The Reason We're Hated

edit: Impromptu Critical Mass: There will be an impromptu critical mass event tomorrow, April 10th, at 6 pm starting at Beaumont tower on MSU campus, to protest Zack Colman's column. Join us.

Cyclists are hated, no doubt about it. We hold up traffic from reaching the next red light. We go too fast, or maybe too slow. We cross intersections unexpectedly and run red lights. Generally speaking, we make life a living hell for those humans smart enough to get behind the wheel of a 2-ton car and drive the 3.5 miles to their next destination.

Just ask this guy. He's an opinion columnist for the State News, and it's his belief that all cyclists belong on the sidewalks and out of his way, while he's sipping a latte and changing radio stations in his awesome 2001 Saturn SC2. If he has to run us over to get where he's going and pronto, then so be it. Why, we're riding on the road, and obviously we don't belong there, since we can't go 70 miles an hour down Farm Lane like he can.

Truth be told, I ride on the road whenever possible, and for many reasons. Most people think it's because riding on the sidewalk is inconvenient, which is true. It's a pain riding around pedestrians, trying to navigate without hitting, much less annoying, someone whose rightful place is truly on the sidewalk.

But for me, the reason for riding on the road is safety. You are nearly invisible when riding on the sidewalk, and when the time comes to cross a roadway or driveway, traffic is not going to slow down, even when it's your turn to cross. Plenty of cyclists have been hit and killed by cars turning left or right into them while they used a crosswalk. Drivers simply do not look for you to cross there. At least in the road you are in plain sight, and if that means inconveniencing a few people on their way to get their oil changed, then so be it. When seen, you are less likely to be hit.


Even on the road you have to be careful, and expect cars to do the unexpected. Many cyclists have different ways to be seen on the road: some ride like they're invisible, dodging cars, weaving and swerving like a madman to avoid being hit. Some are patient, obeying all traffic laws as if they were driving a car. Some are moving light shows, with blinking red lights, reflective vests, and flags attached to the rear wheel. My advice is to simply be aware of your surroundings, and ride defensively. Know that, in any given battle between car and bicycle, the bike will lose. Also, use the right of way with sensitivity to the situation. Better alive and wrong, than dead and right.

Now that the weather is sunny and warm again, I look forward to seeing the streets full of bicycles like salmon clogging a stream. Good luck, and keep the rubber side down.

WINTER RETURNS

Aw, frickerfrack. Just when the sun comes out, you get to feel the heat of spring's first rays on your back and peel off the layers of winter wool, Michigan reminds you that it's early April, and dumps a half foot of snow on you. We had a particularly nasty snowfall, and a neighbor lost a big tree during the night. Thankfully, I have yet to pack up my winter gear, so on go the goggles, on goes the headband, on goes the waterproof pants, and away we go.

A classmate said to me she was thinking "no way is he going to ride today, no way at all" right as I passed by on my bike. I really didn't feel like riding through the disgusting slush and cold, but once underway I remembered how snowy commutes really aren't a big deal at all. Obviously after a mile or so you no longer feel the cold all that much, and so long as you have appropriate gear, the snow and slush doesn't cause all that many problems, either. The one thing I will not miss, however, is cleaning the frozen road grime off the Bridgestone.

So, looking at the forecast there will be another day of snow and chilly wind, but after that we are looking at sunny skies and low-to-mid fifties. To me, that's darn near perfect cycling weather, and I can't wait.

Nothing beats a new pair of shoes.

And by shoes I mean tires. I have not been particularly enjoying the morning commute on the Bridgestone XO-3 - it's been slow, noisy, and heavy, and takes far too much energy to get going. The speed problem was particularly apparent when I got to hop on my Fuji during a warm spring day. I can't expect the XO to be super fast - it wasn't really designed to be - but riding it should hardly be a chore. So I started by changing the tires, from big fat knobby things that felt slow and unresponsive to the well-regarded Panaracer Pasela, in 700x35.

With the new tires I immediately noticed an increase in speed, and the bike felt much more connected to the road. The tires are still a bit on the wide side, which is what I was looking for on this bike. Before, the bike felt comfortable on backroads, but on the city streets it felt much like a heavy mountain bike would, out of its element. Having changed the tires out, I actually found myself spinning out when the speed started to pick up, so when I got back from the first shakedown, I changed out the chainring to something a little bigger. To tackle the noise issue, I adjusted the singleator and cleaned up the chain. The change in ride was drastic, from cloddy and noisy to somewhat agile and silent.

One of the things that drew me to the Bridgestone in the first place was its do-anything personality. Cantilever brakes and huge clearance assures that the bike should be able to tackle many terrains, from backwoods trails to paved city streets. Thankfully, the XO's cross-country nature hasn't been spoiled by the Paselas. It feels downright spirited bombing through the backwoods. To do the final test, I took it to my local trails and paths park, Scott Woods, near Hawk Island Park. It's a good mix of unpaved trails and nicely blacktopped walking and riding paths. You always spot a lot of squirrels scurrying through the leaves this time of year, but a careful eye reveals that squirrels and joggers aren't the only creatures about. I can't wait to try a longer jaunt.

Spin Street Bicycles

Spin Street Bicycles is Lansing's newest local bike shop. Its location on Turner Street puts it square in the middle of what is undeniably the hippest Lansing neighborhood, Old Town. If there are hipsters in Lansing outside of MSU, they're to be found at the Perspective2 Art Studio, the lofts along Turner street, and foodie breakfast heaven Golden Harvest, all of which lie within the bounds of Old Town. So they've got a bike shop in Old Town now. Messenger bags, fixed-gears, and pretentious music, right?

Well, it's much more than that. Chad Cottom, the owner of Spin Street Bicycles, told me that they get their fair share of MSU kids coming across town - just last week he sold a Pista, matter of fact. He had a couple fixies proudly displayed alongside the other bikes, and he deals in Bianchi and Fuji, both of which have great street cred in the urban cycling scene. There was even a Fuji OBEY fixed-gear, a flate-black bike with brassy accents, just dripping in cool.

But Old Town is situated in Lansing after all, which means Spin Street caters to a crowd far beyond the few fixie riders that live in the area. The shop certainly has a road bike bent to it, which is natural given the area. Bianchi and Fuji both have a full lineup from steel to carbon frames, and everything in between. Chad seems to have a couple of Randonneur customers as well, so if your cycling needs include long hauls through the countryside, Spin Street has you covered. They also have started carrying the Jamis line of bikes, which covers many areas and pricepoints Fuji and Bianchi do not. Thre was even a Rans Hammertruck there, an extracycle-like cargo bike capable of carrying a mammoth load in the hundreds of pounds.

The shop does both sales and service, and carries a full line of accessories from tools and locks to helmets and clothing. While there, I noticed a peculiar lack of the "holier-than-thou" attitude that pervades many other local bike shops, and I'd bet this would be a good shop for the cyclist tired of being talked down to, if the attitude of the owner is any indication. I may bug him about carrying the goods from my favorite online bike shop, Velo-Orange, as I think it would fit in well with the other items on hand. Come to think of it, I think Surly bikes would make a good fit too. Of course, there's only so much showroom space.

Spin Street Bicycles
1214 Turner St.
517.372.3000

Other Bike Goodness


I had a pleasant surprise while riding to Old Town. I took the whole length of the Rivertrail, and was shocked to see that all the borken pavement along the path near Potter Park has been completely resurfaced! Anyone who had to skip that section and ride along the parking lot will know what a relief this is. Unfortunately the path northwest of the park is still broken in many places, with huge headset-loosening bumps caused by tree roots. Hopefully this section is next on the agenda for the city.

Photo-Related Surprise

Speaking of Potter Park, I was shocked to see a young woman lean out of a car and snap a photo of me riding. With a Diana! If you don't know, anyone who uses a Diana has a special place in my heart, so of course I had to have a short chat with her about crappy cameras. Apparently, MSU still had a real photography course, where pople use real cameras and get this - REAL FILM! She even mentioned 4x5. Awesome. Thanks for stopping, Caitlin!

Can't get comfortable

XO-3 Setup
Originally uploaded by Apocaplops

I bought a Bridgestone XO-3 off ebay, and was pretty happy with it when it arrived. It's got a ton of clearance for wide tires and fenders, it's a good size for me, has a good handlebar and stem setup, and was built up as a single speed bike for ease of use and maintenance.

And so for the last few weeks I've been commuting on it, and something is just off on it. For some reason, it just feels super slow. I don't know if it's the tires I have on it - thick knobbies, the heavy wheelset, the heavy frame, or just a geometry that's poorly suited for power.

I'm going to try a few easily replaced things, like swifter tires, and see if that gets rid of the slow bike blues. I don't expect it to ever overtake my Fuji in terms of speed and agility, but I don't want to sweat my butt off to go a reasonable speed, either.

Shifting Focus

Zipping Along
Originally uploaded by Apocaplops

I have had a hard time keeping this blog constantly updated, and a big part of that is that my photography has been unfocused lately. I am trying to get that back into shape, concentrating on my artistic strengths and what I enjoy, not painting with such broad strokes, so to speak. Another part of that is my growing fondness for cycling. I have restrained myself from shouting about that here, but I am starting to believe that the two hobbies aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, judging by the number of people I've met who enjoy both.

Basically I intend to cover the local cycling and photo scene in equal measure here, and try to see just where and when the two might overlap. Lansing has some great cycling, and it certainly has some great opportunities for photography, and things seem to be getting better each season. Stay tuned.

Cycling through the Seasons

Spring finally feels close enough to touch, and I'm ready for some spring cycling, after a long cold winter of slushy commutes. A couple photographers locally have begun to meet up at a monthly meeting, watch this space for further details about upcoming events and projects.