Bicycling Issue 4 2021

my bicycling life

JESSICA COULON ASSISTANT EDITOR FIND ME IN THE PINES PRODUCTS I’M USING RIGHT NOW 1 / Mons Royale Redwood Enduro VT $95 I love the cut and colors of this mountain bike jersey—and its breathable, temperature-regulating wool-blend fabric. 2 / Pearl Izumi Women’s X-Alp Flow Shoes From $100 These flat pedal shoes are stylish, non-clunky, and perform well. 3 / Juliana Joplin CC X01 $7,699 A trail bike that’s fast, capable on tough terrain, and super nimble. GREATEST RIDE OF MY LIFE A women’s ride from Philly to Atlantic City, New Jersey, several years back. It was my first time riding with that many other women, it was my longest ride yet, and it was my first time riding in a serious paceline—one of the ride leaders dropped off the back to help me learn! DREAM RIDE PARTNER My cat,…

my bicycling life

BRAD FORD TEST EDITOR IF IT CAN BE BROKEN, IT CAN BE FIXED PRODUCTS I’M USING RIGHT NOW 1 / NixFrixShun Ultimate Bicycle Chain Lube $15 It’s super-viscous, but you only need to use a few drops on a dry, clean chain. It finds its way to all the links. 2 / Kinetic R1 Direct Drive Smart Trainer $699 I have a hard time riding indoors, but the R1 motivated me through the past winter and spring. 3 / Veloflex Raven 27 Tubular Tires $96 I don’t know anyone else still riding tubulars, but I’m in love with how smooth these roll. DON’T GET ME STARTED ON… The newest craze, whatever it is, that tells me I need a whole new set of gear to enjoy cycling. WHAT I’M WORKING TOWARD Just trying to ride at least three times a…

my bicycling life

JOY CHEN, 5 1 ALTADENA, CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES: NOT JUST FOR CARS! LESSONS LEARNED: E-BIKE EDITION Running out of juice on an e-bike while still far from home is no fun. I had to get me and my 60-pound bike home on pedal power alone. On long rides, I’ve learned to set my electric power to the very lowest level, then rely on pedal power—and pray! WHY I STARTED CYCLING During COVID-19 lockdowns, I was desperate for exercise. My e-bike, the Gazelle Ultimate T10+ HMB, became my favorite way to move around. My Cycling Style in Three Words SAFE, FAST, GREEN. REDISCOVERING CITY SIGHTS I love the ride from my home, along the Los Angeles River, to the Hollywood Sign and back. The section of the river accessible to cars is an ugly concrete channel, but after riding the bike path…

roads belong to our kids

My daughter Rose took her first steps on a balance bike last month. Watching her giggle and manhandle the five-pound bike around the playground—and learn that no, it can’t go up stairs—left me blinking back tears. But it also planted a slow-growing seed of dread for the day she’ll ask to hit the road. She might be ready in several years, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be. Although our Astoria neighborhood in Queens has seen massive improvements in bike infrastructure over the decade we’ve lived here, it’s still not near enough for more vulnerable riders. We have several miles of protected bike lanes, but every stretch without a concrete barrier serves as a loading zone for trucks and a passing lane for, well, assholes in a big goddamn hurry. I’ve…

contributors

JADA JACKSON P.46 “I enjoy connecting with Black elders and learning about their legacies,” says Jackson, who is an editorial fellow at House Beautiful. She spoke with Louis Moore, the 80-year-old cofounder of Minneapolis’s Major Taylor Bicycling Club. “It was impactful to hear how Louis leads his life, breaking through barriers and creating space for himself,” she says. NATALIE CORBETTP.50 Corbett, who is the first openly transgender woman to bike the Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Argentina, discovered her authentic self and learned to let go of lingering insecurities through big rides. “Just thinking about being in the Andes Mountains brings tears to my eyes,” she says. “I’ve come so far and grown so much stronger.” IKE EDEANI P.56 Edeani, whose work can be seen in such outlets as The New York Times and TIME,…

find gravel roads near you

There’s one thing nearly all gravel riders want: more gravel. Though some of us in remote regions such as the Ozarks, Flint Hills, and Sun Valley may have hundreds of miles of gravel roads right out our front door, others may have to work a little harder to find dirt roads to ride. The good news is that as more riders choose paths less paved, there are more resources available to locate great gravel routes. Here’s where to look. GO TO GRAVELMAP// The site gravelmap.com launched in 2014 as a pet project, but it soon became a solid resource for stringing together gravel road routes. Just pop in an address or area where you want to ride, and a map view shows up with gravel roads highlighted in yellow. Of course, there are…