Been alive for half a century, so decided to ride a full century on my birthday this year!

Do people around here have multiple bikes for different purposes? I've recently tried out the Lime bikes in my community and am interested in exploring an e-bike primarily for errands/possibly commuting (if my company ever actually moves forward with the RTO they've threatened). But I have a nice hybrid bike and don't want to end up defaulting to the E-bike for recreational rides because it's "easier." If you have multiple bikes, how do you balance when to use which one?

I'm moving to the New Brighton / Arden Hills area and I was really floored by how bad it is. It's going to make riding around with my kids (8yo and 10yo) much more challenging. At least there are some cool bike trails even if getting to them is a pain.

As the owner of Ron's Cycle Shop, an American small business and service-disabled veteran-owned company, I want to share my experience dealing with EUNORAU, from China.

I believe EUNORAU's business practices represent exactly the kind of economic pressure that American small businesses cannot afford to ignore.

When I sold EUNORAU electric bicycles, the company's website often advertised a free battery with the purchase. Having experienced problems with EUNORAU's promotional promises before, I warned my customer that the battery might never arrive.

Unfortunately, that warning proved justified.

More than a month later, the battery has not arrived. When I contacted EUNORAU, the company produced shipping paperwork indicating the battery had been included on the pallet.

The problem? The battery wasn't on the pallet.

EUNORAU now refuses to provide the missing battery, relying on its own shipping documentation as proof that it fulfilled its obligation.

Think about what that means for any American bicycle dealer.

The manufacturer advertises an incentive to encourage sales. The American retailer represents that offer to the customer. When the manufacturer fails to deliver, the retailer is left to explain the broken promise, absorb the damage to its reputation, and potentially bear the financial burden of making the customer whole.

Meanwhile, the manufacturer points to paperwork and walks away.

Sun Tzu's The Art of War teaches that an adversary can be weakened without direct confrontation. I see a troubling parallel in business practices that undermine American companies through unreliable promises, disputed deliveries, and the transfer of financial risk to domestic retailers.

I cannot prove that EUNORAU deliberately withheld this battery or that its conduct was directed by the Chinese government. But I can tell you this happens every time I order from them. not aways the same thing, but ALWAYS an offence. I believe repeated practices like these can have the effect of economic warfare against American small businesses, regardless of whether that is their stated intention.

A shipping receipt is not a substitute for delivering what was promised.

My customer was fortunate. I had already warned him about my previous experiences with this company. But American retailers should not have to warn customers that a manufacturer's advertised promotions may be unreliable.

I am lucky, after 3 years in business I can sell Trek, and I will no longer carry EUNORAU products. I encourage American bicycle dealers and consumers to carefully consider the risks of doing business with this company, or any company from a confessed ememy of the USA.

— Owner, Ron's Cycle Shop LLC
New Prague, Minnesota
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business

Hi, I want to start biking. i love biking and my dream is find a good bike even if its used. i don't want to get ripped off or laughed at or give my money to a not so friendly business. i also want to start competing after i get good. i have high endurance so i don't want anything flimsy. can someone pls help :)

i don't know the best brand or anything. i live in st paul, minnesota thank you guys!

Does anyone know if the 35E birdge between Shepard Road and Lilydale is back open? I'd like to take it today if so.

Thanks a bunch and happy fall cycling to y'all!

This afternoon I was out running with my 5.5 year old on her bike (I am a commuter biker and my kids have grown to love it, too). We crossed a fairly busy street at an intersection; oncoming traffic rightfully stopped for us, and we carefully crossed. As we neared the other side, a driver ran a stop sign while turning right and came within 18 inches of hitting her.

My daughter is spunky, wonderful, and still so fragile and small. It was so scary. It breaks my heart to think that by encouraging her to bike, I could be putting her in danger. I guess I always knew this was the case to some degree, but it crystalized tonight. Even my best attempts at teaching her bike safety might not be enough.

Please be safe out there. If you are in a car, please, please drive safely.

Getting back into riding again in many forms and I do have to say it’s been fun going shop to shop seeing what’s all around and the help I’ve received. Thanks to express and bike king and recovery so far on this journey. I’m an open book I just want to ride and have fun. No pressure to purchase bullshit i don’t need. I can definitely tell where I’m going to be frequently and it’s these places because of the people and what they have to offer. Thanks 🙏 2 cents.

"Kellogg-3rd Street Bridge Community Celebration & Ribbon Cutting October 24

Join us on Saturday, October 24 for a Community Celebration and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Kellogg-3rd Street Bridge as construction nears completion. This family-friendly event invites people to walk, bike, or roll across the new bridge. There will also be areas on the bridge deck that will feature local community organizations and businesses."

Hi folks,

Our Streets, the transportation advocacy group responsible for Open Streets, is hosting their annual fall fundraiser on October 21st from 6:00-8:00 pm at Dual Citizen Brewery!

There will be food, drinks, live screen printing, and mystery bags filled with biking/transit/planning goodies.

Check out the link for more details and hope to see you there!

"The Mississippi River Greenway between Pine Bend Bluffs and 117th Street E. in Inver Grove Heights has been closed since September 2025. This is due to heavy rainfall washing out a large section of the slope next to the trail.

Construction is scheduled to begin the week of Oct. 19. Completion is expected in November."

Riding in Lakeville. Motorist decided that they wanted to be on the other side of the median. To be clear, I don't think this was meant out of any kind of malice towards cyclists. I think the driver was inattentive. But still, first time I've seen something like this...

Following up on a post I made in September about Eden Prairie's ped/bike facilities. The construction is still there at Flying Cloud Dr and W 70th St and in an even worse state than it was in September.

I want to highlight that even though Shady Oak Rd got a new multi-use path constructed all the way to Valley View Rd that turns into Golden Triangle Dr, the paths on Valley View Rd and Golden Triangle Dr are in atrocious conditions. We're talking bumpy and none of the crossings meeting ADA standard. To add insult to injury, Valley View Rd and Golden Triangle Dr were recently resurfaced to excellent smoothness. Path on Flying Cloud Dr is slightly better but not by much.

I empathize with the runners, walkers, and rollers of Eden Prairie. And, I'm feeling bearish about the Green Line extension operating in the area. It doesn't feel like the infrastructure for non-car users are setting the multimodal transit users up for success.

I left a voicemail for the person who I corresponded with at the city level. I can't wait for him to tell me about how of course the roads are in great conditions, thousands of cars move through it every day and very few people use the trails. How do we expect people to bike and walk and roll when the facilities are what they are?

RSVP | Route

I highly recommend subscribing to Ramsey County Active Living newsletter updates if you haven't already.

In the most recent quarterly meeting, Saint Paul staff presented a plan to add scaffolding to the Swede Hollow tunnel. Their hope is that the Bruce Vento Trail can reopen at the Swede Hollow entrance in early November (I would plan for December).

The other notable item that I took away from the meeting was how fed up bicyclists are with proposed and constructed trails that don't connect to an existing network. You think you're the only one who cares about that kind of stuff until you attend one of these meetings and people who are decades beyond your years are relentlessly asking the planners and decision makers to make the damn trails connect.

Examples talked about at the meeting: White Bear Avenue Corridor multi-use path that doesn't connect to a network at either end and the Bruce Vento Regional Trail extension that doesn't connect to the existing White Bear Lake local trail at its northern end (this one people were really begging staff to make something happen so that we just don't dump bicyclists into a dangerous intersection).

Last month, I took my bike on the Amtrak Empire builder from St Paul to Milwaukee, and rode it back home. It was probably the best thing I've done on my bike so far, and want to do it again, with modifications, next year.

My route, with overnight stops listed, was generally:

• Milwaukee to Sandhill Station to Madison via the Glacial Drumlin trail
• Madison to Devil's Lake via the Great Sauk Trail and the "secret entrance" to Burma Rd
• Devil's Lake to Wilton WI to Trempealeau via the 400 trail, Elroy-Sparta, and Sparta-La Crosse trails.
• Trempealeau to Alma via the Great River State Trail and Hwy 35
• Alma to Cannon Falls via Hwy 35 and the Cannon Valley Trail (crossing the river at Red Wing)
• Cannon Falls to St Paul via various roads

My favorite rides were in and around Madison and up to Devil's Lake, the tunnels of the Elroy-Sparta trail, my stay in Trempealeau and the Great River State Trail through the Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge, and the Cannon Valley trail.

Absolutely hated trying to navigate the exurban hellscape between Empire and Mendota MN in the pouring rain.

Taking Amtrak one-way was absolutely the best way to do this trip, super easy.

Next time, I might start in Chicago. I'd like to incorporate a couple days deeper into the driftless region, hitting Dodgeville and Spring Green WI, and then spending some time on the Root River Trail. I'd possibly just take the train home from La Crosse in this scenario.

Happy to answer any questions if anyone is considering this sort of trip. A highly recommended week on the bike.

Anyone know what the current status is? It was closed a few weeks ago even after the 35E crossing was re-opened.

Thanks

I live in a shelter and I'm trying to find work. One thing I'm able to do (in stops and starts) is food deliveries on a bicycle. There's just one teeny tiny little microscopic flaw in my plan. Honestly you can barely notice it.

I don't have a bike.

Beloved reader, here is where you come in: I will, at zero cost to you, meet you anywhere on the Metro that you like. I will then relive you of the burden of that cumbersome bicycle that must surely be cluttering up your personal space.

I must warn you, I'm a little fatty. I weigh 285 lbs or so. If you poke me in my tummy I'll go "Hoo-hoo," like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. Please don't poke my tummy; I don't like being touched.

But seriously if there's anyone who has a bicycle that you want to donate to a charitable cause, you'd be helping someone earn a living. Thank you! 💕

HOURCAR and Evie Carshare are set to shut down THIS Thursday, October 15th, unless city and regional leaders step in to close a $600k emergency budget gap.

For thousands of residents across the Twin Cities, HOURCAR and Evie aren't just convenient—they are a vital, affordable transit necessity for work, groceries, and medical appointments. Losing HOURCAR would be a massive blow to our community.

This Tuesday, we are gathering in Downtown Minneapolis to show local decision-makers how much this community resource matters to us and to urge them to secure emergency funding. Join us!

• Date & Time: Tuesday, October 13 at 6:00 PM
• Location: Government Plaza, Downtown Minneapolis
• Transit: Show up in an Evie if you can! Light rail (Blue/Green Line) and multiple bus lines stop right at or near Government Plaza.
• What to Bring: Signs, friends & family, and your personal story of how HOURCAR and Evie impacts your life!

As a biker, I rely on Hourcar and Evie to get me places where I cannot go by bike. Hourcar and Evie are such a valuable service to those of us without cars that rely primarily on bicycling. Please help us preserve this incredible resource!

I added a frame bag this year which caused me to move my bottle cages to behind my saddle. I like the location for easy access while I ride however 2 to 3 times a ride I reach back to find I have jettisoned 1 or both bottles. Does anyone know of a bottle cage that either has an additional rib or fully inclosed the bottle? Any other options I should consider? I don’t want to move the water bottle to my handlebars or remove my frame bag but I am running out of water bottles.😀

The YouTuber BikeFarmer just uploaded this video about Seth and Elizabeth, the owner's of Recovery Bike Shop in Northeast Minneapolis, and the now new owner's of the John Cook house. It's an interesting little video about used bikes, revitalization, and community in Northeast. Thought I'd share.

85 in October 🤔🌞

My wife isn't feeling up to using her registration for the Twin Cities Bike Tour tomorrow. So, I've got an extra 50-mile registration if someone wants to use it. You don't have to do the 50 mile route but you do need to check-in with me in the morning at Waburn picnic area. I need to check in between 8 and 8:30 am.