much as possible as my activity generates warmth.  Zippers must be operable with one hand.  Controlling how the wind flows across my skin is key to staying warm or cool, so a ventable outer windproof layer is important.

Then, since my feet and hands are so vulnerable to wind chill on a recumbent, I try to keep them as warm as possible under the theory that, generally speaking, they can never be too warm (at least not for me).  I do everything I can to windproof them.  On my feet the first layer is a vapor barrier, then warm socks (or neoprene socks), then insulated winter boots.  If it’s not too horribly cold, I’m okay with neoprene socks and bike shoes but, generally, I give up on comfortably* using clipless pedals till the warmer weather.  (*I’ll go out and uncomfortably ride with cold feet for an hour or so with clipless pedals, but not much more than that.  I’d like to preserve the nerves in my feet.)

On my hands, I’m currently doing this if it’s very cold.  First layer, vapor barrier.  (I use cheap latex gloves till they tear.)  Then 3mm neoprene glacier gloves.  Then windproof/waterproof shell mittens.  I’m trying to maintain a layer of dry insulating air between each layer of clothing.  I was disappointed to discover that glacier gloves alone were not good enough (for me) at windchills of about 17 F.  Adding the shell mittens made a huge difference.

If it’s a bit warmer and I want some dexterity, for example so I can handle a bike lock and key, I’ll start with the latex glove vapor barriers, then add glove liners, and then a pair of Outdoor Research Storm Tracker gloves.  I wouldn’t hesitate to put a shell mitten over this.  The advantage to this is I can remove the bulkier layers without exposing my hands for even a moment to cold air and the cold metal of the lock.

I have a metal watch.  I remove it on cold days because it conducts the cold directly to my skin.  When I do wear it, I’ve noticed that my watch hand gets colder than my non-watch hand.  If I feel I must wear a watch, I’ll wear it on top of a base layer.  This also makes it easier to look at.

Any metal on the bike will make you cold, so it also helps to cover the metal brake levers with insulating tape.  An extra layer of handlebar tape or neoprene or foam around the handlebar grips will help a lot too.

Getting deeper into wind chill.

What is Wind Chill Temperature?
It is the temperature it “feels like” outside and is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by the effects of wind and cold. As the wind increases, the body is cooled at a faster rate causing the skin temperature to drop. Wind Chill does not impact inanimate objects like car radiators and exposed water pipes, because these objects cannot cool below the actual air temperature.

On November 1, 2001, the National Weather Service implemented a new Wind Chill Temperature (WCT) index for the 2001/2002 winter season, designed to more accurately calculate how cold air feels on human skin. The former index used by the United States and Canada was based on 1945 research of Antarctic explorers Siple and Passel. They measured the cooling rate of water in a container hanging from a tall pole outside. A container of water will freeze faster than flesh. As a result, the previous wind chill index underestimated the time to freezing and overestimated the chilling effect of the wind. The new index is based on heat loss from exposed skin and was tested on human subjects.

For the first time, the new Wind Chill Chart includes a frostbite indicator, showing the points where temperature, wind speed and exposure time will produce frostbite on humans. The chart above includes three shaded areas of frostbite danger. Each shaded area shows how long (30,10 and 5 minutes) a person can be exposed before frostbite develops. For example, a temperature of 0°F and a wind speed of 15 mph will produce a wind chill temperature of -19°F. Under these conditions, exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes.

The NWS will inform you when Wind Chill conditions reach critical thresholds. A Wind Chill Warning is issued when wind chill temperatures are life threatening. A Wind Chill Advisory is issued when wind chill
temperatures are potentially hazardous.

What is Frostbite?

Frostbite is an injury to the body caused by freezing body tissue. The most susceptible parts of the body are the extremities such as fingers, toes, ear lobes, or the tip of the nose Symptoms include a loss of feeling in the extremity and a white or pale appearance. Medical attention is needed immediately for frostbite. The area should be SLOWLY re-warmed.

What is Hypothermia?
Hypothermia is abnormally low body temperature (below 95 degrees Fahrenheit). Warning signs include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion. Medical attention is needed immediately. If it is not available, begin warming the body SLOWLY.

Tips on how to dress during cold weather.
– Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing. Trapped air between the layers will insulate you. Outer garments should be tightly woven, water repellent, and hooded.
– Wear a hat, because 40% of your body heat can be lost from your head.
– Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extreme cold.
– Mittens, snug at the wrist, are better than gloves.
– Try to stay dry and out of the wind.
– Keep your face dry, especially around the nose and mouth.
– Remove metal objects from your body, such as watches, bracelets, jewelry. Metal conducts cold onto and into your skin.

National Weather Service Wind Chill web page

Environment Canada’s Wind Chill web page

[Source: National Weather Service (U.S.A.)]

Have fun and stay warm,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

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Deadly Driving Unlimited: How the NYPD Lets Dangerous Drivers Run Wild

Help sustain Transportation Alternatives’ successes in making New York City a better place to bike.  Donate to TA today.

Report:
Deadly Driving Unlimited: How the NYPD Lets Dangerous Drivers Run Wild
This report is from Transportation Alternatives.  This is why we support them.

Stay safe, stay healthy, get involved,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

Categories
Uncategorized

Surge Tales from a friend


A customer/friend and silver Street Machine Gte-rider who lives in the Village wrote me about his experience during Tropical Storm Sandy.
Reprinted with permission.

Subject:   Surge Tales
From:   I—@aol.com
Date:   Sun, November 4, 2012 9:10 pm

11/4/12

Dear Friends:

I trust that those of you in the path of Sandy’s fury,  as well as your  family and friends, are all well and safe.

I’ve survived the week in relatively decent shape  – experiencing what many of us, especially those in the blackout zone below 26th  St. (on the West Side) have: the hurricane itself, followed by cold days  and dark nights, no hot water, electricity, light, TV, radio, internet, or  cellphones.  Of course sadly, many in and beyond the city, have suffered  far more grievous harm.

Monday afternoon, I decided to venture out and see the  roiling Hudson.  Everything seemed OK until, at Washington St. a  powerful gust more or less plastered me against the side of a  building. I thought better of it and headed home.

After a day, I packed a knapsack and hiked up to  midtown, in the illusory expectation that there were hotel rooms to be  had.  I soon realized there were none in all of Manhattan.  What I  did  however chance upon, was a coffee shop in the Westin Hotel at 43rd and  8th.  It offered all the basic necessities of life – espresso, central  heating, light, well-appointed restrooms, newspapers, and last but not  least, numerous outlets for charging my iPad and phone.  A number of other  downtown refugees also spent their days camped out at Bar 10 for the  duration.

Every evening I would hike back downtown, to check  in on a neighborhood friend, and to sleep as best I could in my  own cold, dark apartment. In the absence of light, I fell into a pattern of  going to sleep at around 9.  In the morning, I couldn’t wait to get out  when the sun rose at 7, and make my way back to my warm  midtown haven.

All in all, for me, a trying but ironically interesting  experience.  For too many others  a terrible tragedy.  The  modest light at my bedside never looked as good as when it  suddenly flickered on at around 6 Saturday
morning.

Warm regards to all,

Izzy

# # #

Stay well, all,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson