Bikes on the beach at Pace Bend

Ridge Riders in a nutshell…
When the Ridge Riders was established in 1987, mountain biking was still in its infancy. As mountain biking has grown, so has the Ridge Riders. If you ride on a trail in Austin the Ridge Riders have likely had a hand in it. Besides trail work, the Ridge Riders promote safe environmentally friendly biking, organize rides, volunteer at biking related events and work to the benefit of mountain biking in the greater Austin Area. The Ridge Riders are as passionate about giving back to the community as they are about having fun. Calling them a club may be selling them short as an organization. If it’s Austin and its mountain biking, it’s also the Ridge Riders.

An organization reflected in their president…
After spending five minutes speaking with Judi Ronkartz, you understand why she was elected club president. Her enthusiasm for mountain biking and the Ridge Riders gushes forth. Judi started biking seven years ago, after a running injury forced her to seek out a new method of keeping in shape. Her new hobby quickly turned into a passion. Like many people, Judi became addicted to the little victories you get every day mountain biking. Those victories may be that sketchy downhill section you have never cleared or that loose rocky climb that you have always had to walk up. For Judi, running is work, but biking is fun. There was a natural draw to the Austin Ridge Riders. In 2006 she was elected vice president of the club and was elected president in 2007.

Rides rides and more rides…

Group Ride at Pace Bend

It doesn’t matter what level of biker you are, the Ridge Riders has something to be involved in. If you picked up your bike yesterday, you can ride on any number of group rides organized by the Ridge Riders. Membership is not required. It is a fantastic way to get the wheels under a first time rider. Group organizers are friendly and willing to help. Feeling timid about biking? Worried about flat tires or broken chains? Group rides are perfect, everyone is there to help and show you the ropes. All of the rides are ‘no drop’, so there is no chance of being left behind.

Group rides are also a great place to meet other bikers. Some popular rides are the Sunday ride at Walnut Creek and the monthly club ride that takes place at different locations around Austin. Keep an on their website or the A2W calendar for dates and times.

Ride like a girl…
Women who are interested in mountain biking can sometimes feel intimidated by the predominately male participation in the sport. That is why the Ridge Riders have created the Ride Like a Girl program. This program is specifically by and for women riders. The volunteers will show female riders the ins and outs of mountain biking in a safe, friendly and supportive environment. Before long these girls will be showing the boys a thing or two! Ride Like a Girl generally meets every Monday through the end of September at various locations around Austin.

Ride like a kid…

Kids Trips 2008

Perhaps one of the most rewarding aspects of the Austin Ridge Riders is Kids Trips. Kids who participate are educated in mountain biking skills, etiquette and safety. The Ridge Riders work to develop the next generation of safe courteous mountain bikers by instilling in the children the six basic IMBA rules. Volunteer ride leaders engage the kids in numerous outdoor physical activities. A fleet of kid-friendly bikes and equipment for the children is provided for those who need them. Often times Kids Trips is the first exposure children get to mountain biking. All youth groups are welcome and fun is the name of the game! Visit the Ridge Riders website for more information.

Riders on patrol…
Mountain biking, perhaps more so than other activities, is prone to difficulties. Anyone who has ridden for any length of time has likely experienced a flat tire, broken chain, or a gnarly fall. Sometimes riders go out unprepared for the ride or possible problems they may encounter. The Austin Mountain Bike Patrol is there to help. With the guidance of the IMBA this group of ARR volunteers prowls the trails on a regular basis, providing mechanical assistance and first aid for bikers.

Mountain bikers sometimes get a bad reputation. They are accused of damaging trails or endangering hikers. Some of these accusations are grounded in reality. The Austin Mountain Bike Patrol works to teach riders proper trail usage rules. Prevention is always the best medicine and the more bikers following the rules, the better we all look.

Play hard, work hard…
Mountain bikers need trails. Fun, fast, technical, rideable, exciting trails! A great deal of the Ridge Rider’s efforts goes into improving and expanding the Austin trail network. At any one time they may have three or four ongoing trail projects on the burner in various parts of Austin. The work is done during trail days, often a Saturday or Sunday. It is always done with the consent of the land managers responsible for the area. Having the consent of the land managers is paramount. Rogue trail work can cause a great deal of damage to the natural habitat and it is also illegal.

Trail work is not just great for mountain bikers. It is also a boon for organizations that support it. After trails were completed at Muleshoe Park there was an increase in year round attendance, in part due to mountain bikers taking advantage of the new trails. More trails also mean that the trails are less crowded overall as hikers and bikers have more places to spread out and enjoy.

This summer the ARR has major ongoing trail work at Pace Bend Park. They are collaborating with Austin County Parks to add six additional miles of sweet mountain bike trails. Work is from 8am to noon with a tasty sandwich reward at the end. Work will be ongoing through September, so be sure and check the dates and times. Bring your bike to hit the shiny new trail afterwards.

ARR has already completed five miles of trails at Lake Georgetown. An additional six miles are planned with the help of the Army Core of Engineers. The new section will stretch from Cedar Hollow to Tejas. This will create a 26 mile trail around the lake and promises to be an awesome ride! Also in the planning stages is an additional corridor at McKinney Falls state park that will double the trail length from three to six miles.

If you would like to get involved with any of the trail work go to their website to get dates, details and contact information. Much of the work is sponsored by local bike shops, REI and other businesses. There are often prizes, food and other benefits. For all of the TMBRA racers out there, the trail work qualifies for PayDirt hours. This nets you up to sixty extra points in the series!

Membership has its benefits…
You may be asking why you should become a member of the ARR. After all anyone can attend any Ridge Rider event. Besides the simple fact that membership is awesome, there are a number of other benefits. For only $20 you get a drawstring shoe and bag as well as a subscription to Southwest Cycling News. There is also free park entry at ARR events and free food at monthly group rides.

Mountain biking is not just about riding…
Sometimes it’s about hanging out with new people and drinking a few beers. ARR will have a strong presence and be providing volunteers for Tour de Fat. This event, organized by New Belgium Ale, raises money for cycling related non-profit organizations. Besides some great beer it will be great fun! Keep October 17th open on your calendars, bring your bike and come early!

If you are interested in anything discussed here, the ARR website is a great place to start. Get your membership papers filled out and come to the Muleshoe Birthday bash on August 8th!

My favorites are: 

1. Super glue and ball bearing: Glue a ball bearing into the head of the screw/bolt. Via the blog Living for the City comes this picture. A variety of glues could be used, but many out there on the Internet believe super glue to be the solution of choice. This may seem odd considering the whole point of super glue is to bond things forever, but mix some Q-tips and acetone or a product like Z-7 Debonder, with a bit of time and a cold beverage, and removing the ball bearing when needed is not that hard.

And

4. Candle Wax: Posted by naxosaxur at Ask MetaFilter.com is a solution used by an old boyfriend who was a messenger in Boston.

. . .my ex would fill all the cavities that had screws in them with candle wax. like the handlebars: wherever there was a joint with a screw, he would drip wax in the holes so that a bike-thief would have to take a lot of time digging out the wax in order to remove the screws.

The least appealing option comes last. I don’t recommend this if you plan to ride more than five minutes anywhere.

8. Feces of choice: I will leave a picture off of this one. I ran across one post that featured the following advice: smear everything with human feces. Although someone else responded and stated that fox feces is a superior tactic because of a more pungent odor.

The ride is currently scheduled for 9:30 am on Sunday mornings, as long as the trails are dry. Riders meet at the parking lot near the pool. You can tell the Ridge Riders by the large banner that says “Austin Ridge Riders” and friendly mountain bikers hanging around chatting. The rides are well organized and depending on the number of people riding, groups will be formed according to ability. The rides are ‘no drop’ which means that no one gets left behind and they range from ten to twelve miles. They are great for new or experienced riders who want to become more familiar with Walnut Creek. Everyone is welcome and the atmosphere is fun and inviting. Please visit the Ridge Riders website before you leave for the latest updates on the Walnut Creek group ride.

Since theft is the hot topic of the moment in the cycling community, here are some extra resources for people trying to make sure they won’t be the next victim. We have a pretty in-depth section on secure ways to lock up your bike here, but the sites below are also very good and approach the problem from a lot of different angles and opinions.

Michael Bluejay’s venerable BicycleUniverse.info site has a good resource, with some in-depth information on the ways of registering bicycles available (such as the National Bicycle Registry) and ways to at least try to get your bike back if it is in fact stolen.

Jason at ATXBS of course has a long-standing registry of accounts of bike theft and recovery. It’s a good first option if you’ve just gotten bike-napped.

Kryptonite, makers of locks themselves, have a decent page on locking your bike, although it’s lacking in photos. I liked their tip #10, “A thief may notice a pattern and target your bike if you lock in the same location all the time. Mix up the locations a little bit, especially if you are a commuter.” Sounds like something you would do if you were marked for assassination or something.

Treehugger asserts that one of the best ways to prevent your bike from getting stolen is to make it unattractive in the first place, or so heavily personalized that it just wouldn’t be worth the effort. Strangely, a story at cycleicio.us suggests just the opposite! Or maybe they just work at a bike shop.

Some higher-tech solutions are bound to be heavily promoted in the future, such as RFID-based implants and such like the ones in this press release about DataDots in Australia. Or you could try low tech options like rust stickers to uglify your ride. Still, nothing beats using a really good lock, or several, and parking in a good location.

Independent Fabrication's flagship carbon/ti XS model

Today, I joined Gary Smith and Joe Ingram from custom bicycle framebuilder Independent Fabrication for a Tour of Austin ride sponsored by Bicycle Sport Shop. This ride was part of a roll out of Independent Fabrication as an offering at BSS which now joins Freewheeling as part of the IF dealer network.

Gary Smith is former president of The Timberland Company’s outdoor group who purchased a majority share in Independent Fabrication in 2008, and Joe Ingram is IF’s CFO. I spoke with Ingram on the ride and sat down with Smith afterwards.

Independent Fabrication was started by three framebuilders who had worked at Fat City Cycles, one of the frame building pioneers of mountain biking. These founders had a social vision of the company as employee owned and run. Through the years only Lloyd Graves remained at IF from this group.

Gary Smith’s introduction to IF came 5 years ago while still at Timberland. His company was approached by CNN to take part in a show called the The Turnaround where executives from established companies give advice to startups. Timberland was paired with Independent Fabrication for the show where Smith found IF’s biggest problem was undercapitalization, as is common with many startups. Smith liked the company and invested in IF to help solve this problem after leaving Timberland.

Gary Smith with IF talks before the ride. Behind him is a display of IF bikes currently at Bicycle Sport Shop Central including a very cool track bike.

So will the introduction of an outside corporate executive ruin Independent Fabrication? Hardly. “A good bike is an extension of the rider,” Smith said. “We want to improve the company by making our delivery more consistent.”

Ingram echoed this when I asked him about the company’s biggest challenge. “I would like to get where we consistently build 4 frames/day,” Ingram told me. “Right now some days we build 6 and some days we build 1. It’s the nature of custom building where every order is different, but we’d still like to improve on this.”

Smith indicated that an IF customer is touched in someway 12 times during the ordering process. This includes frame material selection, consideration of riding style, paint choices, fitting, and component build up. The average order takes about 2 months from initial customer  interview to delivery of a completed bike.

“We are not the first bike a cyclist buys,” Smith continued. “We rely on feedback from the customer about riding style and what they want out of the bike to craft something that will meet their desires.”

IF currently offers a range of models covering road, mountain bike, touring, and single speed, and they are not limited to materials. While steel is their most popular material, bikes can be ordered built in stainless steel, titanium, or carbon as well. While their model line up has remained the same for some time, that doesn’t mean they aren’t improving the product.

“We aren’t blindly chasing the latest trend just to roll out a whole new product every year,” Smith stated. “We’ve kept the same models but continue to tweak them to yield a better bike.”

Smith compared it to the auto industry. The Toyota Camry has been around for decades, but today’s Camry is far different from one in 1984. They are looking to improve their flagship XS, which is currently carbon tubing with titanium lugs. IF is looking at making a full carbon XS but will put it to the test to ensure it performs as well as the current model. In addition, their stainless steel SSR now uses super light Reynolds 953 which was developed in the last few years for the military.

The well attended lunch Tour of Austin ride stops at the Capitol for a group pic.

I also asked about how the brand has been promoted. Independent Fabrication began promoting their bikes by having racers ride and win races on them and has also been well received at Interbike and the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. They have developed a cult status with their customers who have their own IF Owner’s Club site, which was established and run without any involvement from the company.

“We have a better brand than marketing,” Ingram said as well sped down the road. “We don’t even have marketing staff. Much of our success can be placed at the feet of our customers” who have promoted the bikes extensively the last decade.

While the recession has effected many companies (one of the guys on our ride just got laid off from Continental Airlines after 16 years of service), it doesn’t appear to be hurting IF.

“I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, but our sales have been strong,” Smith said. He indicated 2008 was a banner year and winter sales have exceeded last year at this time. Yet, they do not want to grow any larger at this point, instead focusing on improving efficiencies. To this end, it took Bicycle Sport Shop two years from first contact with Independent Fabrication to become a dealer.

Finally, I asked both cyclists what their favorite model. Ingram immediately answered the XS, but Smith demured, “That’s like asking which one is my favorite child!”

So it looks like IF’s financial picture is strong and their products are still top notch. For those wanting to see what the buzz is about, Bicycle Sport Shop currently has a display of IF bikes at the Central store (517 S. Lamar Blvd) and is ready to order just the right bike for you.

Rather than over-reaching, I would suggest you make a more reasonable resolution. With easily achieved success comes a positive feedback loop that allows you to gradually meet your more ambitious goals.

So, if you have not done so yet, I suggest you make a commitment to replace one trip by car a week that is a mile or less in length. By doing so, you will be part of the 1 Mile Solution suggested by Carbon Trace. 

I encourage you to read the linked article, but here’s a brief overview of the plan. Get out a map and draw a circle that is a one mile radius around your house. This is a distance that can be comfortably covered in 20 minutes by walking and 5-6 minutes by bike. Now, think about any errands you do in the week that are within this radius. Pick at least one that you do by car and do it by walking or biking instead. 

What good will this do? It turns out a lot. The Sierra Club says that over 1/4 of all trips Americans make each year are less than a mile. Professor Chandra Bhat at the University of Texas Center for Transportation Research found that 1/3 of greenhouse gases are produced by transportation. Since car engines burn less efficiently when cold, making short trips pollutes more and costs you more money. Replacing these short trips would have the most immediate impact on pollution.

So, you think you can handle one mile a week? Most recreational cyclists consider that barely a warmup. If you can replace one short drive a week, you can probably replace a lot more, and there’s where the positive feedback loop comes in. Once you’ve experienced how good you feel riding instead of driving, you’ll start finding excuses to take the bike and leave the four wheeler in the garage.

This is a resolution almost anyone can handle, and if you need further help finding the right bike or getting into commuting by bike check out our Getting Started series. Good luck!

Read more about it here.

Recently though, I rediscovered an excellent article written by Paul Dorn over at Bike Commuter Tips Blog. This article does not talk about specific styles or brands of bikes, but rather what things to keep in mind while shopping for a bike to ensure you get the best bike for you.

I think this is a great article not only for transportation biking, but anyone looking to buy any type of bike. Check it out.

Lucky for new cyclists, Chicago is a bit flatter than Austin. Here, anytime you are heading north, south, or west of downtown, you’re climbing a hill… or several.

Edit: The environmental site Grist also has a very good page on getting started with commuting.

• Taking the Plunge
• Picking a bike for everyday transportation
• Putting it all together: The accessories you need to successfully bike for transportation
• Locking Your Bike: Will your bike (and wheels for that matter) still be there when you return?
• Biking Safely in Traffic Video
• Tips for biking with kids
• Fixing a flat (coming soon)
• Basic maintenance of your bike (coming soon)

My children, Clara and Miles, in the bike trailer

Cycling with children (preferably your own) can be a joyous experience that can help unlock the thrills of your bike riding youth. Or it can be a tremendous pain in the butt. I hope this article will help the parent of young children have a good experience biking with kids so that you will realize the automobile is not the only form of child transport.

I am a parent of 2 young children, ages 4 and 2, and I take great joy in shuttling them about by bike. We see things at a pace and on a level that is impossible when in a car. I also believe my children will be better off growing up realizing there are other, more enjoyable ways to get places. They will learn that the car culture many of us have been lead to think is the only way is in fact the least preferable way to go. By telling our kids this now, we are giving the next generation the tools to make our community a better place to live.

But I digress. Let’s get back to the practical needs of the parent on 2 wheels.

Regardless of where you stand on bike helmets for consenting adults, please, please, please put a helmet on your kid when riding with them. Most places it the law, and it is just a good idea. Plus, your supposed to be a role model for God’s sake. So just do it, OK?

On other thing in regard to the very young, it is not recommended that children be put in trailers or any other carried without full neck support until they can hold up their heads by themselves with a helmet. This is usually 1 year but it may be later. The first time we tried the trailer with my son he cried because he had a hard time keeping his head up.

I’ll put away my soap box now.

Options for transporting kids on bikes

Option 1- Bike Trailer

This is the option I currently use with my kiddos, and for the first 3-4 years of life, it is a good one especially with multiple children. Trailers attach to your bike on your chain stay, and there are many options from many manufactures that range in price from around $100 to nearly $500. The lower end will get you a basic trailer that will usually haul 2 children with at least a 100 pound passenger/cargo capacity. I’d avoid any model that only accommodates one child. Even if you only have one child and no plans for others you may want to tote one of their friends around.

Bike Trailer with Stroller Conversion Attachments

The higher end models will be made of a lighter material and possibly offer the option of converting to a stroller. The Chariot line even makes a ski conversion kit (snow, not water!) for their top of the line trailer. The stroller option can be nice if you have very young children and will be doing a lot of walking at your final destination, however it is by no means a must have. A baby front or backpack can work just fine for the very young and I like to make my children walk whenever I can to wear them out!

The positive side of the trailer is that is allows a low stable way to transport children safely. Passengers can be buckled in when they are throwing a tantrum ( wish this were an option for adults), and my kids inevitably fall asleep on rides of more than 10 minutes giving you the built in nap inducer all parents crave. The trailer can also serve a secondary duty as a cargo hauler if you want to go shopping or pick something up on your bike.

While I think this is a great option, there are drawbacks. These include limited use potential past about age 5, negative effects on bike handling, and lower visibility to drivers (though this can be helped with safety flags). I don’t like keeping the trailer on my bike all the time, so I have to budget extra time to hook and unhook it and it seems to take a long time to get my kids in and out of it. I would also say while trailers are fairly sable you still have to be care on turns. I’ve flipped my trailer twice taking turns too quickly. The kids were fine, but it scared me to death.

My final minor gripe is that the rubbery grip that attaches to my bike has worn away thus exposing the metal underneath and scratching the paint on my chain stay. This probably has more to do with the quality of the lower end model we picked up used and the amount we use the trailer (which is a lot!) I’d avoid attaching one of these to your $5000 carbon bike with the custom paint job. But if you read my bike picker article, your not riding one of those, right?

Option 2- Child Bike Seat

Rear Mounted Child Seat

This option is good for those only needing to transport one child who is at least a year old and will be good until the child reaches 4 or 5. There are two options currently available: behind the seat models that attach to a rear rack or a front seat option which will mount either to your top tube or handlebars. Seats range in price from $50 for the most basic models to well over $200 for higer end models. The higher price models tend to have more padding for comfort and are made of more durable materials.

Front Mounted Child Seat

The advantage of the child seat is that it is easy to just leave on the bike (especially the rear mount ones), you are more visible that than a trailer and they are lower in cost. Also, the front mounted versions allow you to keep an eye on your child and allow the child to see more than the back of your body.

The down side of these include a higher center of gravity which makes the bike easier to go off balance, limited cargo hauling capacity, and the fact they will not fit on all types of bike frames. Road frames without frame eyelets for a rack will not work for the rear mounted seats, and bikes with a compact frame may have trouble accommodating both a front seat and your legs. One other tip it to make sure you have a kickstand, preferably a double foot stand, installed on your bike to make loading easier.

Option 3- Cargo Bike

XtraCycle with Child Seats installed. Install instruction available at longwalktogreen.blogspot.com

If you are looking to truly take the biking as transportation plunge, getting a cargo bike can also be a good way to haul your kids and has the advantage of not outgrowing your child. The most economically option is the Xtracycle which is available as a conversion kit for your current bike at a little under $500 or a full new bike starting at around $900. The weight limit on these are 200 pounds in addition to the driver so adults can ride too. You are going to need to make some additions to the bike to safely accommodate younger children. These include foot rests (Xtracycle sells ones called Footies) and a rear handle bar or for smaller kids attaching child bicycle seats. (Click here for an article about the handlebars I created for my Xtracycle.)

My Xtracycle with home made handlebars

Another option is to look at Dutch style cargo bikes like the Bakfiets and Long John. These are the mini vans of the Netherlands and can haul multiple children or one adult plus lots of cargo. U.S. bike builders Bilenky and the Center for Appropriate Transportation build custom cargo bikes starting at about $2500 or you can purchase an import which will start at $3000 in cost plus a lot more for shipping.

Bakfiets, The Dutch Minivan

The advantages of these bikes are that they are more maneuverable than a trailer and have a lower center of gravity than a traditional child bike seat. You also do not need to worry about remembering to bring storage capacity if you happen to want to take something home. In addition to the much higher cost, the downsides include extra weight and slower handling than a traditional bike.

Option 4- Tandem

Tandem Trailer

Once your kids get old enough to hold themselves up on a bike, looking at a tandem can be a good way to go. This has the added benefit of adding an additional set up legs to keeping your bike moving forward.

The least expensive option is a child tandem attachment. This is a single wheel bike with a long arm off the front that attaches to your seat post. These can cost as little as $100 to over $250. The basic models come with a single speed while the more expensive will offer options like brakes and gears that shift. These other options are unnecessary but can help your child learn how to shift and brake. Most come with visibility flags as well. While these tandem trailers do offer more room to grow, your kids will eventually out grow them, however at that point they will probably be able to ride their own bike. The other down side to this option is that you have no built in cargo hauling capacity, so you’ll need to make other arrangements on that front.

Co-Motion Periscope

If you are really committed to riding longer distances or want to ride with adults as well, you may also want to look at a full tandem bike. Co-Motion makes a tandem called the Periscope that allows a wide variety of sizes in stokers (rear rider) through telescoping tubes. This option gives the ultimate room to grow. You can also add kiddie cranks to conventional tandems which are a second crank higher up the bike. Tandems are expensive however with basic models well above $1000 and touring models at $2500 or more. The other down side is that if you are riding by yourself, you are hauling a lot of extra weight around. The trailer models do allow you to easily remove them in contrast.

Tips on riding with kids

Once you’ve chosen a mode of child hauling, there are a few things to consider to make bike transportation with kids more enjoyable. First off, make sure you have everything you need for the trip. Did you remember their helmet? Good. Bring a small diaper bag and change of cloths if your child is not yet potty trained. Also, remember even if they are not pedaling, your child may get hungry or thirsty so I always take a drink and snack.

When traveling with children in general and especially by bike, do plan for extra time getting loading up and for travel time. Hauling the extra weight will probably decrease your overall speed, and I usually take more care in route choices to avoid heavy traffic when possible even if it means a longer route.

On your first venture out, keep the trip short and manageable, something like 10-20 minutes max. Now is not the time to do training for your first century.  I’d also make the destination fun like the playground or a friend’s house. You want your child to get used to riding on the bike and make it a pleasant experience. The first few times in the trailer, my son cried quite a bit, but now he gets very excited when we travel by bike.

Also, use the time on your bike to interact with your child asking questions and pointing out interesting features along the way. Not only will this make the trip more interesting, it is also part of developing a bond with your child which is an awfully nice side benefit.

Finally, don’t let a first bad experience prevent you from trying again. Children often need exposure to new experiences several time to adjust. Plus, I’ve known something as little as a skipped nap to cause a total melt down in a perfectly normal situation. Just part of the joys of parenthood. Good Luck!