See the Restoration of 'Rusty' by Rowan of Ravara on Flickr.
Why bike?
Here are 28 reasons to bike—I don't know if all of them are valid, but interesting conversation-starters nonetheless.
Bikes make cars safer?
Tom Vanderbilt hypothesises that more bikes might make car driving safer:
This reduction in bicycle fatalities has happened as Portland's cycling share has increased. This raises all sorts of questions about the dynamics (e.g., safety in numbers, improved facilities bringing more people out), but I was also curious that the number of automobile injuries has also gone down. This could of course be related to the economy (fewer miles being driven), or even a slight reduction in drivers who have shifted to cycles, but I wonder if in some ways the increased presence of bicycles — and perhaps things like roads being narrowed to accommodate lanes — could itself being acting a sort of widespread traffic calming device?
Speculation, sure, but it kinda has the ring of veracity about it.
And while I'm on the topic, Who lives by the road, dies by the road:
More people die each month on American roads than were killed in the September 11 attacks, but where is the war on cars?
Bike boom over—or never was?
A Surge in Bicyclists Appears to Be Waning:
Big increases in business this year led some shop owners to think that they were largely insulated from a slowing economy. But the economy has continued to spiral downward, taking bicycle sales and much else with it.
This bike is a (virtual) pipe bomb
The PlayStation game 'Call Of Duty 4' Has Many Bicycles. You've got to wonder why.
gocycle
gocycle is "an innovative powered two-wheeler" by Karbon Kinetics of London. They're offering them for sale and under a "gocycle-to-work" scheme. And it packs up into a little box! (Click on the little + at the bottom left for a cute animated demo.)
And then he'd row, row, row
Just this morning I cast a critical eye over my physique and thought that I'm a bit out of proportion. I have pretty chunky thighs and shapely calves (even if I do say so myself), whereas everything else is a bit scrawny. Possibly a rowing bike is what I need for that total body workout, although I'm not sure I really have it in me to ride one. But as a concept, I think they're pretty cool.
However, this rowing quad bike that tom has found doesn't seem to be all that efficient. Looking at their videos, it's all upper body work because riders use their feet to steer.
Compare that to arm and leg workout you get on a fully recumbent rowing bike, and I think it's obvious which one is more efficient—and more fun!
And, yes I still want to see someone ride one of these up Mt Buffalo in January…
What was I thinking?
Back in December 2007, the Cyclists' Code of Conduct was released and I wasn't much impressed at the time. Twelve months on, has it made any impact—let alone a significant impact—on the way people ride?