Chinese Motorcycle Rain…Tent [Video]

Just what I need to weather the winter on my bike? Thanks Jacques.
What will they Come up with Next? Chinese Motorcycle Rain…Tent [Video] - Carscoop:
.

Taming The Bicycle by Mark Twain

Riding a bicycle in the 19th century was much like riding my recumbent today it seems. It makes for a nice bit of Sunday reading. Mark Twain has a way of popping strange ideas in unexpected places; he is so perceptive.

Taming The Bicycle by Mark Twain

... I have seen it stated that no expert is quick enough to run over a dog; that a dog is always able to skip out of his way. I think that that may be true: but I think that the reason he couldn't run over the dog was because he was trying to. I did not try to run over any dog. But I ran over every dog that came along. I think it makes a great deal of difference. If you try to run over the dog he knows how to calculate, but if you are trying to miss him he does not know how to calculate, and is liable to jump the wrong way every time. It was always so in my experience. Even when I could not hit a wagon I could hit a dog that came to see me practice. They all
liked to see me practice, and they all came, for there was very little going on in our neighborhood to entertain a dog. It took time to learn to miss a dog, but I achieved even that. 

New bike lights!

Here it is! Thanks Jacques.
While in motion, the lights merge, for all appearances, into solid bars at the front and rear edges of each wheel, illuminating the rider’s path without blinding oncoming traffic and making the cyclist clearly visible from all sides.

Ford electric bike

I'm scared when these big time players move into this market. It is a sure sign it is profitable.Thanks Jacques.

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/09/iaa-2011-ford-pure-electric-e-bike.htm

My Favourite bike shop in Laval

bike - Google Maps: "Cyclo Sport Laval Enr‎- more info �
3541, boulevard Levesque Ouest, Laval, QC H7V 1G1‎ - (450) 681-4827‎"

Bacchetta Café Bike

I finally broke down and bought one. This morning, after dreaming of upgrading from my 55 pound steel monster I glided into work on a 32 pound Ferrari red stick.

The steering is very sensitive but I'm told I will get the hang of it. The front end is very crowded with steering, pedals, shifter all grouped together.

• Bacchetta Bikes - Cafe Gear: Cafe
• Owners Manual PDF  BFT install 3.pdf
• Review: Bacchetta Café Recumbent Bike from the Bicycle Man Bacchetta Cafe
• Parts  for: 'café'
• How To Use a Presta Valve Adapter - Bicycle Tutor

Bicycle Manual

Bicycle Tune Up For Your Bicycle

Adjustments: owners_manuals english.pdf

Bicycle Repair - Wheel Alignment 1

Bicycle Repair - Wheel Alignment 2

Bicycle Repair - Adjustment bike brakes

Bicycle Repair - Adjustment brakes

Bicycle Repair - Rear Derailleur Adjustment

Bicycle Repair - Front Derailleur Adjustment

Bicycle Repair - Finish The Tune-Up

Bicycles?

Technika.pps (3.1 MB) Thank you Jaime.

Motorradrennen.wmv (1.9 MB) A supprise motorcycle non-event.

bubbles.pps (0.5 MB) A tetrix style game where planning is more important than speed.

My Bike Ride to work

View Larger Map

Bell F20 bike computer

Setting your bike odometer just right:

Walmart.com: Bell Sports F-20 Bike Computer: Bikes, Scooters & Skates

Bell F20 manual.pdf 

In case this is all you need, here are the wheel values for a Bell F20 (they are just the lengh of a wheel rotation in millimitres)

 

Road Bike

20" 1596

22 1759

24 1916

26 2073

27 2124

 

Mountain Bike

24" 1888

26 2045

27 2155

28 2237

Roll-out Test for Super Accuracy
The values on the chart will generally give a value accurate to within one or two percent, which is more than good enough for the vast majority of cyclists, and is much more accurate than most automobile odometers.

If you require more accuracy, you can do a "roll-out" test. Since the effective tire size is affected by tread thickness, tire pressure, and rider weight, the rolling circumference should be measured (in millimetres) by rolling the bike with the rider aboard for one wheel revolution.

You may use the valve stem as a reference, starting the roll with the valve right over a perpendicular line on the floor, and ending when the valve is back at its low point one revolution later.  

Another approach is to put a small dot of paint on the tire and measure (in millimetres) the distance between the marks that the paint prints on the road.

With either approach, the rider must hold the handlebars absolutely straight while an assistant balances and pushes the bike. Otherwise, the wheel may not follow a straight path.Source.

Another manual made of photographs this time.
This is another manual but it seems incomplete.

Buying a bent

Recumbent bicycle resources in the Greater Laval region:

Retailers

• Laval: Zone Haute Performance Z H P - 450-967-7767 2296, boulevard Industriel , Laval , QC H7S1P9 - They have a couple of "heavy" CCM semi-bents for under $400.
• Laval: Banco Argent Comptant - 450-967-2274 404, boulevard Des Laurentides , Laval , QC H7G2T8 - Heavy Quetzal for sale, tempting but expensive.
• Rive sud: http://www.velorizontal.com/francais.htm Pricey but specialized
• Montreal: http://www.1hpcycles.com/ No site: 1HP CYCLES 5995 Guin Ouest, Montreal, QC H4J 2P8 CANADA Phone: 514-633-62221-866-430-6222Fax: 514 337-0933 mailto:info@1hpcycles.comthttp://www.1hpcycles.com/
• Montreal: www.lespac.com/search/
• Vélos à Laval, etc.: http://canada411.yellowpages.ca/
• Texas: www.recumbents.com/home.asp
• A nice German site: http://www.hpvelotechnik.com/

General information about Recumbents:

• http://www.ihpva.org/
• Nice article introducing bents: http://www.hpv.on.ca/recumb.htm
• French wiki article: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A9lo_couch%C3%A9

Maps

• http://www.mapmyride.com/find-ride/canada/laval
• http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/country/43/region/35/city/13112
• http://www.canadatrails.ca/tct/qc/laval.html

Maybe electric bikes can be too fast!

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/536153/killacycle_electric_motorbike/

10 Tips for bike commuting to work

If the price of gas has you looking at alternative methods, why not consider the greenest machine around? With the right bicycle and some planning, you can start commuting to work and save money! Here are some tips from the IBF on how to get the most out of your ride to work.

1. Select a bike you are comfortable riding; it also needs to be in good working order. TIP: A good bike shop is a good resource for this.
   
2. Plan your route; you will probably have to balance safety, convenience and aesthetics, you may want several routes for different moods. TIP: Members of the local bicycle club are a good place to look for help on this. To find a bicycle map of a particular city go to the google bike map replace "city" in the URL with the location you are looking for
   
3. Test your route on a day off when you are not under pressure; not only do you learn the route, you test your equipment and learn about how long the ride takes.
   
4. Select light, bright coloured cycling clothes; you can't make yourself too visible.
   
5. Plan your work attire; store a wardrobe at the office or carry cloths rolled in a towel to reduce wrinkling. TIP: some people deliver a weeks worth of clothing to their office once a week.
   
6. Get bike panniers or a ruck sack; for clothing, papers and snacks -- longer rides favor panniers.
   
7. Buy a lock; learn where to park and how to use the lock for maximum effectiveness.
   
8. Lights for winter or night riding; there are a variety on the market, choose the one that matches your situation -- don't forget an array of reflectors as well.
   
9. Foul weather gear for foul weather; it is best if it is designed for cycling.
   
10. Wear a helmet; even with good training on how to ride like a vehicle, and riding defensively, accidents occasionally happen; studies show that helmets can reduce the severity of the injury.The IBF is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the bicycle ands promoting sustainable transport and international understanding. Visit its website to learn about bicycle repairs, safety tips and news from around the world. If you find something worthwhile on site then consider making a donation to help this organization keep supporting bikes around the world.

More

1. Laval bike paths
2. Victoriaville bike paths

Thanks mom. Steve

1. le_velo_en_hiver
2. annonces Classées

Bike news

The world's lightest bike frame is now 1.2 kg (2.7 pounds) read on.

The electric car is a coal-burning car

Consider the source of most of the world's electricity. More on the Chevy Volt

Eventually electric motors will power the wheels on most cars, but what will supply the electricity to the motors? That is the main Research and Development effort, read on

I still wonder about the other factors surrounding the car of the future. Cutting weight in half would quadruple the range, driving at half speed would quadruple the range again, etc. These issues appear to have scurried to the shadows like so many cockroaches; well, there are the the whimsical efforts of Didik : muscle car, simplicity.

Where is the low weight car in the manufacturers future? It's barely visible (The 2009 Tata motors Nano at $2500!, the Mini $30,000, the Flybo, more). I believe American manufacturers are faced with continued demands for vehicle size and high safety standards.
Will all light vehicles be classified as bicycles and golf carts? Ships and Trains have been hybrids for half a century.

Maybe there is a need for a new class of vehicle in legislation that consumers and manufacturers can use. (example: Twike 507 will be registered under a brand new Vermont law that covers electrically powered enclosed motorcycles under 1,500 lbs.; no helmet or motorcycle license will be required. )

Where is consumer restraint in all this debate? The Twike manual

Steve plays with numbers:
it costs about $2 for 2 chocolate bars to run your push bike for 10 hours (averaging 100 watts).
it costs about 10 cents for the electricity to run a push bike for 10 hours (averaging 100 watts)
Conclusion, pedaling is 20 times more expensive than plugging in!

1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = 3,600,000 joule (J) = 3,600 kilojoule (kJ) = 860 calories
(about as much energy as is contained in two bars of chocolate);
this is equivalent to 1,000 watts of power expended for one hour.

Gas powered bike assist

The electric bike solution is unapealing. Heavy, short lived, low on performance; the system needs time (something like 50 more years). Meanwhile, a 3 wheel gas powered bike, would get me to work and back every day on little fuel and some excercise. I promise to use the gas assist only when I hit the hills or the dangerous streets. Here are some links on this topic.
In fact, most common form of batteries, lead acid, have a storage density of about 35 Watt-hours/Kilogram (more expensive batteries such as Lithium Ion, only store about 150 Watt-hours/Kilogram) while the energy stored in gasoline is 12,000 Watt-hours/Kilogram. Source.

1. http://www.chrishill.myknet.org/
2. http://www.bicycle-power.com/gas.html
3. Engine kits Mitsubishi Rear Mount 43 cc 2.2 hp friction drive Quiet.
4. Spooky Tooth Cycles - Gas & Electric powered bikes and DIY kits in Arizona. Frank marketing text.
5. Bicycle-Engines.com - Frame mounted, gas powered conversion kits. 4 cycle! Photo Videos
6. So they are cheap, big and noisy. $ 450 gets this: 49cc etc. mountain bike. No deal.

Bike racks

Custom design bike racks

1. http://www.timberform.com/media/Cycloops.pdf very cool designs
2. http://www.timberform.com/cyc_1.html
3. http://corabikerackcanada.com/ with plans

Off the shelf racks

1. 6 bike allen Rack $99 same for $39.00 ebay folding.
2. 8 bike rack $125 lespac cowansville Richard.

On the cheap, use what you have :

1. Just a post in a concrete base to tie your bike

Bicycle design resources

1. Design ideas http://bicycledesign.blogspot.com/
2. Community Network http://communitybicyclenetwork.org/
3. Forum http://www.bikeforums.net/

Bike adjustment

Shimano gear shift adjustment; Basics
http://youtube.com/watch?v=coI1T2XYkok&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=D0Xt_QCHD1U&feature=related

Shimano gear shift adjustment; Advanced
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xkGBajG4TPc&feature=related

Shimano gear shift adjustment; More
http://youtube.com/watch?v=R5ID3suA00s
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SkzvfCaIbyQ&feature=related

Chain Lubing
http://youtube.com/watch?v=J2N0t4OEUbc&feature=related

How To Adjust V-Brakes - The Bicycle Tutor
How To Adjust Sidepull Caliper Brakes - The Bicycle Tutor
How To Adjust Cantilever Brakes - The Bicycle Tutor
How To Adjust Your Front Derailleur - The Bicycle Tutor
How To Adjust Your Rear Derailleur - The Bicycle Tutor

Winterized prototype

This windbreaker cowling does the job. Even at zero degrees, my body is quite comfortable. Next a Lexan windshield for the face. Then a small roof and PRESTO! Winter Cycling.


Previous prototype: my bicycles... are they ever anything but prototypes.