Art, Common Sense and Sailing

Midweek seems lie a good time for a catch up on news that, for whatever reason, I’ve ignored.

There started to be things about a obelisk of bikes that had been erected in a car-dominated part of Santa Rosa, California. Somehow I was determined to avoid mentioning it, preferring such exciting stories as the half renaming of a Pro-cycling team. It strikes me now that it is actually quite interesting. The “Cyclisk” has been funded by a Santa Rosa tax that requires artwork to be paid for, and due to a new Nissan dealership in the area. It’s made of unusable bike parts from various bike recycling projects and has been welded together to make a massive symbol of Santa Rosa’s bike friendly attitude. It looks pretty impressive, and includes one tricycle.

Altogether less groundbreaking was the Guardian’s piece on how not to get your bike stolen. From the point of view of an ex-bike thief, the article covers a few really obvious ways to not lose your bike. Predictably these include locking it with a good lock, keeping expensive bikes inside, not leaving an expensive bike somewhere regular and obvious, and not abandoning your bike if someone has vandalised it a little, as they might be coming back for it. As ever it seems that looking after your bike is a matter of common sense, and that your average bike thief is always going to take the easier option in a rack of bikes. Talking of theft, one story FMFT heard recently would back up another fairly easy answer; if you are forced to leave a bike outside and unlocked while you run into an office to sort out access to the bike shed, fair enough – take your chance if you dare. However, if that bike is a Brompton, for God’s sake fold it up and take it with you, otherwise very few people will have any sympathy for your loss.

Finally the Tour of Britain continues, and also continues to confuse me by trying to work a day ahead. So today they ride in the South West, ending in Glastonbury, and tomorrow it’s the turn of the East. If you’re still looking for days out to combine with the race, then FMFT’s tip for Thursday is a visit to alternative Arthur Ransome country to enjoy the Norfolk Broads. Take a picnic and go for a sail and hope to see the race whip past the water.

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