Author: Steven Vance

Is this the first ever bike book commercial?

Updated: Eben Weiss will be on a bike ride from TATI Cycles in Hyde Park to Cellar and 57th Street Books in Lakeview on March 29, 2012. Details are here.

Lots of books have commercials, but they’re often for books by Stephen King, Sue Grafton, or some other soon-to-be national best seller. This is the first commercial I’ve seen for a book about cycling. Thanks to BikePortland for the tip.

[youtube]lWKDQnTAZno[/youtube]

The book is The Enlightened Cyclist, by BikeSnobNYC, or Eben Weiss, the most sharp-tongued (and spot-on) bike blogger in America. The book will be released in March, but you can pre-order it on Amazon.

[flickr]photo:4715588900[/flickr]

Eben Weiss singing books in Seattle by Gene Bisbee. 

See earlier: A Chicago bike shop posts a commercial for its fix a flat on the fly service. 

Full interview of Gabe Klein from my Architect’s Newspaper article

[flickr]photo:6509338649[/flickr]

Transportation commissioner Gabe Klein cycles to work on Michigan Avenue. 

I wrote an article about myriad transportation projects and initiatives in Chicago for Architect’s Newspaper, a magazine based in New York City. It was published last week online and in print (in the centerfold, no less). My original article was over 2,500 words, but only 1,600 words fit in the print version. I will be publishing additional details from the interviews I conducted for the article and about the projects it mentions.

The first is my interview with transportation commissioner Gabe Klein, conducted over the phone on January 19, 2012.

How will things change for pedestrians?

My philosophy in addressing needs is that you have to look out for the most vulnerable users first. In many times, there’s a trickle down effect. We want Chicago to be a walkable, livable city. We also want it to be a bikeable city, but walkable first. I think there was a push in the past to make it so that cars moved as quickly as possible. Back then, cities lost their self-confidence and catered to the transient drivers who passed through [emphasis added]. You cater first and foremost to the people who live here, not just the people who work here. I think it’s an indicator of cities, how walkable it is. Continue reading Full interview of Gabe Klein from my Architect’s Newspaper article

Grid Shots: Skateboarding in the streets edition

Skateboarding is a very sustainable transportation mode, although probably not as efficient as cycling. We still recommend it. I had already published many of my photos featuring people skateboarding, but I wanted to show pictures from other photographers in Chicago. I searched through my Flickr contacts for “skateboarding” and found over 1,100 photos – awesome. One of the photos was this guy skateboarding in Washington, D.C., holding two bicycle wheels. Perhaps delivering them to a friend, or to a bike shop to be fixed.

Read to the end to see our upcoming Grid Shots photo themes, all suggested by contributor Michelle of Bike Walk Lincoln Park. I’m posting these now so you can get your ready photos ready and onto our Flickr group.

[flickr]photo:6890020065[/flickr]

Photo of two people crossing the street, one on his skateboard, the other carrying hers, by Mike Travis. Continue reading Grid Shots: Skateboarding in the streets edition

Building a bicycle culture in Chicago: does it get worse before it gets better?

[flickr]photo:2752389239[/flickr]

Cycling in Copenhagen next to articulated buses. All high-volume intersections are bathed in blue to show where each vehicle operator, people cycling and driving alike, where to maneuver. Photo by Mikael Colville-Anderson, the Copenhagenize author. 

I saw an old post on Copenhagenize, a popular blog about bicycle cultures (which Chicago is not). It’s called, 18 ways to know that you have a bicycle culture. Jokingly, I thought to reply blindly, “Nope, don’t have that”, to all items in the list. Some of the signs seem listed to poke fun at cities with bicycle subcultures, even though they would more likely happen in a bicycle than outside of one. For example, #12 says:

When you see somebody with rolled up trouser legs you think, ‘what a shame that fellow can’t afford a chain guard’. You consider rolling up next to him at the next light to give him some money.

Continue reading Building a bicycle culture in Chicago: does it get worse before it gets better?

The first Chicago bike shop commercial I’ve seen

[vimeo]19875405[/vimeo]

I’ve had work done on my bike The Bike Lane twice. I like this commercial for their fix a flat service. It was uploaded a year ago, but someone in my Google+ feed posted it today. I know at least one other company that fixes flats where you are: one of our sponsors, Pedal To The People. Have you seen any other commercials for Chicagoland bike shops? Continue reading The first Chicago bike shop commercial I’ve seen

Two people die while trying to cross the street last week (updated)

Updated 12:53

2012 fatality stats*:
Pedestrian: 2
Pedalcyclist: 0
Transit: 0

Inspired by Ted Rogers’s blog, Biking In LA, and with a desire to give respect to the people who’ve died while walking, cycling, or using transit, I’ll be attempting to track these traffic fatalities. This is the first post of 2012.

It happened Thursday, February 9, 2012, on 95th Street near Cottage Grove Avenue. Here’s an article from the Chicago Tribune: Continue reading Two people die while trying to cross the street last week (updated)