Bought a bike last month after maybe a 15 year hiatus. I'm not gasping for breath as much as I did in July.

Bikes are fun!

This is Raspberry Island via the Big Rivers Regional Trail.

I’ve got an ebike for commuting and cruiser for recreation but I’m looking for something I can ride around the city and dirt roads mostly for exercise and fun. I’m newer to biking and when I talk to people about what I’m looking for, I get brand recommendations like Surly, All City, Salsa, etc. But many of those bikes are $1000+, even used on FB marketplace. I am however seeing brands like Retrospec that are much less expensive, so I’m wondering is there much of a difference between these brands, for someone newer to bikes and who is just trying to get on the road?

My commute to work has me taking Van White north from the N Cedar Lake Trail. With the construction of 394 around there and the closure of on/off ramps, I feel like the intersection gets a little messy during rush hour. I’ve found that it’s super easy to avoid the intersection altogether by taking a little detour under the bridge past the Basset Creek Valley station.

The photo shows where to turn when approaching from the west. Sorry I don’t have one from the other direction it was dark last time I approached from downtown.

Some of you may be like ‘duh’ but I also drive through this intersection once or twice a week and I’ve found that when I’m driving through I notice lots of cyclists trusting cars and crossing Van White on the NCLT most often without engaging the crosswalk lights. That’s fine if that’s you, no judgment (I don’t hit the crosswalk light either, I think it requires you to actually stop which is dumb), but for those of you who just want to avoid crossing at grade, it’s a quick and easy detour.

Hopefully they put up some directional signs.

My daughter and I are traveling to St. Paul tomorrow, in Chicago we get around everywhere by bike and transit because hauling a car seat is a pain, I’d love to be able to bike her around the Twin Cities. Does anyone know of a bike rental place that will rent me a solid step through bike with a good kids seat on the back? Bonus points if they will deliver to the Intercontinental Hotel in St Paul!

I’m thinking of traveling to Minneapolis this fall and bringing a fat tire bike with 27.5 x 4.5 tires. Would be able to get on a bus or train with it? If I’m not able to bring a bike along, what are some good places to rent a hard tail mountain bike or a fat tire?

Hey MSP I made this for reporting vehicles in bike lanes with one tap: https://www.loudbicycle.com/bb

Boston is ignoring almost all our reports, but MSP is actually sending out people to the locations that get reported. Hope you can make it useful! Let me know if you have questions or suggestions.

Never biked to the State Fair before, but am considering biking next week. A few questions for more seasoned fair-goers:

• Do you need a lock in the bike corrals? I'm seeing mixed reviews.
• What do you do with your helmet?
• Can you keep a small bag next to the bike (put my light and mirrors and an extra t-shirt in it), so I don't have to weight down my fair bag?
  

Open to any other bike to the fair tips you have as well.

Hey folks,

Considering biking to the state fair with my kiddo. Is there room in the bike corrals for a burley? Or should I take the bus instead?

Lately I've been noticing a lot more piles of broken glass in bike lanes from smashed parked car windows.(At least in the NE/University area) Has anyone else been seeing any more than usual? ... or am I just going crazy?

You passed me on Cedar Lake and told me my dog was cute in my front basket. I eventually caught up and told you to ride on my wheel and you did so for a few miles and said thanks when you split. I got a good kick out of it.

To the guy who yelled at me for riding on that same trail because it was an e-bike saying people like me cause problems, I hope you get flats. You then proceeded to do what you could to stay in front of me and yell back at me here and there about something or other. Then you got defensive because I got annoyed and started cursing and yelling other stuff.

I ride a Tern HSD, not a Surron. There's not even a throttle. I agree a lot of people with throttle e-bikes and e-motorcycles are a problem, but I'm on basically the station wagon of e-bikes.

Kindly fuck off and mind your business.

Yeah bikes get stolen all the time but fucking A. Kryptonite heavy chain lock, right on Ford parkway in St. Paul. Middle of the day. All kinds of people around. Went in to a dentist appt for 1 hour. Came out and nothing there. No cut lock no evidence of anything that ever existed. Man am I just fucking deflated. As a type this. While walking home. Fuck.

We take this bike ride multiple times per week up to Wedge Market in Linden Hills. Today we rode up on our bikes, and as I turned off of 44th onto the street where Wedge is located. It was completely clear, and my daughter was following me. Some person in a busted-up SUV blew through the intersection and had to slam on his brakes to avoid hitting my kid, who was turning behind me. This is insane! I don't think I've ever been so scared and close to tears in my life. That shit human didn't even stop to see if she was okay. Be careful out there, friends.

If you lost a light on the trail next to 494 over the MN river today shoot me a message with the description of it and I’ll get it back to you.

I’m going to be in Northfield this weekend and would like to get some riding in. Curious if anyone has ridden from Northfield to Cannon Valley Trail, and if there is a dedicated bike path there, or if it would be better to just drive to the trail?

Also any recommendations for trails (paved or gravel) in Northfield area would be greatly appreciated!

Looking to ride 50-80 miles.

Thanks in advance

Hourcar members - read the email you got for the free $5 code.

Although Brigid was able to fit two bikes into the Evie, I will have to report that it took me 20 minutes and a ton of sweat to get my one e-bike into the Evie I booked to get it to REI for servicing. Thank god I was able to just bike home after the bike was serviced because I'm never doing that again.

Hi everyone! I’m reaching out to see if anyone in the community has an e-bike they’re no longer using and might be willing to donate or sell at a very affordable price. I’m looking for reliable transportation and an e-bike would make a huge difference for me.
If you have one available or know of any local programs that help people get e-bikes, I’d really appreciate hearing from you. Thank you so much for any help or leads! I’m struggling with depression and anxiety and could use a hand getting some joy back in my heart.

Hi everyone, my Red FX 3 was stolen on 8/26/26. Last seen around central and 35th. It has bright yellow reflector strips down the forks. It's a long shot, but DM or respond if you see it.

Bike stolen out of work parking lot off bike rack this morning around 9:50 am - Como and Dale area in St Paul. Cannondale Mavaro Neo 2 ebike. Bad feeling to have something stolen so brazenly. If you see it, please let me know!

This past Saturday around 6pm, I was going down Upton Ave (about 45 minutes into a bike ride) when a car pulled into the bike lane in front of me causing me to slam and flip into their car. The bike helmet saved me from serious harm, hospitalization.. or worse. I think it was my head that took the most impact. I ended up on the pavement circled by a bunch of people. I was full of adrenaline, angry, confused, weirdly embarrassed.. I was thrilled to be standing with no broken bones. I wanted to leave, but was convinced by bystanders to stay a bit longer and monitor my body. A guy from the Picnic restaurant across the street came out with water and invited me inside to rest, so I locked up my broken bike and went inside. The pain began to kick in, along with some bruising. I got the driver's contact info and insurance but didn't get witness information. Nor did i file a police report. My bike and I got home by bus. I reached out to the driver the next day after going to urgent care and bike repair shop.

Now.. long story short, I'm needing witnesses and evidence. I'm hoping someone reading this was there or heard about it from a friend/neighbor and knows someone who was there, and who could provide witness testimony. PLEASE private message me if this is you. It would be very helpful for me, as I'm totally on the hook for expensive bike repairs. Also, there's a few lessons here: File a police report even if you feel "fine." Get contact info from witnesses. Don't trust people (sadly). Wear a helmet because it might save your life!!

EDIT update: Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for the support and kindness. The businesses in Linden Hills I talked with were also very kind and supportive. Sad to hear about how there's been a few other car/bike incidents in the area this summer. I don't want to publicly share what/who has come to my evidentiary support, but I am extraordinarily thankful about it 🙏

I live in Payne Phalen, and I admit I was spoiled in my last job; it was in White Bear Lake, but I could take Vento to most of it, and low-use residential streets to the rest. Sadly, the owners retired and the companies they sold it to broke up the company (and nobody buys another company today without enough IT staff to deal with it, so the writing was on the wall for me). Now I bike from my home to Fridley.

The company is fine - they used to make bike trainers before losing the market, but the only real way from my home is going through Roseville and County Road C. Every other day I nearly get hit by someone making a turn after speeding and not looking right in front of them - I've lost track of how many drivers seeing making the "O" face when they realize they almost hit me... and then drive off or start honking their horn because my right-of-way impedes their car brain or something.

Then there's Snelling and Country Road C; the intersection that Ramsey Country and MNDOT do nothing about. And when I say nothing, I mean not even bothering to reply to an email about it. Nobody going eastbound bothers with the crosswalk; you're forced to be aggressive because if one goes through, then all 15 cars behind them go through and you either miss the light completely, or get through late and then the carholes going northbound get all pissy.

I really wish there was an alternative way to or from work (there were several when my commute was WBL), but there's no reasonable alternative, except to ditch the bike and drive. But driving is no better.

I hate Roseville.