It’s no secret that winter months in Minnesota are long and harsh. Going on my fifth year here, I have started to figure out a few ways to mentally cope with the realities of the relentless sub-zero climate. A few mental outlets that come to mind: planning a vacation, starting new projects (which partially explains the birth of this blog), dipping into the bottles of wine that we acquired over the holidays and the most important, preparing for the upcoming peak bicycle season. I say “peak” b/c there is a large population of brave Minnesotan’s who are known for commuting and joy riding during the winter months. I see them chugging down the street even in -10 degrees (w/o wind chill) and 6 inches of fresh snow. I’m still working up to that idea.
My wife and I are bicycle nerds. We have bikes all over our apartment. Our pantry has become a place for tires, tubes, pumps, grease/oil, tools, old seats, computers, toe clips, led lights, different bar styles, chains… you name it, it’s in there. We could open our own shop at this point. I’m into everything from super-heavy/low-rider beach bikes to super high-tech/ultra-light road bikes. Part of the fuel behind my cycling passion is the city of Minneapolis. We live two blocks from one of the many metro area lakes which are connected to hundreds of miles of scenic bicycle trails and paths. The route options are plentiful to say the least. You can easily lose an entire day just pedaling within the metro area alone. I can’t wait to get back out there.
In order to help others who suffer from the same long winters and months away from their cycling addiction I have compiled a list of interesting bicycle related links that should take your attention off the cold. At least for a short while.
Related Links:
Log and share your rides -> http://velog.com/
Ride the City maps -> http://www.ridethecity.com/index.php
Socialnetwork for fixie riders -> http://www.fixedgearrepublic.com/
iPhone App for gear heads -> http://www.jpmartineau.com/
Classic/fashion bicycles -> http://velorbis.com/gb
Low-riders/Beach cruisers -> http://www.aztlanbicycle.com/
Brakeless fixies -> http://www.brakeless.ca/
More links after jump.
Freeman Transport -> http://www.freemantransport.com/
Fixed gear pic galleries -> http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/
Personalized bike stickers -> http://bikenames.com/onlinestore.htm
Nutcase Helmets -> http://www.nutcasehelmets.com/Pages/index.aspx
Yakkay Helmets -> http://www.yakkay.com/
Dutch style city bikes -> http://www.dutchbikes.us/
Super Champion fixie shop -> http://www.superchampionshop.com/
Gage and Desoto track shop (NYC) -> http://www.gagedesoto.com/
Knog fixie trends (Australia) -> http://www.knog.com.au/
Steel Wool Bikes (Ottowa) -> http://www.steelwoolbicycles.ca/index.php
Speedvagen – exotic road and hybrid -> http://www.speedvagen.com/
Minneapolis based Surly -> http://www.surlybikes.com/
Don’t forget Copenhagen Cycle Chic for bicycle viewing enjoyment and Fat Cyclist for cycling with a good dose of humor.