Wow, it is already Wednesday night; I don’t know where half of the week has gone. I have been way too busy since my last post, but I do want to quickly pass along a few links that I recently found interesting.
Pictured here is another bike design by Torkel Dohmers, designer of the “ThisWay.” This track /time trial frame design immediately caught my attention as I was looking at Torkel’s website. The two designs certainly appeal to different groups, but I think both are very nice. Personally, this race-oriented bike really appeals to me, but we all know that I am firmly entrenched in the “red ocean” of current cyclists. The main reason that I wanted to point this bike out is precisely because it is so different from Torkel’s competition entry. To me, that difference illustrates the fact that one can love racing and recreational bikes while still wanting to come up with alternative solutions for the non-cycling public. I have talked to a few people before who don’t understand why I get just as excited seeing an interesting new folding commuter as I do at the sight of a high-end carbon fiber time trial machine. Well, I think the answer is because I am a designer…and I just love bikes. I suspect that many of you who read this blog feel the same way.
A reader, Juan, sent me a link to some interesting photos. These are “photos of African wooden bikes that an Argentinean couple shot in a museum in Tanzania, while touring in tandem around the world.”
Jim told me that he stumbled across an issue of Elemente magazine, which featured a two-page spread of a concept bicycle design by Alberto del Biondi. If you don’t have the Sept/Oct 2008 issue of the magazine, you can check it out on their blog.
A couple of people have asked me why I never mentioned the Gocycle. Well, the honest answer is that I meant too, but just never got around to it. I guess I was too busy with the competition at the time. For any of you who are still not familiar with it, the Gocycle is a magnesium injection-molded electric folding bicycle with 20-inch wheels. The bike features an enclosed 3-speed drivetrain and a battery is hidden inside the frame. It is a very cool design, so check out the website for more info.
This isn’t exactly bicycle related, but I saw something on Cool Hunting about the new Google Maps-based Community Rides tool on the Vespa website. As Cool Hunting points out, the new user generated content page “helps scooter commuters or tourers uncover, share, rate, download and comment on new riding routes.” This seems like a great idea on Vespa’s part to build community and brand loyalty.
Lastly, I will mention that I have a few products from different companies that I am trying out to review on the blog. They include a MyTach GPS sports watch, a very nice messenger bag from Chrome, and a few of those TOTOBOBO filter masks that I mentioned for commuting. I also still need to write a complete review of the Third Eye products that I have been using for quite a while now. All of those reviews and more will come when I can find the time, so be on the lookout.
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