Listen now by clicking here: [audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/spokesmen/The_Spokesmen_64.mp3]
Topics Included:
- Frontier Airlines’ New Baggage Policy re Bikes
- UCI’s Radio Ban
- Sea Otter Classic and Bicycle Leadership Conference
- Bike Lanes or No Bike Lanes
- Can We Solve the Motorist v. Cyclist Issue with Education or Engineering?
- Carlton Gets His Legs Waxed (video)
- Tips (including embrocation and chamois cream)
Panelists:
How to Listen:
On the podcast you talked about the possibility of licencing bicycles for the road. I grew up in a small town in Alberta Canada and have had some experience with this. I am not sure if they still require it but in the 70’s and 80’s(when I grew up)they did. All bikes had to have a licence in the bike in order to be on the road. You had to get a new one each year. If they did not the police would stop you and confiscate the bike! You then had to pick it up at the police station with the fee for the licence. I think it was $5 back then. The police would also go to the bike racks at schools in town and take all bikes with no plates! They did that about 2X per year at each school. As far as bike lanes we had none. No bicycles were allowed on any sidewalk. If the police saw you on the sidewalk they would take your bike to the police station and your parent had to go get it. Needless to say I am not for any bike licencing anywhere. I think it is just a money maker for the local governments.
Here is a link to what the licence plates looked like. http://www.flickr.com/photos/woodysworld1778/2262779183/in/set-72157603893489419
On the subject of the bike industry, the subject of a large discussion on this pod cast, I have some thoughts I would like to share.
According to your information the retail cycling industry is flat catering to 60 year old men. So being true the only thing that the industry can do is either work on getting bikes into the next generation of riders, or parish as the 60 year olds do. In order to get the next generation into biking then they need to bring the bike to them.
1. Invest some money into the Safe Route to Schools. They don’t have to fund it all but by putting in some money and offing product that help support it they will get the “Because I Care and show it to all” people involved. Look at Lance. More people are now in the Cancer fighting cause than ever.
2. Have local bike shops or national brands teach how to properly ride bikes. By teaching the next generation how to ride you will have better drivers, and riders
3. Bike shops or Companies help set up school programs that give incentives to kids that ride to school rather than drive. Offer more than just bike stuff. Maybe educational programs they could contribute funds for. I know if I sat down for an hour I could come up with more.
By doing this type of investment now we would not only put a new generation on bikes but we would slowly change the car culture from hating to one that will except us because the motorist is also a cyclist.
Internet curmudgeon Jobst Brandt has the authoratative take on leg shaving among cyclists:
“Hair does not cause infections and if it is a gash that goes deeper than the typical raspberry, there will be more dirt in it han a few hairs. In any case, where a wound needs sticthes the skin will be shaved around the opening anyway for the reson that hair inclusions are as bad as dirt inclusions.
“Don’t put tape on a hairy leg or arm. Shave it first. Every medic kit should have a Bic razor or better anyway.
“Many folks with hair get massages and it has no effect on comfort. You’d think from this excuse, that those who shave get massages regularly and that massage parlors always shave their customers. Neither is true.
“If this is a streamlining increment, then the rider should first get a tight fitting Lycra jersey and shoe covers.
“The other excuses are just that. Bicycle athletes shave for the same reason body builders and women do it. Shaving exposes the sculptured lines of muscle definition (defo) or the absence of it for some women and some of the best legs are on bikies. Not only that, embrocation, (oiling up with exotic smelling greases or oils is the same as in body building and weight lifting), it emphasizes defo. If the soigneur tells the rider that this will improve performance, he’ll accept that gladly.”
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/shaving.html