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​Discover the joy of bike commuting
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Getting Around on a Tricycle!

8/31/2015

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Bike commuting with tricycle
Recently, I met with Jen Quinlan who leads marketing efforts for the gesture recognition startup Rithmio. While Jen commutes by train to Chicago,  she rides frequently when at home in Champaign, IL. Her "wheels" for getting around are most unusual -- a tricycle! 

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Ancien Cycles: Inspired by the Oldest Bicycle Race in the World

8/21/2015

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Ancien Cycle Chicago Bike Commuter
The word Ancien is both a tag line and bragging right for a finisher of the Paris-Brest-Paris race, which is the oldest cycling event in the world (since 1891). It's a 1200 kilometer (approximately 750 miles) distance and participants must complete the race within 90 hours. It is held every four years in August (the race is currently going on as this interview is being conducted), drawing 5000 riders from all over the world that are socializing as much as riding hard. Limited to amateur riders, finishers are given the honorary title ancien (male) / ancienne (female). 

The moniker is also the inspiration for the name of a Chicago bike shop on Milwaukee Avenue, Ancien Cycles, started by 2 time finisher and Ancien, Scott McIntosh. I recently met with Scott to understand more about this unique bike shop/cafe/lifestyle business. 

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Know your bike commuting route.

8/17/2015

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Bike Commuting Chicago Maps
Bike commuter gets a free bike map on the fly.
Bike commuting can be overwhelming at times with cars, buses, taxis, pedestrians and other bikes all vying for your attention as you ride. Not knowing where you are going just adds another level of stress to the ride. Fortunately, many municipalities are printing free bike maps that feature the best streets for cycling. Last week I was riding to work and the Bicycling Ambassadors were giving out free Chicago Bike Maps. Inspired by their enthusiasm, I stopped to talk with Morning, who was directing the group on the lakefront path. 

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Commuting with a Shared Bike

8/2/2015

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Bike Sharing Minneapolis
Earlier this month I was in Minneapolis visiting with friends and had the chance to use the bike sharing program dubbed Nice Ride.  The system is one of the older ones among U.S. cities starting in 2010 and is modeled on the program in Montreal. Over 409,000 trips were taken in 2014 which is remarkable given that the bikes are not available during winter months. An extensive network of bike paths winds around the numerous lakes in the Twin Cities metro area, making it easy (and safe) to get to many destinations. 
Bike sharing programs are popping up all over the U.S. At least 78 cities now have programs or plan to offer one (Source: Bikeshare.com). The programs are usually intended for individuals riding for pleasure (tourists) as well as daily commuters. But what is it really like to use a shared bike for your daily commute? 

We spoke recently with Colin Robertson who rides to work using Divvy - Chicago's bike sharing system. Colin tells us about the benefits and challenges of this approach. 

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Photos used under Creative Commons from Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, IQRemix, VeloBusDriver, Maria Eklind, kasio69
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