Here's the deal

Hello bike riders! This is a brand new blog dedicated to all bike riders, young and old, of all levels of riding, from first time kid riders just learning the magical bike balance, to old timers who still never get enough riding in. Posts will be dedicated to helping everyone get the most out of their bike rides for enjoyment, fitness and safety.

A California native, I’ve ridden bikes all my life, and was 12 when I saved up enough lawn mowing money to graduate from my one-speed red boys bike to buy a brand new metallic green Schwinn Varsity. Yes, this was quite a long time ago! OK, I’m 56, but a YOUNG 56! Anyway, its steel frame weighed a ton, but I rode it regularly for years until it was stolen on my college campus.

I briefly rode a mountain bike on pavement in the 80s, rode a hybrid bike for a few years, ran some marathons, then got into real mountain biking on trails for about 10 years with office mates. And in the last few years I’ve gravitated to a heavy schedule of road biking with riding buddies in Northern California. That helped me reach a new level of fitness, losing 20 pounds and flattening what used to be my, just a little too big, stomach.

In Europe, bike riders and drivers have a healthy mutual respect. They yield and volunteer friendly smiles and waves to each other. Here, bike riders and drivers are often furious at each other over who has territorial rights to the road. And sometimes, both drivers and bike riders make unsafe moves on a regular basis out of hostility, ignorance and/or arrogance.

Here’s a typical scenario:

Bike rider thinks, sometimes out loud “You tried to run me off the road!” (Middle finger sometimes extended.)

Driver simultaneously thinks “Get out of the way, you’re in my lane, you stupid bozo!” (Horn sometimes leaned on for emphasis.)

Riders sometimes make it through close calls with cars. But sometimes they crash, and get seriously hurt, maimed or killed. Only if a rider is very lucky does he or she make it through a crash unscathed along with their bike.

And while this traffic/crash scenario is sometimes unavoidable, preventive measures by a bike rider will go a long way toward keeping clear of crashes and injury.

So here’s to chipping away at that driver/bike rider intolerance with informative tips to helping bike riders do their part in managing the safest riding possible in and around vehicular traffic. And since most bike riders are also drivers, this might also help them remember when behind the wheel to work with riders they encounter, rather than try to scare them off the road. I’ve found that most drivers do what they can to make room for a rider. But some seem like they’re purposely, or are unaware of crowding a rider and the real danger it creates.

Beyond that, this blog is meant as a bike riding knowledge exchange with and for interested readers. I will share riding tips I’ve accumulated over many years and I hope readers are inspired to share theirs.

I have a long list of various bike riding topics I’ll cover, so stay tuned. I have found, the more I ride my bike, the more I learn and the more I enjoy it. My hope is this blog will inspire you to ride your bike more and dial into the fun of riding the good ride, regularly.

Til next post, just remember, when you’re on the bike, don’t forget to wear a helmet and do your best to keep the rubber side down!

-- Mark Eric Larson

Mark Eric Larson has written two books of essays, "The NERVE...of Some People's Kids," and "Don't Force it, Get a Bigger Hammer. To read, visit: 
http://www.scribd.com/Mark%20Eric%20Larson/shelf