Author Archives: jm

Rail trail

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In previous centuries, rails were used as a way to democratize transport of most people to long distances. This is specially true in the rural Spain. As a result, long infrastructures crossing forests and mountains were built. This intelligent idea lasted for decades, but ultimately the bad economic situation provoked a massive migration from villages to cities. Some stretches of railroad stopped being use and lack of support made the rest. Alternatively, the rise of alternative ways of transport, mainly the car, reduced the use of rails.

Under so dismal situation and thanks to open-minded people, these infrastructures which are the backbone of large rural areas have became a good boost to promote cycle tourism. Some EuroVelo are indeed rail trails. Of course, they set up them since some were deteriorated as time went by. There is an additional point which makes it possible: only bicycles and pedestrians are allowed to enjoy them, giving them extra safety. Moreover, the spectacular landscapes, the suitability of curves plotting, the environment, forests, mountains or even cheering, happy people you meet in rail trails constitute all points in favor.

At the time I am writing this post, you can find the sections Where to go, What to do, Plan your trip, Calendar of events and Travel safe with a lot of information in the Green Paths webpage.

There are also rail trails at least in Bermuda, Canada, US, Germany, UK, Ireland, Belgium, Finland, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Thousands of kilometers are waiting for you and your bike.

Conbici

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Conbici (https://conbici.org, in Spanish) is the Spanish coordinator in defense of bicycles. It gathers 65 Spanish associations and groups, and promotes the use of bikes in a day-to-day basis, no matter how the biker genre or age is. Moreover, Conbici works in order to promote positive legislation to protect everybody, including bikers and pedestrians, who are the weakest actors in streets. Local groups focus on their cities as it comes to urban biking and it has work groups in legislation, mobility, training, health and cycle tourism.

Conbici was born in 1990 and has contributed to the bike movement. It organizes the Iberian Congress “Bicycle and city” together with Portugal since 1996 and promotes the Cycle tourism and urban bikers meetings in Spain or Portugal every two years. Furthermore, it is a member of the Technician Scientific Committee in the European Mobility Week, participates in the Higher Traffic and Circulation Council, work group 44, representing the bikers collective, sits on the European Cyclists’ Federation, became a founder member of the National Bicycle Table and writes and spreads national and international summaries about politics examples which foster bike use as well as sustainability. In addition, Conbici promotes the intermodality of bike plus public transport. What is more, in the Conbici webpage you can read recommendations about how to move on bikes at both, cities and cycle tourism.

One of the key points Conbici has is the wide profile of collaborators. Indeed, it counts with professional people in fields such as urban planning, infrastructures, economy, tourism, legislation, health, education, you name it. This fact makes it possible that Conbici contributes with ideas on a variety of subjects, just like this blog.

As it comes to internal affairs, the General Assembly of Conbici meets to decide the necessary decisions on the addressed issues by consensus twice a year. The General Coordination Council and the Permanent Office are in charge of management.

European Cyclists’ Federation

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European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) was born in 1983 with one target: To promote cycling as a sustainable and healthy means of transportation and recreation. They believe their roots are in Europe, but the challenge is worldwide since bicycle is the solution to many world woes. It is partially, financially supported by the LIFE Programme of the European Union.

This European federation determined the following goals:

  • Raise the status of cycling

  • Encourage consideration of cyclists’ needs

  • Support member groups

  • Undertake scientist research

  • Enhance information and advice regarding bikes and more

  • Promote the exchange of information and expertise

  • Provide information and expertise

They work in several domains such as new technologies, economy, policy, tourism, EU cycling strategy, global policies, health, environment, parking, road safety, urban mobility or EuroVelo. Moreover, they participate in European projects to promote biking.

Scientific research is offered by free to whoever need it. Scientists for Cycling is composed by a global network of academics and individuals actively engaged in applied research, teaching and dissemination from all disciplines interested in cycling or cycling-related topics.

Although there are not all European countries members, some of their members are not European, though is does not matter because bicycle is worldwide.

How does it place in the European bike movement? Imagine a bike group or bike association in Valencia, Spain. Then, there is the Spanish association (federation) Conbici with the Valencian bike group under it. And finally, ECF acts as an umbrella with Conbici and much more bicycle groups to improve bike movement.

EuroVelo

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Imagine bike lines to ride throughout European countries, from north to south, from east to west. This awesome idea is EuroVelo. EuroVelo improves European cycle tourism among countries. Indeed, one can cycle from one point to another just enjoying the landscape and cities you encounter in your path. EuroVelo is a project of the European Cyclist’ Federation. When completed, the EuroVelo network’s total length will almost be 90,000 km (55,923 mi). The routes are made of both existing national bike routes as well as existing general purpose roads. In addition, there are new stretches of cycle routes to connect them.

EuroVelo routes do not look for fast cycling, rather they are appropriate for relaxing pedaling while imbuing with the essence of the places you visit. All the routes are appropriate to bikes, but you should be prepared in case of bad weather. Moreover, you can book routes in the EuroVelo web with important information such as route duration, difficulty, elevation, tour type or suitable types of bicycles.

There are nineteen international routes in EuroVelo: Atlantic Coast route, Capitals route, Pilgrims route, Central Europe route, Via Romea (Francigena), Atlantic-Black sea route, Sun route, Mediterranean route, Baltic – Adriatic route, Baltic sea cycle route, East Europe route, North sea Cycle route, Iron Curtain Trail route, Waters of Central Europe route, Rhine cycle route, Rhone cycle route and Meuse cycle route. Each and every route offers bikers a myriad of possibilities to know new cultures, cuisine, monuments, nature, people, museums, castles, you name it. Just get inspired.

Rosario Pino

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Rosario Pino (1870-1933) was a bike pioneer in Spain at the end of the 19th century. She worked as actress and first appeared in a painting in the magazine El deporte velocipédico (The Velocipede Sport, a velocipede was a type of 19th-bicycle) in February 1896. At that time, bicycles were expensive devices that only high-class people, mainly men, could afford it.

Her image represented a terrible blow to the macho and patriarchal mentality since they claimed against women in trousers on infernal machines. The very same magazine published where Rosario appeared also showed a journal article in which the French doctor Lèon Petit explained a positive view of women riding bikes. For instance, he denied the absurd legends of relating women infertility, hirsutism and lack of sexual desire to bicycle. To the contrary, he approved women on bikes in order for them to enjoy a healthy life which in turn will contribute to bring more babies to the world.

The provocative picture of Rosario Pino boosted the Spanish women to use bicycles and is considered part of the fight for female civil rights. In fact, Susan B. Anthony, the American Suffragist Association president, affirmed “I think [the bicycle] has done more to emancipate women than any one thing in the world. I rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a bike. It gives her a feeling of self-reliance and independence the moment she takes her seat; and away she goes, the picture of untrammelled womanhood”. Bicycles are symbols of equality because if men could make bike rides, women also could. For example, Marthe Hesse ascended the mythic Tourmalet mountain, France, without setting foot on the ground in 1902. Moreover, there were female bike competitions in Buffalo, Paris, Aix-les-Bains (France), Manchester (England) or Glasgow (Scotland). Female racers used the bloomers trousers, by Amelia Bloomer. In Spain, the first female bike race took place in 1935. The Ventas Cyclist Club organized the 22 kilometers race and Angelita Torres won it.
However, Rosario Pino rode in a relaxing way to go to wherever she wanted without the help of a man. She rode to the end of her days.

From the financial assistance to the bike movement in order to promote biking

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When we were in the worst state of pandemic, some governments gave financial assistance to citizens to buy environmentally friendly ways of transport, mainly bicycles. Bikes allow private, mostly individual displacements while maintaining safety distance with other actors in the road, two good points in favor of fighting against Covid19 as we know. Another area covered by this money was the transformation of a conventional bike into an electric one. This point has sense specially in hilly or too extensive zones. And data showed a boom in the use of bikes in the next months.

A different impact of such an action could have been an increment in the cost of bikes. Since people have more money to spend, bicycles could cost more. This is an immoral approach because the financial assistance did not cover all the petitioners, thus many could have been expelled from the interesting assistance. I do not even like to think about what could have happened if a piece of news explained that the bike shop X or the bike manufacturer Y had increased the cost of bikes in these days. Surely, the branch would have need to invest substantially more money than the extra gained income as a result of the bike movement which only wants to populate roads with bicycles. Regarding its influence, the bike movement has made possible happier people, taking care of the planet or, indirectly, looking after bikers health. Concrete events like the Critical Mass, the European Mobility Week or the Iberian Congress, just to name but a few, have contributed to promote the bike use.

More and more people ride their bike every year. Thank you!

Blind cyclers

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Suffering a vision impairment or becoming blind can change your live. Your plans and future projects can be disrupted, but new doors can be opened. Blind cyclers are not allowed to drive a car or a motorbike because of security purposes. However, they can continue practicing cycling with the help of a driver. Such a person comprises a key point in promoting biking thanks to their big heart.

Blindness has not stopped brave women and men to compete and win medals in Paralympic games. In such cases drivers are essential for them. Thanks to their solidarity and good hearts, tandems ride without envying not-blinded bikers. They act as their eyes, guiding them throughout the race track under a previously agreed, specific language so that the impeded person knows what to do all the time, if they need to turn to right or left, the soil they ride on and so on.

Such a challenged purpose requires drivers to be sportspersons, better if they are previously riders, if the partner wants to compete. A lot of visually impeded persons claim that practicing a sport is a fundamental tool to feel integration in society, even if it constitutes an important effort.

You know, experiencing a vision impairment is a shock at the beginning, but once the period of mourning is passed, bike gives a lot of fun and pleasure.

The Wright brothers

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The Wright brothers are world-widely known as the aviation pioneers in America, generally credited with inventing, building and flying the world’s first successful motor-operated airplane. Thus, initiating the race to conquer the skies. What most people, even most bikers, do not know is that Orville and Wilbur delved into the passionate area of bikes.

They opened a bike shop in 1892. The business was called Wright Cycle Exchange and located in 1005 West Third Street, Dayton, Ohio, USA. Here, they repaired and sold first and second-hand bicycles. Thanks to being extremely restless and technology passionate, they expanded their business and created a bike factory in 22 South Williams Street, Dayton, in 1894. The Wright Bicycle Company saw the birth of the opulent Van Cleve bicycle, named in honor of their great-great-grandmother, as well as the more available St. Clair. They built about 300 bicycles per year with prices between $42.5 and $65. Furthermore, those bikes experienced technical improvement due to the technological advancement of the Wright brothers. For example, they implemented sophisticated backpedal brakes or a special lubrication system because of the Dayton streets dust.

However, their interest in the bicycle world diminished little by little and it changed to follow the primary feature of birds: The flying capacity. Some points made it available. On the one hand, Orville and Wilbur competed in a saturated market in which brands allowed little space to craftsmen. Dayton saw Wright rivals like George P. Huffman who created the Dayton Special or the Dayton Racer. These both resulted in the legendary Huffy Bikes. On the other hand, the Wright brothers continued following their interests and variability. Hence, they moved forward to the next step.

Bike and food

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Riding a bike means practicing sport even if it is a relaxing pedaling. Although most of bikers are not considered professional ones like those who participate in the Tour of France, the Giro of Italy or the Vuelta of Spain, we should consider suitable food to eat before starting pedaling. Cycling, as well as every aerobic exercise, causes a reduction in the simple carbohydrates content of your body and it can diminish your fat proportion. This fact appears after sugars provide energy to your muscles. Thus, if you want to reduce brown fat, practice aerobic exercises.

Eaten food before pedaling can produce two effects in your body. First, eating energy-rich food (with lots of complex carbohydrates or fats) helps you exercising at least until this extra energy is burned. In fact, bikers who practice high-intensive, competitive exercises such as riding in the Tour, Giro o Vuelta, eat within stages to re-energize them. It is important that food provides complex carbohydrates. This way, body takes longer time to absorb it, so energy levels are higher when starting pedaling. Otherwise cyclers who eat simple carbohydrates would have much less energy because they eat one or more hours before starting exercising.

Second, eating too much can cause problems when cycling since body needs energy and blood to digest food. In other words, if you eat too much then your muscles and digestive tract compete with each other. The more energy and blood to muscle, the worse digestion. And the better digestion, the worse cycling.

Hence, take into account that food is an important issue to ride your bike.

Pregnant women and bicycles

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Using a bike is a good habit that more and more women practice every day. This positive and objective issue can become controversial as it comes to pregnant women. Although I am not the best person to talk about it since I am a man, I have read about it. Women opinions on this subject are as valuable as scarce, or at least not so widely known as they should be.

Bikeactivist women opt for continuing pedaling while pregnant in most cases. It is only rejected when their doctors or midwifes discourage them because of high risk pregnancy. In this case, mother love puts on top the baby health. On the other hand, brave women do not mind prejudices from antiquated people and decide to live their lives as they want. Some argue that a pregnant women who is riding can suffer a drop, similarly as when she walks on the street or drives a car. Hopefully, time will make forget this bogus argument.

A pregnant woman can tire more than a non-pregnant woman specially in the last stage of pregnancy while riding a bike due to the extra weight she burdens. It is not rocket science. But what many women and almost every man do not know is that pedaling when pregnant is a good way to practice moderate exercise as well as protecting both, mum and baby health, for most women.

Some pregnant women face opposition to those who criticize them for using bikes. Just fuck them. Women are free to do whatever they want.

Finally, here you have five tips in case you want to ride a bike while pregnant:

  • Talk to your gynecologist

  • Use an appropriate bicycle

  • Prioritize your security (and your baby’s)

  • Listen to your body

  • Plan your route