Tonight is Night Rail! Will You Be There?

Copenhagenize (and Newsweek and msnbc) recently wrote about demotorization. In Japan, auto sales are decreasing as people are choosing bicycles and public transportation over cars.

Photo courtesy of Vitoden

But demotorizing doesn't need to be an all or none proposition. Perhaps you demotorize one day a month or one day a week. Even these small changes can save you money and increase the quality of your day.

So how about demotorizing tonight?

At 10pm tonight, your friends, neighbors and local bloggers will be meeting at Monti's and Maizies (Central and Camelback Light Rail Station) for the first ever Night Rail.

Photo courtesy of Michael Ruiz

Will you be there?

Anatomy of a CB: Pannier Rack

Today's essential city bike feature is the pannier rack (PR). PR's are essential for carrying lots of stuff which you will eventually start doing if you have one. Using one is as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4:

Step 1: Approach your PR.

Photo courtesy of mindfrieze

Step 2: Attach a "pannier" to your PR - this can be a bag made specifically for this purpose or other items adjusted for use.

Photo courtesy of pjmorse	Photo courtesy of Steven Vance	Photo courtesy of owenstache

Step 3: Put stuff in your panniers and on your PR.

Photo courtesy of Thirteen of Clubs	Photo courtesy of skvidal	Photo courtesy of owenstache

Step 4: Get you and your stuff to where you're going!

Long Live The Pedicabs!

Photo courtesy of Hector Acuna

On game nights, weekends and special events, there is one type of bicycle that is ubiquitous on the downtown Phoenix city streets: pedicabs. They were the main form of alternative "public transport" downtown before the light rail opened. And now they are feeling the effects of the big silver competitors.

I hope that light rail and pedicabs can co-exist and flourish together. What do you think?

How Often Do You Experience TP?

Is the economy making you sweat? Are you just not finding as much money to frequent brothels as you used to? In Berlin, brothels are providing discounts to patrons arriving on bicycle.

Meanwhile, in Phoenix...not only do companies not provide incentives to cyclists, but there is a penalty in the form of Transportation Prejudice (TP).

My husband ran into TP this weekend after taking advantage of the new late weekend light rail hours. Exiting the train at 2:30am, he decided he wanted a snack before going home. But thanks to TP, it took him an hour and four establishments before this simple task was completed.

Here are the three establishments that did not serve him food in the drive-through (the main restaurant being closed) because he was on his bicycle.

Photo courtesy of whoohoo120	Photo courtesy of strangely	Photo courtesy of strangely

His treatment varied from polite explanation that it was against company policy to hiding, ignoring, staring and calling the police.


He ended up getting food at Filibertos whose main restaurant was open and who were happy to have his business and his bike in their establishment.

Photo courtesy of Rail Life	Photo courtesy of Jonathan Boeke

Do you have any recommendations on cycling friendly establishments? Have you ever experienced TP?

History of Cycling in Phoenix

We started out right as a city, giving away bikes in 1901 and seeing cyclists travel from Prescott to Mayer on a bicycle with a railroad attachment in 1902. By 1989, however, the Phoenix New Times was pleading for bike lanes and safe passage over busy streets. After 108 years, are we going to finally see the the development needed to support cycle commuting?

Photo courtesy of freeparking

Let's Meet in the Middle!

I'd start walking your way
You'd start walking mine
We'd meet in the middle
'neath that old Georgia pine
We'd gain a lot of ground
'cause we'd both give a little
And there ain't no road to long
When you meet in the middle

Diamond Rio
"Meet in the Middle"

I've been thinking a lot about the topic posed by the Light Rail Blogger and the discussion that has ensued. I would like to propose a compromise:

Folding Bikes!

I know, genius, right? With folding bikes, we could fit more people and more bikes on each train with less friction between cyclists and pedestrians. Problem solved!

Now I'm not proposing that everyone get rid of their bikes and go out and buy new ones or that this is the only acceptable option. I'm just suggesting that it enter our collective consciousness and simmer there for awhile. Perhaps when it's time for a new bike, you consider a folding option as one of your choices. Or perhaps you are in the market for a new bike right now. Consider a folding bike!

There are lots of options out there but these were the prettiest ones I found (this is a cycle chic blog after all...):





Ciao!P8 bicycle from Dahon
Weight: 31.7 lbs
Folded size: 13.3" x 28.9" x 25.7"
Folding time: 15 seconds
Sold at Landis Cyclery, Bicycle Haus and REI Tempe







GlideP8 bicycle from Dahon
Weight: 34.2 lbs
Folded size: 12.9" x 31.6" x 26.9"
Folding time: 15 seconds
Sold at Landis Cyclery, Bicycle Haus and REI Tempe

What's more, these babies are not only pretty but equipped with essential town bike features: pannier rack, chainguard, kickstand, mudguards and a dynamo powered front light.

That's what I call a sweet compromise.

One of These is Not Like the Other

I went to see "Malls R Us" last night at Modified Arts, hosted by the fabulous No Festival Required. It got me thinking about the types of experiences I have on a daily basis and crystallized for me one of the reasons I love "life cycling" (as opposed to "sport cycling"). See if you can tell what it is based on the photo comparisons below.

Photo courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik	Photo courtesy of JMP Photography LLC
Photo courtesy of woodleywonderworks	Photo courtesy of Janice Sarver

Cycling is an authentic experience. Sometimes it is uncomfortable (right now, cycling involves sweating and a lot of water) but it is, in the end, satisfying. And not in the "I'm saving the earth by not producing harmful emissions" kind of way (although that is true) but in the "I waved to my neighbors and felt the breeze on my face and smelled the breakfast cooking at Matt's Big Breakfast" kind of way.

It's said that it's the little things in life that count. I'll take the breeze on my face any day.