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Category Archives: bicycle equipment

Utility Cycling: There’s an App for That

Disclaimer: If you’re an iPhone user of long standing, this entry may be very boring for you. But do leave a comment if you have suggestions. Thanks! I’m a fairly recent convert to the iPhone. I bought my 3GS about two weeks before the new one hit the market (which saved me $$$). The app [...]

Posted 26 August 2010 † Andy Cline § advocacy § ecology ‡ Comments (9) ° Tagged: , , ,

Branding For Success?

Check out this report of a new branding campaign by Bikes Belong called  People for Bikes. The designs all look happy and unhipsterish, which Suzanne Labarre at Co.Design thinks is a good thing. I agree. But the photo below, promoting bicycle commuting and Bike to Work Week, goes off the rails. OK, I get it [...]

Posted 11 July 2010 † Andy Cline § advocacy § ecology ‡ Comments (13) ° Tagged: , , , , ,

Fender Love

While I do own and play a Telecaster Deluxe, the love I speak of today involves those slabs of plastic around my bicycle wheels that will keep me dry on my ride downtown this morning. I’m loathe to make too many generalizations about what bicycle equipment you should have (although I do it anyway), but I’m [...]

Posted 09 July 2010 † Andy Cline § ‡ Comments (5) ° Tagged: ,

KATY Trail: The Upshot

Hmmmm… What happened after day one? Here’s the story of my truncated trip: My plan on day one was to leave Clinton mid-morning and arrive in Sedalia by mid-afternoon. This first night would be the motel night. I had camping planned for two nights and one night in a DNR bunk house. Here I am [...]

Posted 22 May 2010 † Andy Cline § ecology § weather ‡ Comments (6) ° Tagged: ,

KATY Trail: Busy Final Prep Day

One day to go, and it will be a busy one. In addition to packing and checking equipment, I’ll also be attending two important functions: The transportation committee for the new city strategic plan meets this afternoon. The Bicycle Friendly Springfield petition rally is this evening at City Hall. After the rally and presentation of [...]

Posted 17 May 2010 † Andy Cline § advocacy § bicycle § ecology ‡ Comments (3) ° Tagged: , ,

Review: Organic Bikes’ Cage and Pannier

The following is a review of products I received from Organic Bikes (see my review policy). A big part of utility bicycling is carrying stuff — the more the better. When I go to the grocery these days, I use a front basket, panniers, and a trailer. Add a daypack, and I can carry a [...]

Posted 07 May 2010 † Andy Cline § ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: ,

Warming Fast

Now that warmer weather is here, I’m making the switch from my backpack to my messenger pannier. The messenger pannier allows me to stay a bit cooler — nothing clinging to my back. I’m also slowing down. A little extra speed during the colder months keeps me warmer. Now, a big dose of lazy keeps [...]

Posted 15 April 2010 † Andy Cline § ecology § weather ‡ Comments (5) ° Tagged: ,

Future For Electric Bicycles?

From Skribit Suggestions: The Parable of the Electric Bike Alan Durning contends, in 5-part series for Sightline Daily, that electric bicycles may become popular in the United States in the next few years, and that popularity may help jump-start the move toward more electric vehicles of all types. The series examines the demographics, economics, politics, [...]

Posted 20 March 2010 † Andy Cline § ecology ‡ Comments (5) ° Tagged: , , ,

Stuff

Ya gotta carry stuff to be a utility bicyclist. Now that I have a Burley Nomad, I can carry a lot more stuff — like groceries and such. And when the farmer’s market opens, well, just look out. I’ll be buyin’ some food. It’s attached to my Marin Pioneer Trails here. And I’ll soon be [...]

Posted 04 March 2010 † Andy Cline § ecology ‡ Comments (7) ° Tagged: , ,

Good to Go

The key is your head and hands — and layers. Temperature at departure time this morning: 19 F. So, the usual stuff: I wore leather sneakers, athletic socks, blue jeans, and a shirt. (Professors can be a bit more casual than your average professional, but the point, however, is that I’m not donning anything particularly [...]

Posted 11 December 2009 † Andy Cline § ecology § weather ‡ Comments (6) ° Tagged: , ,

Way Groovy

So, how soon until we see the Cannondale Dutchess utility / commuter for women show up in Springfield? (Hat tip to Copenhagenize) Wytze’s graduation project for Cannondale from Eelke D. on Vimeo. Here’s the skinny on this design from Bicycle Design. This bicycle appears to meet my rigid (and arbitrary) criteria for a good utility [...]

Posted 01 December 2009 † Andy Cline § bicycle § ecology § news ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged: , , ,

My New Messenger-Pannier

Well, here it is — my new messenger-pannier. Thanks to everyone who gave me suggestions. You’ll notice that I did not go with the one most people suggested. That’s not to say that I didn’t take your suggestion seriously. I did. In fact, checking out the Ortlieb helped me make my decision to go with [...]

Posted 21 November 2009 † Andy Cline § ecology ‡ Comments (5) ° Tagged: , , ,

My Helmet-Wearing Criteria

Disclaimer: While I definitely have opinions about bicycle riding, everything I write on Carbon Trace should be read as my telling you about what I do and not my telling you what you should do. Further, this site is about utility bicycling (including short-distance commuting), not sport bicycling. I am most concerned with promoting the [...]

Posted 14 November 2009 † Andy Cline § advocacy § bicycle safety § ecology ‡ Comments (14) ° Tagged: , , , , ,

The Ol’ Daypack

Daypacks have been the popular choice for carrying one’s stuff on college campuses for decades. There’s good reason for this. Packs are, for the most part, convenient and hold a lot of stuff. Mine is a simple, inexpensive model made of rip-stop nylon. It’s light, roomy, and very easy to carry. It’s my trunk and [...]

Posted 06 November 2009 † Andy Cline § ecology ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged: , ,

Messenger Pannier?

My daypack is my constant companion. But I’m getting a little sick of it. It’s been great for carrying all my stuff — from work-related items to bicycle tools to rain rain gear — as needed for the past five years. I am, however, ready for something different — something that I can carry on [...]

Posted 05 November 2009 † Andy Cline § ecology ‡ Comments (11) ° Tagged: , ,