MR BUS DESIGN SCHEMES
Thread started by
SKIDMARCUS at 04.7.08 - 12:16 am
The following link represents a series of schematic design versions SMASH has produced for the Midnight Ridazz, as we discussed at the last bus meeting. The link is to our blog site, but we would like the discussion of the schemes to happen here. We will be holding another open meeting next Monday April 14, and I post it this week. We have three versions, as follows.
FREAK IT
MIDNIGHT RIDAZZ / SMASH BUS 2008
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Oh my god, these are rad. These are really cool and interesting and fun and fun and cool and rad.
. . . . . .
"I wanna see a bus with, like, fifty bikes strapped to the outside and on the roof. Bikes everywhere. It'll look like it's made of bikes. Maybe old bikes that can't be salvaged can be mounted on the bike bus permanently."
katiepoche
03.29.08 - 6:28 pm
. . . . . .
I point this out not to imply that my stray comment had anything at all to do with your designs. It wasn't even on the bike bus thread but on the "I want a bus NOW" thread. Here's why I point it out:
a.) I'm psychic.
b.) If you thought of it, and I thought of it, then it must be a really good idea.
katiepoche04.7.08 - 9:25 am
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(Bikes all over bus = Design No. 2 = "Soft Scheme.")
katiepoche04.7.08 - 9:27 am
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now we're getting somewhere. i do like the idea of a traveling pharmaceutical dispensary, aka herb garden. seriously, great multi-use concepts
indigis04.7.08 - 10:19 am
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Make sure we have a FRANZ Delousing sector.
Joe Borfo04.7.08 - 10:50 am
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Isn't that called the Private Lounge on the Soft Scheme?
toweliesbong04.7.08 - 10:55 am
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I love it love it love it!! I seriously can't decide, last night I was all about the Black Gorilla, but now I keep thinking about the Soft Scheme and I am becoming obsessed w/ soft materials. These all look great!! Ack!
mixtemotions04.7.08 - 11:27 am
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AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME.
I have not followed much of the MR bus discussion, nor have I attended any of the meetings, so I hope I don't backtrack or retrace dead-ends and exhausted dialogue. Here's my 2¢.
Just as this bus will be engineered around the stregths of its existing frame and structural strengths, so should it be designed around the strengths of the people it serves.
MR has two tremendous strengths:(IMO)
1. We can make any geographic location into the best party ever. Our parking lot festivals are unrivaled.
2. We are a very resilient and self-sufficient community. It's the nature of bicycling. Most of us can survive the weekend with little more than the clothes on our backs and the goods in our sacks. The saying, 'home is where the heart is' defines this community very well.
In response to these observations I have this to say.
It seems redundant and unnecessary for the bus to provide an onboard party spot when our ability to party transcends geographic constraints.
Similarly, the absence of tables and chairs has never been a problem for us, so their overwhelming presence in the bus seems unnecessary. The presence of excessively plush comforts in general seems foreign to MR. (i think the tables/chairs stored outside the bus is a nice solution)
The design of this bus should seek to solve the problems that plague us constantly. (especially during extended periods of time)
0. 30+ riders and bikes wanna go to _____. Will the bus comfortably hold the riders and securely hold their bikes and belongings for 50+ hours on the road?
1. Can I safely leave my bike here?
2. I've been out riding for 3 days and 2 nights, I need to take a shower.
3. A TON of us are hungry, we all have no money, who can cook a giant meal and where can they cook it?
4. This _______ is a great find, but I ride a bike and therefore have no storage ability, where can I store this?
5. I wanna sleep. (the loft beds are a good call in the diner scheme)
6. I wanna poo.
7. My bike is broken, where is the nearest bike co-op?
8. It's raining, we still wanna party, get me some cover!!
9. We have a dj/band, can we provide them with a stage and 120v AC?
Let's not forget the most important thing of all, a built-in computer. ; )
Eric Hair04.7.08 - 12:02 pm
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Nice work Marcus.
I agree with Eric above and I'll add a few comments.
On the "Black Gorilla" I like the rooftop storage/partyspot/observation deck. The interior though seems to be windowless at least on one side. Travel with no windows?
On the "soft scheme" the bikes hanging from the side are a cute concept and a nice visual but I don't think is practical or legal to travel on a freeway like that.
The padded interior seems nice and comfy but is it going to be beer/ketchup/mayo spill proof? It could get smelly real fast. Maybe there are non absorbent materials (vinyl?) that could be hosed down.
The "diner scheme"? Those booths seem too bulky and the sleeping area kinda claustrophobic. Good concept for a double decker.
Finally in every design the bus driver seems to be completely isolated from the rest of the crew. Makes him/her more like an employee instead of part of the group. Was this intentional or ?
Hopefully, I'm not coming across across as a picky asshole. I write because I care!
marino04.7.08 - 12:44 pm
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DEFINITELY GOOD RESPONSES!
pick them apart
chew them up
love them to change them
It would be inefficient to respond to all the questions as they come, so I will respond with answers as I get the time to craft a longer response.
Feel free to dismantle and imagine better versions, and keep in mind that I am a Rida like everyone here. I am in this with you all, and I haven't / won't leave you hanging.
FREEK IT.
SKIDMARCUS04.7.08 - 1:02 pm
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Ok, folks. All three designs look awesome. I'm sure we'll be able to come to some sort of agreement in the end, with some sort of combination and inbetween somewheres...
But, for seriously, HOMEWORK! Several of you volunteered to gather information that we need for the next steps. There will also be a meeting SOON, like next week? Monday? or next Monday? Or sooner.
In case you missed it, there is a google group, where we have been continuing our discussion.
http://groups.google.com/group/bus-ridazz?hl=en
the reverend dak04.7.08 - 4:12 pm
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The designs is really catchy, and for the hip NOW generation, I like that! I'm not sure about practicality that us old farts lean to. Take for example the bean bag chairs. Hip yes, but man those sucka take up alot of room! Using the roof top is a big plus, but for traveling? Why not have a trailer for storing and storage of belongings? slice and dice the trailer storage giving room for a bike with the wheel off and a little room for a pack and what not. I would like to see a design for a trailer that would give peeps a little secure storage area each. With or without their bikes. Use the rooftop for sleeping and partying.
The tables are nice, but only if they are doing double duty. Maybe as cots? Chairs the same thing. For traveling, I'm not sure peeps want to sit too long in a folding chair. But if you had inflatable chairs that can be taken out when stopped, now that would have dual purpose. If the folding chairs were just when stopped, why have them?
Having a kitchen that can feed 30 hungry bikers would be nice and could save alot in the long run. Spend the time designing something nice could payoff big time.
Shoot for something that can be reconfigured easily and sources being used for double and triple duty would be a excellent goal to shoot for. This I'm sure is already a goal you have in mind.
That's my 2 ¢.
User104.7.08 - 8:06 pm
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"Inflatable chairs"
OH MAN!
What about infaltable stuff that is mounted to the outside of the bus. Like couches! It could be plumbed into the bus' pneumatic system. After you park, the brake discharge could inflate the couches instantly, it would look like the entire side of the bus just burst its trousers.
Eric Hair04.7.08 - 8:13 pm
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Now we're talkin!
Inflatables are the next bean bag chairs!
User104.7.08 - 8:52 pm
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Blogger eddieboyinla said...
NICE ADVERTISING, WELL I'M THINKING THAT ALL OF THOSE SCHEMES ARE PERFECT, NOW FOR THE COMPROMISE........
April 7, 2008 1:05 AM
eddieboyinla04.7.08 - 9:04 pm
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HEY BORFO HOW ABOUT A BIG GLOWING SKULL ON THE BUS
ephemerae04.7.08 - 9:08 pm
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*bump*
meeting coming up. lets continue the brainstorming.
indigis04.10.08 - 2:52 pm
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All three of the layouts are excellent !!!!!!!!!!! Now SMASH collective mash all three of the scemes up!!! and walah ! projector ,diner, bags , loft sleeping area , etc mash mash mash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great Job Guys!!!!!!!! FTW FTW FTW FTW FTW!!!!!!!!!!
skano04.10.08 - 3:04 pm
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