Bike Hugger 

Just in time for the 4th, an email from a Chinese distributor of the QQ bike that says, “Forward and Back by hand. Control direction by feet. To inspire kid’s intelligence and build the bodies from funny exercise.” Well that was fun just posting about it and watching the animation. Also check the video.

Last night at the Tuesday Night World Championships in Kent Washington, I noticed a Native Planet Race Team team member kitted up with a helmet cam and corresponding camera near the finish …(one tip: move to the front)

Checked in with Surly Bikes yesterday on the Big Dummy and learned from Dave Gray, the Product Design and Development dude, that new factory samples are en route. Those samples should address much of our concerns with Bettie

• Stand-over height
• Rohloff’able
• Whippiness
• Disc brake compatibility

In my long-term Bettie notes, I’d complained about the stand-over height and whippiness as the two biggest issues. Cargo bikes should drop the top-tube right to the bottom bracket so you can easily step into and out of the bike, especially with a load or kids or both: the latest Big Dummy uses the Instigator’s top-tube design. The whippiness is an obvious problem and inherent to trailers whether attached or not. Any longtail should make that better, and Surly is making it stiff.

Now that it’s sunny and dry without a drop on the 10-day forecast …it’s time to start thinking about the rain bike. Some people dread the thought of getting back on the winter bike, but right now is probably the best time to get started with improvements and maintenance. I know that Brian Marcroft is already starting to get requests for Custom Rain bikes, and I’m about to order some new Velocity DeepV rims for my disc brake wheels. The best way to ensure a trouble-free winter of riding is good prep work!

Fredric King, producer Fountainhead films, sent us a B.I.K.E. The Movie pre-release packet with DVD and I dug the artwork so much I scanned and uploaded it for this post.

I couldn’t believe it either, when I read that John Spurgeon road RAAM on a single speed built by Ira Ryan cycles in Portland. I was checking in on the results, there’s a mention, and Bike Portland posted earlier on it as well…

To me that’s sorta like using a fully-loaded track bike to tour, but then again the roadies I know probably think the Bettie is stupid.

That’s Greg and Sirikit Valentin at the Des Moines Crit.

Bike Hugger Photostream

My biggest problem with bike racing is that it keeps you from riding your bike as much as you might like (huh?). We are in full-swing “Crit” season right now. The general rule to do well is race, and rest, or maybe do short, intense intervals. Races usually comprise of 60-75 minutes of a lung-busting tour around 4 city blocks. I like crits, I tend to do ok at them, but it’s days like today (Sunny, 78deg) that I get a little miffed that I have to race a crit. I spend a solid 4 hours driving to the race, getting ready, racing, and driving home. What a waste of a perfectly good day?!

I’m tempted to race getting the Tandem back together and rolling to Portland with my wife in the STP. At the least I think I’ll be taking some time off the circuit to get back into those long, sunny rides that I miss.

Rode with the iPhone in my jersey pocket yesterday. It fit well in my old Timbuk2 strap pouch that I carry in my jersey. Also fits their large cellphone holder for shoulder straps.

As other reviewers have found, the iPhone is a breakthrough device that does all that you’ve read or heard about. I’m struggling with the touchpad now and I’m not going to try and ride and talk with it for a while (not that you should do that anyway).

Check our Photostream for a set of photos taken with our iPhone.