Sad Cougar Finds Bike Collective

Hey everyone!

I know school's a beast right now, but take a second to enjoy the good news!
Provo is now the proud home to the Provo Bike Collective.
Find out why this sad Cougar is excited about it:





What's a bike collective you may ask? And why should BYU students care? Here's why:



Really the bike collective is like the DI for bikes--you get a chance to save some money, while at the same time encouraging service and education. The concept meshes quite perfectly with the BYU motto of "enter to learn, go forth to serve."

So please come!

49 N 1100 W #2

Hours:
Thursday 1-7pm
Friday 10-5
Saturday 10-3

Best Riding of the Year

Hey everyone!

I spent the early part of the week losing a battle with a cold, but now I'm back on my two-wheeled horse and getting some miles in. It's a good thing too, because it would be a shame to miss the best riding of the year. I mean just look at the trees!

These were taken on the alpine loop last Saturday as a couple of the boys from BYU and I managed the 4,000ft climb to the top. The gorgeous temperature and the prospect of a new vista at every switchback made the grade a worthwhile challenge.

This week we took a slightly less steep route up Hobble Creek Canyon, and I would have to say the views may have been even more stunning:

Now may be the best riding of the year. The air is cool but not cold, and the views are amazing. Please please please just go and ride! Better yet. Come ride with us--we meet at Jdawgs every Saturday morning at 9:30am. Check up on the BYU Cycling Team's Facebook page for updates.

The Ride Journal

For all you fine bike culture connoisseurs out there, The Ride Journal is like what Huck Finn would have been if Mark Twain had grown up riding a bicycle instead of a river boat. The articles are all extremely well-written, interesting, and appeal to all types of two wheelers, not to mention the fact that it has some incredible photography, illustration, and design to accompany the stories.
What is The Ride Journal all about? This is straight from their about page:

Born, as all good things are, out of a conversation over Mexican food and Pacifico beers, The Ride is an all encompassing read. We know that most people who share our obsession with bikes don’t want to be pigeon-holed as roadies, freeriders, track racers, BMXers, XC riders or even commuters. They are just riders. So we wanted to create something for them, and also for us. Something that crosses both cycling and international borders.

I have to admit that the big reason I like The Ride is because I find their approach akin to the purpose of BYU Bikes--just because one guy swears by having gears and another disdains them, it doesn't mean that the two have nothing to share. Whether you're a roadie or a fixie, or if you just traipse around on your Walmart Mongoose, we all still ride. The ride is the common denominator of all bicycle lovers.

You can download the first two issues of The Ride Journal from their site for free. It's been so popular, however, that securing one of their hard copies or other merch might prove more difficult. You can also check out some of their articles online here. Have a good ride/read!

Mahogany Masterpieces

I just stumbled on this post by coolhunting again. I cannot even describe how beautiful I find these works of art.

They were made by a ninth-generation Japanese shipwright named Sueshiro Sano.

Pure magic.

These bikes aren't just beautiful to look at, however. Sano has personally ridden and raced many of his works of art. While not as a light as composites or alloys, the bike weighs in at an impressive 24 lbs. with a full build. Check out Sano's website here, and his bike page here.

Rain or Shine

Today's weather might be enough to dissuade most riders from hitting the road, but as long as you dress properly and tread a little more gingerly than normal you can still have a great ride. I headed out for Squaw Peak during a lull in the rain around 4pm. With only a light drizzle falling I little wet from spray off of the road, and the climb up the mountain was plenty to keep me warm. Being careful to avoid riding on any painted road lines (when the road is wet the paint can be extremely slippery) and take it easy in the corners it was quite an enjoyable trip. The fall colors looked incredible in the rain:

When I turned around the last switchback near the top I had the satisfaction of literally riding my bike into the clouds:

The usual view of Provo was completely obscured by the heavy rain clouds:

There was something so satisfying about getting a great ride in despite the rain and the cold. For all of you who are willing to brave the wet, consider the following tips:

• Like I mentioned earlier, the striping on the roads can be extremely slippery. Avoid riding on them like the plague, especially the big fat turn arrows at intersections. If you try to stop on one of those guys you're very likely to lose control.
• Always break early and smoothly when the roads are wet. Your break calipers won't pinch the rims as well and you will need extra distance to stop. Look ahead and think ahead.
• When you get done with your ride make sure to wipe your bike down completely and oil the drivetrain well. This will reduce the chance of rusting and increase the longevity of your drivetrain. Try to get as much grime off as possible. Sand or grit in your cassette and chain will increase wear.

So with that in mind don't be afraid to use your bike in the rain. The fall colors aren't going to be around much longer, so enjoy them while you can!

Designer Bike Hangers

These designer bike storage options might serve as an interesting solution for your crammed BYU-approved apartment.

Thanks to Flavorwire for all the good info. Check out who makes them and where to buy them on Flavorwire's page.

If these don't suit your style (or your budget) Home Depot usually carries a bike hanger that only costs $6. But if you go to the one in Provo and they don't have any more, it's probably because I cleaned them out last month. My bad.

Come Ride With Us!

For those of you BYU bike enthusiasts who love to wake up early, cover yourself in spandex and ride 20 plus miles I have great news for you! A group of riders (myself included) meets at JDawgs every Saturday morning at 8am to hit the road for a group ride. Some go fast and some go slow, so don't worry about what kind of shape you're in. Just come and you'll get to meet some other riders and have a good time. Have suggestions for where we should ride? Leave a comment. Also, check out the BYU Cycling Team Facebook Page for more updates.

BYU Cycling Team Aspen Grove Ride

The once defunct BYU Cycling Team is rising from the ashes as activity on the Facebook page stirs and a new blog emerges. Many of us who ride our road bikes to school found flyers left on our bikes announcing a Saturday morning ride to Aspen Grove that started at J Dawgs at 8am. About 8 riders showed up this Saturday and we had a spectacular ride. The weather was fresh enough to keep you cool, but not so cold you froze. As we made the turn on to highway 92 the climb was definitely enough to keep a little sweat on your forehead while the air temperature dropped low enough to show your breath. We all made the 2,000 ft climb without a hitch. Two of us caught flats, but thanks to Justin Adam’s swift patching skills we were quickly on our way. And when I say quick I mean it. The nearly switchbackless decent got us down the mountain in a hurry at speeds as fast as 48 mph. That was the fastest I have ever gone on my road bike, and I couldn’t get over the fact that no matter how hard I pedaled I couldn’t get any pull out of my highest gear. It was quite the rush, and the Alpine Loop Highway goes on my list of top rides in Provo.

Bike To School Week

This week is BikeProvo.org’s official Bike to School Week. BYU students who fill up the bike racks at school already know how well education and biking go together. For those of you who don’t, as most students are trying to pinch their pennies, cycling serves as a way to save tons of cash by avoiding the high insurance and maintenance costs of an auto. The fresh air and exercise one gets from riding helps keep the mind quick in order to better absorb information and solve problems. The reasons go on and on, but I won’t. Here are the details for the week:

• Monday Sept. 19, Night Ride, 9 pm, Joaquin Park. Great for adult and high school riders.
• Wednesday Sept. 21, Free Tune-ups, 8-1, Brigham Square. Great for BYU students.
• Wednesday Sept. 21, “Livable Communities & Bicycles,” 7, Provo Library. Great for adults and high school students.
• Wednesday Sept. 21, Bike Polo, 7, Wells Fargo Bank Parking Lot. Great for adults / high schoolers to play, great for kids to watch.
• Thursday Sept. 22, Provo High School Students get Free Bike Tune-ups & Free Bike Licensing in the Courtyard during lunch. (Just for Provo High students)
• Friday Sept. 23, Provo Downtown Rock and Roll, 6:30 p.m. (Center Street will be closed to automobiles for this event). Great for the whole family.
• Sunday Sept 25, Ride to Church.

So there you have it. Free bike tune-ups, night rides, bike polo and interesting lectures. Not to mention a quick mind and a primo parking space on campus all week long. Bike to school!

BYU Bikes

BYU Bikes. Despite the fact that, come fall, every street around campus is lined with cars and the sidewalks are so packed with people you can’t move, many still ride their bikes. The bike racks are just as saturated with two-wheeled transports as the streets are full of autos and the sidewalks full of people. Each assemblage of tubing, cable, and chain belongs to an individual that decided to arrive by their own pedal power rather than simply pressing a car’s pedal. The reasoning behind each individual’s decision to ride to school could vary widely from saving money to saving their life to saving the environment. Whatever the reasoning, many BYU students ride bikes. For those of you at BYU (or just close to BYU) who choose to ride bikes to school, on mountains, on tracks, or on roads, this is the place for you. If you want to ride alone, that’s fine. But if you want to ride in a group and associate with other bike lovers who also go to BYU, then BYU Bikes will serve as a place to touch base, generate dialogue, and share the love. Please leave a comment, tell your friends, and most importantly, ride your bike.