Aside from the full line of cycling equipment Louis Garneau’s company creates, he is also a remarkable fine artist. Garneau recently put his talents to work to raise money for Team Rwanda.
Painting in a necessary outlet for me,” Garneau says. “It lets me express feeling and share life experiences. It is also a way for me to give back. Thus, faced with the sheer size of the help necessary to make a difference, I decided to paint the HOPE series, a collection of 12 paintings of which 4 have already been sold at the price of $20,000 each.”
Garneau then donated the money, $80,000 to the Rwanda National Cycling Team to help them “grow through their sport and continue the work of hope for the Rwandas who follow their feats and are able to dream.”
National bicycling organization PeopleForBikes set out in March 2010 to unite one million voices in support of a better future for biking. Today PeopleForBikes achieved this milestone—one million Americans have joined the movement to making riding better for everyone.
“Today is a historic day for PeopleForBikes. We are proud to have one million individuals standing behind our vision and goals,” said President of PeopleForBikes, Tim Blumenthal. “We would like to thank everyone who has showed their support for better bicycling. We plan to keep growing!” . . . PeopleForBikes believes that people, wherever they live, should be able to bike safely and comfortably and enjoy the many benefits of bicycling—for health, recreation, the economy, the environment, community and sustainability. PeopleForBikes focuses its efforts to improve bicycling through its Green Lane Project, political work, community grants, national partnerships, and by providing bicycling statistics and resources for use by all stakeholders.
Chris Horner, 2013 Vuleta a Espana champion who didn’t get to defend his title while with team Lampre-Meridal, thanks to some technical issues as a result of his nearly being killed by a hit-and-run driver last spring, has signed with the United States registered Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team.
“I am very excited to be joining Airgas-Safeway for 2015,” said Horner. “I have achieved a huge amount of success in my career and I’m incredibly proud of that. For me, the next chapter isn’t just about what I can do as an individual, but what I can give back to cycling as a sport. I had a number of options for this year and what really struck me about Airgas-Safeway was their utter commitment to giving the next generation of young riders the opportunity for success.”
Hopefully, this means we’ll see him around more often. For the official word from Airgas-Safeway, please follow the jump. [click to continue…]
That first round of Felt F65X and F85x cyclocross bikes that have been on sale since June 2014 have some frame issues it appears. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission says the frames on these aluminum bikes could break causing the rider to “lose control, fall and suffer injuries.” Felt describes the bike as:
The F65X is cyclo-cross ready but can do double duty for those rainy commute days. The Superlight Custom butted 7005 aluminum and a BB30 bottom bracket keep the bike light. The F65X is ready to jump the barriers, ride in the dirt, or tackle the urban commute.
Apparently that “superlight” frame was a little too light. The CPSC says “consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bicycles and contact their local Felt Bicycles dealer for a free inspection and frame replacement.” So far no injuries have been reported.
People For Bikes, the organization dedicated to improving bicycling in the United States, has a new partner in the form of our favorite on-bike food, Clif Bar.
The mission of PeopleForBikes is to improve bicycling in the U.S. by collaborating with individuals, businesses and communities. CLIF Bar recognizes that safety on American roadways needs to be improved in order to further encourage bicycling as a more popular mode of transportation. One key solution is developing protected bike lanes that provide physical separation between cars and bikes on the roadway. According to the Chicago Department of Transportation, cities around the U.S. have found that protected bike lanes increase bicycle ridership, reduce motor vehicle speeding, reduce crashes and improve people’s feelings of safety on those streets. CLIF Bar and PeopleForBikes have a long-term interest in working to bring new opportunities for safer, accessible biking in communities across the nation.
For the official word from Clif Bar, please follow the jump. [click to continue…]
April 1, 2014 — The latest from Mill Valley, Calfiornia is that Wilderness Trail Bikes and its urban counterpart, Freedom have joined together to be rebranded as Wilderness Trail & Freedom, or WTF.
“We’ve asked for WTF for quite some time now,” elaborated Justin Kirkwood, WTF’s creative director. “The ThickSlick tire’s overwhelming success is irrefutable. Now under one roof, WTF will offer a staggering portfolio. From 16 versions of the WTF ThickSlick to 11 different WTF Vigilantes spanning 26, 27.5, and 29”, WTF has augmented its reach. The future is bright for WTF.”
What the freedom? For the official word from WTF, follow the jump. (We’re just glad people still have the energy to create this stuff. April 1st used to be our favorite day in publishing. . . ) [click to continue…]
Seems like everyone is getting in on the Backcountry.com Professional Mountain Bike Team program. now, Louis Garneau has announced that (he) they will be the official helmet, show, and apparel sponsor of the team. Or did we already mention that in our last post? For the official word from Garneau, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
Backcountry.com is going pro with a full mountain bike team. They’ll be riding Niner Bikes and sponsored by the following companies: Geax, Clifbar, Louis Garneau, FSA, WTB, Chris King, ENVE, SRAM, Crankbrothers, Eureka, Jet Boil and Gore Bike Wear.
“Mountain biking is at the core of who we are as a brand and being able to extend our expert gear knowledge to the trail and support the sport is a priority,” said Jill Layfield, CEO at backcountry.com. “Assembling a pro team of this caliber that possesses the tools to compete at the highest level is a natural extension of our cycling brands and culture.” . . The Mountain Bike Team will be managed by pro rider Jason Sager. Sager took 2nd overall at the 2013 Sudety MTB Challenge stage race in Poland, and 4th overall at the 2013 Mongolian Bike Challenge. In addition to Sager, team riders include: Chloe Woodruff, Evelyn Dong, and TJ Woodruff.
For the official word from Backcountry.com, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
After a rising tide of complaints from users that Fitbit’s extremely popular Force fitness tracking device was causing a rash on users’ wrists, company CEO and co-Founder James Pack has officially stopped sales of the device and launched a voluntary recall of the product.
In a letter from the CEO on Fitbit’s corporate blog dated February 20, 2014, CEO Park explains:
“Late last year, we began selling Fitbit Force, our most advanced activity tracker,” Park says. “Recently, some Force users have reported skin irritation. While only 1.7% of Force users have reported any type of skin irritation, we care about every one of our customers. On behalf of the entire Fitbit team, I want to apologize to anyone affected.”
Park says the company has run the Force through independent testing by “medical experts” and found “no issues with the battery or electrical systems,” but says that some users may be reacting to nickel in the stainless steel, the strap, or adhesives used in manufacturing the device. Through this testing Fitbit has “learned enough to take further action” and is conducting a voluntary recall of the $130 device.
The company has set up a dedicated recall page which directs users to fill out an online form. Fit bit will then send users an instruction kit on how to Return the Force for a refund. Fitbit says that once the Force is returned, a refund check will be sent directly to the user “within 2-6 weeks.” Fitbit Force users with other questions can call 888-656-6381.
The Spy Giant Ride Elite Cycling Team today announced its roster of riders along with presenting and supporting sponsors. In 2014, the team will be known as SPY GIANT RIDE presented by MRI Endurance, and will exclusively use the MRI line of endurance and athlete products for all its training and competitive needs.
“The mission for our team is to bring together the most positive racers in Southern California who have the potential to leave a lasting, happy impression and provide them access to the best products on earth,” says Michael Marckx, SPY president and CEO. “Our partnership with MRI Endurance is the greatest step we’ve taken to fulfill that mission, and the wide array of MRI products will keep our team performing at an optimum level, driving the front and creating a wake of happiness wherever we ride. When you consider we’ve got the greatest bikes, eyewear, helmets, shoes, wheels, components, apparel, and now nutrition and sports supplements, it’s no wonder a spot on our team is such a sought after position.”
