m-bike.org

Category: General bike news

  • Please check the new loops in Royal Oak

    [geo_mashup_map height=”200″ width=”300″ zoom=”13″]

    The city of Royal Oak recently changed the traffic signal at 12 Mile Road and Connecticut — a popular crossing for cyclists.

    The old signal cycled automatically, giving green lights to both streets. In order to reduce delays on 12 Mile, the new signal only gives a green like to Connecticut when a vehicle is present. They added loop detectors in the ground which detect metal objects like cars. However, the contractors told the city that the loops should also detect bicycles.

    And that’s where we need you help.

    We want to make sure it does detect bicycles, especially single bikes with non-steel frames (e.g. carbon.) If you have such a bike, could you ride up to this light on Connecticut and see if you get a green signal? It may take upwards of 45 seconds.

    Please send your results to info@m-bike.org and we’ll pass them along to the Royal Oak City Engineer.

  • Save Gasoline, Ride Bicycles

    Sandra Svoboda at the Metro Times found this historical bicycle movie made in 1925 by the Detroit News.

    According to this newsreel, “Residents of Bloomfield Hills have taken up bicycle riding as a means of recreation.”

    Mrs. Warren S. Booth is highlighted. Her husband eventually became the president, publisher and chairman of the board of the Detroit News — the newspaper his grandfather James Scripps founded in 1873. So, this newsreel was more of a family movie than news.

    Still, those are some sweet bikes, riding clothes, and hats — a nice tweed ride.

  • Keep your sanity, commute by bike

    Reuters recently wrote about new research on the benefits of “green exercise.” Apparently just five minutes is all need, which is good news for bike commuters.

    Researchers from the University of Essex found that as little as five minutes of a “green activity” such as walking, gardening, cycling or farming can boost mood and self esteem.

    “We believe that there would be a large potential benefit to individuals, society and to the costs of the health service if all groups of people were to self-medicate more with green exercise,” Barton said in a statement about the study, which was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

    Many studies have shown that outdoor exercise can reduce the risk of mental illness and improve a sense of well-being, but Jules Pretty and Jo Barton, who led this study, said that until now no one knew how much time needed to be spent on green exercise for the benefits to show.

    And don’t forget to mark your calendars. Bike to Work day in Detroit is May 21st. You can start from Royal Oak, Grosse Pointe or Dearborn. All rides head to Campus Maritius.

  • Road of Tomorrow wasn’t a Complete Street

    The Henry Ford has been uploading archived footage from their collection to YouTube. Their most recent upload was from the 1940 New York World’s Fair. It shows their “Road of Tomorrow” which looks more like an elevated expressway, though the cars are going quite slowly. Ford was certainly pitching the idea of more car-only roads.

    This is the same World’s Fair where GM unveiled Futurama, a more elaborate model for highways in America.

    GM also documented their exhibit through this gem from Jam Handy:

  • Three more Bicycle Friendly Communities in Michigan

    The League of American Bicyclists just announced 16 new Bicycle Friendly Community awards, three of which are in Michigan:

    • Lansing
    • Marquette
    • Portage

    All three earned the entry-level Bronze status for Engineering, while Lansing also got a Bronze in Education.

    There are now six recognized Bicycle Friendly Communities in Michigan. Sadly enough, none are in Macomb, Oakland, or Wayne Counties.

    However, it’s expected the city of Detroit will apply within the year given the recent Bikes Belong/REI Bicycle Friendly Community grant. The city of Ferndale had applied years ago but did not receive an award or honorable mention.