Generally, bike racks are beneficial to people who owns a bicycle and bring them somewhere or even park them somewhere. So that one could enjoy visiting a more challenging place where you could really feel the real excitement in biking, then, you can avail the type of rack in which you can just pin it to your car roof and easily place the bike on top. Bike racks can be seen everywhere, in public areas particularly. So bikers could lock their bikes to prevent those thieves from stealing bicycles being parked on the racks. Even at some cities its government provides school bike rack at several schools

Other bike racks work by permitting the user to fasten the front wheel to the frame. However, the problem with this is that they are prone to theft incidents. If the thieves found out that the area is clear enough, they can unfasten the front wheel, thus being able to steal several bikes, only demanding a spare wheel to make it sold. Instead several bike racks are created to permit the actual frame to be fixed in, which is much stronger.

Public bike racks are often paid by the local government, and are most popular in cities that hoist their campaign for eco-friendly and healthy lifestyles. Amsterdam are known for having biking as a highly suggested mode of transport and their government provide citizens with racks.

Any kind of bike racks, whether it is expensive or not, it has been a primary need to any bike owners.

It could be another advantage for anyone who has bike rack to go to various places that are very ideal for adventure because they could bring their bikes without being worried of those thieves. Everybody could experience the difference if you only take a bike around your place than going somewhere else and taking the time to go sightseeing.

Nowadays that gas price are remarkably increasing using bikes are becoming popular.

Using a sports, folding-type, or portable bicycle allows you to move over wide areas by making use of other modes of transportation.

	Sports Bicycle
	Removable pedals Removable brake cables Removable tires (tires are easily removed by turning the bicycle upside down and putting the derailer into the top gear) Removable handlebars and seat Special bicycle carrying case
	Portable Bicycle
	Locking frame, removable cables, and disassembly of front and back section Removable handlebars, saddle, and pedals Special bicycle carrying case
	Folding Bicycle
	Quick release lever for folding in two Adjustable handlebars, saddle, and pedals for easy carrying Special bicycle carrying case

Remove the right and left pedals.	Remove the brake cables, and then loossen the quick-release lever and take off the front tire.
Remove the rear tire as you did the front. The chain can be easily removed by switching into the top gear.	Tie the tires down on either side of the frame.

There are cloth, nylon, and other varieties. Strength is determined by the thickness of the material. In addition, make sure to select the right carrying case for your usage.

Carrying Case
Soft Case	Hard Case
Hard cases formed from resin into the shape of the bike it carries are increasingly being used because they offer good protection against damage from external forces. However, they take up space when not being used. Such cases are useful for carrying bicycles to events and along on cycling trips when you stay in one place.

Especially for the consumption of carbohydrate drinks, sports lovers or even athletes in sports endurance is expected to pay attention to saving energy in the body on glycogen form to be more optimal. Because the amount of body glycogen deposit will affect your performance during training / game progresses, then amount of recommend carbohydrate for consumption as much as 70-10 grams of carbohydrate per kg body weight per day.

Cycling in long distance can also be used to increase energy-intake through the sport drinks and carbohydrate foods consumption. Moreover, carbohydrate- consumption should also be noted at the time of completion of training / competition bike. Procrastinate and do not consume adequate amounts of carbohydrates will cause not optimal replenishment of body glycogen and will affect the capacity and performance in conducting the training session / next game.
Beside to maintaining energy available through carbohydrates-drinks consumption, regular fluid intake is also an important thing to be done in order to sustain cycling performance. Regular fluid intake is ideally expected to be done every 10-15 minutes in a small portion of thirst although not arise.

In order for the digestive system becomes more familiar and not susceptible to interference, athletes or sports bike lovers are also expected to independently determine the correct strategy  to consume liquids or carbonated beverages in order for fluids and energy availability in the body can remain intact so that the cycling performance can be continuously improved.

• Bike one daily trip for which you’d normally drive the car.
• Get a cycling buddy or take a family ride after dinner.
• Bike with a child to school or participate in a Walk to School Day event.
• Ride through your neighborhood and rate it’s “bikeability.”
• Keep a daily activity log. Estimate the mileage you biked or the minutes you spent doing something active.
• Join a cycling club or form a cycling group with a regular schedule. There is encouragement in numbers.

Bicycling for Beginners

If it’s been too long since you’ve ridden your bicycle last, now’s the time to dust off your bicycle and get back in the saddle. Here are a few tips to save some embarrassment and to keep you safe!

1. Get Your Bicycle Checked Out—Take your bicycle to your local bicycle shop and get a tune-up. Your bike is a wonderfully simple and efficient machine, but needs some TLC-and you don’t want to break down your first time out. Most bike dealers have specials to check the essentials (brakes, gears, tires, etc.) and squirt oil in all the right places.
2. Get Yourself Checked Out—If you really haven’t ridden in a long time, it might be wise to check in with your doctor and see if there’s any reason you shouldn’t be saddling up and going for a spin. Bicycling is such a great way to get the recommended daily dose of exercise that chances are your doctor will encourage you to go for it. Don’t try and ride 50 miles straight away; take it slowly and you’ll enjoy the ride and still be able to walk again the next day.
3. Deck Yourself Out with the Latest Gear—Simplicity is certainly one of the attractions of bicycling-you can just hop on your bike and start riding. But, there’s also a lot of equipment available to make your ride safer and more comfortable. Things have come a long way since the days of the wool cycling shorts…for example:
   1. A wide variety of helmets are available in different styles and price ranges. Your local bike dealer will help you get the right size and fit.
   2. A sturdy lock is essential if you’re planning on riding your bike and leaving it somewhere for awhile.
   3. Front and rear lights and reflectors are required, and make good sense, if you’re going to be riding at night or dusk
   4. Padded shorts, gloves and other special clothing will make longer rides more comfortable, but probably aren’t necessary for riding to the video store and back.
4. Find a Safe Place to Practice—Again, if you really haven’t ridden in a long time, it makes sense to regain your confidence on the bike and practice somewhere safe as opposed to on the main road to work. Find a quiet street, trail, playground, or empty parking lot and get back in touch with your bike handling skills. Practice looking behind you, making turns, stopping suddenly, dodging rocks or potholes, changing gears, and even getting on and off. If you are using toe clips or clipless pedals, take a few extra minutes to remind yourself how to get your feet out in a hurry!
5. Follow the Rules of the Road—When you’re ready to hit the road or trail, remembering a few basic safety rules will help you avoid the most common mistakes that cause crashes.
6. Have Fun—Bicycling is fun, healthy, safe, convenient, and by riding you are setting a great example for others. So above all have a great time riding. Communities across the United States celebrate National Bike Month and other bicycle related events and activities, so find out what’s going on in your community, and have a great ride.
   1. Choose “internal” rather than “external” goals—Focus on things that matter to you, not to others. So don’t try to drop a dress size by your class reunion so others will be impressed. Instead try to bike 20 minutes five days a week so you wake up feeling better each morning.
   2. Focus on an enjoyable process, not a specific outcome—If your goal is to lose 30 pounds, you can end up (wrongly) disappointed if you only lose 28! But maintaining a streak of 30 days where you’ve biked or walked for at least 10 minutes will leave you feeling better on every one of those days.
   3. Have both short and long term goals—For example, short term is planning to bicycle 12 out of the next 14 or 50 out of the next 60 days; long term is trying to cycle 600 or 1,000 miles this year.
   4. Tell others about your goal—They’re sure to ask how you’re doing and thus help keep you on track; they may even start exercising with you.
   5. Plan real rewards for meeting your goals—Don’t use food, and choose things of substance you’ll look forward to. Earn yourself a new workout jacket, a concert, even a bicycling vacation.
   6. Keep an exercise log or diary—It’ll help you see your progress and keep your goal in mind, and is proven to keep exercisers on track.
   7. Sign up for an event—Committing to cycle in a long fundraising or other event will help you build on your exercise. Pick a fun location for the event (say, Bermuda or Hawaii) and make it even become part of your reward!
   8. Join an organized or informal club or a team—For bigger goals, this can really help you learn to train properly and keep you motivated.

For additional advice on planning a bicycling/fitness program, here are eight tips from Mark Fenton, author of “The Complete Guide to Walking for Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness,” on setting and reaching your goals:

This report is the third status update to the National Bicycling and Walking Study, originally published in 1994 as an assessment of bicycling and walking as transportation modes in the United States. Following the 5-year status report (1999) and 10-year status report (2004), the 15-year update measures the progress made toward the original goals of lowering the number of fatalities while increasing the percentage of trips made by bicycling and walking. Injury and fatality statistics are presented to measure this progress, as well as results from surveys related to travel habits. The 15-year report, unlike its two predecessors, examines a range of efforts to increase bicycling and walking in the United States. Programs at the Federal, State, and local levels are included, as well as case studies on best practices. Finally, the report makes recommendations for research, policy, and other measures that can be taken to meet the goals of the original study.

• The National Bicycling and Walking Study: 15-Year Status Report

Click to download (PDF, 1.42 MB)

For more information about some of the programs and organizations featured in the report, visit the program web sites listed below:

National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse: www.enhancements.org

FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Program: www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bikeped/

The Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program: www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bikeped/ntpp.htm

National Center for Safe Routes to School: www.saferoutesinfo.org

National Complete Streets Coalition: www.completestreets.org

The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals: www.apbp.org

The League of American Bicyclists: www.bikeleague.org

Personally, I believe that in these times of recession, one ought to prefer buying an electric bike conversion kit rather than opting for a brand new electric bike. This decision has many advantages. One of them is that, this conversion kit is very cheap. Instead of spending a huge amount of money on electric bike, I would simply convert my bicycle to n electric one. I don’t need fuel to power my bike. When it runs down I recharge and ride on.

You also have the freedom to choose from the numerous brands of bicycles depending on your lifestyle. Electric bike manufacturers are few compared to bicycle manufacturers. You can convert your very own bicycle to an electric bike by installing the conversion kit.

A bicycle converted to an electric bike is lighter than an electric bike. You are also used to your bicycle, making riding easier and stress less.

The electric bike is suitable for physical fitness program. If you want to burn extra calories without stress, just get an electric bike kit and use it for your keep fit exercises. Stress less exercises of this sort can be very effective for the management of some disease conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and arthritis.

You shouldn’t waste time at traffics. Install an electric bike kit on your bicycle and save yourself a lot of time, fuel and energy. During rush hours don’t use your car for short distance trips. Instead, make use of your electric bike. You will go through any available space on a traffic jam. You don’t have to worry about the need for parking space.

The electric bike kit is more economical compared to a new electric bike. If you already have any kind of bicycle, go ahead and get a conversion kit and enjoy the pleasure of riding.

In fact, many cyclists prefer to go alone. Then they can choose their own route and are free to ride hard or stop and smell the flowers, as their fancy prefers.

But cycling is also the perfect group sport. Here are just five good reasons for riding with others:

• Part of the thrill of riding a road bike is drafting

• A group lets you meet people, expanding your social horizons.

• Racing is inevitably a group activity, so if you plan to compete it’s almost mandatory to train with other racers at least part of the time.

• Small group rides are fast because you can share the work at the front. You can cover more ground during your training time.

• Small groups are safe because a pack of several riders is that much more visible to motorists. And if you have trouble of any sort, help is right there.

To get these benefits, it’s a good idea to join a bike club even if you ride alone much of the time due to preference or your schedule.

But if there are two or more clubs in your area, how do you know which one to join? It depends on what you want to do and how you want to do it. Are you interested in recreational rides or racing?

Get to know area cyclists and ask why they joined the club they did. Go to club events to watch the organization and feel the atmosphere. Sit in on a club’s monthly meeting to hear about issues and see what kind of people are at the helm.

Participate in club rides and tune in to the tenor of the group. Is it supportive or critical of other riders? Remember, if you enjoy cycling, you should enjoy it even more in the company of fellow riders. It pays to pick your club carefully.
Recreational/Touring Clubs

Most clubs are geared to promoting fun rides and tours. Here are some ways you can identify a club that’s doing it right.

Good clubs offer a full schedule of weekend rides plus occasional longer tours.

Good clubs grade rides in terms of distance, speed and ability so that newcomers don’t accidentally bite off more than they can chew. One sure sign of a poor club is when a ride rated “easy” turns into a race as the leader shows off his fitness and power.

Good clubs have rides that encourage participation by the whole family. They sometimes sponsor low-key time trials (safe races against the clock) and encourage everyone to participate, regardless of fitness or skill.

Good clubs have social gatherings like potlucks or “restaurant rides” that bring people together off the bike.

Good clubs are active in politics. They support local and state bicycle advocacy organizations. They often are the force behind bicycle path construction, traffic ordinances that favor cyclists, and campaigns urging residents to reduce air pollution by commuting to work by bike.

Good clubs sponsor a major yearly event, such as a century ride. These rides are well organized, safe, and promoted to the regional cycling community. Shorter distances will be included to welcome everyone, not just enthusiasts.

Good clubs regularly publish a newsletter to keep members motivated and updated on rides and other events.

Racing Clubs

Some recreational/touring clubs have a racing division, while other clubs are strictly racing organizations. They exist to help talented cyclists achieve competitive goals. If you want to race, joining a good racing club is a key step toward realizing your potential.

Some clubs are geared to junior riders, some to masters, and others concentrate on Category 1-5 riders. If you find two or more clubs that seem meet your needs, make your choice using this criteria:

A good racing club provides qualified coaching.

This may mean the coach is certified by USA Cycling (the governing body of U.S. bike racing), but many fine coaches don’t have formal certification.

Good coaches have time to work with young or inexperienced cyclists. They have the patience to bring beginning cyclists along slowly, letting them develop at their own rate without undue pressure.

Good coaches aren’t slaves to one coaching system. They don’t blindly follow some formula but instead devise training and racing strategies geared to individual cyclists.

A good racing club has a comprehensive year-round program.

In the winter, riders meet for weight training and stationary bike work. They train together in the early season, doing long base-building rides. They practice team tactics on training rides and use them in races. They travel to events together, sometimes in a team van.

A good racing club promotes races.

There’s usually a local time trial series and a weekly evening criterium in which members hone their skills for the real races on the weekend. These practice races are a good measure of the club. Look for events that start on time, are well organized and take place on safe-but-challenging courses.

Cycling is a relatively expensive sport, so good clubs work hard to secure sponsorships from non-cycling companies as well as from the industry and bike shops. These sponsorships help cover the cost of clothing, equipment and travel. Shops also may offer parts and service discounts to club members.

A good racing club offers a friendly, supportive environment despite the emphasis on competition.

Team members encourage each other with advice and consolation. (One sure sign of a poor club is people yelling at each other on training rides, dispensing criticism instead of support.) Training rides should be designed to help everyone improve. Race strategy should be based on teamwork rather than on showcasing star athletes.

I would like to see some mobile phones integrating really high end applications for measuring cycling data.

Professional cycling computers are currently developed by Garmin and Polar. Garmin made a great introduction of GPS based computers. We already have GPS smart phones that we can use for demographic shot of terrain. There comes the idea to incorporate some applications inside those smart phones, no need to buy additional cycling computer, that enables us speed, power wattage, location, altitude etc.

To monitor speed that bicycle is currently at, we could use GPS signal. With speed, we can then calculate distance, average speed, maximum speed etc. These data will be saved internally on phone’s memory. To measure cadence, we would use small device that is mounted on bicycle pedal. This will count the number of turns per minute, simply by small magnet. The data would be send to phone by using Bluetooth protocol. Each device will be equipped with code number, so you could enter inside you phone’s application. So there will be no interference with other cyclers in the group. You can add as many devices to the allowed list as you want.

For measuring heart rate, we would use strap that works with Bluetooth signal also. All those data we could then analyze on computed with different interfaces that our phone allows.

There could also be international database that allows other users to compare their results to others.

I could continue writing this idea with lots of fresh ideas. But since some of those applications are already there, let me show you what is currently already available.

Every Trail is a GPS application for your iPhone that displays odometer, speed, time and allows you to record and upload a track of your ride. Things you should consider is the battery lifetime. Showing landscape mode will lower your battery and your phone will not last for only ten hours. Further down the list we have iRPM+ iPhone application, B.iCycle cyclometer, Cychosis, MotionX-GPS, Pedal Brain which supports ANT+ cycling sensors such as SRM, PowerTap, Quarq, MetriGear & Garmin. ANT+ was invented by Garmin and is available to other vendors to incorporate hear monitoring in any device using chest strap.

Most of those fancy applications are available for free, some are not, but as I said it is not suitable for long rides, because you would need to constantly recharge battery. However if you have a dyno hub the new E-werk hub dynamo powered universal power supply might solve that problem.

We will see if Polar or Garmin is interested in developing such applications that will benefit us users that already have smart phones and doesn’t need to buy their expensive products. As they are priced above $200 currently and better models will cost you about the same as iPhone does.

Know dog psychology

The majority of dogs who chase cyclists are merely defending their territory. When you pedal off the section of road that they consider their turf, you no longer pose a threat to their ancestral instincts and they lose interest. Incidentally, this is why you’ll rarely be chased by a dog you encounter way out in the boonies. He’s not on his turf so he couldn’t care less about you.

Know dog tactics

Dogs want to attack from the rear, coming up from the hindquarter. Even one who sits up in his yard ahead of you may wait till you pass before giving chase. You can use this to your advantage in the next tip because it gives you a head start.

Sprint!

You often can outsprint Fido when he’s more interested in fooling around than in actually attacking. You can tell his intent by how hard he’s running and his expression. An easy gait with woofing and ears and tail up, no problem. A full-out sprint with ears back, tail down and teeth out, problem. Still, the territorial gene can save you. If the road is flat or downhill, stand up and sprint to get past the dog’s invisible boundary.

Guard your front wheel

When a dog sees you coming, he might make a beeline for your bike, then attempt to turn up beside you. The danger here is that his poor little paws will skid on the pavement and he’ll plow into your wheels. If he hits the front one, you’ll crash. Sprint so that you move forward faster than he expects, and give him a margin for error by steering farther into the road—if traffic permits!

SCREAM!

Most dogs know what happens when a human is angry with them. A sudden shout of “No!” or “Git!” or “Stay!” will surprise Fluffy and probably make him hesitate for just the second you need to take the advantage. If he’s hard of hearing, raise your hand threateningly as if it contains a rock. Outlaw mutts usually have had experience with bad things flying at them when a human makes a throwing gesture.

Play douse the Doberman

If you see big, fast Prince up ahead and know that he sees you, sprinting might not work. Especially if the road is tilting up. Take out your water bottle. Just having it in your hand may make him stay away. If he does come near you, give him a faceful and a loud yell. This distraction will slow him down, though he may come back for more. Just don’t distract yourself and ride off the road.

Some riders swear by Halt pepper spray that they clip to their handlebar. This stuff works great—if you hit your target. That’s a big if when you and Spot are going different speeds, the air is moving, and you’re trying to stay on the road. Pepper spray stings a dog’s eyes, nose and mouth, but it doesn’t cause lasting damage. It also works on human attackers, but that’s a different story.

Give up and get off

If nothing works and Toodles has the upper hand, dismount quickly and hold your bike between you and those sharp teeth. Swing it like a weapon if necessary, and start calling for help. Someone may eventually come out of a house and yell, “Oh, he won’t hurt you!”

Call the cops

If you are attacked and bitten, report it to the county sheriff or other authority immediately. Include the location, a description of the dog and the owner’s name and address if you know them. Get medical attention without delay. If the dog was rabid, you are at risk of serious illness or even death. Demand proof of rabies vaccination or insist to authorities that the dog be quarantined.

If the same dog accosts you every time you ride the road, report this to the authorities, too. You have a right to use public roadways free from fear for your life, liberty and pursuit of cycling happiness. Keep following up with calls to make sure steps are taken to put PupPup on a rope.

ref=roadbkierider

Reduced driving actually increases local business development because most economic inputs to driving–vehicle, parts, and fuel–come from outside a region. As Litman observes, “Money saved by reduced driving tends to provide net economic development benefits” (1999, December 1).

A research associate with the Institute for Science and Technology Policy (ISTP) in Perth, Australia, Tamim Raad summarizes the relationship between car dependency and the economy in an article titled “Cars and Progress: Our Economy Is Facing Auto-Asphyxiation”:

The notion that more cars equals more wealth is really more myth than reality. In fact, some new research shows that high and increasing levels of car dependence actually harms an economy. In a report to the World Bank, researchers from the Institute for Science and Technology Policy (ISTP) in Perth, Australia showed that there are “diseconomies” associated with car use. Auto dependence can drain an economy of its wealth….

It found that, among cities in the developed world, regional wealth (as measured by per capita gross regional product – or GRP) actually goes down as car use go up. In other words, the more we drive, the poorer we get….

The global proportion  is … illuminating. Cities such as Zurich,
Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Tokyo and Paris all have a much higher use of public transport than any American, Canadian or Australian city. Yet they build fewer roads and own fewer cars. Cycling implementation is higher in these countries. They have roughly half the transportation deaths. They spend less on getting to work. They emit a fraction of the CO2.

And, yes, they’re richer.

Europe’s 11 principal cities average 390 cars per 1000 people and have an average GRP of US$32,000 per capita. Meanwhile, the USA’s 10 principal cities average 600 cars per 1000 people with a GRP of only $27,000. Tokyo’s average car ownership is a paltry 225 while its GRP soars at $37,000.

More spending on cars does not create wealth. It just transfers money
elsewhere. Often that elsewhere is outside your local economy. Last time I checked, my home town didn’t have an oil or car industry. And buying Ford and GM seems isn’t making Detroit, MotorCity USA, any richer. Excessive spending on cars and their infrastructure merely means less money in your pocket and your economy that can be used for productive things.

The car’s contribution to the urban economy is as much evil as it is
unnecessary. We don’t need more car-based planning bleeding our cities of their vitality and wealth. We need cities that not only make more social
and environmental sense, but more economic sense too (Bolding added; 1998).

As shown in the introduction to this paper, passenger trips by bicycle in these wealthy countries illustrate the compatibility of bicycling and a good economy:

Netherlands        28%
Japan                 20%
Denmark            18%
Switzerland         15%
(Parker, 1996).

ref environment.ucf.edu