Truly Amazing Pics - "Will Americans ever bicycle like the rest of the world?"

[bhikkhu]

A Train Station in Japan

http://energybulletin.net/node/46298

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This is a good little article promoting bicycling is the US, with some steps on "getting there from here". The really amazing thing is the pictures of vast amounts of bikes parked at train stations around Japan and Europe. The one that really gets me is this from Scandinavia:



This year I'll be trying to keep the car parked and stay on the bike once the snow hits, as long as possible. I don't think I have ever even seen someone riding in snow here before, though.

[happyslug]

1. Looking at the pictures, almost all have fenders

The Japanese picture it was hard to see any bike WITHOUT a fender, the Scandinavian picture most look like they had fenders, but some may not have any (all of the bikes may have fenders, but I am going by what I see in the two pictures).

At the web site you have additional pictures, again most of the bikes have Fenders. American Bikes rarely have fenders, but then Americans don't bike in bad weather. Fenders come handle at keeping water and dirt off your bike AND the rider. I use fenders on my bike, but most Americans do NOT bike in bad weather.

[bhikkhu]

2. You can see lots of bells, too.

I just yell "on your right" or whatever if I have to, and can't imagine ever getting a bell in spite of the jingly niceness of them.

I got some good fenders for my commuter the other day..after having to drive to work on one rainy morning. I haven't put them on yet because, well, there is a geek factor here to fenders that goes way beyond the geek factor of even bicycling to begin with. Once the weather turns though, the fenders will be on for sure.

[happyslug]

3. I installed German Made SKS Fenders on my bike

I obtained them over the net from Peter White Wheels in New Hampshire:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/

Peter White's page on Fenders is here:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fenders.asp

A picture of the SKS Fenders:


Peter White appears to be pushing his French made Gilles BERTHOUD, just because they are the best fenders available for bicycles at the present time:

Gilles Berthoud website:
http://www.gillesberthoud.fr/anglais/index1.php

SKS Website:
http://www.sks-germany.com/
Fenders:
http://www.sks-germany.com/sks.php?l=en&a=range&r=mudguards&s=city

[bvar22]

4. Riding in the snow can be fun.

I recommend studded tires for those patches of ice.....just remember that there are no studs on your shoes. :)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=324&topic_id=1407&mesg_id=1414