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Wisconsin Bike Federation Blog

Trekking to the Bike Summit

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Dave Schlabowske, Communications Director

No snow, 37 degrees and a tail wind sounds like a pretty nice 80 mile bike ride for February in Wisconsin.

The Weather forecast for Monday was sunny, unseasonably warm and winds from the east so I decided to ride to Madison for the Bike Summit. I needed to be there by 3pm, so I left around 9am.

I decided to ride my 1984 Trek 620 touring bike. Long-time readers may remember this bike as my Velveteen Rabbit. When I got the bike, I swapped out the original 27 inch wheel set for 700c wheel fitted with 28mm Schwalbe Marathon Pro touring tires and a Shimano Nexus dynamo hub. I have also upgraded from the original Avocet Touring II  saddle to a Brooks B17 Imperial and Carridice saddle bag. The bike still has most of the other original parts, including the OEM Blackburn rear rack and half-step gearing.

I really like this bike for long rides because it carries a load well but is faster than my city bikes (which have all have internally geared hubs) and upright bars. Even though I like the Trek a lot, I find I don’t ride it often because of the drop bars (Nitto B177 Noodle). I’m not sure if it is because I am getting older, but my preferred position on the bike has been evolving to become more and more upright for years. Whatever the reason, I decided not to fight it. I had an un-used pair of Nitto 352AA Northroads bars laying around my basement shop for a while, so I threw those on for the ride to Madison.

1984 Trek 620 mods include generator hub, Lumotoec light, Planet Bike Cascadia Fenders, Nittio stem and Bar, 700c wheelset

The Velveteen with the new cockpit.

 

 

These bars work like mustache bars if you install them with negative rise, and like classic English 3-speed city bike handlebars if you install them with a positive rise. I installed them in the upright position and added some different brake levers and NOS Schwinn grips, all from my basement parts cache.

I left the shifters on the down tube even though I have a spare set of bar-end shifters because I’m not sure if I want to leave the bike set up this way. I took the new bars out for a test ride Sunday afternoon to run some errands around Milwaukee.  After the 15-mile test run was over, I was quite pleased with the ride and the new position.  I have to say that for anything but mountain biking or fast group rides and races, I really prefer the more upright position these bars offer.

I will say that I could have left the drop bars on the bike and changed the stem for a Nitto Technomics to get a more upright position.  I did not do that because I don’t have one of those stems laying around.  I’m also not sure that is what I want.  I find the braking position better on swept back handlebars more comfortable and more effective. If I was going on a multi-day touring ride, where I might have to fight a headwind for days, I might reconsider the taller stem and put the Noodle drop bars back. But for most shorter trips, and even the occasional ride between Madison and Milwaukee with a headwind, I prefer to sit upright and just ride slower.

The ride to the summit was pleasant, but it took me a little longer than I thought.  I was sick all last week and although I feel better, I was not in top form for the ride.  By the time I got to Cottage Grove, my legs were pretty tired. On a good day, it typically takes me 5 hours to ride the 90 miles between Madison and Milwaukee.  It took me 6 1/2 yesterday.

I made it! Biking to the Summit from my friend's house on the east side of Madison.

 

 

 

Posted in Bike Review, Equipment, Equipment Review, Featured | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Winter-Bike-To-Work-Week…Madison Style

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Kierstin Kloeckner


As the mercury drops and snowflakes fall, many cyclists put their steeds to bed for the winter. Not so for a group of riders part of Madison Bike Winter (at this point over 730 strong). Started by Aaron Crandall a few years back, this group has been showing the Midwest how it’s done in the winter months. Many cyclists are familiar with summer bike to work weeks held around the country but aren’t familiar with the winter version. For Madison Bike Winter, this is the week to introduce and encourage cyclists to ride in the winter and celebrate with those that already get out there and play in the snow (even though we haven’t seen much this year yet).

This all started out as a winter bike to work day which was set aside last year since most of us were down on the capitol protesting. Instead of making a repeat of the first year, Aaron took it upon himself to create an entire week of activities. Several members got together for weekly “meet-ups” to plan one or more daily activities for the week of February 12-18th…and enjoy some good beer. As usual, there was a plethora of great ideas and we actually had to narrow it down.

How did I get involved in all of this? Simply put, misery loves company. I have to admit that I’m not that fond of winter. Growing up in Minneapolis, I found ways to “get through” without going crazy. Skiing, speed skating, dog sledding, winter camping and winter biking all made the cold months a tad more bearable. The one winter I lived in Hawaii was actually heaven. There just weren’t enough bike routes to make me stay on the big island (I do have my limits). So knowing that I’d be in a Northern climate for awhile, I decided to make the most of it and join Madison Bike Winter. It hasn’t let me down! Although there are days that riding feels like pulling teeth, I look at it as an adventure. There is a quote from Sigurd Olson that sums it up best…

“You cannot turn your back on any challenge, physical or mental. If you do, you diminish yourself, and the next time it will be easier to say ‘no, I can not do it’. If you take the hazards as they come and survive, you will be stronger and better and the trip will be a milestone in your life, one you will always know as a turning point.”

Although I was unable to attend every activity, I captured a few of the highlights.


Sunday got it all rolling with a “how to” workshop that Jason Boynton from www.boyntoncoaching.com and I put on at Machinery Row Bicycles. We discussed how to dress to stay comfortable in cold temperatures (layers are key) how to be seen by cars and the physiology of staying comfortable in winter. A studded tire demo was also given by the staff at Machinery Row. Here’s a short WKOW news story shot at the shop

Monday was absolutely packed with a “bike to meditate” at Monona Terrace, an after work party at B-Cycle and a MEAThead no-drop ride around lake Monona.

Tuesday was titled Stray Cat Tuesday since Stray Cat Bicycles www.straycatbicycles.com handed out free coffee for commuters. I also taught a free yoga for athletes class at Harbor Athletic Club to help folks stay flexible with the cold weather riding. Because of slight “mix-up” on the planning end (we thought Valentine’s Day was Wednesday), our Valentine’s events were one day late. Just another excuse to spread the love for bikes another day!


Wednesday was “Love Your Bike Day”! Machinery Row treated us to 50% off tune-ups and a “singles” ride (single speeds were encouraged). Those not-so-brave souls got to do some indoor training at Speed Cycles.

Thursday Ali Dwyer brought us back into alignment with a yoga class at Mound Street Yoga.

Friday we celebrated an end to a wonderful week by gathering at Brocach Irish Pub on the capitol square. I was so happy to see such a huge turnout and even happier to meet some folks I hadn’t met yet.

To cap off the week, Saturday we rode down to the winter farmer’s market for local goodies and followed it up with an urban spin.

Thanks to all of you who participated in these events and an enormous THANKS to those who put the events on and donated raffle prizes (special “thanks” to Machinery Row who not only handed out coffee two days but gave us discounts all week). Let’s hope that we inspired other communities to celebrate winter vs. dread it. For more information on Madison Bike Winter, please visit it’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/madbikewinter.

Posted in Advocacy, Bike Winter, Commuting, Events, Featured, Local Programs | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Winter Bike Week Challenge … video vicariously

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Dave Schlabowske, Communications Director

Bike Winter: Red, White and Blue to the bone.

I have been sick and working from my home office all week, so I pretty much missed our entire Wisconsin Winter Bike Week Challenge.  While there is probably still some winter left in Wisconsin, I am bummed that I didn’t really get to contribute any miles to the challenge on Endomondo. I had averaged over 125 miles a week in January, but I have only 4 miles this week.

I woke up late, but feeling a little better today, so I hope to get out and log a few miles on the last weekday of the Bike Fed’s Winter Challenge. Until today I have had to experience Bike Winter vicariously through videos on the internet. I thought I would share a few that kept me sane.

The first humorous video below is what a typical street looks like in Madison. Although tongue-in-cheek, the guy in the video probably does vocalize what most people think bike commuting is like, difficult and for single-minded, extreme cyclists.

 

 

On the other hand, the video below from Copenhagen show what Madison might look like if our efforts to promote winter cycling are successful. Hopefully our encouragement efforts will get more and more people to realize that with just a little effort, bicycling through winter is easy and fun.

 

Winter in the Cycling City of Copenhagen from Copenhagen City of Cyclists on Vimeo.

Unless we narrow our streets and dig a bunch of canals, no Wisconsin city will look like Amsterdam, but I like the Dutch roots reggae in this video from Amsterdamize.

 

 

You have probably all seen this video before, and this winter has not looked much like this thanks to La Niña, the jet stream, global warming or whatever, but this is still my favorite winter cycling video and echoes everything I actually believe about cycling in general.

 

 

Posted in Bike Winter, Featured, video | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Race Friendships

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Steve Meurett

Steve at the Start/Finish

I’m finding that a lot of times a photograph is the instigator of a new piece to sit down and write about and lately the subject matter (of this blog) is less about photography and more about other musings (did I just use that word?).  The photo to the left was one such inspiration and is of friend Steve Steinke, who I ran into at the Growlers Snow Bike Race this past week hosted by the Bear Paw Outdoor center.

I still remember the first time we met-a warm summer afternoon at Levis Mound.  I had pulled into a  parking lot that was empty except for one older pick-up truck with bikes latched onto the roof.  A small tent was pitched, a lawn chair and a rider sat enjoying a cold beer on the adjacent picnic table.  I went out and put a quick ride in on the singletrack and when I returned he was still there relaxing.   I introduced myself, and he asked if I’d like a cold beverage myself…the best of introductions.  He realized I was a trail builder here and had nothing but complements on our trails.  An hour or two passed and our conversation dove into mountain biking, trails we ride, land use, favorite places and other outdoor activities.  Sometimes you just know a first meeting will become a friendship.

Our paths would cross from time to time, for not only is he an excellent rider but also a cross country skier and Levis Mound seemed to be a favorite destination.    Steve is also a

"Steve-O-Punk" Hammering the singletrack

fishing guide in Medford, Wisconsin and an artist producing some great work.  Anytime we meet, like this past race weekend, I know we’ll have a great conversation and pick up from where we left off, no matter how long ago it was.  He contributes often in MTBR forums, a website for mountain bikers and trail advocates.  He’s close in age to myself, but spends much more time on the bike and can hammer the trails to no end, as results from last weeks fat-bike race can attest.

I always look forward to finding friendly faces like Steve’s at a race venue. Last weekend I drove half way across the state to just be a spectator and shoot some pictures at the Team Growlers Snowbike Race, all the while hoping to just observe how the folks (whom I didn’t know) at the Bear Paw would run their event.    When I got there, another race friend, Randy Wegener, happened to be  sitting inside the bar area warming up and contemplating his race strategy for the day.  Or maybe just enjoying a beverage?

Our circles overlapped a few years ago with another picnic table meeting at Gnomefest on the Levis Mound trails.  Randy is from Plymouth, and he and I met while heading out to ride the “Dirt Cat” check point race.  Since I set up the course, and it was my home trail, he didn’t seem to mind tagging along.  He’s super fit, and one of the best riders in the state, so my only hope of riding together was that I knew every short cut.  We clicked off the checkpoints and had a blast doing so. Post race we enjoyed some quality times over a beer or two at his campsite.  Since I knew few people at this event, Randy and girlfriend Sara became quick friends and have remained so over every addition of the Gnomefest.  Randy is a trail builder down in the kettles and is one of those riders who embraces the sport to it’s highest level, but also loves to have fun.  He joined up with two other talented riders at the snow bike race, but was more than willing to take PBR handups during his lap…-they ended up winning, of course.

Randy in the Dirt Cat

Mountain biking and skiing have introduced me to a lot of friends over the years-during the race years. Perhaps it’s the shared suffering, the pre-race preparation and post race celebration that bring like-minded people together.  My long time friend Marvin Schmieser from Antigo learned through the social network grapevine that I’d be at the Bear paw, so he made the short drive over to just catch up.  It’d been a few years since we’d gotten together, maybe since we both retired from the Birkie?  Marv is still hitting a few mountain bike races and no helps build trail as I do. I think we met at a ski race a long time ago and at some point we’ve hit every major race in the state.  We share a love of the outdoors and good beer and expensive bikes, so we never have a shortage of things to talk about when we get together.  It was just the best to spend part of a day with him.

Races and outdoor events have brought me to meet many new friends-Gomez, of Fat-Bike.com fame, Bethany, Marty, Adam, who so kindly delivered my latest bike, and many others at Gnomefest.  I’m sure Scott Berry from the Bear Paw will be another-there are just too many things we have in common for a friendship not to grow there, and I’ll be looking forward to it.   I’m also looking forward to those friendships with people I have yet to meet, but would guess riding or skiing or the trails will bring us together and who I know will enrich this life.

 

The Oso PBR hand-up

Posted in Featured, Mountain Biking | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ped & Pedal Network: February Call Notes

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Jessica Binder, Education Director

As evidence of our ongoing love for biking and walking, the Bike Fed celebrated Valentine’s Day by hosting a Ped & Pedal Network Call. If you missed the V Day network call, we have provided the minutes of the call below. If you love biking and walking as much as we do, join us for the next one!

This is not what we mean by a Ped and Pedal Network Call...

The  Ped and Pedal Network hosts monthly calls on various active transportation topics to help local professionals and advocates improve and increase walking and biking across the state. The calls are on the second Tuesday of the month from 1 – 2 p.m. and are hosted by the Bike Fed and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The calls may include a webinar portion with the sharing of powerpoint slides.

Calls take place on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 1 – 2 p.m.  Please register in advance via this online form. The conference call and/or webinar logins will be the same throughout the year so you only need to register once.

February Call Notes

1pm Welcome -Kevin Hardman: Thank you for joining the Ped & Pedal Network. We look forward to continuing to growing this statewide forum for walking and biking expertise and change.
1:05 Introductions- Julie Logue:  18 people are on the call
1:08 Federal Legislative Update-Kevin Luecke: The President released a budget blueprint that is pretty good for transportation but it is DOA because the House and Senate are circulating two very different bills.  The House’s bill is particularly bad: House leaders are exerting pressure to completely cut bicycling and walking out of transportation. Lawmakers seem to have gone through line-by-line to gut programs that make streets safer. Some of the more devastating provisions in the bill include:

  • Destroys Transportation Enhancements by removing the dedicated funding;
  • Repeals the Safe Routes to School program, leaving communities without basic tools and funding to protect kids on the trip to school;
  • Allows states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles; and
  • Eliminates bicycle and pedestrian and Safe Routes to School coordinators in State DOTs.

States would technically be able to fund bike/ped projects but it would be up to the State DOT. You may have received an advocacy alert asking you to contact your Representatives to encourage them to vote ”NO” on H.R.7 American Infrastructure and Energy Jobs Act. Late last week, our bipartisan allies in the House, who proposed an amendment in Committee, announced they are trying again to restore funding for bicycling and walking programs on the floor of the House.

The Senate bill preserves some key programs but cuts spending and expands eligible categories. To improve the Senate Transportation Bill (MAP-21) we support a bipartisan amendment, authored by Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Thad Cochran (R-MS), to guarantee local governments a voice in transportation decisions. We expect a Senate floor vote the week of February 27th and encourage people to contact their Senators on this issue.
1:14 Summit Info – Amanda White: The Bike Fed’s 2012 Wisconsin Bike Summit will bring together bike enthusiasts and professionals from every corner of the state to learn about bicycle infrastructure and programming, share success stories, and stand in support of making every ride we take in Wisconsin safe, enjoyable, and fun. Those who can lobby will be seeking passage of a Vulnerable Users Law and dedicated State funding.
Tuesday, February 21. Inn at the Park, Best Western (22 S. Carroll Street, downtown Madison). More details here. Please invite your friends and colleagues to join us.
1:34 Questions about the Summit: From Peter Herreid: Is the Bike Fed pursuing a cell phone ban for drivers?  Not at this time, but distracted driving is one of the triggers for enhanced penalties under the VU law and the Bike Fed is considering working on a cell phone ban for drivers’ in the future. Question from Sonia Dubielzig: Who has sponsored this legislation? It was authored by Schultz; Introduced by Cullen, Taylor, and Schultz; and C0-Sponsored by Zepnick, and Hulsey.
1:35 Lessons Learned from LaCrosse County Complete Streets Win – Jack Zabrowski: Getting policy makers, citizens, and decisions makers educated was key to their success. You can view his powerpoint here or come to the Summit to learn more!
1:52 Questions about Complete Streets: From Fred Heider: How does the mini-grant program work? Eleven area businesses received free bike commuting classes and $5,000 to make bike and walk commuting more appealing thru programs or infrastructure.
1:58 Thanks and Preview of Next Call: The next call will be March 13th, speakers to be announced.  Please join us by registering in advance via this online form.

 

 

Posted in Advocacy, Bicycle Funding, Featured | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Job Posting: Join our Ambassador Team

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Jessica Binder, Education Director

We are looking to hire Share and Be Aware Ambassadors in Madison and Northwoods Areas. If you have some extra time between May and October and would like to earn some extra cash, join the Bike Fed team as a Share and Be Aware Ambassador.

Share and Be Aware Ambassador Barbara Connolly-Blick leads a ride in West Allis.

Share and Be Aware Ambassadors serve as outreach and education specialists who encourage Wisconsinites to Share and Be Aware when driving, walking, or biking.  The goal of the program is to improve safety and awareness of traffic laws for all road users.

Ambassadors provide demonstrations and education at events and classes in their region of the state from May through October, reaching bicyclists and motorists of all ages.  Ambassadors will work out of their home and must provide an internet connection and cell phone. Ambassadors must also be able to bike or walk to local events and bike/bus/drive to more distant events. All mileage will be reimbursed. The position is a flexible 20-35 hours a week including weekends. Pay is $12/hour. Ambassadors can be based anywhere in Southwest or Northern Wisconsin. These two new Ambassadors will join our team of 4 returning Ambassadors.

 

Details

  • Part time Limited Term Employment (May thru October)
  • Each region will be from 6 to 20 counties depending on the population

Responsibilities

  • Forge key regional relationships with community stakeholders
  • Attend community events
  • Teach education classes
  • Develop local media contacts and stories
  • Provide detailed reporting on progress of program in region
  • Utilize Share and Be Aware web assets
  • Travel around assigned region as needed

Skills

  • Have a passion for walking and biking
  • Desire to improve/increase walking and biking in your community
  • Ability to teach classes and offer trainings
  • Comfortable doing outreach at events (ie talking to strangers)
  • Organized and prompt
  • Ability to build partnerships

 

Share and Be Aware Ambassador at Lambeau Field before a Packers game.

To apply, submit a cover letter and resume by 5pm Monday, February 28th to:

Jessica Binder, Education Director

Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin

Jessica@bfw.org

 

Posted in Featured, Rules of the Road, Safety, Share & Be Aware | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

New Board of Director Members Announced

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Kevin Hardman, Executive Director

The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin Board of Directors is excited to announce the following new members to the Board of Directors. Each of these members will serve a 3 year term.

Brien Christopherson

What I hope to bring to the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin:

First and foremost, a passion for cycling and bicycles.  Whether racing, date nights with my wife, groceries, or meeting friends for a beer, I do everything on a bike, and most years ride more miles than I drive.   I also hope to bring a level of financial knowledge from my work with other non-profit and tax-exempt organizations and in my business career.  On the non-profit side I have experience in both financial analysis of 501(c)3 organizations, and in managing the finances of tax-exempt organizations.  I also have a history of building a consensus and teamwork at organizations I have been fortunate to be a part of.

Biography:

25 years experience in sales, marketing, and mergers and acquisitions.  Currently Director of Corporate Development – Rexnord.  BS in Chemistry and MBA.  Currently on the Board of Directors for non-profit Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) – Wisconsin Chapter, and Board of Directors and Treasurer for Team Wisconsin Cycling where I race as a CAT-4 Masters cyclist.  Formerly 3 years with the Brady Corporation Foundation, the last year as Chair of the Grants Advisory Committee.

 

Kierstin Kloeckner

What I hope to bring to the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin:

As an environmentalist, cyclist, and personal trainer, I encourage clients and community members to use bikes for transportation whenever possible. I’m proud to say that I’ve convinced many non-cyclists to become bike commuters, many of whom are women and people over the age of 60. In May 2011, I organized Madison’s first all-women bike event – a non-profit event called Madtown Maidens. By using social media and word of mouth, I was able to sign up 100 women (ages 4 to 70+). I also secured door prizes worth $2,000 and refreshments worth hundreds of dollars.

Biography:
My passion for cycling began in childhood. As a teen I raced competitively and became a committed bike commuter (and still am year round). Today, I tour and embrace long rides around the country. I volunteer for Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin events and work with various decision-makers to improve bike safety and accessibility. I also lead a cycling club, put on a women’s bike event, am a USA Cycling coach, and write a cycling blog.

 

Gary L. Peterson

What I hope to bring to the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin:

I would like to use my extensive experience from my time serving as the President of the American Planning Association Wisconsin Chapter. While serving as president for 9 years my responsibilities included the budget and  being the principal conference fund raiser.  As a planner I have worked in over 100 Wisconsin communities. This geographic distribution has provided me with state wide contacts.

  • I have built coalitions on the APA-WI BOD by appointing members of planning schools, 2 RPCs, consultants and municipal staff.
  • I participated in the Mayor/County Executive Bike education trip to Europe in April 2010 and I participate in Downtown Madison Inc. Bicycle Planning Subcommittee.

Biography:

I am a life-long resident of Madison with two degrees in Geography from UW Madison. I have worked as a community planning consultant for over 45 years, owning my own firm for over 33 years. My planning work consisted of Comprehensive Plans, Strategic Plans, Grant Applications, Grant Administration, Community Sustainability Plans and Zoning Ordinances. For 9 years I have been President of APA-WI. I am also a bike rider, commuting and road.

 

Michael Rewey

What I hope to bring to the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin:

Throughout my professional career and as board member I have strived to mainstream bicycle transportation in every project.  As a biker-engineer I have successfully bridged the gap between planning and actually doing it.  I have built coalitions by identifying common interests and can put needs in perspective from working with diverse counties, cities, villages, towns and individuals.   Biking is more than limited choices, but instead a full-range to meet needs of all biker-types and trip intents – just like cars.

I understand legislative processes and am involved with state/local legislation to improve biking.  There’s a bike-rack of issues to be pursued.  Let’s bike forward!

Biography:

A year-round transportation bicyclist and expert on bicycle planning & facility design, I completed my WisDOT career as chief planning engineer.  I oversaw multi-modal transportation planning and incorporated biking in many Southwest Wisconsin projects (pre-Complete Streets).

I’ve served on the Madison Platinum Bike Committee, Long-Range Transportation Planning Commission, Board of Public Works, Plan Commission, Ped/Bike/Motor Vehicle Commission, Commission on Environment; Stevens Point Council; and 10-state Mississippi River Trail Board, dedicated to bikeways along the Mississippi.

 

Steve Weinstein

What I hope to bring to the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin:

I’m not afraid to ask for the donation. My experience in non-profit financial acumen and fund-raising includes serving as chairperson of the 2006 Milwaukee Repertory Theater fund raising gala (raised $85K in one night) and the Congregation Beth El Ner Tamid synagogue philanthropy committee (earned $385K for one 3- month effort).

I work in marketing for a statewide HMO that serves Medicare and Medicaid patients – making me, in some respects, a professional coalition builder among diverse populations. I bring people together. I’ve always represented the underdog, and will speak for outlying areas to the best of my ability.

Biography:

I have more than 25 years of experience in public relations and marketing for Rockwell Automation and Johnson Controls. Currently, I am director of marketing for Managed Health Services, a Wisconsin-based HMO. I am married to Barbara, a teacher in the Milwaukee Public School system, and have two daughters, Samantha (attorney in Anchorage) and Dana (student in Pittsburgh). I own five bicycles (two road bikes, a mountain bike, a recumbent and an adult tricycle).

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Team Growlers Snowbike Race

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Steve Meurett
Thanks to Bike Fed member Steve Muerett for this guest post from Neillsville, WI which most of you are probably familiar with as the home of Chattty Belle. Steve has done some nice pieces on his personal blog, so I asked him to share some of his thoughts and photos with the rest of our members here. 

 

On my to-do list for sure this year was to make the trip to northeast Wisconsin and set wheels on the trails of the Bear Paw Inn and the surrounding area near Langlade and White Lake.  It has been no secret that the folks up there have been developing miles of singletrack more than worthy of rolling the fat bike over.  A check mark appeared on that list this weekend, sooner than I expected, when Scott Berry and his crew whipped up the inaugural “Team Growlers Snow Bike Race” at the Bear Paw.

The Bear Paw Outdoor Adventure Center and surrounding forest, where nearly wiped off the map by a F4 tornado in June of 2007.  The swath of this storm leveled 14,000 acres of trees and millions in property damage, so it was uplifting to see the re-building and recovery of this area and the development of such great trails.  As a trail builder myself, I can’t imagine how difficult the clean-up process was.  A mid-winter cold put the skids on my plans to race, but I wanted to be there to take in this fairly new phenomenon of snow bike, or fat-bike racing.  Plus, in a few short weeks, Levis Mound will be hosting the Sweaty Yeti, and I hoped to get a feel of these events.

Although I’m no stranger to managing races, the WORS events of years past have an entirely different “feel” to them than these low key, fun at all costs “races.”  It’s the only way I’d venture back into the race directors chair!  This is a race, and there are teams and a race course, but there isn’t the dog-eat-dog killer attitude of some race formats. Fat Bike races are more low-key, and I enjoyed being around and involved in that welcoming environment.  On arguably the coldest and windiest day this winter, the riders still rolled in, proving there is no such thing as bad weather, if you have warm clothes and proper tire pressure.

I do believe this was the greatest gathering of identical white Pugsleys I’ve ever seen, and a real testament to how many riders have jumped onto fat-bikes in the past year.  A smattering of a few other brands also were on the line for the Le Mans start.  A total of 14 teams were formed, including a fair number of individual riders who were recruited to join teams, with many on borrowed bikes.

After photographing the start,  I headed out on the double track, which quickly climbed and funneled into a stretch of singletrack.  There is no shortage of rock and boulders here, and the riders needed to be able to weave those big wheels up and around them like slalom racers.  It’s a unique feature of singletrack in this area and I loved it. The packed snow between the rocks made it a smooth rip on the tight downhills.  By the second and third laps, the thinner snow cover became icier, and touchy to navigate on some of the sharp corners.  Hanging out in the woods with my camera on course was great fun for me. Despite the cold temperature, I could tell that rider after rider was having a good time.  The laps were between 15 and 30 minutes and included some tough climbs, but still allowed for a PBR hand-up from time to time.

As racers carved their final turn into the exchange zone, tagged their teammates and logged completed laps, there seemed to be a sense that the fun factor was still high. Even after two hours, riders still wanted to get out and ride the course, and whoever had the most laps to lead the race was secondary.  From what I saw this was a three hour race, and everyone took advantage of every minute they could to pedal those fat tires out on the trail and share in all the camaraderie that followed the “race.”

Have you tried a fatbike yet? If not, check out the Sweaty Yeti or any of the remaining fat bike races left this winter listed on Wisconsin produced Fat-Bike.com website.  Most of the Wisconsin races have open teams that allow the fat bike curious riders who who up without bikes to participate. If you live in Milwaukee you can also rent a Fatbike from Cory the Bike Fixer. Are there any other shops or places out there renting fatbikes that you know of?  If so, let us know in the comments below.

Posted in Featured, Racing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Winter Bike Challenge, Feb. 12-18

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Dave Schlabowske, Communications Director

We are looking for 1,000 people to join the Bike Fed’s Winter Bike Week Challenge and log their miles using Endomondo. It is easy and fun to join, and the redesigned Endomondo site is much easier to use than the old version.

We had 4,500 bicyclists from across Wisconsin record more than 1.2 million miles in our challenge last year.  Based on input from participants, the Bike Fed worked with Kimberly Clark and Endomondo to upgrade the system. In preparation for the challenge to go national this spring, we have created a fund week-long winter challenge from Feb. 12th-18th. We hope to get 1,000 people to log 100,000 miles as a test of the new Endomondo site.

Personally I had a difficult time using the old Endomondo system, but I really like the new platform. I am particularly fond of the app for my iPhone.  It is so easy and fun to use that I have kind of become addicted to it.  I now track my miles even if I am only biking a few blocks for a short errand, or even when I bike the dogs around the neighborhood.  Endomondo has free apps for most smartphones.

So the next time you slip on your Allen Edmunds, Kate Spades or even Sorels to go to work, to a Bike Winter event or just for a recreational ride, be sure to log your miles. Let’s see if Wisconsin riders can pedal 100,000 miles in February! For more information, visit our Bike Winter web page.

Posted in Bike Winter | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Congressman Petri to be honored at the Summit

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Kevin Hardman, Executive Director

Photo from Berlingske.dk Rep. Tom Petri riding next to Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark while on an official visit in Washington DC and today he was on a bike ride with a bunch of people. He's seen above, with a politically correct helmet, but riding relaxed in best Citizen Cyclist style next to Congressman Tom Petri, from Wisconsin, with other politicians and athletes in tow.

Last week Wisconsin’s very own Congressman Tom Petri stood against strong opposition in the House to put forth an amendment to restore bicycle funding in the Federal Transportation bill. Although Congressman Petri’s amendment did not pass, standing up for cycling in the face of extreme pressure from his party leadership further solidified his position as one of of the strongest supporters of cycling on Capitol Hill and a man of principal above politics. Congressman Petri is receiving accolades and attention from dozens of national organizations for his work.

I have been so moved by Congressman Petri’s leadership that I extended an invitation to the Congressman to the 2012 Wisconsin Bike Summit on February 21, 2012. I’m very happy to announce that he has accepted our invitation.  I hope you will also join us at the summit where we will take the opportunity to thank and honor Congressman Petri for his long history of supporting cycling and his most recent stand in our defense.

Please attend the 2012 Wisconsin Bike Summit. While it is wonderful to have leadership like Rep. Petri, he and our great bicycle community need your presence and your voice now more than ever if we are stop efforts to reverse all the progress cycling has seen over the last 20 years. I promise you’ll be motivated, you’ll be inspired and you’ll be reminded how important it is to protect something we all love: Wisconsin bicycling.

Posted in Advocacy, Featured | Tagged , | 2 Comments
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© 2012 Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin
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