Eric Stoddard of Speed Studio Design recently posted some nice velomobile sketches on his blog. One of his sketches is featured here, but follow the link to see the other two. Eric is an automotive and product designer based in Seoul, Korea, so that makes a perfect segueway into the next topic I want to mention.

The first annual Seoul Cycle Design Competition is currently accepting entries. They have three different categories; cycle-design, cycle fashion & accessories design, and cycling infrastructure. You can read more about the categories, and register to enter the competition, at this post on designboom. In each of the three categories, the organizers stress that “there should be an emphasis on practical designs that can be commercialized within five years.” It will be interesting to see how the entries reflect that.

I mentioned not long ago that Design Within Reach founder Rob Forbes recently started a new bike company. The New York Times has a story in their design section about Public Bikes, which like DWR will rely heavily on online distribution.

Abitare posted recently about free bike sharing in Milan during design week. Core 77 has an extensive photo gallery from Salone del Mobile in Milan. On the first page, you can see photos from Rossignoli’s vintage bicycle exhibition. Core points out that the “display of ‘found’ 19th century bicycles provided a delightful break from the more traditional wares at the furniture fair.”

Finally, I want to pass along a few links that are not design related, but I think are important to mention. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood talked about a possible nationwide network of bike trails in a recent interview on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Here you can read a transcript of that interview, which also featured DC Director of Transportation Gabe Klein. Secretary LaHood followed up with a post on his blog stating that bike infrastructure is what people want. Based on the questions that I so often hear from people these days about bike commuting, I think he is right.

I am really happy to see Oprah Winfrey speaking out on the issue of texting while driving. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out her recent op-ed piece in the New York Times. More information on the subject is available on the “No Phone Zone” section of her website, where you can sign a pledge to not text and drive. Distracted driving is an increasingly serious problem in the US, so I am really glad to have someone with Oprah’s influence speaking out on the issue. I never thought I would write these words in a Bicycle Design post, but thanks Oprah!