Sep 26 2012

Don’t Own a Bicycle? Ride a Boris Bike.

London's Big Ben Tower

London by bike

Biking in London, England

If you’ve ever wanted to take a bicycle ride on a Thames River bicycle path or an urban bikeway through the heart of London, you don’t have to worry about bringing your own bike with you to England. Thanks to a forward-thinking London mayor and a community that’s supportive of alternative transportation, you can rent bicycles once you get there and enjoy British sight-seeing from the vantage point of a bicycle seat on an urban bike trail. So without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to this week’s guest blogger, Chiara Fucarino.

London Bike Scheme

If you’ve watched an old Hollywood movie sometime in your lifetime, you’ve probably seen the whole “steal the bike from a kid” move during a chase sequence. If such a film took place in today’s London, there wouldn’t be a kid shouting after a grown adult who has taken his bike. Instead, you’d see the adult fishing a key out of his pocket and scrambling to unlock a Boris bike at a docking station before taking off with it.

 

What is a Boris bike?

It’s the nickname for the bicycles used in the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme and named after Boris Johnson, the mayor of London. Boris bikes are public bicycles that can be hired and used by anyone. There are thousands of docking stations all over London, precisely the central, North Shoreditch, Tower Hamlets, and Shepherds Bush neighborhoods. There are plans to expand the cycle hire scheme into West and South London in 2013.

 

Boris bikes are high-quality and more advanced than regular street bicycles. They have a lot of nifty features, including:

 

–          Dynamo-powered flashing front and rear lights

–          A bell on the left handlebar

–          A small carrying rack in the front, complete with a elastic cord

–          Mudguards

–          Puncture-resistant tires

 

How does the scheme work?

 

The Barclays Cycle Hire scheme is a successful public solution for those with insufficient means of transportation. Anyone who wants to ride a Boris bike frequently can register on the Barclays Cycle Hire website and pay an annual access fee of 45 pounds and 3 pounds per key. Up to four keys are then sent to the new Boris bike scheme member, and the member could then use one of the membership keys to unlock a Boris bike at any docking station.

 

If a person doesn’t use Boris bikes frequently, s/he doesn’t have to register at the website. The person can just pay with a credit or debit card at the docking station. It costs more, and it takes a bit more time to obtain a bike, but it’s the perfect solution for anyone who doesn’t want to pay the 45-pound annual fee.

 

Whenever a person, whether a registered member or not, wants to hire a Boris bike, s/he still has to pay a usage charge. The charge is based on how long the person needs to have the bike. If it’s under thirty minutes, it’s free. If it’s an hour, it’s 1 pound. Three hours, 15 pounds. Twenty-four hours, 50 pounds. You can see the pricing chart here.

 

Boris bikes can be ridden to any docking station within the city. The user just has to make sure that the bike is returned within the specified time frame.  If there’s a fault with a Boris bike, the user can drop it off at the nearest docking station, press the red ‘fault’ button, and then take out another bike at no extra cost.

 

Where do I sign up?

 

Right here! You have to be 18 or older and you have to have a UK postal address that matches your billing address. Good luck, and let us know how you like being part of this cutting-edge cycle hire scheme!

Don’t Own a Bicycle? Ride a Boris Bike. – written by Chiara Fucarino. Chiara is regularly writing on behalf of Cruiser Bikes, a cheap cruiser bikes shop on the web.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/09/26/dont-own-a-bicycle-ride-a-boris-bike/

Sep 24 2012

Ridekick Electric Bike Trailer

ridekick electric bicycle trailer

Ridekick electric trailer

Make Any Bike an Electric Bike

If you’d like the benefits of an electric bike while still retaining the benefits of your regular bike, then the Ridekick is the perfect solution for you. Ridekick is an electric trailer that you hook to your bike; the trailer then pushes your bike whenever you need a little extra help or a little extra speed. It’s the perfect solution for people who don’t want to invest in yet another bike but who want to have an occasional electric bike experience.

Benefits of the Ridekick Electric Bicycle Trailer

I was a big fan of the Ridekick from the moment I first heard about it. What a great idea!! If you’re anything like me, you already have a favorite bike or two. You probably also have limited storage space. (Which may be a good thing or we’d have our favorite two dozen bikes.) The Ridekick allows you to hang onto your old bike while still adding the convenience of an electric bicycle to your stable of personal transportation vehicles. So here are some of the other benefits of the Ridekick Electric Bicycle Trailer:

electric bicycle trailer by sidekick

Ridekick storage

  • The Ridekick doesn’t take up a lot of space in your garage, house, apartment or patio.
  • The Ridekick allows you to carry items like groceries or work supplies.
  • The Ridekick fits on most bikes, tandems, & recumbents.
  • The Ridekick can be interchanged between several of your personal transportation vehicles.
  • Purchasing the Ridekick to add to your current bike is less expensive than buying a new electric bicycle.
  • Since the Ridekick has extra storage space, you can carry along extra batteries; this provides you with a longer powered ride.
  • The Ridekick is quiet.
  • The Ridekick allows you to power up hills and do battle with nasty headwinds.
  • The Ridekick allows you to ride at up to 19 miles per hour.
  • The Ridekick can be installed in under 15 minutes. Subsequent installations can take just a matter of seconds.
So now that you know how awesome the Ridekick is, here are some basic Ridekick facts:
  • Ridekicks start at around $700 for a basic unit with the lead acid battery.
  • Ridekicks can be purchased with either a lead acid battery or a lithium battery.
  • The Ridekick has a range of about 10 – 12 miles with the lead acid battery and 25 miles with the lithium battery.
  • The Ridekick provides a weather-proof storage case with a built-in combination lock.
    Ridekick battery and display panel

    display panel & battery

  • Allows you to turn your bike into an electric vehicle without actually modifying your bike.
What is the Ridekick good for? Let us count the ways:
  1. commuting
  2. recreation
  3. touring (I would love to take this on a long-distance rail-trail)
  4. showing off
  5. school trips
 One of these days, I hope to take the Ridekick on one of my trail tours. When that happens, I’ll give you a day-by-day report of the trip. The only question is which trail will I ride? Any suggestions?

 

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/09/24/ridekick-electric-bike-trailer/

Sep 22 2012

ICE Recumbent Trike Review

Trailsnet’s First Recumbent Trike Review

I’m not sure what took Trailsnet so long to review recumbent trikes. They’ve been on our radar from day one. In fact recumbents were one of the first personal transportation vehicles to catch our attention and help us decide to make PTVs a focus area for Trailsnet, and we’ve always had a dedicated category for recumbent trails on Trailsnet.com.  Although the following review is specifically for ICE Trikes, it can also serve as an introduction to recumbent trikes in general.

ICE Recumbent Trike Introduction

recumbent trike manufactured by ICE

ICE Sprint Trike

ICE stands for Inspired Cycle Engineering. ICE Recumbent Trikes is one of the leading brands for recumbent trikes. Among trike recumbent fans, ICE has a sort of cult following. ICE Trikes are not usually the first recumbent trike that recumbent followers own, but they are often the last. Recumbent riders tend to be a loyal bunch of folks, and once they find a brand they like, they often stick to that brand for life.

ICE Recumbent Trike Highlights

So what’s to love about an ICE Recumbent Trike? Let me count the features:

  1. Precisely engineered – ICE Trikes are built to last. They are sturdy and stable.
  2. Compact – Whether you need to transport your recumbent trike or store it at your house, the foldable frame of an ICE Trike comes in handy when you have space limitations.
  3. Selection – ICE carries three lines of recumbent trikes. They are the Adventure, the Sprint and the Vortex.
  4. Customizable – Within each of the three trike models listed above, there are numerous variations such as the Adventure, Adventure RS, Adventure FS, Adventure FS+, Adventure HD, Adventure RS HD, etc. Then, on each of the specific models, you can add such options as a neck rest, a rack, side pods, front light mount, chainring guard and more.
recumbent trike on Trailsnet.com

author on recumbent trike

ICE Recumbent Trike Dealers

ICE distributors may not be the most visible PTV (personal transportation vehicle) sales staff on the planet; but they are quite knowledgeable about their product. I was fortunate enough to interview Chip Stern, owner of Colorado’s Recumbent Trike Store. Chip definitely knows his recumbents and is one of ICE’s leading distributors. He has long been a fan of recumbent trikes and distributes them both nationally and internationally. His enthusiasm for trikes becomes evident from the start and his knowledge of the industry is voluminous. Like most ICE representatives, he is glad to accompany customers on a test drive and offers a steady stream of tips, tricks and trike tales. Even though I was mainly interested in learning about recumbent Trikes in general and ICE Recumbent Trikes particularly, I found myself wishing I had more garage space for “just one more personal transportation vehicle.” My PTV bucket list just expanded by at least one more toy. It’s not a matter of if I’m going to get a recumbent trike someday soon but whether it will be the Adventure, the Spring or the Vortex.

Why I Like Recumbent Trikes

Above all else, recumbent trikes are incredibly comfortable. It’s as if my body was telling me, “Now this is the way to ride trails.” Two particular trike qualities contribute to the aforementioned comfort:

  1. position – I’m not the first to notice that riding a recumbent bike is like viewing the world from the vantage point of your favorite reclining chair. My weight was evenly distributed throughout my entire back rather than just being centered over my buttocks. That weight distribution makes a huge difference over the course of a typical ride. Having ridden recumbent bikes on both the Withlacoochee Trail in Florida and the Silver Comet Trail in Georgia, I can vouch for the added comfort of the reclining position whilst navigating a long-distance trail.
  2. freedom – Those of you who follow Trailsnet realize that I’m all about relaxation, scenery and fitness when it comes to riding the trails. Recumbents allow all three of those qualities plus freedom. The increased stability of recumbent trikes afford the freedom to enjoy the scenery without worrying about every bump & rut in the trail. The freestanding frame allows for the freedom to stop and rest or take pictures at will without worrying about balancing a bike. And the added (potential) cargo space allows for the freedom of long, comfortable trail journeys; and everyone knows that Trailsnet is all about long, comfortable trail journeys.
The recumbent community is a growing one and an increasingly diverse group of riders. If you’re under the impression that recumbents are for seniors or any other one particular group, you need to take another look at who’s riding recumbents. As both Chip Stern and I agree, if we’d have known about recumbents back when we were in our twenties, we’d have drooled over them then, too. Oh sure, recumbents offer new-found adventures and exploration to retirees and even folks with certain handicapping situations. But in reality, recumbents and recumbent trikes are for everyone.
For more information about recumbents, take a look at the BentRider blog and the Recumbent & Tandem Rider Magazine. Then I’ll see you on the trail with a smile on your face, the wind at your back and a  recumbent trike directly underneath you.

 

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/09/22/ice-recumbent-trikes/

Sep 20 2012

Road Bikes Okay, But…

Road Bike Video

If a picture paints a thousand words, then this video paints a million. This video was taken, last weekend, just a few miles from where I live. This is why I much prefer to ride my bike on the trails:

Comments about bikes on roads

Spend a little time reading the comments that accompany the video. This wasn’t posted very long ago and it’s amazing the reaction it’s gotten. The road biking issue is obviously a hot topic.

I always enjoy reading the comments from both sides of the argument for and against bikes on the roads.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/09/20/road-bikes-okay-but/

Sep 18 2012

Pedego Electric Bike Review

Pedego electric bicycle

Pedego electric bike

Ped-e-Go Electric Bicycle

What’s better than riding a premium electric bicycle? How about riding one that you designed from the tires on up? Pedego definitely fits into the category of premium electric bikes. And now, the folks at Pedego electric cycles are offering you the chance to build the electric bike of your dreams; and if that isn’t good enough, they’re also giving you the opportunity to win the bike that you designed. Just visit the Pedego Facebook page and enter to win!!

What Makes Pedego eBikes different?

Pedego electric bikes “combine style and function to open up cycling to anyone who might otherwise not be getting the benefits from bike riding.” Some of the features of Pedego that are either unique or noteworthy include:

  • They are built for comfort with ergonomically designed seats and handlebars.
    Pedego electric bike

    easy to use controls

  • They include many step-through models so riders don’t have to straddle a crossbar.
  • They come with two battery sizes: 37 volt or 48 volt
  • They have an internal hub motor that is quiet and powerful
  • They can be operated with or without pedaling.
  • They have numerous dealer locations.
  • They allow you to customize your bike with various colors, styles, tires, motor size and accessories.
  • They come with a limited warranty.
  • And most important, they are a lot of fun!!!

Pedego Electric Bike Test Ride

Pedego requires all their dealers to offer test drives to interested consumers. I had the opportunity to test ride a Pedego electric vehicle provided by Colorado’s SmallPlanet eVehicles out of Longmont. I started out by maneuvering it through the parking lot of City of Cuernevaca Park near downtown Denver. Then I had the opportunity for a fairly long ride on the Platte River Trailall the way from Denver to Thornton. I was impressed by numerous Pedego qualities

electric bicycle by Pedego

Pedego

including:

  • The ride was incredibly quiet and smooth.
  • The battery seemed to last forever. After riding for over 12 miles, the power indicator was still near the full mark.
  • I liked the option of using a combination of pedal and electric power or throttle powered propulsion. This gave me full control of how much exercise I was getting as opposed to how much electrical boost the bike was giving me.
  • The controls on the bike were easy to find and use after only a short amount of time.

I have been pleased by the quality and selection of electric bikes out there. Pedego is a great example of how electric bikes are continually improving to meet the needs of both bicyclists and electric vehicle enthusiasts. Such electric bikes are making it possible for people of all ages and abilities to join the cycling revolution. In the long run, that will be good for the environment, for fitness and for recreation.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/09/18/pedego-electric-bike-review/

Sep 10 2012

Lighten Your Load: Smart Tips for Backpackers

Backpacking Light

Backpacking is an activity that is an adventurous way of life for some people. Professional backpackers have learned, through experience, all the tips and tricks of packing smart for their journeys. Packing light is essential – bring too much with you, and you’ll suffer throughout your trip with a sore back and depleted energy. If you’re new to backpacking, here are some important tips on how to lighten you load.
Readjust Your Strategy

A common mistake that newbie backpackers make is bringing along as much as they think they can carry. Do not try to pack as much as you can handle or fit into your bag. Instead, try to pack as little as you can manage with. Don’t try to come up with creative ways to bring more stuff or cram it all into your pack. Instead, try to be as minimalist as possible and leave behind things that you can do without.

Don’t Bring “Just in Case” Items

Anyone who’s ever over-packed for a vacation knows that more often than not, the things you pack “just in case” are never needed. Think carefully about your “just in case” items; in cases, it’s better not to bring them at all. For example, you may be tempted to bring along a fishing pole “just in case” there’s a good fishing hole. Instead, just bring along some fishing line, one sinker & a hook. If that fishing hole materializes & you have time, you can always find a grub, worm or grasshopper to pop on the hook.

Bring Multi-Purpose Gear

Multi-purpose gear will help you lighten your load by reducing the total number of items you need to pack. Look for items that have multiple functions whenever possible. Bring a cooking pot that can double as a food bowl, for example. You can use socks as hand warmers if necessary. Your clothing can be used to stuff your pillow at night. And a Swiss army knife is always recommended.

Reduce Clothing Items

Never bring more than one full week’s worth of clothing, and you should usually bring less than that. Three or four of each clothing items (shirts, pants, underwear, socks) should be enough. Wear items more than once, and wash your clothes when you need to. Bring clothing that can be worn in different situations, and bring outfits that can be mixed-and-matched to wear in different weather. As for shoes, choose a pair that is very durable, and comfortable. Don’t bring more than one extra, lightweight shoe.

Reduce Toiletries

Absolutely never bring full-size toiletry items; it’s highly unnecessary and will increase the weight of your backpack significantly. Bring only small or travel size toiletries with you. Try to measure out appropriate amounts for the length of your trip, and leave behind items you can do without (do you really NEED mouthwash when you have toothpaste?). Bringing a little more sunscreen or bug spray than you think you need isn’t a bad idea, but things like shampoo and soap can easily be purchased if you run out. 
L. Evans is an adventure seeker based out of Kenya. She uses Glovico to learn Swahili.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/09/10/lighten-your-load-smart-tips-for-backpackers/