Year: 2011
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Bicycle Christmas tree
I took time off from work last week to spend with my family, so I didn’t get a chance to post again after Monday. This week will be more of the same, so I want to take a minute to wish all of you a happy holiday season. The seven meter tall Christmas tree pictured…
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Bike art and books
In 2009, I reviewed the book Smart Move, which features pictures and descriptions of the 200 or so unique bikes in Michael Embacher’s collection. As an addition to Smart Move, and the later book Cyclepedia, Embacher is releasing an interactive iPad app, produced by Richard Loncraine and Patrick Uden. The app, which showcases the entire…
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Any ideas for a Bicycle Design competition in 2012?
It has been a few years since the first design competition that I staged here at Bicycle Design. The “Commuter Bike for the Masses” competition at the end of 2008 took quite a bit of time to organize and administer, but it was a lot of fun to see, and discuss, the many creative entries…
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Yamaha ‘Pas With’ electric bike
The crew at Bike Hugger spotted an interesting concept bike that is currently on display at the Tokyo Motor show. Earlier this year, you may have read about the Yamaha PAS e-bike line, which the company developed specifically for the Japanese market. This new “PAS With” concept e-bike looks completely different from those welded aluminum…
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Cyber Monday and an $18K bike with identity issues
It is Cyber Monday today, so that means that you should all immediately stop reading blogs like this one and start buying lots and lots of stuff, right? OK…I am not really serious, but if you are planning on buying any bike related gifts today (for yourself or others), I hope that you will consider…
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Decisions, decisions
It is almost Thanksgiving, and I am busy this afternoon trying to wrap up a few projects at work so I can spend the rest of the week with my family. I don’t really feel like doing a design related post today, so bear with me while I “think out loud” a bit and ask…
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SRAM pART PROJECT
SRAM’s pART PROJECT is a great idea to benefit a very worthy cause. As the SRAM website succinctly explains; “Artists transform bike parts into art. The art is auctioned off. The proceeds help people in need through World Bicycle Relief.” Well known artists were picked by Milwaukee based artist Terrence Coffman and SRAM Marketing Chief…
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A monster bike and much more
So…what do you do when those 4” tires on your Surly Pugsley just don’t seem wide enough anymore? You have no choice but to built your own monster bike like the one show here (found via Marcus Santiago on Google +). If those tires don’t seem wide enough, you can always use a dragster tire…
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Campagnolo’s design- what am I missing?
I mentioned Campagnolo’s new electronic (EPS) groups briefly in a post on Tuesday, but I didn’t share my first impressions after seeing the components. I will preface my opinions by pointing out that I have not seen the groups in person, I am only going by the pictures I have seen on the web. Bike…
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Plus 1 this post!
In addition to visiting this site, you may already follow Bicycle Design on Facebook or Twitter. Now, there is one more way to keep up with this blog… with the new Bicycle Design Google + page. If you don’t already use Google +, I encourage you to take a look. The network has a great…
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A wooden fixie, cargo bikes, a social statement, and more
What happens when a woodworker who normally rides a softride decides to build his own fixie? This custom wooden frame by Ken Stolpmann is the result. A post at Fixed Gear Gallery (which includes many more pics) explains: “The frame itself is entirely wood with some metal bolts and inserts for the bottom bracket and…
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Halloween bikes
“Frankentrike” by Ted Sliwinski is just one of the bikes currently featured in an exhibition at the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit. Sliwinski points out that, “In true Detroit style it is made of junk, old bike frames and part of the elevator at OmniCorpDetroit. However, it works and it works well.” If…
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Is the Sportiiiis heads-up display the future of cycling electronics?
I can’t find the exact post, but Byron from BikeHugger has mentioned a few times that he believes Smartphones will almost completely replace cyclo-computers in the near future. I think that is probably a pretty safe bet, and there is no doubt that iPhone and Android compatible add-ons to track power, cadence, and other cycling…
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Ecomobile by David Jushpe
David Jushpe is a furniture designer, and part-time boat builder, whose latest (somewhat blue-sky) project is a “concept for a high technological, hybrid, multi powered & multi environment vehicle.” His Ecomobile concept is a roofed recumbent e-bike with retractable pontoons for use on the water. He explains on his website: “The body is made in…
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Fast HPVs and a few Friday links
Victor Ragusila, from the University of Toronto Human Powered Vehicle Team, sent me this great video of their Vortex HPV in action during the World Human Powered Speed Championships at Battle Mountain, Nevada last month. The team didn’t quite reach their goal of 75 mph, but they came pretty close and got a third place…
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A couple of book reviews
In addition to playing in the surf, eating some great seafood, and riding bikes with my family, I had the chance to catch up on some reading while I was at the beach last week. The two books I took on the trip were It’s All About the Bike by Robert Penn and Joyride: Pedaling…
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Cargo bikes from Johnny Loco
JP Magis, the Design Director for Johnny Loco in Amsterdam, mentioned one of the company’s cargo bikes to me recently. At a weight of 28 kilos (just under 62 pounds), the aluminum frame bike is lighter than many similar cargo designs on the market. I like the way the shape of the frame tubing carries…
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A unique wooden bike and more
I have posted quite a few wooden bikes in the past, but this one by Dutch industrial designer Jan Gunneweg is certainly unique in the design of the wheels. They feature a wooden spoke that is integrated into the rim and balanced by traditional steel spokes on the opposing half. It is hard to tell…