REI is recalling 260 bicycles produced four years ago after two reports of fork separations from steering tubes.

The malfunctions caused severe injuries, including broken collarbone and teeth, facial damage and head injuries, according to the recall notice put out by REI and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The bikes in the recall are Novara Trionfo bicycles with Aprebic carbon fiber forks. ....   more »

The possibility of hinges cracking on folding bike handleposts has prompted Dahon and REI to recall 11,500 folding bicycles in conjunction with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The agency said there had been 25 reports of the handlepost hinge on these bicycles cracking, including one minor injury involving scrapes and bruises.

The 2008 model year folding bicycles were distributed by Dahon and REI between March 2008 and April 2009 and sold by Dahon dealers and REI stores for between $430 to $1,300. ...   more »

Specialized Bicycle Components of Morgan Hill, California, is recalling 14,000 2009 model bicycles because of faulty handlebars and 3,000 2004 Roubaix Comp and Roubaix Pro bicycles because of faulty cable stops.

In each case, Specialized recommends that cyclists stop using the bicycles and take them in to their local bike shop for free repair and replacement ...   more »

I was happy to see one of my old haunts listed among the 8 Bicycle Shops of 2008 chosen by members of the League of American Bicyclists.

The League polled its members to name their favorite bicycle shops and tell why. Shops with the most votes in each of the League's 6 regions were named. One region had a 3-way tie, so a total of 8 shops got the nod.

The winners are ...   more »

The Cannondale Bicycle corporation is recalling 1,300 bicycle sold since October because they're missing the plastic spoke protector discs on the rear wheel.

Although no falls or injuries have been reported to Cannondale, the discs are required to prevent a poorly adjusted chain from shifting into the rear-wheel spokes and causing a sudden stop.

The Cannondale "Six" model bikes with the missing discs are Six 5 Compact...   more »

The Electra Bicycle Co. is recalling 3,000 of its delivery style bikes because the front tray can come loose, potentially causing the rider to lose control and fall.

The company based in Vista, California, reports four such incidents, including one with minor cuts and bruises.

The company is recalling 3,000 Delivery 3i, Delivery 8D, Holiday 3i and Surf 3i models in conjunction with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The bikes were sold through Electra Bicycle dealers from October 2008 to February 2009, costing between $600 and $750 ...   more »

Now that the 2009 North American Handmade Bicycle Show is history, the Oregon Bicycle Constructors Association says it will hold its own show for handbuilt bicycles this fall.

The Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 will be the association's second such show (the first was in 2007). Members plan for it to become an annual show in the future.

The non-profit trade group in Oregon promotes hand-built bicycles, and its members had the opportunity to display their wares at the NAHBS that's been held on the West Coast the past couple of years ...   more »

Let me throw a little light on a photography contest that came my way.

Light-maker Princeton Tec is sponsoring a "Got Lights on Bike" photo contest that features images of anything involving lights on a bicycle.

All you have to do is upload a picture of a bicycle with lights to Princeton Tec's flickr.com photo contest page. Judges will choose three winners in each of five categories after the contest deadline of April 12 ...   more »

Relocating the North American Handmade Bicycle Show to Indianapolis did nothing to hurt its popularity this weekend.

The show celebrated its fifth year -- its first in the midwest -- with overall attendance at 6,500 enthusiasts, nearly equal to Portland's record draw last year.

The show also drew a geographical mix of bicycle-builders from across the US. The list of winners demonstrates the widespread interest among builders, with "bests" ranging from Portland, Oregon, to Cleveland, Ohio, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Show owner Dan Walker is based in Indiana, and he says that two-thirds of the US population is within a day's drive of Indianapolis.

Among those winners, the Peoples Choice award went to Sam Whittingham ...   more »

Salsa Bicycles is recalling 8,600 faulty handlebar stems after receiving three reports that they broke or cracked under normal use.

The handlebar stems were sold as individual aftermarket items and installed on bicycles from November 2007 to December 2008.

Salsa requests that consumers stop using bikes equipped with the CroMoto S.U.L. handlebar stem and return the bikes to dealers for free inspection and replacement ...   more »

Mavic USA is recalling 12,000 R-SYS front wheels that were sold as original equipment on road bicycles or sold separately during a 19-month period ending in December.

The company says that the carbon tubular spokes on the front wheels can break, causing a crash and fall hazard. Mavic received one report of a fall.

Mavic and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission are urging bicyclists to stop using the wheels immediately.

Free, upgraded R-SYS replacement wheels will be available beginning March 31. To make things right, R-SYS owners can turn in their recalled wheels immediately and receive a Aksium wheel for immediate use that they can keep after the R-SYS are delivered ...   more »

The Bicycle Design blog has announced the winner in its "commuter bike for the masses" design competition, and it's the ThisWay bike designed by Torkel Dohmer.

Blogger James Thomas came up with the idea of a contest to ferret out some bicycle designs that would coax non-cyclists out of their cars and onto the bike lanes for commuting to work.

The lightweight bike would be made of composite materials and hydro-formed aluminum with built-in LED lights in the front and back powered by a battery that recharged by solar cells. There's also space for a briefcase on the back. And it has a roof ...   more »

Giant Bicycle is recalling about 1,000 TCR Advanced SL and SL (ISP) bicycles and frames because a problem in the density of the steerer tube can cause the forks to crack  and break.

The 2009 model bicycles were sold from August through December last year for between $3,300 and $7,500.  Cyclists are urged to stop riding the bicycles immediately and take them in to a Giant dealer for inspection and replacement fork.

The recall notice posted at the Consumer Product Safety Commission describes the part ...   more »

Attention female bicycle riders: Trek is sponsoring a contest for you. It's not about speed -- it's about life experiences and the bicycle.

The 2009 Women Who Ride Contest seeks to find five women to respresent female Trek bicycle riders and to blog about their lives as women, cyclists and members of the larger bicycling community.

The contest runs until Jan. 24. Entrants are asked to write a 500-word essay describing why they ride and the imporance a bicycle plays in their lives. Trek will choose five, one each from the categories mountain, road, triathlon, bike path, and urban ...   more »

There's no photo-finish in determining the largest bicycle-making nation on Earth. China wins by a huge margin with 87 million bicycles produced last year, about two-thirds of all bikes made.

That's nearly a three-fold increase in the past decade, notes the Financial Times. In fact, it's the only country among top bicycle producers to see any increase in that period, according to figures compiled by Earth Policy Institute.

The biggest fall came in the United States, where production dropped from 6 million in 1997 to 300,000 in 2007. But the good news is that a cadre of small companies with a handful of employees continue to make handcrafted bicycles in the U.S. ...   more »

It's always a good idea to support your local bike shop, but that's especially the case now.

Bicycle shops that were flying high over the summer when gasoline was $4 a gallon are now struggling as petrol prices drop and the economy heads south.

When you shop, maybe you can find a good deal at a discount store, but what will happen when you need to find someone to tune-up or repair your bicycle and all the small bike shops have closed?

I'd been thinking about the case of a New Haven bike shop owner who had to close one of his stores when I received an email from Mike, the blogger over at bicyclespokesman.com. He said he's trying to start a campaign among cyclists to support their local bicycle shops this holiday season. ...   more »

The breathless marketing of Trek's new chainless bicycle will no doubt capture bike industry news in coming weeks as the next new thing in bicycling.

But since I sometimes follow different trails, I'm going to report on something that I discovered this morning that could revolutionize and improve your sag-supported bicycle touring experience -- the Luggage Locator.

I've been on many across-state bicycle tours and have never had to repair a broken bike chain (I always carry a chain tool though), nor have I got my pants leg caught in a bike chain.  But I have spent countless hours of my life searching for my black duffel bag amidst a pile of hundreds of other black or green duffel bags at the end of a bicycle tour stage ...   more »

DiNotte Lighting is recalling about 1,700 lithium-ion batteries used with bicycle lights.

The recall, in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, has been ordered because a loose wiring connection and improper venting can cause the battery to overheat, posing a burn hazard to consumers.

No incidents or injuries have been reported, however. Consumers are urged to stop using the battery and contact the company for a free replacement.

Manufactured in the US and China by AA Portable Power Corp. of Richmond, California, the batteries are distributed ...   more »

You may have seen these Extrawheel bicycle trailers before, but they are new to me.

I use a standard cage-style Yakima bicycle trailer (now made by BOB, see video on jump) for touring. It allows me to keep heavy weight off the back wheel of my bike, and when combined with front panniers, my bike tracks very well.

It also allows me to fulfill my TMS syndrome -- Too Much Stuff.

These Extrawheel trailers also keep heavy weight off the rear wheel, and they're lighter than standard BOB trailers ...   more »

The Shimano American company is recalling about 275 Shimano Dura Ace carbon clincher bicycle wheels.

They found that that rim surface and interior spoke hole plugs could puncture the innertube. There have been no reports of injuries after blowouts.

Manufactured in Malaysia, the wheels were sold in the US from April through August 2008 for about $1,300 ...   more »

Two South Korean bicycle makers saw their stocks rise on Wednesday despite an overall loss by the market that day.

Samculy Bicycle jumped 10.58 percent and Very Good Leisure rose 5.2 percent, according to TradingMarkets.com. This in spite of a 8.24 percent loss by the Kosdaq market.

The increase is believed to be driven by the Seoul city government announcing plans to build 129 miles of bike paths throughout South Korean over the next four years...   more »