Great news from the Toronto Community Foundation. They've received $231,922 from a class action lawsuit and will be distributing it to transportation related groups in Toronto:

Toronto Community Foundation is distributing $231,922 to local initiatives as part of the latest settlement in a longstanding class action lawsuit involving price fixing by manufacturers of a rubber product known as EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) used in transportation and other areas.  read more »

I'm honoured and flattered by the many positive emails I recieve almost every day. I've said it before, I'll say it again. I only ever set out to create a photographic portrait of Copenhagen cycle life. It's snowballed into bike advocacy and inspiration to other people in other cities. That's just amazing to me. Here are some of the testimonial emails that have moved me and made me misty-eyed.

"I found out about your bicycle blogs through Momentum magazine and now I read them both every day. I just wanted to let you know that the approach you all take has caused a real shift for me. I commute by bicycle year round here in Flagstaff, Arizona. (That isn't as easy as it may sound as we are at 7,000 feet above sea level and have some pretty awesome weather. Typcial temperatures here right now are 10 degrees Fahrenheit.) My problem isn't the weather though - it is my attitude. I love riding my bicycle, but when I mount up in the morning I approach it like I am going into battle. I jam my helmet on my head, grit my teeth, and charge out onto the road, just daring a motorist to deny me my lane. So, I tend to ride really fast, taking a huge amount of pleasure out of actually passing cars. Now I don't ride a racing bike - I have a fantastic 3 speed Breezer commuting biccle that I adore. But I will drive my body to the breaking point to pass a car just so I can wipe their smug smiles off their faces.  read more »

Fuji Bicycles is proud to announce its sponsorship of Seamus McGrath, top Canadian mountain bike racer. He will be racing and training on Fuji bikes exclusively during this Olympic year. He joins Fuji teammates Austrian National XC Champion Christophe Soukup and German U23 National Champion Robert Mennen for the European World Cup circuit, as well as pro cross-country races in North America. Were thrilled to have 12-time Canadian National Team member Seamus McGrath join the Fuji team, said Karen Bliss, Fujis Director of Marketing. He will help showcase the quality and innovation of our mountain bikes especially here in North America. Weve had tremendous success with sales of Fuji mountain bikes in Europe but in the U.S. and Canada I believe weve been a bit underrated, Bliss continued.  read more »

Props to WilcocksonDear Velo,What an excellent article by John Wilcockson! It would seem clear that ASO, as owners of the most prestigious event in cycling (the Tour de France and others such as Paris-Roubaix and Paris-Nice), are seeking to widen their control in cycling, which would ultimately undo all the work to make professional cycling an organized world-wide sport. The fiasco surrounding Michael Rasmussen and the Astana team in last year's Tour de France has given ASO all the ammunition they need to legitimize their attempt to wrest control of cycling from the UCI, because ultimately their ambitions are surely wider than France. Have they already not made a bid to buy the rights to the Tour of Spain?  read more »

I had another Monday off today. The city of Duluth is switching all their utility meters over to electronic meters. Someone had to be home to let the installer in. I scheduled ours for today knowing I'd be around. The installer arrived at 9:00 am and gone at 9:05 am. At least I didn't have to wait all day for him to show up.

I needed to get some things to the post office as well as mail off some bills. I had a couple of boxes, so I took the Blue Truck/Xtracycle. Only a mile from home and I spot a bicyclist headed my way all loaded down with Ortlieb panniers. He pulled over and was studying a piece of paper. Knowing how confusing the set-up of Duluth streets can be to a stranger in town, I stopped and asked if he needed help finding something. He said he was trying to get to the bridge to cross over to Superior, WI. It was basically the same direction I was heading, so I told him I could show him. It'd be easier than trying to give him directions.  read more »

But before you head out with the family for a spin, make sure your children have the knowledge and properly fitted gear to safely enjoy the ride.

The Canadian Cycling Association is pleased to unveil the 2008 National Mountain Bike Calendar. Seven sites will welcome the best mountain bikers of Canada and elsewhere. On the schedule are nine Olympic cross-country events, six downhill events and two four-cross events. The season will start in Baie-St-Paul on May 11 where precious UCI points will be offered early in the season to help athletes who wish to enter a World Cup event. Since 2007, riders need a minimum of 20 UCI points in order to enter a World Cup event. Canada will be host of two World Cups in 2008. The first one will be held in the magical venue of Mont-Sainte-Anne for the 17th time now. Mont-Sainte-Anne has hosted a World Cup every year since the beginning of the series in 1991, except for 1998.  read more »

Holy acronyms, batman!  read more »

Holy acronyms, batman!  read more »