Bicycles: Why you need to get one
If there is one mode of transport, that a person knows that they can rely on, it is the bicycle. Why we say this is because this mode of transport has been around for nearly two hundred years. Moreover, throughout those years, people have used and abused them. That is why today we want to look at a few reasons why you should get yourself a bicycle.
Reasons to get a Bicycle
It gives you free work out
One of the best reasons why you should buy a bicycle is that it comes with a guaranteed workout. Every time that you cycle, you will be stretching your leg muscles. Therefore, instead of rushing off to the gym, get yourself a bicycle. As a gambler or sports betting fan, you can use the money you won from sports betting sites and buy a proper bicycle.
It’s cheap
As compared to that car that you want to buy, a bicycle is 10 times cheaper. A person can literally save hundreds of dollars every day by using a bicycle. This is factoring in the gym costs that you have cut off, the insurance plus the upkeep. You will see that with a bicycle you significantly reduce your transport costs.
In addition, with all the money that you saved, you can enjoy a few real money best payouts online casino games. Who knows, you might even win a jackpot or two.
It gets to squeeze into the tight spots
The other great thing about a bicycle is that it can squeeze through the tight spots in traffic. Furthermore, we can bet that you have never seen a traffic jam on the cycle track. That is why you should get yourself a bicycle.
Environmentally Friendly
Another great thing about bicycles is that they are friendly to the environment. This is because you will never find a bicycle emitting any gases that are deadly to the environment. Meaning that you can cycle in peace knowing that you are not indirectly killing the environment.
Meet Mr. Pig Cat
We recently came across this amazing cat, an adventurist extraordinaire. Mr. Pig Cat’s human companion is a customer of Walnut Studiolo, an Oregon company that manufactures handmade fine leather bike accessories.
We couldn’t resist sharing this dapper fella with you. Here’s the story he “told” Walnut Studiolo.
“A few years ago, [my human companion] Audrey watched a movie called ‘A Street Cat Named Bob’ about a cat that got to go everywhere with his owner. Maybe it was the way I glanced pleadingly at her throughout the entire movie, maybe it was the way I drooled as I stared at the TV, maybe it was the incessant roar of me purring for an hour and a half, but eventually Audrey decided she would try taking me out and about to see how I liked the great outdoors, and of course I do.
Unlike many other cats, there is very little that scares me and I’m always up for a new adventure so get to go everywhere with Audrey. I love running at the park and also canoeing. But probably my favorite activity is camping. Audrey’s young cousins come along and during the hustle and bustle of setting up camp they play with me. This winter we’re thinking of taking a winter camping trip, and I think I might like it if the tent is cozy enough!”
Worst Day of the Year Ride: Enter to Win Passes!
The annual Worst Day of the Year Ride is coming up on February 24. One lucky winner will get two free passes to the ride.
- Enter to win
- Cross your fingers
- Tell all your friends to enter
- Enjoy the ride!
BEST OF LUCK!
7 Unmatched Benefits of Going to Work by Bike
A study compared, through a survey of more than 13,000 people, emotions such as happiness, pain, stress, sadness and fatigue that users have depending on the means of transport in which they move.
Happiness through transportation
After the cyclists, the next happiest are the passengers in the car and then the car drivers. ” Bus and train users experience the most negative emotions, although a small part of this can be attributed to the fact that public transport is used disproportionately to get to and from work,” the study authors note.
In addition to the proven benefits of physical exercise, this work shows that the mood of people can be affected in something as everyday as the means of transport in which it moves and its results can serve to improve the characteristics, frequencies and design of transport networks.
Nowadays, any time is good for exercising. And if we can practice it while we go to work, much better. For this the bicycle is one of the best transports to practice outdoor sports.
There are many other benefits of going to work by bike. If you are still thinking about it, consider it, we give you 7 good reasons to change your life.
We practice sports
One of the most outstanding benefits of going to work on a bike is that we do sports. We move, we do exercise and in the process we get fit. As it is something we must do every day, maybe it will not be necessary to go to the gym so much. The pedaling gives us strength and flexibility, not only in the legs, but also in the rest of the body.
We get thin
As a consequence of this daily exercise, we lose weight and fat. If we eat correctly and take the bike to work, we will keep a good figure and fitness without too much effort.
We enjoy the scenery and the good weather
Getting to work by bike allows us to enjoy good weather. In all times of the year, the bicycle is a good transport that makes us enjoy the cool, the streets, the people … especially when the days get longer. We discover new sensations and colors, and in the afternoon we benefit from the breeze and the open air, after hours being locked up. If you are a student who is working on an assignment, essay or dissertation, you can pick your stuff and pedal to the nearest park where you can focus on your work in nature and away from, something that you do not imagine if you have to go by car.
We spend less
Have you thought about how much you can save per month on gas and subway and bus tickets? Going to work on a bike allows you to spend less money. We will go free, we can park anywhere, and we will not waste time or money when using another type of transport.
In favor of the environment
The bicycle is one of the eco-friendliest transports that exist. In this sense, we are contributing to improve the planet, to be more sustainable and not damaging the environment. We do not spend on fuel and the atmosphere of the city is improved.
Discover corners of the city
Going on a bicycle to work is a real advantage. We can change the route to get to the office every day and we will always discover a new corner. Admire the architecture, the mountains, the new streets and squares, and gain health.
Arrive or reach earlier
As the use of the bicycle depends on oneself you will surely arrive at work earlier. You will save yourself from all kinds of traffic jams and you will not have to share space with the thousands of people that we find on public transport. It gives you a feeling of total freedom.
10 Safety Tips for the Bicycle Riders
Learning the rules and safety tips for biking is as important for the students and bikers as writing papers on different subjects.
1. Use the helmet: The studies carried out so far indicate that the use of the helmet can reduce up to 85 percent. It is important that the helmet is properly adapted to your needs and that it is approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or the Snell Memorial Foundation.
2. Clothing: Clothing should be light in color, or reflective if it is worn during sunset in times of poor visibility, and close to the body to prevent it from getting caught on the bicycle. If you carry a load or a bag, make sure it is secure.
3. Right lane: Always drive along the right lane in a single lane and respect traffic signals. Never go from one lane to another or cling to the back of a car or truck that is towed. Also, do not forget to make the correct hand and arm signals to communicate the maneuvers you are going to perform.
4. Traffic attention: Seven out of ten collisions between bicycles and cars occur at intersections and exits. Therefore, look well in both directions before entering a street or an intersection. If there is a lot of traffic, walk next to your bicycle. According to James, an assignment helper, “once I was thinking about my work and nearly hit the car in front of me which suddenly came to a halt. From that moment, I always remain attentive on the road.”
5. Road condition: The roads or streets can bring unpleasant surprises. Pay attention to sewer grates, puddles, stones, potholes or broken glass. Before dodging them, make sure you can do it safely and take advantage of a free space in transit.
6. Lights: If you drive at night do not forget to turn on the rear and front lamps of the bicycle. Always use reflective clothing, especially on the extremities (ankles and wrists), on the back and the helmet, especially if you drive at night.
7. Bicycle lanes: Drive along the paths and paths reserved for bicycles that are marked with special signs.
8. Check the condition of the bicycle: Make sure that the bicycle adapts correctly to your size. The feet should touch the floor when you are sitting on the seat and the handle should be fixed and turn easily. Verify that the wheels and all the elements of the bicycle are well secured.
9. Use the brakes: The brakes allow to control the speed, so it is important that they work correctly. If the brakes are hand-held, use the backs immediately before using the forwards. In addition, it moderates the speed when the terrain or road conditions are dangerous since sometimes more distance is required to stop.
10. Do not listen to music with headphones at a high volume while riding on the bicycle, since it prevents you from perceiving the presence of other vehicles and prevents you from controlling the traffic on your back.
So, make sure you have done your homework before you hit the roads.
6 Best Places to Travel on Bikes
There is something inexplicably exciting about using a bicycle to explore a strange city, the streets pulsating with life. The glass and steel of buildings gleam with a certain magic, street life seems to be more vibrant and the smells and sounds of a metropolis at full slope hover to engulf your minds. While riding on a bicycle, you can completely feel alive and engrossed in that particular moment.
Biking trips are a remarkable way of getting to know a city closely. This is also considered as an eco-friendly way of exploring it. With the progress in the climate today, more and more cities are making an effort to boost other, green options for the ones who love traveling.
Have a look at some of the bike-friendly cities across the world that will assure ultimate cycling adventure.
1) Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen is considered to be the first ‘bike city’ in the world. There are over 390 kilometers of bike lanes in the city and the number is only increasing. Nearly half of the people living in Copenhagen travel to work by bike. Copenhagen is known for its eco-conscious bike culture all over the world. The cycle superhighway, which is a pathway from a suburb that leads into Copenhagen’s city center was also created in the city. This gives the bikers an easy way of getting into the city. The superhighways are a part of future construction plans having 28 different routes. According to William Lucas, who is an expert of writing a college essay, Copenhagen is the most bike-friendly city in the world and he daily paddles to work.
2) Amsterdam, Netherlands
The next city that is considered to be the most bike-friendly city in the world is Amsterdam. The city has over 800,000 bikes, which is much more than the number of people staying in the city. Around 40% of the traffic in this city alone is biking. For the people in Amsterdam, biking is the way of life. Rental bikes are also available throughout Amsterdam, for the tourists to explore and travel across the city. There are about 240 miles of bike lanes in Amsterdam and the locals tend to take advantage of the green lifestyles of the city and enjoy.
3) Portland, Oregon, United States
Portland is one of the best cities of America that comes under the environment friendly part. Portland has about 315 miles of biking lanes and has a maximum number of people who travel through bike to work. Another significant feature of Portland is that it allows a bike-share rental program that is open for everyone. This exciting feature inspires more and more people to pedal around the city.
4) Utrecht, Netherlands
Utrecht is a very biker-friendly city. Every day over 100,000 people ride bikes to work, school or anywhere for leisure. Over 59% of the people travel to the city center by bike, as it is the most popular place. The city has planned to push the green movement from 12000 to 33000 bike (bicycle) parking spots at the Central Station by 2020. This may not be the largest city, but, still, efforts are being made to progress in the coming time.
5) Seville, Spain
Seville has recently become a major bike-friendly region of the world. The city has around 160 kilometers of bike lanes. This city is rapidly walking on the path of shifting to green travel. Around 70,000 bikes being used every single day in Seville. While pedaling around the city, you will come across the most beautiful landscapes ever.
6) Nantes, France
Nantes in France is on the shift to make itself a biker-friendly city. Biking around the Nantes Island, a historic center in the southernmost part of Nantes or along the Loire river are best places to bike around. You would be able to see beautiful panoramic views.
These are some of the best places that you can explore by biking. If you are a student who is looking for the best place to write your assignments and get good marks, then paddling to any of these places would help. You will be able to see the best beautiful landscapes and views around them and complete your homework promptly.
Top 5 Worst Day Ride Costume Ideas
WORST DAY OF THE YEAR RIDE | Portland
February 10
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub
Every year, Portlanders get a fresh start on the cycling season not by hopping on trailers, not by suffering through intervals, and not by counting calories.
They do it the Portland way: on a bike, in costume.
The Worst Day of the Year Ride is an annual tradition that pit cyclists against the elements and the cyclists always win. Always.
This fun day is a hilariously good time on two wheels, complete with a hot soup finish line party and tasty rest stops all along the route.
To fit in, all you need to do it show up in a costume. The wilder, the better. Here are our Top 10 favorite costume ideas, from years past.
1) Sasquatch
Whether you call him the Abominable Snowman, Yeti or Bigfoot, this hairy fella is always one that gets the laughs. Bonus: You can talk people into getting their picture taken with you.
2) Where’s Waldo?
“I found him!” If you like a costume that encourages people to point at you, this is the perfect one! Simply don a red and white striped shirt and some dark rimmed glasses, and everyone will know who you are. Bonus points for a red stocking cap on top of your helmet – that’s what really seals the deal.
3) Tutus Go With Everything
One year, I found myself riding behind a strong rider. He’s usually a Boulder mountain biker but he found himself in Portland and joined in on the ride. As a visitor, he was at the mercy of his hosts to find him a costume, so they tossed a tutu his way, and he wore it all day long. Riding behind this powerful riders, I watched as he climbed up Old Germantown Road (part of the gorgeous Challenge Route), letting his tutu bounce along the way. This was not at all a look he had every before rocked, but he seemed perfectly at ease to fly the tutu as he coasted effortlessly up the hill (the climb is not so effortless for most of us, especially early in the season). There was a kind of joy and vibrancy in that tutu that is unmistakable, and that’s what the Worst Day of the Year Ride is all about.
4) Group Costumes
No matter what the theme, group costumes are always a hit. Though they can take a little more effort to coordinate, nothing says “We Love Bikes” like a unified troup of buzzing bees, Team Zisou from Life Aquatic, a simple band of ghosts or the cast from your favorite show. Bonus: It’s like being in a club for the day, and the photos are priceless.
5) Aloha Attire
Let’s face it: winter in our region is dreary and challenging. There just isn’t enough sunshine and color, so why not create some for the day? Brighten up the street if Portland and make people smile with your luau finest. Maybe you slip on a Hawaiian shirt, a lei or a grass skirt. If your bold, rock a coconut bra – that’s always good for some laughs. Bonus: You can probably easily find everything need for this look at the Goodwill.Ride – Have Fun!
However you dress for the day, have fun with it! The Worst Day of the Year Ride is all about getting more people on bikes by making it fun. It seems strange but it’s true: You’ll feel even more out of place if you come dressed plain. REGISTRATION + INFO >Cycle Oregon Kick Off Party
Portland Art Museum
January 30
Doors open at 6 p.m.
DETAILS >
Where Will Cycle Oregon Take Us This Year?
The night you’ve been waiting for all winter is finally almost here! The night where you raise a drink with long lost cycling family. Where you talk shop with some of your favorite brands and soak in the live music. And, most importantly, it’s the night where you first hear about every spectacular winding road, breathtaking vista and inspiring community Cycle Oregon will be visiting in 2019.
Mark your calendars to join Cycle Oregon and all your favorite bike friends at the Portland Art Museum on Wednesday, January 30th. Doors fly open at 6pm and the first 500 guests become eligible for early registration, guaranteeing themselves a spot on the iconic Classic ride.
And if that’s not enough to get you out on a Wednesday night, one of those first 500 will be the lucky recipient of the GOLDEN TICKET – a free entry to the Classic!
Can’t be There? No Problem!
If you can’t make it in person, you can still attend the Kickoff through the magic of technology! The event is livestreaming the event in its entirety and one lucky virtual viewer will also get the chance to win a free entry to the Classic ride! But you’ve got to watch to win!
Quad Bikes Now the In-Thing?
What kids get into these days seems to change regularly. And sometimes it is the kids who turn the adults on to new and exciting trends. For some of us who absolutely love bikes, we also love other wheeled vehicles.
What kids have a fascination on are different from long ago. In this time and age believe us quad bikes have become very popular. Now let’s get into it and know what quad bikes are. You might want to reconsider buying your kids a quad bike after reading this. Even after winning a real money top online casinos jackpot.
What are quad bikes?
Quad bikes are four-wheeled vehicles. The whole concept of quad bikes came from the farm vehicles that had the same type of the wheel that looks big and massive with grids. The wheels are different from the ordinary car wheels people know.
Now it has been recorded that over 21% of kids die or get injured from quad bikes. Controlling a quad bike needs skill. That is why they are not supposed to be passengers on board as this will make it more difficult to control it.
How a Child Might Be Injured
Cuts and bruises
Just like bikes, roller skating you name it. You have to be wearing protective gear because they know that accidents can occur but you have to make sure that you are prepared for when they happen. By not wearing protective gear a child might obtain cuts and bruises.
Falls or crushing
Failing to control the bike can cause the bike to roll over. This could fracture the child’s bones, chest, and other parts. And the worst that could happen is death. That is why above we did mention that the quad bike needs experience. You can hire someone with your real money online pokies cash prize so that they will help your child.
Strangulation
Quad bikes at home might seem like the safest place to ride them. But having a scenario where there are clothes on the washing line, they might cause strangulation if riding under the clothesline.
How to Use Your Bike Commute for Training
This article is presented by the Harvest Century, a huge celebration of an awesome riding season. The ride takes place every September out of Hillsboro. Don’t miss it this year!
These days, seemingly more than ever, people’s schedules are filled from the moment they wake until their heads hit the pillow at night. The rare lucky ones get to ride their bikes whenever they like. For the rest of us, finding time to train is often a case of making the most of the time we have.
One way to accomplish this is to use your bike commute as training time. The average bike commute in the US is about 30 minutes each way. Once you add up your full day’s ride, it amounts to some pretty good training time. Depending upon the resources you have at your workplace, there are many different ways to make your commute double as training time. If you can take the long way in (or home) that’s great. However, when time is short, it pays to optimize.
USE YOUR COMMUTE FOR RECOVERY
The most pleasant training commute is to use your commute time as active recovery time. Cycling events mostly happen on the weekends, so an easy, ambling Monday commute is just what those tired legs need to help them loosen up and recover. Keep your cadence high, but your effort level low – you should be able to do this in your street clothes without breaking a sweat. Think of it as a gentle massage for your legs.
MAKE YOUR COMMUTE A STRENGTH TRAINING RIDE
Another way to make your commute more effective training is to use it for strength training. Take one of your commute days and make it a low cadence, high force interval day. For example, start in a big gear from every stop light or sign and pedal your way up to speed over 30 seconds. Once you’re done, spin easily until the next stop and then do it again. Incorporating five or six of these sets into each direction of your commute will help you build power without becoming drenched in sweat. Think of this as a weight-lifting session on your bike.
Check out other resources like BikeXchange as well. There are many ways to go about this and other rides may have a different style that better resonates with you.
PRACTICE YOUR TECHNIQUE
Your commute is a great time to work on technique. While working on technique is often tedious in a normal training session, it is much easier to handle in a short session. Concentrate on your pedal stroke and focus on spinning in nice, smooth circles. Imagine your feet floating on the pedals. You may even want to do some spin-ups while you’re at it. These are short sessions where you start at one cadence and gradually increase it to 100 or 110rpm over about 30 seconds before resting for a bit. They’re like the strength intervals mentioned previously, but without starting in a big gear.
When you’re thinking about technique, it’s also worth remembering your position on the bike. Keep your elbows bent, your neck relaxed, and try to bend from your hips and not your back. After a long day at work, it’s easy to get hunched over the handlebars.
THE PAYOFF
Making your commute useful training isn’t difficult, and it has a lot of benefits. Besides letting you optimize your time, it allows you to do two workouts in a day. This makes for more efficient training and a better training response. You’ve got all day to recover between sessions, and so you can make your second session more effective. If you work on your feet, consider doing your hard work on your way to work, and using the ride home for recovery. Remember to have a good, protein and fruit-rich breakfast, and stay well hydrated during the day. This will help you keep your energy levels high, allowing not only for better workouts, but also for a more pleasant day overall.
Most of all, have a great ride and be courteous to your fellow commuters. Sometimes when we get into our heads, whether we’re thinking through ideas or focusing on our pedal stroke, it’s easy to forget about the people around us. Using your commute for training and focusing does not get you a pass in the courtesy department! Sharing the road always reigns supreme.