Man celebrates 100th birthday, sets cycling record

Robert Marchand

 

Video:Robert Marchand sets world cycling record 

On February 17, 2012, Frenchman Robert Marchand set a world record by cycling non-stop for one hour at the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) velodrome in Aigle, Switzerland.

He rode about 25 kilometers in an indoor track. There wasn’t a lot of competition around as he was the first-ever and the only performer in 100-years-plus category. You can say, the competition was virtually dead in his category.

Marchand spent about a week preparing for the event. After the event Merchand said that he could have rode faster but he didn’t because he is not trying to be a champion. He just wanted to celebrate his 100^th birthday.

Apparently, he still rides but likes to keep it less than 100 kilometers a day.

HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY to Robert Marchand
=========
Reference

Reuter: Frenchman, 100, sets record for one hour cycle,

Los Angeles opens a new 2.2 mile path for bicycles

Los Angeles bike lane

Recently, the city of Los Angeles opened a new 2.2-mile bicycle path along 7th Street from Catalina Avenue in Koreatown to Figueroa Street downtown.

An entire lane for cars was eliminated to make lane for cyclists even though there is a lot of traffic in the city. By doing so, the city officials confirmed that, they, as a city, look at bicycles, as not only a recreational vehicle but as a legitimate form of public transportation. Cycling enthusiasts also cheered city’s action as a step toward intended goal of introducing more paths and making the city bike friendly.

It is estimated that some 27,000 residents of Los Angeles ride a bicycle daily. This number pales in comparison to places like Copenhagen, Denmark, in Europe where about 35% of the residents use bicycles as a mean of transportation.

Los Angles Department of Transportation's (LADOT) Bikeway Engineering Group is responsible for the design and oversight of new bike path and bike lane projects throughout the City of Los Angeles. Their bike plan calls for more than 200 miles of new routes every five years. According to LADOT officials the state vehicle code makes it illegal for drivers to use lanes designated for cyclists.

The LADOT Bike Program needs your bike photos for their website, blog and bicycle related reports. Public is invited to submit photos of people using L.A’s bicycling facilities. Facilities include bike lanes, bike paths, sharrows, and bike racks (in-use). Your photos will go a long way towards enriching the content provided by social media and other outreach tools. Make sure that your photos are licensed for public use and that in the description section you provide the location and facility of your photo

Sources

http://ladotbikeblog.wordpress.com/

http://www.bicyclela.org/Engineering.htm

http://www.bicyclela.org/maps_main.htm#lamaps

safety, etiquette & the law

The LADOT Bike Program needs your bike photos