Breakaway News Volume No. 22 Issue No. 12 December 2017

Happy Holidays

Another year, another turning of the globe, another holiday season is upon us! Breakaway wants to wish all of our cherished customers a happy, healthy, and prosperous holiday season. May the adults have health and wealth, and may the kiddies get all the goodies they asked for. And, if you need extra help making sure the munchkins get their treats on time, give us a call. We’ve been made deputy elves this year!

Getting Around II

Last month, we complained about the state of our rail system in the Big Apple. Well, on top of that bad news sundae sits a maraschino cherry of distress. The bus system in NYC is the slowest not just in the state, not just on the east coast, but in the entire country. Average bus speed in Manhattan is a mere 5.5 mph. This means that if you take the bus, you can shave just before leaving your house and have pronounced stubble by the time you arrive at your destination. Precisely why we’re sticking with our bikes!

Trailblazing

They’re French, they’re amazing, and they can carry a lot. We’re talking about our new BiciLyft trailers, which we’ve been using to great effect. They can pull up to 400 lbs. of cargo, and yet are highly maneuverable in traffic while hitched to bicycles. Breakaway is the first U.S carrier to put them to work and we’re making news for it - from Fast Company to Newsweek!

Vocabulary

We’re really used to riding in traffic, but we never knew that there was a specific term it. Vehicular cycling is the act of riding as if you are a car, and is the model of urban cycling since the 70s. Bike lanes may be changing that, but we still think it’s a necessary skill. Stay tuned.

Boston Bike Ban?

From our colleagues in Boston comes a story of trying to turn back the wheel of progress. It seems a consortium of local businesses are trying to stop the creation of new bicycle lanes, and even to remove the Cambridge St. bike lane, a major route for cyclists. It seems local businesses feel that cyclists “deter customers.” Naturally, we feel that people cruising at cycling speed are more apt to stop at a local business. More as we learn it.

Holiday Stats

Well, we’ve survived Thanksgiving, and now it’s on to Christmas dinner. Exactly how many calories are consumed at this time of year? According to the Calorie Control Council, Thanksgiving dinner can be as much as 4,555 calories, and 229 grams of fat. If you celebrate Christmas, that dinner could add another 4,555 calories. Gym membership!

Stump the Band

Last month we asked: “on whose coat of arms does the American turkey appear and why?” Answer: English navigator William Strickland was granted such a coat of arms, as he was responsible for introducing the birds to England.

T-Shirt Question

Cyclist Mark Beaumont just cycled around the world in 78 days. What woman made the fastest trip around the globe on two wheels?  The first person to call Gil Ortiz with the correct answer will win a coveted Breakaway T-shirt.