Author Archives: Russ Lowthian

Bike Pic Nov 23, have a memorable and safe Thanksgiving

We are wishing everyone a memorable and safe Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. After that big turkey dinner, get outside and burn off a few calories before dessert is served.

Wish eveWishing everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving with family and friends.ryone a happy and safe Thanksgiving with family and friends.

We are wishing everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving with family and friends.

So, adjust to the cold and get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.

Thanks for viewing today’s bike pic

Now rolling through our 19th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.

Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Please Include a brief caption for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide to be considered. You will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram if we use your photo.

As we continue encouraging more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure. Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile-friendly in our 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.

Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends, and don’t forget to smile. With one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun, we may be around the corner. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.

Have a great day with a safe and memorable fall!

Bike Pic Nov 22, its Wheelie Wednesday and fun trail memories

Right before Thanksgiving is the perfect time of the year to jump on a fatty and hit the trail. This bike pic was taken last year along the Minnesota River Bottoms in Bloomington, MN. See this fun fat bike video.

Thanks for viewing today’s bike pic

Have a great day with a safe and memorable fall!

Put smiles on kid’s faces by helping prep FB4K bike giveaway

If you live near or close to the Twin Cities, help the Free Bikes 4 Kidz (FB4K) bike giveaway program in its 15th year. Volunteer to help put more smiles on children’s faces. Donate your time to help clean, prep, or wrench some of the thousands of bicycles collected this year for their distribution drive before the holidays and in the spring.

This FB4K bike giveaway helps put more smiles on kid’s faces

Free Bikes for Kids helps kid's smile with the 2016 season Bike Collection Day, on Saturday, October 8th, Donate your bikes to help more kids.

FB4K helps kids smile with their annual Bike Collection Day a few weeks ago

As more become interested in eco-friendly lifestyles, Free Bike 4 Kidz proudly continues to prepare bicycles to give away and invites you to join them by helping to clean, prep, and wrench bikes in their warehouse. They need your help today to get the bicycles out to the kids expecting them for this annual bike giveaway on December 9th.

freeBy volunteering today to help clean some bikes for FB4K's will help create some fond memories for you and future memories for children who receive them. bikes4kids-4

Create some fond memories for yourself and for the children who receive them.

Meet new and old friends as you volunteer. FB4K’s need your help now!

Volunteering and cleaning or wrenching some bikes will create a smile on your face and the kids who get them. We will continue to have volunteer opportunities in the future, but helping now will ensure the kids waiting for bikes will all have wheels before Christmas. Schedule your shifts today by clicking here to Volunteer or schedule as a group.

Join Free Bike 4 Kids today and put more smiles on kids’ faces!

About Free Bikes 4 Kidz

Free Bikes 4 Kidz is a non-profit organization geared toward helping all kids ride into a happier, healthier childhood by providing free bikes to those most in need. When the public donates gently used bikes, FB4K organizes thousands of volunteers to clean, refurbish, and give them away to needy kids. They started in 2008 by fixing and giving away 300 bikes. In 2014, they reached the goal of 5,000 bikes. In the last several years, over 30,000 bikes have rolled through FB4B’s giveaways, and their sights in the future are set on other locations throughout the U.S. and the world. See more at http://fb4k.com/about/

Fun outdoor winter activities to stay healthy

by Russ Lowthian, HaveFunBiking

For many of us, being active and enjoying fun winter activities (biking, hiking, skiing, etc.) is what memories are made of while contributing to good health. Despite the lifestyle changes of new technology and evolving viruses, there’s still plenty of room to participate in some outdoor fun. Seeking out healthy activities may be even more important now as winter approaches. Doing something you enjoy can distract you from problems and help you cope with all the new life challenges that cause stress.

Page through our latest Bike/Hike Guide with many maps of Minnesota destinations offering fun opportunities. Then, layer up your dress attire for the temperature swings ahead and head out. If you haven’t already, you will soon discover that outdoor pursuits pose a lower risk of getting sick than indoor workouts.

Its a perfect time of the year to jump on a fatty and hit the trail. This pic was taken last year at the Get Phat with Pat event in the Minnesota River Bottoms, in Bloomington, MN.

It’s a perfect time of the year to jump on a fatty and hit a Minnesota trail.

Why choose outdoor adventures?

When outside, the fresh air is constantly moving, helping to digest food more effectively, improve blood pressure and heart rate, strengthen the immune system, and reduce obesity rates. Enjoying Minnesota’s fun outdoor activities offers other benefits, too. As you may have discovered this summer, being outside also offers an emotional boost that will help you feel less tense, stressed, angry, or depressed.

This Bike Pic Thursday, we caught this biker chick out having fun along the Minnesota River bottoms near Bloomington, MN.

This biker chick’s winter activities include having fun along the Minnesota River bottoms near Bloomington, MN.

Enjoy more with low-risk Minnesota winter adventures

Here in Minnesota, a winter wonderland pursuits, consider moving with these low-risk outdoor activities to stay healthy and safe. Again, use the current Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide, with all the maps, to find a place to enjoy the following hobbies.

Fat Biking
Nature walks
Snowshoeing
Downhill and/or cross-country skiing
Ice skating
Ice fishing and hunting
Fitness classes, held outside to allow extra distancing
And exploring the snow-covered trails on an ATV.

It’s Friday and HaveFunBiking George will soon melt away as the spring thaw approached,

Winter activities can also include stopping to make a snowman.

Remember, seeking healthy outdoor activities may be even more important as winter approaches. Doing something you enjoy can distract you from problems and help you cope with all the new life challenges that cause stress.

Global Fat-Bike Day brings old and new friends together

Are you ready? The worldwide Global Fat-Bike Day helps to bring outdoor enthusiasts together to ride and make new friends. This year, on Saturday, December 2nd, there are several rides here in the upper Midwest to honor the mission of this event.

Global Fat-Bike Day fun in the upper Midwest

Here in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, find several fat bike events on the first Saturday in December, with all types of themes. From the Ugly Sweater Ride in Chaplin to Plymouth’s Holiday Ride in Osage or Rollin a’ Fatty in Bloomington, these are some of the scheduled events in Minnesota. In Wisconsin, ride from UW Wanderoos in Amery, or the CAMDA Ride starting at Hatchery Creek. Or, in South Dakota, the Big Sioux Bikepacking Brigade is hosting a casual ride on the scenic gravel roads around Canton.

See all the fat bike event details and links for the upper Midwest posted at the MN Trail Navigator.

CAMBA’s Hatchery Creek Trailhead – Dec. 2

Don’t forget your camera because part of the Global Fat-Bike Day celebration will include sharing your experience through photos and video! Use the hashtag #GFBD2022.

Cruising the trails along the Minnesota River near Bloomington, MN.

Enjoy your riding your fatty, and make some fun off-road memories!

Can I ride an electric bike when it’s cold or wet?

Electric bikes can be used in cold or wet weather like most standard bicycles. However, you may need some accessories (like rain gear or studded tires for winter) to ride safely. Most e-bike models also provide a high-quality, water-resistant casing to protect your battery when wet and cold. You can ride an e-bike at any temperature, but the colder it is, the more it may impact the battery’s range. So bring your battery (or the entire bike + battery) inside if you’re not riding it, if possible. Do not leave the battery on the bike if parking the e-bike outside in the winter at any time.

Riding an e-bike in cold weather

This Monday mornings bike pic shows the wet road surfaces after another round of rain shower last night, hope you are staying dry!

STAYING DRY WHILE RIDING IN THE RAIN

An electric bike’s system, including the motor, battery pack, display, and connection points, is usually designed with closed units to accommodate wet weather. This protects the electrical system from getting wet while riding in the rain. The key distinction here is that e-bikes are water-resistant but not waterproof. So, for this reason, it’s a good idea to avoid heavily flooded roads, streams, and deep puddles that could submerge your bike’s electrical components.

As electric bikes might have different limitations and wade depths, you may need to refer to your owner’s manual or check with your manufacturer for the IP rating of your bike first. If you live in an area that experiences frequent wet weather, you’ll want to make water resistance a top factor in your purchase decision.

Riding an e-bike with ice and snow conditions

riding an e-bike fatty in inclement weather

Yes, you can ride your e-bike in the winter. However, riding in extreme cold, snow, and icy conditions will require a bit more maintenance, protection, and care. With advancements in tire technology and clothing warmth, there are fewer reasons not to take your electric bicycle out and enjoy the winter season. All e-bikes can handle winter riding, but the wider the tire, the better, especially if studs can be installed on your bike’s tire for icy conditions. That said, you must follow the key points below to ensure you enjoy riding your bike during the winter.

Use the right type of tire

Like a regular bike you might use for winter riding, the tires that come with your electric bicycle are great for most dry pavement riding, but not winter. Maneuvering a bicycle (with or without a motor) requires a tire that handles ice and snow. Then add studs to those winter tires, transforming your e-bike into a fantastic winter vehicle! Great for riding on plowed roads and for hard-packed or icy conditions. If you are looking at a fat tire e-bike for winter riding, ask the dealer if studs can be added to the tires on that bike.

Battery Care

A CENTER POST BATTERY MOUNT IS COMMON FOR MANY ELECTRIC BIKE MODELS

The general rule with a 36 volt, 10.5Ah (ampere-hours) battery should get 20 to 40 miles per charge with the average weight of rider + gear & cargo less than 200 pounds in ideal weather conditions. You’ll get fewer miles the higher the assist level you use. You might get 60 miles or more on a single charge on the low assist. To maximize the life of your e-bike battery, try to charge it when it’s near empty. Then, ride your e-bike a lot and charge it often.

Before charging, make sure your battery is in a room above freezing. Otherwise, you could harm the cells. It is no problem to ride the bike in below-freezing conditions (it doesn’t harm the battery). However, make sure you let the battery warm up slowly before charging. When riding an e-bike in very cold weather, you will notice a drop in power and range. Don’t worry; this is normal and expected when riding an e-bike in the winter.

It’s good to know the battery life and performance in cold weather of your e-bike. If you intend to commute to work or use the bike for a backcountry experience, test it out to determine the change in range with colder temps. And the steps you would take to ensure continued performance. For instance, purchasing a neoprene e-bike battery cover might be an option. Also, if you stop midway on your journey to warm up, bring the battery inside whenever you aren’t riding. This will keep the battery’s temperature up and give you extra power!

Avoid riding through slush

Riding your electric bike through snow is not only possible, but it’s also super fun! (See the Pedego video below for proof) What’s not fun is riding through slush. The watery, salty snow splashes up your gears and can seep into hard-to-reach areas, causing rust to form. If you must ride through slush, wipe the entire bike down, lube the chain, etc. Afterward, try to store your bike in a warm, dry location.

Bike Pic Nov 21, 7 months and counting for a reshoot

With summer now a cherished memory, we are counting the months before we can reshoot another Minnesota summer bike pic memory. This photo was taken along the Mississippi River Trail last season.

Thanks for viewing today’s bike pic

Have a great day with a safe and memorable fall!

Bike Pic Nov 20, Monday morning sun reflections

In this bike pic Monday, looking through the summer archive, we captured this bike chick riding into the morning sun while touring across Iowa.

Thanks for viewing today’s bike pic

Have a great day with a safe and memorable fall!

Bike Pic Nov 19, ice cream smiles Sunday and the fun memories!

In this Sunday bike pic, we found this group of bikers enjoying a tasty sandwich treat at a stop at a local sweet shop when riding around yesterday.

Thanks for viewing today’s bike pic

Have a great day with a safe and memorable fall!

Bike Pic Nov 18, yeah its Saturday, time for that next bike adventure

This bike pic Saturday is time to ride off for another fun weekend, maybe testing out a fat bike for that next adventure. With a layer of clothing easy to shed, it looks like another fun weekend to get some pedaling in.

Thanks for viewing today’s bike pic

Have a great day with a safe and memorable fall!