One bike at a time...check out the article:  

CHANGING THE WORLD ONE BIKE AT A TIME

“Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”    Michael Jordan 

“I really want to win the bike” stated Bill McClain as he walked into the FitTrip awards banquet last week.  That statement soon became a reality.  Within the hour Bill won a Melon Slice at the Corporate Sports, FitTrip Challenge awards banquet. 

 An Atlanta based company, Corporate Sports specializes in health and wellness and has opened, managed and served as consultants for more than 45 health, fitness and wellness centers in leading hotels, resorts, office developments, private corporations, hospitals, universities and country clubs.

 Every Spring, Corporate Sports challenges their club members to physically improve by setting and realizing personal physical fitness goals during their FitTrip Challenge.  Over the course of four months they strive to get stronger, faster, lighter and healthier.  At the end of the FitTrip Challenge, winners are given prizes for their participation and accomplishments at a celebration banquet.

 Bill McClain took the challenge and proved he is an inspiration for as all.  An avid cyclist and tri-athlete, in 2006 he broke his femur and has struggled back through surgeries and intense rehabilitation.  Bill will turn 70 next week.  “Four months ago when I started the FitTrip Challenge, I kicked it up a notch.  I started strength training, I lost 40 pounds and am now speed walking over two miles!  Before I needed a cane just to walk across the parking lot.  I am an old athlete, I didn’t want to be a old crippled man.“ 

Bill had been shopping for folding bikes and is a self-proclaimed bike omnivore with a house full of mountain bikes, road bikes, a recumbent and even an older folding model.  “I didn’t want to win the $1000 Grand Prize, it was too sedentary, I wanted the bike”.

When asked how he likes riding the Slice he responded,  “I have loved riding it, it feels extremely solid and exceedingly comfortable.  When I’m riding it, it feels just like my mountain bike.  The bike was the perfect gift at the perfect time.”

 The Melon Slice proved that is the ultimate festival bike!  Thanks to it’s low-profile 20” wheels and the fact that it can fold, the Melon Slice was the only bike allowed into the 2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival this past weekend.  No familiar with Bonnaroo?  It is a four-day, multi-stage camping music festival that is held every June on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee.  

Bonnaroo brings together some of the best performers in rock and roll, jazz, Americana, hip-hop, electronica, and just about any contemporary music you can think of. In addition to dozens of epic performances, the festival's 100-acre entertainment village buzzes around the clock with attractions and activities.  With all that going on -  it is great to have a bike to ride around on and see the sights and if all you've got is a full-sized bike, it won't be allowed in the gates.

This year 76,000 people were with the Slice at Bonnaroo to see Steve Martin and Conan O'Brien. John Fogerty, Jack Black and John Prine.  Stevie Wonder, Daryl Hall, The Avett Brothers, The Flaming Lips, Jay-Z, Weezer and Ween…just to name a few.  

Featuring insane days of sweat, debauchery and music, its no wonder Rolling Stone magazine named this revolutionary entertainment experience one of the 50 moments that changed the history of rock and roll.  And the Slice is changing the way people can get around when they are there!

Chick-fil-A ® is helping its employees increase daily activity and reduce carbon emissions with the company’s first bike-sharing system at its headquarters in Atlanta. In April 2010, the program launched with Melon folding bicycles at 2 stations on the campus, offering a green alternative to cars for short commutes to meetings and errands. Replacing daily trips with bicycles has had a positive impact on the campus; employees are now zipping across campus on bikes instead of taking their cars or the shuttle. At Melon Bicycles, we believe that bicycles can be the medium for achieving wellness while being environmentally responsible and having fun and have developed a program designed specifically for corporate campuses, universities and municipalities featuring the folding bike model the Slice. We start by developing a customized program for our partners by understanding their unique goals and objectives. Depending on location, there are clean air discounts, wellness and tax incentives which can greatly reduce the costs. We then support the needs of our partners by putting together all of the elements; helmets, bike racks, education programs, etc to implement a successful bike initiative. To learn more contact our Director of Sales – Holly Colson. 

The Colorado Rockies are making a positive impact on the environment through the "26 Games of Green" initiative and Melon Bicycles went to the game this week.  Over the course of 26 games this season, the Rockies along with their media partners, will be enlisting players and fans to ride their bikes to the game.  For every home run the Rockies hit during these games, they will plant a tree in the Denver area.  The best part for those who bike to the game is the cheap tix ($10 each) and secure bike parking.  Fans who ride to the games are also eligible to win prizes like watching Rockies batting practice from the field, autographed items and Rockies tickets. 

The Melon Slice Folding Bike made an appearance at the 24th Annual Trail Days Parade in Damascus, Virginia this weekend. Travis Searcy, a Blue Ridge Outdoors staffer enjoys the parade in 20" wheel style! We think his pure speed was scaring the little girl next to him though?

Annual Trail Days Parade Video

By Laura Hall, A Biologist in the NIEHS Laboratory of Toxicology and Pharmacology

The sun was shining, the music was playing, and the vendors had information galore for increasing sustainability in daily living at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Green Vendor Fair on April 20, 2010. The NIEHS family was invited to attend this fair as well as the other EPA events celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.

There were local and organic food, earth friendly products, and handcrafted gifts. Several businesses in solar power, electronic recycling, green homebuilding, water collection, and green lawncare presented information on their products and answered questions. Alternative transportation was represented at booths with hybrid vehicles, SmartCommute@RTP information, and folding bicycles.

Technology has improved greatly since the first Earth Day, surprisingly so.

"I plan to recycle an old computer next week" said NIEHS Program Specialist Michelle Owens. "I was impressed at how efficient the electronic recycling is now - they can reuse 97 percent of every pound recycled."

Melon Director of Sales, Holly Colson, shows off the 25 pound folding bicycle at the Green Vendor Fair. "When folded, the bicycle can be carried on a bus and stored under a desk." Test rides were encouraged and continued throughout the event.

EPA and NIEHS employees took advantage of the beautiful weather to enjoy their lunch outside and browse at the booths to learn more about environmentally friendly products. Notice Holly at the first booth on the right. Six people rode away from the event on their very own melon slice folding bike.

Melon Bicycles are now being sold in Maine. We are excited to be moving into the New England area.

Portland Velocipede is a great progressive shop. They have many offerings for using bikes more and more in our daily lives. Melon folding bikes fit in perfectly with their vision. We fully support our dealers and encourage you to drop into their store for a test ride. If you haven't rode a performance minded folding bike before, you are in for a treat. Remember, that our slice model has a comfortable upright riding position, so that you can ride at any pace that you please.

We like to provide updates on what our dealers are doing. Check out an article on Portland Velocipede in the Portland Daily Sun.

http://www.portlanddailysun.me/cgi/story2.pl?storyid=20100326122141000731

We are happy to say that Bicycle Times, the magazine for regular folks who love to ride bikes has reviewed the melon slice folding bike in their latest issue (#5), March 1, 2010. Check out the great photos on their web-site.  The slice looks good. We know that personal style in choosing a bike is just as important as the way it rides. The magazine review covers the specs, the folding time, the riding experience, and best of all-why a folding bike. We are hoping that this review will give our still company and our folding bikes some incredible attention. Please give us your thoughts and suggestions or just give us a call to talk bikes.