BQ 35 (Spring 2011)

Vol. 9, No. 3

Urban Cycling; Frame Stiffness

Cycling for transportation always has been close to our hearts. In this issue, Alycia Kiley portrays seven inspirational cyclists from San Luis Obispo, from a mother who carries her two children in a cargo bike to the UPS delivery “rider” who carries parcels on his long-tail. There is the recumbent rider who pulls an extra-size car roofbox on a home-built trailer and the landscaper who travels by bike and trailer to her job sites. All of them radiate the joy that comes from riding a bicycle.

We test Pereira’s Gent’s Bike and a Surly Big Dummy, and we ask whether we can “Copenhagenize” North American cities. Ron Leach reports on a do-it-yourself porteur rack he built from a Park Handlebar Holder, a few oak planks and flat steel bars for support. It looks great…

Mel Pinto was one of the biggest importers of European bicycle parts in the U.S. In this exclusive interview, he talks about his background, his business philosophy and how the bike boom shaped the American bicycle business.

We measure the frame stiffness of nine bikes and find some surprises: The overall stiffness is less important for a bike’s feel than the balance of the frame tubes.