Fahrradsozialismus

One of the major issues of commuting by bike is its relatively small cargo capacity, especially for grocery shopping - until now. Introducing the Cart Bike. Trolley riding shall no longer be the exclusive pursuit of bored drunken students, and the days where you need to battle those energetic geriatrics for the last one is history.

Of course in reality it’d be a rather harsh ride with those wheels, let alone steering & weight issues (a conventional trolley wasn’t exactly designed to be light). Besides, bikes such as these already cater for this portion of the market, albeit at some considerable expense.

It is a truth unilaterally acknowledged that a pretty girl in a dress on an old bicycle fitted with a woven basket sporting a straw hat is one of the most pleasing sights on Canberran roads, as scarce as such a mode of transportation may be, since it is not technically legal (though some might argue that anything after the word “pretty” is somewhat redundant, but that’s beside the point).

Need some proof? Visit the “social documentary in high heels”. Real snaps of real people riding real bikes in a real city. It emphasises an aspect of cycling no longer taken for granted by many Australians - that cycling should still be a legitimate form of transportation, and can be done with style, and more importantly, without fear of intimidation from other road users. Granted that the subjects are rather selective on the part of the photographers, but it is no surprise that there are a lot less obesity in Denmark than in Australia. It is common sense that the more you move the more energy you burn, and incorporating exercise into daily commutes gives you very little chance to talk yourself out of doing it - you gotta get there somehow! After a while it will no longer seem like a hassle, and you’ll start to enjoy it.

On a side note, to me, there’s something intrinsically elegant about the classic step-through ladies’ roadster. It is somewhat out of fashion these days - or at least so in Australia, where it is difficult to find one new regardless of make. There’s one based in Melbourne selling Indian ones, and also Swedish makes such as Skeppshult & Kronan are also available, but the better alternative might be keeping an eye out on eBay & your local classifieds, especially if you are just starting out or want something to customise with, you can pick one up second-hand for well under $100 in pretty good nick, usually with full mudguards & rear rack, and full chain guard if you’re real lucky. Designs such as these are perfect cases where aesthetics triumphed along with functionality, regardless of any structural and/or performance disadvantages it may have compared with modern women’s bikes, which are conceptually identical to men’s bikes with subtle differences in sizing. Take these for example:

Okay, okay, it IS after all Audrey Hepburn AND a puppy, and Audrey Hepburn AND/OR a puppy driving a Hummer would probably still be cute - but it certainly won’t be nearly as graceful. If pictures like this makes cycling more popular, then we need a lot more of them. Sure, like all forms of propaganda, it is just a carefully choreographed idealisation, but apart from visual appeal, it is what is embodied (or envisaged) in such idealisations that makes it beautiful, looking sexy is just an added bonus. Besides, I don’t see any harm using such method of promotion as the aim is actually quite beneficial for the individual & the community in general - and nowhere as misleading & misrepresented as ads for fashion, sports cars, fast food, soft drink, alcohol, cosmetics, electronics, laundry products, ad infinitum.

But some would call that cycle imperialism.

Came across yet another article addressing a driver’s attitude towards cyclists on news.com.au. Whilst no longer too surprised at such apparent display of what can easily be regarded as hatred, it is somewhat curious to observe that from what little data I can discern sieving through the author’s predilection towards vibrant decoratives, the cyclist did not actually infringe upon any road regulations, for as I understand it the cyclist is allowed to use the full width of the road if no dedicated path is available. Whether this is something courteous, safe or indeed wise to do on a busy city road is a different issue altogether. Whilst I applaud the lone rider on his tenacity & audacity in defending his right, I fear many cyclists like myself would not be nearly as confrontational, regardless of road skills. It is simple physics that if any collusion happened, regardless of who is responsible, the cyclist will almost always walk away worse off, if he/she is still able to walk at all.

Cycling is often regarded as being reckless dangerous for both the rider & other road users, whether this is a result or the cause of the decrease in cyclists is unknown, but it is certainly does not encourage any potential cyclists. I personally would think if anything, cyclists, especially those riding alongside traffic would be far more cautious & defensive then car drivers, for the same reason given above.

It is somewhat sad to see that the mentality of regarding cyclists as road vermin, combined with caution/cowardice such as mine to avoid road usage forming a sort of vicious cycle with the latter enhancing further the conviction of the former by the representative lessening of what is already an under-represented road usergroup. With the commuter cycling population being as low as it is, it is difficult to see the situation improve anytime soon without significant changes in road planning & public awareness in these cities.

It is articles like these that make me again thankful for the superlative cycling infrastructure (as opposed to public transportation) in Canberra, which includes extensive shared cycle/footpath all over the city (in addition to the dedicated cycle lanes on many artery routes, sometimes on the same route), thus reducing the need to use car lanes to a minimum. Canberra drivers also seem to be a lot more accommodating towards cyclists, but being a smaller city, Canberrans are more laid back to begin with. Indeed occasionally drivers would slow down or give way even when they have right-of-way, often resulting in confused scramblings from both side (far more ridiculous-looking if you are on a bike).

It shouldn’t be an us vs. them sort of thing, god only knows we get enough of that from every aspect of human interaction, and perhaps it is simply instinct to behave so, but at least we are given the ability to discern & isolate such emotions, and can to a degree check these primordial drives. You can indeed say I am a dreamer, but I know, and sincerely do hope I am not the only one. Man may have brought many unspeakable evils unto the world, but tolerance is something uniquely human, too.

Article here.

A fully featured Java applet that allows you to design your own bike.

Here’s one monstrosity of a Farthing-Penny I knocked up earlier, giving you a pedestrian 9381.9 gear-inches, meaning that for a leisurely cadence of 60 rpm you’d be travelling at a sauntering 2120.6 kph (just under Mach 2) - if you’re superman on steroids.

Something actually useful for the first post, none of that self-indulgent, introspective, wise-cracking tripe you’d usually find in an initial post - there’ll be plenty of time for that later.

A few routes for getting around on a bike in Canberra, so far all the routes start in Belconnen, but I’ll be gradually adding more for the whole region. As these are mainly commuting routes, most are on shared cycle/walk paths, and are therefore suitable even for those just starting to commute without having to deal with traffic, especially during peak hour.

Routes from Melba to the City via Bruce, passing UC & AIS and directly under the new Gungahlin drive extension. This is one of the shorter routes into the City from Belconnen, but there is a bit of a climb coming back from O’Connor to Bruce, and segments of the path through O’Connor are really sidewalks. Kangaroos & bunny rabbits are common sights going passed the AIS.

Another way is going through Kaleen, again under the Gungahlin drive extension (though of course at a different point). The paths are much wider with fair streches of flats where you can get considerable speed. The gradient is also a bit smoother. It is however a bit longer.

Melba to Kippax. Smaller alternative (in the literal sense, they don’t have specialised goth/emo grocery) shopping centre to Belconnen Mall if you live in Northern Belconnen. The scenery is rather pleasant as the route goes along Ginninderra creek.

Melba to Belconnen Mall. Good for starter commuters, especially if you were catching buses from the suburbs.

The loop around Lake Burley Griffin from Civic, possibly the best scenic & leisure route in Canberra. Most of the touristy spots are either on the route or within a short distance from the path. A must for any cyclist visiting Canberra.