Lubbock on a Bike: Helping Others Ride (Co-Op Bike Shops)

Two days in a row commuting on the bike! Beautiful weather! Snagit, it feels good to leave Lucy (the Ford Ranger) at home and pedal to work. It feels good to pedal in silence. It feels good not to be polluting, not to be paying money, not to be supporting OPEC, and not to be getting fatter in traffic.

• Super-low-cost transportation
• Super-low-cost workout program
• Significant personal carbon reduction
• I get to be outside (Yesterday I saw that the Northern Shovelers and the wigeons are back in town!)
• And life is more enjoyable behind handlebars

So, dust off your bike and join me! (I have almost gotten around to the point.)

Besides finding joy in riding, I also find joy in helping others ride. It's not a rare occasion at all to have one of the neighborhood kids show up needing advice or help with repair work. It's not much more rare to have an adult ask for help or advice as well. And my limited mechanical skills are very well suited to things with no carburetors or electronics. (In other words, I'm not the sharpest  tack in the road, but I can help you remove that tack from your tire - and plug the hole!)

I read an article on Grist today that discusses two places where people feel like I do about the joy of biking and the joy of helping others bike.

This co-op bike shop will teach you to fix your own damn bike (and that matters) - Be sure to read about the Bikery and BICAS to see two different approaches.

Co-op, workshop, bike kitchen, whatever you would like to call it, I love the idea of a community space to promote and support bicycling by helping and sharing with people.

Here is my first post on the topic: upCYCLE!

May health, wealth, and joy ride with you!

Lubbock (Street) on a (Rented) Bike: Fort Worth

Don't Blame it on the Rain, blame it on the National Bike Challenge. I found myself in Fort Worth again this weekend and did not want to break a twenty-eight day streak of daily biking. So I busted out the debit card and rented a bike from Fort Worth Bike Sharing for a two-mile ride. Be sure to check out the video on the link to see how it's done. As I usually do on a bike, I had a great time. I even found Lubbock Street and grabbed a quick snapshot to share with you.

It was a very heavy duty bike with a disk front brake and a 3-speed Shimano Nexus hub. I have wondered if a commuter could be happy with a 3-speed. For me, the answer is yes. It had built-in lights, a basket and a rear rack. It even had a built-in cable lock. It was easy to ride and the very broad range served me well both uphill and downhill - so strange to ride in a place with noticeable elevation changes.

what it costs

I must say, it's a very cool system and I hope to take advantage of it the next time I am there. There are a few bike-share stations near the Trinity River Bike Trail, and I can't think of a better way to see a beautiful part of Fort Worth - well, maybe in a canoe, but I have not yet spotted the canoe share rack in the area. So, I will stick with the plan for the weekend that Tech plays TCU. Maybe I can sneak away from the football fans and have a leisurely cruise in a peaceful place.

If Lubbock had a bike-share setup, I'd seriously consider an annual membership. Having a sturdy and comfortable bike at my disposal with multiple drop points would be great. If you are in Fort Worth - or any place with a bike share, give it a try!

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.” Ernest Hemingway

May your pedal your way to health and prosperity!

Bonus Link: http://www.bikefriendlyfortworth.com/