Found this little gem on Urban Velo. I’m so glad to see Gary Fisher investing in the cycling lifestyle with gusto.

When I was working at Fisher, I had the great pleasure of spending time with the man himself. His wild energy and boundless imagination were difficult for me to keep up with sometimes. My philosophy at the time was to listen intently, and take notes furiously. Because I always walked away with a list of ideas that may or may not change the world.

Gary was traveling a lot at the time, and came back from the Netherlands and Asia raving about all of the utility bikes that crowded the streets there. He started talking about the joys of riding slow, and totally integrating bikes into life.

We took a few of his ideas and started creating some city bikes, but nothing that fully captured his vision. Then, after I left, the Simple City came out. That bike was certainly a step closer to Gary’s vision. Now I see that the El Ranchero is in the works.

The El Ranchero is a ‘long-bike’, built to carry massive amounts of cargo. The bike is long for stability and capacity, but when designed properly, still handles well and is relatively lightweight. According the the Fisher designer:

This project was done as a pure concept. We recognize the potential of long tail bikes as a real solution to people’s everyday needs. Everyone needs transportation and everyone needs to transport their stuff. We’d like to help people with that task by making the whole scenario easy. It’s another part of One World - Two Wheels.

Our research showed a real need for people to carry their kids to school, soccer practice, or with them while they run some errands. The supermarket, home improvement store, and transportation to work were some of the common scenarios. To make this all easier, we added a dedicated child’s ‘cockpit’ complete with saddle, bars, and foot pegs. The bags keep your stuff dry, swallow a week’s worth of groceries, and instantly fold up to keep the bike narrow when not needed. We also added a front bag to keep some of the smaller items in easy reach and it’s detachable so you can take it with you. While loading up everything, the double kickstand keeps the bike planted so there’s one less thing to worry about.

I gathered from a friend that just got back from the GF factory show, that this bike is on the list for production. But i wouldn’t expect to see it in the showroom soon. I have a feeling though that Gary is going to be pushing hard to make it happen. Plus, I trust that Aaron, Chris and Mikey up at Fisher are also going to fight the good fight to make it happen. Good luck fellas.

The reign of Toronto’s legendary Igor the Bicycle Thief has ended. He seems to be personally responsible for the City’s reputation as the bike theft capital of North America. This picture shows just some of the 2,000 bicycles police have pulled out of houses, garages and warehouses.

Igor Kenk, 49, was the owner of the notorious Bicycle Clinic bike shop in Toronto. The shop had a long reputation for selling stolen bikes.

Armed with a search warrant, pry bars and rubber gloves, officers raided a tumbledown garage in a muddy back alley on Elm Grove Avenue, one of three more that police cleared of bicycles yesterday after previous raids at Mr. Kenk’s shop, home and a pair of rented garages.

Police uncovered a chaotic mess comprising not only bicycles, but an array of orphaned items including a dead Coke machine, a stack of roofing shingles and a female mannequin sporting an X, made of electrical tape, on each breast.

Katherine Vettese, who lives on Elm Grove Avenue near Igor, said he and his junk-laden pickup truck were a frequent sight in the alley behind her home. “He would always be here with a big, huge pickup truck full of odd stuff,” she said. “All the time.”

I went to a volunteer meeting at Community Bike Shop Omaha (CBSO) this morning. The organizers hosted a series of these meetings as a part of their latest efforts to increase volunteer resources and improve the service hours of the shop.

What they do is pretty noble. With the help of grants and local donors, the shop opened up 2 years ago in the somewhat downtrodden Gifford Park neighborhood of Midtown Omaha. The organizers renovated a blighted residential home (a couple of doors South of California Tacos on 33rd Street) and began stocking up on resources to repair bikes for the neighborhood.

The goal of the organization is to empower kids and adults alike with the knowledge and skills needed to keep their bikes in good working order. The group realizes the power of the bicycle as a positive activity for children and an emancipating form of transportation for those without cars.

Each Wednesday evening and Saturday afternoon the shop opens their doors and invites guests in to learn how to fix their bikes. Guests work hand-in-hand with volunteer mechanics to fix everything from flat tires to broken cranks. Parents are invited to watch their children learn. The offers a fundamental service, but it also provides mentoring and a positive environment for kids who may not always have these opportunities.

I’m a big fan of what they are doing. I’ve had a near lifelong interest in bicycles, and really appreciate what riding bikes did for me as a kid and young adult. And today, as gas prices rise and the cost of car ownership becomes prohibitive, I also realize the power and efficiency of the bicycle for transportation. As our economy suffers the impact of rising food and energy prices, it becomes clear low income segments of our community suffer the most.

I look forward to my first opportunity to volunteer as a mechanic at CBSO. I want to be a part of the great work that they do.

You Can Help
If you are interested in volunteering, or if you are interested in contributing bikes or money, please visit their website to learn more.

In one of the most troubled regions of the world, the bicycle offers the promise of jobs for Afghanis wounded or disabled by war. In Kabul, streets are often clogged with traffic, blocked by security checkpoints and hampered by military convoys. Through this chaos, a bicycle can easily weave, getting from point-to-point far more efficiently than a car.

In 2002 a local NGO started the Disabled Cycle Messenger Services (DCMS) which, like any other bicycle courier service, delivers letters and packages, you guessed it, by bicycle. Many ride with one leg, and must strap crutches to their bikes for use when they arrive at their destination. The couriers don’t make a lot of money, and they ride up to 30 km a day, but they are able to put food on the table. In a country where half of the citizens live below the poverty line, any work, especially for the disabled, is a welcome development.

One employee explains, “Of course it’s hard work, even for an able bodied person. . .But the fact that I can work and I don’t have to sit on the side of the road and beg for money and can provide food for my family gives me a big sense of pride.”

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world with half of its 25 million people living below the poverty line. The country has also been hit hard by the rising global food prices. In a country hopefully moving towards a future of peace and safety, it is good to see signs of hope.

I started the day today in beautiful Midtown Omaha with a healthy crowd of fellow bike commuters. The mayor hosted a press conference and a bike ride to announce several new initiatives for the city.

The event started with a tour of the Omaha Community Bike Shop, followed by a brief speech where the mayor announced a new 20 mile bike loop project in downtown, the formation of a Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee, the kick-off for the 3rd Annual Omaha Metro Bicycle Commuter Challenge (which Harvest designed the graphics and brochures for), and the start of National Bike to Work Week.

The ride rolled out with probably over a hundred cyclists. Our convoy was fully escorted by police in cars and on bikes or motorcycles. For one day of the year, cars were forced to completely concede the roads to bikes. Once we arrived at the river we took a moment to discuss the nearly completed pedestrian bridge that will link Nebraska and Iowa. The bridge will open up endless cross-border fitness and commuter options.

Thanks to everyone who put time into promoting this event. It is great to see such civic support to changing the way our city views transportation alternatives.