bikes
Moving On
If you’ve read this blog even occasionally, you know that it’s been a while since I really focused on it (seeing as it’s August and my last post was about winter cycling). There was a time when I was learning new things at an exponential rate and was really excited to share them as I […]
What I’ve Learned from this Winter
If you live in the midwest or northeast, you don’t need me to tell you that it’s been a tough winter for biking. Minneapolis saw more than 50 days below zero, with plenty of snow and recently, two solid weeks of the worst roads I’ve ever seen (bumpy sheets of ice sprinkled with loose “brown […]
More Bike Commuter Pants! Spring 2014 Update
It’s that time of year again – I am scanning the websites of my favorite clothing manufacturers, looking for anything that I would really want to wear in their new spring collections. Over almost three years of dedicated bike commuting, I have had a few tastes of functional clothes that reflect my non-girly persona, and […]
How to Put Your Bike on Amtrak
Growing up in a rural area not served by train transportation, I never gave Amtrak much thought. I have now taken three different trips via Amtrak this fall, including transporting myself and my bike back to Minneapolis after my trip to Winona. Here is what Amtrak will tell you about taking your bike on the […]
Winter Biking Outfit
I think it was 12 degrees Fahrenheit when I left the house yesterday morning. I set off for errands: Midwest Mountaineering, grocery store, bank. All told, I biked and shopped for 2.5 hours and returned home in 15 degree weather. Here’s what I was wearing: On my bike: Bern helmet, windproof fleece balaclava, fleece earband […]
New York City: Trying Out Citi Bikes
I recently got back from New York City, where I tried bike share bikes for the first time. That’s right, Minneapolis/ StPaul has had them since 2008 and I have managed to never, ever ride one. I love the idea but I have three of my own bikes and have just never gotten around to […]
Women’s Biking Jeans for Under $100 (!)
After at least a year of female cyclists complaining about how rad Levi’s commuter line is and how pissed off we are that it’s not being made for us, someone listened and made a bike jean for women for under $100: REI. If you’re an REI regular, you already know that Novara is code for […]
Bike Touring: Minneapolis to Winona
I just got back from a two day, one night bike trip from Minneapolis to Winona, Minnesota. The story of this trip really started on the bike camping trip I did last year. That trip planted the seed both for the touring bike I built this winter and for the idea of biking to Winona, […]
Tax Breaks for Bike Commuters
Everyone knows that biking to work instead of driving or using public transit can save you money. What I didn’t know until recently is that it can get you tax breaks, too! For Employees There’s this thing called the Federal Bike Commuter Benefit that allows employers to offer a tax free benefit of up to […]
The Custom Long Haul Trucker is (Basically) Done
Here’s a photo of the custom Surly Long Haul Trucker I’ve been working on. I don’t really consider it to be finished (lacking fenders & a bell and I am probably going to change the stem) but it’s rideable and I have been riding it for several weeks now. I chose a touring bike for […]
Girls Biking to Work 