Winter 2012 Quick Release

QuickReleaseSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION

Our New Home!

Winter 2012 • Volume 22 / No. 3

Want to help create this new community space? Check out page 4

2 Quick Release Winter 2012

BOARDErik WrightDavid BourgeoisByron BeckMichael ChiacosRobert CaizaCarmen LozanoHector GonzalezTim BurgessCourtney DietzJohn HygelundMike VergeerDavid Hodges

STAFFEd France, Executive [email protected]

Christine Bourgeois, Education [email protected]

Shawn Von Biela, Karen Blakeman, and Brooke Treanor, shop staff [email protected]

GOVT. LIAISONS & ADVISORSMatt Dobberteen, AdvisorCounty of Santa Barbara805-568-3576

Kent Epperson, AdvisorTraffi c Solutions805-961-8917

Ralph Fertig, President Emeritus805-962-1470

GRAPHIC DESIGNCynthia [email protected]

EDITORHolly [email protected]

CONTACT US506 E. Haley St.Santa Barbara, CA 93103

PO Box 92047Santa Barbara, CA 93190

www.sbbike.org805-617-3255

CONTRIBUTEYour time:www.bicicentro.org/volunteerIn-kindwww.bicicentro.org/wishlistFinancially:www.bicicentro.org/donate

Our VisionThe Bike Coalition vision is that Santa Barbara will be a leader in creating a bicycle-friendly

community and transportation system. Extensive on-road and separated bikeways, a

coordinated transit system, parking, and amenities allow us to enjoy a culture where

the majority of daily trips include a bicycle. As a result, our community is healthier and

encourages balanced living within our resources. universal cycling education for all ages

supports the development of safe and respectful road behaviors from both motorists and

cyclists. Widespread community and political support for bicycling is in place. By 2040,

because it is a cycling-centered county, Santa Barbara is both a great place to live and

work and a nationally acclaimed cycling destination, boasting a year-round calendar of

successful, fun, and inclusive events.

cover photo by shawn Von.

Our new home! The SB Bike Coalition is thrilled to show off this storefront. Located on 506 East Haley next door to Muddy Waters, the new

headquarters will host Bici Centro, DIY shop extraordinaire, as well as the coalition’s many educational and outreach programs, allowing SB

Bike to beef up its off erings to Santa Barbara’s diverse cycling community.

Letter from the EditorFor many, winter symbolizes an end of a cycle. As the air

turns crisp and holiday décor fi lls our streets and homes,

something inside us knows it’s time to purge—to clean

out that which no longer serves us and make way for the

bounty that comes with starting anew. We create space for

springtime and rebirth.

This year, many of us have refl ected on the end of an even

greater cycle. In 3114 BC, the Maya created a numerically

predictable calendar called the Long Count. Its celestial

cycle would end 5,126 years later, in 2012 AD. I, for one, am

boarding the metaphorical ark on which rides a shift in our

collective consciousness. In this new cycle, we individuals and communities—the spokes

that support our global wheel—will renew our relationships with each other and with our

planet and her cycles. Why am I boarding? Because mindfully setting out toward a goal is

the fi rst step to accomplishing anything.

Case in point: SB Bike’s board envisioned a new location to support our cycling

community’s growing needs. The board set out to fi nd a place that would host extended

shop hours, more education opportunities, and enhanced outreach and advocacy

programs.

Thanks to perseverance and the help of the many spokes that support this community,

that spot is well under way. Each time I visit the budding new headquarters of SB Bike

and Bici Centro, I am fi lled with the joy of new birth. Fresh paint and the dedication of

volunteers—one even made a brave off er to his FB friends to match all volunteered hours—

brighten the walls. And enthusiasm fi lls the space with visions of this new community

center—this fresh cycle for Santa Barbara’s biking community.

Happy cycles and cycling,

Holly Starley, QR editor

Happy cycles and cycling,

Holly Starley, QR editor

www.BiciCentro.org 3

CONTENTSBici Finds Home 4SB Cyclists on the Rise 5Spokes and Bones 6Open Streets in SB? 7Everest Challenge 8Lighting the Night 9Events Calendar 10Ask Dr. Dan Column 11

Mike Rodgers goes the

extra mile for bicycling

and his Santa Barbara community. After a

full week managing the uCSB AS Bike Shop,

Mike chooses to give an extra shift each

week to help Bici Centro improve its service

here in downtown Santa Barbara. Mike has

taught our mechanics series multiple times

and is one of the most skilled and positive

Bici crewmembers around. He has been

volunteering at Bici Centro for almost two

years. Thanks, Mike, for what you do!

Favorite bike: My favorite bike is one

I built this summer at the united Bicycle

Institute in Portland. I love it because I was

intimately involved with every part of it, and it

was built to fi t my body dimensions. The frame

geometry is similar to the Surley Long Haul

Trucker I used to own—long wheelbase, low BB, slack head and seat tube angles—

but with slightly more fork rake and a 55 cm seat tube, which is not available in a

commercially built frame.

Favorite thing about the shop: I love volunteering on Saturday

afternoons because I can share my mechanic skills with other like-minded people

in a friendly and supportive environment.

Mike Hodges refurbishing a bike for SB Bike’s Bite Size Bikes giveaway last year. CHRISTINE BOuRGEOIS

Dons Net CafeEye SpecialistsService ObjectsRoddick Foundation

The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition and Bici Centro would like to thank all our supporters and business members!

VOLUNTEER BIKE LIGHT

Orfalea

On December 6, a group of cyclists took to the streets of Santa Barbara dressed in white, red, and green for SB Bike Moves’ “Frosty the Snow Moves.” Some riders sported carrot noses; one decked-out chariot provided a regal ride for two lovely ladies. This biking enthusiast, Jason Summers, along with his son Kai, 7, decorated the back of Summers’s extra-long ride, a Kona ute, to the nines. Santa sat atop a winter scene in the snow globe fashioned from a recycled aquarium bowl and a 12-volt battery powering an inline fan that recirculated the “snow.” Kai decorated the snowman fl agpole on the back. HOLLY STARLEY


BICI UPDATE

No Place Like HomeHector Gonzalez, Bici Centro Chair

Hello, bicycle friends and family. As many

of you may already know, the Santa Barbara

Bicycle Coalition (SB Bike) has recently

acquired a new home for Bici Centro and all

our SB Bike activities.

Our previous location at 601 E. Montecito

Street has adequately served us for many

years. From our humble beginnings, this space

afforded us the opportunity to turn scarce

capital into essential services for the bicycle

community as we grew as an organization. And

now, we are ready to expand both our vision

and our reach.

Thanks to a targeted search, we have found a

new location, situated very close to the same

community we have been serving all these

years. But to move forward with the new

location, we’ve had to produce significant cash

up front for moving expenses, increased rents,

upgrades to the property, and rent, while our

revenue-generating programs are reduced

for the move. A generous donor has offered

a $10,000 matching donation, making our

$40,000 target even more attainable and your

donation go even further. We have achieved 77

percent of this goal.

For your donation, the returns are enormous!

Imagine, a Bici Centro that is open five or more

days a week so that you can grab the essential

bike part that you absolutely need for your

commute to work. Need help fixing up your

bike? Not a problem. The new location for Bici

Centro will help us accommodate more open

shop days and longer hours to help you learn

how to keep your bike in prime condition.

More kids taught about bike safety, more low-

income residents met in their neighborhoods

for bike repair, and more free lights distributed

to needy cyclists—these and more are the

future with an improved and expanded space.

Any donation is helpful, and we are

encouraging gifts at all levels, as we need your support today. In addition,

we would love your help building our new cycling community center. Please

continue to partner with us and know that, the next time you are in need, it

will not be the back of our head you see as you wait on the side of the road

with your bike. We will be there extending a pump, a spare tube, a helpful tip,

or a patch kit. This is what happens when Bici Centro empowers cyclists like

us. This is community. This is Bici Centro.

Help Build Our Home

Volunteer Wish list• **Top priority item** Help design signage – Bici needs signage both

for the new shop and for directions from the old spot to the new one.• Offer your construction and commercial layout skills – During the

first year at the new locale, everyone at the shop will undoubtedly be improving the shop layout to best accommodate parts and workspace. The goal is to get as much as possible right on the first try. From now until the end of January, Bici will need help building, modifying, and moving shelving, workstations, and all types of shop material.

• Share your artistic abilities and contribute to the shop’s aesthetics – Bici’s new home creates a wealth of new opportunities for art projects, such as murals and much more. Lend your creativity to improve the look and feel of the community cycling center.

• Help build youth bikes –A constant demand combined with and an increasing supply of kids’ bikes make refurbishing these rides a shop priority. Working on youth bikes is a great way to gain wrenching experience, as these bikes are fairly straightforward and not as complicated as many adult bikes.

• Clean, sort, test, and service donated components – Help make ready the supply of wheels, shifters, brakes, cranks, etc. that the shop will provide for inexpensive repairs during DIY Open Shop hours.

tools and equipment Wish list• Bench vise – the bigger the better (alternatively, a machinist to repair

the current vise)• Tap and dies of bike sizes (the shop already has 9/16 pedal taps and

M5X1 and English BB taps)• 15 mm open wrenches; cone wrenches (especially 15 mm and 13 mm)• Smaller road bikes (48 – 54 cm)• Steel road and touring bikes (20”, 24”, and 26” aluminum wheels only,

please)• Good old parts off bikes (stuff you upgraded but is still good)• Freewheel tool – two-prong; Regina/old school, non Suntour• Spoke tools• Truing stands• Chain tools – good ones (they wear out and break quickly)• Derailleur hanger straightener• Trainer (bike holding stand with flywheels)

To offer your help or donate in kind, please contact Ed France, executive director, at 805/203-6940 or [email protected]. Find an up-to-date wish list at www.bicicentro.org/wishlist.


Spokes and Bones: Honoring Lost CyclistsEd France

El Día de Los Muertos is an important holiday in Mexico and much

of Latin America; on this day, celebrants pray for and remember the

deceased. The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition participated in this

beautiful tradition, honoring and remembering the cyclists killed—

tragically—in preventable collisions and accidents. We were proud to

have the opportunity to collaborate in the creation of two bicycle-

related altars—one through our long-term partnership with Casa de

la Raza for their “Viva La Educación” Día de los Muertos event. Our

second altar was part of Santa Maria’s annual Día de los Muertos

community celebration. Our participation in the Santa Maria event

was our first time ever collaboration between SBBC, Pueblo, THRIVE

Santa Maria, The Cutters Cycling Club, and Santa Maria Parks & Rec,

and it was very important to us because we wanted to show that we

remember the three tragic deaths of cyclists in North County this year.

This is why the work of our bicycling advocacy is so critical. It is a matter of life and death.These altars symbolized the lives of those gone, while at the same

time serving as a vehicle to increase awareness, provide education,

promote safety, and spark the advocacy flame in our community. We

know education is our most powerful tool. This year, nearly 5,000

people will die while biking or walking, which is disproportionately

high compared to other nations and other modes of transportation.

Additionally, our Santa Barbara community is among the most

dangerous in the state.*

These deaths are preventable. In fact, we know from other

communities, both internationally and right here on the West Coast,

that it doesn’t have to be that way. We can vastly reduce these deaths

to nearly none, simply by improving our roadways and increasing the

mode share of bicyclists and pedestrians. This is why the work of our

bicycling advocacy is so critical. It is a matter of life and death.

*Please note: Despite the inordinate risk of collision in the United

States, the health benefits of bicycling—giving over an hour of

increased life expectancy per hour of cycling—far outweigh the risks.

Ride proud and ride confident, and remember those who have fallen

while making bicycling a normal part of our culture.

IN OUR COMMUNITYSB Bike invites all Santa Barbara cyclists to come and check out the new Bici Centro shop location at 506 East Haley St. Help create our new and improved community cycling center!

SB Bike invita a todos los ciclistas de Santa Barbara para visitar y conocer nuestra nueva locación de la tienda Bici Centro en 506 East Haley St. ¡Ayúdanos a crear un nu evo centro para nuestra comunidad de ciclistas!

FELICIANO AGuILAR


IN OUR COMMUNITY

More People are Bike CommutingRalph Fertig

According to data from the uS Census Bureau, biking to work is steadily

increasing in the uS, in California, and in Santa Barbara County.

The “Bike to Work” graph shows how our county vastly outperforms both

the uS and the California numbers for years between 2000 and 2011.

Our bicycling increase for the county refl ects growth from 4,822 to 7,859

bicyclists over those twelve years—that’s an increase of 63 percent, six

times the 10 percent increase in the total number of county workers!

Bicycling mode share increased from 2000 to 2011, so what mode

did people switch from when they chose to bicycle? It turns out that

county commuters are driving 3.5 percent less. They are not only biking

1.3 percent more, they are also working at home 1.3 percent more,

and taking the bus 0.9 percent more. (Walking, however, remained

unchanged.) This welcome trend means less congestion, cleaner air,

quieter communities, and better health. Good for us bicyclists and good

for everybody!

Data from the Census Bureau consists of two types—the Census “Long

Form” that was sent to one in six households each decade and its

annual American Community Survey (ACS) that queries one in thirty-fi ve

households. Both surveys ask the same question, “How did you usually

get to work last week?” to workers at least sixteen years old.

The Long Form stopped with the year 2000 and was replaced a few years

later with the ACS to give people frequently-updated data. However,

because of the smaller sample size, the ACS data

are less reliable for small sample sets, like smaller

cities.

For the ACS counts, the bureau releases data

each year for cities of over 65,000 residents. For

smaller cities, they instead aggregate the data

over fi ve-year periods. So while we get annual

data for Santa Maria and Santa Barbara, we have

to wait for the aggregated versions for others.

The “Bike to Work 2006–2010 graph shows

the most recently released fi ve-year numbers.

As expected, bicycling to work is considerably

more common in the South Coast than in the

North County. The surprise may be that both

Goleta and Carpinteria have a much higher bike

commute share than Santa Barbara.

The Census Bureau continuously releases its

ACS data, so the measure of what’s happening is

always being updated. With bicycling increasing

all over the uS, we look positively toward an

increasingly bright future.

0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7%

Bike to Work 2006-2010

Goleta

Carpinteria

SB County

California

Santa Maria

US

Santa Barbara

Lompoc

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

2000

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Bike to Work 2000-2011

SB County

California

US


ADVOCACY

CicLAvia Field Trip: Should SB Open its Streets?Kent Epperson, SBCAG Traffic Solutions

CicLAvia is a biannual event that

temporarily closes down streets to cars

on about 10 miles of major arterial roads

in downtown LA and opens the streets

up as a public park for the community

to enjoy, with the goal of encouraging

physical activity such as bicycling,

walking, or just enjoying the city car-free.

More than 100,000 people of all walks

of life attend these events. October 2011

participant, Lori La Riva said that she

“loved the freedom to enjoy the wide and

far stretching spaces, riding side by side

with a good friend, laughing together,

and enjoying the view of small shops,

houses, and tall office buildings—all with

no worries as everyone around us was on

foot or two wheels too!”

Many of us have wondered if something

similar could be organized in Santa

Barbara. So on October 7, forty-seven

community leaders piled into a bus

(donated by Santa Barbara Airbus) and

headed to LA with bikes in tow, on a fact

finding mission to experience CicLAvia

firsthand. The field trip was co-organized

by Traffic Solutions, the Santa Barbara

Bicycle Coalition, and COAST. Ant it

was perfectly timed, since the CicLAvia

organizers and the LA mayor’s office put

on a public briefing that day for leaders

from surrounding cities to learn what it

takes to put on an Open Streets event like

CicLAvia.

The field trip was such a hit that the SB

organizers decided to spread the word

and share what they’d learned at an Open

Streets Forum held at the Faulkner Gallery

on November 7. Over forty community

leaders, including bicyclists, business

owners, public health officials, city of

Santa Barbara Staff, law enforcement,

architects, and sustainability leaders

attended the event. The forum featured

presentations from Aaron Paley, executive

director of CicLAvia, and Saskia Lucas,

organizer of the first annual Open Streets

Santa Cruz. Much was learned from the

presentations, and the audience was left

feeling both inspired and humbled by the

level of effort it takes to put on such an

event.

The concept and term Ciclovia (Spanish

for “bike path”) was first put into practice

in Bogotá, Columbia, at a weekly Sunday

event that started in the late ’70s. Now, every

Sunday, over two million people enjoy 70

miles of open streets by bike, foot, and roller

blades, while other participate in dance or

exercise classes.

This concept has spread around the world in

cities large and small, with more than eighty

similar events in the united States alone.

The new term for these kinds of initiatives

is Open Streets. Open Streets initiatives

look very different from place to place, but

the common goal is to encourage physical

activity and the exploration of a city without

a car. Other activities can include games,

sports, dance classes, bicycle rodeos,

public talks, live music, food, art, and more.

There is a DIY aspect to these initiatives,

encouraging the community to use the

streets in creative and fun, active ways.

Open Street events with longer routes tend

to encourage bicycling and rollerblading,

whereas the shorter route events attract

more stationary sports, games, and

activities.

Should we bring an Open Streets initiative to

Santa Barbara? If so, when and where should

it be held?

A follow-up Open Streets meeting was held

on December 4 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss this

topic further. For more information about an

Open Streets even in Santa Barbara, e-mail

Eva Inbar at [email protected].

From top: Chicken style? – The group from Dons Net Cafe is ready to roll. Family style – Mom and Dad hold hands on the handlebar, and the little one naps. Tall style – This tall biker wows a crowd with his tricks. Zebra style – Kent Epperson leaves the Soto Station Hub, boom box in tow, and ready to enjoy the open streets of LA. CHRISTINE BOuRGEOIS.


Amy with team at Century. CHRISTINE BOuRGEOIS

FEATURE

Mt. Everest on a Bike? Pedal Power Instructor Climbs to the Challenge

Amy Benner, up-and-coming racer extraordinaire and

enthusiastic SB Bike Pedal Power instructor, placed third in

her division (Category 4) in a grueling, aptly named race—the

Everest Challenge—this September. A two-day, 206-mile

stage race based in Bishop, California, the Everest Challenge

takes its name from the fact that it includes 29,035 feet of

climbing (the height of Mt. Everest). After the weekend race,

Benner was back at La Colina Jr. High on Wednesday, a little

sore and all the more in love with bikes and racing.

The Quick Release caught up with Benner to get the skinny

on the race, her training and nutrition choices, and why she

chooses to share her love of all things cycling with local

youngsters.

QR: How was the Everest Challenge?

BENNER: I haven’t been racing long, but this race was

definitely the hardest race I have ever done and the

most beautiful. The Eastern Sierra Nevada and the Inyo

White Mountains are spectacular to explore by bike.

QR: When did you first start biking? What was your first

bike?

BENNER: I started cycling pretty much when

everybody does—around 5 or 6 years old. I commuted

by bike to and from college, but the road cycling

obsession didn’t start until about two years ago.

My first bike was from a garage sale, I think. I can’t

remember what kind it was. I think it may have once

been green and pink, but it was so faded it was hard to

tell.

QR: How long have you known you wanted to race?

What or who was your inspiration?

BENNER: My first road race was in January of this

year—the Poor College Kids Road Race, in Santa Ynez.

I don’t think I really knew how much I loved racing

until the official blew the start whistle and we all took

off. The more I raced, the more I loved it. I have to say,

though, that I really lucked out. I went into my first race

with a lot of support. I had my B4T9 teammates to help me, and my coach, Jill

Gass, to tell me exactly what to do. Cycling is first and foremost a team sport,

and team B4T9 is the most inspiring group of people I have ever met.

QR: Tell us a little about your training. What does it involve? How much of your

time is dedicated to it?

BENNER: My training varies, depending on the time of year and the type of

races that I’m preparing for. Right now, it’s off-season, so I’m doing more base

training (longer/slower rides, climbing, etc.) and a lot of strength training (on

and off the bike). During the racing season, the focus shifts to higher intensity,

speed-driven workouts—lots of interval work and fast-paced group riding. The

local group rides are excellent race practice. On average, though, I spend about

fifteen to twenty-five hours per week on the bike and maybe three to five hours

a week doing off-the-bike training.

QR: Nutrition – what does it mean to you and how has racing changed that?

BENNER: Nutrition is huge. If I’m not training or working, chances are you’ll

find me in the kitchen. For me, nutrition means real food, and lots of it. It’s

appalling how much I need to eat. Having the right food at the right time is

absolutely crucial to performance. The Everest Challenge was what really got

me cooking; gels and energy bars don’t cut it on a ride like that, and once you

get used to eating real food, you never want to look at a Clif bar ever again. Jill

let me borrow her copy of The Feed Zone Cookbook by Dr. Allen Lim and Biju

Thomas when I was training for the EC. If it wasn’t for Jill’s advice on training

and nutrition, I never would have survived. Now, I have my own copy of the

cookbook, and I use it pretty much every day. My favorite training food is fig and

honey rice cakes and Nutella sandwiches.

QR: What was your favorite race and why?

BENNER: Don’t know. Haven’t raced them all yet. So far, though, probably the

Everest Challenge. It was for sure the most beautiful. Plus, endurance events

like that are really empowering because they really blow the cap off what is (and

what is not) possible.

QR: What kind of bike do you ride?

BENNER: My road bike is a Trek Madone 3.1, and I borrow my teammate’s

Specialized Transition for time trials.

QR: How does your racing relate to/inform you as you pass your love of biking

on to the youth in your Pedal Power classes?

BENNER: I started learning about bike safety as an adult. I really wish I’d learned

it as a kid. Taking bike safety classes made me feel safer on the road and made

me confident enough on the bike to try racing. If I’d started as a kid, I could’ve

started racing sooner! Racing is just one of the many things you can do with a

bike, and I try to present Pedal Power to young people as a gateway to all that is

great about bikes.

QR: What, if anything, would you change about the world of bicycle racing?

BENNER: I’d like to see more attention given to women cyclists. We’re making

progress though. I could talk about this forever, but I’ll just say that this is a really

exciting time to be a girl on a bike.

QR: What are your goals for yourself as a racer? Is there any race/place that

would be the penultimate achievement?

BENNER: For now, I’d like to do well as a Cat 3 racer next season and earn

enough points to become a Cat 2. Once I’m a Cat 2, we’ll see if I’m good

enough to spend all season getting dropped by the professionals.


OUTREACH

“Light the Night” Makes Local Cyclists Safer!When Daylight Savings hits, many cyclists are left in the dark during

their commute. During the first week of November, SB Bike’s Spanish

Language Outreach committee partnered with the city and county of

Santa Barbara to organize the second annual Iluminando La Noche

(Light the Night). Over thirty volunteers distributed more than 800 bike

lights at five different locations—Westside, Eastside, and downtown Santa

Barbara, as well as in Goleta and Carpinteria. Three cheers for more

visible cyclists!

Lights on the bridge – Volunteers, including SB Bike’s Robert Caiza (left), launched the five-night giveaway on the Micheltorena Bridge. CARMEN LOzANO

Get Involved and Practice Your Spanish!The Spanish Language Outreach Committee combines the

resources of SB Bike, Bici Centro, and Traffic Solutions.

The committee meets on the third Thursday of each

month to discuss outreach programs for Santa Barbara’s

vibrant Spanish-speaking cycling community. Meetings are

conducted bilingually and open to everyone, so this is a great

opportunity for Spanish speakers and those of you who are

learning the language alike. Upcoming meetings will be held

on February 21 and March 21, 2013, at 7 p.m. at Bici’s new

location on 506 E. Haley St.

Lighting Old Town – During the giveaways, volunteers conducted a survey to ascertain (1) how SB Bike can best advocate for cyclists’ needs (What keeps you from biking? unlighted roads, difficult intersections, etc.) and (2) recipients’ knowledge of cycling laws and safety (Is it legal to ride on the sidewalk? Nope). Here, SB Bike’s Mike Vergeer and this Goleta survey recipient are all smiles. CARMEN LOzANO

Lights for the family – This family is ready to ride after dark! CARMEN LOzANO

Lights with flames – This Iluminando volunteer shares a moment with a young biker after attaching front and rear lights to brighten up his flaming ride (check out the saddle). CARMEN LOzANO

Lighting Milpas with smiles – A happy volunteer and cyclist show off his new lights. CARMEN LOzANO


EDUCATIONstreet skills: the 4-part series for the prepared and aWare bicycle commuter

Clinic 1: Get Your Bike Ready to RideJan 15, 7–9 pm; freeClinic 2: Become a Confident RiderJan 17, 7–9 pm; FreeClinics 3 & 4: Bike Handling Skills & Group RideJan 19, 10 am–3 pm; Free

learn your bike series Join us for our much-acclaimed 8-week bicycle mechanics primer. Jan 29 – Mar 19, 7–9 pm (8 Tuesdays)

$95 non-members/$85 members/volunteer training (free work trade)To register for or learn more about these classes, visit bicicentro.org/events.

priVate Group instructionScout troops, work groups, and others, schedule your own group training in bike handling and mechanic skills taught by American League of Bicyclists Certified Instructors.

Your convenience; prices varyContact Christine Bourgeois at [email protected] to schedule.

third annual youth bike summit in nycSB Bike is hoping to send a group of high school students to the conference to represent Santa Barbara’s young biking community and is looking for interested cyclists, including mountain bikers.Feb 15, 16, and 17$20 youth/$35 adultsContact Christine Bourgeois at [email protected] or visit recycleabicycle.org/about-us/youth-bike-summit to learn more.

BIKING OPPORTUNITIESsolVanG century

Choose from 50, 63, & 100 mile courses. Register at bikescor.com/solvang_century.html.Mar 9

bike moVesJoin a fun group ride on the first Thursday of every month. Dress up yourself or your bike, if you like. Check sbbikemoves.com for upcoming themes (not an SB Bike event).

Jan 3, Feb 7, Mar 7, 7:30 pm, Free

COMMITTEE MEETINGSJoin us to plan our proGrams!

AdvocacyMonthly, 2nd Thurs, noonwww.bicicentro.org/AdvocacyEventsMonthly, 3rd Tues, 6 pmwww.bicicentro.org/EventsComSpanish LanguageMonthly, 3rd Thurs, 7 pmwww.bicicentro.org/SpanishcomEducationMonthly, 2nd Wed, 7 pm*www.bicicentro.org/EducomBici Centro ShopMonthly, 2nd Tues, 7 pmwww.bicicentro.org/BicicomMembership & CommunicationMonthly, 3rd Thurs, noonwww.bicicentro.org/org/mc*Meeting with Tailwinds Bicycle Club of Santa Maria (Bike Education in North County)

The Jan Education meeting will be held at a special location in conjunction with the Bike Education in North County group, and all are invited.Jan 9, 7 pm; Edwards Community Center, 809 Fremont Dr.

WINTER CYCLING EVENTS

Promote yourself here!Show Santa Barbara cyclists what you have

going on.

To flaunt your stuff in the spring issue of the

Quick Release, contact Ed France at 805/617-

3255, [email protected].


Dan Fishbein is a physician and public health

practitioner who has loved bicycles since

his childhood in Los Angeles. Since moving

to Santa Barbara, he is proud that he usually

does all his commuting on a bike, logging

many car-free weeks. “Ask Dr. Dan,” one

of the QR’s two favorite columns, features

cycling-related medical information. And like the column title

suggestions, you can send Fishbein your health questions. To ask

Dr. Dan, e-mail [email protected] with the subject “Ask Dr. Dan.”

COULUMN

Ask Dr. DanGo easy on those pain medicationsColumn by Dan Fishbein, MD

Over-the-counter pain relievers can be divided into those

with anti-inflammatory properties—non-steroidal anti-

inflammatory medications (NSAIDS)—and those without

anti-inflammatory properties. NSAIDS include ibuprofen

(sold under the brand names Motrin, Nurofen, Advil, and

Nuprin); naproxyn (Aleve); and aspirin. Acetaminophen

(Tylenol) is the most commonly used pain reliever that

does not have anti-inflammatory properties. Nonsteroidal

anti-inflammatory are commonly used by cyclists to

prevent or treat exercise-induced pain, thereby making

cycling more enjoyable and possibly improving physical

performance. However, these drugs have a number of

potentially hazardous effects on health that all of us should

be aware of.

NSAIDS have a number of side effects. They can lead

to bleeding of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, high blood

pressure, and kidney disease. Moreover, a recent study

showed that cyclists (and presumably other athletes)

who take NSAIDS while exercising are more likely to have

gastrointestinal damage than those who take them at other

times. It is believed that the cause was shunting of blood

from the GI to the muscles.

While acetaminophen is much safer, you need to be very

careful how much you take, especially if you enjoy your

alcoholic drinks. In higher-than-recommended doses, this

medicine can damage your liver, potentially quite seriously.

People who don’t drink (or have only a few per day) can

take up to three regular strength (325 mg) or two extra

strength (500 mg) tablets three times per day, while those

who have “a few too many” should take no more than two

regular strength or one extra strength tablets thrice daily.

Here’s a dose of the science behind this recommendation.

Chronic alcohol use activates enzymes that transform

acetaminophen into chemicals that can cause liver

damage, even when the medicine is used in standard

amount. But if you’ve had a few too many and taken

acetaminophen, don’t worry. The trouble starts when

regular heavy drinkers take a lot of acetaminophen over a

period of time—several days, at least, and maybe longer.

A very healthy and effective alternative to these drugs is

yoga, which relieves pain by stimulating a secretion of a

natural pain reliever called g-Aminobutyric acid (GABA). I’ll

write more about yoga in a future edition of “Ask Dr. Dan.”

Join Now!Why should you register or renew as a member of the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition?1. it helps us assert our collective rights as road users.

2. power in numbers helps us influence local

government for better bikeways.

3. We help you stay in the loop of local bicycling-

related events.

4. We offer discounts with our local bike shops, as well

as for our classes and events.

5. membership enables you to volunteer at premium

opportunities like bike valet at the sb bowl.

Membership Rates:individual, 1-year $30individual, 2-year $55household*, 1-year $45household*, 2-year $85business*, 1-year $100business Gold*, 1-year $250a business Gold membership includes advertising!*household and business memberships may include up to four members.register online today at www.bicicentro.org/join.

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Winter 2012 Quick Release

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