Bike Hugger 

Here’s a great idea – add an option to Google Maps to show bike paths and directions in the same place you’d get driving or public transit directions. It ain’t so yet, but it could be if this petition can catch the attention of Google’s map teams. There are tons of online city bike maps, some already mashed up into Google’s maps like this New York City map. Seeing how nicely it plays puts other city bike maps to shame (Portland, Seattle – warning: Big downloads). Having bike routes available in online mapping apps would be a great step forward for many cities, and a big encouragement for those who might just go by bike with a bit more information.

Sign up for the SXSW Urban Ride on Upcoming. Here’s a PDF version of the flyer, like if you wanted to plaster it all over your garage or maybe make a nice hat.

from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

I’ve read the Aeloian Ride website a few times now, trying to grok it, after getting a tip from Zannestars and think they’re def onto something; especially, if the inflatable suit is combined with Aero corduroys (no, I don’t make this stuff up)!

Inspired by a love for bikes, city cruising, critical mass, costumes, sillyness + things that inflate, i decided to make a free, mass participatory event with a sense of humor. It excites those riding as well as delights those watching, all the while transforming the landscape into a playground of windfilled shapes.

That looks like lots of fun and I pinged them to see if they can make it to SXSW.

The best part of our BBQ @ SXSW is all the schwag and giveaways. We’ve got

• Socks from Sock Guy
• [Skins gradient compression performance equipment] (http://www.skins.net/us/en/default.aspx)
• Ibex Outdoor Clothing
• REI Gear and Goods
• Reynolds Carbon Bars
• Crumpler bags

The P. I. proclaims the immanent demise of bike messengers in today’s issue. It’s true I’m sure that the number of messengers are down, but I doubt Messengers are the urban buffalo of the late part of the first decade of this millennium. The reports of messenger death are greatly exaggerated from what I can tell – check the following: Transportation Alternatives from 1996 (The industry is too squeezed to pay messengers in NYC); The Economist from a decade later; the Sydney Morning Herald and BCBusiness from just last year. Meanwhile, if you like your media closer to home, check out Pilder’s blog, of one of the messengers in the PI article.

Just 2 years ago, fixies and messengers were hip and now sadly described as a dying breed; well, I don’t trust media predications anymore than anyone else and messengers will always have a place in Portland and in bad-ass races like this one in NYC.

Update

As noted in the comments below, after posting this entry, I was tipped to the Tour of Chicago death and read the news about it.

What was intended as a snappy post title now means more and our regrets and sympathies go out the Chicago cycling community. The video itself is legendary, anyone riding like that I think is “bad ass,” but I wish the timing had been different and feel very sad about what happened.

Tips come in waves sometimes (we love reader tips!) and this week the tips are about folding bikes

• Cube Urban Bike Concept – noticed on Treehugger and Bicycle Design.
• Strida belt-driven folder (video here, contrasting it with the A-bike.)
• Round Up USA Folder fest - an event just for folders.

In our 31st Huggacast, we ride Upcountry in Maui, down an 8 mile descent, a bike path, lava fields, and meet a fixed rider on Honolulu …

Super-advanced, aero (16.4% lower wind resistance that regular pants), horizontal cords are reported to look great on the bike and in the office! If you need bike pants and want to impress your bike geek friends with some tech that ain’t lycra or soft shell, check Lindland Cordaround.

I was down at the beach walk at Lincoln Park this lovely weekend when I ran into not one but 3 separate folks on trials bikes, perfecting their skills in the area.

The photo’s of KC who hails from Denver. He rode trials back in CO for quite a while, but hasn’t been so active since coming out to the Pacific North West. No better excuse than a sunny Saturday to take your seatless wonder down to the beach and practice side hopping on some old beach logs.

Apparently Seattle’s not a hot bed of trialing activity, but our neighbors to the north in Vancouver seem to have it going on. Mike Bentham ‘s great video featured a while ago is just one example.

More details about KC’s ride, riding and trials inside…