We loved the excerpt below from Holland Sentinal Columnist, Tom Hoover. Though we don’t endorse letting air out of tires or other debauchery taking aim at fellow cyclists, we can’t help share his feelings. Oh, the simple bike rack and life of the everyday biker…

“Since my move to Holland, I’ve been able to park my gas guzzler and either walk or ride my bike to work. My favorite is riding the bike. Before I bought my bike this summer I hadn’t been on one in years. OK, truth be told, it had been decades. So there were a few things to relearn about the bike. Besides riding it, that is.
The one thing I’d forgotten was the dynamics and politics of the bike parking rack. I’d forgotten that the bike rack is a microcosm of Darwinism in action. Survival of the fittest. Or in this case — the most obnoxiously selfish.
I need to say something about some of the other bikers who share rack space with me. A kickstand is there for a reason fellow cyclists — use it. There is a contingent of riders who believe the best way to park their bike is by laying theirs against mine. Usually with the pedals entwined in my spokes. And the handlebars tangled together like some kind of chromed modern sculpture. I’m sorry, but I feel my bicycle needs its personal space, and having strange bikes lay against mine seems like a violation of some sort. My bike is a shapely beach cruiser with a two-tone paint job and she’s uncomfortable around strangers. Especially those sleek Italian jobs with the skinny tires and big dérailleurs.
Like I said, the bike rack is everyone for themselves and crude vengeance comes to those of us with weak character and a short fuse. To the ancient-12-speed-Fuji-road-bike owner who made sure my chain was off every time you parked next to me, you may have noticed that your tires have been nearly flat the last few times you picked up your bike. I know nothing about that. To the guy who parks in the rack but locks his bike to the shrubbery: Dude, you need to take another look at the instructions for your lock. To the person who left a sticky note on my bike saying, “Look! I found Peewee’s bike,” at least I can ride over a curb without feeling like I’ve been to the proctologist.”

Read the rest of Darwin and humiliation on two wheels here: http://www.hollandsentinel.com/lifestyle/x326478050/COLUMN-Darwin-and-humiliation-on-two-wheels

Dero Bike Rack's Joel Greenblatt adjusts one of the Freewheelin' fleet

In case you haven’t head, Minneapolis and St. Paul are currently home to a temporary bike share system. During the RNC, anyone visiting or living in the Twin Cities can get a free bike to ride from 7am-7pm though Thursday. (Just bring a driver’s license and credit card.) Freewheelin’ is made possible by Humana and Bikes Belong.  Bikes Belong has recruited hundreds of volunteers to make this service available. Dero Bike Rack Company has donated staff-time to help with bike maintenance, lead bike tours, and help run some of the Freewheelin’ stations in Minneapolis.

Even if you have a bike already, please come check out a Freewheelin’ Bike. To help the
American Red Cross with the hurricane relief effort, Humana and Bikes Belong are now donating $10 for every mile ridden. As of lunchtime today. over $42,000 has been raised. Do your part- ride a bike today!

Click here to find a Freewheelin’ location: Freewheelin Twin Cities Locations

Mayor RT Rybak talks to the press at the Stone Arch Bridge Freewheelin' Bike Station

This week the Republican National Convention has filled the Twin Cities with 40,000-50,000 additional people. This means more cars, buses, and yes, congestion. Dero has collaborated with the Minneapolis TMO, St. Paul Smart Trips, and both cities to identify much needed additional bike parking.  In total, Dero has donated nearly 700 additional bike parking spaces through the convention, which ends Thursday. So, whether attending the RNC or protesting, have an extra good time by riding your bike. At Dero, we are Bike Partisan, so whether you like Elephants or Donkeys, ride a bike. It is likely the fastest way to get around either downtown this week. Maps of additional locations can be found below. 

Please make sure to remove all bikes by the end of the day, Thursday, September 4th.

The racks (and any remaining bikes) will be removed on Friday morning.

Minneapolis Temporary Bike Parking Locations: minneaplis-rnc-bike-parking

St Paul Temporary Bike Parking Locations: st-paul_rnc_bike_parking_map

BAM riders from Ogilvie & Bemidji, Minnesota and Omaha, Nebraska take in the headwinds and sunshine of western Minnesota's prairie.

 

Dero's Nick Mason presents Benson Mayor Paul Kittelson with commorative BAM bike rack

 

The cows at Moonstone Farm live the good life and are 100% grass fed.

If you get tired of pedaling the bike, there's always a tractor.

 For more BAM info visit:

 http://www.mnsbac.org/bam/

Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/DeroBikeRacks/BAM2008BicyclingAroundMinnesota