In 1972, I was halfway home with a flat tire and walked into a bike shop that was just closing. Sheldon stayed late to fix it. That's how I first met him.

There were 46 bicycles in or around his house "with a few shared wheels", by his recent count, mostly in his basement. He didn't buy bicycles off the shelf -- as a challenge to his mechanical ingenuity, and a way to spend less money and spend more time doing what he liked to do, he cobbled up customized bicycles from parts he acquired mostly through special deals, barter or secondhand, to suit himself or someone in his family. He often came up with a something unique, clever and useful. You may read about his bicycles on his Web site. He had an eye for style, but also, one or two rusty clunkers hung out by the back door getting rustier, for the quick ride to the convenience store, and several old hulks of bikes lived under the front porch.

Cyclists get back to basics: Fixed-gear bicycle riders take simplicity ...

Some ride them to train, some ride them for the thrill and some ride them just for the bragging rights, but whatever the reason, many local cyclists are ditching their derailleurs to ride fixed-gear bicycles.

Fixed-gear bikes, or "fixies," are as basic as a bike gets -- a frame, two wheels, one gear and often times, no brakes. The defining feature of a fixie is its lack of a freewheel, the mechanism that allows the rider of a normal bike to stop pedaling and coast. On a fixed-gear, there is no such thing as coasting.

The chain of a fixed-gear directly connects the pedals to the back wheel. So if the wheel is moving, so are the pedals. And for fixed-gear riders, this is both the allure and the advantage.

"It's a different style of riding," said Winston Sauber, a Humboldt State University student who rides a fixed-gear to and from classes every day.

In our view: Common sense is the best reason to applaud helmet law

If you have wheels under you, better have a helmet over you. That’s the message from the Vancouver City Council, which on Monday passed a law requiring helmets on riders of bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, roller blades, scooters and unicycles on public streets, sidewalks and trails.

Both supporters and opponents of the helmet law are able to debate this topic ad infinitum, and anecdotal references often cloud their arguments, but our preference is to rely on basic common sense. It just stands to reason that riders of these wheeled implements should be required to wear helmets in public places for reasons of public safety.

STATEHOUSE: Rep. Jones pushes Internet safety policies for public ...

BOSTON — You can lock the doors and windows, hold their hand at the mall and buy training wheels for bicycles. But a major danger facing kids today is right above the keyboard.

Al-Qaeda still dangerous: US commander

In Diyala, nine Kurdish troops were killed when suspected al-Qaeda gunmen attacked an Iraqi army checkpoint, police said. The victims were initially identified as policemen but police later said they were Kurdish soldiers.

"That? That was just one explosion," said Um Fadhil as she tried on boots with her two teenaged daughters at a shop just 100 metres from the blast site.

SECOND HOME IN SOUTH AFRICA BLOG: Their story. Their world. Their ...

His left leg would spasm so violently he'd either fall, or, have to make his way to the couch until the shaking subsided. His whole body would shake for a couple minutes, he'd try and hold his leg down and would moan. The pain looked excrutiating. It would stop, but then it would start back up again in an hour, in three hours, or the next day. He got off the drugs. The withdrawal symptoms weren't pretty, but he did it. He kept up his end of the bargain.When he first arrived, he'd just go the fridge, and without asking, help himself to whatever was in there. He'd take half a loaf of bread that was to be shared by four people, or drink half a bottle of juice, and when he was confronted about it, he'd stomp out of the kitchen and refuse to speak. After some time of living at 31 Bedforst Street, Thulani would ask to have a couple slices of bread--and would accept it if he could only have three slices and not six.Thulani kept up his end of the bargain.

Seattle street racers: Ride along with Seattle bike couriers

Jeremy Whitbred , a bike messenger for Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches, makes a delivery on University Way NE Monday afternoon.