About.com Bicycling

Bicycling in Tampa, Florida

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:55:38 +0000

Don't know if you are ever in Tampa, Florida but I was there recently and recommend it as a great place for cycling. This time of year, it's perfect weather - sunny as can be and the daily highs around 80 degrees (26 c). Plus, it's flat flat flat due to its location on the water, which also produces a nice gentle breeze to keep you cool

Bike rental in downtown Tampa is available from City Bikes (citybiketampa.com/(888) 484-2453) which offers Kona/KHS urban and mountain bikes for around $8.00 an hour with some nice road bikes renting around $10 an hour. Full day rates are around $30.00. Great people who know what they're doing run the shop and they're super friendly and nice. Plus you can find a coupon for 10% off in one of the downtown tourist map/attraction guides.

From City Rental on Cass Street, I rode south to the convention center, directly toward the water. Downtown Tampa is a calm place, so you won't have to be fearful of traffic. For an especially peaceful ride, take Franklin Street, just a block east of the City Bikes. Much of it is designated as car-free zones, and there is a great stretch that goes through a peaceful, shady mall area that runs a whole city block.

For a great ride, turn right/west at the Convention Center and cross the drawbridge over the Hillsborough River, which takes you directly to the path that follows Bayshore Boulevard. This is an awesome five-mile path for walkers, joggers and cyclists that follows the curve of the water all the way around. This is an uninterrupted path with no street crossings and numerous benches along the way, plus a convenience store at the far end for refueling.

I took the Bayside Boulevard path down and back, then followed the trolley line from the convention center over to Ybor City, a brick-street neighborhood of Tampa that'll make you think of New Orleans, just bursting with funky nightclubs, shops and restaurants. Lots of people sitting out in streetside cafes, sipping wine, etc. Originally developed as an area of cigar factories in the 1880s, there are lots of places in Ybor City to pick up anything from a light snack to full meal if you're looking for a place to eat.

From there, wrapping up my tourist adventure, it was an easy ride back east to City Bikes, not even a mile and a half. Two hours and 20 miles after I started I was back, and thanksful for the opportunity to ride bikes in a lovely new area.

Bicycling in Tampa, Florida originally appeared on About.com Bicycling on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 07:55:38.

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Cranksgiving - Food Drive on Two Wheels

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:09:12 +0000

Last weekend, over 300 cyclists in St. Louis collected over 3000 items of food in the city's annual Cranksgiving ride. It's a food drive and bike ride all rolled up into one, where cyclists follow a route that takes them past a couple of different grocery stores, where they purchase food for a local pantry.

Originally started by bike messengers in NYC, similar events are taking place across the United States this month in New York, Ann Arbor, LA, Omaha, Des Moines, and Milwaukee, just to name a couple. Check out if a Cranksgiving ride is taking place in your area. If there's not one scheduled, maybe you can start one yourself. It's not too hard - just a friend or two (or more) and a bike ride to the grocery store

Read more about Cranksgiving
More articles about the organized bike rides
Bike Advocacy
Travel with your bike

Cranksgiving - Food Drive on Two Wheels originally appeared on About.com Bicycling on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 00:09:12.

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Chrome Messenger Bag Review

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:36 +0000

Chrome Transport in San Francisco is known for its line of products that fit the urban cycling lifestyle. Chrome's products, which include knickers, footwear and a wide range of bags and packs, are designed first for people who make a living riding in the city, hauling stuff on their bikes.

This certainly holds true with their line of messenger bags which we tested recently. Prices range from $120-$160, dending on the size. That may give you pause, but the design and rugged construction means this bag is going to last and last, probably making it hold out longer on the bike than you will.

Check out our review of Chrome's messenger bag if you're thinking about getting one and want the straight skinny, or just want to find out more about your options for cool, rugged ways to haul stuff on your bike.

Bicycle Wedding Vows

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:28:34 +0000

Some bike riding friends are getting married, and are looking for a way to tie something bicycling related into their wedding vows. Any suggestions?

Here are a couple I've heard, shared with you to get your creative fires burning:

I promise to love you more than my bicycle..... My sweet, sweet, bicycle.

or how about this one
Bride: "I agree to take at least one overnight bicycle trip a year with my husband to a destination of his choosing."

Groom: "I agree to take no more than 51 overnight bicycle trips by myself each year."

Then there's always the full bicycle prenuptial agreement

Suggest your wedding vows for cyclists below.

Photo: qousqous/flickr

Bicycle Wedding Vows originally appeared on About.com Bicycling on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 07:28:34.

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Black Eye Bikes Pistola BMX reviewed

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:12:34 +0000

Can you get a decent BMX bike for $350 bucks? That's what we wanted to find out when we checked out the Pistola from Black Eye bikes. While the basic set-up is good, Black Eye went the low route in a couple of places to keep costs down. Find out where when you read the whole review, and see if this is a decent entry-level BMX bike or something to stay away from.

Check out the whole review: Black Eye's Pistola BMX bike.

Black Eye Bikes Pistola BMX reviewed originally appeared on About.com Bicycling on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 00:12:34.

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"Bring Your Bike Inside"

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:02:58 +0000

Don't you love signs like this? Friar Tuck is a higher-end store that carries liquor, wine and beer. They've got this big sign hanging out back of their shop, where a bike path goes behind their strip mall location.

"Bring Your Bike Inside" originally appeared on About.com Bicycling on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 00:02:58.

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Leadville 100 Movie -- "Race Across the Sky" -- Announces Second Showing

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:33:25 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about the movie, "Race Across the Sky" which is the story of the Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race that took place in August. The LT100 is the event that Lance Armstrong entered after his retirement from road racing that made him decide to compete again. He didn't make much of a showing in 2008 but came back with a new determination to win in 2009, including taking on six-time winner Dave Wiens, who had smoked him the year before.

The movie tells the story of this epic race and it was presented in a one-night only event last month. I saw it, and it was great. It's not a "racing" movie, only about Lance, Lance, Lance with one action shot after another. Rather it's the human element, the profile of the competitors -- both those who make it, and those who don't -- that will have you both cheering and crying before it's all done.

If you missed it the first time, the good news is that an encore, one-night showing has just been announced for Thursday, Nov. 12th. Check out the Race Across the Sky website for more information. Tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com, where you can find a complete list of locations showing the movie.

Race Across the Sky website - featuring a five minute trailer preview
Tickets and locations where the movie is playing
Leadville Trail 100 website: information on both running and cycling events

Leadville 100 Movie -- "Race Across the Sky" -- Announces Second Showing originally appeared on About.com Bicycling on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 00:33:25.
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Fort Collins Bike and Brewery Tour

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:15:37 +0000

Like beer? Like bikes? Then you'll love the tour laid out for you in Ft. Collins, Colorado, where you can spend a happy afternoon pedaling from one microbrewery to another on this fabulous beer tour. Starting in the town's historic Old Square district, this happy bike ride takes you to three different microbreweries in relatively close proximity to each other before the final stop at New Belgium Brewery. You probably know New Belgium, which --while still technically a microbrewery, I suppose -- has taken its Fat Tire Ale to beer lovers across the country and beyond, and is well known to cyclists for the great events they put on in cities across the U.S. which include the Tour de Fat, the Urban Assault Ride plus their Team Wonderbike group.

Located 50 miles north of Denver, Ft. Collins is easy to get to from just about anywhere in the U.S. They're so set on making this fun and workable for visitors, free loaner bikes are available in the town square. In addition to the bike/brewery tour, the area features lots of great road riding and mountain biking.

Halloween Rules

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:25:09 +0000

Wore this home during my commute. Got lots of waves and thumbs up.

Halloween Rules originally appeared on About.com Bicycling on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 09:25:09.

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Review: Word-Lock Cable Bike Lock

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:02:17 +0000

The Word-Lock cable bike lock uses letter combinations instead of numbers to open the lock. Create an easy-to-remember word that means something to you as your combination and never be stuck unable to open your lock. But is it strong enough to deter potential thieves? Read our review of the Word-Lock bike lock and find out.

Review: Word-Lock Cable Bike Lock originally appeared on About.com Bicycling on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 00:02:17.

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About.com Bicycling

Bicycling in Tampa, Florida

Cranksgiving - Food Drive on Two Wheels

Chrome Messenger Bag Review

Links

Bicycle Wedding Vows

Black Eye Bikes Pistola BMX reviewed

"Bring Your Bike Inside"

Leadville 100 Movie -- "Race Across the Sky" -- Announces Second Showing

Fort Collins Bike and Brewery Tour

Links

Halloween Rules

Review: Word-Lock Cable Bike Lock