Thank You Calgary!

As we approach the end of our second year in operation Nadia, Uncle Joe, and myself would like to thank each and every one of you - our customers and friends, for supporting us in our quest to create and establish our happy little bike store on the prairie. We feel truly blessed.

2012 is shaping up to be an incredible year for bike riding in Calgary - the new $24 million comprehensive bicycle strategy has been funded, bringing much needed infrastructure to the downtown primarily, Cyclepalooza will be happening again bigger and better, and of course, more people will be choosing to cycle more often making our beautiful city a more enjoyable place to live and work.

There has never been a better time to ride a bike in Calgary and it is only going to get better. Bravo Calgary!

See you all in 2012. Have a safe and happy holiday season.

Sean, Nadia, Uncle Joe

Tweed Run(ning) At Its Best

A Manifesto For Living Life To The Fullest

Everyone from 8 to 80 Years Rides in Holland

Red Dresses, Yellow Bobbins, and Ice Cream

Bobbin Bicycles from FourthFloor on Vimeo.

Call to Action! BikeCalgary AGM October 13th

Hey Folks!

Calgary's biggest and bestest bike advocacy group - Bike Calgary - is holding its AGM tomorrow (October 13) and everyone with an interest in commuter/utility cycling is invited.  Elections will be held for a new Board of Directors as well as a few surprises.

You do not need to have any experience to be on the BoD - just a desire to see more and better bicycle infrastructure in Calgary and a willingness to volunteer some of your spare time in that pursuit.

IMO - we in Calgary are in a very unique and exciting position with regards to bicycling - a new bike friendly Mayor, a newly passed comprehensive bike strategy, new bike lanes popping up, and plenty of media coverage of all of these exciting developments. 

Now is the time to devote some of your energy to pushing the bicycle agenda forward - get involved!  Come to the AGM, meet other bicycle people, and find out what your city's bike advocacy group has planned for the coming year.

See you there?

"A Day's Messing" Short Film

Brilliant little film, worthy of your time.


A Day's Messing from Jeff Seal on Vimeo.

New 10 St NW Bikelanes - Traffic Chaos or Hot Air?

A cyclist heading south on 10 St NW new bikelane. Photo Credit - Calgary Herald

The City of Calgary sprung a surprise on everyone this week with the installation of a pilot project bike lane on 10 St NW, running from 5 Ave NW all the way up to Confederation Park and beyond. 

With this new project, they have instantly created one of the best bike routes in the city because it actually connects to something - the downtown core to the central NW via the Kensington/Sunnyside neighbourhoods and passing right beside SAIT/ACAD.  People who live in this area now have a safe, connected route where none existed before.  Thank you City of Calgary!

On the flipside, the City has also created an awful lot of animosity and negative press by the way this project happened - essentially out of thin air, with no warning, and no consultations with communities along its route.  As I understand it, 10 St NW was slated to be repaved this fall and this route has been "on the books" for close to a decade.  If the new bike lanes were painted now it would save a lot of money because the roadway would not need to be repaved next spring. 

Fair enough.

But some notice would have been a good idea to help educate motorists and journalists on the full scope of the project.  Instead, local reporting seemed to focus on the "traffic snarls" and chaos with no mention of the full scope of the project and the reasoning behind it.  The city should have sent out information to the media on how this was being implemented so the story would be less about bikes vs. cars and more about the creation of a neccessay cycle link and implementation of the Comprehensive Cycling Strategy which was passed in the spring.  Let's remember that 59% of Calgarians also said they would cycle more if they felt safer.

The reality is that traffic has not actually been horribly affected - but based on the news stories in local papers you'd think that people were having to get out of their cars and push them down 10 St NW.  Even The Mayor is not impressed. 

Funny thing though, there have been exactly ZERO traffic reports on the snarls and chaos on 10 St NW since the lanes went in - no radio mentions, no mentions on Twitter using the #yyctraffic hashtag - nothing but crickets...

So, here is my advice to the City - please, please, please get a communication strategy sorted with regards to upcoming cycle infrastructure installations - press releases to media detailing the full scope and schedule of projects would be a good start. 

Coming to BikeBike in 2012 -Touring Bikes and Accessories

One of the founding missions of BikeBike is to provide everyday transportation options for our customers and, to date, those everyday options offered by us have been primarily city bikes - which is to say, a more sit-up style and posture on the bike characterized by the classic "dutch" style bike. 

201 Salsa Vaya 3, the ultimate road tourer?

However, if you live a good distance from your place of work, or need to bring more stuff with you, or want just one bike to use for both commuting to work, recreational/charity rides, and grand fondos on the weekends, you may want a different bike - perhaps something more efficient than a pure city bike but still comfortable - and this is where touring bikes are an perfect option.

"But it looks like a road racing bike".  Well, perhaps so to the untrained eye but there are a few significant differences between a performance road bicycle (think Lance Armstrong and lycra) and a road touring bicycle.  Here are a couple key differences -

1. Touring bikes tend to have much higher handlebars relative to the height of the saddle - meaning, you can sit up taller on a touring bike offering all day comfort.
2. The wheelbase of a touring bike is longer than a racing bike allowing for use of wide tires and fenders, but most importantly, a long wheel base can help the bike have a more stable manner, especially when loaded with panniers/gear/work stuff/groceries.
3. Touring bikes place an emphasis on durability, serviceability, and flexibilty over lightweight, stiffness, and performance found on road bikes used in racing.

Brodie Elan, to work during the week, across Canada in the summer!

 Wikipedia  has some good background on touring bikes and the different types of touring that people do.

"A touring bicycle is a bicycle designed or modified to handle bicycle touring. To make the bikes sufficiently robust, comfortable and capable of carrying heavy loads, special features may include a long wheelbase (for ride comfort and to avoid pedal-to-luggage conflicts), frame materials that favor flexibility over rigidity (for ride comfort), heavy duty wheels (for load capacity), and multiple mounting points (for luggage racks, fenders, and bottle cages)".

Morning at Ghost Lake, getting set to ride back to Calgary

Our initial product offering is as follows, with expected deliveries early in 2012 -

Bicycles - Brodie's amazingly comfortable Elan, Argus, and Circuit and Salsa's Vaya, Fargo, and Casseroll - oh yes, we cannot forget about Brompton folding bikes!
Racks - Salsa, Old Man Mountain, Surly
Panniers - Ortlieb, Arkel, and Brooks England
(other products too)

A word about frame materials - the general consensus is that the best material for touring bikes is steel due to its very comfotable ride qualities, affordability, durability, and serviceability.  Steel is one of the best materials for making a bicycle frame because it dampens vibration better than aluminum, it is relatively inexpensive to buy, it has an incredibly long fatigue life, and it is repairable in the event of breakage.  We have chosen to offer only steel touring bikes this season - with Brodie, Salsa, and Brompton all having long heritage of using steel for many of its bikes.

A quick mention about touring on a Brompton - click this for a sweet little video showing Russ Roca and his gal touring on Bromptons and this for a report from one of the folks at Clever Cycle in Portland.  I would also mention a British fellow who came through the shop this past summer riding across Canada on a Brompton M6R!

We cannot wait for 2012 and all the cool new products coming to the shop!  Whether you are touring to the supermarket, out to Banff, or around the world, make sure you come check out Southern Alberta's best selection of touring bikes and accessories.

If you need more information on anything mentioned give us a call or send us an email - we'd love to chat.

BikeCalgary.org's Urban Cycling Skills Courses

Are you wanting to ride more often but are afraid to?  Do you still ride on the sidewalk?  What about you, yes you, the "seasoned" cyclist - aka road warrior - who is comfortable riding on the roads?

Well, all of you will probably learn a few strategies and tips to make on-street cycling safer if you take BikeCalgary's new One Day Urban Cycling Skills Course.  Here are a few words direct from BikeCalgary's site -

"Would you like access to Calgary's complete transportation grid every day of the year? Do you want to be able to treat most every street in the city as a bike route, and not have to wait for the City to build dedicated bike infrastructure?  You don't have to be a lycra-clad roadie to ride your bike to work. In fact, you don't have to be an athlete at all. We believe anyone can quickly learn to bike competently and confidently on our roads, and we offer a fun and effective way to do so. Modeled after the rigorous CAN-BIKE courses, and taught by CAN-BIKE accredited instructors with decades of bike-commuting experience, our one-day urban cycling skills course will increase your comfort levels and confidence when navigating all sorts of streets—from quiet residential avenues to the busiest streets of downtown Calgary."

Courses are currently running on a monthy basis, from now until November.  Check BikeCalgary's main page for dates and registration info.

www.bikecalgary.org

Respect on the Roads

I had an interesting conversation with a fellow at the shop yesterday that I have to share - mostly because his attitude about cyclists on the roads bothered me for the rest of the day.

It started like this -

Man - Why do cyclists ride in the middle of the lane on 4 St SW?
Me - Well, first, because cyclists are allowed to use the full lane under the HTA, and second, because the lanes are narrow on that road making it unsafe for a car to pass a cyclist in the same lane.
Man - Why don't they instead ride on 2 St SW, there is a bike lane over there.
Me - My guess is many don't ride there because that road doesn't take them where they need to go. 2 St does not go into the core, 4 St does.
Man - Why do cyclists always insist on riding past all the stopped cars at lights? When they do that I get very frustrated because I have to repass them again and again and it slows down traffic.
Me - Well, sir, that is one of the advantages of cycling is that you can filter past long rows of cars in heavy traffic. Do you get frustrated when repassing the same cars in traffic?
Man - But when cyclists do that they slow down traffic.
Me - Bikes do not slow down traffic sir, traffic slows down traffic.
Man - Bikers need to show more respect, by doing that they disrespect drivers and that makes us frustrated and angry. (A female customer in the shop is quietly listening to our conversation and at this point she starts to bristle...)
Me - Sir, if you want to talk about respect I think you need to realize that when a cyclist "disrespects" you all that can happen is that you get upset. When a driver "disrespects" a cyclist they can potentially kill them or seriously injure them, depending on what they do. There is a big difference.
Man - (starting to visually upset that I am confronting him) Well, I think that cyclists need to ride more safely. It's dangerous out there, that's why I drive to work instead of cycling.
Me - You know, if you cycled to work more often you would help make the streets safer for everyone, drivers too. You would also have a better understanding of what it's like for cyclists and perhaps have more empathy for your fellow citizens who cycle.
Man - I don't think so.
Me - Exactly.

(Then he leaves the shop with his wife, who I have to say, was supporting my arguements)

After he left, a female customer who was listening to the exchange pipes up that she wanted to jump on him at his "respect" comments - "He should have seen the so-called respect I was given yesterday by a driver who squeezed me off the road."

Normally I try to avoid those sorts of conversations with customers that are in the shop because I do not want them to feel uncomfortable about our shop but part of me is wondering if that's a good idea. That part of me feels that those sorts of attitudes need to be confronted head on with the hope that perhaps I can help them have a different perspective on cyclists.

This fellows attitude seems to be very common here in Calgary and I am loathe to let it go unchallenged.

Have you had a similar conversation with a non-cyclist lately? Do you avoid challenging these kinds of attitudes or face them head on?

Interbike Baby!

It's that time of year again, tradeshow season!

For those of us in the bicycle industry, September is kind of like Christmas for kids - new things, surprises, and good times with your friends.

We'll do our best to take lots of pictures of products we like and hopefully post them later next week.

Till then, here is a little taste of what we are heading down to -

BikeBike's "Bike To School Sale" Starts Next Week!

 

Howdy Folks!

We've had such a crazy year that we thought it'd be a good idea to turn up the crazy to 11!

So, beginning at 10am on Friday September 2, everything in the store is on sale. Yup pardner, everything!

But wait! There's more! If you "Share" the videos on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, etc you will be entered to win awesome prizes, including a prize pack from Brooks valued at $350! Click on the "Vimeo" button on the sidebar to see the videos or you can click this as well.

Start spreading the news and hope to see y'all down here at BikeBike's "Bike To School" Sale.

Introducing Bobbin Bicycles!

We are very excited to offer our style concious customers a brand new bike line straight from England - say hello to Bobbin!

There are three models available - the Birdie 3-speed for $649, Birdie 5-speed for $749, and the Vintage 5-speed with drum brakes for $849.  Now in stock and waiting to be loved up by you!

In the new year we will also have 2 mens models - the mens Vintage and the Daytripper - and a super cute mini bike reminicent of the non-folding version Raleigh Twenty called the Bobbin Shopper, image below.

Brooks England's New Jacket - The Criterion

Found Things

Poor fella. And yes, his eyes have been plucked out.

LINUS Cycle Chic

Calgary Cycle Chic

Cr. Gian-Carlo Carra and his brand new Velorbis Scrap Deluxe.

Metro News Calgary also ran a story on his decision to start cycling more - link here.

Calgary Cycle Chic

Kristi of Riyoko Urban Bike Wear with her vintage Raleigh

More Euro-Goodness Enroute To BikeBike!

We love European city bikes and have 3 new brands enroute to us as we speak - Pilen, Velorbis, and Christiania. 

Christiania Cargobike

Pilen Lyx Stepthrough

Velorbis Student Balloon

We are only bringing in a few of these bikes this first time around to check them out.  If they pass "the test" we will look add bringing in more models and colours as we go forward - including those stunning Velorbis leather satchels!

We expect to see the bikes instore sometime this week - pop by the shop closer to the weekend and hopefully they'll be ready for test rides.

Calgary Cycle Chic

Kristin, and her lovely LINUS Mixte 8.

Civia Halsted First Impressions

Peace, dood.

We have had the new Civia Halsted cycletruck-style cargo bike in the shop for a couple weeks now and have a handful of rides on it as well, with very positive impressions so far.

First, here are some words from Civia directly -

"Civia’s take on the traditional cycle truck is designed for every-day hauling. Featuring a frame-mounted front rack with a sturdy base made from recycled dumpster plastic, Halsted’s versatile design lets you carry up to 50 pounds of awkward objects like soccer balls, pizza boxes or a few bags of soil for the garden. Delivering an extremely balanced and comfortable ride, its 20” front wheel lowers the load’s center of gravity, while a 26” rear adds speed and stability. Halsted’s compact wheelbase allows tight maneuvering in urban spaces".

Here are the specs -

• 4130 steel frame and fork
• 26" rear wheel, 20" front wheel
• Frame mounted front rack
• Recycled HDPE rack deck made in Minnesota
• Civia semi-horizontal dropouts
• Fender and rack bosses on frame and fork
• Canti-bosses on frame, disc brake tabs on fork
• Ring-lock bosses on frame
• Civia custom-designed kickstand plate
• Stainless steel headtube badge
• Civia stainless steel seatpost clamp
  
  

The Halsted is basically a fresh take on the "deli bike" or "butcher's bike" which were used, as their names perhaps suggest, as delivery bikes for bakers, butchers, and general delivery men back in the day.

One of the reasons why we like this bike so much is that it offers people who are interested in a utility bike a new option that is much smaller and lighter than most of the cargo bikes currently on the market and allows those who have limited storage space or apartment dwellers a complete utility solution.  All you have to do is look at the photo above to see how versatile this bike can be - kid on the back, junk in the front - with the possibility of carrying 2 kids and junk if needed!

Of ride characteristics - in a word, nimble.  Riding the Halsted is a real treat!  Here are some thoughts -

• lighter overall weight (when compared to other cargo bikes) and a 9-speed gear range means faster acceleration, easy hill climbing, and top speed aplenty.  
• a longer cockpit area makes the bike feel very similar to a standard mountain bike and makes out-of-the-saddle climbing easy.
• low overall weight makes carrying the bike up stairs possible (again, comparing to cargo bikes)
• when loaded with cargo (and perhaps a child) the bike is stable and confidence inspiring, with a maximum load on the front flatdeck of about 50lbs or so.  
• semi-stephrough toptube design makes getting on/off easy.

If you are curious about this affordable utility option, pop in to the shop sometime and take it for a test ride.  Affordable cargo bike utility has never been in such easy reach for the masses!

City of Calgary Comprehensive Cycling Strategy Release

Ok folks, now is your chance to get involved with what could be the biggest thing to happen to cycling in Calgary since the decision to build the pathway network all those decades ago.  Calgary City Council will be presented with a new cycling strategy that aims (we hope) to make the roads safer to cycle on, make finding your way around the city easier, and help establish cycling as a legitimate transportation option in our car-crazed metropolis.  More info can be found in a previous post here.

All the information you need is below - so read on - and please take a few minutes toget involved any way you can.

Watch for the release of the City of Calgary’s new Comprehensive Cycling Strategy. It will be available for public review starting on Friday, June 10th and will go to the City’s Standing Committee on Land Use, Planning and Transportation for public comment on Wednesday, June 15th. CivicCamp will be holding the following workshops.

CivicCamp Public Information Sessions and Workshops - 7:00 pm, Monday, June 13th

There are four locations where you can participate:

• Room 342, Earth Sciences Building, University of Calgary
• Rosscarrock Community Hall, 4411 10 Ave SW
• Old YMCA, 223 12 Ave SW
• Forest Lawn Library, 4807 8 Avenue SE

CivicCamp will be holding public meetings for those interested in the City’s new comprehensive cycling strategy. Learn more about the strategy and offer your feedback about what does or doesn’t work for you.

CivicCampers and cycling enthusiasts will be on hand to walk you through the strategy, answer your questions (where we can) and guide a discussion to solicit your input. Information will be collected from the meetings and brought forward to the Standing Committee on Land Use, Planning and Transportation.

For more information, please visit http://www.civiccamp.org/paving-the-way/

If you want to comment directly and publicly to Council members about the strategy, please plan to attend the Special Planning Committee on Land Use, Planning and Transportation.

Standing Policy Committee on Land Use, Planning and Transportation

9:30 am, Wednesday, June 15th

Location and Agenda to be Announced

Check this link on the City web site for the agenda and the location. Appearing in person before the LPT committee makes a powerful statement but if you can’t attend, be sure to write/email/tweet your Alderman beforehand to give your feedback.

 

Junk in 'da Trunk!

We love hauling all manner of cargo by bike and one of the more affordable and versatile options is to use a trailer.  Trailers are great for a few reasons - you can use your existing bike without major modifications, they are a lot less expensive than a purpose made cargo bike, and they generally attach/detach quickly making them easy to use just when you need them.

On the flipside, here are a few of the challenges sometimes presented by trailers - the added length can make tight spaces and maneuverability a challenge, the added weight of the trailer to your existing bike will change the way your bike handles, and curbs/bollards/posts all need to be navigated with extra care, being sure not to clip them with the wheels on the trailer.

We stock 3 cargo trailer models, all perfect for use in the city - the Topeak Journey $450, Burley's award winning Travoy $419, and the Croozer Cargo $225. 

First up is the Journey, Topeak's take on the single wheel trailer.  Single wheel trailers are popular with those that like touring and mountainbiking as the trailer tracks right behind the bike and make singletrack trails easy to navigate and only has one wheel making it more efficient over the long haul.  The attachment system needs a quick release rear wheel for attachment and uses an innovative mechanism to prevent the trailer from coming loose during use.  A review of this trailer can be found here.

Travoy with included bag.

Travoy as a golf cart.

Next up is Burley's award winning trailer design - Travoy.  The Travoy fills a gap in the trailer market for the bike commuter with a convenient and secure way to carry your stuff to work, including a change of office clothes, a laptop, 60lbs. of groceries on the way home - or even for golfing!  A friend of mine bought one so he can load his golf bag onto it, cycle to the course, unhook the trailer - and voila! - golf cart!  A review can be found here.

Last up is the Croozer Cargo trailer, our most affordable trailer.  This trailer is pretty basic but perfectly suitable as a grocery getter, recycling runner, or garden centre hauler.  The unit is pretty simple to use and will attach to virtually any bike out there, including bikes with internally geared hubs(needs an adapter), full-suspension MTB's, and road bikes.  It comes with an easily attached cover and folds flat for storage.  User reviews can be found here.

Here in Calgary, virtually every community is within a couple kilometres of a grocery store and easily cycled to.  Why not consider using one to reduce your automobile use for simple tasks?  You'll enjoy the bike ride, get fitter, save money, and avoid the inevitable parking lot chaos.

Safer Bike Lane Opportunity Missed?

While out riding today I came across a new painted bike lane on 66 Ave SW and was saddened to see that people (yet again) have been placed between the travel lane and the parking lane on a road that could very easily have had a treatment like this...


Portland Unveils Downtown Cycle Track from Mayor Sam Adams on Vimeo.

Instead, we have this...

Click on image for a bigger version

Hey City of Calgary, this could be fixed pretty easily and quickly, and be a great example of putting cyclists from 8 yrs old to 80 yrs old first and perhaps showing how easily this type of safe bike infrastructure can be installed. 

Here is another short video showcasing the concept.

What do you think? 

Mia Birk is coming to Calgary!

Mia Birk is one of the foremost transportation planners in North America and we are excited to find out that she is coming to Calgary May 12th for a book reading and to meet with City of Calgary officials.  Here are some details about the event...

Joyride: An Evening with Portland author and cycling advocate Mia Birk

7:00 pm, Thursday, May 12th

John Dutton Theatre at the Calgary Central Library. 

Co-presented by CivicCamp and the Calgary Public Library, in partnership with First Calgary Financial and with the support of Clifton Associates, Mistri, Sustainable Calgary and Thrive.

Mia Birk’s new book Joyride: Pedaling Toward a Healthier Planet tells the dramatic and enlightening behind-the-scenes story of how a group of determined visionaries transformed Portland into a cycling mecca and inspired the nation. Through a panoply of hilarious and poignant stories, Birk takes readers on a 20-year roller coaster journey of global and local discovery and education, while bringing into sharp focus some of the planet’s most pressing and hotly debated energy and transportation issues, policies, shortcomings, and solutions. See the Youtube trailer here.

Register for this free event.

Mia Birk is President at Alta Planning + Design, with 20 years experience in sustainable transportation focused on pedestrian, bicycle, trail, and greenway planning, design and implementation.

Babboe City Cargobike First Impressions

Babboe was created in 2007 in The Netherlands by 3 folks who saw the need for a more affordable, yet durable cargo bike.  Their first offering was the 3-wheeled "Big" with the bakfiets style "City" as their latest offering.

First up is a quick review of the City with a review of the Big coming in a few weeks time.  Lets start at the front of the bike...

- Oversized, glavanized steel frame with oversized and galvanized steel fork offering a tough chassis that should last for many years of hard use
- braking provided by a Shimano roller brake for years of maintenance free, all weather stopping power
- battery powered LED lighting.  Although we prefer dynamo lighting whenever possible, the light on the City is bright enough and keeps the costs down

The cargo box on the City is one of its finest features and one of the nicest we've seen
- German made, marine grade Birch to handle many years outdoors
- multiple panels are replaceable in the event of damage and held togther with stainless steel hardware
- rounded box design is a real treat preventing ouchies from corners and more comfort for your children
- foot holes on the bottom of the box allow for easy entry for the children
- 2 sets of safety harnesses for the kiddies, with an additional seat available for larger families
- rain cover available
- 100kg weight capacity


The bike itself is shipped in 3 separate boxes allowing for much cheaper freight, but more importantly, better packaging and a bike that arrives to you in great condition.  This photo shows how the front half connects to the back with the beautiful kickstand visable too.  Stainless steel hardware holds everything togther.  One of the things I love about this bike is the kickstand.  You can deploy it from either side of the bike (no latch), does not rattle at all, and is spring loaded making it easy to use even with a full load on board.

Moving towards the rear of the bike...
- full coverage fenders front and back keep you clean
- full chaincase keeps your clothes clean
- Rustbuster chain standard
- battery powered taillight with integrated reflector
- drivetrain supplied by Shimano's ubiquitous Nexus 7-speed workhorse
- low gear range makes hills a breeze even on this heavy bike
- braking power is the same as the front, Shimano roller brake
- integrated ABUS wheel lock
- rack mounts (if you decide you want a rear rack)



<- The Babboe City in its natural habitat.

The bike has a remarkably light handling feel, especially considering its length and weight.  As with most bakfiets-style bikes, it actually feels better with weight in the box and is quite easy to ride once you've figured it out.

The seat tube angle on the bike is very relaxed offering a wide range of people the ability to ride this bike - everyone from 5' to 6'+ will find the bike comfortable to ride and easy to handle.  The handlebars are also height adjustable making it easy to find the perfect riding position for most people.

Riding the Babboe City is easy and comfortable even though is is over 6' long.  The steering feels light and responsive even with a couple of kids onboard and the gear range is low enough that most people should be able to handle most terrain found in the city.  One thing I really like about this bike is how low the back of the cargo box is - allowing for out-of-the-saddle pedaling on hills - nice! 

Cargo bikes are a real alternative to the second (or third) car and offer families an amazing way to get out togther and explore your community, grocery shop, picnics - your imagination is the only thing limiting the possibilities of these amazing machines. 


Test rides are available.

Beautiful Bicycle Giveaway!

We are hosting a contest with the organizers of Calgary's Bike To Work Day to give away this beautiful LINUS Mixte 3-speed. You want to win it, right?

Sporty Chic! The LINUS Mixte 3 

Entering the contest is easy. Here are the details...

- snap a photo of yourself riding to work and post it on Twitter mentioning @Bike2WorkDayYYC and @BikeBikeYYC.
- If you are not of the Twitter persuasion, post your picture on Bike To Work Day's Facebook page or our own BikeBike Facebook page
- Maximum 5 photos per person
- The lucky winner will be drawn on Bike To Work Day and contacted by the ride organizers

During the week leading up to Bike To Work Day on Friday May 6, Breakfast Television will be talking about various aspect of cycling in Calgary - including a bicycle style segment on Monday May 2 at 7:52am hosted by us!

Bike Rentals!

Bike Rental Rates and Information

Batavus BuB 3-Speed City Bike
Day $30
Overnight $45
Weekly (5 Days) $120
Rentals include a great lock, and if desired, a helmet too.

Batavus BuB

BoxBikes/CargoBikes

Bicycles for riding with family, moving bigger loads, or simply for fun.  Call us for availability.
Day $50
Overnight $75
Weekly (5 Days) $150
Rentals include a great lock, and if desired, a helmet(s) too.

Call 403-457-2453 for more information or to book your rental.  

Cyclepalooza!

www.cyclepalooza.ca

 

WOW!

I am completely blown away by Calgary area cyclists yet again.  A bunch of us met on a cold February day just 2 months ago and within that short period of time we are here, launching a bike festival like nothing Calgary has ever seen before.

10 days of events for all types of people - part of me thinks that Calgary may never be the same after this first year.  Lets hope!

For those of you reading this who are not familiar with what the festival is all about, check this out to get the skinny.  For those of you who like to organize things - check out the organizers information here.  Organizing an event does not need to be a big production - set a date, invite your friends, and go ride your bike!  It's that easy.

We've already added 2 events to the festival - how are you contributing?

World's Finest Folding Bikes Are Here!

We finally received our first batch of Brompton's and last week in between snow storms I took our demo bike out for an hour and a half test ride to see what all the "fuss" was about.

What do I mean by "fuss"? Well, Brompton owners absolutely love their bikes and have such passion for their little bikes that it's hard not to be drawn in by it.  These owners use these bikes for everything under the sun - daily commuting, grocery shopping, travelling, touring, and even racing.  Brompton's are well suited to all of these endeavours for a number of reasons - super small dimensions when folded (easy to carry on a train or bus), light weight, available luggage, travel cases, and rack options, and models available with super fast tires and gearing.

Below are some photos of my test ride...

The bike is so small I was able to bring it inside the market while I picked up lunch.

Guarded.  Our demo S6L with S-Bag in parking mode - simply flip the rear wheel under and presto! Parked.

The Elbow River meeting The Glenmore Reservoir.  Amazed at how fast and stable the bike is.  It has a much longer wheelbase than most other folding bikes giving it a remarkably stable ride.

Overpassed.  During my test ride I had to fiddle with the fit quite a bit but had it sorted by the end.  Only one complaint, the grips were a bit uncomfortable.

At rest.  I loved the 6-speed system and found it easy to find the perfect gear.  Brompton's gear system is all their own with specially designed Sturmey Archer hub and Brompton's own "derailleur".

The S-Bag attaches to a block on the headtube keeping the handlebars free to turn and placing the weight nice and low.  Incredibly stable and very well balanced.

***May 2014 Update***

Meanwhile, here in Calgary, we are fortunate to have a transit service that has been willing to embrace the multimodal capabilities that folding bikes offer.  So long as your bike is folded up and inside a bag you can bring it onto buses and trains during rush hour, offering a solution to the "first and last mile". 

Instead of waiting for the bus to take you to the train then waiting for another bus (or walking) to take you to your final destination, employing a folding bike allows you to take control of your time needed for commuting and frees up a seat on the bus for someone who may need it more than you! 

Here is a little video Stewart Midwinter and I created to show how easy (and fun!) it can be -




We have a fleet of bikes currently in stock and demostrator models are available for test rides.  Give us a call or pop in sometime to test out these remarkable little machines.

Are We On The Cusp Of A Cycling Renaissance In Calgary?

There has been a lot of chatter in recent months about The City of Calgary's Comprehensive Cycling Strategy and whether we might finally see some progress towards getting safe, onstreet cycling infrastructure built here.

Am I dreaming in technicolour?  I don't think so.

New at BikeBike - LINUS Bikes!

LINUS Bikes have finally arrived at the shop and we are thrilled to be able to bring these beautiful bikes to Calgary.  Currently we have all the models in stock with the exception of the Gaston/Dover - those bikes and the accessories will arrive later this spring.

If you are in the market for a stylish and affordable city bike, do yourself a favour and check out LINUS bikes.

From their website - "...LINUS… a simple, affordable, elegant bike for riding around and doing stuff."

LINUS Roadster - available as a singlespeed/coaster brake, 3-speed IGH, and 8-speed IGH.