The 82^nd Academy Awards are at 8 ET / 5 PT Sunday, March 7, 2010 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood and the glamour will be in full effect. In honor of this year’s Oscars we’d like to recognize those that we consider superstars by setting positive examples of safety by wearing a helmet! This week’s Fast Facts Friday is a collection of photos from around the web of Oscar-related celebs wearing helmets.

Jake Gyllenhaal is best known for his roles in Donnie Darko, Bubble Boy, The Day After Tomorrow, Jarhead, and Brokeback Mountain (in which he was nominated an Oscar for best actor in 2005). He isn’t nominated for an Academy Award this year, but his older sister Maggie Gyllenhaal is nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in Crazy Heart.

We’re not sure if Maggie rides a bike, but Jake sure does. We’re excited to see him staying safe in a Giro helmet when he’s riding the streets.

Photo courtesy JustJared.BuzzNet.com

 Matthew Broderick is best known for his role in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. He also starred in the 1999 movie Election which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing. These days he keeps his pant leg rolled up so it won’t get caught in the chain, and wears a Bell helmet for safety.

Photo courtesy Cyclelicio.us

Matt Damon is best known for … ummm, well, he’s been in a TON of popular movies including Good Will Hunting, Saving Private Ryan, Rounders, The Bourne series, The Departed, and 2009’s Invictus. He is actually nominated this year for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in Invictus. We’re definitely glad to see he’s staying safe with a Bell Helmet.

Photo courtesy ShowHype.com 

Hugh Jackman is known for his role as the slashing, side-burned X-Man Wolverine. He hosted the 81^st Academy Awards last year to rave reviews. He isn’t nominated for an Oscar this year, and he’s not hosting the awards show either, but when we found photos of him wearing a helmet while riding his mountain bike we had to share.

Photo courtesy DailyMail.co.uk

Carey Mulligan is nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her role in An Education.

Here she is seen sporting a helmet as she rides on the back of a motorcycle with boyfriend Shia LaBeouf, also protecting his valuable head with a helmet.

Photo courtesy DailyMail.co.uk

Have you seen or know of any other celebrities that wear a helmet? Please share with us by leaving a comment below!

Can you imagine a freeway made up of bicyclists?! A cycling advocacy group in LA can, and they’re taking measure to make this vision turn into a reality. Check out this and other tops stories in the news from last week involving two wheels!

• February 1, 2010: Organization One Less Car held its annual Smart Transportation and Bicycling Symposium Wednesday, Feb. 3 in Annapolis, Maryland. One Less Car holds annual bike symposium (Meredith Cohn, B’MoreGreen)

• February 2, 2010: Continuing the conversations around immigrants and bicycling. More Conversation About Not-So-Invisible Bicyclists (Sarah Goodyear, StreetsBlog.org)

• February 2, 2010: Team funded by Kazakhstan (split with Spanish and Kazakh riders) hopes to provide leader Alberto Contador with yet another Tour de France championship in 2010. Astana Launches 2010 Season (James Startt, Bicycling)

• February 3, 2010: The Topeka Community Cycle Project was started by Washburn law student Robert Fitzgerald and has already become home to numerous donated bicycles of all shapes, sizes and conditions. Law student creates bike co-op (Richard Kelly, The Review)

• February 3, 2010: An LA bicycling advocacy group (LA Bike Working Group) has proposed the Backbone Bikeway Network – a network of long-distance bike routes they say would be comparable to the city’s freeways. Bicyclists propose ‘freeway’ bike routes (Staff Writer, UPI.com)

• February 4, 2010: We agree!! Make bicycle helmets mandatory (Cyrus Bahrassa; Student Life)

• February 5, 2010: Bicycling’s view on the top controversies and moments for cycling in 2010: Lance versus Contador II. Team Sky versus tradition. Electronic shifting going mainstream. Riccardo Ricco trying to get through a full season without testing positive for doping. Rapha’s soon-to-be-unveiled shot at doing for performance-casual style what they did for hardcore road style. The Best Thing in Cycling This Year (Bill Strickland, Bicycling: Sitting In)

• February 5, 2010: The Bicycle Leadership Conference is asking for input from riders to help it better understand the current needs of cyclists in the US. To take the survey here. Bicycle Leadership Conference wants your input (Staff Writer, BikeRadar.com)

With an unwavering cold snap tightening its grip on the nation, even the most dedicated of cyclists, skateboarders, in-line skaters and outdoor extreme sports enthusiasts can become inclined to stay indoors.

Rain, snow, and below freezing temperatures in many areas are threatening crops, causing deadly ice storms and delaying flights. But it’s not all bad in these frosty times – the cold weather is great for all the winter sports enthusiasts out there!

Skiing and snowboarding are two winter sports that get the most attention, but they’re not the only winter activities available for snow-lovers to partake in. There are many other exciting cold weather activities for people of all ages.

The winter months of December, January and February can also mean sledding, ice skating, and snowball fights. And how about winter bicycling?

Winter mountain biking has become an exhilarating way for the avid cyclist to push his or her limits and continue riding throughout the winter months. Biking.com suggests winterizing your bike with bigger tires for better traction in the snow.

Not quite ready to tread through the snow on tires? Snowshoes were thought to have been invented some 4,000 to 6,000 years ago, but only in the past few years have many American schools (mostly, but not exclusively in the Northeast) started offering snowshoe programs in their physical education classes to help combat obesity. Snowshoeing is also a preferred method of hiking to great powder for backcountry skiers and snowboarders. (Wikipedia)

Back in November we detailed The Necessity of Skiing & Snowboarding With a Helmet. Some other winter sports that require or suggest wearing a helmet include speed skating, ski jumping, bobsledding, snowmobiling, ice hockey, and luge.

In coastal areas where the elevation is too low to snow during the winter months, surfing is a big attraction for passionate surfers and spectators alike because of the large waves created by all the storms.

People flock to Half Moon Bay, CA, almost every winter to see daring professional surfers take on 20-50 foot waves at Mavericks – all for the chance to win $150,000! Also in the water, fisherman are in luck during the winter thanks to ice fishing and swimmers with guts can find enjoyment in ice swimming.

Still not satisfied? OK, well we’re officially out of ideas…But if you have one in mind – or if you have a favorite winter sport pastime – please feel free to share! All in all, no matter what hobby you decide to take on this winter, please stay safe and warm!

Source: Sun Valley Online photo of the day, courtesy of Jim Figge

From innovations in cycling to common sense, Copenhagen to Hawaii and going green to going nude – Bicycling was a hot topic of discussion last week. Check out some of our favorite stories that made the news.

• December 14, 2009: Heading west, Marshall Wayne Lee and basset hound Antigone Puppleupagus ride on behalf of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and local basset hound rescues. Chicago man, dog on a life-saving bike adventure (Thomas Jenkins, Big Spring Herald)

• December 15, 2009: Washington native Dr. Scott Ramsey discusses how he got into cycling and the charity he rides for. Rider Profile: Dr. Scott Ramsey (David Longdon, Velocity: The Seattle Area Cycling Blog)

• December 15, 2009: Innovation in cycling – Using sensors and a Bluetooth connection, the Copenhagen wheel can talk to an iPhone mounted on the handlebars. The wheel can also monitor traffic conditions and smog and even keep track of your bicycling buddies. MIT unveils new ’smart’ bike wheel (Lance Whitney, CNET: Crave)

• December 15, 2009: Congressman Earl Blumenauer posed what he called the “universalist bicycle mantra” during the Cities, Bicycles, and the Future of Getting Around panel. Just put on a coat, already: Cyclists in a strange land (David Alpert, Greater Greater Washington)

• December 15, 2009: Bangalore cycling enthusiast, Vijay Sharma, will ride a bicycle handcrafted from bamboo to promote the ‘green’ cause. Now, a ‘green’ bicycle for cycling enthusiasts (Maitreyee Boruah, Sify News)

• December 16, 2009: This holiday season, Justin Fanslau will be riding a “lei” around the Big Island to support the advocacy efforts of PATH – Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawaii. Holiday Ride for Dollars (Press Release, Bicycle Retailer)

• December 17, 2009: Ross Kenney explains efforts in Seoul, South Korea, to make bicycling more popular. Reader Photos of the Week: Bike infrastructure in Seoul, South Korea (Elly Blue, BikePortland.org)

• December 18, 2009: Manny Diaz writes about helmets, safety and riding defensively for cyclists. Cycling, Helmets and Defensive Riding (Manny Diaz, InjuryBoard.com)

• December 18, 2009: The exhibition explores the biking habits of Copenhageners throughout the ages and focuses on the representation of bicycles in art, literature and popular music. Museum of Copenhagen exhibits Denmark’s bicycle history and culture (Russell, eNewsWire)

• December 18, 2009: A bike lane was removed in Brooklyn when conservative residents said they “can’t handle scantily clad women” on wheels. These activists planned to brave to cold and go topless to protest the removal. Bikers in the buff to protest NY bike lane removal (Verena Dobnik, The AP)

The holidays are upon us and Jack Frost is nipping at everyone’s noses. With Hanukkah starting on Friday and Christmas around the corner, it made us over here at Bell wonder – how many of you could use a new helmet this holiday? A helmet is not the flashiest gift, nor the most expensive, but it is a perfect gift to give that cyclist, bmx’r or little biker in your family – the designs are very cool, and it shows you care about their well being. Even if they already have a helmet, it never hurts to have a spare one for when they want to bring a friend along for a ride, or when an upgrade is needed due to damage (check out our Your Stories Told feature to see firsthand how a Bell helmet saved one man’s life!).

Regardless of whether or not you’d planned to give a helmet to someone this Hanukkah or Christmas, we’re asking everyone to leave a comment below and tell us one (or all) of three things:

1) What is your favorite holiday tradition?

2) What gift(s) are you hoping to receive this year?

3) What gift(s) are you most looking forward to giving this year?

The best part? One lucky person who leaves a comment will win a free Bell True Fit helmet!!

That’s right; we’ll send one lucky person a Bell True Fit helmet (any size, any style – based on availability) just for sharing some of their holiday spirit with us.

Comments will be closed at 5p.m. PT on Thursday, December 17, 2009, at which time we’ll choose one commenter at random, and send them a free Bell True Fit helmet to arrive in time for the holidays!

Want that to be you? All you have to do is leave a comment below. Be sure to leave your name and a way for us to reach you. Or you could always send your comments to us on Twitter @BellTrueFit.

And if you have a twitter account, please also leave your twitter handle in your comment. We can’t give you a free helmet if we don’t know who you are!

Happy Holidays!

Photo courtesey of FocusHack.com

There was more going on than just people eating turkey and giving thanks last week – there were also bike parks opening up, inductions taking place, bike-related studies being released and more! Check out this past week’s diverse roundup of bike news!

• November 23, 2009: Today’s electric bicycles use two energy sources: the rider’s pedaling and the electric motor. Electric bikes give beginning riders a boost (Robert Johnson, Columbia Daily Tribune)

• November 24, 2009: Bicycles that had been abandoned and collected throughout the city of Somerville were auctioned off on November 14 – raising almost $7,000! 150 bikes sold at city auction (Staff Writer, Boston.com)

• November 24, 2009: According to a study in the November 24 issue of Neurology, moderate to heavy physical activity, such as bicycling, is associated with a lower risk of stroke in elderly men. Exercise Linked to Lower Risk of Stroke in Elderly Men (Staff Writer, Modern Medicine)

• November 24, 2009: Triathletes can be prone to accidents, too. Triathletes, on Your Mark …Whoa! (Sean D. Hamill, The New York Times)

• November 25, 2009: As John Ruskin says, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.” Winter: the other bicycling season (David Mark, Wicked Local)

• November 25, 2009: Fixcity.org, run by the Open Planning Project, is tapping the cycling community to identify prime locations for bike racks. Our Bike Racks, Ourselves: Crowdsourcing Two-Wheeled Parking (Angela Frucci, WIRED)

• November 25, 2009: In early November, the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame had its second induction ceremony in Davis, California, which is the new home of the sport’s Hall of Fame. U.S. Bicycle Hall of Fame induction ceremony video (James Raia, Examiner.com)

• November 26, 2009: This Bicycle iPod Speaker keeps the riders iPod safe while allowing them to listen to music. iPod Bicycle Speaker protects your iPod (Ally, Coolest Gadgets)

• November 27, 2009: A new study showed that the time children spent engaging in vigorous activity – such as bicycling – and their combined moderate activity-vigorous activity time had the strongest ties to waist circumference and fat mass. Kids Should Get Moving to Avoid Obesity (Anne Harding, ABC News)

• November 28, 2009: After 13 years, the Valmont Bike Park is finally ready for action. Interview: Valmont Bike Park’s Bobby Noyes and Pete Webber (Marty Caviano, Bike Radar)

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)

Have you ever noticed how often bicycling is featured in the news?! From stolen bikes being recovered to lives being saved – bicyclists are making history each and every day. Here are some of our favorite stories from the past week:

• November 1, 2009: Aman Sonkar of Khurshed Bagh, India, showed off smarts, courage and skill when he noticed a very familiar bicycle riding nearby. Nine-yr-old catches bicycle thief (Staff Writer, The Times of India)

• November 1, 2009: Think twice before you hop on that bike intoxicated! Calif. cops crack down on drunken biking (William M. Welch, USA TODAY)

• November 2, 2009: The never-ending controversy over who “owns” the road. Bike and cars: Can we share the road? (Christie Aschwanden, LA Times)

• November 3, 2009: Ever thought of making a shrine for your bicycle? These people did! Vestments and bike bells: Bicycle Shrine dedicated in Portland last night (Elly Blue, BikePortland.org)

• November 3, 2009: This girl’s life was saved, because she was wearing a helmet while she was walking! Bicycle helmet saves the day – on foot! (Adam Voiland, SF Examiner)

• November 4, 2009: The mayor vs. the mugger – and he is even wearing a Bell Sports helmet!! Mayor Boris fends off hoodie muggers on his bicycle (“The Hub”, The Blike) & Boris Johnson: “Knight on a shining bicycle” (Jordana Timerman, Foreign Policy)

• November 4, 2009: Imagine: L.A. bicyclists in the driver’s seat, one day a week (Matthew Fleischer, LA Times)

• November 4, 2009: Had your bike stolen? Well now there’s a web site that can help you get it back! Kharma Army – Web site uses social networking to return stolen bikes (Dan Welin, Daily Illini.com)

• November 5, 2009: Follow this rider’s journey as he bikes more than 6,000 miles. The Bicycle Diaries: into Kyrgyzstan’s thin air (Douglas Whitehead, Telegraph)

• November 5, 2009: Follow your dreams – on a bicycle! Cyclist follows her African dream (Khanyi Ndabeni, Weekend Post)

The Great Cyclist/Motorist Debate: Over the past few years there seems to have been a brewing debate between motorists and cyclists over who commands control of the roads. We all know that cars and bikes are supposed to “Share The Road” with one another in theory, but it has proven to be harder said than done. Cyclists get mad at motorists for speeding past and driving too closely to them. Motorists get mad at cyclists for riding too slow or coming dangerously close to their lane.

In order to protect cyclists and help ease the tension between the two groups, there have been laws passed in recent years in cities throughout the country. While there may or may not be bicycle/automobile laws in your area, we wanted to share a few examples of what’s happening in cities across the U.S. to both inform and inspire you to do something productive around this issue in your neighborhood. 

1) In Austin, Texas, a new city ordinance recently went into effect requiring motorists to give at least three feet clearance when passing cyclists in the same lane.  Trucks and larger vehicles must allow six feet. (News 8 Austin)

2) Austin might have got the idea from the state of Colorado, which passed a statewide law also allowing bicyclists at least three feet of space when vehicles pass. In turn, motorists enjoy more freedom to safely pass a bicyclist by crossing the center line only when safe to do so. (BicycleColorado.org)

3) Starting on Sept. 29, 2009 and lasting for six weeks, San Francisco closed six blocks of busy Market Street to personal vehicles. Busses, taxis, and delivery vehicles are exempt, and of course pedestrians and bicycles are encouraged. (SFExaminer.com)

4) In New York City the Bicycle Access to Buildings Law goes into effect on December 11, requiring many building owners or managers to provide bicycle access by freight elevator so they can be stored in the employer’s leased space. The law applies only to commercial buildings with at least one freight elevator where tenants have requested access. (NYC.gov) 

5) While all helmets are made according to regulations put forth by safety laws the Bell True Fit Helmets are made not just for safety, but for comfort and ease, too! And Bell offers more than 30 different style True Fit helmets. (Bell Sports)

These are only a few examples of laws and ordinances designed to accommodate bicyclists and make the roads safer for all. To be perfectly clear, the best way to be safe on the road is abide by your state, city, or town’s helmet laws.

Are there any interesting or new bicycle laws in your area? Are there any being proposed? Leave a comment below and let us know if there are! And of course, you can always find us in real time on twitter @BellTrueFit.

BOO! For all the soon-to-be goblins, witches and vampires out there – this week’s post is for you! In honor of Halloween, we’ve decided to share some facts around popular costumes, trick-or-treating and (of course) bicycle rides/events that you may want to keep in mind while gearing up for this year’s All Hallows’ Even.

1. According to LIFE magazine, some of the best selling/most popular Halloween costumes and ideas in 2009 are Bernie Madoff masks, Kate Gosselin wigs, Star Trek uniforms, and everything Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana) and Transformers. (Life.com)

2. Bell Sports has helmets that are perfect for enhancing every outfit, especially if you’re planning to be a cyclist this Halloween! (Bell True Fit)

3. More than 93% of children go trick-or-treating each year, more than 90% of parents admit to sneaking goodies from their kids’ Halloween trick-or-treat bags and around 62% of adults will be handing out candy because it’s a “personal favorite” or “household tradition”. (Halloween-Safety.com)

4. Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you. You never know what types of tricks might be hiding in your child’s treat bag. Make sure all candy is sealed and safe to eat. (Halloween-Safety.com)

5. In Massachusetts, bicycle enthusiasts have been gathering on Halloween every year since 2000 for an 18-mile Halloween Bike Ride that meanders through the streets of Boston, Brookline and Cambridge. (HalloweenBikeRide.net)

There are also many helmet-related costumes available, such as a firefighter, astronaut and a soldier. On that note…If you or your child are going to be riding a bicycle in costume (or at all on Halloween) be sure to cover your noggin with a bicycle helmet! Whether you have children to take trick-or-treating or you’re heading off to costume party, safety should always be your No. 1 priority.

Do you have some unique or interesting costume ideas? Know of a Halloween bike ride planned for your area? Share them with us by leaving a comment below, or sending us a tweet @BellTrueFit.

Hope you all have ghoulish good time tomorrow night!