December » 2009 » Ride Free Bike Maps

Bike Buckets

In a previous post I showed you how to make your own panniers. I’ve seen my site show up in the Google search results for this keyword so I thought I’d share some of my experiences with them.

My bike with fully loaded bike buckets.

This past summer I toured the US Pacific coast using homemade panniers or bike buckets. I made the buckets using cat littler or mayonaise buckets, rope hooks, bolts, and webbing. They were easy to make and pretty cheap compared to buying good panniers.

The buckets preformed really well. I made it all the way from the Canadian border to the Mexican border without breaking a bucket. One of the front buckets cracked but I was able to stabilize it using a discarded inner tube I found on the road. The cracks resulted from the bucket swinging on the mounts which stressed the plastic. In my how to guide I mounted the hooks at an angle to counteract this swinging. I haven’t tested the new design on a big tour or a big ride but the riding-around-my-block test camp out positive.

Bike Bucket stabilized using a found inner tube.

Bike bucket repaired using an inner tube.

The buckets were super useful. I loaded them to nearly full and strapped things to the top for easy access. They held so much that loading them completely full is a bad idea, it gets to be too much weight. They are amazing for lugging things around town or on long tours.

The main drawback is their profile. In any kind of wind they act like sails. If the wind is against you it is very apparent. If the wind is with you you literally sail down the road. It is amazing when that happens.

Overall I’m really glad I made the buckets. They weren’t just cheap and useful, they were recycled and a medium for art. I got a lot of comments of the art and the design of the buckets while I was on tour. So much that I wanted to sell bike bucket kits on the internet. I never did anything with that because the design improvements I had in mind didn’t pan out, at least not with the most commonly used racks. My current design should work for all racks though.

I feel like I should really use this paragraph to sell you on the idea of bike buckets. Instead I’m just going to add another picture.

Fierce! Oh and nice bike buckets.

If you have any questions write a comment and I’ll answer it asap!

Lack of Updates

You may have noticed a lack of activity on the site recently. It started with the Thanksgiving holiday and will continue through the new year. I have been doing some work to the bike map creator but I don’t have anything to show for it. A lot of what I’m doing is conceptual right now.

I had planned to focus on making some kind hardwired way to save/load routes but I realized that the interface (always) needs work. After talking to my roommate who isn’t a cyclist about the program I decided that I need to cut out some of the bloat in the program. You can expect to see the split function disappear along with a redesign of the plot and print modes.

In fact all of the modes are getting renamed. Plot, panel, and print is great for alliteration but I think it isn’t very clear what the purpose of each mode is. Right now the program is overly flexible. I think this makes designing the bike maps harder because the things that happen during each mode aren’t intuitive. Here are some of the areas I’m looking at:

Text directions (they should show up sooner)
Font size button should show up with the text directions
Print mode is a mess, you really should only have to hit print once, not for every panel
What the hell is a panel anyway? I think I might be the only one who knows
The split function is slow and doesn’t really have a huge benefit considering that printing your own pages is cheap.
Route editing could use some attention. What happens if you want to add a way-point in the middle of the route? Or you want to edit the route after it has been plotted?
You probably can’t tell but the code is a mess…
If the view point gets changed then clear text directions.
Individual panel deletion needs to be added

That is a lot of stuff. I also just got a new job so my time to work on Ride Free Bike Maps has diminished a lot. The job requires that I get up super early too and my body is seriously rebelling against that right now. That means working on the site after work is just not gonna happen. My body needs rest and because of that my mind doesn’t function well at all (OOOH philosophy BONUS!). On top of all that I’m headed to Kauai for the first week of the new year and I will not be working on the site at all. You may see pics of some sort if I find neat bike stuff but most posts will head to my personal blog/facebook.

So there you have it. Stay tuned I will be adding to this site in the future. I really want to move on to the next phase where saving/loading bike maps will come into being but I must do this first.

An Early Christmas Gift From The Feds

On Dec. 16 the Federal Highway Administration released an update to it’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Included in the update was a slew of early Christmas goodies for cyclists. I ran across the news on the Bike Portland and Biking Bis blogs.

Among the changes were improvements to signage related to bike traffic. Shared lane markings (a.k.a. sharrows) along with “Bicycles May Use Full Lane” signs were added. I got to experience both of these while riding around San Francisco this summer. I really like them both. They reinforce a cyclist’s rights on the road. I believe that this will help ease conflicts between cyclists and motorists while boosting cyclists’ confidence.

Another exciting addition to the signage repertoire were U.S. Bicycle Route signs. These signs are to be erected on the 50,000 mile bike route network created by the Adventure Cycling Association and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. My experience with such signs has been mixed. Some areas seem to have better signage than others. Generaly there were more in urban areas which left me to wonder and worry about the lack of signs in rural areas. Hopefully this update will increase the signage in the areas where it is lacking.

I’m betting that I won’t see much of an improvement around Bellingham but these new guidelines give me hope.

Ride Free Bike Maps Coffee Giveaway!

Yesterday I was all set to get working on making some kind of save system for the maps. I’m really stoked about the possibilities of being able to save maps and share them with your friends. It is a really important feature of the map creator.

However!

I have been talking to a few people about the Map Creator and I heard that it was not very intuitive to use. Making the map creator easy to use is much more important than anything else. This means I need to do some ‘user experience’ testing.

Here’s the deal: I will buy you a coffee or another beverage of your choice if you sit down with me and do some user testing. To be eligible for the deal you must be in Bellingham and have a laptop or access to a public computer.

Leave me comment on this and let’s go get some coffee!

Update: Introducing the Google Bar!

I had this working last night but I ran out of time to upload the new code so here it is: the first functionality upgrade!

First off I added some route editing to the waypoints. The waypoints that are added to the map are now draggable. So if you decide you want to change their location after you created them you can just drag them to a new spot. Initially I thought this was going to be harder to do but it turned out to be a really easy fix.

Then I thought ‘Hey now that I’ve got that working I can also make a way to remove the waypoints.’ After a bit of easy code writing I’ve got that worked out too. Just click on a waypoint that has already been created and it will be deleted.

I knew taking state st. to the Boundry was the faster way to get there but bombing Holly on a bike is so much more fun!

I also added the Google Bar to the Map Creator was well. With the Google Bar you can search for specific addresses, specific businesses, or types of businesses and the results will be displayed on the map. When you open one of the info windows for a search result a ‘Add Waypoint’ link will be displayed under the standard content. If you click the link a waypoint will be added in the location of the search result. You can then plot the route as you normally would. You can also add waypoints after you have plotted your route if you want to mark some locations on the map (if I were planning another big tour I’d mark the location of all the breweries along the route).

I may make another update before the day is out. I just thought of an easy way to make the route editable after it has been plotted. So stay tuned!

Update & Printing Tips

A while back Google released their chrome browser. I downloaded it on my Windows OS and really loved it. It is super fast and the minimalist interface is very pleasing. I would have made it my default browser right then except I couldn’t use it on my Linux OS which is where I spend most of my time. Recently all that changed, Google released Chrome for Linux and I have officially moved over there. The switch reminded me of a problem with printing I faced while designing the map creator. The solution I used only worked for firefox so it worked for me but not everyone.

Today I went in and made some adjustments to the style sheets and now printing should preform perfectly for everyone. Prior to the update printing using any browser but Firefox would produce a page with a plethora of profuse parts. Presently printing produces your particular projection and nothing more.

The preceding paragraph was produced by the letter “P.”

Before I conclude this post I want to share some tips for printing:

Make sure the page is set to ‘landscape mode’ and not portrait.
Also check that the page prints at 100%, sometimes the default is shrink to fit which can shrink your map unnecessarily.
You don’t need to create a panel to print it. If you think you might need some extra detail for an area off the route you can just drag and zoom the map to the appropriate spot and then print it.

Map Creator Update: No more orange links!

Notice the new panel buttons under the map and the print icon in the top right.

I have been hard at work for for the past few days and I have upgraded the map creator once again! Still no new features but I got rid of all those awful orange panel links. Instead of the links I added buttons in the same style as the ones I created earlier. I’ve got some new features in mind and moving to these buttons will make writing them easier. Also in response to a comment left on the site I’ve added a print button as well. The button shows up when you enter print mode. Clicking on it replicates using your browser’s print command.

I probably won’t be updating the software for a while, however, the next upgrades I’ll work on will be functionality ones. I will work on making the plot and panel modes a little better. I am also getting excited to add some route saving features. Although I haven’t a clue how I’ll implement that. I will probably have to learn some database programming to get that working. I may go with a temporary offline solution just to get the ball rolling.

Let me know what you think of the new design in the comments. I’d love to get some feedback on this.

How to Go on Tour – Thoughts From a Cyclist That Rode the Pacific Coast (Part 3)

By Ian B Harper
In this part of the guide I will focus on maps. You can read this section alone but I recommend checking out part 1 and part 2 of this guide first.

The bike maps you carry can make or break parts of your tour. You should get some kind of handlebar mounted bike map holder so that you can read relevant sections while you are riding. The bike maps should also be formatted for use while riding a bike. Taking a region map and folding it into a shape that will fit onto your map holder is not nearly as effective as using a map that was designed for cycling. When it comes down to it you have three major options with maps. The first is plain text directions. While they aren’t strictly a map they are sufficient, provided you don’t miss your turns. Personally I can’t use just the text alone.

I like to use a combination of text and graphics. The maps I used had a graphical representation of the route and on the side the text directions were given as well. Lastly if you feel that the route you will be taking is simple enough you could use maps without text directions. Regardless of the map format you choose if you want to read a bike map while riding it will need to be divided into panels. Each panel will only show a portion of your total route. This allows a better level of detail and can help you organize your ride. How the maps are divided into panels determine how useful the map is.

If the maps show too much area then then off route areas will lack detail. This can become a problem if you take a wrong turn; are forced to detour from construction; or you just want to go off route. On the other hand maps that are too detailed wont show much distance and will force you to stop and switch panels often. If you ride through cities then having a high level of detail is a good thing. On the other hand long stretches of highway riding are good places where the map can zoom out and show a lot of ground. Ultimately the best bike maps will strike a balance between detail and distance.

While you are planning for your tour try not to over think things. Riding off into the sunset on a bicycle is not like firing a cannon, you can always change your course. If something isn’t working for you, fix it. If you aren’t having fun then stop riding. Take a rest day, enjoy your time! Lastly always remember: There is no wrong way to tour.

Ian Harper is an avid cyclist and publishes the blog about bike maps and other topics. The blog also hosts a bike map creator web app.

Article Source: Ian B Harper How to Go on Tour – Thoughts From a Cyclist That Rode the Pacific Coast (Part 3)

How to Go on Tour – Thoughts From a Cyclist That Rode the Pacific Coast (part 2)

How to Go on Tour – Thoughts From a Cyclist That Rode the Pacific Coast (part 2)
By Ian B Harper

In part 1 of this guide, I discussed two of the most basic issues when planning a tour, lodging and training. If you have not read it yet I suggest you start there. In this article I’ll tell you about my favorite aspect of touring, food!

Eating while you are on tour is perhaps that most important thing you do. The food you eat is literally the fuel that gets you down the road. With that, all I can tell you about eating on tour is, it depends. One of the most limiting factors is simply what is available. If you are riding through moderately populated areas then finding a good grocery store shouldn’t be a problem at all. However if you find yourself nearing the end of the day at a gas station in the middle of nowhere, do what you can. Hopefully by the time you find yourself in that position you will know what foods get you down the road best. For me foods high in fat and protein worked best. Occasionally areas of limited food choice serve up amazing treats. Areas with lots of farmland are usually sprinkled with roadside produce stands so be on the lookout for those.

I had a simple strategy for diet: I literally tried to eat as much fat and protein as I could. I found that fat and protein gave me better energy than carbs. Your body and metabolism are unique and what works for you may be entirely different. I’ll leave you with the advice that was given to me and a word about applying it. When you are on tour put yourself on the 6,000 calorie diet. When something edible is out in front of you, eat it. It is better to eat too much and feel bloated than to eat too little and hit ‘the wall.’

In the final article I’ll discuss bike maps.

Ian Harper is an avid cyclist and publishes the blog about bike maps and other topics. The blog also hosts a bike map creator web app.

Article Source: Ian B Harper How to Go on Tour – Thoughts From a Cyclist That Rode the Pacific Coast (part 2)

How to Go on Tour – Thoughts From a Cyclist That Rode the Pacific Coast (Part 1)

How to Go on Tour – Thoughts From a Cyclist That Rode the Pacific Coast (Part 1)
By Ian B Harper

Whenever I tell people about my big Canada to Mexico tour they invariably say what an accomplishment it is. I reply with a smile and a word of thanks but really I’m thinking something different: “There is no reason why you couldn’t do it too.” I saw all kinds of people on bike tours while I was riding. With every cycle tourist I met I saw a different way to go on tour. The range of people was truly vast; I met a trio in Oregon that was riding 100 miles or more every day; in California I met a man who was touring with a broken ankle that never healed. The biggest difficulty in touring is finding a system that works for you.

Camping vs Hotels

There are some big categories of ways people tour. How you spend your nights is the biggest division. You can either stay in hotels and bed & breakfasts or you can camp. Obviously sleeping with a roof over your head and a mattress under you is going to be easier. Of course the big drawback of doing that is going to be cost. In OR and CA the cost for a hiker-biker site in the state parks is about $5. Staying in those hiker-biker sites also lets you meet other travelers.

Training

Training is the largest amount of preparation you will have to do before going on tour. No matter what you do to train you are going to have to do a lot of it. When you are on tour the object isn’t to exert yourself to the fullest every day. That approach is not sustainable. Instead your goal should be to find a balance between exertion and distance. What you do for training will determine how far you ride each day. Training methods don’t have to be complicated, just go for a long ride at least once a week. Each week increase the length of the ride. Simple. When you feel like the rides are getting too easy or take too long start adding weight. If you are going camping I’d recommend an overnight or weekend trip to work out the bugs. Once you have that down you are ready to roll!

In part 2 I’ll focus on eating while on tour.

Ian Harper is an avid cyclist and publishes a blog about bike maps and other topics. The blog also hosts a bike map creator web app.

Article Source: Ian B. Harper
How to Go on Tour – Thoughts From a Cyclist That Rode the Pacific Coast (Part 1)