The Writing's on the E-Wall: Personal Health = Eco-Health

I keep finding myself in doctors' offices with my family. We're mostly in the UMC system, so each office has the same electronic reader board that displays a new e-poster every thirty seconds or so. It's smart. We are an A-D-D culture trapped in a tiny room. The scrolling images help us not to go bonkers and give us lots of great health advice that we wouldn't sit still for anywhere else.

Apple, heart, lifestyle changes

Besides the A-D-D thing, I've always been a compulsive reader. If there's a printed word, I can't resist. It's astounding how many cereal boxes I've read as I sat there munching sugar-coated goodness.

So, as we sit waiting for doctors, I have no choice. I have to read. Really - I absolutely have to!

Scale, apple, shoe

What I've come to notice is that the health posters keep telling us the same things to help us live a healthy life:

• Eat better food
• Exercise
• Lose weight
• Lower your stress
• Avoid inhaling smoke

Woohoo! This one even has a pic of a bike!

Those messages play over and over. It's amazing how many times I've seen them without making this one simple connection - all of the eco-health-save-the-planet-climate-strike messages I read just as voraciously say the same thing.

Eat Better

• less and cleaner meat
• more locally-grown, chemical free veggies
• less processed foods
• less processed sugar (There goes my cereal box!)
• less food served in plastic, stryrofoam, and cardboard

Exercise, Be more Active, Lose Weight

• utilize people-powered transportation as much as possible (biking, walking, etc.)
• use stairs
• ride a bike
• get outside
• ride a bike
• garden
• ride a bike
• turn off the TV, phone, computer, tablet
• ride a bike
• get off your butt and on your feet
• ride a bike

(all about the boodie)

Lower Your Stress

• drive less
• sleep better/more
• turn off the electronics
• exercise
• eat better
• spend time with good people

Avoid Inhaling Smoke

• from tobacco
• from vaping
• from tailpipes (cars, trucks, lawn equipment, generators, boats, motorbikes, etc.)
• from coal power
• from natural gas
• from clearing forests

So, there you have it - save yourself and get the added bonus of saving the planet. Not a bad deal at all!

I pray that you are well and getting better. Thanks for reading, friends!

More 2017 Ebikes on Holiday Sale - RadPower (Minipost)

Yep, the Radwagon of my dreams (and the whole 2017 Rad lineup) is on sale.

 

Rad Power has done some upgrades and redesigns on all of their bikes, so they're discounting the 2017s to make room for the new stuff. Most of the upgrades are small, but the Radwagon gets a new aluminum frame and the RadCity is now available as a step-through.)

 

Below are the sale details:

 

Woohoo!

The new Radwagon in town

 

The Old Model - $300 discount!

(I like the looks of the old one better.)

 

 

The other big news at Rad Power - the RadCity Step-Thru!

(On the right)

 

Yep, these are some tempting prices on very solid bikes from a vendor with a very good reputation. And (if you live in the contiguous 48 or Canada) you get free shipping!

 

Sigh...

 

If you've been looking for a good deal on a ready-built e-bike (especially an e-cargo-bike), now's the time!

 

May the e-bike of your dreams cure your gas-powered headaches!

Fossil Free Friday - A Sondors Bike that Folds (and a RadMini) [Updated with video]

Happy Friday, y'all!

 

Sondors appears to be rocking and rolling again. They've completely sold out of the last round of bikes and now they are rolling out (taking pre-orders) a new product - the Sondors Fold. (It folds.)

 

[And I have to admit, it's pretty cool, but a big part of that is the big battery (on the Fold X) combined with the low cost.]

 

If you want one at the introductory price, you will have to act soon (like within-this-month soon).

 

Website here

Base Model

 

The Sondors Fold base model is very similar in running gear specs to the previous Sondors bikes: 350 watt geared hub motor, 36 volt/8.8 Amp-hour battery, and single-speed running gear. The upgrades available are a bigger battery (36 volt/17.5 amp-hour) and a Shimano 7-speed gear addition. Each upgrade will cost you $100, so you can get the base model for $899 fully loaded. But that is...

 

...the same price as the Fold X. If you're gonna spend $899, you should get the Fold X. Seriously.

 

 

Why should you get the Fold X? Because it's more powerful and comes with a big battery as standard. Yep, the X is a 500 watt 48 volt/14 amp-hour setup. (For $100 more it also comes with a 7-speed Shimano setup.) For $999 you can get the whole shebang with more speed and more range and all kinds of fun.

 

 

Did I mention that it folds? (Video Here)

 

So, Mesquite Hugger, what's the catch?

 

The catch(es) are nothing out of the ordinary. They won't ship until late summer/fall, and Sondors usually charges a standard $175 shipping fee. Also, the price will go up 30% if you don't order soon.

 

What's that? You don't want to wait? You want it to enjoy this summer? You still want it to fold and have big honking 20" off-road tires? Well, here's my suggestion for you - the Rad Power Bikes Radmini.

 



Find it here

 

This thing has a couple of virtues that might entice you: cargo racks and even more power than the Fold X. The Rad has a 750 watt motor and FREE shipping! Woohoo!!!! And it's in stock and ready for shipping now! At $1499, you could have some instant gratification and ride it all over the place while your smart-aleck brother-in-law is still waiting around for his Fold to arrive.

 

May your eco-friendly ride fold up into tiny places (and keep you from burning more of that nasty fossil fuel crap).

 

In case you want more Fold specs, here you go:

The Fold

The Fold X

When a plan comes together: The Pedal-Powered Pump

This is not a completion report by any means, but it is progress.

The people-and-pedal-powered pump project for the Heart of Lubbock Community Garden had a major leap forward - we were blessed with one of the two major components this week - the groovy retro exercycle:

Isn't she a beauty!

The exercycle has all the amenities - a seat, pedals, handledars, and the oh-so-crucial speedometer! A gentleman on 70th Street responded to our Craigslist ad and sold it to us for less $ than many of us will pay for dinner tonight. Yes, Grizz and I are thrilled!

The pump will tie into the black barrel

An overall garden shot - soon to be green!

(That pallet structure is a Motel 6 for solitary bees!)

Don't let the Lubbock-in-February-brown vegetation fool you - this is where the magic happens!

My favorite thing at the garden - a recycled window greenhouse!

(Why have I not built one of these yet?)

They also have some (not pictured) cold frames out there. Why haven't I built any of those yet either?

Now, we just need to come up with the other major component: pump (and some pulleys or sprockets, a  belt or chain, and some fittings to hook up the water hose).

Community Garden???

In case you just don't get this whole community garden thing, be sure to check out this Ted Radio Episode: The Food We Eat

My favorite quotes from this broadcast:

• "We do our flippin' best!" Pam Warhurst of Incredible Edible
• "A hundred years ago...you didn't eat ethnic unless you were ethnic." Mark Bittman
• "74% of all the food in the [grocery] store has been spiked with added sugar in some fashion." Dr. Robert Lustig

May you get involved with something that makes your community a healthy place to be!

Electric Bike News: What's up over at Juiced Bikes?

Just a few weeks ago, I posted about a surprising new cruiser bike over at Juiced Bikes and about some other changes going on over there. Well, it happened again.

I surfed over their site yesterday and found that there is another new bike and what appears to be a whole new line of bikes or business division or something like that. The new bike is following the trend of fat-tired bikes that are so prevalent lately, but this one looks like it shares a lot of DNA with the CrossCurrent (which is very high on the Mesquite Hugger Dream Bikes List.) The new bike is called the HyperFat HF750 and it starts at $999!

Learn more at Juiced Bikes.

 

So, what's so cool about this one? Components, capability, and cost.

 

Components and Capability

 

The base model comes with big power - a 750 watt running gear and a 48 volt/ 13 amp-hour battery. This is tied to a 9-speed gear train and disc brakes. That's really impressive, especially for a bike from  a company with a good reputation.

 

(For Allen)

 

If that's not enough to have you salivating, well, you're still in luck. There's a faster, more powerful, more luxurious model available too. Let's look at some numbers for the HF1000:

• 1000 watt running gear
• 30 miles per hour
• 35 amp controller
• 30-60 mile range
• 1,800 lumen built in headlight
• LCD Digital Matric Display (yes, I know it's not a number, but it's a huge perk)
• and all those upgrades add just $500

And if all of that is not enough, you can still upgrade to a bigger battery (17amp-hour) or a much bigger battery (21 amp-hour - up to 100 miles of range!) and the oh-so-desirable torque sensor. Holy moly that'd be an impressive machine! And still very competitively priced at $2400 fully loaded!

 

Juiced CrossCurrent Air

 

[I wish they'd offer the same HF750 setup with standard-sized tires for a commuter - the HyperSkinny. The CrossCurrent Air is almost the Hypothetical HyperSkinny except it has a 350 watt running gear and a 48 volt 8 amp-hour battery. And it's about the same price.The CrossCurrent and CrossCurrent Air are still extremely darn cool, though.]

 

In case you'd like to compare the HyperFat to a few other portly-tired competitors across the spectrum, check out the ProdecoTech Rebel X series... 

The Prodecotech Rebel X Series

 

...and the Sondors Original.

 

The $598 Sondors Original

 

But let's get back to the HyperFats:

 

The HyperFat HF750 and HF1000

 

Now, here's the other interesting thing:

 

Juiced is introducing these big-boned bikes as part of a new line-up of bikes that are designed to be direct mail-order pieces with bikes that arrive fully assembled (for a $165 shipping fee.)

 

Speaking of new things at Juiced - Hype Bikes

 

So, does this mean the Juiced Bikes will become Hype Bikes? Will they remain separate entities? Will there be another new model announced every two weeks? Will bloggers keep asking stupid questions? (I don't know.)

The lineup just keeps growing! (What's next?)

 

What I do know is that this is a great time to follow e-bike development. If you can't find your dream bike this week, it'll probably appear next week.

 

May you find some form of low-carbon transport that fills your needs and makes you smile every day.

A Cool Project Is Born: Lubbock Pedal-Power Water Pump

Grizz and I are stoked! We have been invited to help out on a very cool project right here in Lubbock. And it's a project we've talked about a great deal but we haven't actually tried - yet!

As you know, we love bicycles here at Mesquite Hugger. The bicycle is a very simple solution to a lot of complicated problems. Speaking of which...

Check this one out in great detail at permapai: Bicycle Pump Power

Beth (our favorite of all Lubbock gardeners) asked if we would help put together a bike pump to help with rainwater irrigation over at the Heart of Lubbock Community Garden. Can you imagine a cooler project for the likes of us? Nope, me neither.

So, Grizz and I have been scheming on the best way to go about this. We have a few old bikes around we thought about using, but then we'd need to build a platform to stabilize the bike. Then we realized that there are bikes around that would make an even better pump station - stationary bikes!

Here comes the Request Part

If any of you Lubbockites happen to have an old stationary bike lying around unused that you would like to donate to a very worthy cause, we could definitely put it to good use. We are looking for something similar to this:

My mom had this exact same exercycle when I was a kid!

I only posted this pic because I think Randy

may be my Tennessee doppelganger.

We could also use a rotary pump or parts of a pump that we could adapt for the project. If it has to spin to operate, we'd love to find a way to adapt it for the bike water pump.

If you have a stationary bike or a pump you'd like to donate, please email me from the contact portion of this page or contact Beth through the Heart of Lubbock Community Garden Facebook page.

And if you want to get involved with the HOL Community Garden, there is a spring cleanup day happening this Saturday at 12:30 (February 4), so swing by and get yourself involved.

To learn more about the garden, check it out on one of these three platforms:

https://www.gofundme.com/lubbockcommunitygarden

https://www.instagram.com/lubbockcommunitygarden/
https://www.facebook.com/heartoflubbockgarden

For those of you who want to build your own pedal-powered pump, here are some more resources to check out:

Instructables: Portable Bicycle Water Pump

(Have I mentioned lately that I love Instructables?!!)

A little different approach from Make Magazine.

Community Garden: Blog Drill Pump

To sum up, this project involves upcycling, rainwater harvesting, bicycle-power, local food,

petroleum-free power, and spending time with good people. Beth, thank you for inviting us!

May you find yourself in the middle of something worthwhile, and may we all be better for it. See you in the garden!

Fossil Free Friday E-Bike: A Tiny Puerto Rican Vacation and Some Free Shipping

Two fun e-bike emails popped up this week, so I thought I'd share.

The GeoOrbital Wheel

First, I need a vacation. Yep, I am not normally that guy, but the new pres and the holidays and the bills and the cold and unpredictable weather have worn me out.  I would love to get away but that bills thing and several other obligations mean that a vacation's just not happening. So, I was really glad when GeoOrbital sent me an email this week that included video with a really cool approach to vacationing. Check it out:

A GeoOrbital Vacation with Kayla in Puerto Rico!

 

Yep. Run off to a tropical locale. Take your GeoOrbital wheel with you. Pick up a cheap, local bike, slap the GO wheel on the bike - instant cheap transportation! It makes perfect sense to me. I look forward to a day when I can test ride one of those things, because I love the idea of a wheel that so easily turns any bike into an e-bike in just a few minutes.

 

And I love the flat-proof tire idea. (Last night I went to hop on the Phantom to head over to Scooter Workshop Night at Keith's. But there was a problem. The back tire was very flat. And the back wheel is the one with the motor in it, so fixing a flat is bigger job than it is on most bikes. It would not have an issue with the GeoOrbital Wheel.)

 

Now, let's talk Rad Power.

 

I received an email this week from them too. (Radwagon = drool for me.) Nope, this one does not come with a vacation in a tropical locale, but it does come with something almost as important - saving dinero!

 

Puerto Rican moolah!

(But this deal does not apply to Puerto Rico - I am just trying to keep the theme going.)

 

 

Yep, free shipping on any of the Rad Power bikes. That's a $175 value!

 

The email doesn't give any details on how long this sale will last or if this is now business as usual, so you may want to hit them up to see how long you can drag your financial feet.

 

The Rad Power Bikes

 

Okay, that's it for this episode of Fossil Free Friday. I hope you enjoyed your ride with Kayla, and I hope you find yourself some good deals.

 

May all your Fridays be joyful and fossil free!*

 

*Unless you are a weekend archeologist.

 

 

A Leaning Cargo Trike, A Confession, and a New (to me) Electric Bike

Okay, I have two cargo bike confessions to make.

The first, and the most pertinent to this post, is that I have never cared much for three-wheeled vehicles, including cargo bikes. It's not a dislike for what they are, it's a missing what they can't do - and that is lean. I love bikes, motorcycles, and scooters the very most when I get to lean while riding. Cornering well on a two-wheeler is an art and a thrill for me. So, each time I've ridden a three-wheeler that doesn't lean, my body and mind have been sorely disappointed.

It's why I lean toward (you know the pun was intended) cargo bikes like the Radwagon, The Yuba Mundo, and the Benno.

So, I thought I'd share with you a three-wheeled cargo bike that does an impressive job of leaning. It showed up on Electric Bike Report recently, and it does indeed look like lots of fun (if you're not sitting in the front getting seasick!)

 link to the video above

For those of you who want lots of details, it's not available yet, it's European, and I fear it will be very expensive. But it is a seriously cool machine...

...and I love the front suspension!

Carqon website - check it out!

Now for the other confession.

I have decided to stop looking for a cargo bike. Yep, I know it's very scandy (Thanks, BB!) but I picked up a new-old e-bike and came to a new realization. It's time to quit focusing on what I don't have. What I do have is one really nice second-hand pedal bike, one really nice second-hand e-bike, two different second-hand bike trailers, and a really crowded garage! I've come to a time when I want to do more with what I have rather than waste time wanting something more. Some day I may end up with a cargo bike, but it no longer needs to be an obsession.

Here she is - a Prodeco Phantom X 500-watt, folding E-Bike.

Yep, it's a very cool bike, especially considering that I picked it up used for a very small fraction of the original asking price. Why was it so inexpensive? Well, the original 36-volt battery pack has a dead pouch or two, so the pack will only charge to 32 volts; this does not impress the controller which demands at least 34 volts. (Low-voltage cutout) That's why there's a silver bullet on the rear rack. It's the battery from the Huff-E Rat, and that battery is doing a nice job on the Phantom.

This is the first bike I have ever owned that has disc brakes and a suspension seat post. They are two luxuries I am enjoying! (But  the cushy seat post feels a lot like having a low rear tire. I will have to get used to that.)  Having 500 watts of power is also enjoyable. The 250-watt setup on the Huff-E actually made me feel sorry for the poor little thing hauling big ol' me around. This motor is a much better fit. (If you're over 200 pounds, go for something bigger than 250 watts.)

That's it for the cargo bikes and e-bikes today. I will keep you posted on how the Phantom is doing. I may even get brave enough to try repairing the original battery. I will keep you posted on that too.

May going green be a good deal, may you appreciate what you have, and may you be well.

As always, thank you for reading this.

Making a Complex Problem Simple as Dirt (Part 2)

Twenty Ten Club: Pashon Murray

In our last exciting (com)post about compost, you got to meet Pashon Murray and learn of the surprisingly amazingly huge impact that something as simple as composting can have on shrinking your carbon footprint. Composting gives each and every one of us a chance to put released carbon back where it came from - the ground. Seriously cool stuff!

So, this is the follow-up where we look at getting our hands dirty - really, really dirty. [For those of you who really, really don't like the sound of dirty hands, we'll look at some options for you too, but it'll be in the third installment.]

But first, let's get to know you a little better.
So, do you come here often?
Do you eat food?
Do you live near any plants?
Do you breathe?
Do you live in an apartment, a home, or something exotic (like a hippie van or missile silo)?
Coffee, tea, water, or Dr.Pepper?
Paper or plastic?
How do you feel about earthworms? Mealworms? Black soldier flies and their offspring?

If you know the answers to these questions, you'll be better prepared to become a rocking composter.

Then there's two big things to know: what you can easily compost, and the ratio of green stuff to brown stuff.

What Goes In

As a general rule, unprocessed plant-based stuff composts, most animal stuff does not. There are exceptions on both sides, but that'll get you going. [One notable exception, the poop of herbivores (vegetarian animals) is very good for composting, but not everyone has a cow or horse in the backyard.] This graphic will help you with more detail:

Find the whole enchilada here

The Green and the Brown

Great info from Ecoizm: Composting 101

For those of you who want to keep it really simple - go 3:1. The recipe is 3 parts brown stuff to 1 part green stuff. This will help you create healthy and balanced compost. If you're balance is way off, you can end up with some really stinky slimy stuff or a pile of dry stuff that does not decompose into the good stuff. On the other hand, this is not rocket science. Do not be intimidated by composting. Even if you failed chemistry or biology in school. You can do it!

Well, you've made it through another episode of Mesquite Hugger! For our next exciting compost installment, we'll discuss the how and the where, and we'll talk about bugs! I can't wait - how 'bout you? And we'll work on a new hashtag! (#putitbackintheground)

May we be an army of simples fixing a mountain of complicateds!

New Bike Lanes in Lubbock! (FFFriday Meets LoB)

[Nope, this one won't be all inauguration-day political. You can get that everywhere you look. This one is about choosing better where you are and how you live.]

I agree, Yehuda! Woo Hoo!!!!!!!

Lubbock is about to get a new bike lane, and this is not just a little white stripe painted on a road or a little green sign suggesting a not-so-obvious route. It's the real deal! WooHoo!!!!!!!

Lubbock gets a real deal bike lane and all car drivers will get a black 1946 Ford!

(Find this video and the KJTV 34 story here)

 

The first leg to be built will be Broadway from University to Martin Luther King. It's a nice stretch from the Fairgrounds through Downtown through (North and South) Overton to Tech. I love that it opens up an East-West bike passage. I love that it will serve a lot of bicyclists.

 

I am disappointed when I look at the other lanes to be developed and find that most (if not all) development will be focused in one part of town:

 

Where do we find the existing and proposed MPO routes?

(Are they on this page from May 2000?)

 

I am hoping that learning more about the "MPO routes" will alleviate the disappointment. I ride a lot. I commute to work and run lots of errands, but I don't think I've ever ridden a bike on Broadway or in the Depot District. I have ridden the Canyon Lakes quite a bit, but it's been a very long time since I have ridden to the Canyon Lakes. As I have written in the past, I sometimes ride the designated Bike Routes in town, but they offer very little real-world advantage to a cyclist. And our unprotected Bike Lanes are not a great deal better. I use the ones on Memphis and Flint Avenues more than any others and I see many other cyclists using those as well. (Utica would be a great street for a bike lane as well.)

 

Where I ride (and encounter several other cyclists daily)

 

Yes, I definitely know it's not all about me, but not all Lubbock cyclists are headed to Texas Tech. If we build real bike lanes throughout our city, we will see an increase in bike traffic and a corresponding alleviation of car traffic. More bike lanes will create a bicycle commuter Field of Dreams.

 

From the KJTV News spot, here is a quote from a local cyclist:

 

It's something I've heard a lot too, especially when I'm out in public talking about the advantages of bike commuting. People tell me they've been lifelong cyclists until they move to Lubbock and quickly realize that our streets don't welcome them. Then their bikes gather dust and they adopt the car.

 

Complete Streets Initiative

 

One thing that was mentioned in the news article above is that Lubbock is participating in the Complete Streets Initiative. In case you are wondering about that, here are a few places where you can learn more:

 

You can find a little info in the Lubbock Chamber's January 2017 Newsletter

 

And a whole lot at Smart Growth America

 

I hope to see you soon pedaling up and down Broadway!

 

May you be safer and healthier, and may your city help with that!

 

Thanks, SanFranCyclists!