I just bought a new bike and I've been looking into ways of spending even more money lol. I'm thinking about installing hub dynamos, but I think I'm getting a bit lost in the sauce over all the brands and options. Does anyone have any experience with a bike shop they could recommend to help me out? I don't think I'd try to install anything myself; I'd just ask them to install it for me.

I'm new-ish to Philly, have not gotten out on my bike that much. I am heading up North to Lorimer Park this weekend to meet some friends and hoping to bike out there. The route google gives me cuts up Kensington Ave, through Tacony Park, and then up Rising Sun Ave to Lorimer Park. Strava says to either detour around and go up through Pennypack, or shoot straight up 5th street to Rising Sun (most direct route). Seems like there is a bike lane most of the way there if I go up Kensington and Rising Sun, but not on 5th street. I am not so concerned about car traffic, I am pretty comfortable biking on-road with or without bike lanes. I am more curious about biking through North Philly - how safe is it to take these routes mid morning/late afternoon on the weekend? Would it be better to go up Aramingo or Frankford rather than 5th or Kensington?

What’s the situation with parking a nice gravel bike with a u-lock and cable along Main Street? I’m thinking I’ll be away from it 30 mins tops.

I’m looking to do a weekend trip from the D&L in Bristol all the way to Bethlehem, picking up the Upper Bucks Rail Trail to Quakertown, then from Quakertown it looks like 30 miles or so on road to Green Lane to pick up the Perkiomen to get back to Philly.

Has anyone ridden this on road gap? Plugging it into RideWithGPS it looks like some lower traffic rural roads, but also a little bit of higher traffic suburbia which I’m apprehensive about. Any advice?

I wasn't able to attend the meeting (I have a new baby at home) but I heard through the grapevine it was super contentious, including threats of "lynching". Was anyone there?

https://preview.redd.it/6hazry7s0p0d1.png?width=1545&format=png&auto=webp&s=ea9b8276252b1c31625c48987fbf3e84360cc78e

Join Philly Bike Action and fellow cyclists for a rad blast from the past! Come grab a capri sun and dunkaroos while listening to some 90s jams. We’ll be out on 17th and Spruce from 8 am to 11 am to celebrate bike lanes and the people that use them. Dust off that old flannel, bust out the fanny pack, and come PARTY with us.

Let’s tell Tenth Presbyterian to say “Hasta la vista, baby” to those bike lane parking permits!

Rain or shine the party will be off the chain. Please plan and dress accordingly. If you are bringing a sign, clear plastic tape does wonders for waterproofing.

Link to sign the petition to end the permits at bikeaction.org/permits.

The start will be at the grassy area under the freight train bridge at 31st and Chestnut. Look up “Highline Field” on google maps if you don’t know what I’m talking about. Registration is $10 and will open at 1pm, and racing will start at 2pm. All checkpoints are west of the Schyulkill River, ~15 miles if you have a decent route.

The finish will be at 56th st plaza, right next to Bartram’s Garden. First overall and first w/t/f will split the pot + some prizes for the podium, first fixed, and DFL. Food and beer may also spawn in at the finish line, so come hang out and have a good time even if you aren’t racing.

Happy to answer any questions!

Coming from the burbs, I’m planning to do a relatively easy extension of my ride over to the Cynwyd trail and then join the SRT heading west.

Can I take the Cynwyd Heritage trail, cross the bridge then take Ivy Ridge trail to get onto the SRT? Or, do I have to hook right around the block onto Main Street and make a left onto the SRT?

Hi, I'm about to start my biking journey in West Philly and I want to make sure I'm prepared with all the right things to keep safe and prevent it from getting stolen. I have a helmet and am looking into locks- do you specifically suggest a U lock or would cable locks work as well?

I've seen some posts that include lights, tire repair kits, and mirrors. How necessary are these if I'm /mostly planning on biking in day time and good weather, and is there anything else you recommend? General tips and safety measures are also appreciated!

The surveys are open to anyone, including those that do not live in these neighborhoods. Links to the surveys below.

I live in west and am looking into building my first non multi-speed bike! Hoping to get some input on what gearing has worked for ppl around philly so I know where to start. TIA!

I apparently completely missed the opening of the connection of the Chester Valley Trail to the Schuylkill River Trail, which means you can get within one kinda sketchy road crossing of KOP. It really just needs a high-quality bike lane across Dekalb Pike and you're there.
The other mall complext nearby in Conshohocken (AKA Metroplex Mall, Ikea, Home Depot, BJ's, etc) are well connected to the SRT via the Cross-Country Trail, which is its own high-quality seperated bike path.

Both of these trails are easily reachable via the Norristown high-speed line or the Norristown Regional Rail line.

With some modest improvements to the biking infra around KOP you could actually shop in either of those malls with cargo bikes or just take a visit with a regular bike without needing a car.

Asking and hoping we can get a few solutions to keep us all safe from the clowns in cars. Is there anything we can do to push this to a higher chain of command above Parker’s greed?

I was heading east in the Market St bike lane, crossing 21st St when a car driving east turned left without looking or considering that there could be a bike coming. For some reason, there is not a bicycle traffic light at this intersection like there is at the others further up. Anyway, it's too wet for me to make a safe stop, so I end up colliding with the back of this guy's car, knocked off my bike, and land on my hip/elbow. The dude stops and briefly gets out of the car to make sure I'm alright before hurriedly taking off again. Now I need to take my bike in for a repair and replace my phone since it got smashed (which I JUST had repaired for a hefty price). I fucking hate that intersection, people are idiots, everyone be careful out there. No, I did not get the plates.

Edit: This was actually 22nd and Market.

Maybe this will make Philly roads safer. It's something, anyway.

https://www.timesherald.com/2024/05/09/pennsylvania-to-ban-cell-phone-use-while-driving-and-require-police-to-collect-traffic-stop-data/

hi! this may be a loooooong shot but i've had a dream for a while to do custom paint work on bikes. i found that there is an apprenticeship program for this in australia and was wondering if anyone has heard of something like this in philly??

Hey all - curious if anyone knows of any lgbt-oriented/friendly biking groups in the city? I know this has been asked before, but was hoping to find something a little more recent. Thanks!

I live in South Philly and commute 2 miles north on 16th St and 2 miles south on 15th St. It is a dream lifestyle to be able to do this. Literally one (glaring) problem though- extremely aggressive drivers. 95% of the time I have no issues, but about once or twice a week I feel someone tailgating me and then the honking and screaming begins. Keep in mind I'm moving much faster than most people on a bike, I'd say almost as fast as the cars, but when there's an open stretch of road with no traffic, I simply can't compete when it's standard practice to drive way over the speed limit.

I've been doored before so I know what could happen if I were to ride the entire two miles pushed right up against the parked cars and even for the cyclists who are doing this, I'd say it's still not enough room for a car to pass safely on a one-lane road. I ride a few feet away from the parked cars and try to find a way to create space and wave these awful impatient drivers along like at an intersection or something. I've had a few close calls and road rage encounters and it sucks.

What is your advice for me so that I can ride to work safely without putting a target on my back? Should I just ride extremely close to parked cars and risk getting doored? Should I just keep doing what I'm doing and simply pullover when someone's being a psychopath?

Also, are there any proposed projects for north and south bike lanes in the middle of the city? Like why have I not seen anything about putting in a north and south mega-bike lane on Broad Street? Seems like a huge missed opportunity for these bicycle advocacy groups...

Update: Thanks for all the input, it truly helps to have other people share their experiences dealing with the same issue. I plan to continue to "take the lane" and in those situations when I encounter an overly-aggressive, psychotic driver, I'll pullover when it's safe to do so. Happy biking everyone!