A report came out this week that the federal government increased spending on cycling (and walking) initiatives by more than $400 million in 2009. In 2008 spending on such projects was less than $600 million, but the Obama administration has rapidly increased total spending to roughly $1.2 billion using funds set aside under the economic recovery program. Today’s Fast Facts Friday takes another look at what governments are doing to promote biking projects.  

1) The number of reported walking trips has more than doubled from 18 billion in 1990 to 42.5 billion in 2009. Bicycling trips saw a similar increase, from 1.7 billion to 4 billion during the same period. Together, the two modes account for 11.9 percent of all reported trips by Americans. Still, biking is less than 1 percent of the total. With an increased reliance on bicycle transportation, the bump in spending on biking projects could not have come at a better time. (Telegraph.co.uk)

2) In response to the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, the president has issued a six-month moratorium on deep-water drilling. In response to the whole situation, the folks over at SF Streets Blog conclude that we can offset the moratorium on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico by driving 20 percent less. Central to their plan on how this can be achieved is an increase in political action to develop bicycle systems. Jason Henderson writes, “… in the short-term, there is a quick, cheap, and nimble solution to help get us to 20 percent reductions in driving — bicycles. Bicycles do not require expensive, long-term capital investment. A bicycle system can be developed rapidly. Unlike transit systems, a bicycle system does not require large operating costs.” (SF.StreetsBlog.org)

3) In one major US city, this type of action is well underway. Mayor Sam Adams has vowed to make Portland “the most sustainable city in the world.” Adams has worked toward allocating $20 million to help kick-start the city’s bicycle master plan, which includes the development of “bicycle boulevards.” These “boulevards” take bike lanes to the next level and are made by building curb extensions to slow traffic to make neighborhood streets safer for bikes. Check OregonLive.com for a photo. (FastCompany.com)

4) Washington DC is promoting its newly-named bike-share program, “Capitol Bikeshare,” and asking for suggestions from the public on where to put the actual bike-share stations. The program will expand bike sharing beyond the DC to Arlington, VA and will bump up the number of stations to 114, with more than 1,000 bikes. Under the plan, people could rent a bike for short trip then drop it off at another station. People can fill out the online survey to make suggestions of where all those bikes should be. (WashingtonExaminer.com)

5) Safe Kids USA has a broad and deep grassroots network with over 360 state and local Safe Kids coalitions. As a part of their goal to prevent accidental childhood injury, they suggest that parents properly fit their child’s helmet and ensure they always wear it when riding, skating or scooting. Their website offers tons of great tips and useful information on Bicycling and Skating Safety, as well as an interactive map to find a Safe Kids coalition in your area. Bell Sports and Safe Kids are partners in keeping children safe around bicycles, skates, and other wheel-related injuries.

Are there any inspiring bike programs in your city? Do you know of a any initiatives to help promote ciking? What do you think of the SF Streets Blog idea?

Tell us how you feel on twitter @BellTrueFit, or leave a message below!

Stage 3 of the 2010 Tour of California. San Francisco to Santa Cruz. May 18, 2010
Photo courtesy of bissellcycling – flickr

For the last six years California has played host to one of the most prestigious and largest cycling races in the United States: the AMGEN Tour of California.

The eight-day race covers 650-700 miles of California, winding through dense redwoods, foothills, valleys, and of course alongside some of the state’s most beautiful beaches. This year’s event, which started on May 16 in the old Northern California gold mining town of Nevada City, ends on May 23 in the sunny Southern California town of Thousand Oaks. For complete route and stage info visit the Stages page of the AMGEN Tour of California website.

Here are some interesting (and fast) facts about this year’s tour:

•  Tour of California organizers seek to make the race a preparatory event for the Tour de France, and for 2011 the Tour will officially become an International Cycling Union (UCI) event. (Wikipedia.com)
• This year, Stage 3 of the Tour took cyclists 113.3 miles (mostly along the Pacific Coast) from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. Bell is located in the city of Scotts Valley, which neighbors its old Santa Cruz stomping grounds. A crowd of 20,000 gathered near the iconic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk where the riders completed the third stage. The Boardwalk was one of several major sponsors of this year’s race, providing $185,000 of the total $245,000 it took to put on the event. (CityOnAHillPress.com)
• At kickoff, the 2010 Tour of California was highlighted by the participation of seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. However, Armstrong will not complete this year’s Tour. He exited the race yesterday after a nasty spill that left the fan favorite with bruises and a few fresh stitches, but no longstanding or substantial injury or broken bones. For more info and a picture of his eye, click here: (RoadCycling.com)
• Steve Morabito, a rider with Santa Rosa-based BMC Racing (sponsored by Easton Bell Sports), continued his climb up the overall standings yesterday by finishing 12th on Stage 5 while two of his other team riders (Simon Zahner and Chad Beyer) were involved in the crash that knocked a total of five riders, including Armstrong, out of the Amgen Tour of California Thursday. (BMC Racing Team)

(Tim de Waele photo via BMC Team Racing)

Did you attend this year’s Tour of California? Have you attended in the past? If so we’d love to hear your stories!

May is a month of bike mania! Yes, it’s National Bike Month – which includes Bike to Work Day and Week – but it’s also a time for communities to celebrate the people who have shown dedication to cycling and alternative transportation.

Despite bad weather, injury, and long commutes, these pedal pushers keep the wheels turning. And even some communities have done so much to promote cycling that they too have earned prestigious awards.

Here are just a few of the award winning cyclists and communities from around the USA:

1)  Every day during the academic year, math and natural history teacher Ken Hoffman rides his bike two miles from his home on West Street to Hampshire College. And he’s been doing it since the school opened 40 years ago. Hoffman will be recognized for his commitment to alternative transportation during Amherst’s observance of Bike Commute Week next Wednesday. He will be the first recipient of the Arthur Swift Memorial Bicycle Commuter Award, named for the late UMass professor who was a key advocate for the Norwottuck Rail Trail and the connector along University Drive. (AmherstBulletin.com)

2) Alameda County’s 2010 Bike Commuter of the Year totes electric grinders, saws, braces, scissors and the occasional prosthetic limb to work on her bike, rain or shine. T.D. Fisher logs as many as 30 miles a day round trip on her bike commute to and from work. Fisher works for Oakland’s Center for Independent Rehabilitative Services, visiting schools, therapy units and other institutions to fit patients, often children, for braces and other devices. Fisher was awarded Alameda County’s top bicycle commuter for 2010 by the East Bay Bicycle Coalition. (InsideBayArea.com)

3) While not an individual, the city of Rochester, MN as a whole gets a mention on this list for recently winning the Bicycle Friendly Communities Award from the League of American Bicyclists. Not an easy award to win! (PostBulletin.com)

4) Snohomish County, Wash., was among the winners in the 2010 Governor’s Commute Smart Awards, presented recently at the Governor’s Mansion in Olympia, for their Curb the Congestion program that was designed to reduce traffic congestion. For 2010 they also introduced an online, monthly incentive award program where participants can log their alternative trips to qualify for prizes. Nancy Gay was the first monthly incentive award winner for the new program, and she received $250 for her participation and dedication to help “curb the congestion”. Participants who log at least 12 days of trips during April, May and June can qualify for the quarterly incentive award of $1,000 to be drawn in July. Monthly and quarterly incentives will be awarded on an ongoing basis. (SnohomishTimes.com)

5) Congratulations to the South Bay Bicycle Coalition which was recently awarded two grants totaling $246,000 from the county of Los Angeles and the Beach Cities Health District. The grants will create a Master Bicycle Plan for seven supporting South Bay communities – Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Lawndale, Gardena and Torrance. The coalition is organizing the first South Bay CEO/Celebrity Cycle-To-Work Challenge, asking local CEOs and celebrities to join in. Here’s the pledge: Personally ride to work on May 20 or another designated day during Bike-to-Work Week, encourage your employees to ride and host a “Celebration Station” to reward participation at your business. (DailyBreeze.com)

We’d love to hear from anyone participating in the CEO/Celebrity Cycle-To-Work Challenge, and photos from the event are always welcome!

Are there any cycling awards given out, or events hosted, by your community? If so we’d love to hear about them!

Today is Earth Day 2010 – the 40^th Anniversary of the celebration. This week also marks the one-year Anniversary of the Bell True Fit blog! A year ago we started this blog in an effort to raise awareness about Bell’s advances in the bicycling, snow sports and fitness industries, while paying homage to Mother Earth. In doing so, we unveiled our True Fit technology: a perfect combination of science and human experience that resulted in the best fitting helmets ever. We kicked off this blog with a Bell True Fit helmet giveaway and some Earth Day awareness.

Since last April we’ve held numerous giveaways, offered invaluable helmet and biking tips, and covered off on some of the most relevant helmet and biking-related news with our Week In Review series.

Unlike a newspaper, radio or traditional TV sitcom, a blog is not a static thing … it requires human participation and interaction for it to be successful.

You’ve participated in our surveys and contests, you’ve shared your favorite biking trails and locations, and you’ve offered unparalleled insight into the minds of the bicycle community. So, on this anniversary we’d like to thank our community. Meaning, we thank YOU for all the different levels of collaboration offered to us over the past year.

We thank The Full Mommy for her review and giveaway of a Bell True Fit helmet last spring. TG Daily Dads and Grads Product Giveaway was a hit with the guys last summer.  Last fall we conducted a survey asking if you allow your children to ride their bicycle to school. During the winter we asked what your favorite holiday traditions are. Both times we gave a helmet to one lucky commenter. And of course who could forget our twitter contests where we gave away three sets of Tony Hawk RIDE video games and Bell True Fit helmets! We hope the winners @MomMostTraveled, @davesniadak, and @MissingLynxx are getting good use out of the video games and helmets.

While your participation here has helped our blog become a Web destination for the bicycle community, your engagement with our Facebook and Twitter pages has also made Bell True Fit one of the highest followed in the social web.  ‘Thank You’ to all of you who commented on our blog posts, wrote on our Facebook wall, or “ReTweeted” our Twitter updates. Without you this blog would not be possible. Your engagement helps us decide what kind of content you’re most interested in for yourself and others in your own social networks.

We hope you’ll continue to visit our site and provide the invaluable feedback that you do.

Be on the lookout for more contests, and once again THANK YOU for being a part of the Bell True Fit family!

Happy Earth Day 2010!

As many of you may (or may not) know, Google Maps unveiled a “bicycling directions” feature last Wednesday.

The new feature offers turn by turn biking directions with trails and bike lanes directly on the map, and just like traditional Google Maps there’s an option to drag and drop points of interest to customize your route.

“Bicycling directions” has been met with some criticism, however, as one New York Post reporter used it to plot a few routes through New York City, and it led him into some heavy traffic along the way.

The article starts out with, “A helmet may not be enough to protect cyclists from Google Maps’ latest feature.” – We disagree.

Google bicycle directions might take you into traffic jams and unfamiliar neighborhoods, but wearing a Bell helmet has proven time and again to protect riders and prevent serious head injury. Did you know that Bell  offers a GPS enabled helmet? No it’s not a helmet with a global positioning system, rather it’s a Geared Positioning System where all you do is reach back and turn a dial and it either tightens or loosens the molding around your head. Check out the Influx for more information on Bell’s Geared Positioning System technology.  Or if you’d prefer the easiest fitting helmet, check out one of Bell’s many True Fit models that make the proper fit a snap with one easy adjustment.

Not all of the reviews have been critical however, and a few outlets, like Wired.com, are asking for your input in helping them determine whether the new feature is “pretty awesome” or “full of potential fatal flaws”.

Google is currently running a twitter contest – Share Your Ride Sweepstakes – for the chance to win a $2,500 voucher for use at American Cyclery.

To enter, simply log on to Twitter and create a Twitter entry which includes the hashtag #bikewithgoogle

Above is a screenshot of San Francisco from “bicycling directions”– with the green lines representing bike lanes and trails. The Bay Bridge isn’t currently highlighted with any green lines, but people are working hard to get biking lanes spanning the length of the new bridge, once construction is complete and it is opened to traffic. In the mean time, biking across the Golden Gate Bridge makes for a great outing.

What do you think about Google’s new feature? Will you use it to find new routes? Weigh in on this by leaving a comment below.

With Thanksgiving only hours behind us, many people are already looking forward to a turkey and cranberry sandwich for lunch and a day full of shopping – Got to love those Thanksgiving leftovers! But while most people are out shopping on this “Black Friday”, we’re putting our helmets on, jumping on our mountain bikes and getting muddy. Before we get rolling though, we’d like to offer up a few mountain biking trails in the American West for you to check out sometime!

1) Located in the mountainous area rising up from the ocean above Santa Cruz, Scott’s Valley is not only a beautiful place to bike ride, it’s also the headquarters for Bell Sports! To see the many trails available, MapMyRide has more than 80 great bike routes already plotted out for the Scott’s Valley area. The site allows riders to plot their bike rides over mountains (view elevation), through the woods (topographic maps), and speeding through the city (street level views) with just a few mouse clicks. At Bell, we enjoy the quick 10.26 mile Glen Canyon/Granite Creek ride. (MapMyRide.com)

2) Bend, OR was named 2009’s “top mountain biking town” in the US by Mountain Biking Action magazine. The editors praised everything from access and lodging, to weather and friendly locals as reasons why they made their ultimate decision to venture out there. (mbaction.com)

3) 360-degree vistas? Check. 25 foot-tall volcanic boulders? Check. Sparkling streams? Check. 17 miles of downhill and a  5,000-foot vertical drop? Check. Can you guess where it is we’re talking about? It’s Downieville, CA – a small town nestled high amongst the Tahoe National Forrest firs! (Outside.Away.com)

4) Jackson Hole, WY offers a plethora of trail options, including rides through Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. (JacksonHole.net)

5) Moab, UT claims to have “the best mountain biking on the planet” – a pretty bold statement considering  some of the great places we’ve already mentioned. You can ride from the high desert into national forests, with options for beginners looking for a scenic ride through beautiful canyons and mesa tops, to seasoned bikers looking for the ultimate technical challenge. (DiscoverMoab.com)

Have you ridden on any of the trails linked to above? If so, we would love to hear about your adventures! These are obviously only a few of the thousands of great trails and biking towns to experience, so let us know (below) what some of your other favorite places to ride are. And until we meet again – Happy Trails!

The word Thanksgiving conjures up a variety of autumnal images – pilgrims and Native Americans, yellow, orange and red leaves falling and covering the sidewalk, Hand Turkey artwork and family and friends gathering around the table to enjoy a mouth-watering feast filled with mashed potatoes, yams, stuffing, turkey, cranberry sauce and more!

In addition to these standard impressions of Thanksgiving, there is one thing that comes to mind to us here at Bell as being dear to the heart no matter what the holiday – bicycling! And what could be better than a brisk, post-dinner friends and family bike ride with loved ones this Thanksgiving? Not only will you be working to help combat all the tryptophan-induced drowsiness you’re sure to be feeling, but you’ll be doing it with the people we hope you’re the most thankful for – your family and/or friends!

If you need some ideas of where to head to, Bicycling Magazine’s “10 Fall Foliage Rides” lists some great autumn biking spots in Wisconsin, Utah, Michigan, West Virginia, Virginia, New York, Colorado, Pennsylvania and North Carolina where the changing season can best be observed. (Bicycling.com)

Or perhaps you live in Baltimore? Well, on the Friday after Thanksgiving, cyclists are gathering for a post-Thanksgiving Critical Mass bike ride that you should certainly look into. (BaltimoreSun.com)

Even if you don’t see your home turf listed above, there’s no reason to get discouraged – sometimes the best bike paths are those waiting for you just outside your back door. No matter where you live, if you do decide to take the family out for a Turkey Day bike ride, be sure you are all wearing helmets.

However you decide to spend your holiday tomorrow, we hope you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving and you take the time to reflect on what you are thankful for. Already know? We’ll be thankful to you if you let us know, below

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!!

On July 4, the 96th Le Tour de France began. To date, the three week-long cycling competition has proven to be nothing less than exhilarating. Three-time world winner, American Greg LeMond, once said of the race, “It never gets easier, you just go faster.” This year is no different.

Hundreds of the world’s top cyclists have been competing in this rigorous, yet prestigious, 21-stage race – all in hopes of coming out on top. To view a detailed map of the race, check out this one at Versus.com. And, from unforeseen leaders in the race to accidents and pullouts, this year’s tour – covering Monaco, France, Spain, Andorra, Switzerland and Italy – is one for the books!

So who is currently on top, you ask? Rather than just tell you (especially considering you never know when someone could swoop ahead into the first place spot, we thought we’d provide you with a few resources for finding the best information available on the race. For up-to-the-minute information about the tour, there are many places you can go. On Twitter, for instance, you can receive as-it-happens updates by following the TdFblog author, Frank Steele (@TdFblog) or Cyclingfans.com’s Peter Geyer (@cyclingfans).

American favorite Lance Armstrong also periodically tweets updates about the race from his twitter account, @lancearmstrong. By following him, we were able to find out that, as of recently, this year’s top 20 cyclists were separated by only 6 minutes. That’s extremely rare this late in a race of such high caliber.

Can’t wait for people like Lance to update you on what they’re seeing with the race? Well then, watch live video coverage of the race by heading over to Cyclingfans.com, and you’ll be able to see who is well on their way to the final stage, first!

The race is almost over, and with just five days left, you don’t want to miss out on any of the action! Thankfully for you, you should now be fully equipped with resources so that you can stay on track with the cyclists.

As you’ve all (hopefully) realized by now (because we’ve even reminded you), this Sunday is Father’s Day. A good gift goes a long way but what can be even more meaningful is simply giving time. Why not take him up on that ride along one of the bike trails he’s been hinting about for some time now? This will give you a moment to catch up, laugh and reconnect outside of the normal business of your everyday schedules. And…since dads always seem to know everything about anything (at least our dads did), we thought we’d equip you with some random facts to impress him with while you’re out and about.

1. On a round-trip commute of 10 miles, bicyclists save roughly $10 daily, spare the air 10 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions and burn around 360 calories. (Bikes Belong)

2. Many bicycle accidents involving older children occur when they fail to signal motorists as to their intended actions. (The Injury Prevention Program)

3. The two-wheeled pedal powered bicycle was first conceived in Paris in the 1860s. By 1888 John Dunlop invented pneumatic tires and the chain drive making possible the safety bicycle, giving the bicycle its modern form. (Wikipedia)

4. Linda Armstrong Kelly, mother of seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, in cooperation with Bell Sports and Safe Kids, has been involved in teaching parents and children the “Eyes, Ears & Mouth” check list to make sure helmets fit properly. (Bell Sports)

5. Approximately 100,000 people every year require some sort of medical treatment for skateboard-related injuries. A majority of these injuries are a result of people not wearing or not using proper safety equipment like helmets and pads. Ouch! (EzineArticles)

Won’t be able to meet up with dad on Father’s Day this year? Win him this Bell True Fit helmet at TG Daily and you might still earn a few extra brownie points.

When the flowers have begun to bloom and the faint smell of barbecue lingers in the air, we realize that Summer is again approaching and can’t help but realize why we love the great outdoors so much. And nothing seems better than getting out and soaking up the fresh air.

Considering those sunny months coming upon us, and being the outdoor enthusiasts we are at Bell, we thought it would be fitting to share some of our (and your) favorite places to get some fresh air, and get our bikes and bodies in gear.

No matter where you live, there are tons of places online you can go to find bike trails in your neck of the woods, such as the nonprofit American Trails. Many places, like the trail at El Corte de Madera Creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California, offer multi-use trail for bikers, hikers and horseback riders alike to enjoy.

Whether you’re looking for a well-manicured and paved place to take a relaxing family ride, such as the urban setting of the Pinellas Trail running through Dunedin and Clearwater, Florida, you’re seeking a more challenging single track ride on the picturesque Chocolate Gulch Trail in Sun Valley, Idaho, or you’re in the mood to test your skills on trails like Galbraith Mountain in Bellingham, Washington and Devil’s Backbone in Little Dam, Colorado, you’re bound to find an adventure suited to your liking.

And not only is being outside good for body and mind, it’s great for bonding with your loved ones, as well! So, we suggest you strap on your helmets, get your bikes in gear and go have some family fun out in the fresh air!

Special thanks to our Twitter community, specifically Ali (@alimd11), Denise (@denisegabbard) and the Sun Valley & Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau (@visitsunvalley), for sharing their own trail suggestions.

Have a memorable experience to share? Or a preferred outdoor haven of your own? We’d love to hear your trail tales!