happy bike to work day

A snap shot taken on a recent evening commute along the Hudson/West Side Greenway -- where the sail boats have started to appear. Oh, how I adore bike commuting.

New Yorkers... don't forget, today until 10am, Transportation Alternatives is serving up free iced coffee, Clif Bars and fresh fruit to cyclists at the following spots:

• On the Brooklyn Bridge
• Manhattan Bridge (Manhattan side bike path exit)
• Bronx - Joyce Kilmer Park (161st & Grand Concourse)
• Williamsburg Bridge (Brooklyn side, entrance to bike path)
• Queensboro/59th St. Bridge (Queens side, entrance to bike path)
• Staten Island Ferry (St. George Terminal)
• Upper West Side - Hudson Greenway (Upper West Side Streets Renaissance)

Enjoy this most perfect cycling weather today!

Hello Kitty bicycle mania in SoHo

Last Friday SoHo experienced cuteness overload. In honor of Sephora's Big Pink Bow fragrance launch, Broadway was lined with models in pink tulle skits, Hello Kitty herself, and a row of Hello Kitty bicycles which they were raffling off that afternoon!

This was happening around the corner from my office, and lo and behold, but not one BUT TWO of my colleagues each won one of these Hello Kitty beach cruiser style bike (which came with a helmet, front brake and bell)! I still couldn't help but wish they had been giving away a bike better suited for city riding...

lilacs and panniers

Now that the Cherry Blossoms have all dropped their pedals, the lilacs are in full bloom this week along the West Side Greenway's Cherry Walk (100th to 125th Street)!!! They are so fragrant I've been finding myself slowing down as I bike past to make the experience last longer.

The warmer weather has also got me switching up my routine -- I'm giving my backpack (and my back) a break and testing out some saddlebag panniers for Commute By Bike. The review will be up in couple weeks!

THE LITTLE BIKE SHOP @ The New Amsterdam Bicycle Show THIS WEEKEND

via DARGELOS

DARGELOS's lightning vest, belt pouch and awesome convertible backpack/tote (above) will be among other accessories for sale at THE LITTLE BIKE SHOP - a pop up shop at The New Amsterdam Bicycle Show THIS weekend!

The New Amsterdam Bicycle Show is taking place 10am - 7pm this Saturday and Sunday at the Skylight SoHo, 275 Hudson Street between Spring and Canal. This year their hosting a slew of bike centric exhibitors (over 50!), offering a chance to win some incredible door prizes including a trip to the Netherlands or a new bike, beer, and valet bike parking.

THE LITTLE BIKE SHOP is a collaborative by Adeline Adeline and Velojoy which looks like they'll have some well curated and mighty attractive offerings...

custom designed saddle by Kara Ginther / Poka Cycles Chainguard via Adeline Adeline 

Spinlister catching my attention

This bike in SoHo caught my attention for two reasons... (1) the bike's awesome colour scheme - especially like the yellow pedals matching the Ulock and (2) the seat cover ad by Spinlister, a new online marketplace where you can rent/rent out a bike...

via Spinlister

Doing a few quick searches I found a real range of bikes (even one with a kids seat), per day prices (ranging from $10 to $60) with per week options, pick-up locations, though found the majority listed as fitting 5'6" or taller. It was also interesting to see that along with individuals listing their bikes, I spotted a couple rental companies like Bike and Roll on there...

via Spinlister

Before considering renting out on of my bikes, I'm going to spend some time reading through their Terms & Conditions. But it does seem like this site is a pretty brillant way of scoring some wheels for a few days -- especially if your an out of towner - or - making some extra $$ from a bike collecting dust in your tight living quarters. I just know if I were renting, I would be mighty careful locking up! 

If you've used Spinlister, do share your thoughts!!! 

an April bike commute

After Sunday's all day rain came... this balancing driftwood sculpture. Love coming across random things like this on my bike commutes.

making NCY bike friendly: air stations

Two nights in a row this week I helped out people on the West Side Greenway with flat tires -- yes, I always carry a bike pump. But it got me thinking back to visiting Stockholm years ago where they have 'cykelpump' stations scattered around the city offering free air to all since after all, lots of flats are a result of low air pressure.

With the growing number of cyclists (including the upcoming launch of NYC's own Bike Share) and the city pumping $$$ (no pun intended) enhancing its waterfront with an eventual continuous bike path around the island... incorporating some free air filling stations would be nice!!! Here's my dreamy scenario of installing air pump stations along the waterfront every 2-3 miles around the city since gas stations and bicycle shops are few and far between...

Additional pump station add ons that come to mind: presta valve adapter, PSI control so you could fill up your road bike tires to 100+PSI(!), and attached wrench and set of Allen keys.

The Cherry Walk's cherry blossoms

Having growing up in Washington DC, cherry blossoms hold a special place in my heart - but who doesn't love the sign of Spring to come with their delicate pale pink flowers whose pedals rain down?! Since I'm not likely to make it to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in time to catch this year's (early) peek, there's the West Side Greenway!

Heading up the Greenway bike path, between 100th and 125th Street in Manhattan, you'll end up on The Cherry Walk -- a mile long stretch with numerous cherry blossom trees right along the Hudson River waterfront.

I snapped these on way home last Friday evening as the trees started coming to life...

map via NYC.GOV

daylight savings, baby!

Kimberly of the NYC Bike Train commuting home north bound this week

THIS SUNDAY is Daylight Savings!!! (Yeah, have to pitch myself to believe it.) What a delight it will be to start putting dark evening commutes to rest!

In the meantime, I've recently found a network of fellow commuters (#nycbiketrain) who meet up to commute by bike together as far north as Inwood. This has been a great resource to me for the past couple weeks since I've been getting to know my new commute - which spans almost the entire length of the west side - and can't say I've always felt comfortable at night riding along some of the desolate and poorly lit northern portions of the Greenway alone + its been a super nice way to connect with other riders. Plans are in the works to spread the word about the NYC Bike Train... so stay tuned at the Get Biking! Facebook group.

Taken at 6:30PM yesterday looking westward -- can't wait for an even brighter evening skyline next week!

Hollywood Rides in NYC @ Adeline Adeline

This Wednesday Adeline Adeline, "a very nice bicycle shop" indeed!, is hosting the author Steven Rea with his first East Coast presentation about the book Hollywood Rides A Bike...

Wednesday, March 7th, 6-8pm
Adeline Adeline
147 Reade Street
(between Greenwich & Hudson)
Tribeca, NYC

Looks like we're in for lots of beautiful monochrome bike love featuring Bardot, Bogart, Hayworth, Novak, and many more ♥

image via Adeline Adeline

hello, northern manhattan

We've moved! Yes, it may seem rash but my husband and I left Brooklyn, home for the past 10 years, to the northern tip of Manhattan. Brooklyn, you've treated me well with your growing number of bike lanes, bike shops, and cycling community as a whole. Indeed I'll be continuing to post about my bike-centric life... including my new 20 mile round trip commute via the beautiful (car-free) West Side Greenway along the Hudson River. Pretty dreamy... no doubt photos will be posted shortly!

bike friendly knits via the Lower East Side

FTLOB reader Ileana Montalvo starting riding a bike in NYC last year (!) and has shared two great knitting projects for winter riding... an extra long cowl + calorimetry headbands. You can find the patterns and details about the yarns she used on her blog: www.loisaidanest.com 

Thanks for sharing, Ileana!

Greek goodness @ SOUVLAKI GR

Food + bike combined! Loved spotting this glowing '79 Schwinn last night in front of  SOUVLAKI GR's Lower East Side brick and mortar outpost. I always find it nice to see little white lights still up post-Christmas. 

+ if you've never tried their Greek Fries... they are AMAZZZZING!

pencil it in... 2012 Bike Rides in/around NYC

one beautiful bike calendar

The list below was originally compiled by Glen, from NYC Bicycle Shows, of 2012 popular recreational rides in the NYC area...  I've added a bit to it and plan to keep updating. Let me know if you know of anything that should be added below!

♥ 2012 BIKE RIDES IN/AROUND NYC ♥

February 26

SPIN-FOR-SIGHT

http://usheriii.org/index.php

Spin-a-thon, exclusively benefiting research for Usher Syndrome Type III hosted by Rebecca Alexander at The Sports Club/LA Upper East Side

May 5

The 14th Annual Blessing of the Bikes

www.bicycleshows.us

Ride to this FREE EVENT at St. John the Divine in NYC

May 6

BIKE NEW YORK/The Five Boro Bicycle Tour

www.bikenewyork.org

40 mile, all five boroughs + traffic-free ride for 32,000 cyclists

May 12

2nd Annual Tour de Staten Island
http://tourdestatenisland.org

18 mile ride by Transportation Alternatives

May 20

The Bloomin’ Metric

http://www.soundcyclists.com/BloominMetric.htm

25 - 62 mile ride options along scenic roads of Fairfield County Connecticut

May 20

Bike MS: Traffic Free Ride

www.nmssli.org

13 mile ride through the Massapequa Preserve

June 3

8th Annual Tour de Brooklyn
http://tourdebrooklyn.org

18 - 20 mile ride by Transportation Alternatives

June 3

6th Annual Ride the Ridge Bike Challenge

http://www.ridetheridge.org

5 - 50 mile ride options in Stone Ridge, NY benefiting the new High Meadow Performing Arts Center

June 3

Bike Boat Bike

www.sbraweb.org

25, 50, 65, 106 and 137 mile options ending in Long Island's East End

June 3

Tour de Cure NYC

http://tinyurl.com/7zsc8e9

7 - 100 mile ride options, 100 mile ride ends at Bear Mountain benefitting the American Diabetes Association

June 8

Bike to the Beach NY

www.biketothebeach.org

100+ mile ride benefitting Autism Speaks from Union Square, NYC to Westhampton Beach, NY

June 8, 9, 10

Get Your Guts In Gear

http://www.ibdride.org

150 mile ride through the Hudson River Valley to raise funds and awareness for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. 

June 16

Ride to Montauk

www.bicycleshows.us 

30, 70, 100, 145 mile ride options

 

June 24

Nassau to Suffolk Bicycle Challenge

www.n2sbc.org 

25, 50, 62 mile ride options on North Shore's Western Long Island benefitting the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Center

July 8

5th Annual Tour de Queens 
http://www.tourdequeens.org
18 to 20 mile ride exploring northeastern Queens organized by Transportation Alternatives

July 15

Mansion Ride for Autism

www.MansionRide.com

16, 40, 62 mile ride options only Long Island's North Shore 

July 22

Harlem Valley Rail Ride

http://Harlemvalleyrailride.com

25, 50, 75, 100 mile options 

July 27, 28, 29

The Farm Ride(s)

www.thefarmride.com

In and around Amherst, MA

July 28
The 4th Annual Brooklyn Waterfront Epic Ridehttp://brooklyngreenway.org
40-mile ride from Newtown Creek in Greenpoint to Rockaway Beach via the Brooklyn and Queens waterfronts organized by Brooklyn Greenway Initiative

August 12

Discover Hudson Valley

www.bikenewyork.org

15 to 100 mile ride options in the Hudson Valley

August 18

The Deerfield Dirt-Road Randonnée

http://www.franklinlandtrust.org/randonnee.html 

64 - 160K ride options celebrating 300 years of carriage roads in Franklin County, MA

August 26

The Ninth Annual North Fork Century

www.northforkcentury.com

25, 50, 70, 100 mile options on Long Island

September 2

The Golden Apple

http://www.westchestercycleclub.org

In and around Westchester, NY

September 9

23rd Annual NYC Century Bike Tour

http://www.nyccentury.org/
15 - 100 mile ride options -- the only "urban" century tour in the U.S., the NYC Century is Transportation Alternatives' premier annual bike-event.

September 9

Bike MS: East End Ride

www.nmssli.org

25, 50, 75 and 100 mile route options ending in Southampton, NY

September 21, 22, 23

Braking the Cycle -- Boston to New York

www.brakingthecycle.org

10th anniversary of Braking the Cycle, benefiting the HIV/AIDS services of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. Fully-supported, 3-day ride from Boston to New York City

September 22

ESCAPE NEW YORK

enyinfo@nycc.org

50, 65 or 100 mile ride options from Manhattan into Bergen and Rockland counties hosted by the New York Cycle Club

September 23

Cycle For Life

http://manhattan.cff.org/cycleforlife

32 - 62 mile ride options around Brooklyn benefitting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

September 23

Tour of the Hamptons

www.massparkbikeclub.org

25, 50, 70, 100 mile options fundraising for Make-A-Wish Foundation

September 29 @ 11:59PM

Bike the Night -- The Night Ride

www.bikethenight.com

Evening long ride on the Long Island Sound ending at the beach -- at dawn!

September 30

Bike New York Twin Lights Rides

www.bikenewyork.org

30 - 100 miles tour through the back roads of Monmouth County, NJ

September 30

Bike MS New York City

bikeMS@msnyc.org

30, 50 or 100 miles including the FDR and West Side Highway 

October 5

Seagull Century

www.seagullcentury.org

100 mile ride along the scenic roads of Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester counties benefitting Women Supporting Women, Habitat for Humanity and the Alzheimer’s Association

October 14

Bike the River Valley

www.biketherivervalley.com

30, 70, 100 mile options in Hudson River Valley

October 21 (TENTATIVE)

Tour de Bronx

http://tourdebronx.org

Organized by Transportation Alternatives

Cycle EXIF Bicycle Calendar 2012

... thirteen of the world’s most beautiful custom bicycles, from builders including Bishop Bikes, Feather Cycles, Icarus Frames, Fast Boy Cycles, Pereira Cycles and Stanridge Speed.

how to/how not to lock up your bike

 "auxiliary cable" mistake

It never ceases to amaze me how often you can spot an improperly locked up bicycle in NYC... or the remnants of a bicycle theft. I spotted that cut Kryptonite cable above in SoHo right after hearing about the same thing happened in Union Square from a friend.

I love this video from Streetfilms in which Hal from Bicycle Habitat does a hilarious -- and very good job -- at running through how to properly lock up. He's been a bike mechanic in NYC since the 70's and knows all the tricks of the trade including one of my favorites, strategically epoxying ball bearings...


Hal Grades Your Bike Locking 3: The Final Warning!

City Bakery's Holiday Cheer

The City Bakery's 'bicycle-powered rickshaw' fleet got into the spirit of the holidays with these tiny Christmas trees. Note the ornaments include their famous pretzel croissants!!! Spotted these two parked on 18th Street yesterday.

+ NYC cyclists (and skateboarders), don't forget to show the cashier your helmet at City Bakery/Birdbath Bakery to get a 20% discount! A beautiful bike friendly business model ♥

Fifth Avenue's Holiday Windows + bicycles (naturally!)

David Byrne's high heel bike rack at 5 Ave. and 48th St.

Last Wednesday, after watching a screening of the new and fantastic French silent film The Artist at The Paris Theatre, the holiday window displays along 5th Ave were awaiting me. If anything, the heavy wind and rain that evening made for even more beautiful reflections and no crowds!

First off, Saks Fifth Avenue's windows never disappoint. This year their kinetic installation features a spiky stiletto wearing mannequin pealing her way seamlessly from window to window on a high wheel style bicycle!!! So super awesome. I simply don't know why I didn't take advantage of my phone's video function?!?

In the window at Gucci an Italian bicycle and (high) fashion brand collaboration... the single-speed leather and chrome detailed "Bianchi by Gucci"...

Okay, so while not bicycle related, a few others... Bergdorf Goodman's life sized animal themed windows which are so incredibly detailed they are worth a lengthy visit to take it all in. Here is just a snippet...

Louis Vuitton opted for a non-holiday circus theme while taking advantage of their two story vitrines...

And the fabulous carousel theme at Tiffany's - so incredibly dreamy and well executed...