Jane Kenyon and Damon Strub, two longstanding NYCC members have recently opened Nomad Cycle, a bicycle shop in Long Island City.  We offer high quality repair and service, maintenance training, , custom built bikes, bike fitting and event space.  We also have New York’s only professional-grade DIY workstations for rent.   Visit our website www.nomadcycle.com to learn more.  Or better yet, please stop by the shop and say hello.

A couple of friends and I are signing up with a small-time organizer (no more web presence, just referrals nowadays) for a  cycling holiday in and around the Veneto, 20-28 May.  Bassano del Grappa will be our base of operations the whole time, and the Giro will be passing through, so we'll catch a stage (or two?).  The organizer has asked if we know anyone else who'd like to join, and I thought it would make a nice "graduation present" for completing a SIG (which is kind of how I'm looking at it), so I thought I'd pass the idea along here.  If you're interested, let me know and I'll send you the brochure.

Anyone have a set of studded tires for a 29er that I could borrow? Need them for this weekend. I offer beer, good stories, tour of scars... (or money, if you wanna be boring!)

Just saw the Oscars®. (Yawn.) To my surprise, one of the nominees had a bicycle in its title. What was it? The first to correctly name it wins a genuine, hand powdered, and, I might add, unused tube.

Only one entry per person.

Only because I'm posting the above, do I add this, which is on the far, far opposite pole of levity; it is grim: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/bicyclist-attempting-world-record-ride-killed-truck-article-1.2124585

Since it's still cabin-fever weather with many of us not willing to risk a bike ride: How's about taking a look at the new traffic/tolling plan put forth by the MoveNY Fair coalition.

This plan has been in the works since 2010, spearheaded by Gridlock Sam Schwartz (and with number crunching by NYCC's own Charlie Komanoff). I had heard Mr. Schwartz speak about these ideas a couple years ago and knew about Charlie's work, but was oblivious to what was afoot. Having been strenuously supportive of congestion pricing, I was very discouraged when it was never even voted on by the state legislature.

Does anyone know the current conditions in Central Park?

After a late start [and a ticket for going through a red light, after waiting for all traffic to go by] we took the #1 train to Van Cortlandt Park and cycled up the Trailways to Odell Avenue, turned around and returned. 

Full suspended mtn bikes with carbide studded tires, dressed for the cold and never very far from a rail line, we had temperatures in the mid 20s with no wind to speak of and falling snow on the return. 

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=797786200270218&fref=nf

any idea how conditions might be tomorrow with the warmer temps?