Candy Cranks

Seattle Street Medics Collective is putting together a first aid and self-care zine and accompanying training for cyclists, and we’re super-stoked! Read an excerpt here.

Do you carry a first aid kit with you? What do you carry? In addition to my ever-utilitarian pocket knife (hooray for spontaneous picnics!), I also usually carry some variation of the following:

4×4 sterile non-adhesive pads
surgical wash
triple antibiotic ointment
wound salve (comfrey/calendula/lavender/
sage in beeswax/olive)
sunblock stick
tweezers
gauze
safety pins
various small bandaids
diphenadramine (benadryl – antihistamine)
moleskin
lighter (for sterilization)
nitrile gloves
medical tape
ibuprofen
tea
nail clippers
sewing needle (for splinters)
emergency $$ for a cab ride home
orca card (like a bus or rail pass, but prepaid for $$ amt)
tampons (good for nosebleeds, puncture wounds, gunshots, AND periods!)

I also used to carry a tiny shot-sized amount of “emergency chaser” whiskey, but  I’m real clumsy, so that got used up real fast. The zine should be printed and available at the Seattle Anarchist Bookfair, August 21 and 22 at Vera. Stop by and say hi!

Ride safe,

N*

A couple of weekends ago, when it was hot and sunny (seems like eons ago), I ventured out to the Trout Lake Farmer’s Market at its new location in the north parking lot of John Hendry Park. The move from it’s former location by the community centre on the south side of the park means no parking for customer vehicles.

The group that organizes the market, Your Local Farmers Market Society, has taken this lack of parking as an opportunity to promote cycling, transit and walking as viable ways to get to and from the market. Pedestrians and transit-users are encouraged to bring along rolling carts to wheel around their purchases, and cyclists have it easy, with unofficial parking along the fence of the adjacent alley. Plus there are a couple bike routes that run to the park from different areas of town.

I did keep my eyes out for valet bike parking, a more and more common service at community events, however I only saw a tent that was promoting a specific brand of bikes and allowing test rides. Perhaps I missed the valet parking station?

At any rate, more people seem to be choosing sustainable and healthy means of transportation to support the choices they are making by purchasing local, organic and delicious farmers market fare.

Car-free alley behind the market is flanked by bikes ridden by market-goers.

Masses of Vancouverites scouting out produce, baked goods, cheese, meat, ready-to-eat to-go meals, plants, crafts and more at the market.

Delicious sunflower sprouts grown at the University of British Columbia and transported to the market by bike.

Nicest tractor I’ve seen in a long time.

Get out those commuter bikes again folks because it’s Bike Week!!  I am doing a ton of stuff at work (Department of Transportation) to promote commuting in by bike and general bike fitness this week:

We are staffing a bike week celebration table to get employees signed up for the Mass Commuter Challenge, we are hosting a biker’s social and breakfast on Friday morning, and offering two bike maitenance workshops here at work.  One on the essential “How to Change a Flat Tire”, and one on “Drive Train Magic” to show those geared folks how to work on their derailleurs.  I’ll try to post a pic or two from the events.

The Tour of Britain and The Prostate Cancer Charity Reveal Three New Tour Rides For 2010

Following a successful entry into the world of sportives last year, The Prostate Cancer Charity, in partnership with The Tour of Britain, is pleased to announce they will stage a further three events in 2010.

Cyclists will have the unique opportunity to measure themselves against the pro riders, taking on one or more stages of The 2010 Tour of Britain, going the full distance of 150km, or taking on a challenging 70km.

The Prostate Cancer Charity’s Tour Rides, which will all take place in September, will offer amateur cyclists the chance to ride three full stages of Britain’s national cycle tour in 2010:

• In a brand new event for 2010, cyclists will be able to tackle a tough route which traverses the scenic South West, travelling 150km from Minehead to the South Devon coast or covering part of the route over a distance of 70km, on Sunday 5 September.

• Stoke-on-Trent, which saw 1,300 riders participate in the inaugural Tour Ride last year including British Road Race Champion Kristian House, will again play host to cyclists, offering a grueling 145km route which starts and finishes in Stoke-on-Trent in the City’s centenary year, as well as a 70km challenge event, on Sunday 26 September.

• There will also be an event on the London stage of the event, which will take cyclists on a route past some of the most iconic landmarks in the capital, on Saturday 18 September, prior to the final stage of The Tour of Britain.

In both the South West and Stoke-on-Trent, there will also be 20km family rides, as well as other cycling-related activities at the event sites, so that people of all ages and cycling abilities can take part.

To take part in The Prostate Cancer Charity’s Tour Rides, visit www.tourride.co.uk.

Photo from NYC.gov

Good news for NYC bike commuters! The Bicycle Access to Office Buildings Law just went into effect on December 11th, 2009, whereby allowing cyclists the opportunity to park their bikes in or close to the workplace.

This is great news to make life easier for current commuters and to encourage would-be commuters. (After you’ve survived the harrowing NYC morning commute, the last thing you want to worry about is a secure space to park your bike.)

For the law to apply, your employer needs to be located in a commercial office building with at least one freight elevator.

Of course, if there is no freight elevator accessible, you can still ask your employer if you can carry your bike up the stairs. (I once worked for a company that allowed us to park our bikes in the basement. When the basement was no longer available, we carried them up the stairs to an unused part of the office. People may complain about damage/wall smudges, so be careful with your tires on the landings.)

If you use this new program, or if you have an employer who has offered a helpful solution to accommodate your bike, let us know!

The TyK Project was created to address modern day stereotypes of women. Frustrated with being pegged as either mechanically savvy but asexual, or cute but inept with with their bikes, the PinUps showcase the dual nature that women cyclists embody.

The ladies of TyK are everyday cyclists. They are not models. These women ride the streets of Chicago for a living, for transportation, or just for fun. But once in the photo studio, they’re given a chance to show off their femininity.

The proceeds from the TyK Project go directly to the Chicago Women’s Health Center (CWHC). Providing health care and health education to women in Chicago, they have long filled a gap in the US health care system. TyK is proud to give CWHC a leg up.

TyK has also teamed up with Sadie Hawkins for the Chicago Sadie Hawkin’s Style Ride a benefit for the Chicago Womens Health Centre.

More info on the ladies. More info on the shoot and TyK.

It’s called a Bike Drip. Design team, Jetske Verdone, designed this to solve the issue of carrying a drip frame around and disguising the constant reminder of being hospitalised whilst other kids are out on their bikes. I think this is ingenious. It’s just another way bicycles are reaching the hearts of kids. Where would we be without them? 

Site: Cool Hunter

I love these little beauties, great for cycling in winter when your lips can become like sandpaper. They’re handmade, natural & organic lip balms from Soothe-me.

After walking, aerobics and swimming, cycling is the fourth most popular exercise in Australia. And it’s not just a weekend thing, more and more people are choosing to ride to work. There’s no doubt that riding a bike is great for our health. But, what about if we are cycling near traffic? Could we be putting our health at risk by riding in the city where there is air pollution present?

Carbon monoxide is an odourless, colourless gas. It forms when the carbon in fuels does not completely burn. Vehicle exhaust contributes most carbon monoxide emissions. Carbon monoxide enters the bloodstream through the lungs and binds to haemoglobin, the substance in blood that carries oxygen to cells. Carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the body’s organs and tissues.

A recent study tested a team of four cyclists who rode for approximately 27km straight into Sydney’s peak-hour traffic with the aim to test whether carbon monoxide (CO) levels increase in a person after riding along a typical traffic route.

Results
Andrew’s CO level increased from 1.9 percent to 2.2 percent.
Sky-Lee’s CO level increased from 2.1 percent to 2.4 percent.
Alex’s CO level increased from 2.1 percent to 2.5 percent.
Neil, a bike courier who rides on average 50-70km per day around the city. His base level was slightly higher than our other three samples at 2.7 percent.

The four levels of our test cyclists were all relatively low. While Andrew, Skye-Lee and Alex’s CO levels increased slightly, physiologist Dr Townsend says this isn’t a concern. “A high value is above 10 percent so even after the ride into the city during peak hour traffic these CO levels only increased a small amount,” he said.

The same goes for our bike courier Neil. Nathan says “Even though Neil is out there all day, his CO levels still weren’t really high.”

Conclusion
For most cyclists, the benefits from regular exercise from bike riding far outweigh the risk from pollution. Cyclists should use bike paths where possible and avoid cycling directly behind motor vehicles. Studies have shown that at just 10m away from traffic, pollution levels drop by 90 percent.

And the good news is, even if the carbon monoxide levels do increase slightly after a ride, the elevated levels will only stay around for about five hours, but the health benefits of cycling will last for a lot longer!

Article via Ninemsn