Dahon Dispatch Blog: May 2005

By Grant Petersen

I’ve been a bike commuter for 30 years, and two-thirds of that time the commute was more than an hour one-way and hilly. That doesn’t make me an authority, just experienced and full of opinions. I apologize in advance if the opinions aren’t helpful and the observations are boring!

1. Be wary of heavy-handed, save-the-air, guilt-based bicycle commuting propaganda. The difference one commuter (you) can make is not significant, and you ought to know that.

By James Raia

Phil Liggett had just arrived from an overseas journey, and he appeared to be in trouble. With a notebook in hand and his eyes focused on a finish-line clock, the British broadcaster and journalist was trying to take notes on a windy, rainy day in Wilmington, Del.

Liggett has withstood worse days. This occasion, however, the opening day of the now-defunct Tour DuPont 10 years ago, was pertinent for two reasons.

The nasty day represented a perfect day in Belgium, a cycling hub.

By Moshe Foster

Pictures by P. O'Leary, M. Foster, S. McMullin & J. Hon

Well, if ever the thought occurred to you to combine death-defying cliff madness and a good, healthy mountain bike ride, look no further. Behold the Neng Gao rock slide ride!

Since our inaugural issue of the Dahon Dispatch focuses on bicycle commuting, our first interviewee is Steve Weeks, a University of Illinois at Chicago Dentistry professor who rides his bike to work, rain or shine or snow.

Q: Steve, thanks for taking the time to join us. Our first question is when and why you made the decision to commute to work by bicycle?

SW: Almost 3 years ago when the price of a shuttle-bus ticket went from $1.00 to $1.50. I have since discovered better reasons for commuting by bike!