Any Excuse to Ride: I Ride, Izip!

The other day I had the pleasure of hanging with an exceptional human being, Lee Meddin. Lee has been popping in and out of our shop, thanks to his new Izip bicycle! If you aren't cool and in-the-know about Izip, well you're in for a treat. Izip bikes are powered by electricity. You heard me right: e-lec-tric bikes! These bikes are so amazing in fact, that LAPD is beginning to explore the wonders and benefits of these babies. Onto my electrifying conversation with our own Davisite, Lee...

Lee has the Izip Via Rapido Diamond Frame in Black.

Thanks, Milo! Having this Izip bike, I've found that I constantly look for excuses to get out and ride! Not only do I center my day around riding my bike, I keep discovering cool things I enjoy about riding.

Why did you choose the Izip bike over a traditional bike?
Well, I went into B & L to look at cruisers. I ended up taking the Izip out for a test ride, and now it's my main mode of transportation. I have Parkinson's, and riding a bike (and dancing!) are great for people with the disease. While Parkinson's affects different motor skills when walking or other activities, bike riding is unaffected!

What do you like most about the Izip?
With the Izip I can carry as much as I want, thanks to the electric assistance. Wind, hills - it doesn't matter! I love that people think I must be super buff when I'm going 17mph past them without huffing or puffing.

Bike vs. Car... go.
When it comes to the argument "Bike vs. Car", biking is cheap! It just makes sense, especially when my 1993 Ford Explorer takes $65 to fill up. I also get exercise, plus in Davis, you can get anywhere by bike. The fresh air feels better, and I can see what's going on around me because I'm outside. The Izip is environmentally friendly in many ways, the amount of electricity it uses is minimal. I used to get tired on my commute to UCD, especially when that 4 miles was against the wind. Now, I can go faster and have fun on the ride.

Do you have a favorite ride around Davis?
I love the ride from Stonegate to Downtown through Village Homes. The best part is finding how many different combinations you can find to get to UCD.

What's the coolest thing you've seen while riding your bike?
The coolest thing that's happened while riding is that I saw my own son riding in the other direction on one of the bike paths. He didn't even notice that it was his dad that had just passed him. I was able to get a glimpse of how he was with his friends without knowing his dad was watching.


Very cool. Thanks again, Lee, for coming in to chat and rave to us about your Izip bike. Folks, there it is.. if you're on the fence and weighing the pros and cons of riding vs driving, this is your call to come test ride one of our electric bikes.

And, Milo Out!

Quack Quack!

Today I want to share with you another of our bike month contest entries from the lovely Valerie. She was our first entry, and had one of the funniest stories about ducks on ice!

Unfortunately I can't find Valerie's photo, but this duckling is from pixdaus.com.

Bike: Raleigh
Where are you going?: Ace
How would you describe yourself as a rider?: Commuter/Recreational
Favorite bike ride/route?: Around the arboretum
Coolest thing you've seen while riding your bike: One winter Putah Creek froze. As I was riding through the arboretum a duck landed on the icy surface of the water and started sliding with its butt on the ice, feet up, wings flapping, and quacking so loud!
What do you like most about riding your bike?: Exercise and riding in gray light - early dawn before sunrise. It's the most beautiful part of the day with no wind and a pearl colored sky!

Do you have any awesome bike stories that you'd like to share with me?
Email me: milo@blbikeshop.com

Milo Out!!

Bike Month Contest Winner!

MEOWZERS! We have a winner, people! Jeffrey H., a regular around here who is very good at petting cats was our lucky winner of our Bike Month Contest drawing!

Bike: Peugeot Frame, Specialized Mount Fork fixed gear
Where are you going?: UC Davis
How would you describe yourself as a rider?: Left libertarian angry rider
Do you have a favorite bike ride/route?: The routes to Winters and Sac
Coolest thing you've seen while riding your bike: Almost died while biking. Got hit by a car, watched my helmet split and got a concussion.
What do you like most about riding your bike?: I live about 2 miles from campus and used to take the bus to commute to school. Now I get self-satisfaction when I beat it to school everyday.


Here's a look at what was included in his prize basket!

Detours Guppy Saddle Bag, Cat Eye Orbit Wheel Light Set, Camelbak Elixir, Knog 7 Function Multi-Tool, Clean Bottle, Jog-A-Lite Reflective Vest, Squirt Chain Lube, and a Lezyne Tire Patch Kit!

Stay tuned because I will be posting more fun stories from other contest entries, plus B & L has more fun things in the works this summer!

Milo Out!