Six reasons to give cyclocross a try
People for Bikes Blog
Cyclocross is something of a bicycling niche in the U.S. In cyclocross, riders use modified road bicycles to race around grass and dirt courses for 30 minutes to an hour. Its roots are in European winters, when road-racing pros needed a way to stay competitively fit during the cold months. At first glance it seems odd—grown men and women dismounting their bikes and bounding over wooden planks like show horses—but it’s on the way to becoming one of the most visible and valuable types of bike racing.

While cyclocross is less famous in the U.S. than its road and mountain bicycling siblings, it is seeing a rapid growth thanks to these six characteristics:

1) It’s family friendly. You often see entire families at the race. With amenities like kick-bike races and bouncy castles for little kids, it’s easy to keep the brood entertained while mom and dad race (usually at separate times, …

Council Set to Pass Safe Passing Ordinance
Bike Friendly Oak Cliff

The video above was posted to the Dallas Morning News city hall blog, and shows the head cam and audio of a bicyclist riding and describing how to ride in the new shared bicycle lanes in downtown.

Furthermore, Dallas is set to pass its first ever safe passing ordinance at tomorrow’s city council meeting.  It means that motor vehicles must “vacate the lane occupied by a vulnerable road user when passing, and reenter the lane occupied by the vulnerable road user only after passing at a safe distance” …

Review: Stan’s Raven 700 x 35 cyclocross tubeless tire
by Lars                    Texas Cyclist
2012 is my second season of cyclocross racing. I first discovered cyclocross just last fall, when I borrowed a low end Specialized cx bike, finished in the back third of the pack, and loved every minute of it. Within a few weeks, I went out and bought an Orbea cyclocross bike, reviewed here.

That bike came with stock Vittoria cx clincher tires. I promptly blew out a sidewall on the front Vittoria in a race when I hit a root, riding through a muddy ditch. I replaced it with a Grifo Challenge clincher in the front, which is a…

Mamma Jamma fund-raising bike ride set for Oct. 27
By Pam LeBlanc            Fit City
Hundreds of cyclists will chug up and down hills and past fields of late-blooming flowers later this month, when the fourth annual Mamma Jamma Ride gets under way.

The ride, a fund-raiser to support services for Central Texans fighting breast cancer, started in 2009. Since then it’s raised more than $1.4 million for 10 local non-profit agencies. This year’s goal is to add another $500,000.

After all, one out of every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. …

Cyclist finds beauty, camaraderie in Far West Texas ride
by Ed Todd            www.mywesttexas.com
FORT DAVIS — The truism ascribed to Albert Einstein, the revered physicist-thinker and bicyclist, applies to cyclists who show up for the seasonal Fort Davis Cyclefest.

“Life is like riding a bicycle,” the scientist attested. “To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

Margaret O’Kelley, a phenomenal West Texas bicyclist and mentor, became a stellar cyclist by happenstance and progression beginning at age 45 seven years ago in El Paso, her hometown.

Much of her life is dedicated to…

UTSA Students Riding Bikes For 24 Hours
www.foxsanantonio.com        Video
Would you be able to ride a bicycle for 24 hours straight? Some UTSA students are doing that by partaking in a 24 hour bike-a-thon. Fox News First’s Sylvia Rincon was on the campus Tuesday morning where a fundraiser to help people with disabilities was being held.

Ransom Canyon Bike/Run to Raise Money for Burn Patients
By: John Pekowski            kfyo.com
Texas Tech wants you to get in shape and contribute to a worthy cause. It’s not too late to sign up for a 5K run or bike ride (25 miles or 50 miles) scheduled for 8am at Ranson Canyon on Saturday, Oct. 13th.

The event, called the PT (physical therapy) Classic, occurs annually, and coincides with National Physical Therapy Month. Proceeds go to the UMC Hamar Burn Center to assist in the funding of burn compression garments.

Those who register early online will receive a $5 discount. Students receive $5 off registration with a student ID. On-site registration will be available from…

Cycling The Globe: Austin Texas
by Rudy Pospisil        blogs.theprovince.com
I have not written in a few days. That because I am currently crossing western Texas and for hundreds of miles between towns there is absolutely nothing. I met a cyclist yesterday coming the other way and he looked like he had just finished a tour of duty in Vietnam. He said he had been in a hurricane, extreme thunderstorms and told me I ain’t seen nothin yet! I’m real glad I met him so inspirational. I mean out here there is NOTHING. No ranches , no houses, no trailers,no campsites, no water, no bike…

Spooky Bike Party in Fort Worth
by Chris Mathews        Plano Bicycle Association
All are invited to join the mayor of Ft. Worth for a bike party on October 26.  For details contact Andrew Hoodwin or MaryAnn Means.

New Team
by Ken            Texas Racing Life
The time has flown by since I moved from Austin to Houston about 2.5 years ago. I still remember my first couple of Memorial Park Crits in the summer of 2010. I met a great group of people that wore a strange name on their butts: Shama Cycles. I remember going to the Tour of Austin that year, loving meeting and hanging out with the team. Phil was always a great friend and mentor as I worked my way up. The team was always small, but Shama Cycles supported the racers.

Shama Cycles remains the only bike shop I frequent, the best shop in Houston. I enjoy watching so many beautiful masterpieces (the bikes, just to be clear ) coming and going through the doors. The people have been…

Outlaw Trail Cycling Tour
by WB admin            The Wheel Brothers – Cycling in Texas
Date: Saturday, October 13, 2012
Event: Outlaw Trail Cycling Tour 2012
Route Distances: 10 mile, 25 mile, 40 mile, 50 mile, 63 mile, and 100 mile

About the Ride: Each year, the Round Rock Parks and Recreation Department hosts the Outlaw Trail 100 bike tour featuring 10 mile, 25 mile, 40 mile, 50 mile, 63 mile, and 100 mile loop courses on county roads through historic Williamson County.

Outlaw Trail isn’t competitive; it is an opportunity to join cyclists from across Texas for a ride across Williamson County. There are rest stops set up along the trail for cyclists to grab some snacks or a drink. Riders can ride at…

If you haven't already, head over to http://t.co/nIF9WzFR for coverage of this past weekends racing and a look… http://t.co/aUnx8yTf

— MSU Cycling Team (@MSUCyclingTeam) October 9, 2012

The 2012 Wurst Ride is a month away! Come ride the best and eat the wurst with us! http://t.co/3j4TujHn

— Bicycle Sport Shop (@BSS_Austin) October 9, 2012

People who shop by bike often spend more per month than those who drive http://t.co/AR8znrsJ

— Walk Score (@walkscore) October 9, 2012

We are having our general meeting Oct. 15. Please sign up below if you plan on attending.http://t.co/jAAUeK2x

— GHORBA (@ghorba_org) October 9, 2012

Mamma Jamma ride is coming up … volunteers needed! Read more about this breast cancer fund-raiser on my blog at… http://t.co/DQFKXUh4

— Pam LeBlanc (@fitcityleblanc) October 9, 2012

https://twitter.com/BikeMSValero/status/255772079855632385

A day of fun benefiting @AustinCycling & Austin Ridge Riders? Yes please! See you @newbelgium's Tour de Fat on 10/20! http://t.co/l1VMWn7Z?

— Bicycle Sport Shop (@BSS_Austin) October 9, 2012

Event: Tour de Fort Worth 2012 Finale – When: Fri Oct 26, 2012 6pm to Fri Oct 26, 2012 9pm  CDT Where: 221 W L… http://t.co/RDmcekwF

— BikeTexas (@BikeTexas) October 9, 2012

Let it be known… the #KellysTeam practice on Thursday morning is being pushed 15 minutes because of the sun. See you then. 7:15.

— the ghost of TexasCX (@TexasCX) October 10, 2012