[reluctantly] I said I’d have a winner today, so here are the results:

All the entrants were compelling.  But I developed a simple rubric based on 1-5 point scale.  Below are the results:

Rodney:

track record of success  5—Many CO readers know how committed Rodney is.

possibility of longevity 4 Not many young, small children means fewer years’ use.

making of a one-car family  3 The level of Rodney’s success indicates that he is already so car-independent that little change will be made.

Janet:

track record of success  5—you already transport kids without a car.

possibility of longevity 5—your children are so young that you have room to grow.

making one-car 5—you can really do this with a MADSEN, and I think it’s just the push you need.

Lisa:

YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE!  Good for you! 

Vincent

track record of success  5—you already use a bike to transport kids.

possibility of longevity 5—your children are so young that you have room to grow.

making one-car 5—you can really do this with a MADSEN, and I think it’s just the push you need.

Patti Lynn

track record of success  5—clearly overcome challenges daily, commendably, though not with bikes necessarily.

possibility of longevity—indefinitely—5

making one-car—Clearly you will use the MADSEN, though recreational use such as going to the beach combined with less support of car-free history make lower score because it indicates that everyday transportation use might not be as prevalent.  Basically, it’s my little baby, and it needs time to run around and play!  4

I received a personal appeal on behalf of (and unbeknownst to) one of the two finalists while I was at the Orlando Museum of Art this past week.  Tales of her dragging her child through the heat, of her passion, of her commitment.  But the other finalist is on the Cady Way Trail.  He has seen me there.  And this is a veritable bike highway.  It so increases the chances that someone can go car light to car free.

I just couldn’t decide.  I asked Angie, and she thought it was a tie.  I emailed my dad.  No deciding answer there either.

So I anonymously had students read the entries.  They wrote paragraphs supporting why or why not this or that person should get the bike.  Don’t worry.  They didn’t decide this.  But they did make me think.  The most compelling argument was that one person demonstrated a need while another person demonstrated a desire, and since need trumps desire, Person A (as they were so labeled) should win.  Person A was Janet’s entry, so she is the winner of my original MADSEN!  Congratulations Janet!!!

Janet, please post a time that you would like to meet at the Cady Way Trailhead at Cady Way Park so that I can deliver your new MADSEN.  I would like this to be as public as possible, because it’s exciting to me.  As a happy member of this wonderful and growing community, let me be the first to say welcome to the world of family cycling.  Your life will never be the same.

But, seriously, I really do want to thank those of you who have “entered” the contest for being patient–particularly because I would like to use this as a LAST CHANCE!!! to win my old MADSEN.  It’s a great bike, and I know I’m dragging my feet, but I still feel very sad when I sit on it at night, by myself, holding the handlebars, remembering.  But I have to pay it forward.  It’s the right thing to do.  It hurts.  But I know it’s just a growing pain.

So, as I set my jaw and wrap a belt around my hand and brace for the pain, I hereby declare that I will choose a winner one week from tomorrow night (that is December 8th, 2010 for those reading in the archives).  Then I will meet you on the top of Mount Cady Way, and I will send you on your way (please follow the comments for updates on the winner).

Now, *10,000 of you actually won’t win.  But I believe you should consider a new MADSEN.  Here are some reasons that the 2011 MADSEN is a great bike.

Improvements That You Might Not Notice but You Should

The rack. My wife thought it was super cool when she saw it.  But I didn’t want to put it on.  It gives the bike a really cool Euro feel, but since I ride it ten miles a day (I’m not lazy or bragging; I’m just trying to be efficient.), hauling my kids around, I really didn’t want the extra weight.  But it’s definitely worth the money for this addition, even if just to avoid rearranging backpacks when I pick up my oldest daughter.  My briefcase fits perfectly up there.  I’ve strapped fish, bread, cereal, comprehensive case logics, eggs, and much more upon the rack.  It’s really great.  Plus, the water-bottle holder is much more like a drink carrier it its location and usability.  I let my tea steep on the way to work when I was sick last week, using my coffee cup and the cup holder on the MADSEN.  It is that stable.  But it fits water bottles, too, in case you want to use one of those.

Another improvement is a new disc brake in the front.  It is an improvement from the year before, though it does make a noise and wobble a bit when I stop hard (which could be the particular bike or the brake–I’m am not sure).  Regardless, aesthetically, it is an improvement on the original and the overall braking system demonstrates much improved stopping power.  It stops more like the XtraCycle Radish than the original Madsen.  The Radish is a light bike, too, so it stops hard.  Additionally, each brake features an easy-to-use parking brake that is activated by pushing a button.  This is handy for stoplights as well as parking on uneven surfaces and hills.  One downside is that the rear-brake may need periodic adjustments/tightening as I’ve noticed the parking brake doesn’t always hold it still after a few hundred miles when it’s sitting uphill and has a full load (I know that’s a ridiculous circumstance, but it is what it is).

As far as the handlebars go, the grips are better, the handlebars look a lot cooler, and they are sturdier.  I adjusted my handlebars a little bit, and they really need to be tightened tight to get a solid hold.  It’s not a problem, though.  However, I should mention that before I adjusted the handlebars, I was noticing a good amount of back pain that went away within a day of adjusting them.  This might be due to the lack of ability to adjust the handlebars up or down.  I did not change the angle of the bars when I changed the height of the seat.  Once I did it was a big improvement.  Overall, the steering system is bolstered by the very nice looking stem.  It would be nice to be able to raise them.  I may replace the handlebars, which I never thought of doing on the original MADSEN.  Though I should make it clear that I feel the handlebars are an improvement.

One of the best improvements of the year, though, is the stock built-in lock.  I can’t say enough good things about it.  If you do not own a Madsen yet, you will learn that these bikes cannot easily be carried off.  So locking the front wheel should suffice in most situations.  I haven’t been in a situation yet where I felt the lock wouldn’t be enough; though, it would still even add an additional level of protection if you were parking in areas with high crime.  This particular feature, however, has prompted me to take the MADSEN even when I’m not carrying passengers.  I could take my Raleigh 3-speed, but then I’d have to go get a lock out of the utility room.  So I just take the MADSEN.  It is the same idea of park it and leave it that you get with an automobile.  It’s just so nice.

The Bucket, which is, after all, the thing that makes a MADSEN a MADSEN, is so much easier to clean.  The drainage holes in the bucket (one on each side) are probably twice the size as the original.  This makes a big difference in dust accumulation, crumbs mixing with soil and dried up leaves, labels of things, etc. getting stuck in the bottom of the bucket.  The rear reflector is on the seat post now.  If replacing the reflector and installing ultra-bright rear lights, this would position a rear light in the path of vision of the rear passengers, which poses a problem for dads like me who drive their bike to work in the early morning who neither want to blind nor traumatize their daughters with a thirty-minute hypnotizing episode of a flashing red-light seance each and every morning.  But there is an awesome new feature: the seat belts are mounted high up onto the bucket.  Why does that matter?  If you purchase a longer bolt to replace the shorter bolt that normally holds the seat belts on the bucket, you can install two Planet Bike blinkie lights right onto the bucket itself.  It’s incredibly easy, streamlined, and stylish.  Not to mention safe and ultra visible.

The bucket is also lighter, and this makes the whole bike lighter.  But it feels sturdier and faster, despite the weight loss since the original MADSEN came out.  Overall, the improvements do more than make it a stronger competitor for the European cargo bike market.  It is in a class by itself, in my opinion, in that the price-point and conveniences that it offers really does make it a viable alternative to the automobile.  The bucket fits four children.  I’ve carried my wife and both kids in it.

You have the kids and you can still stop and get a week’s worth of groceries, regardless of the backpacks.  You don’t think about what you are bringing with you in an automobile; you can come and go as you please.  The MADSEN offers the same thing.

Considering that about a third of people drive less than five miles to get to work, you save about fifteen minutes each way going by car, but for these fifteen minutes, you pay car insurance, gas, a car payment (or a lump sum of tens of thousands of dollars).  This comes to several thousand dollars per year.  And some people pay for a gym membership on top of that.  And then they drive their automobile to that gym.  This bike has the potential to redefine the way we approach transportation because it offers a much easier way to park the car, lower your monthly bills, and improve your health.  The MADSEN is a solution that takes the inconvenience out of riding a bike.

1. Announce that I am now sporting an awesome, brand-spanking new, Tiffany blue cargo bike.  Many thanks to MADSEN Cycles for considering me for this.
2. Post a review of this bike.
3. Pay it forward and announce that I now have a one-year-old MADSEN bike, with custom-made Hibiscus seats and only three thousand miles, just sittin’ there, just waitin’ for something, just waitin’ for a brand-spanking new family like you!!!

So this is an official announcement of a contest.  Now, I have carried grown men, women, children of all ages, four princesses after a slumber party, a facade that recreated the boat from Peter Pan, 167 canned-food items for a Thanksgiving food drive at a local high school,  a week’s worth of groceries including milk and a watermelon, 600 feet of heavy-duty garden hose and a case of beer, drywall, firewood, chicken wire, lumber, and camping gear; plus both of my children for an entire school year (including summer school).  Rain or shine.  100 degrees in summer.  27 degrees on winter mornings.

So it should go without saying that this is a very special bike to me.  Yet before I can rehome the bike, you have to tell me what you’re going to do with it.  So please comment on this story, in 250 words or less, with how you would use it.  *Things that are more likely to make you win:  You adhere to standards of grammar and usage (I don’t mean to be elitist.  I’m an English teacher.  I have to do this.).  You are hauling kids.  You have a track record of success.  You want to escape from the culture of cars.  You do not want to make other people feel like something the cat dragged in. *Not guaranteed to make you win.  Things that would make you win might not be listed.  You might not win. For those of you who don’t win and for those of you who just want to know what the new bike has to offer:

The new 2011 MADSEN is a huge improvement on what was already a life-changing product.  The design of the MADSEN, a longtail bicycle with an open-roof passenger/cargo hull in the rear, is one that removes the inconvenience from the transition to riding a bike as a primary vehicle, allowing self-actualization into your work commute in the same way that doing a job you love lets self-actualization into your work.  What’s more, in the same way you would simply throw a bag lunch and jacket (see above for more details) into your car, you can load a MADSEN without a thought to as to how you arrange (most) cargo.

This is how the MADSEN comes out of the (gigantic) box, straight to your door.

We have loaded the 2011 MADSEN with two children and a weeks’ worth of groceries for a family of four many times.  On one of our trips, we actually filled the bucket and had to use the front rack for one of the bags.  But on another trip, we went shopping right from picking up the girls from school.  So we had two backpacks.  We still fit a weeks’ worth of groceries and both girls.  The trunk of a car would have been filled with what we bought;  the storage and hauling space is so close to a car in the MADSEN.

Handling:

On the maiden voyage, the first thing that came to mind was how much lighter it was (or feels) than the original model.  It is easier to park for this reason, too, and it handles very well even at low speeds–better than the original, even, which already did a good job.  Overall, the 2011 MADSEN rides about like a normal, non-cargo-carrying bicycle.  If the original MADSEN was more akin to driving a truck, and my vintage 3 speed Raleigh is like driving an old Corvette, the new 2011 MADSEN is a mid-sized sedan.  Though with a full load it handles with increased precision compared to the original MADSEN, which, again, already handled well.

Accessories:

Overall, the bike seems very durably constructed and solid.  It originally rolls off the kickstand nicely and folds back into place without a lot of noise or banging, which is an improvement on the old model.  Though, after about 450 miles, I have noticed it start to lose a bit of its stoicism in the area of the kickstand.  The MADSEN rolls onto a new set of tires this year, which offer a much greater option of terrains.  There are times I, as a rider, go over nontraditional surfaces (dirt in construction zones, curbs, grass and sticks and leaves as we turn around to pick up the baguette one of the children dropped).  These wheels make all of that much more comfortable.

Certainly more comfortable than most, including the original MADSEN saddle, the new stock saddle is much softer and offers spring support which is Cadillacesque in its dealings with bumps in the road.  I am used to being seated on a Brooks B-67 saddle, which is considered by some to be the most comfortable bicycle saddle available.  Even with this prejudice, after putting 50 miles on the new 2011 stock saddle, I was without any soreness whatsoever.  I would only advise that if you live in a place (like, say, Florida) that gets very hot, you many want to consider the length of rides with this saddle; such a soft and cushy saddle gets a little damp.  It is very comfortable, I admit.  But I changed it out to the Brooks.  Fifty miles plus per week in near tropic temperatures, though, to be fair, it could just be circumstantial.

Drive Train:

Though in lower gears (this is particularly true after the switch over to the larger, 44 tooth chain-ring), the new chain guard makes a sort of roaring noise, a simple adjustment to the guides included on the chain guard takes care of that issue.  It should be noted that without the adjustment to these guides, you may experience the chain ringing as it grinds along the kickstand in third through first gears (with the 44 tooth chain ring).  After this adjustment, however, there is very little noise or interference.

The 2011 MADSEN delivers a tighter drive train than the original model.  In addition, the improved crank arm and stronger stock pedals seem tougher and more responsive.  I usually use basketted pedals, but after 400 miles I still have not switched them out.  The grip is great.  I’ll update at 1000m.  Overall, this aspect of the bike, too, is very well put together.  It is also easy to go fast and not awkward to go slow on this bike, and the gears switch easily and smoothly, even with mediocre caregiving (I try–I really do!) and lots of construction zones.

To get to the grocery store, and to get back home, there is a bicycle/pedestrian bridge that is kind of steep; by kind of steep, I mean it is high enough for them to take a picture of for the Unite Bike Orlando photo shoot this year.  I grocery shopped (loading up a weeks’ worth of groceries and two kids) using each size chain ring.  I can see how the smaller chain ring would be a big benefit to those who live in hillier locations; for me, the extra speed from the larger chain ring was totally worth the ten minutes (figuring really high) it took to change it.  If I go camping by bike, I’ll probably change it back for greater control in lower gears.  But Florida is mostly flat, so I’ll probably just use the 44 tooth with the comfort that when I need to change it out it will be easy.

Come back soon for Part Two of this review, and updates on the contest, on my next post:  Update on the Contest As Well As Improvements That You Might Not Notice but You Should.

Here’s a review from BikePortland.

Bicycle Rescue

Inspired by Angie,  our family cycling expert, I added a skewer mount so that she wouldn’t be the only bike rescue service in town!

With regret, this set up has not been tested.  Originally was to be used to deliver my bike to the LBS for a tune-up.  Maybe next time.

Trailers have added an extra dimension to my utility cycling landscape.  Late 2008, I received a round of oohs and aahs when seen hauling two 40 pound bags of dry dog food.  Once I delivered a case of synthetic motor oil to a customer.

Grocery Shopping

I have fun with the clerks at the    grocery store by asking them to pack everything tight because I am on a bicycle.   If you could only see their faces!  Imagine their surprise as we rolled up with the trailer loaded for their perusal and review.

The possibilities become endless with the use of a trailer.

Doggie Day at the Park

Just a few months ago, CommuteOrlando held a Dog Parade/Bike Ride.  We rode to Fleet Peeples Park and had a BLAST.  The dogs loved riding and handled the trip well.

Kudos to Diana

There are many commercially available trailers.  Simplicity and functionality can be had by using a custom built trailer.  Diana designed a smaller trailer with the kit I used.  BTW, there were two Samoyeds in the dog crate.         

Recycle Days

The usefulness of this trailer design allows many options.  Here is just one of the many trips to the local recycling collection center.

Family Cycling

While not a custom trailer, my wife and I extend our bicycle usefulness with the addition of a child trailer.  Both of our children can ride in comfort and style while out and about the City Beautiful.  Pictured is our son navigating our way to the next county park for some fun and fishing.

Ever Wished You Had a Trailer Sometimes?

Retro City Cycles has expressed interest in complimenting the classes they offer to the riders and citizens of the Orlando area.  They have graciously offered to lend us space for conducting a workshop of opportunity.  Brainstorming ideas are needed.

There are several options to progress into utility cycling.  Having a trailer can be more effective depending on the desired need for hauling.

Keri suggested having a cookout.  Pot luck, anyone?  Perhaps use this workshop to lead in to the exciting realm of utility cycling and present some tools to make it happen.

Ultimately, the Build-a-Trailer Workshop will be coming soon. Check back for more details.

I don’t know much about video cameras. I’ve never owned a camcorder. So please take this post as my observations, not expert advice. My adventures in bike video and video editing began in October 2008 when Brian DeSousa came to Orlando.

Brian was generous in showing me CyclistView equipment and methods. And, of course, in providing valuable video of me cycling in Orlando traffic. With all that great video, I had to learn to do some basic editing. I hacked away at iMovie (the free version), later upgrading to the more-robust-but-frequently-aggravating iLife version. This was my first iMovie product.

Brian riding in front of the double paceline. Screen shot from VholdR video.

Brian returned in March. He spent a few days here and shot a bunch more video with me, including some group video that Dan Gutierrez used for an educational piece, and the downtown cruiser video I edited for this post. All of this video was shot on a VIO POV 1. I also had the opportunity to use a VholdR while Brian was here in March (more on that later).

Since Brian’s first visit, I’ve had the itch to buy my own camera. Bike cam video is such an incredible educational tool. But I wanted the best camera for the job, which meant plunking down big bucks on something I’d essentially use for hobby and volunteer work.

Robert Seidler shoots video of CO author, Rodney, for the LE Toolkit

The FBA Law Enforcement Toolkit project gave me a legitimate business expense to purchase my own POV 1.5 this fall. In November, Robert Seidler and I put our new POVs through the paces collecting video for that program.

Versatility & stability

Robert sets up the hazardcam on his Bike Friday

One of the main attractions of this camera is the tiny profile of the camera head. You can mount the thing almost anywhere.

I had always been under the impression that mounting a camera to the bike would produce too much vibration. Many of the bike-mounted videos I’ve seen require a lot of digital stabilization, resulting in image loss at the edges.

When we mounted cameras to our bikes to shoot road hazards, I figured a little camera shake wouldn’t be a bad thing. The idea was to show why bicyclists need to avoid the edge of the road, and that conditions that are merely annoying to motorists can be intolerable and dangerous for bicycle drivers. Well, it turned out the camera was almost too stable for that purpose. It certainly belies the pain and suffering one experiences on a road like Summerlin Ave. Here’s a sample:

Choosing a Lens

The POV 1.5 comes with a 110° wide angle lens. VIO also offers a 70° lens for tighter shots. I’ve experimented with both. The 110° is ideal for both image stability (especially on the helmet mount) and showing the the peripheral scene. For traffic interactions in their entirety, this is essential. One limitation I’ve found with the wide angle is that it makes everything look farther away. If you’re demonstrating properly-functioning traffic dynamics, this is an asset, but if you want to show traffic conflicts, it doesn’t work well. The last 2 clips in the video below compare motorists passing into oncoming traffic. In real life, the one shot with the 110° was slightly farther away than the one shot with the 70°, but nowhere near as far as it looks on the video.

70° lens mounted to the rack

I found the 70° lens works best mounted to the bike. On my helmet, the tight field shook wildly, exacerbating every bump, no matter how hard I tried to absorb the shock and hold my head steady. On moderately rough pavement, the video is unwatchable (the above clip of Mighk on the six-lane road—U.S. 17-92—is on fairly smooth pavement).

110° lens mounted near the bottom of the rear rack

I like the 110° mounted on the back of the bike, but haven’t found a good forward-facing mount. There is too much side-to-side movement when it is mounted to the handlebars. When mounted to the frame pointing forward, the peripheral movement of the bars and cables is disruptive.

The helmet mount requires a still head while your body absorbs the bumps. Photo by Mighk.

A helmet mount is best for shooting overall traffic dynamics because of the high perch. There is also a benefit to being able to turn my head to follow action (like here). The downside is I can’t turn my head for a shoulder check when I’m holding the camera on a subject. I put a take-a-look mirror on my helmet visor, I’m still getting used to that. Another downside is the inevitable stiff neck. Plus, on our rough roads, I get sore quads and calves from holding myself off the seat and using my legs as shock absorbers. But as Dan G. says, “we suffer for out art.”

The display

The recorder unit is mounted to the Arkel handlebar bag mount with Velcro. It's handy to start and stop recording and to check the image.

A valuable feature this camera has that most other helmet-cams don’t is an LCD display. Being able to aim the camera and see what the image looks like on the fly is a big time-saver. When Brian and I used the VholdR, we had to set up the mount, then take out the card, put it in a portable player, check the image, and do it again until it was right. Then, since it was on my helmet, I had to focus on holding my head in the exact same place as when I set it up. At one point we tried to set the VholdR up on another rider in a hurry — skipping checking the image — it was aimed wrong and the resulting video was useless. With the POV, I can check the image without recording anything. And I can check it again as I’m riding to make sure it’s aimed where I want.

Accessories

My favorite accessory is the Ultra-Clamp, an incredible little contortionist with a vise on one end and a camera mount on the other (you can use any tripod-ready camera with it). It can be purchased from VIO or HelmetCameraCentral with the camera, or you can get it at a photo store. I bought mine at Colonial Photo and Hobby.

We used a magnet-mounted platform (included with the basic camera kit) to attach the lens to a cap for shooting pedestrian crosswalk issues

The basic POV kit comes with a number of nifty mounting devices, but it’s missing some essentials that must be purchased separately. I bought the C-Clamp and Wide Flange Base to attach the lens to the ultra-clamp. I also use them to Velcro the lens to a helmet. VIO sells a separate mount kit, but I didn’t see anything in that with similar functionality.

Wish list

I hope the next generation includes an HD version and a bigger LCD (my old eyes need some help). I wonder if the color could be more vibrant.

An incredible tool for education and advocacy

In building instructional materials for cyclists and law enforcement, point-of-view video is priceless. It’s not possible to shoot accurate traffic interactions with video in a following motor vehicle. We’ve used a car to get motorist-perspective video for the law enforcement program. It’s valuable footage, but if the video car follows the cyclist for more than a few seconds, it really screws up the traffic dynamic (even on a multi-lane road). Then if the video car passes while there is traffic behind it, the cyclist is left with a herd of of angry motorists. (The same thing happens if any motorist sits behind a cyclist instead of taking ample opportunities to pass.)

The greatest gift the POV camera has given us is the view of the world behind the cyclist. Being able to show a continuous view of traffic overtaking safely, especially on roads most people think cyclists can’t use safely, is like shining a light under the bed and exposing the lack of monsters. Watching Brian and Dan’s Cyclistview videos gave me the courage to ride much more assertively on high speed roads. Once I experienced it, courage was no longer required — having cars pass in the next lane (8 – 10ft away) is so different and so much more pleasant than what most cyclists experience, it changes your entire perspective of the road.

This is an important tool for the education of non-cyclists as well. Once we demonstrate our legal right to use the road, the bogus safety and delay arguments become the weapon of choice for those who want to remove us from it (“That may be the rule, but…”). POV video is a powerful defense against mythology, misinformation and deliberately specious arguments.

Here’s an example of rear-facing video in daylight and darkness on Curry Ford Rd.

LE Toolkit production vehicle. We did almost all of our transportation for this project by bike. This often involved riding at slow speeds on arterial roads. The POV allowed us to run video along the way.

The video was shot by Robert Seidler. The daylight video was shot from the POV attached to the seat stay of Robert’s Bike Friday.  For the darkness video, the camera was attached to his seat post. The darkness video was shot at 6 AM on our way to meet the Colonial High School Bike Bus. Not much traffic eastbound at that hour, but drivers typically speed on such a road when it is empty. They all still saw us from a long distance and changed lanes. Our speed was never above 15mph, it was probably around 12mph. I was hauling a trailer with 150lbs of production gear.

The VIO POV was a huge asset to the project, allowing us to get valuable traffic interaction video while we rode from location to location.

So …………………. the wife wants to get me this for a X-mas present.  And it’s a nice vest, lightweight, and very reflective (here is the actual link to the product).  I have no doubt it would increase my visibility on the road.

But ….. is this bad for cycling?

By wearing this, am I announcing to the public that it is so risky to ride a bike that I must don special clothing in order to remain safe?  Is this the kind of message we want to send to people thinking about taking up riding — special gear is required?  And is this so different than having cyclists riding on sidewalks — again, sending a message to the public that this is where bikes belong?

On the other hand, why is it wrong to choose options that can lower the risk of not being seen and therefore possibly injured on a bike? 

One train of thought is about personal safety and how you feel, the other is about how cyclists are seen as a whole and how that affects all of us.

I don’t know …….. do you have an opinion?

Before I begin, let me preface by saying I feel more comfortable when my feet are attached to the pedals, so I wear cycling-specific shoes with cleats for clipless pedals. Cycling specific shoes are not necessary, though stiff soles are a good idea if you have a longish commute. Soles that flex not only steal power from your pedal stroke, they can hurt your feet.

My primary commuting and touring shoes are the ones pictured on the right. They’re incredibly comfortable and easy to walk in. I’ve had mine for a year and am very happy with them.

But summer in Florida means riding in the rain — heavy rain. It only takes ten seconds in a Florida afternoon downpour to have shoes full of water. People with platform pedals can solve the problem with water shoes (as Andrew does), or hiking sandals (something with traction).

I decided to buy a pair of the uber-popular Shimano SPD sandals. I know so many people who swear by these things. They love them so much, they wear them in winter… well, this is Florida. I know an ultra-distance rider who wears them exclusively.

I really didn’t want them for distance riding. I wanted them for commuting, running to the market, etc. But I liked the coolness of the open sandal so much, I couldn’t resist wearing them on longer rides.

The first long rides were 40 and 50 miles on consecutive weekends. I noticed my feet were a little sore at the end, but I had been standing around in the shoes after the rides. The next weekend I rode 90 miles in them. By the time I was within 20 miles of home, my feet were screaming. My toes felt like they were being crushed in a vise. I stopped in Maitland and put my feet in a lake… forgetting the lakes are the same temperature as the air. By the time I got home, my eyes were watering from the pain. I went straight to the tub to run cold water over my feet (well, with a detour to the fridge for a beer, of course). My toes were still throbbing and aching when I went to bed that night.

OK, so now I know the sandals are not going to work for long rides. Today I wore the sandals for a relatively short ride up to Casselberry and back. By the time I got home, my dogs were barking again. My toes have built up an intolerance to these shoes.

So now I’m wondering, is it just me? How can so many people love these sandals when they kill my feet? Did Shimano redesign the shoe bed? I know they redesigned the upper, making the sandal more supportive. If they did redesign the shoe bed, did they consider product testing it on human feet?

Warning: if you’re grossed out by feet, don’t scroll down. I figure if Rantwick can post pictures of his rear end, I can post pictures of my feet

All cycling shoes have a slight upward bend at the front, but the bed of this sandal cranks my toes almost a half inch higher than my Pearl Izumi shoes. It also curves up at mid-toe, pushing the toes backwards against their joints. The photo on the right might look like I’m pushing my toes against the shoe, but they’re relaxed. (The photo below it shows my foot in a walking sandal — too bad I can’t put cleats on those, they’re really comfortable.)

I can still get away with wearing them for short trips. But now I’m hooked on the concept of cycling sandals. I want some I can wear on longer trips.

Lisa has a pair of Keen sandals. I’ve tried those on, but they don’t come in my size. I’d also prefer an open toe sandal. Mighk has a pair of Lake sandals, he tells me the uppers are uncomfortable and took forever to break in.

A quick search reveals there are a number of new entries on the market from other manufacturers. Has anyone tried other brands?

Some unfortunate and distrubing news of cyclists/people on bikes getting injured, maimed, and killed.  These results were in my mind as I started my commute back in October 2007.

For those who don’t know my story, I began commuting by bicycle at night! Imagine the anxiety of driving my bicycle on the road to begin with, then add the element of complete darkness.   Sounds fun, huh?  It was and still is.  I’ve since changed my commuting times and continue to enjoy driving my bicycle in the road.

Back to the topic.  The stretch from Hoeffner Rd./Conway Rd. to the Beeline/528 did not have much lighting.  The thoughts of accidents/crashes filled my head.  My spandex/lycra riding shorts were not designed with pockets, so how could I make readily available my personal identification to Law Enforcement and Emergency Medical Services?

Road ID

I found RoadID to be my answer.  I chose to purchase the Interactive version instead of the original version.  View a demo if the Interactive. I own and prefer the Wrist ID but other options exist.

I have been an active user of RoadID since I’ve been commuting.  I just ordered another set of wrist bands….they’re good for about a year.  (I wear my ID at all times, you never know when you may need it)

The testimonials at RoadID speak volumes.  I am glad to afford my wife peace of mind knowing that she will be contacted should anything happen.  I wouldn’t want her to suffer the agonizing search and calling of the area hospitals in the event I did not return at our predetermined time(s).

My name is Rodney and I refuse to be a John Doe in the triage area of someones emergency room!  Check it out, you will be glad you did!

A while back, Keri wrote a descriptive article about having fun in the dark with lights.  One of the things that I was thinking about was side reflection, and how most of our lighting is aimed forwards and backwards.   While no one would argue the merits of “been seen” lights on the front and back, what about when you want to be seen from the side? 

Keri did talk about how you can use colored or reflective tape, clothing, or even, getting fun, led lights that attach to your wheels.  Several of you commented on trying out some of the options she listed, but perhaps they were a bit too much (looks or $).

Well, I too was thinking about how to better get side lighting for a bike without looking like a circus, when I ran across this product:  Spokelit LED wheels.   I thought this might be a product worth trying out, and for only $7 apiece I ordered two.

The plastic-encased lights are designed to slide in-between your spokes and be held securely there.  Pressing the center button turns them solid, and pressing again puts them into flash mode.

So how well do they work?  I think pretty good.  I’ve attached a couple of video clips that show the lights in action.  What do you think?

SpokeLit lights from 10 feet away

SpokeLit lights from 30 feet away

Have fun ….. and be seen ….. in the dark!!