m-bike.org » video http://www.m-bike.org/blog Promoting non-motorized transportation in the Motor City Tue, 15 May 2012 12:06:58 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Fireworks: “Bikes ride faster at 3am” http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/11/25/fireworks-bikes-ride-faster-at-3am/ http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/11/25/fireworks-bikes-ride-faster-at-3am/#comments Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:07:12 +0000 Todd Scott http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=6547 We stumbled across this video by the Detroit band Fireworks, which features plenty of biking around town including on Belle Isle.

If you’re into that Black Friday aggressive shopping mode, this might provide some additional motivation.

Sorry, the video can’t be embedded. You have to watch it on YouTube.

 

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]]> http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/11/25/fireworks-bikes-ride-faster-at-3am/feed/ 0 The Bike Doctor gets a new bike van http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/11/04/the-bike-doctor-gets-a-new-bike-van/ http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/11/04/the-bike-doctor-gets-a-new-bike-van/#comments Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:31:02 +0000 Todd Scott http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=6481 Randy “the Bike Doctor” Martin, owner of Continental Bikes in Hazel Park is featured on the Ram web site.

Ram Trucks rewarded one small business owner with the first official test drive of the new Ram C/V – customized especially for his unique mobile business needs. Watch as “The Bike Doctor” takes the pulse of the capability and versatility of the Ram C/V -the perfect prescription for any small business.

There’s a video with the Doc and his new van on the Ram web site as well.

Nice work, Randy.

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]]> http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/11/04/the-bike-doctor-gets-a-new-bike-van/feed/ 1 42.4723549 -83.1042099 Catching up with recent Detroit bike videos http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/09/02/catching-up-with-recent-detroit-bike-videos/ http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/09/02/catching-up-with-recent-detroit-bike-videos/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 13:14:41 +0000 Todd Scott http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=6202 There’s been an uptick in bike-related video in Detroit lately. Here are four from the past week.

Ballpark bicyclist makes Comerica Park stop

First is the story of Darren O’Donnell from Washington who’s riding to all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums. This video interview is from Comerica Park:
<a href='http://www.foxsportsdetroit.com/pages/video?UUID=2f1bbcdb-69aa-4591-83d6-ceab5ecd335a' target='_new' title='Baseball bicycle tour' >Video: Baseball bicycle tour</a>

Suburban Businessman Biking Streets Of Detroit

Next is a ClickonDetroit news video of a cyclist who is riding every single street in Detroit. The city owns about 2,500 miles of streets. Throw in the county and state roads and it’s clear what a commitment this is.

Detroit’s Breezee One and Bike Chase

This is a fun video to start your weekend. It looks like it was shot before all the bike lanes were installed in Southwest Detroit this summer.

BREEZEE ONE – BIKE CHASE (Directed by GAREN.) from BREEZEE ONE on Vimeo.

Detroit man’s “Car-bike”

This is real interesting video of a custom bike with an enclosed cab. It includes a radio, rear storage, lights, and a windshield wiper. One thing that’s not clear is how the rider gets inside the cab.

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]]> http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/09/02/catching-up-with-recent-detroit-bike-videos/feed/ 0 Detroit Bike City http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/07/01/detroit-bike-city/ http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/07/01/detroit-bike-city/#comments Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:27:30 +0000 Todd Scott http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=5941 Here is an amazing video on biking in Detroit from Alex Gallegos.

Detroit Bike CIty from Alex Gallegos on Vimeo.

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]]> http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/07/01/detroit-bike-city/feed/ 1 New MDOT video: My Bike and I http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/05/05/new-mdot-video-my-bike-and-i/ http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/05/05/new-mdot-video-my-bike-and-i/#comments Thu, 05 May 2011 14:15:30 +0000 Todd Scott http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=5745 Here’s a corny but cute video from MDOT that is “intended to help people explore alternate modes of transportation.”

Their timing is great given that May is National Bike Month and that gas prices are reaching new records in Michigan. According to an unscientific Free Press on-line survey given last month, over 60% of the respondents said they were “making changes to their living habits.” Perhaps more will discover biking as cost effective transportation.

But at the risk of sounding hypercritical, why is Wally wearing an orange safety vest during the day? Is cycling that unsafe that you can’t ride to the neighborhood coffee shop without one? It’s too bad he didn’t look a little more normal. That said, at least he’s not wearing spandex.

Below is the MDOT press release announcing the video and their micommute web page.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNLkLnomqnI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2011

CONTACT: Janet Foran, MDOT Office of Communications, 517-335-7176
foranj@michigan.gov
Josh DeBruyn, MDOT bicycling and pedestrian coordinator, 517-335-2918

MDOT promotes bicycling on new Web site and YouTube

May 5, 2011 — As National Bike to Work Week (May 16-20) approaches, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is promoting a new video about the benefits and savings of bicycling on the MDOT YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/MichiganDOT. It is part of the new “Mi Commute” Web site that includes tips and tools to help with the cost of commuting. The Web site www.michigan.gov/micommute explores bicycling, public transportation, and other modes of travel that may help commuters save precious gas dollars.

The YouTube animated video, the third of three produced by MDOT, follows a commuter named Wally, who challenges people to consider walking or bicycling for short- to medium-length trips. Wally calls bicycling “a simple way of reducing pollution, and a fantastic money-saving solution.”

With Bike to Work Week nearing, warmer weather around the corner, and gas prices climbing, many more people are likely to turn to walking and bicycling as an affordable mode of transportation. Bicyclists are reminded to follow the rules of the road, use lights when traveling at night or in low light conditions, and wear bright, reflective clothing to ensure they are as visible as possible.

Motorists are cautioned to pay close attention when driving near bicyclists and pedestrians, as the warmer spring months lure people outdoors.

Michigan has a growing number of bike lanes and thousands of miles of shared-use pathways that bicyclists can use and enjoy. For maps and other important information to help you plan your bicycle commute, check the Mi Commute Web site to learn what options may work for you.

MDOT’s commuting initiative, which began in April, also includes videos about ridesharing and public transit.

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]]> http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/05/05/new-mdot-video-my-bike-and-i/feed/ 3 Portlandia: the militant bike messenger http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/01/14/portlandia-the-militant-bike-messenger/ http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/01/14/portlandia-the-militant-bike-messenger/#comments Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:57:44 +0000 Todd Scott http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=5288 The Independent Film Channel (IFC) is debuting a short six-part series called Portlandia next Friday.

Each episode’s character-based shorts draw viewers into “Portlandia,” the creators’ dreamy and absurd rendering of Portland, Oregon.

Included among the characters is the “militant bike messenger” who’s shown rather humorously in the video snippet below.

Ugh… cars… MAN… WHY???

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]]> http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/01/14/portlandia-the-militant-bike-messenger/feed/ 0 An introduction to Neighborhood Greenways http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2010/11/12/an-introduction-to-neighborhood-greenways/ http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2010/11/12/an-introduction-to-neighborhood-greenways/#comments Fri, 12 Nov 2010 15:58:20 +0000 Todd Scott http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=4979 Streetsblog released this engaging video from Portland, Oregon that shows their neighborhood greenways – something that might work on many streets in Metro Detroit.

As far as we know, it’s not a greenway design we’ve seen around here yet. There are some ongoing planning efforts in the city of Detroit that may incorporate these designs on some key residential streets.

The video also shows Portland’s Green Streets with stormwater management, wayfinding and some interesting intersection treatments.

Portland’s Bike Boulevards Become Neighborhood Greenways from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

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]]> http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2010/11/12/an-introduction-to-neighborhood-greenways/feed/ 4 Detroit by Rickshaw http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2010/08/05/detroit-by-rickshaw/ http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2010/08/05/detroit-by-rickshaw/#comments Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:05:31 +0000 Todd Scott http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=4416 Detroit News columnist Donna Terek had an interesting article on Detroit’s rickshaws.

We’re seeing more and more bicycles on the streets of Detroit, but the sets of wheels that have been catching my eye lately are three-wheelers. They’re pedicabs or rickshaws, and Mike Rosemond of Detroit is one of a handful of operators pedaling folks around town for modest fares with his Rickshaw Detroit.

“We’re really excited about how the pedicabs are catching on,” says Walker, who was born and raised in Detroit. “We really enjoy changing people’s perception of Detroit.”

“A lot of couples leave here with a really enlightened view of the city,” he says. “I had one couple I was driving when the fireworks started at Comerica Park. They got out and took pictures. They said the ride just made their vacation.”

Jobs don’t get much greener than this.

Also, the Detroit News column included this excellent video. The city and the RiverWalk never looked better.

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]]> http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2010/08/05/detroit-by-rickshaw/feed/ 0 Hoekstra and biking http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2010/07/02/hoekstra-and-biking/ http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2010/07/02/hoekstra-and-biking/#comments Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:42:07 +0000 Todd Scott http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=4202 Dave Hurst started the conversation on his blog about Congressman and Michigan gubernatorial candidate Pete Hoekstra and his patriotic bike logo.

Hoekstra has a history of successfully campaigning by bicycle, as his web site notes:

Pete being an avid biker decided when he first ran for Congress in 1992 that he would ride his bicycle throughout the entire 2nd Congressional District in an effort to connect with people where they lived and worked. Many supporters joined Pete on this initial bike tour and since then Pete has made a tradition of riding his bike through the district every summer, and many more have joined this tradition. In recent years, for instance, the bike tour has highlighted issues such as agriculture, alternative energy and growing small businesses. By biking from location to location Pete has been able to visit with people, schools, farms and businesses – hearing their voices and seeing the real impact local, state and federal government has on peoples daily lives.

And in his current run for Michigan governor, he’s back in the saddle. He’s been biking around the state, including places such as Hines Drive.

We didn’t see any rides in the city of Detroit, so we submitted one his Suggest a Route form. We suggested riding on Woodward from the Detroit Zoo to the Detroit RiverWalk. It’s just twelve miles and slightly downhill.

It just seems that any avid biker running for governor of Michigan should take a ride down M1 to get a better idea of the urban issues facing this state.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsEWPdekOuI

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]]> http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2010/07/02/hoekstra-and-biking/feed/ 3 The eminently bikeable city of Detroit http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2010/07/02/the-eminently-bikeable-city-of-detroit/ http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2010/07/02/the-eminently-bikeable-city-of-detroit/#comments Fri, 02 Jul 2010 05:53:43 +0000 Todd Scott http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=4196 The title of this post is a quote from one of the BikeIt cyclists who rode from New York to Detroit for the U.S. Social Forums.

The U.S. Social Forum really put large, diverse group of bicyclists (and pedestrians) on Detroit’s streets for nearly a week. Is this how Detroit could look in the new future after a bit of transportation mode shift and infill?

Another Forum visitor added this excellent write up on Streetsblog: Detroit: The Return of the Repressed (Bicycling Culture). That article includes a photo caption which notes, “Detroit’s once bustling streets are a bicyclist’s paradise now, wide open and empty.”

The author also participated in our monthly Critical Mass ride.

Detroit has had a small-ish Critical Mass going back some years, but this was its biggest ever, about 375 riders. A great route was planned and most followed, which took us downtown, along the riverfront, out into eastern Detroit, through the remarkable Heidelberg Project, and finally back into the center of the City. One of the best parts of this Detroit Critical Mass was the enthusiastic reception by locals all along the way.

Detroit is a city reinventing itself. After a generation of abandonment by business and capital, the residents who have stayed are fully engaged in a process of rethinking what their city should look like, who should have the power to make decisions about it, what kinds of work should be done, and so on. The bicycle is making a comeback too, and though it’s still at the beginning of a regenerative process, the roots are well implanted and it’s very exciting to see what develops in the years to come.

Matt Dughi made this amazing, must watch video of the ride. Critical Mass is looking a little Tour de Troit-ish. Did you see Pingree smile as the ride passed?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKws21AGXB4

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