Storm the barn. Rally Maple Sally. May 19 – Save the date to join Defeet (and us) for their first annual Barnstormers Rally. there will be bike rides on & off pavement, games, food, live music, free camping and more. Come down to Brown Mountain Beach Resort in Collettsville, NC to get in on the fun. More info coming soon to: Barnstormers.cc
Where to ride (cont.)
- Ride Hope’s Pre Peaks August 19 in Yorkshire Dales – Inspired by the popular and slightly insane Three Peaks cross race, Hope Tech decided to create their own version highlighting their local terrain. With a goal to be just as tough, Hope’s own Pre Peaks can be seen as a brutal warm up for Three Peaks or an alternate option for those who miss out on registration for the original. Choose from 86 or 70km options and try your luck on either a CX or mountain bike. HopePrePeaks.com
- 4th annual Eroica California adds Eroica Nova version for modern bikes – This year’s April 14-15 Eroica in Paso Robles, CA in addition to the classic vintage bicycle “ride to the ocean”, for the first time will introduce a new “race/ride” format for modern bikes. The Nova Eroica California will be open to all modern drop bar bikes, and feature timed race segments. The idea is to expand the reach of the event and its great scenic roads & tracks, and to cut the barrier of entry of needing to find & ride an old bike. It’ll cost you $150 and only 200 start positions are available for the inaugural edition. They are filling up fast, so register today! EroicaCalifornia.com
Contests
- Celebrate 25 years & win kit with #Biehler25 – Dresden’s Biehler Cycling is turning 25 this year. So they are launching a year-long #Biehler25 contest promotion. They are offering the chance to win 25 highlight items out of their cycling clothing collection throughout 2018. It kicks off with the men’s Zickezacke long-sleeve jersey. To enter, first follow @biehlercycling on Instagram; then tag a friend in the comments on the contest post. The winner will be announced on Feb 23. Instagram.com/BiehlerCycling
Gear updates
- OORR coffee-infused, eco cycling kit now available – We reviewed the unique and flashy coffee bean infused riding apparel from Out Of the Rat Race a little over a year ago as part of their Kickstarter. They’ve since made good on their crowdfunding, and now are stocking some of the clothing. Check out our review of one of the truly different bits of riding clothing that one of our original testers still regularly wears. OORR.com.au
Cycling in the News
- Fukushima Wheel bike share bringing tourists back post-disaster – Six years after a tsunami triggered the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan the local tourist industry is understandably still reeling. CNN reported on how local bike share system Fukushima Wheel is encouraging citizens & tourists alike to get around by bike. But it also is helping local officials by wirelessly tracking environmental conditions through sensors on the shared bikes that track & report data like temperature, air pollution, radiation, and more. FukushimaWheel.org
- Apparently bikes don’t cause Erectile Dysfunction – OK, so most regular male cyclists have some idea that extended riding on an improperly set up bike can cause numbness down below. But we’ve all seen so many pro cyclists holding their kids on podia that long hours on the bike aren’t necessarily a death knell for procreation. Well, The Guardian is reporting on a study today that suggests a net positive result on male sexual performance from cycling, offering improved data vs. previous research.
