Week in Review: Bicycle News & Opinions from Around the World

If we didn’t know better, we’d think the media is dominated by bike–related stories. There are multiple articles published every day about bicycling … some good, some bad, but there seems to be more and more each week. From a Southern California bike shop celebrating its 100 year anniversary to a Cheetah-inspired prototype bicycle built in Argentina, last week’s features were all over the map! Here are some of the top stories that made headlines this past week:

• November 16, 2009: An in-depth look at the best, and most affordable bicycle lights. Do you want a light simply to be “seen” by motorists and to comply with the law, or do you want a light to also “see” better with and increase your chances of avoiding an accident? Modern bicycle lights enhance safety, but the best are pricey (Rick Barrett, Milwaukee – Wisconsin Journal Sentinal)
• November 17, 2009: Despite being described as a place where there are no bike lanes, and where motorists seem willing to run you over, The League of American Bicyclists awarded Jacksonville, Florida an honorable mention in its list of 2009 Bicycle Friendly Communities. Jacksonville wins bicycle friendly award – to the surprise of many area cyclists (Larry Hanan, The Florida Times-Union)
• November 18, 2009: In Salt Lake City, UT, the police will now donate all unclaimed bicycles to the city’s nonprofit bicycle collective, which fixes them up for low-income residents and refugees — often for free. Salt Lake City agrees to donate unclaimed bicycles (Derek P. Jensen, The Salt Lake Tribune)
• November 19, 2009: Bumstead’s Bicycles is the second longest operating business in Ontario, CA. Five generations strong, Bumstead’s is also the oldest family-owned bike shop in the country. Ontario bike shop still rolling at 100  (David Allen, Contra Costa Times)
• November 19, 2009: The Pardo (short for guepardo, which is Spanish for cheetah) splays the rider out prone on its plywood surface where he can cling to the small handle and start to pray for survival. Terrifying Cheetah-Inspired ‘Bicycle’ (Charlie Sorrel, Wired)
• November 19, 2009: A hands-on approach to confront our collective energy and climate problems: How To Set Up and Run a Bicycle Repair Company (Robin Lovelace, The Oil Drum)
• November 20, 2009: Whoever all these cyclists are, as individuals, their individuality is burnished by the bikes they ride and by the way they ride them.  Individualism, Identity, and Bicycles in Northern California (Verlyn Klinkenborg, New York Times)