Mr. Zielinski Rides to City Hall

For the first time, Tony Zielinski, Milwaukee alderman for the Bay View neighborhood, rode to City Hall today on his bike.

It was chilly and rainy, and those who rode with him wore rain jackets, long shorts, and gloves.

But Zielinski showed up ready for the commute with shorts, a cut-off t-shirt, and a string bag on his back. He also wore a reflective vest and helmet for safety.

Ben's Cycle helped Zielinski choose a bike, helmet, and vest. The shop is running an in-store special this week of 20 percent off all helmets and lights.

Zielinski sponsored and won approval for a bill  in City Council this spring creating the Milwaukee Bike Safety Awareness Week.

Jeff Polenske, City Engineer for Milwaukee, and Jake Newborn of the Wisconsin Bike Federation joined Zielinski on the ride along with several Bay View residents.

Active Pursuit blogger Tom Held also joined the ride and wrote up his experience.

WISN Television ran a story with Polenske about bike safety and classes offered for city residents.

We Need Help With Our Helmet Hair. Please.

We at Ben's Cycle/ Milwaukee Bicycle Company are all about looking good.

I mean, look at us...

And we are all about riding our bikes. And sometimes when we ride to a destination - like a date or meeting - we still want to look good. That includes our hair.

Yes, our hair.

We fully admit to vanity, and we - at least those of us who still have hair - treasure its luster, shape, and style. 

At the same time, we always wear our bike helmets for safety. We want to ride safely, but we each have our particular hair challenges.

Maybe one of us has hair like Bon Jovi in the 80s...














Maybe one of us has hair like Troy's....

It's possible one of us is still living with a mullet...

One of us tries to be hip...

And one of us has just given up trying to do anything with his hair...

In all seriousness, we have a problem to solve: How can we wear a helmet, ride to a destination, and still have awesome hair when we arrive? 

Do we add product after the ride?

Do we bring a portable hair dryer? 

We at Ben's are all about solving the impediments people face in riding their bikes more. While most businesses will never have the kinds of awesome hair we have at the shop, most non-bald people are deeply concerned about this. Some people we know DON'T RIDE just because of their hair. 

That's not okay. 

So we are brave enough to admit it. We're opening up a discussion on hair and bike helmets. How can we maintain our awesome hair and still be safe by wearing a helmet? 

Help us, Internet Answers? Solutions?

Bike Safety Awareness Week in Milwaukee

Bike Safety Awareness Week in Milwaukee is the first week of June. Ben's wants all cyclists to be safe, so we're offering 20 percent off lights and helmets between June 1 and June 7 at the store. Mention "bike safety" at the counter for your discount!