Bits & Pieces October 2004
Calendar
October 2 - 4th Annual Ed Sander Memorial RideOctober 3 - Frederick Pedalers Picnic (See Below)
October 4 - Club Meeting @ Jennifer's (7:15pm) (Tentative)
October 9 - Adopt-A-Road Pickup (9:00am - 11:00am)
October 16 - Bicycle Safety Fair (See Below)
November 13 - Club Banquet @ Cozy Restaurant Thurmont (6:30 pm Tentative)
Featured Web Sites
Crazy Guy on a Bikehttp://www.crazyguyonabike.com
Bill Preston's Idol
http://www.redgreen.com
Have a favorite website? Send it to us at clubmail@frederickpedalers.org
Frederick Pedalers Club Picnic
2004 marks the triumphant return of the Frederick Pedalers Club Picnic. This year's event will take place on Sunday October 3rd at Libertytown Park from Noon until 2:00 PM. We'll have the usual picnic fare and two rides have been scheduled for before and after the event.Bicycle Safety Fair - Volunteers Needed!
On Saturday, October 16, from about 8 a.m. to 12 noon the Frederick Pedalers, along with the folks from State Farm and FMH Wellness will be hosting a Bicycle Safety Fair at Parkway Elementary School.We'll need lots of volunteers - mostly for bike inspection and to help keep things running smoothly. We need to have 14 volunteers and currently only have four people committed to helping out. Even if you can not stay the entire 4 hours, your help will still be greatly appreciated.
Please contact Bill Smith or clubmail@frederickpedalers.org to volunteer.
Are You Using a Kryptonite Lock?
A security defect has been discovered with the commonly used Kryptonite locks with cylindrical cylinders. Apparently, it may be unlocked with a simple pen. Kryptonite is offering an exchange program. More information is available via the link below.http://www.kryptonitelock.com/inetisscripts/abtinetis.exe/templateform@public?tn=urgent_update
Kryptonite is offering free product exchanges to all current owners of their tubular cylinder locks.
If you currently own a Kryptonite tubular cylinder lock and are concerned about the security of this lock, Kryptonite will exchange this lock for you with a comparable non-tubular cylinder lock.
To participate in the exchange program, please send an email to kryptonite@irco.com
You will receive an auto response asking you for information including your name, address and lock type. It will also give you information on exchanging your lock. Kryptonite will pay the postage for all exchanges. Please note that this email address sends an auto response – do not send questions to this email address as it is not monitored. If you have questions, please send an email to locktalk@irco.com.
Locks are expected to begin shipping in mid-October.
Bicycle Handlebars Recalled
The government is recalling about 300 bicycle handlebars because it says they can develop cracks and break without warning. The handlebar in question is the Performance Forte Flyte OS Handlebar, sold under the brand names "Performance Forte Flyte OS" and "Supergo Weyless CF200."The CPSC says there has been one report of the handlebars breaking but no reports of any injuries.
The handlebars were manufactured by Performance Inc. and Supergo Inc. of Chapel Hill, SC. Only the Performance Forte Flyte OS Carbon Road handlebars and the Supergo Weyless OS Carbon Road handlebars are included in the recall.
How to identify the Performance handlebar: Both handlebars are natural carbon gray; the Performance Forte Flyte has printing along the top of the handlebar. On the left front is "Forte" in red, and on the right front is "Flyte." On the right top is "ACT" in large white letters and "Advanced Carbon Technology" in smaller letters.
To identify the Supergo handlebar, look for "Weyless" in white with a red oval with "Full Carbon Composite" printed in white. On the left side is "CF" in red, "200" in white, and "Hi-Pressure Solid Compaction" in white.
The Performance handlebars were sold separately, not as part of a bicycle.
Consumers should stop using the bicycles with these handlebars and return the handlebars to the nearest Performance or Supergo stores for a replacement or refund.
Consumers can call Performance at (800) 553-8324 or Supergo at (800) 398-9702 or visit their Web sites at Performance Inc. or Supergo, Inc. for more recall information.
How to Tell If You Are a True Cyclist
(from Ken Kifer's Bike Pages http://www.kenkifer.com/;Printed from a collection written for cycling newsletters; Copyright 2001 Ken Kifer)
To understand this better, see the parent article at http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/lifestyle/trucycle.htm
For those who are unsure if they really qualify as True Cyclists, the following test has been devised. Add up your points. A True Cyclist should score at least 100 points.
1. Give yourself two points for each item of visible cycling clothing that you wear when OFF OF your bike. Give yourself one point for each item which is NOT visible (socks, underwear, key chains, etc.)
2. Give yourself the following points: For a dark tan in back with no tan in front: 1 point For an oval tanned spot on the back of the hand: 3 points For a frayed right shoelace with the other normal: 3 points For a chain mark on right inside leg: 5 points
3. When you eat -- Do you eat more than anyone else? 2 points Do people take turns passing you food? 4 points Do people forget about eating to watch you? 6 points
4. When you drink at a fountain-- Do you make loud slurping sounds? 1 point Do you drink all the cold water? 2 points How much do you drink at one stop from cans or bottles? A pint or half liter: 1 point A quart or liter: 2 points Two quarts or liters: 4 points
5. When giving directions to a motorist -- Do you mention only back streets and roads? 5 points When told something is five minutes away -- Do you ask, "How far is it?" 5 points
6. Does your motor vehicle have a bike carrier? 2 points Is your bike worth more than your car? 6 points Do you not own a car at all? 10 points
7. For EACH quickstop or small food store you know in your area-- Give yourself 1 point. If you know the owner's name, give yourself 1 more point. If you have used the rest room, give yourself 1 more point.
8. In your office, for each inconspicuous cycling object-- Give yourself 1 point. For each conspicuous cycling object-- Give yourself 2 points. If your bike is in your office-- Give yourself 5 points.
9. In your home-- For each bike decoration, 1 point For each bike in the bathroom, 3 points For each bike in your bedroom, 4 points For each bike in your living room, 5 points For each bike elsewhere in the living quarters, 1 point Also, count bike trailers the same as bikes!
10. For your children last year-- For each that rode 10 miles, 1 point For each that rode 25 miles, 3 points For each that rode 50 miles or more, 6 points Note: Children or pets in trailers and baby seats count too!
Traffic Laws
Editor’s note: this is something I found on the internet one day. I liked how it sounded and saved it. Try to remember these ideas when someone tries to tell you that you have no right to ride your bicycle on the road.The following is agreed with by most state laws and the Florida Highway Police and Colorado State Police.
Not every person may drive a car. But every person does have a fundamental civil right to travel by their own power, in safety, on public roads. Please remember that overtaking drivers must Share The Road by waiting to pass safely -- there are no exceptions. Squeezing past people is dangerous and illegal, no matter where they are.
"Drivers shall pass at a safe distance." (Uniform Vehicle Code)
Nor should bicyclists ever squeeze over. Most people think the law says to ride as far right as possible. It doesn't. That is part of a sentence, taken out of context, which in most states has always been: "ride as far right as is safely practicable, *EXCEPT* when passing or turning left; or to avoid objects, parked cars, moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface or other hazards; or when in a vehicle lane too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to pass safely side by side within the lane."
For these exceptions, which occur on every ride, cyclists don't stay right. The law requires that they politely *merge* left and ride nearer the center of a vehicle lane until any hazards are past -- just as any safe driver must do. Some may think this unsafe: but please understand that there is only one general rule in the law for safe bicycling, and it requires that safe bicyclists behave the same as safe drivers: "Every person riding a bicycle shall have all of the rights, and all of the duties, applicable to other drivers."
Any delay to others rarely exceeds 5-10 actual seconds. Please note that all drivers create equal delays when slowing to turn left or parallel-park.
These rules are, and have always been, common sense and standard traffic law. Bike lane, crosswalk, or not, squeezing past people is illegal and dangerous, no matter where they are. And bicyclists who squeeze over or always stay right get squeezed between hazards, collide with parked-car doors, and entice drivers to squeeze past. So please -- *don't* squeeze over, or squeeze past.
Please remember that traffic laws exist to protect everyone's right to travel in safety; even if they travel slowly or momentarily delay others. A person bicycling lawfully down a public road presents no danger to anyone. Please remember that every State Drivers Manual requires that overtaking motorists: "Adjust speed for pedestrians, bicyclists, slow-moving vehicles, blind curves, and hills. These conditions make the posted speed limit unsafe. By law, you must drive slower. It is your responsibility to adjust your driving to assure everyone's safety."
Public roads were not built just for cars. Before the car existed, public roads in the USA were already being paved for bicyclists. Please understand that every person, young or old, without exception, has a fundamental civil right to travel by their own power on all public roads --in safety, and under the equal protection of the law.
Thank you for your thought and consideration.
The National Equal Rights for Cyclists Campaign
Ms. Lauren Cooper, Teacher & Bicycle-Commuter
Chief J.W. Rittenhouse, Retired Police Chief