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Holiday Gift Guide for the Cyclists in Your Life
Holiday Gift Guide for the Cyclists in Your Life By Karen Kefauver During my 20+ years of cycling in Santa Cruz, our local bikes shops have earned a special place in my heart — and in my social life. In addition to providing bike maintenance, repairs and advice on new products and where to ride, local shops have hosted movie nights, bike skills clinics, showcased authors, sponsored bike teams and developed programs for kids. I rarely miss a fun event at a bike shop! Our bike shops support us, so let’s support them this holiday season. Whether you are buying an e-bike, which tops many lists, or a bike bell,…
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Do Dogs and Bicycles Mix?
Do Dogs and Bicycles Mix? Here’s How to Run Your Dog Safely By Karen Kefauver It’s a painful truth of cycling, so let’s face it: Chances are good that at some point, you’re going to crash your bike. I certainly have. Most of the crashes have been my fault, like the time I was pedaling to yoga class and tried to make a phone call (stupid!) Another time, I was testing clipless pedals, a system in which cleated shoes snap securely onto specialized pedals. I couldn’t put my foot down fast enough and tipped over on the road. Ouch! Not all crashes are my fault and fortunately I’ve never caused…
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Help Kids Get to School Safely: Here’s How You Can Get Involved
Help Get Kids to School Safely: Here’s How You Can Get Involved By Karen Kefauver At times, we may wax nostalgic, and say, “Back in my day, we all biked and walked to school, because it was safe, but now…” While your kids may roll their eyes, it’s true; times have changed. According to the National Center for Safe Routes to School, in 1969, 48 percent of children ages 5 to 14 years old usually walked or bicycled to school. By 2009, that number dropped to 31 percent for the same age group. Is that steep decline just a sad fact of modern life? Fortunately, there’s a chance to help…
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On a Roll: Tips on How Kids Learn to Bicycle
On a Roll: Tips on How Kids Learn to Bicycle By Karen Kefauver When you think about cycling, chances are good that you remember your first “real” bike and early adventures. Learning to ride is a rite of passage that grants freedom and fun. Later on, there are longer outings with friends, especially during dreamy summer days. I remember the thrill of riding miles with my friend along the C&O Canal Towpath, from Bethesda, Maryland, to Georgetown in Washington, D.C. headed to Commander Salamander, the “cool” place to shop during high school. Feeling nostalgic, I asked Santa Cruz County parents to share their tips on teaching kids how to ride…
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Electric Mountain Bike Ride Shifts One Rider’s Perspective
Electric Mountain Bike Ride Shifts One Rider’s Perspective By Karen Kefauver Photo Credit: Mark Woodhead. Karen Kefauver gives the electric mountain bike another try a week later in down- town Santa Cruz at current e-Bikes. I finally tried an electric mountain bike after years of dismissing the beefed up bikes as “cheating.” to zip uphill on a trail on a battery-powered bike, passing fellow cyclists huffing and puffing up the same climb on traditional mountain bikes just seemed wrong, like doping in the Tour de France. Plus, safety issues seemed more urgent: No one wants to be startled — or possibly hit — by a rider barreling towards them uphill…
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It’s a No-Brainerz: Wear a Helmet – Six Tips for Bike Helmet Safety
It’s a No-Brainer: Wear a Helmet Six Tips for Bike Helmet Safety By Karen Kefauver Last month, hundreds of parents hopped on their bikes and pedaled with their kids to Bike to Work/School Day events countywide to enjoy a free breakfast for cyclists. As the kids gobbled strawberries, devoured bagels and stocked up on energy bars, I asked clusters of parents what their biggest concerns about their kids riding bikes. Not surprisingly, safety topped the list. And it should — school age children are indeed at high risk for injuries as they learn to balance and maneuver their bikes on streets and sidewalks. For the under-18 set — who are…
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E-Bikes: Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em They’re Here to Stay
E-Bikes: Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em They’re Here to Stay The Newest Cycle Tech Levels the Playing Field for All Ages By Karen Kefauver Photo Credit: Ivo Obregon. Crystal Obregon pedals her two kids, Carolina, 4, and Sean, 1, in Santa Cruz, on her Xtra- cycle brand electric bike in Santa Cruz in 2007, on the way up to ride trails in UC Santa Cruz. I admit I was a snob when it came to electric bikes. for years, I thought people who rode e-bikes were generally lazy, out of shape and worst of all, a potential danger to those of us who knew how to ride “real” bikes. As…
