Category Archives: bikes

Tour de Seattle’s On-Street Bike Parking

Posted on March 26, 2009 by Anne | 2 comments

On-Street bike parking in front of Stumptown on 12th

On-Steet Bike Parking on 12th

On-Steet Bike Parking on Broadway

Tim and I have blogged about bike parking many times. You could say we’re into our bike parking.

Having access to a convenient bike parking spot is the key to using bikes as everyday transportation.

One of the main reasons we have embraced getting around on bikes is the simplicity and ease of parking a bike. No other “alternative transportation” option beats pedaling to the local store, pulling right up to the front door, pulling out a U-lock, locking your bike and walking into the shop. You can’t do that in a car, ever. And the bus…um….

As we’ve said before, we appreciate a nice rack.

Aesthetically pleasing racks add so much to the street ambiance. I love the artistic and whimsical racks. They seem to say, “not only am I practical and utilitarian, I’m also fun and pleasing to the eye, so use me or just stop and admire me for a bit”. They invite people to linger on the sidewalk. Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, Rack that Bike

Tagged bike racks, Broadway, Capitol Hill, Greenlake, on-street bike parking, seattle, Stumptown

SXSW Adventures: Bike Hugger Mobile Social Ride

Posted on March 25, 2009 by Tim K | 2 comments

As I mentioned, I was in Austin last week at SXSW. While there, I had the good fortune to participate in the Bike Hugger Mobile Social Ride and BBQ. Anne and I are fairly regular participants in Seattle-area cargo rides and so I thought it would be fun to check out the dynamic of a mixed tech-texas hybrid event.

The day dawned like any other in Seattle. Wet, cold and dark. It wasn’t actually raining so I was raring to go. One problem: we weren’t in Seattle and the Austinites aren’t quite used to gray skies and wet roads. Though roads dried by the time morning SXSW sessions finished, it was only their 3rd day of rain since summer or something. I’m thinking this had to have an impact on the number of riders , yet the turnout was impressive (somewhere between 100 and 150) anyway. Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in bigger than here, bike lust, bikes, In other Cities

Tagged austin, bikehugger, community, mobilesocial, sxsw, sxswi, texas

SXSW Adventures: Large Guy, Small Bike

Posted on March 20, 2009 by Tim K | 3 comments

large-guy-small-bike I went to the South by Southwest Interactive festival (SXSWi) in Austin last weekend for work. While there I was lucky enough to score a loaner bike from our friends at the great Austin bike blog/magazine: Austin on Two Wheels.

Oh, and this wasn’t just any beater… it’s was a sweet Azor Transport all the way from Holland (via our pals Dutch Bike Seattle—small world)! Anyway, as you can tell from the reflective Panda snapshot, the bike was a tad small, but that sure didn’t stop me from having an excellent time riding it all over Austin (side note: how freakin’ cool is the Internet when other bloggers loan you their very own bike, just ’cause you’re a fellow bike-life blogger and long-bike rider?).

Continue reading →

3 Comments

Posted in bigger than here, bikes, cargo bikes, In other Cities

Tagged austin, bikehugger, bikes, cargobikes, mobilesocial, sxsw, sxswi

Testing the Madsen Cargo Bike

Posted on March 19, 2009 by Anne | 11 comments

Our blog friend, George, contacted us last week and asked if we wanted to borrow his Madsen for a few days to test it out and share our impressions. We’re always up for trying out new utility bikes, so of course we agreed.

I pedaled over to Ballard yesterday afternoon and picked up the bike. We’ve only had it for 24 hours and are not ready to post a full review.

But I thought I’d throw up a few pictures of the first afternoon with the bucket bike.

– Anne

11 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, cargo bikes, kids, sustainability

Tagged alternative transportation, Bucket Bike, cargo bike, Madsen Cycles, utility cycling

Sometimes They Need A Little Push

Posted on March 9, 2009 by Anne | 15 comments

Tim makes pushing a kid up a hill while riding his own bike look easy.

It’s not that easy. Continue reading →

15 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, kids

Tagged Family Cycling, riding with kids

Trader Joe’s

Posted on February 23, 2009 by Anne | 10 comments

via YouTube from carlsfinefilms

Tim and I often profess our love for Trader Joe’s on this blog. We mostly enjoy talking about how much we spend there and how much of that overspending we can fit on our bikes. I’d say I’m not quite a number 2, but almost. I really do love my family a lot so I can’t say I love Trader Joe’s more.

I did chuckle a few times while watching the video. Most of the reasons in the catchy jingle do it for me.

But the one I don’t have to worry about is, “It’s the cars that don’t fit in the parking lot”

The U District Trader Joe’s has plenty of bike parking right out front. There’s always an open rack spot when I roll up. And I get to listen to the guy playing violin while I lock up my bike. All in all a pleasant shopping experience.

– Anne

btw – for those of you who are getting sick of me and miss Tim’s perspective, he promises he’ll post soon. ; – )

10 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, shopping, shops

Tagged bikes, shopping, Trader Joe's Youtube commercial, trader joes

Reading

Posted on February 20, 2009 by Anne | 16 comments

Some kids watch movies on those ever-so-handy-back-of-the-seat-dvd players, our kids read books on the back of the Xtracycle. Why not? Someone else is “driving”. The Snapdeck is a great place to sit back and enjoy a good book.

Even though the kids have been reading back there for some time and I’ve grown accustomed to the sight, it still makes me smile. I also chuckle when on-lookers stop and ask, “do you know they’re not holding on back there?”

Yes, I know. Thanks for your concern.

It’s beautiful in Seattle today. We’re going to ride up to the library and checkout some new books.

Have a great weekend!

– Anne

16 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, kids

Tagged kids, reading, snapdeck, xtracycle

What’s in your Bike Bag?

Posted on February 11, 2009 by Anne | 15 comments

What's in your Freeloader?

While searching for a Band-Aid in my FreeLoader the other day, I came across a few of the strangest things. This prompted me to take everything out and do some early spring cleaning. (Thankfully cleaning out a FreeLoader is not at all similar to cleaning out a car – I didn’t find spilled milk or moldy cheese or anything gross in there).

Find anything interesting in your bike bag lately? Please share!

– Anne

15 Comments

Posted in bikes, xtracycle

Tagged bike bag contents, spring cleaning, xtracycle

Park Your Car and Walk a Block to School

Posted on February 1, 2009 by Anne | 17 comments

Ever since my kids started school, I’ve become fixated on a strange American practice: the school drive-through drop off. Many parents it seems have made the choice to drive by the school, open the door and drop their kids off at the school entrance without leaving the comfort of their car. I know every one does not live walking distance from school and some parents must drive their kids to school. But is it necessary to do a drive-through drop off? Can’t they park their cars and walk their kids to the school yard?

Sure it may be easier, more convenient and less hassle to do a drive-through. But what about the impact to the whole community around the school? What about the unnecessary pollution and increased traffic they are creating and the sedentary habits they’re teaching kids? Continue reading →

17 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bigger than here, bikes, kids, neighborhoods, School

Tagged Safe Routes to School, schools, seattle, Walk a Block

Hood Ornaments

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Anne | 6 comments

My 8– year–old daughter thought the chick riders in our family should have matching hood ornaments for our bikes. She wanted to give our bikes a feminine touch to show our “girl power” and differentiate ourselves from the boys. She offered up a couple of her old Polly Pocket dolls for the project and we zip tied them to our handlebars.

I think the handlebar chicks add a nice touch. We can even change their outfits according to the season. I love to look down while I’m pedaling along and see the wind whipping through my doll’s hair, makes me crack a smile.

– Anne