BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Did Scott really say this? "In the middle of winter, when you can't go for a road ride, you'll be able to head to the island and bike year round," Mr. Bricker said. I'm sure it was 'for those who don't like to bike in winter...'

I'm sure that's what he meant. He knows we exist.

Do you really think Scott should tailor his comments towards a niche of niche when speaking to the public? And speaking from experience there are days you in fact cannot go for a road ride, as distinguished from riding your bike on the road which might be better classified as commuting or "a lark", while we're being pedantic.

So there's a guy building a fricking velodrome here - one of only a handful in the entire country - and the take-away for some people is Scott's quote!?! Really?! Get over yourselves! Jeez. (End of rant. Forgive me.)

AtLeastMyKidsLoveMe wrote:So there’s a guy building a fricking velodrome here – one of only a handful in the entire country – and the take-away for some people is Scott’s quote!?! Really?! Get over yourselves! Jeez. (End of rant. Forgive me.)

I will be honest with you. I don't post here much and really shouldn't post at all. Someone is building a velodrome in our area and somehow people here will complain about it. I find that most of Bike Pittsburgh is pretty negative in general. Stu is amazing. I want Stu to be president of the US of A. How he can read all this stuff and still be as optimistic as he is.... I just need to meet this guy! I ride to and from work all year. Easy ride. From Waterworks FC to East Liberty at really crazy hours. Middle of the night and whatever. My ride is a joke in comparison to others. I ride in the city and all over the place for fun and errands, but STU! Please start getting involved in politics. The area really could you someone like you. So level! I just want to say thanks!

I'd like to think that Scott speaks on behalf of BikePGH, not BikeFRM. There are people who ride year-round and people who don't. There are people who race and people who don't. There are people who feel safe riding on the streets and people who don't. BikePGH is a voice for ALL of those people. When someone who has been a part of the Pittsburgh cycling community for a LONG TIME decides to put a pretty big investment into a local velodrome, everyone here should celebrate that, not pick apart BikePGH's public statement that might not provide an individual list of all the people on this forum who ride even when the weather is crappy.

Alan wrote:not pick apart BikePGH’s public statement that might not provide an individual list of all the people on this forum who ride even when the weather is crappy.

..but that is what this forum is for, right? To attack and pick apart anything they can. A bunch of chest pounders. Great they are building such a thing. Lots of money. Hope it is embraced by folks that race. Maybe one day Pittsburgh will have a local rider go to the Olympics? Wow, one can dream, but hey. they said some might not ride in winter! How dare they say such a thing! Get a life people!

Actually Pittsburgh has had a local rider go to the Olympics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Friedman 2008 Beijing on the Track He's from Peter's Township, grew up there. He cut his teeth on the oval. The only problem I have with this Velodrome is I have to buy another bike!(joke) It is a great thing to get such an awesome resource in Pittsburgh. Thanks for stepping up Bob Gottlieb(one of the people who originally rode the Dirty Dozen with Danny Chew)!

gg wrote:find that most of Bike Pittsburgh is pretty negative in general.

Well, if nothing else, your quote is rather negative. Have a nice day. Now, if we are done derailling the thread... I can't wait to check out the new velodrome!!! Yippee!!

"Get a life people!" We're too busy commuting and maintaining our bikes after riding them in the winter :P One good thing though, is that the people who are trackstanding now probably don't ride in the winter, so now they'll have some place to do it

Heck, I might even ride there occasionally in the summer if it's Air Conditioned!

I only wish that there was a better way to bike over to Neville island. Quite a few rides I do start out there or go through there and it is my least favorite direction to go from town.

I would be definitely one who goes there to watch, to learn, to try, and to get some training. :) I like it.

@chris & @ALMKLM Really??? You take my statement to be anti-racing and anti-velodrome? Wow! My point was more a statement on the quality of the reporting, but yeah I think a statement from a bike advocacy group that you cant bike in the winter is rather odd.

Certainly that wasn't the spirit behind the quote, Marko. And this was an example of a journalistic mistake anyway. The writer talked to one of my staff and attributed the quote to me. Not that I'm throwing Mike under the bus. The quote was perfectly fine, but he said a lot about why this development was important and the writer chose to take one sentence he said about riding in inclement weather.

Thanks Scott, that was my point. It bothered me in the same way that reporters need to report on whether a cyclist is wearing a helmet in a car collision, etc.

stefb wrote:I only wish that there was a better way to bike over to Neville island. Quite a few rides I do start out there or go through there and it is my least favorite direction to go from town.

Neville Island always smells like heavy petrochemicals, no why people like to start rides there. I only go there if I'm riding w/ people who are allergic to hills, and then I'd just take the W Carson St lane-of-garbage until they start tearing it up. Island Ave isn't terrible, there's only one lane of traffic in each direction and it's reasonably slow enough. After it closes, who knows, I'd probably go the long way around up Roosevelt Rd to Mt Nebo/Blackburn, cross the Sewickley Bridge, and go back through Coraopolis.

@RR: You can shorten that up a little (but not nearly as scenic) by making a left from Mt. Nebo onto Glenfield Road just after the Rt 79 junction. Follow the on ramp berm to Rt 79 South (it's part of Bike Route A). That will cross the bridge onto Neville Island.

Hey, this is exciting (or not, depending on how you feel about bicycle racing): http://www.post-gazette.com/local/west/2014/03/12/McKees-Rocks-velodrome-will-feature-World-Cycling-League-races-next-year/stories/201403120188

It sounds like it could make a good documentary