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Written by Cassidy Castleman
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Tuesday, 24 January 2012 13:09 |
Last Friday night was the biggest storm I've ridden through this year, and it was the first real test of my new O2 Rainwear in a serious downpour. I don't know what else to say besides that it worked! I was comfortable, and I arrived at my destination dry. And I went ballroom dancing, so I needed to be presentable when I got there. Here are the details of my setup:
- The O2 Rainwear lives up to its promise to be waterproof, breathable, and lightweight.
- The Primary Jacket has all kinds of cool features like a built-in hood can be easily rolled-up and stored in the collar, pit-zips, a back pocket, and lots of drawtsrings and velcro for a perfect fit. It seems like the collar is a little tight around my neck, but I suppose that is a good thing to keep the water out.
- The Calhoun Pants seemed a little big for me at first, but after riding a bit I realized they are just right. They have zippers at the ankles to make it easy to take on and off with shoes on. There is elastic around the cuffs and waist, and the waist has a draw cord.
- For my feet I use waterproof socks with Crocs. This solution was suggested by a friend, and it works surprisingly well. The only downside is I have to carry an extra pair of shoes and socks to wear when I get where I'm going.
- Its usually warm enough when its raining not to need gloves, but when I need them I use a regular wool pair. They aren't waterproof, but they keep me warm even when wet.
- To carry things I just use my regular Banjo Brothers saddlebags. They are water resistant, and it takes a long time for them to soak through. I put anything that absolutely can't get wet in a plastic bag.
- I don't always wear a helmet, but I do with this setup for two reasons. First, I feel like I'm more likely to fall when its wet. And second it helps keeps the hood out of my field of vision when looking over my shoulders.
- The jacket, pants, socks, and gloves all fit nicely into a small stuff sack I can take with me anywhere and always be prepared. The crocs don't fit, but they are less important in a pinch.
 In summary, riding in the rain is really not a big deal. When you have the right gear, its actually a lot of fun being out there splashing around in the puddles. It also gives you a sense of accomplishment and puts you in touch with the world around you. As I was riding over 27mph with a stiff wind at my back on a long straight away, I couldn't help but think to myself- this is LIVING!
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 24 January 2012 13:46 |
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Written by Cassidy Castleman
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Sunday, 22 January 2012 11:44 |
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Recently, my mom came to visit me from Washington. Our primary means of transportation during her stay was a BionX powered Xtracycle. I briefly considered renting a car, but I'm really glad I didn't. I wanted to take a few moments to share our experience with you here.
First and foremost, we had FUN riding around together. Some of my fondest memories are of us riding along the American River Parkway, enjoying nature and each other's company.
One of my goals for this trip was to give her a glimpse into my everyday life, and that includes riding a bike to get around. She also got an up close and personal look at Sacramento that would not have been possible in a car.
And to top it all off, I estimate we saved at least $200 on rental fees, insurance, and gas.
Who says you need a car to entertain out-of-town guests?
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Last Updated on Sunday, 22 January 2012 11:50 |
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Custom Built Electric Bicycles and Tricycles |
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Written by Tim Castleman
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Wednesday, 21 December 2011 11:04 |
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Let Practical Cycle build a top quality electric bike customised just for you. We have scanned the market and selected the best quality bikes and components to offer a great selection of styles, sizes and options to match almost anyone to a fantastic custom electric assist bicycle starting at just $1,795.
Choose from three frame Style choices from Breezer:
Downtown:
 
Greenway:
 
Uptown:
 
Next, choose the frame Size:
Diamond (Mens): Small (17.5"- 48cm), Medium (19.5"- 52cm), Large (21.5"- 56cm), Extra Large (23.5" 60cm)
Step Through: Extra Small* (15"- 42cm), Small (17"- 46cm), Medium (19"- 50cm), Large (21"- 54cm)
*XS NA on Downtown
Finally, choose the BionX System: PL 250, PL 350 or SL 350. Step through frames require the Rear Rack battery version and Diamond frames can use either the Frame mount battery or the Rear Rack battery version.
Please call or come in to learn more and place your order.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 December 2011 12:03 |
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Happy Holidays from Practical Cycle |
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Written by Cassidy Castleman
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Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:07 |
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Our generous landlords, Bill and Dorothy Beale, delivered a Christmas tree for Practical Cycle this morning. As my dad and I decorated the tree, we were overwhelmed with feelings of joy and gratitude. Words can't express how pleased we are to work together doing something we both love, and to have the opportunity to meet all of you.
A big part of the Holidays for us is the spirit of giving. We firmly believe in the law of harvest: the idea that we reap what we sow, or that we get what we put in. Everyday at Practical Cycle we strive to give the very best of ourselves to be of service to you and hopefully make the world a better place. We try to put our whole hearts into our work, and we believe we're making a real difference.
We understand that we will be rewarded in direct proportion to our contribution, and so far we have been rewarded richly. Not so much in material wealth (yet), but in ways that can't be measured in dollars in cents- the things that really matter:
- The satisfaction of a job well done at the end of a long day.
- Seeing BIG smiles on our customers' faces.
- Hearing words of encouragement from all kinds of different people.
- Knowing we have played a small role in helping people save money, live a healthier lifestyle, lighten their footprint, and have more fun in their lives just by riding bikes.
- Feeling like we are using our unique gifts to give back to society, and that we are doing it together as a team.
These are the kind of things that get us out of bed each morning. And although they can't be seen or touched, they are what is underneath the tree are Practical Cycle this Christmas. |
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Last Updated on Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:35 |
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Written by Cassidy Castleman
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Friday, 02 December 2011 15:47 |
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Recently, my dad, myself, and a number of our customers participated in a survey of electric bike users. The findings were published in a report by UC Davis graduate students from the China Center for Energy and Transportation at the Institute for Transportation Studies. Below is the abstract and a link to download the entire report.
Abstract
Through this project, we interviewed 27 e-bikers in Sacramento-Davis area and found that there are four benefits unique to the riding of e-bikes: Speed, Acceleration, Green, and Enabling. They are fast so that e-bikers can cut down their commute time and allow them to ride more frequently than if they ride traditional bikes, especially during hot and windy days. The ease of acceleration makes obeying stop signs or riding uphill less onerous and provides e-bikers with more confidence when only vehicle lanes are available to bikers. They also provide those who, for various reasons, don’t or can’t ride traditional bikes an option for green transportation. Finally, they enable people with certain disabilities, because of illness or aging or time constraint, to continue to bike, with the help of electric motors when needed. The barriers to the expansion of e-bike ridership are Cost ($1,500 on average), Heavy weight, Infrastructure (unsafe roads and communities, and lack of emergency charging), and policy (some bike lanes are not open to e-bikes). However, those barriers can be overcome with some small government and business interventions.
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Last Updated on Friday, 02 December 2011 15:56 |
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