Filed under: Feature | Tags: Bicycle, Bike, Biking, Brooklyn, Commute, Cycling, Downtown Los Angeles, Helen's Cycles, Los Angeles, New York City
NYC VS. LA: COMMUTING VIA BIKE
Downtown LA
Photo Credit: the bocket
For the past 2 years, I’ve fancied myself a biker. Not simply one of those Spandex-wearing weekend riders but someone who commuted to her midtown office from the East Village frequently. Upon moving from NYC to LA, I thought my cycling would surely increase in intensity. After searching tirelessly for a new bike after mine was stolen in Brooklyn, I picked up some new wheels from Monty at Helen’s Cycles in Santa Monica.
My Baby at the Starting Point/ West Hollywood, CA (I can finally rock a spoke card)
After a few weekend rides from Manhattan Beach to Palos Verdes, I thought I was ready to try the commute from my home in West Hollywood to Daily Marauder’s office downtown LA.
The Road
After procrastinating for far too long, I left my house at approximately 9:45AM. I took the diagonal down to Venice Boulevard along San Vicente. The wide road and easy traffic left me feeling over-confident. The computer on my back in my messenger bag started to ping my former shoulder injury almost immediately. Venice Boulevard in sight, I made the left and continued on ‘glee’-ful that I would finally have a bike lane. I did, for perhaps 2 lights. Le sigh.
Then, it was bike lane-free for the remaining 7 miles downtown. The traffic was light which made things fear-free.
Downtown LA
After arriving at work, I picked up the prerequisite coffee and quiche and carried my bike up the 4 flights of stairs to our office. I was exhausted and what’s more, at around 5PM, I would have to do it all again. Speaking of which, the ride home was by far scarier darting in between cars and buses pretending to be a bad ass while I tried to keep from peeing in my pants.
Distance: 26 miles roundtrip
Time: 2 hours and change
Hills: YES. OK…maybe I’m exaggerating here but I’m used to FLAT.
Pride: You can suck it LA. I’ll be back out there next Monday. This time, I think a back pack is in order.
NYC vs. LA
A Statement on the MTA/ Taken at 42nd Street/6th Avenue
In NYC, my morning commute would only consist of 3 miles each way. I would wear my cute dress and flip flops and ride along with the bike messengers to prove you can fashionably pass on the left. I would breeze into HBO feeling hardly challenged and park my bike in bike parking in the basement. The bike messengers and mail people in the building thought my daily commutes were pretty hysterical, especially as I suited up in my heels whipping out my BlackBerry as I motored for the elevator. Bike Barbie in. Professional Barbie out.
In LA, I bike 13 miles to work sneakers and Lululemon wicking fabric in tow. On the eastside, I arrived at work with 2 computers staring back at me. In LA, my MacBook Pro travels on my back. NYC doesn’t do hills unless you count the approach to the George Washington Bridge which really only applies to weekend rides for most people. LA’s got hills boy…HILLS. The last thing you want to see after 12 miles home from work is a wall of hill staring back at you.
Let’s talk cars for a second. Yes, NYC drivers are mean, cut in and out of traffic and will swear at you on a daily basis.
But here’s the difference: at least they know you’re THERE.
LA drivers hardly seem to be paying any attention at all trying to get in that text while looking for the closest Coffee Bean. Wake up y’all! Between NYC and LA, far too many of my friends have been hit by cars. A friend was recently hit in Brooklyn and more than twelve weeks later is still walking with a boot. Hell, I’ve been hit by a cab before. Be careful out there. I know some bikers can be assholes. I’ve seen them and ridden with them. They drive me nutty. Keep in mind; they are the few. Most of us are cool people who just want an alternative means to work outside the 4 wheels and gas tank (not to exclude you hybrids out there). So, in whatever city you live, go get your bike commute on and drop me a note and let me know how it goes.
Bike Commuting in NYC:
Bike Commuting in LA:
Filed under: Feature, TECHNOLOGY | Tags: AIDS Lifecycle, Cadence Cycle, Computraining, Cycling, iPhone, LA, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco
COMPUTRAINING: BIKE RACING ON A COMPUTER SCREEN
Like Oprah, I have my list of favorite things. Apart from the obligatory items like pedicures and Twizzlers, my bike and my computer are at the top of my list. Especially now, as I train for the AIDS Lifecycle ride from San Francisco to LA, cycling has become the main focus of my weekend diet. So, after biking 55 miles to Piermont in the morning, I met up with Ray and Martha at Cadence Cycle in NYC to try out a free computraining class.
Step 1
Put your bike on a trainer and hook it into a computer which automatically changes the resistance according to the selected course.
Step 2
Calibrate the bike and stare down your surrounding competition.
Step 3
The names and weights of all bikers are loaded into the computer. In the screen above, the elevation is at the top of the screen and the columns at the bottom indicate each biker.
Step 4
Start peddling furiously and talking smack to surrounding bikers.
Along the course, a green line (towards the top of the screen in the image above) indicates a decline in elevation from the current elevation. A red line indicates an increase. It’s not quite like an outdoor riding looking at a hill as the change in elevation could be a big increase/decrease or slight. The image above was taken from my iPhone. The much better, brighter picture at the top is a stock photo.
Of course, I get seated next to Ray, ultramarathoner on my left, and overly-intense cycling dude on my right. Regardless, it was a nice experience to spin using my own bike. The added competition pushed me to a mph must faster than a traditional spin class. I also enjoyed knowing that everyone was at the same resistance. There’s always that person in every spin class who is told to turn it up ‘one full turn’ and makes a fake-out hand movement and then spins like a nut job. You know who you are.
If you want to take a class, the first two are free. $25 per class moving forward. Click here for more info either on the Philadelphia or NYC location.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=bb61c6ef-09d1-4725-bf05-6c85a669a55a)
Filed under: Feature, TECHNOLOGY | Tags: Bicycle, Bike, Cycling, Dumbo, Flickr, Global Positioning System, M.I.A., Nokia N95, Paper plane, Sports, Uncommon Projects, Yahoo
BIKING: GEEK FABULOUS STYLE
Yesterday afternoon, I got a chance to catch up with Tarikh and Josh from Uncommon Projects and ride the GPS-enabled Yahoo bike. They worked with Yahoo’s Buzz Marketing team to develop 20 of these bright purple bikes loading each with geek fabulous technology that this little blogstress can’t get enough of. Here’s a look at the on board tech:
Tech Out Your Roll
- Nokia N95 phone with GPS and camera (lives within this box on the handlebars): The camera automatically snaps pictures every 1 -2 minute intervals on your ride. I particularly love the “Ride like a girl” sticker its former owner in Maine affixed to the bike. Rock on girl. The photos are automatically uploaded to a flickr account. Check out my Dumbo ride’s photo set here. Considering how much the bike shakes while in motion (especially on the cobblestones of Dumbo), the clarity of some of these photos was incredible.
- Solar-Powered Battery System: Solar Panels on the back of the bike keep the N95 charged for up to 2 weeks on a single charge. Very nice.
My only request would be some speakers. I rode with a guy in Cali who had an iPod connected speaker which fit snuggly into his water bottle holder. I think we listened to M.I.A.’s Paper Planes at least 10 times from San Francisco to LA. Rolling ghetto blaster. Loves it.
The Ride
This photo was taken from the bike’s N95 camera. Click on either photo above or below for the entire trip’s Flickr photostream. First thing, perhaps don’t attempt a Yahoo bike ride wearing heels and a dress. Here lies my first mistake. Secondly, don’t attempt to ride down a cobblestone street and then try to cross exposed rail. Blarg! I bit it on the streets of Dumbo within 2 minutes of test driving the bike. Luckily, the bike took a sweet picture of the road after my fall (see below) and more importantly, I didn’t ruin the bike. Sigh.
The Fall
Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge
I first saw the bike last year when I noticed some pictures of the bright purple monster on a friend’s photo stream. Since then, I have begged Yahoo for my own, a request I have been assured will be fulfilled for the upcoming Bike NY in May. 40 miles, the bright purple monster, and me. Stay tuned for the photo stream and honk if you see bright purple, two wheels, and a Daily Marauder sticker. And perhaps don’t drive too close. I’m prone to fall…
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=a32a1887-5ca8-4e22-8099-bc7b219a0cfd)
Filed under: Feature, TECHNOLOGY | Tags: Bicycle, Bike Shops, Cycling, Mavic, Sport, TECHNOLOGY, Tire, United States
BIKE FITTING GOES HIGH TECH: BODY GEOMETRY
This weekend, on a trip home to RI to hang with the rents, I was enticed into bike sale wonderland at East Providence Cycle. I imagine a bike sale to me is like a car sale or purse sale to most other normal people. For me, a bike sale represents a mecca of Mavic Rims, Ultegra parts, and carbon frames. Hmmmmm…. Anyways. During my trip into the bike shop, I tested the Roubaix Compact Comp (above), a bike I clearly don’t need. But seriously, aren’t those red tires the hotness?
More importantly, I learned what it means to be properly fit for a bicycle at this level. Last year, I thought that I had gone the distance when I biked over to my local NYC-bike shop and scheduled a $100 bike fitting. Turns out, it all gets much more scientific than this. It’s called the Specialized Body Geometry 3D fit and it takes anywhere from 1 – 3 hours. And here I thought nothing could top the embarrassment of riding my bike on a trainer in ill fitted bike shorts in the middle of a bike store for my fitting. Turns out, they have loads more measurements they can pull out to make sure you don’t feel back pain at mile 50.
The Measurements
Click on the image above to check out the many measurements the BG Fit technology takes into account when fitting you to your bike. You could also just have fun making bike dude do random things and wield your new-found control. As Dean from East Providence Cycle tells me, each technician is trained specifically for this type of fitting.
The fit differs from standard fittings in that the technician evaluates the riders’ body structure, flexibility (of which I have none), strength, and possibility of leg discrepancy. In essence, it’s pretty freakin’ cool. Yes, probably for the more elite riders out there but before I ride 500 miles this spring, I probably owe it to my body to have one.
To make a general donation to the AIDS Lifecycle Ride, click here.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=1aa12753-0881-4a4c-b9c4-8d6f7f05895d)
