The week’s top bike news from around the world, brought to you every Wednesday.
Local news
Festival State celebrates bikes
Adelaide, famous for its arts festivals and hosting the Santos Tour Down Under, is combining its love of art and bikes in 2014 with a Velo-Fringe festival featuring all manner of bike-themed entertainments. The event will be held in conjunction with the Velo-City Global Conference.
Cycling Australia appoints new president
Gerry Ryan, owner of pro cycling team Orica-GreenEDGE, has stepped into the top job at Cycling Australia. As president, Ryan has plans for “strengthening public faith in the integrity of Australian cycling” and ”helping CA move forward in a more commercially viable manner”.
Queensland police take to two wheels to catch thieves
Following a number of thefts from properties and vehicles near Narangba shared use paths., Bike police will be patrolling the paths over summer. Patrol cars have had little luck in catching the thieves and police hope bike patrols on the paths will help them catch and deter offenders.
International news
Victories and challenges for London’s bike plan
The City of London is getting down to business building its cycling superhighways across the city. However, according to Andrew Gilligan, London’s commissioner for cycling, there is insufficient room for completely separated bike lanes in many areas, due to the narrow width of the Victorian-era streets.
Part way is OK
By setting up America’s largest bike valet set up right next to the cable cars at the base of a long, steep hill, Portland, Oregon, is encouraging people who work and study on the hilltop to make at least part of their commute by bike.
Meares faces new British foe
Australian Olympic cycling champion, Anna Meares, was queen of the velodrome after defeating long-time rival, Victoria Pendleton, at the 2012 London Olympics. However, while Pendleton has now retired, Meares faces a new British foe with Welsh rider Becky James beating her to the bronze medal at the recent World Cup.
Health
Ride away from anxiety
A new study has found that exercise may be an effective tool for reducing and treating the symptoms of anxiety and anxiety disorders “by improving patients’ self-esteem, teaching persistence in difficult circumstances, and the chemicals that the brain releases during exercise”.
Video
Reinventing the wheel
Could this “ground breaking” invention revolutionise cycling in Australia?
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