This story is taken from Sacbee / Our Region / Weather News


Sacramento-area bicyclists should respond to fine weather



blindelof@sacbee.com

Published Friday, Mar. 19, 2010



The bicycle business generally depends on good weather, much like ice cream shops trust summer scorchers to help sell a lot of cones.
And this weekend's conditions should make people in the bike business and those who ride in the Sacramento region very happy.
Warm temperatures and breezes easing from the strong winds that blew through the region earlier this week will create near-perfect conditions.
The forecast for today and the weekend is for sunny skies and temperatures about 75 degrees, a comfortable exclamation to end a rain-free week of beautiful weather.
So expect to see cyclists out in force.
"The bike industry is weather dictated," said Jesse Scatton, owner of East Sac Bike shop, 5520 H St. "When it is nice out, people ride."
Once the weather has been about 70 degrees for a week or 10 days straight, people are ready to pedal, Scatton said.
"If history repeats itself, we should be pretty busy this weekend," he said.
Eric Alley, general manager at Bob's Cycle Center, 9920 Fair Oaks Blvd., agrees that weather is a bike business trigger, at least in the Golden State.
"If it rains here in California, people will not shop for a bicycle," he said. "That's not the case in other parts of the country. In Portland, for example, it can be pouring rain there, which it does a lot, and they will still shop and buy bicycles."
Many of those bicyclists will be heading to the Jedediah Smith Bike Trail through the American River Parkway as well as other popular paths, and traffic is expected to increase accordingly.
Steve Flannery, chief ranger for Sacramento County parks, reminds cyclists to obey the rules of the road, such as stopping at stop signs on their way to the trail.
And once on the path, keep the speed down.
"We hope that they will adhere to the 15 mph speed limit," he said. "And, as a courtesy, when passing on the left side, call out, 'Bike on your left.' "
Crashes happen every year when walkers or riders drift to the left when they don't release that they are being passed on the thin ribbon of asphalt that winds along the rivers.
This weekend, joggers, walkers and cyclists will be competing for space trail.
"We're thinking it is going to be packed," said Flannery.
Many riders will mount up for the first time in awhile, bike shop owners agree.
"They look at their bike and realize their tires are flat, so they take it in to get it serviced," said East Sac Bike's Scatton. "Or they see the neighbor riding and think it would be a good idea to buy a new bike."
Scatton said many this weekend will be shopping for so-called "comfort bikes," big sellers with retirees, baby boomers and kids, Scatton said.
"Everybody likes to be comfortable when they ride around," he said. "The comfort bike gives a relaxed riding position. That allows fairly sedentary people to ride a bike more. The rider is upright and the hands are above the waist so there is no pressure on the wrists, shoulders, neck, elbows and back."
Spring officially arrives on Saturday when weather will be pedal perfect. The forecast from the National Weather Service:
Today: Sunny, high near 78 degrees.
Saturday: Sunny, high near 75 degrees.
Sunday: Sunny, high near 73 degrees.
© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.
ShareThis
Buzz up!

Call The Bee's Bill Lindelof, (916) 321-1079.