Knox and I are working on a new ride on Boston’s Jewish History for Hub on Wheels. Read all about it!

A week or two ago, in preparation for the end of daylight savings time and the inevitable dusk commutes home, I installed a new rear light to replace the one that was crushed by an SUV earlier this fall.

Today, probably somewhere between Chestnut Hill and Washington Square, the light broke off. The mounting piece is still firmly attached to my light, but the light itself? Gone into oblivion.

Obviously, as much as I like this model light for its near-360º visibility, it is designed with such a long moment arm that it cannot withstand the torques caused by my riding through Boston’s uneven roads. It’s time to look for a new solution.

Any suggestions?

The weather is certainly turning here in New England, and I’m biking much less than I was by the end of the summer. Last week was very rainy, of course, and I don’t enjoy biking in bad weather when I am in a hurry to get to work. This week I had a rain fake-out (it was raining heavily when I was getting ready in the morning, but cleared up soon after) and longish days at work.

By far the most important factor is the diminishing daylight. It is barely light when I leave the house and it is already dark when I get home. I am in the market for a handlebar extender I can use to mount a headlight– and not just any headlight, but a lead-battery powered headlight that will allow me to see and not just be seen.

The dropping temperatures also make biking less enjoyable. This morning I remembered to wear my long-fingered gloves, but my nails were still painfully cold. I didn’t have time to locate my skull liner, and the wind running though my helmet was a little too refreshing.

Still, obsessions die hard. Knox and I plan to take the train North and bike to Amesbury tomorrow for some good ol’ apple picking and donut eatin’.

I though the whole link between bike riding and impotence had been debunked, but apparently not. The New York Times reports on three summary articles in September’s Journal of Sexual Medicine which survey about a dozen recent studies on the subject. It turns out that “[t]he studies add to earlier evidence that traditional bicycle saddles, the kind with a narrow rear and pointy nose, play a role in sexual impotence.” While the studies focused mostly on men, it is though that saddles could have a similar effect on women.

The scientists recommend not the “ergonomic” saddles with cutouts which may increase the pressure on sensitive nerves, but rather noseless saddles that force the rider’s whole weight to rest on the sit bones.

My bike saddle is of the traditional sort, but not hard and narrow like a real road bike’s. It’s a bit wide and cushioned, and I’m not conscious of undue pressure on my perineum (nor of any untoward consequences). Curiously, though, when I haven’t stretched, I will sometimes feel a slight thread of pain in my thigh and my buttock, but this pain goes away if I stop to stretch.

An interesting article in The Boston Globe about people seeking alternative means of transportation and finding other ways to spend less money on gas and less time driving.

By bicycle, by scooter, by train, by foot, by strategies large and small, more and more fed-up motorists are forsaking their vehicles and exploring ways to avoid being guzzled by gas.

Imagine that– when prices are not kept artificially low, people are more willing to consider alternatives! Now, if we could only get the prices to reflect the externalities of the environmental impact of fossil fuels and the driving lifestyle…