Biking

General Motors’ ad campaign urged people to “Stop pedaling…start driving,” and it offered a smirking girl in a car looking out at an embarrassed college boy on a bike hiding his face. The message: Bike commuters are dorks, and you should drive.

Nope, that’s not a Surly Pugsley. Moots, a boutique bike brand, has unveiled its take on the monster-wheel “snow-bike” category with a pricey titanium frame called the FrosTI.

Sin City, Nevada, each year plays host to the official kick-off of the cyclocross bike racing season with CrossVegas, an under-the-lights party of a race on the outskirts of the neon town. Our resident photographer, T.C. Worley, was there last month to document the action.

Just when you thought the industry had squeezed all the fun ideas out of pedal-powered machines, a small Portland company blows the cap off with its 4-wheeled, air-grabbing, “pedal quad” bike! BMX tracks and big air are encouraged with the suspension-stabilized ride.

With “ape-hanger” handlebars and banana seats, Schwinn first launched its Sting-Ray line of bicycles in 1963. This fall, the retro rides are back in a limited release of 900 bikes that pay homage to the classic line.

We’re back home from Las Vegas and the Interbike trade show, an international cycling extravaganza last week. This post by T.C. Worley selects some “best in show” picks from the thousands of bike products on display around the trade show hall.

Santa Cruz dropped into the 29er market two years ago with its carbon Tallboy, a premium frame with a premium price tag to match. This summer, the company delivered a lower-cost aluminum version. We rode it for three months on a comparison test.

Single-speed city bike features chain-less Gates Carbon Drive and aesthetics by ARTCRANK, a Minneapolis-based organization that runs a circuit of bicycle-inspired art shows.

Lean and light, this to-be-released cycling shoe from Pearl Izumi weighs an incredible 7 ounces per foot! Gear Junkie gets an early look at the Octane SL III.

GearJunkie staffers took to the streets this past weekend to compete in the All-City Alleycat race in Minneapolis. Miles of city riding, navigation, and downing suds at the after-party were all part of this annual urban bicycle event.

Wabi Cycles’ latest fixed single-speed has a 42cm frame and 650C wheels. It is made for women, kids, and smaller men who are 5 foot 3 and under. Bonus: The bike weighs an incredible 14.1 pounds fully built!

Start-up bicycle brand Foundry Cycles offers a line of carbon-only rides with subtle looks and “working class roots” for the 2012 season. Prices are decidedly not blue collar though, beginning at $2,900 and up.

We sent our resident bike dork, T.C. Worley, to the race sidelines at the recent Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota with a notepad in hand ready to dig up dirt on Team KBS-OptumHealth’s race strategies, bike maintenance, and must-have cycling gear for pro-level events.

As seen around the web today, stunt cyclist extraordinaire Danny Macaskill is out in a new web video, “Industrial Revolutions,” which features the young rider biking across a cable in a junkyard in Scotland. See it here on GearJunkie now. . .

Our Canadian correspondent, Ryan Stuart, reports on gear, bike apparel, nutrition, and the mental game that goes into completing the seven-day BC Bike Race. Oh, and watch out for the “cougars” that prowl in the town of Whistler, B.C.!

Ever wonder how you’d stack up against a Tour de France cyclist? This chart, compiled with the aid of Team HTC-High Road and Bicycling Magazine, puts pro cyclist stats next to those of an everyday rider. 8,000 calories per ride, anyone?

Taking a prize in the category of “strange bikes,” a new special-edition cruiser from AUTUM has a giant puffy seat, four (!) tires, and a dash of aged leather upholstered on its frame.

Want to look and feel like a pro-tour rider? Our basic gear guide will assure that you look as close to pro as possible when you leave the driveway this summer.

Last week, an ESPN sports commentator showed what appears to be a deep-seated distaste for cyclists through his insensitive Twitter comments about a Tour de France wreck. We list the facts for you and want to hear your take on this hot-button issue.

Classic or utterly crass? The Marco Pantani Denim Carrera Kit, made by Nalini, is a reproduction of the famous faux-denim kit that the late, great cycling star rocked in the TDF during the ’90s.

Twisted bikes, bloodied riders and boiling tempers are all part of the greatest bicycle race in the world. We take a quick look at a few of those not-so-great moments from this year’s Tour de France.

Dual rubber types offer variable densities in the Wild Race’R tire, Michelin’s latest mtb tread. Our writer tests the tires while mountain biking this summer on singletrack around the USA.

Hands-free hydration and patent-pending “retractable magnetic reels” are among the promises of the VelEau, a bike-hydration system from Showers Pass. Our contributor gives it a full test.

Retro styling and a relaxed, smooth ride define the Verita, a new steel-frame road bicycle from Novara. Our writer gives the bike a month-long test.

Today in Canada begins a bike race dubbed “the ultimate singletrack experience.” The annual BC Bike Race, now in its fifth year, puts a pack of competitors on a seven-day stage race that takes a tour of the best trails British Columbia can offer.