Family Fun Ride

The Smart Money Family Fun Ride is this Saturday!

The Smart Money Family Fun Ride will start at the Columbus Municipal Airport on  Saturday, August 6. Registration is $35 for adults, but only $5 for kids 18 and under. There are two ride lengths, 14 and five miles. The 14-mile ride will stop at the Atterbury -Bakalar Air Museum and Mill Race Park. There will also be games and activities to test one's knowledge of financial matters.

Friday Photo - Team Sky Tour de France Victory

Team Sky crossing the finish line at the Tour de France

This week's photo is Team Sky at the finish line for the final stage of the 2016 Tour de France. Their man, Chris Froome (center, in the yellow jersey) won his third Tour de France. Froome finished second in the 2012 Tour de France, when he rode in support of winner and teammate Bradley Wiggins. Since then he has won three out of the last four contests. The one exception was 2014,when he crashed and had to abandon on stage 5.

For more information on Chris Froome and Team Sky, visit their websites at Chris-Froome.com and TeamSky.com.

Thursday Video - Griffin Bike Park

Mountain Biker at Griffin Bike Park

This week's video features mountain biking on the trails at Griffin Bike Park, which is about seven miles south of Terre Haute. This project celebrates Indiana's bicentennial and is named in honor of Sergeant Dale Griffin. Griffin was a mountain biker from the area who was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. The facility is so new that it won't have its grand opening festival until October 15-16 this year.

Weird Bike Wednesday - Bike Friday

Bike Friday's New World Tourist (unfolded & folded)

This week's weird bike is also very practical. It's a New World Tourist from Bike Friday. It looks a little odd with the 20 inch wheels, but it has high quality components. It folds up to only 32" x 24" x 12". It can be disassembled to reduce it down further to 29.5" x 20" x 12", which is small enough to fit into a Samsonite F"lite 30 suitcase. Airlines want to charge you extra if you travel with your bicycle. If you put it into a suitcase, you can avoid this cost. Just don't tell anyone you have a bike in the suitcase.

Circle City Bicycles is proud to be Bike Friday's newest dealer, and their only one in Indiana. We now offer you two choices if you are looking for a folding bicycle. If you want full size wheels, we offer Montague folding bicycles. If you're looking for a bike that folds up as small as possible, we have Bike Friday. The choice is yours.

Touring Tuesday - Greenland

Mountain biking in Greenland

Looking for an exotic vacation away from the crowds? Check out this Kayak, Hike and Bike Tour of Greenland. You can get in touch with your inner Viking on this excursion. Among other things, this trip promises:

• A tour of Viking ruins
• Mountain biking along a remote road used only by a few farmers
• A visit to the Qoorog Glacier
• A visit to a Greenland farm
• A traditional Inuit dinner (seal, whale, smoked salmon or cod) one night
• Kayaking among icebergs

Sylva's Ladies Ride this Saturday

Sylva's ride will visit Milktooth in Fountain Square

Sylva (our store manager) will lead her first ladies ride this Saturday from Circle City Bicycles to Milktooth in Fountain Square for coffee and pastries. The ride begins at 8:00 A.M. and will be an easy social ride of about 11 miles. This ride will be a monthly event.

Friday Photo - Mark Cavendish

Mark Cavendish celebrating stage win number four

It looks like Chris Froome will win the 2016 Tour de France and Peter Sagan will take home the Green Jersey, but it has been a good tour for Mark Cavendish as well. He has four stage victories which moved him into second place for most all-time stage wins, trailing only the great Eddy Merckx, a four time winner of the Tour de France.

Cavendish came into this year's race with 26 stage wins, trailing Bernard Hinault, also a four time winner, by two. Cavendish's total is now 30 wins, only four behind the 34 stage victories of Merckx. Perhaps in 2017 he can become the all-time leader.

Mark Cavendish is scheduled to participate in the Rio Olympics later this year. He will be competing in team pursuit for Great Britain. Because of this Cavendish pulled out of the Tour de France before the start of stage 17 on Wednesday. To stay in and have a chance to win on Sunday (The only remaining flat stage), he would have had to survive four straight mountain stages.

Thursday Video - Bike Friday Powered Movies

Movie projector powered by Bike Friday Haul-A-Day

Here's a video that I really like. It's called Claudia's Haul-A-Day in Mexico City. Claudia uses her Bike Friday Haul-A-Day to get around in Mexico City, but she also uses it to show movies in small villages. She hooks up a generator to her bike to provide power for a film projector. This allows her to set up and show movies almost anywhere. I bet the villagers really appreciate the chance for some evening entertainment. In the video it looks like there is a pretty good turnout.

If you want a Bike Friday Haul-A-Day, you can order it through Circle City Bicycles. If you want one set up to show movies, you can get it through Open Air Cinema.

Weird Bike Wednesday - World's Largest Mobile Guitar

Didi Senft and his mobile guitar

This week's weird bike was created by Didi Senft of Germany. While you probably don't recognize his name, you have no doubt seen him numerous times if you are a fan of the Tour de France. He shows up along the route most years dressed up as the devil and carrying a trident.

Didi has created many unusual bicycles. This one is listed as the World's Largest Mobile Guitar. It is about 15 feet tall and took six months to construct. Since it will be kept outdoors, the strings are made of stainless steel. Weighing in at over one thousand pounds, it is not the easiest thing to pedal around.

Touring Tuesday - Wisconsin Trails

Ed Pope & David Kennedy riding a trail in Wisconsin

If you prefer to ride bicycle trails instead of roads, you might want to consider visiting Wisconsin. They have extensive system of trails, including the Elroy-Sparta trail, one of the first in the nation constructed on a former rail line. The Wisconsin Department of Tourism has an 84-page Official Biking Guide on their website.

I went with a group of friends on a week-long Wisconsin cycling trip in 2006. We started in Baraboo in the center of the state. Our route included the Elroy-Sparta Trail, which has three railroad tunnels on it. Continuing west, we reached the Mississippi River at La Crosse. We saw some eagles as we headed south along the river before turning east towards Baraboo. On some of the trails we saw sandhill cranes. I really enjoyed biking through the rural areas of Wisconsin. The farms and natural areas are very pretty.

Tour de France - Our Sale Continues!

Chris Froome running up Mt. Ventoux on Stage 12 (photo courtesy of Business Insider)

Our sale continues through the end of the Tour de France on Sunday. Stop by, have a few cookies and find out what's going on in the Tour de France.

Well, the TDF has had plenty of surprises this year. Phil Ligget says people always ask him "Don't you get tired of doing the same race every year"? His reply is that it is never the same race. That has been especially true this year. On stage 8, nothing much happened on the final climb of the day, which wasn't surprising since the next day was going to be a really tough one. What was a surprise was that as they crested, Chris Froome took off like a madman on the downhill. He caught everyone off guard and was able to finish 13 seconds ahead of his main rivals. Since he won the stage, he also got a ten second time bonus, so he gained a total of 23 seconds. Froome again surprised everyone on stage 11 when he bridged a gap to join a three man breakaway that included Peter Sagan. Severe crosswinds disrupted the peloton, and they couldn't quite pull them back, giving Froome six seconds over his main competitors. Since he finished second to Sagan, he got another six seconds time bonus.

The craziest thing occurred on stage12. Froome was attacking on the final climb, and right behind Richie Porte. There was a motorbike with a TV camera ahead of Porte, which had to stop suddenly due to fans blocking the road, causing a pile-up. Porte crashed into the motorbike, then Froome crashed into him. The crash broke the frame of Froome's bike, and due to the narrow, crowded roads, no support vehicle could get to him. Froome took off running up the hill. Eventually a neutral support car came by and gave him a bike, which he tried to ride. Since Froome is taller (6' 1") than most cyclists, the bike didn't fit him well at all. Finally a Team Sky car got there and gave him a properly sized bike, which he rode to the finish line. In the provisional results for the stage, Froome had lost his yellow jersey. Shortly afterward the officials sorted things out and Froome was back in the yellow jersey.

Friday Photo - Buddyrider

Cyclist and dog in Buddyrider

The BuddyRider is an accessory that allows a cyclist to take a dog along on a ride. We are looking into carrying this product in our store. It looks like it secures the dog pretty well with the straps, and it is placed near the center of the bike, which should make it stable. My dog is a golden retriever, so he's not going to ride on one of these. The weight limit is 25 pounds, and it retails for $119.

My dog Scout - Way too big for the BuddyRider

Weird Bike Wednesday - The Jump Bike

The Jump Bike may be the missing link between running and cycling

This week's weird bike was found on DesignBoom. It is called the jump bike. There are no pedals. You run, pushing the bike in front of you. When you get going fast enough, you can jump on the seat and ride a while.

Now I have chronicled a lot of weird bikes previously on this blog, but this has to be the dumbest bike I have ever seen. Apparently a lot of other folks agree with me. The DesignBoom article was published in 2008. Neither the jump bike video or website now exist.

Touring Tuesday - Mackinac Island

Cycling on Mackinac Island

If you are looking for a place to do some safe, easy cycling, consider Mackinac Island. It is located near the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meet. Cars are not allowed on the island, except for emergency vehicles, so most people either walk, bike, or ride a horse. Eighty percent of the island is a state park, and most of the rest caters to tourists. There were only 492 permanent residents when the census was taken in 2010, but thousands of tourists and seasonal workers come in during the summer.

You can rent bicycles at the Mackinac Island Bike Shop, which is located on the southern end of the island. Their website has a map of roads and trails. The eight mile route around the perimeter of the island is the most popular. I'm sure it has many beautiful views of Lake Huron. Here's a video of cycling on Mackinac Island. For more information, please visit Biking on Mackinac Island.

Cycling around the perimeter of Mackinac Island (photo courtesy of ActionHub)

Our Tour de France Sale

Lots of Panniers on Sale!

After nine stages of the Tour de France, two-time champion Chris Froome has the yellow jersey and looks very strong. Despite getting hit by the collapsing one kilometer banner on Friday, Adam Yates is in second place 16 seconds back. Nairo Quintana, considered Froome's biggest threat, is 23 seconds behind in fourth place. Former champion Alberto Contador had to abandon the tour on Sunday after two crashes earlier in the week and developing a fever. Tejay van Garderen, the top American, is in eleventh place and 61 seconds behind Froome.

To celebrate the race, we are having a sale during the remainder of the tour. Look for the airdancer out front. We'll also have cookies and punch available in the store, and the Tour or its wrap-up show will be on the TV. Items on sale will include:

• Arkel panniers (20% off)
• Tubus racks (20% off)
• Ortlieb panniers (20% off)
• $69 Kali helmets for $40 (save $29)
• Closeout bikes

Tour de France Banner Collapse

The 1 kilometer to go banner collapsed during Stage 7

There was a problem at the finish of Stage 7 in the Tour de France on Friday. The inflatable banner that marked one kilometer to the finish line collapsed, blocking the route. An air compressor is supposed to keep it pressurized and rigid. A spectator's belt got caught on a power cable and disconnected its supply of electricity. When it fell, it crashed onto the head of British rider Adam Yates of the Orica-BikeExchange team. He was cut on the chin and had to get a few stitches, but was otherwise okay. There were no other injuries.

Adam Yates after the banner collapsed on top of him

Friday Photo - Cyclists and Koala

Four cyclists and their new friend (photo courtesy of GoodNewsNetwork)

Four cyclists were pedaling through Adelaide and stopped to take a break. When they did, a koala came to them looking for water. According to Australian wildlife authorities, koalas have learned they can often get water from humans passing by. The weather was quite hot, so it isn't surprising the little guy was thirsty. One biker got out his water bottle to give him a drink. The koala then climbed up his front wheel to get in a better drinking position.

Thursday Video - Five Year Old BMX Rider

Will he land safely or will he crash? - Watch the video to find out!

Check out this thirty-five second video of a five year old BMX rider. He makes some impressive jumps for a youngster.

Weird Bike Wednesday - Snowboard Bicycle

With the snowboard bicycle you ride sideways

Michael Killian, the creator of the snowboard bicycle, says it is good for developing the balance you need for snowboarding. The rider sits sideways, and steering is done with both wheels. I think it would take a while to get used to riding this bike. He claims this is the bicycle that Dr. Seuss would ride, and he's probably correct. For more information, check out his website at SidewaysBike.com.

Here's a video of the bike in action:

Touring Tuesday - Eurovelo Routes

Eurovelo route network

If you want to bicycle through Europe, but don't want to pay the big bucks for a tour operator, consider using the Eurovelo route network. These are long, multinational routes. Predominately north-south routes have odd numbers, and east -west routes have even numbers (just like U.S. interstates). Here are the routes that are available:

1. Atlantic Coast Route: Northern Norway to southern Portugal
2. Capitals Route: Galway, Ireland to Moscow, Russia
3. Pilgrims Route: Trondheim, Norway to northwest Spain
4. Central Europe Route: Brittany region of France to Kiev, Ukraine
5. Via Romea Francigena Route: London to the boot heel of Italy
6. Atlantic - Black Sea Route: Atlantic coast of France to Black Sea Coast of Bulgaria
7. Sun Route: Northern Norway to Malta
8. Mediterranian Route: Cadiz, Spain to Cyprus
9. Baltic - Adriatic Route: Gdansk, Poland to Pula, Croatia
10. Baltic Sea Route: Loop includes Stockholm, Helsinki and St. Petersburg
11. Eastern Europ Route: Northern Norway to Athens
12. Northern Sea Route: Loop includes Edinburgh Scotland, Hamburg Germany, and Oslo Norway
13. Iron Curtain Trail: Northern Norway to the Black Sea
14. None
15. Rhine Route: Northern Norway to Malta, following the Rhine River in central Europe
16. None
17. Rhone Route: Switzerland to France's Mediterranean coast, following the Rhone River

Please note that these route are in various stages of development. Here's a video showing part of the French portion of the Atlantic Coast Route:

Round Barn Ride

Rider coming to sag stop at the Hall Round Barn (photo courtesy of TribTown)

This coming Saturday will be a busy one for cycling activities. The Indy Criterium will be held downtown. Look for Circle City Bicycles there among the vendor tables. Also going on, south of Indianapolis, is the 25th Annual Round Barn Bike Ride, which starts in Brownstown. Available ride lengths are 32, 68 and 80 miles. The 80 mile route is a good trainer if you are getting ready for RAIN, which is the following Saturday. Interesting sights along the way include the Hall Round Barn, the Stuckwish Round Barn and the Medora Covered Bridge. At 430 feet long, the Medora bridge is the longest historic covered bridge in the United States.

Friday Photo - Buried Bicycle

The Buried Bicycle (Photo courtesy of Panoramio)

This week's photo comes from Parc de la Villette in Paris, France. It is called Bicyclette Ensevelie, which is French for "Buried Bicycle." It was commissioned in 1985 and installed in the park in 1990. From left to right you can see:

• Crank arm with pedal
• Portion of bicycle wheel
• Handlebar with bell
• Half of bicycle saddle

For more information, please visit the website of the artists.