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Pulse jet bike
 From: BikeHacksFrom Oregonlive comes this article on oregonian Robert Maddox, the worlds top pulse jet engine builder/designer. The engine is currently selling on ebay for a cool $1200 (+ $95 for shipping/handling), however if you really want to splurge you can throw down $8500 for a fully assembled jet bike from Bob. The engine pumps out 100lbs of thrust and there is a ?warning? on the ebay post that states ?jet engines are dangerous, buy at your own risk, and that the engine runs at 140 decibles??so you may want to think twice before firing it up in the suburbs. Bob has been working on pulse jet engines for about 10yrs, and now his handiwork brings the possibility of becoming the Rocketeer to your fingertips (if you can afford it). Here?s a video which shows the bike in action, but averaging 1.5 gallons of fuel per mile this is probably not the best way to commute to the office. If you commute by bicycle regularly, riding on this thing will probably put you there in record time.
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When wide open, it will top out at around 75mph so before you hop on you may want to up the payout on your life insurance policy. Labels: bicycling, bike hacks, biking, DIY, videos
Penny Farthing Racing
Via: AllYearGear.comSinglespeed mountain bike racing was fun until the fast guys figured it out. We need a new racing fad and this could be it. Who?s in?
I?d love to see some penny farthings on a car bike rack with a race number on the bike. I second these sentiments. :) Labels: bicycling, bike culture, bike racing, biking, penny farthing, videos
Bicycle Dreams Trailer
" Bicycle Dreams is the true story of the Race Across America, a 3000-mile bike race that challenges riders to pedal across the country in just ten days." Nough' said. Via Urban VeloLabels: bicycling, biking, endurance, raam, ride across america
Bad motorist, thy name is Zack Colman
Meet Zack Colman. 
Zack Colman
criminally bad motoristBlack 2001 Saturn SC2. That's the car I drive — and if you're a bicyclist on the road but not in a bike path and you see my car, I hope you're wearing a helmet, because I might run you over.
Maybe not intentionally.
But you see, with all these things I can do in my car nowadays, such as choose a different song on my iPod, send a text message while driving or fall asleep at the wheel because I had to wake up for a worthless 8 a.m. biology lab, I might not notice you. No this is not an article from The Onion, (America's finest [satirical] news source) though it would be a dead ringer. (possible future employer Zack??) I hope to god Zack's article is merely a brilliant parody of Zack's alter ego. If so it is very fine piece of satire and appears to nail with certainty the attitude and criminally ignorance of the bad driver. However his publication is not known for its fine satire. Zack is the poster boy of every bad driver.The majority of all drivers are in fact courteous to cyclists but as much riding as I do I still run into the proverbial "Zack" about once a week. Usually the Zack's of the world are anonymous cowards. They just proclaim their ignorance loudly out the car window as they drive by at high speed often putting the foot down on the accelerator, engine racing, perhaps even letting loose with a long blaring horn to let you know that you have inconvenienced them. This anonymity and attempt to escape any response causes me to wonder if they subconsciously know of their ignorance and want to escape any possible enlightenment as to the law or otherwise. Fiercely protected ignorance. I respect bicyclists who use bicycles as a form of exercise, since people certainly can never get enough fitness in their everyday routines.
But for as much as I respect and appreciate bicyclists, I will not hesitate to honk at them when they are interfering with the roads.
My concern is not merely about inconvenience. Heh it's your fault as a cyclist for daring to inconvenience Zack. At least, that's how Zack sees it. While Zack cannot be inconvenienced with your life, nay even be bothered to stop text message while driving to prevent you physical harm, he sincerely claims to write this editorial out of an altruistic concern for the safety of all cyclists. The truth is the Zacks of the world have no clue as to the law but are always certain of their superior knowledge on the subject of bicycling a subject which they've clearly never endeavored to try or educate themselves on. As State News commenter "Dumb as D. Bobby" states: Uh .. Z .. there are things called "facts" that journalists are supposed to be concerned about .. so ?
Biking Regulations on Campus
http://www.bikes.msu.edu/msu_regulations/index.html
" .. Since bicycles aren't legally allowed to ride sidewalks on campus .."
[...]
Facts. They're hard. Zack Colman has gone a step above and beyond the usual brood of bad drivers by proclaim his ignorance of cycling law in an editorial in the The State News, a Michigan State associated newspaper. As State News commenter "Michael" (no relation to myself) also states: Here's the law:
MICHIGAN VEHICLE CODE (EXCERPTS)
OPERATION OF BICYCLES
Michigan Vehicle Code
257.657
Each person riding a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, or moped or operating a low-speed vehicle upon a roadway has all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter There are in fact over 250 responses to Zack's editorial. All of which seem to grapple with the same general question... is Zack for real? A very impressive number of responses indeed. In summary.Zack is a bad driver, Zack knows he's a bad driver. Zack even appears to be proud of it. He's constantly distracted by his gadgets. He cannot be bothered not to be distracted. He feels entitled to drive distracted or half asleep because through some unfair stroke of fate he is required to go to "a worthless 8 a.m. biology lab". Zack feels this inconvenience entitles him to put not only every cyclists life at risk but any pedestrian, even other drivers that may be on the road. Furthermore Zack feels this inconvenience entitles him not merely to put you at accidentally risk, but even willful and deliberately harm. I'm left with the following questions. What kind of idiot proclaims his deliberate ignorance of the law in print? What kind of idiot declares not only his disregard for law, but human life in print? Most of all what kind of idiot puts in print his deliberate intention to not only break the law but to deliberately harm people? Zack does. Hence Zack is the poster boy of bad drivers. My only advice to all cyclists, pedestrians and other drivers is: Yes, the Zacks of the world do exist, but you can't set foot out the door in the morning without taking that risk. This is why helmets and laws were invented. There is little else that can be done unless you choose never to venturing out the front door. You aren't any safer walking or even driving, hence carry on as you are. My only advice to Zack: consult a lawyer. Not only may a lawyer be able to explain to you basic laws regarding cycling, but they may also be able to advise you as to the legal liabilities / ramifications of putting such nonsense in print. I pray you never get into an altercation with a cyclist as your editorial may come back to haunt you (nevermind the poor cyclist). Labels: bicycle commuting, bicycling, bike culture, biking, satire, the onion
Review: the Planet Bike SuperFlash
 The best kind of review is the one you don't have to give. I 100% agree with the below quoted review. (I even use the exact same technique with a zip tie, but I use a reusable zip tie.) The Planet bike Superflash (Serfas also makes an identical version) is the single most important piece of saftey equipment money can buy for cycling besides a helmet, and it's only $20. The brightness of it's primary LED makes all the difference in the world, the price tag makes it a given. If you commute, this is a must have. The bottom line is cars will behave differently when you use it. 1) cars will actually slow down 2) cars will actually give you the 3 feet entitled to you by law I think it's simply because the light is so bright they actualy register you. No more brain dead drivers flying buy at 55+ mph inches away. Or maybe they even think you're a cop or construction workers or something. I don't know what they think, but it works. Do you have one of these? If not, you need to go straight out and get one - they're about 20-bucks US and are unequaled in the battery operated arena of rear lights. This thing uses a single 1/2 watt LED, backed up with 2 smaller LED's that more than adequately keep you visible to passing cars - not just at night but during daylight hours as well.
Cons to this light? Well, a few times I've had this light fall off my bag, usually with the light arranging itself into its white back, clear red lens, and its 2-AAA batteries rolling around underneath a dumpster or another undesirable location. Fix you say? Simple, take a zip-tie and wrap it around the light such that it grabs onto the back clip - two benefits to this; 1) light doesn't fall apart and 2) light is 'locked' to your bag or quick-attach mount. If you don't use this zip-tie method, people may possibly ridicule you and laugh when you roll by - don't take that chance.
Recharge the batteries when the light fades - this light will continue to function under a reduced battery level but at a much lower light output. Put fresh batteries in this gal and you'll notice the difference immediately.
[...]
My advice - go get at least one of these lights. Even better, put one on your bag and one on your seatpost or seatstay. A few close friends have received this light as a gift from me - I believe it to be the best out there. One last point. In winter lithium ion batteries last infinitely longer then regular batteries or rechargeables. Rechargeables are particularly suseptible to cold. In the summer any battery will last virtually forever. Original post: IBIKEMPLS.com, The Planet Bike SuperFlashLabels: bicycle commuting, bicycling, biking, cycling, gear, planet bike, reviews, superflash
David Byrne's Bike Racks
Just stumbled on this Wall Street Journal interview from David Byrne from July 2008. Mostly filmed as they ride 6 miles across town from his studio to his fabricator and poweder coater. I always find it interesting that David does commute regularly by bike, even when on tour. Youtube link: David Byrne's Bike RacksLabels: art, bicycle commuting, bicycling, bike culture, biking, David Byrne, design, New York, product design
bike tour as real estate tool
From the Atlanta Journal - Constitution Real estate agent tries new sales technique: bike tour | ajc.comA real estate agent who was told in 2004 he would never bicycle again after a terrible accident, proved the doctors wrong. And now Ryan Castleberry of Keller Williams Realty wants to prove something else: Two wheels work better than four when it comes to showing homes in a sluggish market.
Castleberry, 32, plans to lead a dozen bike tours of homes from April 18 to Sept. 19 in Decatur and Avondale Estates. The first one begins at Glenlake Park in Decatur.
?Now you can experience everything that probably would have been overlooked while looking at homes in the traditional car way,? he said. ?You get the chance to see parks, meet neighbors or experience the roads that your children may be playing very close to.? Castleberry mass-mailed 4,000 announcements and hopes 10 to 12 people sign up per tour. Each tour will cover five to six nearby homes. Living in Chicago for ten years I found the bike not only the best way to get around but also the most superb way to find apartments. 1) Newspapers don't have everything... indeed newspapers don't have the best places... the brownstones owned by local people... just the real-estate agent ones who are in it for their commission. 2) Viewing by car makes it REALLY easy to overlook places and parking is IMPOSSIBLE in inner cities. 3) Finally, walking simply takes too long. Biking works because it offers a nice fluid pace both within neighborhoods and from neighborhood to neighborhood. It's actually the fastest way to find and look at a lot of places quickly. You simply pick your neighborhood, pre-ride it when you have a chance... not a bunch of places, make some calls and ride back by on a Saturday or Sunday morning. What's more bicycles as an extension of public transport mean virtually NO area of the city is off limits. Everywhere in a city like Chicago is within five minutes of public transit by bike... if not within 25 minutes ride of downtown. It opens up huge possibilities otherwise overlooked. As for suburban real estate... I cannot speak on the subject... but I can say that looking at real estate from the perspective of a bike changes EVERYTHING. From one suburban area to the next attention to pedestrian traffic is fickle. Some suburbs have SUPERB pedestrian access... others you can't even cross the street without first getting in a car. I've seen it all.... but you would never know it if you don't get out of your car and move around a bit on bike or foot. Labels: bicycle commuting, bicycling, bike touring, biking, real estate, urban planning
Great Allegheny Passage
I just got back from riding the Great Alleghney Passage. Amazing ride. (Pics and more info will soon follow.) Thought this was a relevant piece of news. From: Pennsylvania Environmental Award to Present Lifetime Achievement Award to Linda McKenna Boxx, ReutersLinda McKenna Boxx, the president of the Allegheny Trail Alliance and the
driving force behind the creation of the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile
trail connecting Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland, will receive a lifetime
achievement award, announced today by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
[...]
In 1993, she saw an opportunity to work with a number of regional trail groups
in Western Pennsylvania and coordinate their local efforts into one large
continuous trail connecting with the C&O Canal Towpath trail in Cumberland,
Maryland, effectively creating a 335-mile continuous hiking and biking trail
from downtown Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C.
The success of that work resulted in the Great Allegheny Passage, which is now
nearly complete. All that remains is to finish a few miles of trail between
McKeesport and downtown.
Every year thousands of people complete the Washington to Pittsburgh trail ride,
including the hundreds of cyclists who last year participated in the week-long
sojourn or the 24-hour relay ride as part of the "Pittsburgh 250" celebration.
Ms. Boxx also serves on a number of boards, including the Fallingwater Advisory
Committee, the Regional Industrial Development Corporation of Southwestern
Pennsylvania, and the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau. A little more background info on Linda. Ms. Boxx`s distinguished career includes public service positions in state
government in both Pennsylvania and Arkansas. Her experience included a wide
variety of positions in conservation, land use planning and the infancy of the
rails-to-trails movement in Pennsylvania.
She has also served as the chairman of the Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation,
based in Latrobe, since 1982. In this capacity, Ms. Boxx has worked to provide
support for a wide range of innovative programs including the remediation and
protection of land and waterways, development of community and recreational
facilities, rehabilitation of landmark buildings and a broad range of
educational opportunities. Labels: activism, alleghney, alleghney passage, bicycling, bike touring, conservation, maryland, pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, rails-to-trails, washington post
Signal Cycles wine rack
Another favorite product from NAHBS. Signal Cycles wine rack.  Not much need be said here. Brilliant, elegant and practical too. I'm sure it holds water bottles or even nalgene bottles as well as it holds wine bottles, though if I was to use it I'd certainly have a bottle of wine on it as well. Touring with style. :) My one comment as to the practicality of this is it could stand to have the ability to mount a pannier bag on the right and the top of the rack while big enough for a bag lacks any mount point or verticle support. But heh, why split hairs. It's absolutely beautiful.  A word about Signal Cycles. They're located in Portland Oregon, only build racks for their own bikes which are clean, modern, elegant and beautiful with amazing attention to detail. Also they love Simon and Garfunkel. And so do I. :)  Labels: bicycling, bike touring, design, NAHBS, North American Handbuilt Bike Show, product design, retro, signal-cycles, touring
Random bits from the NAHBS
I have LOTS I wanted to post about from the North American Handbuilt Bike Show, so what I'm going to do is post a bunch of random posts focusing on individual builders and products. First mention goes to, Velo Orange's VO Retro Cage, for most best new old school accessory.  This was not only my favorite, but a favorite of my friends as well. We saw these throughout the show and I personally fell in love with them. I'm a HUGE sucker for old school designs that still hold their own against the latest materials and designs and this design has been around since the 1940's! It's ability to SECURELY hold a water bottle or even an oversize thermos is obvious. It's lightweight, versatile, flexible and yet durable. To quote from VO's website. These cages are based on an old French design from the '40s or early '50. In our estimation they are the best looking bottle cage of all time.
The Retro is a regular one-handed cage; you put in the bottle just like on any other cage; but it holds the bottle very securely due to the spring-like shape. The little tabs allow you to spread the cage for an oversize bottle. You can also squeeze the cage inward for better fit with a metal water bottle. You may find a better race cage, but $18.50 is a darn good price for the best touring cage ever. :) This is such a superb design it occurs to me it would work well made out of titanium. Would love to see that. Then again, it is a touring cage and traditionally steel has been the prefered metal for touring. A word about the company. Velo Orange is definitely on the cutting edge of touring gear employing quite a few innovative production and development practices, hopefully I'll get to blog about the company more but there's so much yet to post. Labels: bicycling, bike touring, gear, NAHBS, North American Handbuilt Bike Show, retro, reviews, Velo Orange
Bike Activists Win Over Caltrain Stretches Definition of 'Win'
From: San Francisco - The Snitch - Reports of Bike Activists' 'Win' Over Caltrain Stretches Definition of 'Win'"What we came away with is a lot less than what people would like," concedes Andy Thornley, the program director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.
Tired of being bumped off Caltrains with full bike cars -- and legions of empty seats -- Thornley and his fellow activists have been lobbying the trains system for more than a year leading up to yesterday's San Carlos meeting. The Bicycle Coalition's plan was bold: It called for two bicycle cars per train, each of which would be revamped to hold 40 bicycles. But that's not what Caltrain opted to do.
Instead, the rail system decided to augment its conventional gallery cars to allow them to carry 40 bikes instead of 32, and upgrade its newer Bombardier cars (that's the name of the company) to allow 24 bikes instead of 16. This is an interesting counterpoint to the video I posted last week from British Transport Films in 1955 on bike touring and trains: I wonder if the British transport ever figured out the issue with flexibility and capacity. Perhaps their system, which is clearly seen in the opening moments of the video above, held enough bikes in one that they didn't have a capacity problem? Labels: bicycle commuting, bicycling, bicycling coalition, biking, britain, commuter rail, London, public transit, rail touring, san francisco, touring, videos
Chinese ride to embrace austerity
From: Chinese dash to embrace austerity - Times OnlineTHE Chinese are getting back on their bikes. As austerity chic grips the nation?s 150m-strong middle class, many are signing up to an internet campaign to live on just 100 yuan, about £10, a week.
The first luxury to go is the private car, which is being left at home in favour of the sturdy bicycles that once swarmed down every avenue in China.
?The smallest traffic fine is 100 yuan, so I just take my bike,? said Chen Wenjin, a 41-year-old housewife.
Reports of such frugality ? long deemed ro be a Confucian virtue ? have flooded Chinese newspapers and websites since the economy hit hard times.
Chen has also joined the ranks of those terminating expensive gym memberships and returning to the public parks where, for generations, the Chinese have performed traditional exercises in the early mornings.
Many have given up recently fashionable western-style foods such as milk, bread and branded drinks like Coca-Cola.
To put the 100 yuan campaign in perspective, the incomes of those trying it out range from 3,000 yuan to 8,000 yuan a month. Many are also trying to pay mortgages taken on during China?s property boom, which has deflated.
Ironically, the communist government is horrified at the movement to curb consumer extravagance. ?To consume is to love one?s country? declared Liaowang (Outlook), a magazine run by the official Xinhua news agency.
?Patriotism doesn?t just mean shedding one?s blood on the battlefield but in these times when our economy is afflicted by the global crisis, going out and consuming is real patriotism.? Filed under good sentiments 1 & 2. Interesting, and because it's an "internet campaign"... maybe that makes it something more. Perhaps a trackable meme, if only it had a name. Labels: anti-car, anti-commercialism, anti-consumerism, anti-materialism, bicycle commuting, bicycling, bike culture, biking, china, commuting, confucism, frugality, middle clas, patriotism
David Byrne takes his bike on tour in New Zealand
From Bicycle added to David Byrne tour party"If you think you see David Byrne cycling around Wellington or Auckland this weekend you'll probably be right.
The former Talking Heads frontman is in the middle of a world tour and is taking in what sights he can between shows from his trusty bike.
The tour follows the release of Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, an album created with producer-composer Brian Eno, who worked with Byrne on several albums including three by the Talking Heads." How cool is that. More: He says he remembers taking some time out to visit Rotorua and walk the Tongariro Crossing here in 2005, but the touring machine this time around is more restrictive -- and expensive.
"I'm paying the salaries of 17 people. So I can say `let's do some sight-seeing', but for every day I sight-see I'm paying salaries for all those people just so I can visit the beach."
He also remembers early Talking Heads tours here, but admits his touring attitude has changed since then.
"Maybe I was just younger, but there was more partying at night after the shows and then just sleeping it off the next day. So I tended not to see as much."
"It's more civilised now," he says. "I travel with a bicycle, so I can get around various towns on my own."
He was pleasantly surprised to be able to get out and about on the footpaths of Tokyo during a recent tour stop-off there.
"If you do that in New York they yell at you, but it is accepted in Tokyo. You just have to weave in amongst the grandmothers and businessmen."
His affinity with cycling appears to have also rubbed off in other areas of his artistic self.
Byrne says he came up with some designs for bicycle racks which have a different take on the standard range.
He sent sketches to the local transport authority in New York city and they said they would put them up if he was prepared to pay to have them made.
He did so and they now offer New Yorkers a funky bicycle parking alternative.
He's not going to pursue it as a commercial venture, as doing so would soon send him broke, but art design is an ongoing passion. via Bike PortlandLabels: bicycling, bike culture, Bike Portland, biking, Brian Eno, David Byrne, New Zealand, Talking Heads
Channeling the simple pleasures
Errol Morris has captured my love of riding in foul weather. Via: BikeHacksLabels: advertising, bicycling, Errol Morris, memes, Miller High Life, simple-pleasures
Clever Cycles and the emerging cargo bike market?
Clever Cycles just opened in Portland this spring selling all manner of European / Dutch style commuter and cargo bikes (via import) and already they're closing! Why? Because they underestimated demand and are running out of stock. Yes, we?re taking a vacation in the middle of the so-called bicycling season, 28 July to 11 August. Why? Because we expect to be sold out of nearly all our most popular products! We?re out of many of them already. (Bakfietsen? Xtracycles? Child seats? Certain Bromptons, Retrovelos etc?) It?s a combination of some of our suppliers being sold out themselves, and others being simply too far away for timely resupply. Sales have exceeded our most confident hopes; thank you! There's nothing that sucks worse then not being able to meet the demands of brisk business. For most stores this would be like doing away with the Christmas season. :( Time to state the obvious: Nearly all Clever Cycles models are imports and that is the problem. I smell an emerging market niche opportunity here for american bike manufacturers to fill this market demand which is just starting to evolve. Ironically while SUV and truck sales are crashing in the american car market cargo bikes, the "SUV of bikes", *may* be the next big thing. Some solutions that are filling this category. 1) xtracycles - advantage: xtracycles can be added to most bikes / disadvantage: adding an xtracycle requires the skills and tools of your average shop mechanic. 2) baby / cargo trailers - advantage: versatility, easily added or removed from most bikes by an individual of average technical knowhow / disadvantage: trailer wheel width can make riding cumbersome on bike paths and in traffic 3) Cargo bikes - advantage: simple & stable all in one bike / disadvantages: can be costly + some 3 wheel models can be to cumbersome (wide) for city or suburban streets. Personally I'm placing my bets on the long john design (pictured below). It's maneuverable, has a relatively simple (non patented) design that has been in existence for almost a century, is very stable as the loads sit very low, can handle very heavy loads well, and the cargo is out in front of you where you can not only see it but see over it. Best of all it rides very similar to the average american bike. Oh, and they transport one or two kids very safely, which is a big plus for young families. Not only great for weekend events, but you can go ahead and take the kids to school or daycare and then proceed with grocery shopping, errands or on to work.  Some more thoughts from clever cycles are below. We are reluctant to present bicycling for transportation as a response to hardship, because it is a pleasure and privilege. It's "style over speed". See my last post for more info. But gas prices are on so many lips, we can?t pretend that they have nothing to do with this year?s blistering business. Word is that some local bike shops who sell car racks and bikes appropriate to them aren?t doing so well. Easy driving is over. Few of our customers are refugees from rising motoring costs, because we live in a city. But everything?s connected, and even urbanites have family, or friends, or enemies of friends hooked on the ?freedom? of driving. Too many of them live in cities, too.
Some or our customers are extending the trend lines and seeing a near future in which utility biking is less a lifestyle preference than a key element of their own economic well-being. Others are awakening to an ethical awareness distinct from the usual environmental, quality-of-life, and political considerations of not driving: the growing scarcity of motor fuel imposes an obligation on those who don?t need it not to use it lightly. To our way of thinking, this includes most households in places designed before and without cars: places like Portland. But lots of people actually need to drive, or rather have arranged to need to quite extensively for as long as they can see. Naturally, we want our farmers to have motor fuel, and industry, and freight, and mass transit: there is a difference between enough and too much. But for mere personal or family transport, for those of you in human-scale places, not incapacitated by decades of forfeiture: reclaim the legs and lungs of your ancestors for your one and only life ON YOUR BIKE! More info at the original post: Clever Cycles > Clever Cycles closingSee also: High Gas Prices Cause Bike Shortages in N.Y., The New York SunLabels: bicycling, bike-culture, cargo bikes, clever chimp, long john, market forces, market trends, portland, trends, xtracycle
When bikes become fashion and status symbols
 Triobike and Heels
Originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness]Been having some conversations on the evolution of bike culture. Here in the U.S. in all but the most cutting edge of markets like Portland, NY, and a few other college towns they are but an item of either strictly recreation or a symbol of minimal function, i.e. commuting. Ironically though while the bicycle industry here in the U.S. has been driven by technology bicycle culture will never change until we move beyond the "functional" debate. As a friend of mine says, " Style over Speed". It may seem counter intuitive but bikes and bike culture must transcend the argument of function, technology or speed and move into art, fashion and style in order to catch on in a more meaningful way. For me this picture of a stylish, young twenty or thirty something mother riding an high end cargo / baby bike in high heals is the absolute epitome of the difference between the way Dutch bicycle culture has transcended the functional debate. I guess this is what is meant by designers when they say "fashion is the aspiration of technology". Need further evidence? Look no further then the iPod/ iPhone. It's only when technology stops being a gadget and starts being fashionable or an accessory that it becomes a seemless part of everyday mass culture. To put it another way. If the best indicator of a healthy startup is a full parking lot on the weekend, then the best indicator of a healthy bike culture are moms on bikes. Bonus points for moms wearing non-bike specific / fashionable cloathing (no lycra), running errands (groceries?), and above all riding with the kids (Is biking safe in their area?). Labels: bicycling, bike-culture, copenhagen, style over speed, urban planning
Can big box go bike friendly? - Ikea, Denmark and biking
 This has to be one of the most curious images I've seen lately. Ikea is pretty much the epitome of big box retail, car culture, and urban sprawl, and yet in Denmark they're experimenting with loaner bicycles and trailers. Apparently in Copenhagen Ikea marketing research has realized 20% of store visitors visit Ikea via bike even though Copenhagen's two Ikea stores are 10km and 20km from the city center. I can only imagine people bike commuting to the Ikea in Chicago, especially with a trailer. In fact I'd be suprised if you can even aproach an Ikea on bicycle with all the freeways. This just further illustrates the strange and wonderful differences in Danish culture. I believe the statistic is over 60% of Copenhagener's bicycle commute. More Info: Copenhagenize.com - The Copenhagen Bike Culture Blog: IKEA Idea With Velorbis BikesP.S. I strongly recommend subscribing to the Copenhagenize.com. Lately it's been one of my favorite blogs on bike culture. Labels: bicycling, big box, bike-culture, car-culture, copenhagen, ikea, sprawl, velorbis
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