Wirecutter, a product evaluation service for consumers, and carried in NY Times, has an article reporting on evaluations of several bike racks. One is designed for e-bikes to ease loading heavier bikes on vehicles. This rack is mounted to a trailer hitch on the car. The rack is not cheap–$850 at Amazon and REI. Illustration is not available in this report. Go to Thule website: www.thule.com   Thule lists price at $899

From NY Times

Wirecutter

Whether you need to transport heavier bikes, such as some electric models, or you just want a rack that’s easy to load and store, the Thule EasyFold XT 2 is hard to beat. It’s one of the most expensive models we’ve tested, but its premium price includes luxury features that also make it one of the best overall racks we’ve tested. The EasyFold XT can hold bikes up to 65 pounds each, and it comes with a foldable ramp that lets you roll bikes onto it instead of having to lift them up. It’s lighter than other heavy-duty racks, and when it’s off the vehicle, it folds up to the size of a large airline carry-on bag. The EasyFold is also quick to install and lock to the vehicle, and integrated cable locks let you secure bikes to the rack. The EasyFold holds bikes by the frame, rather than by the wheels, however, which some riders don’t prefer, and the clamps can be a little awkward to use. It fits 1¼-inch and 2-inch hitch receivers.

Submitted by Bill Pollock

Click for Meeting Information

Click for Ride Leaders Survey and ride proposal for 2022.  You did fill out the survey already didn’t you?

Gravel ride starting from the Agoro center in Eldorado at 1 PM.  We will head towards the Rail Trail and potentially do some single-track riding near the Rail Trail spurs.  Co-Leaders Christine Van Dornick and John Vellioux.

As most of you are aware, Afghan refugees are to be settled in Santa Fe.  Some people are coming with families, others as singles.  The number of people expected is around 100.  A huge hurtle in resettlement is housing.  The newcomers will probably not have cars, so there is a need for casitas and apartments with some access to public transportation.  Longer term housing is preferable, but short-term crisis housing is also needed.  The rent range is up to around $1200 for larger living spaces, and lower rents are of course preferable.  Lutheran Family Services is actively working to help the new arrivals find jobs so that they will quickly be self-sufficient.  Families are arriving with only 24 hour notice to LFS, so housing is being set up in anticipation.  If anyone has bicycles to donate, they will be greatly appreciated! And tax deductible.  Please contact me by email danydena@gmail.com  or text 505 310 1646, and I will pass your info on to LFS.  Thank you, Dena Ross

Tx hill country….Hell Week is back!!!! This event in Fredericksburg is a Great event. 8 days of riding (hence the event name) whatever distance you prefer. I highly suggest you check out them out. March 26-April 4. I’m not organizing any SF group to attend. You’re on your own.

Moab Skinny tire festival, another great event is March 12-15. Fabulous scenery and great rides.

So, FYI 😁 all events are covid determined

At Museum Hill on Thursdays during January and DeVargas on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

The Elephant Rock one day bike ride held in Castle Rock, CO is hosting its last event/festival in June of 2022. This 35 year old ride is coming to an end. I’ve ridden the 44 mile ride twice, attended the associated festival, camped there and it all was great. Good ride. So if you’ve thought about doing this ride (I know other SOBs have attended it) then 2022 is your last chance to do the event. Covid dependent. 
Also Roll Massif has been bought out by Outside Events Cycling Series. So the title of some rides may change. FYI

Conversations have started re: riding in the Tx hill country in mid March for a week. Yes it’s only December but it’s never too early to begin planning bike tours/trips. Obviously contingent on covid etc. Something to think about on these cold winter nights. Nothing concrete yet but talk is starting. I’ll post more as more info becomes available. Email me for questions juliejacobs2303@yahoo.com

From Los Angeles Times,12-7-2021

A battery assist for e-bikes in tax credit proposal
bloomberg
Over the last decade, the U.S. has spent about $10 billion subsidizing the purchase of electric vehicles through tax credits. Not one penny of that, however, has gone to the world’s top- selling and fastest-growing form of electric vehicle, a dynamic people-mover more efficient than any Tesla or Nissan Leaf.
That, of course, is the electric bicycle.
But under the “Build Back Better” spending bill, which passed the House last month and awaits action in the Senate, e-bikes could, for the first time, get a push from the federal government. Tucked among the bill’s more than 2,000 pages is a tax credit of up to $900 for e-bikes.
If the incentive survives intact, e-bike makers, which lobbied for its inclusion, will be taking a (battery-assisted) victory lap.
“Tables will have turned if this goes through,” said Mike Radenbaugh, chief executive of the startup Rad Power Bikes. “We think that e-bikes should ultimately see a much bigger set of support … but we’re really excited to see us at least heading in the right direction.”
It’s a major milestone for an industry that scarcely existed a decade ago.
“The fact that there’s an e-bike incentive in a federal climate-slash-catch-all bill is remarkable considering that a few years ago, a lot of folks didn’t know what e-bikes were,” said Christopher Cherry, a professor in the department of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
As it stands, the bill provides a credit of 30% for up to $3,000 spent on a new e-bike, excluding bikes that cost more than $4,000. (The credits phase out according to household income beginning at $75,000 for a single taxpayer.) This is a reduction from the original proposal; in the bill that was introduced to the House, the credit covered 30% of spending up to $5,000 on bikes costing as much as $8,000.
“That was a blow for us,” said Steve Boyd, general manager of North America for Tern Bicycles, whose most expensive cargo e-bike costs more than $9,000. Under the original price cap, all but one of Tern’s models would have qualified for the credit; now all but a few are excluded.
The cuts to the credit were a natural part of the process of getting the bill through the House, according to Noa Banayan, director of federal affairs at PeopleForBikes, a trade association that lobbies on behalf of bike makers.
“Of course, we want the most amount of credit to be available to the most amount of people,” Banayan said, “but we are excited for anything that puts e-bikes on the federal map, because we see it as just a first step.”
For Rad Power, which sells its e-bikes online at prices ranging from $1,000 to $2,000, the lower cap is a perfect fit.
“Most e-bike companies will probably not see a huge benefit, but I think Rad’s an outlier in that way,” Radenbaugh said.
Data from NPD Group, which tracks sales at bike shops and outdoor stores, show that e-bike purchases tend to cluster at the top and bottom of the scale. Almost 60% of bikes sold in the 12-month period that ended in September cost either less than $500 or more than $3,500.
The fastest growth, however, is happening in the middle: Unit sales of bikes priced between $1,500 and $2,000 grew during that period at a rate of 176% over the previous 12 months.
There’s scant academic research, Cherry said, on how price affects consumer preferences in the e-bike market. He and his collaborator, John MacArthur of Portland State University, are working on a study that addresses these questions.
In the absence of data, Congress is left to guess at the level of incentive that will convince the most people to buy e-bikes, while spending as little as possible.
“We don’t know what that sweet spot is,” MacArthur said.
For now, Congress seems to be taking the approach that it’s better to prevent a well-to-do weekend warrior from using the credit to buy a joyride than it is to help a potential cargo-bike customer get over the sticker shock.
For some e-bike brands, that may mean adjusting prices to fit the tax code.
“If the limits stay the same,” said Boyd at Tern, “and we have a bike that is going to work out normally at $4,200, then maybe we end up at $3,999.”

Submitted by Bill Pollock

For those who don’t want to drive to Bernalillo, the regularly scheduled ride from the Eldorado Agora is still on. Start time is 11:00.

We will be doing the newly paved Old Santa Fe Trail, Seton Village, etc.

Last Wednesday I was on SB 285 going down Lamy Hill. I was approaching the RR crossing at a pretty good clip when I saw an abrupt lip between 2 of the concrete slabs. Nothing I could do but hope for the best. It turns out the best was a damaged tire and a walk uphill to get cell service and a ride home.

Anyway, be forewarned if you are planning to do that segment.

I did contact the NM DOT District 5 Maintenance Engineer and he said that it will be fixed once they figure out the jurisdictional issues. So not next week.

This is an energetic road ride that will be suitable for most A&B riders however the distance, 42 miles may be long for some. It will begin and end at the Bernalillo Visitors Center go south via various roads and paved trails to Bike in Coffee which is a great venue for cyclists. After a break there the route will venture up Mountain Rd through the “Belly of the Beast” to the North Diversion Channel paved trail and back to Bernalillo. Weather looks perfect with light winds and temps reaching 60. Ride start time is 10:30. Start location: Sandoval County Economic Development. I’ve made arrangements to have the restrooms unlocked and available from 10:00-10:30.
https://goo.gl/maps/11aXMQqjpqwKshJz7

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38102801

For more info contact Mike Davila at Fuel90rider@yahoo.com

All donations to World Bicycle Relief will be matched through Tuesday Midnight, doubling your impact.

Click on the SOB Team Page to donate.

Communities On The Move!

Thursday rides will start in ElDorado Agora for December.  All groups.  Bring your wind jacket.

Tuesday is still Nov so 10.30 start.  For December and the rest of the winter we will start at 1100.

Whether you are 7 or 70, there is nothing as exciting as getting a new bike.

We have reached 85% of our goal of giving 10 people a New Bike Day.

If you want to help, please visit the World Bicycle Relief SOB team page.

Thanks to all who have already given!

Hope you have an enjoyable Turkey Day.   And a relaxing weekend.  Stay Safe.

Saturday Energetic Ride.  Let’s start back at El Cam Academy.  I bet there’s no yute sports this weekend.  Same time.  10.30.

Just over a week into the fundraiser and we have reached 75% of our goal of providing 10 Bison Bicycles ( $165 each!) to help people conquer the challenge of distance, achieve independence and thrive.

This would be a great time to give as WBR has a gift matching program until midnight tonight (14 Nov 2021).

A reminder that a C ride will take place on the Bosque this Thursday at 10:30 starting at the Alameda Open Space in ABQ.

1. C riders. Nov 11 this Thursday let’s ride the Bosque along the Rio Grande in ABQ. 34 miles but it’s an out and back so you can make it as long or short as you want. It’s also flat. Start 10:30 am at Alameda Open Space. Trees should be in full color. 😁contact me for questions 

The Saturday ride for A riders is scheduled to start at Agora Center in Eldorada 10:30 AM The route will go south on 285, then 41, then 42, up to Route 14 and then return; about 40 miles.

This will be the second annual World Bicycle Relief fundraiser for the SOBs.
I have set a fundraising goal of $1650, enough to buy 10 Buffalo Bicycles.

Cliok here to give:  https://give.worldbicyclerelief.org/sfsob

Here is what your donations will do:

• For rural children, education is the great equalizer. But distance is a barrier. Bicycles help students overcome the many challenges they face on their way to school.
• With two wheels, health workers are saving lives. They’re working to combat COVID-19, eliminate malaria, teach health and nutrition, and visit more homebound patients.
• With a bicycle, farmers and entrepreneurs increase their carrying capacity, earn more income and improve the quality of life for their families.
• Investing in women and girls will change the world. With bicycles, they can access education, healthcare and livelihoods to break the cycle of poverty and thrive.

With cold weather and fall moving in I’m thinking a ride down south might be fun. Planning the ride for Thursday Nov 4th at 10:30 am. Weather looks cool, 40-ish to start but winds are light all day and it warms up nicely down there on days like that.
The ride will be rescheduled if weather isn’t cooperating.

The route I’m thinking about would start at the RR station in Belen then head south via nice quiet country roads toward Bernardo on the west side of the Rio Grande. Although mostly paved, the route would include about 5 miles of smooth gravel/dirt roads and a great 3 mile gravel loop around a new waterfowl refuge. I’ve seen thousands of geese and cranes there in the past.
https://www.socorronm.org/attractions/ladd-s-gordon-waterfowl-complex-bernardo-waterfowl-area/
Return would be via Hy304 along the east side of the Rio Grande, a nice smooth, quiet, wide shouldered, paved country road followed by a meal at Pete’s.

I’ve done this route many times on my road bike with 28c tires and no issues but I think it would also be perfect for gravel bikes. It’s about 44 miles.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37895018

Contact Mike D with any questions: fuel90rider@yahoo.com 

There will be a ride from DeVargas to Rio en Medio with a roll out time of 10. Sign up not necessary.

We will start at BLM parking lot. corner of Dinosaur  and Rancho Viejo Blvd.  Same time.  Rest of October and November.

“Winter is coming.”

Tuesday and Saturday as hoc ride start points  will stay the same:

Tuesday – All at DeVargas.  Saturday – Bs at DeVargas; As at Camino Real Academy.

Changes of times will be announced as needed.

Thursday rides will rotate start points as in past years:

November – 599 RR station

December  – ElDorado

January – Museum Hill

February – SFCC (Community College)

March – Outlet Mall.

Subject to change with notice.

The C Ride will start at the 599 Station at 9:30, just as posted.  But we will do the Prison Loop which is about 21 miles.  If you need the route email judy –  j.costlow@gmail.com

Ride start time 9:30am. This is a beautiful ride down the Turquoise Trail to Albuquerque and return via the Rail Runner train. It will be a long day, 8 hrs with 70 miles and 3,300 feet of climbing. To make the train riders should be comfortable with riding in a pace line at 17mph on the flats. Climbs (3,300ft) will be much slower than that and I’m hoping for 14-15mph average speed with brief stops every 15 miles or so. We will have 7 hours to make it to the train in Abq which leaves time for a meal (Slice Pizza) before catching the train if all goes well on the ride.  Abq train time is 4:41 with backup train at 5:49, arrival back in Santa Fe at 5:43/6:57. I will ask the group to stay together for the ride in pace line fashion, and no one will be left behind for any reason including mechanical problems or flats. It should be a beautiful day, nice and cool with light winds.
Route I have planned is slightly different than the one posted on the website if things go well, but I think you’ll like the changes.
Mike D
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30507279

Effective Saturday, October 16, and until further notice, ad hoc Saturday rides for B riders will start at DeVargas Mall, just like the Tuesday rides.

Depending on the number of riders showing up, there may be two B groups, a faster group and a slower group, so that as many riders as possible can be accommodated. The faster group may be perceived as riding as fast as the A riders, but they will almost always ride shorter distances. The slower group may ride at a B- pace.

Thursday ride starts over the winter (November to March) will be announced at a later date.

The C ride for Thursday, Oct. 14th has been changed.  Starting Point is Ft. Marcy  (Parking lot off Murales St behind the Tennis Courts) at 10:00.  Not enough sign-ups for the Taos Gorge Site.  Reschedule  later.

The C Ride on Oct.14th will ride to the Gorge Bridge near Taos.  We will start at 10:00 from the parking area south of the Gorge Bridge.  There are two ways to get there.  The first way is through Espanola and on towards Taos on NM 68. In Pilar opposite The Rio Grande Gorge Visitor Center turn left on 570 towards Pilar, Carson and the Orilla Verde Recreation Area.  This is where we cycled last week.  Cross the little bridge and continue on the dirt road to the top of the gorge.  At the top there is a parking area.  Park there.  The other way is to go through Espanola, but continue on Highway 285 until the right turn on 84 through Ojo Caliente .  Continue until a right turn towards Carson on NM 567.  Pass Carson until there is a sharp left turn (90 degrees), but continue straight to the parking area.  Allow a good 1 and1/2 hours which ever way you come.  From Santa Fe start by 8:15 at the latest.  We want to be ready to roll at 10.  The drive is spectacular and the ride along the Gorge is beautiful, 10 miles to the bridge and then back.  Please sign up so I know how many to expect and can alert you if plans change.

An excellent Trek bicycle that is in excellent condition and with very little riding time and designed for a female or shorter male is now available following the owner’s death. Purchased about 2017, Due to health issues, the owner was not able to ride very often. The bike has been carefully stored on a wall-mounted rack inside. A bicycle “blue book” values the bike above $800. The owner is asking $800 for the bike described and pictured here. The Trek is currently located in Santa Fe.

Trek 5500 Project 1 Carbon with race light  700X23/25 carbon wheels and tires  bike designed for long distance riding

Seat-post height: 52 cm

Dura Ace gears and brakes

3 chain rings

34 large gear on rear for climbing assist

Color: gray/silver

For information and purchase, call 1-(361) 442-0297

This notice posted by Bill Pollock on behalf of Susy Battaglia

Our big gathering is just around the corner!

Thursday, September 30 at 12 noon we will gather at  HIDDEN MOUNTAIN BREWERY, 4056 Cerrillos Road.To reserve and pay for the luncheon, please go to this link:

End of Summer Luncheon | Santa Fe Seniors on Bikes (santafesobs.com)

Looking forward to seeing you on Thursday,

Lore

Calling all SOBs.  I know that many of you have contriuted to the Food Depot during our time of the Pandemic.  The SOBs have made a valuable contribution in helping our neighbors here in Santa Fe and 9 of our Northern Counties.  The Neighbor to Neighbor campaign ends on Saturday the 18th of Sept.  If you feel that you can help right now and want to make a donation, you can send a check to The Food Depot at 1222-A Siler Road   Santa Fe, NM 87507 or www.thefooddepot.org and specify that you are a SOB helping your neighbors.  $1 gives a family 5 pounds of food.  Thank you for all you have done and I know continue to do.

This week’s ride, September 16, starts at 9:30 at Fort Marcy and will be the Campanas loop. Lynn Pickard is the leader.

Next week’s ride, September 23, starts at 9:30 at Fort Marcy and will be the ski basin. Paul Murray is the leader.

Please sign up on the website, even though the information about the rides may be wrong. But don’t worry if you don’t.

Will there be outdoor seating? Concerned about covid.

The ride / race needs volunteers.  The organization has offered to donate $50 to the SOBs for every person who volunteers.  If you volunteer you will get your 2022 membership for free.  They need flaggers / bike security at the finish / awards helpers (you don’t have to kiss anyone) and people to direct traffic.  If you can help, email me at bob at santafesobs dot com. Tell me what job you want.  I have your name if you already volunteered so no need to do it again.

Let me know by Friday.  Thanks. Bob@santafesobs dot com

Below is a tentative list of ride leaders for September’s Thursday rides. Changes may be made without notice.

September 2:  A-Guy Best; B-Denise Maaranen; C-Julie Jacobs

September 9:  A-TBD; B-TBD; C-Shirley Knarr

September 16:  A-John Veilleux; B-Lynn Pickard; C-Shirley Knarr and Judy Costlow

September 23: A- Bob Bogart; B- Paul Murray; C-Ruben Cedeno

September 30: A- Rich Irell; B-Rob Balcer; C-Adrian Vanderhave

The start times and start locations are listed on the website under “Ride Schedule.” If a ride leader wants to change the start time or location, or the posted route, he or she should post it to the blog or contact me and I will do it.

Will all be 0930, Tues, Thrs, and Sat.

NOTE:  Tues Aug 31, when you first read this, it is still Aug so 0900.

A bicycle headlamp was found on Beckner Road near the outlet mall on Tuesday (8/24). If you lost one, contact me with a description and I will make arrangements to get it back to you.
rbirell@yahoo.com

same time same place.  0900, El Camino Academy, nothing fancy, nothing hard, nothing long.

Almost new bike rack designed for SUV and mini-van vehicles for sale because owner changed vehicles. Rack holds two bicycles. Made by Hollywood, the rack designed to accommodate wind spoilers. Original cost over $200. SALE price: $120.00. Contact Angela Martinez, martinezangela2013@gmail.com

Submitted by Bill Pollock on behalf of Angela Martinez

I would strongly encourage all SOB riders, both new and old, to read or re-read the Essential Information for all SOB’s and Guests section of the SOB website.

By joining an SOB sanctioned ride you are expected to follow these guidelines. If we all follow the guidelines it will make for a more enjoyable (and safer) ride for everyone. Especially the ride leaders!

This Thursday ‘s ride is our Memory ride starting in Pecos.  The exit from I 25  to Pecos is closed due to replacement of a bridge.  Instead, on I25 continue to the Rowe exit and get off there.  Head north to Pecos.  The parking area is across the street from the Ranger Station in Pecos.  The Memory ride starts there at 9:30.  We all ride in silence for 10 miles to the Windy Bridge, thinking of our friends that are no longer with us.  We will have a small remembrance at the Bridge honoring them.

George Lukes made this video of our ride last week.  Enjoy!

<<https://g-lu.smugmug.com/Biking/2021-Biking/i-dJrKxzX/A>>

Bob, Ocate, New Mexico, July 2011

Bob Krakowski, a member of SOBs for several years has died. Bob devoted his later years to the care of his son with some disabilities. One of his personal pleasures during this time was riding his bike, which served as a “getaway.”. It was a touring model and with the storage rack over the rear wheel, he carried a large enough pack to carry enough equipment to handle any weather condition and  emergency. Bob rode 50, 75, 100 miles EVERY day winter and summer, fall and spring. I drove him to White Rock for the Los Alamos Loop ride. After the ride, Bob rode his bike all the way home to Santa Fe. To ride the Cochiti Loop ride, I gave Bob a lift. But he rode all the way home after the ride. And one time, one of those very windy days of 25+ winds from the Southwest, Bob rode to Cochiti, rode the loop, and then all the way back home. “It was a fantastic tailwind,” Bob said afterward. “I cruised back to Santa Fe doing above 15 mph the whole way!” When we rode to Las Vegas, Bob rode on the shoulder of I-25 while the rest of us rode the old highway alongside the interstate. Sometimes Bob would be ahead, and sometimes Bob would be behind us. When we got to the junction just south of the town, Bob was right there. Bob had a woman friend living in Las Vegas who joined us all for dinner that evening. She was working as the interior designer for the remodel of the Plaza Hotel where we were staying. The hotel had just acquired the building next door and she was supervising the work to join the two buildings together. The original building’s remodel had just been completed. She told us of the many challenges she faced to remodel a building already 125 years old. Many SOB members worked at the Los Alamos Laboratory with Bob. Bob was eager to champion small nuclear power generating systems. These systems were also supported by another SOB nuclear physicist, Dick Roth. These systems may yet be on the horizon.

From El Camino Academy 0900

Roads near Caja del Rio.  Condition of roads is unknown.  If too rough we’ll adjust.  About 25 miles or less.

I am not riding this Saturday because I will be out of town, but I received the notice below from the County, as I am the contact person for the Tesuque Community. Since we ride in this vicinity, although perhaps not exactly where the clean-up will take place, and since we cleaned up Bonanza Creek Road as a club, I thought I’d pass it along.

Caja del Rio Cleanup

SATURDAY JULY 24th From 9:00 am until 12:00 noon

At La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs

Join New Mexico WILD and our neighbors from the Traditional Communities for a cleanup project on the Caja del Rio on Saturday, July 24 as part of our celebration of Latino Conservation Week, and New Mexico’s unique culture and history.

We will meet at the La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Site at 9:00 a.m. and pick up trash until 12:00 noon. From the intersection of Airport Road and NM 599, continue west on Airport Road and Paseo Real ( CR 56 ) for 3.3 miles. There is a gravel parking area on the west side of the road and a BLM sign, just past CR 56C.

Please bring water, sunscreen, and work gloves. At noon, we will set up a discada and provide lunch and beverages for all.

Visit NMWild.org and click “get involved” for more information.

Come enjoy a morning of stewardship and shared heritage with us on the Caja del Rio!