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.

March is upon us, and while Punxsutawney Phil, the only true weather forecasting groundhog in the business, saw his shadow back in February predicting  another six weeks of winter, we are already looking forward to the green of Spring. Daylight Savings begins on March 14, St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17 and fun bike rides and tours are popping up across the country.

In today’s edition of Fast Facts Friday we’re discussing some of the upcoming bike rides and tours taking place across the country, with a focus on some of the the more interesting and obscure events. If you know of or are participating in any interesting bike rides or tours coming up, let us know! Just leave a comment below, and maybe we’ll feature you in a future Bell True Fit blog post!

1. The Muddy Buddy Ride is coming to a city near you! From California to Virginia, down to Florida and up to Oregon, the Muddy Buddy Ride and Run Series is a must for the adventurous. Muddy Buddy is all about having fun (and getting muddy of course) with a friend, family member, partner or co-worker. Teams of two traverse a 6-7 mile off-road course and five obstacles. “At the start of the race, one team member will run and one will ride the bike. At the 1st obstacle, the rider will drop the bike, complete the obstacle, and begin running. The runner will arrive, complete the obstacle, find their bike and begin riding. Teams will continue leapfrogging each other through the entire course,” according to the Web site. Funds raised through this meaningful program, benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) and allow people with physical challenges to live an active lifestyle. So go get dirty, challenge yourself, support a great cause, get some exercise and get to know someone really well! Visit Muddy-Buddy.Competitor.com to get the “the dirt” on this awesome event.

2. Maybe getting sweaty and muddy with a boss or new girlfriend isn’t your cup of tea … maybe you’d prefer a glass of wine? Geared towards the novice rider, with an epicurean/vinophile bent Napa Valley Bike Tours offers a variety of scenic bike rides through rustic wine country. Since 1987 they’ve been offering single and multi-day guided bike tours, self-guided bike tours, bike rentals and bicycling vacation packages that include accommodations and dining. Sample and purchase wines, wine and dine at some of the best wineries and restaurants, and enjoy an “invigorating sensory experience” as you roll through scenic Napa Valley past rows of vineyards. Visit Napa Valley Bike Tours or become a fan on Facebook to start planning your trip today.

3. Register’s Annual Great Bike Race Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) always takes place in the summer, during the last full week of July. Sponsored by The Des Moines Register, this annual seven-day bicycle ride across the state from the Missouri River to the Mississippi River, and is the oldest, largest and longest bicycle touring event in the world.  RAGBRAI is heading into its 38th year in 2010. A week-long rider fee is $140 and includes baggage transportation, camping accommodations, emergency medical services, daily route maps, entries into drawings for a free bike, and much more. Meals, concerts, parties and events along the way make this scenic ride all the more worth it at the end of every day (after you’ve ridden 75+ miles!). Hurry though, because the entry postmark deadline is April 1, 2009. Visit RAGBRAI.com for more information and check out their blog for interesting updates.

4. Not interested in being confined to the borders of one state? Cycle America offers Cross-State Tours and a Coast-to-Coast journey from June to August. Go from Seattle, WA to Boston, MA crossing over 13 states and one Canadian Province in 64 days. The ride will take you 4,200 miles, averaging 65-86 miles per day through “the lush mountains and forests of the West, across the grasslands of the Great Plains, to the lakes and farms of the Great Lake states and the quaint towns of New England.” The cost is $6,685, and is all inclusive. If a three month bike ride across the country doesn’t quite fit into your calendar or your bank account, you can opt to ride one of the nine cross-state tours for much cheaper (roughly $800 per event). For more information or to reserve a spot visit CycleAmerica.com.

5. Looking for something closer to home, maybe not as long? Then check out The World Wide Bicycle Tour Directory (BicycleTour.com) – a comprehensive directory of bicycle tours and events for both road cycling and mountain biking. They have an easy-to-use menu to help you find bike tours based on country, state, month, duration, and type.

Whichever tour you participate in, be sure to wear your helmet! And be on the lookout for Bell helmets along the way, as many of our models are considered the best. ConsumerSearch.com says the Bell Vela is the best bike helmet for women, the Bell Citi is the best bike helmet for commuters, the Bell Boomerang is the best bike helmet for toddlers, and the Bell Trigger is the best youth bike helmet.

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!

Hipsters cycling all over Japan, “Car Free Day” in Mumbai, an impressive finding around Safe Routes programs, a YouTube stunt champ and more. This past week’s news about bicycling has been insane! In case you were too engrossed in the Olympics (understandably) to get your fill of cycling news, take a look at our highlights from last week!

• February 19, 2010: Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz, a club and advocacy group that hosts weekly rides, monthly meetings and trail-work days is hosting their annual Mountain Bike Festival February 27-28, 2010. Karen Kefauver, Spin City: Down and dirty – Santa Cruz Mountain Bike Festival is around the corner (Karen Kefauver, Santa Cruz Sentinel)

• February 18, 2010: A listing of movies that are sports-related but can also loved by a less-than-active crowd. Can you guess what the featured movie is in the bicycling category? What is the Best Sports Movie for People Who Hate Sports? (Adam Hirsch, The Takeaway)

• February 18, 2010: 10 riders of Bangalore Cycling Club (BCC) cycled to Mumbai to promote the ‘Car Free Day’ in Mumbai, which was held on February 21. Mumbai Car Free Day is part of a worldwide movement that encourages motorists to give up their car for a day. The event was hosted by Transport and Road Safety Commissioner, before the Vidhana Soudha. It’s all about the bike (Staff Writer, Express Buzz)

• February 17, 2010: Coming in the summer of 2010 – “Tokyo to Osaka” – A movie documenting the journey of 13 American bicyclists traveling for one week, 350 miles across Japan. ‘Junkan’: Biking from Tokyo to Osaka (David Marx, CNNGo)

• February 16, 2010: Danny MacAskill, a Scottish stunt bicyclist, is one of six nominees for The 2010 Laureus World Action Sportsperson Award. The award recognizes sporting achievement over a single year. MacAskill first gained famed after posting a 5 minute and 37 second YouTube video of bicycle stunts – including riding along the top of a spiky metal fence, doing a back flip off a tree and jumping off huge ledges. MacAskill Nominated for Laureus Award (Staff Writer, Bicycling: MB World Blog)

• February 15, 2010: Willie Weir, a globetrotting adventure cyclist, delivered speeches to interested fans in Sacramento on 2/15-2/18 to benefit the nonprofit programs Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, the Bicycle Kitchen and Mustard Seed Spin. Adventure cyclist Willie Weir speaks at Sacramento benefits (Blair Anthony Robertson, San Francisco Bee)

• February 15, 2010: The report, “Safe Routes to School Local School Project: A health evaluation at 10 low-income schools,” indicates that there has been positive progress toward achieving many Local School Project goals – a program that began in April 2008 and assists Safe Routes programs at 10 schools from around the country. Safe Routes Low-Income Program Report Released (Stephane Babcock, School Transportation News)

As a provider of safety helmets for a variety of sports from professional to novice for adults to toddlers, we take pride in bringing innovation to our customers to create a safer experience on the hill, bike path, slopes, or just out on the driveway!

Bell True Fit helmets are designed for biking, however the Bell family also offers customized helmets for a variety of activities including power sports,  bicycling, and … skateboarding. Normally we blog about bicycling and all of the elements that surround it, however over the course of February 2010 we’ve been discussing skateboarding, in particular Tony Hawk, a whole lot.  

Since February 1, 2010 we’ve given away two Bell Hawk skateboarding/BMX helmets, and two versions of the new video game Tony Hawk: RIDE – one for X-Box 360 (congrats @MomMostTraveled) and one for Nintendo Wii (congrats @davesniadak).

While we don’t have the ability to give everyone a helmet or video game, we do have one more game/helmet combo to give away to a random – and may we add, in our opinion, lucky – twitter participant. Today marks the end of our third and final giveaway contest, and we’d like to say CONGRATULATIONS @MissingLynxx. You have won a new Bell Hawk helmet and Tony Hawk: RIDE for X-Box 360!

Thank You – everyone – for participating in our February twitter contests. We hope you’ll stick around to read our blog, and just want to say: be on the lookout for future contests!

Sincerely,

The Bell True Fit Team

There’s something enriching about watching an Olympic athlete stand on the podium and receive their medal. After years of practice, relentless dedication and an unwavering desire to be the best in the world, these athletes glow with a sense of fulfillment when they take the podium to receive their medal. Even the most hardened of competitors are affected, in some way or another, by the medal ceremony, as it enshrines the winners’ name in Olympic history. Today’s Fast Facts Friday touches on Olympic medals and medal winners.

1) The last Olympic gold medals that were made entirely out of gold were awarded in 1912. The Olympic medals are designed especially for each individual Olympic Games by the host city’s organizing committee. Each medal must be at least three millimeters thick and 60 millimeters in diameter. Also, the gold and silver Olympic medals must be made out of 92.5 percent silver, with the gold medal covered in six grams of gold. Let’s start with some figures: there are roughly 2,500 volunteers at the games, there are more than 10,000 media members at the games, and there are about 5,000 officials and athletes participating. (About.com)

2) Bob Richards, two-time Olympic pole vault champion became the spokesman for Wheaties cereal in 1958, and since the 1960s hundreds of athletes (Olympic medalists and other professional athletes) have been shown and promoted on Wheaties boxes. (Wikipedia)

3) As of Friday, February 19, 2010 the United States is leading the medal count in the 2010 Winter Olympics with six gold, five silver, and seven bronze for a total of 18 medals. Germany has four gold, four silver, and three bronze for a total of 11 medals. And Norway is in third place with three gold and silver each, and two bronze for a total of eight medals. (Vancouver2010.com)

4) The all-time medal leader for all Olympic Games from 1896 to 2008, including Summer Olympic Games and  Winter Olympic Games is the United States with 2,511 medals. To put this number into perspective, the second and third place countries in the all-time medal count are (the former) Soviet Union and Great Britain with 1,204 and 736, respectively. (Wikipedia)

5) UPDATE: Easton-Bell sponsored, two-time Olympian Natalie Darwitz, who is serving as the captain of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team, moved into the record books on Thursday when she broke the U.S. women’s record for most points in an Olympic hockey tournament. Darwitz is now at 11 points (four goals, seven assists) through three games. Next up for Darwitz and the Americans is the medal round, beginning Monday against Sweden in the semifinals. Records are great, Darwitz says, but these next two games will define her tournament more than any statistic. (USAHockey.com)

Do you have an all-time favorite Olympic athlete? Was there a moment, medal ceremony or otherwise, during the Olympics that moved you? Let us know by leaving a comment below! And don’t forget to enter our giveaway contest for your chance to win a Bell Hawk Helmet AND Tony Hawk: RIDE for X-Box 360 – contest ends 02/23/10! Check it out here.

Skateboarders and gamers rejoice! Bell True Fit and Activision are announcing the third and final video game/helmet contest giveaway! Today through Monday, February 22, 2010 we’re offering you the chance for you to win a Bell Hawk helmet and Tony Hawk RIDE for X-Box 360.

On February 1^st we announced the first of three contest giveaways, each for the chance to win a Bell Hawk skateboard/BMX helmet and, the latest and greatest skateboarding video game, Tony Hawk: RIDE. At the end of the first week we gave away a helmet and RIDE for X-Box 360. Last week we offered the chance to win a helmet and RIDE for Nintendo Wii.

Everyone’s participation in the first two contests has sent thousands of people to our blog, and helped us grow our twitter following exponentially. Thank you all very much for your participation.

Today we are happy to announce the winner of last week’s contest: Congratulations @davesniadak of Eagan, Minnesota! You are the lucky recipient of a shiny new Bell Hawk skateboard helmet and Tony Hawk: RIDE for Wii.

With February more than half way over and with two contests in the books, we still have one more helmet/game combo to giveaway …

For the next seven days we’re giving you the chance to win Activision’s Tony Hawk: Ride for X-Box 360 and a Bell Hawk Helmet! A value of more than $160! This is your last chance to win an X-Box version of Tony Hawk: Ride and a Bell helmet. 

Skaters will enjoy using the game’s unique skateboard peripheral (shown above) which is covered with motion sensors to simulate riding an actual skateboard.Similar to using the balance board in Wii Fit or Shaun White Snowboarding, the peripheral means you’ll have to ollie through challenges, pump for speed in the half pipe, and balance to accomplish tricks. There’s no sitting your way through levels in RIDE.

Entering the contest is easy: All you have to do is follow (@BellTrueFit) on twitter and retweet (RT) this link: http://bit.ly/cC37op

We’ll announce a winner on Tuesday, February 23, 2010.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the first and second rounds, and good luck in the third and final round! Tweet ya later!

The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21^st Winter Olympics, kicked off this morning in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The games run from February 12–28, 2010, and more than 80 nations are competing in 15 winter sports events. At least 10 of these sports require participants to wear helmets, including ski jumping, snowboarding, speed skating, luge, and bobsled. Canadians, Olympics groupies and winter sports enthusiasts alike have been anticipating today and the next two weeks since 2003 – when Vancouver was announced as the host city. If you are unable to make the trek to the Pacific Northwest to cheer on your country’s athletes, we’ve assembled a few facts and resources to help you stay up to date on the games from the comfort of your home.

Read the rest of this entry »

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)

Wearing a helmet is the best way to protect your noggin when riding a bicycle, however injuries and accidents are best avoided when the bicycle rider knows his or her surroundings, understands proper bicycle etiquette, and has a finely tuned bike. In today’s edition of Fast Fact’s Friday we’re offering up some nuggets of information on bicycle repair, quality bicycle products and bicycle efficiency.

 1) The most efficient animal on earth in terms of weight transported over distance for energy expended is a human on a bicycle. The most efficient machine on earth in terms of weight transported over distance for energy expended is a human on a bicycle. To keep your bike in efficient condition be sure to give it a tune-up at least once a year, or every few months if you ride every day. (BikeWebsite.com)

2) Long-time cyclist, author and contributor to The New York Times and The New Yorker Robert Sullivan offers four basic, bicycle etiquette tips that every bike rider should adhere to: Stay off the sidewalks, ride in the direction of traffic, use signals and stop at lights. (MotherNatureNetwork.com)

3) An estimated 124 million bicycles were manufactured worldwide in 2007, and the vast majority of all bikes sold worldwide (82 percent) are manufactured in two countries: China (71.8 percent or 89.0 million units) and India (10.0 percent or 12.4 million units). (InterBikeTimes.com)

4) Need a suggestion on purchasing a new mountain bike? According to ConsumerSearch.com the best “entry-level cross country race bike” is the Kona Kula, the best “trail-oriented mountain bike” is the Giant Trance X2, and the best “mountain bike for serious riders” is the Gary Fisher Roscoe 3. (ConsumerSearch.com)

5) Looking for a good bicycle repair shop near you? BicycleRepair.com lets you browse bicycle repair shops by popular cities, by most popular bicycle repair shops, and by the top rated bicycle repair shops. (BicycleRepairUSA.info)

By the way – if you’d like to check out a great video on self-bicycle tuning basics, go to BicycleTutor.com. Do you have a bicycle repair video or tip to share? Post your tip below!