Fahrradsozialismus

Just as the fearless red rider of Velosentai lie awake at night pondering exactly what bike would be represent the symbol of honour and justice on the road, lo and behold, an epiphany was upon him:

Not quite as ostentatious as the undeniably Japanese art of dekochari, but nevertheless like many aspects of Japanese culture, the difference between sincerity & irony is never too clear - to me one of the chief attractions.

Via Bakfiets en meer.

A physical commentary on the excess & redundancy of the technological man or just another bizarre way of propelling oneself around? Somethings are better left untread - as surprisingly stable as it appears to be.

I’ve always wanted one of these dutch workcycles, they look great, and can carry pretty much anything you throw at it. They are the perfect solution if you have small kids or have extreme cargo needs. I was delighted to see something similar today on my way home from the City, I’ve always thought these types of trikes would be quite wide, but in reality they take up little more space than a normal bike, and certainly no more room than a recumbent trike you often see in Canberra.

The Trike is an Christiania from Copenhagen, available in Australia from PS Bikes.

On a somewhat related note, saw this video on the development of bicycle infrastructure in Copenhagen over 40 years, some very heartwarming comments by the commuters, as well the cute, inescapably Scandinavian accent.

In stark contrast, another great cycling culture - the Chinese, especially in cities like Shanghai & Beijing, is slowly marginalising cyclists in favour of automobiles. Bikes are no longer allowed on many of the roads, and existing dedicated cycle lanes are either removed or narrowed in order to accommodate the exponentially increasing traffic burden. There are even some academic studies (not surprisingly funded by an auto company) suggesting that bicycles are a cause of major traffic congestion, and even recommending the reduction of bicycle use. It is true that traffic regulations are often taken as subtle suggestions by many road users, unfortunately a phenomenon witnessed in many other aspects of life as well in China, but it is ludicrous to even suggest that bicycles places a heavier burden on traffic conditions than cars. It may be a sign of progress where more and more people are able to afford private cars, but it is sad to see the loss of one of the things worth preserving.

A somewhat less sophisticated online bike building interface than BikeCAD, but it is fun nonetheless, and being Japanese, you’re practically guaranteed some delightful wackiness.

Just in case you get hungry on the way:

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.

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.