Tag Archive | Minneapolis
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 […]
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 […]
Presto-Chango Bike Outfits
Dressing for bike commuting is a spectrum. On one side, the commuter wears full race-ready apparel on the ride with a full change upon arrival at work. On the other, the dogmatically street-clothes-wearing cyclist wears full jewelry and any shoes that fit her sense of fashion. Every commute distance/weather/work dress-code is different, so go with […]
Babes in Bikeland 7 is next Saturday!
One week from today, I will be reviewing my Twin Cities bike map, putting the finishing touches on my costume, and getting ready to ride bikes with the coolest women in Minneapolis at Babes in Bikeland 7. Babes in Bikeland is the largest women-and-trans-only alleycat race in the country. It’s also a whole lot of […]
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, […]
Bikes and Hip-Hop: Two Reasons to Love Minneapolis
Bicycles and hip-hop. Sometimes two things you love about a place come together and create a smile as big as the Hennepin Avenue Bridge. I’ve been mentally composing a post about the confluence of the two in the Minneapolis for a while, but since Y.N.RichKids just released their newest video and it’s called “My Bike,” […]
Bike Trailer Errands
Today I borrowed this B.O.B. bicycle trailer from a friend and set off to haul heavy, awkward stuff around Minneapolis. I was pleasantly surprised at how simple it was! Sure, 30 pounds trailing behind my bike gave my legs a good workout, but the ride was smooth and uneventful. Connecting the trailer’s drop-outs to the […]
30 Days of Biking – another year!
Like the image says, Monday, April 1st is the beginning of 30 Days of Biking. The name is pretty self-explanatory: bike somewhere – anywhere – every day for one month. This annual tradition started in Minneapolis, and has spread throughout the world. I participated last year and thought it was pretty sweet. After a long, […]
Custom Long Haul Trucker – in progress
I’ve been wanting a nicer bike for a while. After saving up, I’m building up a Surly Long Haul Trucker frame. Here it is last week at the public shop space of Sunrise Cyclery, waiting for me to decide what tires, saddle and brake levers I want. Parts have been ordered! Stay tuned for the […]
Winter Bike!
Winter biking in Minnesota does not necessitate a separate winter bike, but many people who ride year ’round here have them, either to save the wear and corrosion on their nicer bikes, or to better handle the winter road conditions (usually a bit of both). I am happy to be one of those people. My […]
Girls Biking to Work 