The Wheeler Social will be on a Wednesday this month rather than a Thursday.
Wednesday, Feb 10th, 5:30 pm at Destihl
RSVP at:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Tax Breaks for Communting Bicyclists |
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Last year bicycling commuters were included in the tax code section that allows for employer reimbursement of workplace transportation costs. Thanks to the Bicycle Commuter Act, cyclists now get some of the same type of tax-free fringe benefits as do their motoring co-workers. If a company provides the benefit, which is $20 per month, a worker can put into a special tax-favored account, bicycle commuters can use that money to help defray such costs as the purchase of a bicycle, bike lock, helmet, bike parking fees, shower facilities and general bike maintenance.
Reprinted from Bankrate.com |
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Decatur Cyclists Looking for Riders for all or part of Cross-Country Trip |
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Written by Julian
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Monday, 25 January 2010 21:51 |
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The Decatur Bike Club has four members (men ages 58-63 - easy going guys- no hammerheads) that are going to ride across country starting in March from St Augustine, Fla heading to San Diego. They plan on taking 50-55 days for the ti. Following the Adventure Cycling Association's Southern Tier bike route. The first day of their ride will be Sunday, March 14.
They have a large passenger van that will be with them the whole way carrying all the riders gear - plus spare wheels/bikes. Therefore each day will feature riding unencumbered for 60-75 miles.
If you are interested in joining them for the whole trip, or just for a few days, or if you just want more information, contact Mark McClure at 217-454-9896 or via email at
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To see their route go to
http://tsteven4.qwestoffice.net/maps/SouthernTierRoute.html
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Last Updated on Monday, 08 February 2010 19:52 |
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Do Bike-Helmet Laws Discourage Bicycling? |
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Reprinted from the NY Times
By STEPHEN J. DUBNER
In a new working paper called “The Intended and Unintended Effects of Youth Bicycle Helmet Laws” (abstract here; pdf here), Christopher S. Carpenter and Mark Stehr offer a surprising conclusion: while mandatory helmet laws have led to increased helmet use, and while helmet use has been shown to reduce bicycle fatalities, such laws also seem to lead to a decrease in actual bike riding.
Why?
Carpenter and Stehr lay out their case compellingly. They exploit a convenient variable: the fact that helmet laws exist in only 21 states, pictured here:
While conceding that these are primarily “coastal” states, the authors note that they cover more than 50 percent of the U.S. youth population.
Their research first confirms earlier research that “helmet laws significantly reduced bicycling fatalities among youths age 0-15 (i.e., youths who were directly treated by most states’ age-16 helmet laws) by about 19 percent.”
Their research further suggests “that helmet laws significantly increased youth helmet use by 29-35 percent.”
But: “There is also robust evidence for an unintended and previously undocumented mechanism: helmet laws produced modest but statistically significant reductions in youth bicycling participation of 4-5 percent.”
To read more go to the NY Times |
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For Bicyclists Needing a Boost, This Wheel May Help |
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By SINDYA N. BHANOO Published: December 14, 2009 It is not easy to reinvent the wheel, but researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are giving it their best shot. The Senseable City Laboratory at M.I.T. has designed a wheel that captures the kinetic energy released when a rider brakes and saves it for when the rider needs a boost. While technically sound, the wheel’s true challenge may be in winning over cyclists. For centuries, bikes have been beloved for their simplicity, not their bells and whistles. But, said Carlo Ratti, the laboratory’s director, “biking can become even more effective than what it was.” What the lab is working on, he said, is “Biking 2.0.” The new wheel uses a kinetic energy recovery system, the same technology used by hybrid cars, like the Toyota Prius, to harvest otherwise wasted energy when a cyclist brakes or speeds down a hill. With that energy, it charges up a battery inside the wheel’s hub. To read more, go to The New York Times |
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