League of American Bicyclists

[Gary Mc]

I have belonged to a local bicycling club for a couple years, mainly because they advocate safe
access to roads by cyclists.

Last year I joined the "League of American Bicyclists" for the same reason. I was surprized when I
found that $7.00 of my annual dues were redirected to a subscription to "Bicycling", a pubication
devoted to diamond frame bikes. For example, a recent issue of "Bicycling" had an article on how to
pick your next bike ignored recumbents. I do not object to "Bicycling", I only objected to my
charitable donation being diverted to it. I sent them an email saying so.

I suggested a no-publication alternative to membership.

We live in a strange world where so many folks are devoted to enforcing conformity.

Gary McCarty, Greenspeed GTO, Salt Lake City

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On 23 Feb 2003 10:08:33 -0800, [email protected] (Gary Mc) wrote:

>Last year I joined the "League of American Bicyclists" for the same reason. I was surprized when I
>found that $7.00 of my annual dues were redirected to a subscription to "Bicycling", a pubication
>devoted to diamond frame bikes.

Well get out the pen and write them! In recent years the UK's Cyclists' Touring Club, a famously
conservative organisation, has started to give space in its members' magazine to recumbents, and now
rarely an issue goes by without some 'bent content.

We are the evangelists of the Church of the Comfortable Bicycle!

Just my $0.02

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

[Danny Colyer]

Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
> Well get out the pen and write them! In recent years the UK's Cyclists' Touring Club, a famously
> conservative organisation, has started to give space in its members' magazine to recumbents, and
> now rarely an issue goes by without some 'bent content.

I think it must help that the CTC magazine is now edited by Dan Joyce, former editor of Cycling
Plus. C+ has always had a fair amount of recumbent content, and I can't help wondering if that has
anything to do with it being published in Bath, and having close links with Avon Valley Cyclery,
whose owner (Richard Grigsby, also a regular C+ reviewer) is a former bent racing champion.

--
Danny Colyer (remove safety to reply) ( http://www.juggler.net/danny ) Recumbent cycle page:
http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/recumbents/ "He who dares not offend cannot be honest." -
Thomas Paine

 

[Denny Morrison]

I Am not surprise what either LAB or LMB in Michigan
do.I do not see Helmet safety of TV, paved berms on highways for safe passage.

Bicyling Magazine did a have a tiny thing of Bents this last issue, apparently they are realizing we
are starting to have numbers

Denny in Michigan "Gary Mc" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have belonged to a local bicycling club for a couple years, mainly because they advocate safe
> access to roads by cyclists.
>
> Last year I joined the "League of American Bicyclists" for the same reason. I was surprized when I
> found that $7.00 of my annual dues were redirected to a subscription to "Bicycling", a pubication
> devoted to diamond frame bikes. For example, a recent issue of "Bicycling" had an article on how
> to pick your next bike ignored recumbents. I do not object to "Bicycling", I only objected to my
> charitable donation being diverted to it. I sent them an email saying so.
>
> I suggested a no-publication alternative to membership.
>
> We live in a strange world where so many folks are devoted to enforcing conformity.
>
> Gary McCarty, Greenspeed GTO, Salt Lake City

 

[Bentjay]

OK, I'm gonna show my age. I remember when LAB was LAW. Did they change their name to be more
politically correct, "Wheelmen" being non-inclusive? Was there another reason? I guess "Wheelpeople"
would have been too awkward!

BentJay

 

[Curtis L. Russe]

"Gary Mc" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have belonged to a local bicycling club for a couple years, mainly because they advocate safe
> access to roads by cyclists.
>
> Last year I joined the "League of American Bicyclists" for the same reason. I was surprized when I
> found that $7.00 of my annual dues were redirected to a subscription to "Bicycling", a pubication
> devoted to diamond frame bikes. For example, a recent issue of "Bicycling" had an article on how
> to pick your next bike ignored recumbents. I do not object to "Bicycling", I only objected to my
> charitable donation being diverted to it. I sent them an email saying so.
>
> I suggested a no-publication alternative to membership.
>
> We live in a strange world where so many folks are devoted to enforcing conformity.
>
> Gary McCarty, Greenspeed GTO, Salt Lake City

Better yet, communicate with the Audit Bureau of Circulations at:

http://www.accessabc.com/

and email the audit manager in their HQ area that your 'subscription' wasn't requested and, as far
as you know, neither are any of the other subscriptions being pushed through LAB. The only real
value to Bicycling of this arrangement is that it increases their circulation, but based on my
previous experience at a publisher, the LAB/Bicycling arrangement isn't even close to the
requirements for an audited subscription.

--
Curtis L. Russell Odenton, MD (USA) Just someone on two wheels...

 

[Curtis L. Russe]

"BentJay" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> OK, I'm gonna show my age. I remember when LAB was LAW. Did they change their name to be more
> politically correct, "Wheelmen" being non-inclusive? Was there another reason? I guess
> "Wheelpeople" would have been too awkward!
>
> BentJay

Partly to be politically correct but mostly because people not members of LAW didn't understand what
a 'Wheelman' was. The process was actually one of the last that was reasonably open before the
leadership of LAB became extremely insular in the latter 1990s. In contrast, the changing of the
logo from the winged wheel to the modern wheel swoosh was done with no discussion with the members.
I could live with the LAW to LAB, because at least they argued the issue in open public forums at
Williamsburg, but the swoosh **** still irritates me (although I'm sure I'm hiding it well...)

--
Curtis L. Russell Odenton, MD (USA) Just someone on two wheels...

 

[Dean Arthur]

Gary Mc wrote:
>
...
>
> Gary McCarty, Greenspeed GTO, Salt Lake City

Star Valley and Teton Village, Wyoming see hundreds of bicyclists pass thru on the way from Logan to
Teton Village every first week of September. But NOT ONE 'bent has ever made the journey. I am
guessing that they are denied a "class" of their own. Else the promoters don't want the upright
riders discouraged by finding the 'bent participants' have come to Teton Village, got bored waiting
for the upwrongs and went home!