Here is the Poster for Next week's Art Crawl. There is still time to get last minute submissions in! The complete venue list and map ail follow shortly....

It's almost here, HRM Bike Week! That means the Bike Week Art Crawl is too.  There are a many great artists and venues already lined up, and more to come.  Submissions are still being accepted, but not for long!  The deadline is May 27th.  So lets get rolling. Send your submission details to [email protected]

Various venues are on board including Argyle Fine Art Gallery, The Bike Pedaler, Bridge Brewing, Alter Egos Cafe, Halifax Cycle Gallery, Nauss Bike Shop, Plan B,  and more. 
June 1st - 9th.  I am still working on the map and the route for the group ride which will take place on Saturday the 1st of June at 5pm.  The meeting place for the ride will be announced soon.  Stay tuned...

Have you ever wanted a one of a kind bike? Something completely original? I sure have. Over the years I have done some detailing on my bikes like switching out a few parts or even painting the frame a new colour. My latest project came to me in the form of an old Kona Dew frame with a few rusted parts hanging off it. This poor thing had been put though the ringer. I put about $200 worth of parts on it to make it rideable and was very happy with the fit and feel of this ride. To truly put a personal touch on her I opted for a fresh custom paint job... the snake skin motif has inspired the name, Medusa.

The paint was in very poor repair and I wanted to freshen it up a bit:
Step one,  strip every part off the bike. 
Step two, use multiple grades of sandpaper to finely remove dings and scrapes, and paint off the frame. 
Step three,  multiple light layers of primer.
Step four,  paint job. 
Step five,  clear coat. (Two whole cans!)
Step six,  rebuild.

I rode this as my winter bike for several months but wasn't happy with the original bars. They were mountain bike riser bars. I found these much less comfortable than dropbars to which I am used to. In fact, I started to have wrist problems. I visited my friends at The Bike Pedaler and picked up a pair of WTB Dirt Drop Bars. Wow, what a difference! Not only did this put a unique spin on the bike, it is so much more comfortable to ride. I have yet to hit the single track yet but I am confident they will prove their worth.

She's looking great and running like a dream, however, I still hope to further modify it. An internal geared hub would clean up the looks and make it the ultimate mud and snow beast! Only time and money will tell.

Bikes have come a long way in their history. It wasn't all that long ago that all bikes were carefully crafted by the hands of a skilled frame builder. Now a days, most bikes roll off a production line much like cars.. It is warming to know there are still some who tinker away in their workshops creating and innovating. 
This weekend happens to be a celebration of some of the best of these handmade treasures at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show in Denver, Colorado.
Head over to the link to see some of the amazing craftsmanship.
2013.handmadebicycleshow.com

Today is the day and it is gorgeous! The snowy roads have been melting and the sun is shining, it's going to hit 5˚C today! 
So for all you people out there who don't normally ride this time of year,  bundle up, be visible, and have fun!
 Information on events for today are on the link below.
winterbiketoworkday.org/halifax

I just came across this piece from the TC. http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/reported-bike-thefts
It enrages me to no end when I hear about bikes getting stolen. It has to be one of the lowest of crimes. (non-violent of course) It made me think that bike owners need more than a good u-lock. Some common sense and some good tips would help too. Well, that and never leave your bike unattened. Sadly, that's not practical.
In my experience, it seems that most bike thefts/damage happen due to opportunity. If you ask police or bike shop workers in most cities, they will be able to tell you where the 'hotspots" to avoid are located.  The less time your bike is locked up all by itself, the better. This rings more true the flashier or more valuable your bike looks.
I have gone through some articles to find a few tips for keeping your bike. Check them out:
http://jenn-zee.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Keep-Your-Bike-from-Getting-Stolen
http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Your-Bike-from-Being-Stolen
http://isthisbikestolen.com/info.html

I am sure many people still have the attitude,"You must be nuts to lock your feet onto your pedals!"
The reality is that for most of us who have gone 'clipless', (special shoes with cleats that engage directly with the pedal) there is just no turning back. The rewards in control and efficiency are just too good.
There is no question that on longer rides, clipping in is the way to go. However, I find for small jaunts to the store or what have you, I don't necessarily want to be in my bike shoes. They are stiff and don't lend well to many other activities, like meeting someone for a pint, dancing or a game of frisbee for example. 
For this reason, I tend to wear normal shoes and run regular pedals on my beater bike. No way as efficient, but more practical for the all the short neighbourhood trips I make. 
Along comes DZR. Based in San Francisco, California they have brought street style to SPD compatible shoes. Head on over to their website to catch some of the slickest pedal ready shoes on the market. www.dzrshoes.com

Our brains are magical things we often take for granted. To read about the connection between cycling to work and your concentration levels read this article from The Atlantic Cities. 

http://m.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/02/why-we-need-more-research-cycling-and-brain-science/4624/