GREAT RIDES FROM THE EXPERTS

LANDRY’S BICYCLES: recommended place to ride

Minuteman Bikeway

The Minuteman Bikeway is one of the most popular bike paths in Massachusetts, enjoyed by bicyclists and walkers each day for healthy recreation and local transportation. The paved bikeway connects to the Alewife MBTA Station in Cambridge, providing a car-free route to the Red Line. From Alewife Station, the Minuteman Bikeway travels 11 miles through Arlington and Lexington into Bedford.

Built on an abandoned railroad, the scenic Minuteman Bikeway passes by many natural and open spaces, including several brooks and streams, Spy Pond, Arlington’s Great Meadows (185 acres of natural open space in Lexington), community parks, playgrounds, and playing fields. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the bikeway.

Beyond the Minuteman Bikeway, you can find some of the best roads for cycling in Eastern Massachusetts — in Carlisle, Concord, and Lincoln — as well as off-road trails for mountain biking. From Alewife, the Minuteman Bikeway connects to the Linear Path, which leads to Davis Square into Somerville. You can also take your bike on the MBTA to/from Alewife Station (Red Line) during non-peak hours.

To discover new bike routes in the area, check out the Eastern Massachusetts Bicycle Map and Boston’s BikeMap, published by Rubel BikeMaps. To improve your cycling skills and knowledge (especially for riding safely, legally, and more confidently in roadway traffic), register for one of MassBike’s Bicycling Skills classes.

Wheeling & dealing on the bikeway

If you’re tired of traditional work meetings in conference rooms or coffee shops, try running a bike-ride meeting for a healthy change of pace sometime! Jack Johnson, marketing director for Landry’s Bicycles, hosts occasional bike-ride meetings on the Minuteman Bikeway to discuss advertising and marketing proposals for Landry’s stores. As a prospective customer, Jack offers to meet with advertising-sales reps on a casual-paced bike ride on the bikeway. “I find that sharing a bike ride is the best way to talk about bicycle marketing and to experience Landry’s business,” he says. “And bicycling is a great way to get creative ideas flowing.”

Started in 2003, Landry’s Marketing Rides have been remarkably effective in exposing media-advertising reps to Landry’s business, local bicycling organizations, and the benefits of bicycling. For example, WFNX Radio sales manager Joe Charves came on a Marketing Ride last year, purchased a new road bike at Landry’s, and has since become a cycling enthusiast. “Bicycling has changed my life,” he says, “I can’t believe what I’ve been missing!”

Landry’s Bicycles was recently named 2006 National Bicycle Dealer of the Year for Advocacy by the American bicycle industry for Landry’s ongoing efforts to support better bicycling, which includes recruiting new members for MassBike and NEMBA and sponsoring charity rides such as the local MS Bike Tours. Founded in 1922, Landry’s is now a Top 100 nationally rated bicycle dealer, with a growing “family” of local bicycle stores in Boston, Danvers, Natick, Norwood, and Westborough.

TOURING BOSTON THE URBAN ADVENTOUR WAY

Having given up the car lifestyle over 5 years ago for health and economic reasons, I have learned that, if nothing else, getting from here to there is going to be adventurous. Nothing will be the same. Sometimes I feel like a workout and bike over Beacon Hill, or sometimes I want to avoid the hill, and head all the way to the South End just for giggles! Other times maybe I’ll want to try and catch a tailwind along the Esplanade on my way home to Charlestown, or somehow I find my way biking through Central Sq. and up to Red Bones in Davis.

Now I bike to work, and when I get to work, I bike around the city with people from all over the world, many from Boston. It certainly isn’t a 9-5er, and nothing is the same. One day a tunnel here, a new light there, and the next day the traffic is going in the opposite direction. You said the Big Leak, I mean, the Big Dig? There is nothing stagnant about Boston. It is a dynamic city, and I hope to be here to make sure people know bicycles belong, and that the best way to explore it is by bike.

I’m always amazed when on the 100th time I take someone to a great photographic point, like the BU Bridge, it somehow looks different. Maybe it is the light, maybe not, but it’s just different, and good. All our clients like our tour offerings, our customized tours, and they like that they see more of metro Boston than they thought they would.

BIKING FOR A BETTER BOSTON

Chief Wheel Officer: Andrew Prescott

Top 10 Reasons you should take an Urban AdvenTour.

10 Tandem biking is the hottest trend in speed dating.

9 You just moved here and have no idea you can throw a Frisbee from Brighton and hit Harvard yard.

8 You drank more Bud than Bud light last night.

7 You have more friends coming into town this weekend and you are all quacked out from too many duck tours

6 If you bring your own bike, you get $10 off

5 Bring 4 friends, you get $10 off your ticket

4 You never knew the South End was not South Boston

3 You need a cool graduation present

3 “Choose your own AdvenTour’: Photography, Art and Architecture, Night Life and more.

2 You just want to have fun.

1 You want to experience Boston with a sense of AdvenTour

INTERNATIONAL BICYCLE CENTERS

The long cold winter is over at last, and now it’s time to get your bike ready for the season. If you are a 3-season rider, chances are you simply parked it for the winter. For those who rode through the snow, slush, and grit, you have even more “deferred maintenance” to perform.

Modern bikes use sealed bearing mechanisms in most components, so most fair-weather road riders can wait several years before needing to overhaul their hubs, cranks, and headsets. Hardcore mountain bikers, road racers, and commuters wear things out faster and need to do more maintenance. Whatever your type of riding, in order to check out your bike, first you have to clean it.

With soap, water, and a scrub brush, wash and rinse your bike. Be thorough, and even wash the tires. That way you’ll be able to inspect your bike as you clean it. You’ll catch problems as small as deep tire cuts or as big as a cracked frame tube. Pro team mechanics do this every day, so once a year is truly minimal. Even if you stop here and bring your bike to a shop, the technician will have an easier time evaluating what it needs.

The most basic maintenance is keeping the chain lubricated and the tires properly inflated. Don’t start by getting an aerosol can of lube and blasting away. Most of the stuff will end up where it doesn’t belong – in the air or in your spokes. You first have to clean the chain before applying lube. Modern lubricants stick to bare metal excellently, but stick poorly to dirt surfaces. So get a good solvent. Then either scrub the chain on the bike with a cleaning device (Pedros and Park are both excellent), or remove the chain and soak it in a solvent bath. But if 12 links measure more than 12 and 1/8 inches, then it’s time to get a new chain (and cassette, since they wear together). Expect between three and five thousand miles for these, depending on their quality and your maintenance habits.

Most people assume that the maximum inflation marked on the tire sidewalls is what they should inflate to. Road riders think their tires will roll faster this way, but tire performance also includes cornering grip and ride comfort. Unless you fall in the Clydesdale class, maximum tire pressure is too high; most pros run their tires in the 100-110 psi range. Time trial/triathlon use on smooth courses changes the rules because in these cases speed trumps comfort and handling, so pump tires up to the maximum. Proper mountain bike tire inflation depends so much on bike type, trail conditions, etc, that you should ask the experts at your favorite bike shop.

Going beyond this simple maintenance requires expertise and specialized tools you may not possess (or choose to acquire). That’s why every bike shop gets bomb-arded in early spring with bikes needing “tune ups”. Bicycles are simply machines, but modern designs require precise adjustment for optimal performance. When a technician determines that a component is no longer serviceable, it’s because the manufacturers’ tolerances are so tight. He wants your bike to work the way it was supposed to, so you’ll get the most pleasure out of riding.

Paul Segal has ridden, raced and written about bicycles most of his life. When not biking, hiking or climbing Paul can be found at International Bicycle Center in Newton.

THE LEGENDARY ALLIS LOOP FROM BELMONT WHEELWORKS, WAVERLEY SQUARE, BELMONT

Monday -Thursday 6am

Road Ride - 33 Miles Approximately

Terrain: Flat, Gently Rolling Hills, Roughly Rolling Hills & A Couple Of Nasty Little Hills That Refuse To Roll

John Allis is one of the partners of Wheelworks, Est. 1977. A three-time Olympic cyclist and athlete possessing seemingly bionic endurance, John created and rode this loop twice a day (5am and 6pm) when he was training for the 1972 Olympics while holding down a full time position as Hospital Administrator at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. Training and working full time didn’t stop John from also commuting to and from work - riding along the river over to Brighton from Cambridge each day in all kinds of weather.

When John began coaching the Harvard Cycling Club in the early eighties he introduced the riders to his loop and developed a training schedule that is still used today by the Club and other aspiring competitive cyclists. Monday the loop is ridden at a relatively easy pace; Tuesday a variation of the loop offers intense hill work; Wednesday is considered “Hammer” day (if you get dropped you’re on your own); Thursday the loop is ridden in one gear to develop high tempo and a smooth pedal stroke and Friday is a blessed “Rest Day”, as most competitive riders will be racing on Saturday and/or Sunday.

While the organized daily ride is for advanced competitive cyclists, a laminated map with detailed directions is available at all Wheelworks locations for $1.95. For those looking for a group ride suitable for experienced riders there is a Saturday morning ride that meets at the Shaw’s next to Belmont Wheelworks in Waverley Square at 9am - parts of the Allis loop are usually ridden on this ride, and John Allis himself is known to show up for this ride - always in wool and never breaking a sweat.

*Helmets required for all group rides.

BICYCLE BILLS FAVORITE SPOT FOR OFFROAD RIDING

If you have a car Take mass pike to 495 south Follow along south to exit 17 head west ( to the right ) Drive up over the monster overpass bridge and then take a left at the first Set of lights follow the signs to the ymca parking lot. (you have arrived )

By train take the franklin train to forge park get on yor bike and ride up under the power lines to the top of the hill. Follow the paved road at the lot entrance to the right untill you cansee a gate for the water tower in front of you and a fire road to your left

From here you have a choice of trails .

My favorite starts out as follows: go to the off shoot trail on the right hand side about 100 yds down the double track, there will be a 2 ft rise off the main trail with an opening in the stone wall. Follow this around a loop that winds through the woods and back up to the top of the hill over by the water tower.

At this point if you don’t like the trails go to the right and head home , otherwise go left and drop down a steep washed out section onto the continuing trail system... As you ride along if you continue to take lefts staying to the left of the fire road there is at least ten miles of winding trails that are bermed from the motorcycle trail riders and are great fun.

If you like steeper hills and wild single track go over to the right side of this second fire road and you can definitely have fun.

THE YMCA

The YMCA of Greater Boston’s Central Branch is committed to serving the needs of the community in our fitness and recreational facility, featuring a state of the art fitness center, squash and racquetball courts, martial arts, a swimming pool and gymnasium. The fitness center, located at 316 Huntington Avenue, a block from Symphony Hall, houses top of the line cardiovascular and strength training equipment. Our group exercise schedule includes a wide variety of classes from step to kickboxing to yoga, and group cycling. Swim lessons are also available for all ages.

Our Virtual Cycling Studio features top of the line Schwinn bikes along with a video and sound system.

Using movie-size images from cycling DVD’s and videos, or other motivational images, along with great music, our instructors will take you on a cycling training class like no other!

In addition to the health and fitness facilities the Central Branch YMCA houses and provides services to children, teens and families through afterschool childcare, a teen center, Families in Transition, and Huntington House. Additionally the Central Branch is home to the International Learning Center and City on a Hill charter High School. The Central Branch takes great pride in the services and facilities it provides as well as the diverse population it serves.

Membership fees are 100% refundable within the first thirty days; rates are based on household income, and there is no contract. Special rates are available for senior and students.

Please call (617) 927-8060 for more information on our great facility and services. We’d love to give you a tour!