Huh.
I don't think adding to the bike is the way to go about getting asses on saddles. Bikes are pretty freaking perfected at this point -- they've been around for a while. It's getting people over the tipping point, from "That's a neat idea" to "That's a really fucking neat idea, and I can do it" that'll do the trick. Interest plus attainability. This shouldn't be a technology competition, it should be a design competition.
Says the designer. Ask a butcher what you should cook for dinner, and the butcher will say "meat."
katiepoche03.15.08 - 3:28 am
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xtracycle is a great add on. any more ideas like that?
alicestrong03.15.08 - 6:17 pm
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@alicestrong
-I thought about getting one of those for the express, purpose of making my recumbent a 26"/20".
Get a little more, speed over distance, heavier load over the rear.
In a way, a little cheaper than going with something already, pre-fabbed.
bentstrider03.15.08 - 6:36 pm
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bump.
I just read a thing about how innovations rarely spring from necessity, but rather from idle moodling, from people who know and love what they do and want to make it better for the sake of making it better. Play, really. Which is inspiring and wonderful and makes me want to make a bike with a sidecar and a mast and a blender that runs off a generator attached to the wheels.
For smoothies, of course. Mango lassies.
I still suspect the innovations that spring from this competition aren't going to get any new riders on the roads. But maybe that's okay, if it makes for some crazy new bikes ... and some not-so-crazy new bikes. Hope I didn't come off as a total jerk before. Or now, for that matter.
:D
katiepoche03.17.08 - 9:23 pm
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Actually, Katie Poche they already have such an invention, minus the sidecar. Maxwell from 310 built a smoothie making bike and was serving up drinks at the last BFF block party...
FUCK JAMBA JUICE
tallcans4tallbikes03.17.08 - 10:36 pm
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What about the mast? The mast is very important.
katiepoche03.17.08 - 10:55 pm
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There's a yahoo group devoted to making things human powered. This includes such things as a wood saw and yes the blender. If anyone is interested in that group, I can probably track it down.
Some of the things that would get more people on bikes and some bikers more interested in biking is to expand on what Paris and other cities are doing.
What really needs to be explored and implymented is to put all the bikes in a system like Paris online. Users can dial in and see how many bikes are at a station for example. They can punch in a number and reserve a bike, guranteeing them a bike once they get there. The company running the bike service can benifit the company by charging the user from the time the person reserves the bike.
Another thing that gets more people on bikes is that this company can expand on is offering ebikes. The bikes could be charging while at some of these stations. Again the user could have the info online, such as the batterys state of charge.
Having the bikes online also would give both the users and the company info on what stations are the busiest and change their habits and offerings accordingly.
User103.18.08 - 12:40 am
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