Turbo System firmware release

New features and system improvements for your Turbo await in the latest SPECIALIZED Turbo System firmware release. This update includes battery enhancements to improve health and longevity, giving you the most accurate and reliable charge indication and performance. Battery updates need to be applied by an authorized Specialized retailer. Please contact your retailer to schedule an appointment. Nov 16,2022

America Has An E-Bike Problem

America Has An E-Bike Problem That Can’t Be Solved With More E-Bikes 

The lack of appropriate infrastructure for electric mobility devices is making biking in cities worse.
by Aaron Gordon,September 2, 2022

https://www.vice.com/en/article/88q54x/america-has-an-e-bike-problem-that-cant-be-solved-with-more-e-bikes?utm_source=bikebits&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20221102_BikeBits

On Wednesday, The Atlantic published an article by Ian Bogost (a writer, game designer, and Director of Film and Media Studies at Washington University of St. Louis) about e-bikes. The gist of Bogost’s take is that he bought an e-bike, which is a bigger, heavier bicycle with a motor and battery, and feels weird about it. He says e-bikes have an “identity crisis” because they do not fit within any neatly defined buckets in American transportation and therefore don’t pass on any identity to their users.

The article was widely panned on Twitter, mostly by the usual pro-bike, pro-active streets, anti-car constituency. To be clear, I am a member of that constituency; I bike and walk and take public transportation everywhere (I do not tweet, though). However, I broadly agree with Bogost’s general point about e-bikes, but for entirely different reasons.

Carey's Newsletter

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission bill, BL2022-1449 was deferred until February 2023 after we had a discussion with Diana Alarcon, Director of NDOT. She believes that the Vision Zero task force, which has not yet been appointed, will fulfill the same purpose as a BPAC.

Councilman O’Connell the lead sponsor agreed to defer the bill after Ms. Alarcon promised to create a sub-committee to the VZ task force for biking and walking that would include members who are not on the task force.

I am skeptical (as you might guess) but we agreed to the proposal to give NDOT an opportunity to prove they’re serious.  The first marker is who they appoint to this Task Force. I know several particularly good people who have applied and should be appointed.