The days are getting longer, the evenings are pleasantly warm and the once seemingly constant rain has diminished to an occasional non-threatening shower. Summers in Seattle are beautiful, and those of us who’ve lived in this city more than a few season know, a time to take advantage of the good weather and long hours of daylight while we can. This blog is about all things bicycle related, from a Pacific Northwest perspective, and the most important part of that being riding your bike. No matter how you choose to get out there on two wheels, the important part is just that, getting out of the house/office/car/where-ever and on your bike. In the spirit of taking advantage of our beautiful summers here in Seattle and encouraging you to put some fun between your legs, I bring you the Thursday Night Ride.

Photo courtesy of Sean Sweeney

Every Thursday night, meet up @ Fremont Coffee 6:30pm, ride at 7:00pm. Plan on a casual group ride of 20-25 miles, varying route and pace every week depending on who comes out. All riders and bikes are welcome and we will do our best to stay together and regroup a few times along the way. RIDE YOUR BIKE.

If you have ridden across the Fremont Bridge since last October, chances are you’ve noticed this electronic sign on the Northwest bikeway/sidewalk. The Fremont Bridge Bike Counter has been ticking away since October 11th 2012 counting cyclists crossing the bridge in both directions and both sides (if you haven’t tested this, I did and it picks up cyclists crossing on either side and direction).

Photo courtesy of bikingseattle

Tuesday May 7th, the second day of the second week of National Bike Month marked the most cyclists to cross the bridge in a 24 hour period to date since the installation of the bike counter, 5,103 bike crossings recorded. The excellent weather that week and the fact it is Bike Month helped pushed the weekly total to over 28,000 crossings. That is a lot of bikes.  The below graph is a weekly tally of bike trips recorded since the installation of the counter.

Bike to Work Day is this Friday May 17th, I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a new record set.

Last month, I had the opportunity to stop by the 2013 Pedaler’s Fair, hosted this year in Seattle’s Underground Events Space  in Belltown.

The first of the cyclist-targeted clothing lines I was drawn to was Telaio Clothing. The line of designer and maker Katherine Andrews, Telaio’s line of handbuilt wool clothing is comes in colors that seem fitting for the northwest – charcoal greys and khakis, in classic pieces for men and women. The wool blazers and riding pants have a unisex, uniform feel to them – the simple colors and cuts could easily be incorporated into any wardrobe and look nondescript on and off a bike. As Katherine, the designer/tailor behind Telaio expressed, Telaio clothes are intended to easily become a uniform, sewn with the care and intention required for a long-wearing investment piece.

Telaio Clothing

I really appreciated clothing designer Babecycle‘s approach to bike wear for its femininity. Designer Sonia McBride’s recent line included a really beautiful skirt that caught my eye, offered in both a dayglo shade of chartreuse, and a bright orchid / fuchsia color. The feminine, A-line cut and textured fabric are intended to look beautiful both on and off the bike, allowing for movement while cycling, but stylish enough to wear to the office or around town. Personally, the chartreuse color is a bit bright for my personal taste, but I’m really drawn to the idea of incorporating a dayglo piece of clothing into my wardrobe that could serve as a more stylish version of a florescent vest. Pieces from Babecycle’s line are available for purchase in Fremont at Hub and Bespoke, or online in their Etsy shop.

Chartreuse skirt by Babecycle

Of all the exhibitors at the fair, I was most intrigued by the beautiful fleet of cycles that the guys of Seattle-based Bombus Bikes were showcasing. All custom built, each of the 4 frames displayed were incredibly unique – not just in the more aesthetic decisions of paint colors and accessories – but in frame type and use. It was easy to tell how much thought went into crafting each frame with a specific purpose and type of rider in mind, and then in the selection of accessories that make the final builds look so intentionally beautiful.

Bombus Bikes

There hasn’t been much (if any) press on this event being held by Bombus Bikes & Mobroll. I know its sort of short notice, but still a great excuse to get on your bike this Saturday May 11th. Meetup 4pm, race at 5pm @ the beach in Myrtle Edwards Park. You can RSVP to the event on facebook HERE. Sounds like a good time, see you there!

In honor of National Bike Month, the League of American Cyclists has released its Annual Bicycle Friendly States ranking. Washington State achieved the top ranking nationally for a sixth consecutive year. As a life long Washingtonian and a passionate cyclist that is exciting to hear. Hey Ryan, whats up with Alaska coming in 45th?

From the official press release: For the sixth year in a row, Washington continues to lead the nation, with high performance in all categories. But up-and-coming states — including Delaware, Illinois and Arizona –  charged up the ranking in 2013, shaking up the top 10. “We are encouraged to see significant progress in top states like Washington, Delaware, Colorado and Oregon,” said Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. “But as the scores clearly highlight, there’s much work to be done in critical areas like infrastructure and planning in every state.” Continue reading the full press release HERE.

If you want to know more about how the other states stacked up check out the 2013 Bicycle Friendly State Rankings Chart, or this handy-dandy interactive State Rankings Map. Who doesn’t like charts and graphs?

I’m not really sure whats going on here, but I like it. Maybe GMG needs to start producing promo videos for our events. Who wants to help?

More information on the Crampi Race over at Pescara Fixed, if you read Italian.

CRAMPI RACE teaser #1 on Vimeo.

CRAMPI RACE teaser #2 on Vimeo.

I would venture to say that a good amount of Go Means Go readers ride their bikes nearly year round, through rain and shine. But its not hard to admit, riding when the weather is pleasant is much easier and more enjoyable. May is National Bike Month, and even if you ride your bike every month (as you should) it is still a great opportunity to get friends, family or coworkers back on the bike or on the bike for the first time. If you haven’t taken a look at the weather forecast in the Pacific Northwest for the coming weeks you are in for a nice surprise. We are going to be hitting the 70s and possibly even 80s with lots of sun, in other words you aren’t going to have any excuse not to be on two wheels this month.

Wherever you are biking this month take extra care and be aware of the other riders around you as there are bound to be a lot of new and out of practice cyclists on the trails and roads.

The 2013 Copenhagenize Index of the world’s most bike-friendly cities is out, and not a single American metropolis made the top 20.

By failing to embrace cycling culture, American cities are losing out on significant financial benefits, Colville-Andersen (CEO of Copenhagenize)  told Business Insider. Studies show that every kilometer cycled in Denmark earns the country €.23 (partly because cyclists have been shown to spend more money in local stores), he said. And even with significant taxation of automobiles, every kilometer driven in Denmark costs the country €.16.

The problem in the U.S. is all about perception, said Colville-Andersen. Many commuters see cycling as a form of exercise, not convenient transport, and cities are still being built around automobiles.

Read the full story here: Here’s What Americans Don’t Get About Cycling — And Why It’s A Problem

For the last two months I have been more or less living in the Torre Merino Wool Hooded Zip-Up Sweater from Mission Workshop. It has been put through a lot both on and off the bike in this relatively short time. I’ve been wearing The Torre in the shop while wrenching on bikes, in a couple of alley cat races, on some urban cyclocross rides, island bike trips and blustery ferry crossings, daily errands in the city, out to the bar and even to a dinner party where Greg’s cat completely covered it in white hair…

Here is what Mission Workshop has to say about it: “The Torre is a classic fitted zip-up sweater made with a unique 380 Gram, 18.9 Micron New Zealand Merino wool reinforced with core filament stretch nylon. This hybrid fabric was developed exclusively for Mission Workshop. Merino Wool is naturally antibacterial, an excellent temperature regulator, and it draws moisture away from the skin. With nylon woven into the fabric, it has added stretch and durability, making this a garment that will be a staple for years to come.”

Here is what I have to say about it: The Torre is an incredibly versatile piece of clothing that feels and wears casual but functions like a technical garment.

The first time I donned the hoodie I was impressed with the quality of the fabric and the fit. It is soft against the skin and instantly comfortable. The body is constructed out of five panels, the fit is slim and long, and it naturally stretches with your body movements. There are two “hidden” zippered pockets, one inside the left hand pocket, and a second under the right arm pit. The zippers feel solid and aren’t visible when closed. The Torre has a very sleek and clean look to it.

After two months of wear it still looks as good as it did when I first put it on. The fabric is proving to be very durable. There are no signs of piling or wear in the usual places. The merino wool breathes extremely well which I found allowed me to wear it at a variety of temperatures. It was warm enough when leaving on a brisk morning ride, and I didn’t overheat a couple hours later when the temperature had risen. It dries quickly and stays relatively warm even when wet. My other favorite part about the Torre is that the fabric doesn’t absorb odors. You can sweat it in, cook in it, sit around a bonfire and the next day you’d never know.

Specifically in regards to riding a bike in the Torre: The slim fit is great for riding as there is not extra fabric flapping around in the wind. The hood is also on the smaller side and stays put pretty well both up or down. The hidden pockets are useful for keeping things in place while riding, and the under arm pocket worked well for stashing an ipod/phone if you like to listen to music while you ride. The only real critique I have about the Torre is the sleeve length proved to be a little on the short side for me while on the bike. I am 6’4″ and have long arms, so this most likely will not be a problem for most people, however I would have liked a couple more inches in sleeve length to cover my wrists when stretched out on the bike.

At $235 retail, the Torre is a few bucks more expensive than other comparable merino wool pieces. But it is made in the USA and the quality of construction is nothing less than impressive. The quality combined with the durability of the Torre definitely point to a piece of clothing that will last for many years.

Vegans rejoice! (Hey Greg, shouldn’t you be posting this instead of me?)

Brooks is soon to be releasing its new C17 saddle (The Cambium). It is reportedly made from a uniquely flexible natural rubber and organic cotton top, enhanced by a thin layer of structural textile for added resilience. A vulcanized waterproof top, which follows the rider’s movements, is supposedly immediately comfortable, maintenance-free, and highly abrasion-resistant to offer the longevity for which Brooks is legendary, without the break in time for which Brooks is also legendary…

Check out the Brooks website for more information and a chance to be 1 of 100 testers of the saddle. It is being released to the public on June 17th, but if you are chosen to be a tester you will receive a free saddle a month early. Sign up here: Cambium, A New Generation of Saddles.