glowing in the dark

Glow in the dark seems eternally fascinating in both nature and products - so here is an excuse to use this image... these Mycena lux-coeli mushrooms are so incredibly magical. They pop up Japan during the rainy season (and all over the internet). These mushrooms glow due to a chemical reaction involving luciferin (a pigment contained in them)... and emit visible light.
via Jim on Light

Just a couple years back MPK Co. came out with a material, Litoenergy, which can be injection molded or added to paint that emits light for 12 YEARS without needing electricity OR sun exposure. It gives off continuous illumination and is said to be non-toxic and cheap.
via TreeHugger

Part of Kanye West's Nike Shoe Collection. Designed for the club culture but so nice for an evening bike ride - perhaps even more so coming home from a club.
via NiceKicks.com

Wondering if they use Litoenergy... and if this stuff is so cheap, why are we not seeing more of it?

via the Manhattan Bridge

Curious as to how fellow cyclists are getting to work, I spent 90 minutes documenting 190 morning commuters heading over the Manhattan Bridge from Brooklyn and present to you some findings...

66% men 34% women

Helmet use:
64% wore helmets
(77% women / 58% men)

Types of bikes:
36% on road bikes / 30% mountain or hybrids / 18% on fixed / 11% cruisers / 4% fold-ups / 1% bmx bikes

Styles of carrying:
38% backpack / 31% messenger bag / 15% panniers-saddle bags / 7% rear racks (one being an Xtracycle) / 6% front rack or basket / 4% on handlebars

Btw, Brownstoner posted 'updates for Manhattan Bridge bicyclists' today.

logo bike

Needless to say, it was amazing to come across this bike (the Kosmos Fixie by the Finnish Designer, Olli Erkkila) -- as it compliments this lil' ol logo so nicely...

dear (bike) poster lovers...

ARTCRANK Portland is coming up... October 1st - tomorrow night - at the Ace Hotel

A showcase of bicycle-inspired original poster artwork that people can enjoy looking at and afford to take home. ARTCRANK began in Minneapolis in 2007, and has expanded to Denver, St. Lois, Portland, and San Fransisco. Each show features posters created by local artists from the host city.

Admission is free, all posters are priced at $30 and ARTCRANK Portland will donate $5 from every poster sold to Bikes to Rwanda.

More and more cities across the states are going to be seeing their own ARTCRANK poster parties pop up... it is said that Vancouver, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Milwaukee, Des Moines, Chicago, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Washington D.C. and NYC are organizing their own in late 2009 and 2010.

Lauren, let me know what you find!

by the seat of your pants

You bike a lot.

Your pants wear out. Fast.

Re: Womens Apparel

Since most women don't opt to wear Carhartts day in and day out, these might be a nice solution for the colder months ahead... Wool Riding Britches by Shelia Moon which have a reinforced seat for riding, a high waist (awesome) and pleats at the knee for mobility. I have friends who take their pants to the tailors to have them patch up the seat of their pants but am fond of how my friend Sara reinforced her jeans with navy blue leather patches herself.

For womens cycling wear Team Estrogen is generally awesome.

seat + pump

Biologic has created a pump you can't ever leave home without it... pretty brilliant.

The ingenious BioLogic Zorin PostPump integrates a powerful floor pump with a seatpost. The pump is always ready to go, hidden from the elements, thieves, and your own forgetfulness. To use the pump all you do is remove the seat post from the frame, attach the valve, flip out the foot peg, and start pumping using the saddle as the handle. Go over 100 psi in less than half the strokes of the best mini pumps.

You can read all about the designer & the development of the pump here.

Photos & text via Dahon

(new) helmets + (new) lights + (new) little carrier

Naturally Core77 has great coverage of the recent EUROBIKE show which had more than a thousand exhibitors from 42 countries. Here are some items included in Core's photo gallery hitting the market this year which I could not resist posting... Catlike Whisper Plus with the most beautiful vents (from Spain)

Viva Bikes helmet composed of fiberglass and leather (from Denmark)

Axa Basta remote control to help find your bike! (from the Netherlands)

Fibre Flare bike light sticks are just cool - versatile w/ a touch of 80's - checkout the U-Tube video of them in action (from Australia)

Fahrer little clutch which can be mounted in a number of ways onto your frame (from Germany)

Interior photos via Core77's photo gallery

hello convenience

Once off your bike and out and about in the city, how frustrating is it dealing with a bike helmet? I always end up cramming mine into my bag (or purse) so found these designs which address this very issue refreshing...

During EUROBIKE 2009, which took place in Germany earlier this month, Dahon unveiled their Pango helmet. Once FOLDED (!) the helmet takes up half the space of a regular one becoming insanely compact. Here's the video showing how easily it folds.

Then there is the much talked about helmet Fuseproject was commissioned by NYC's DOT to design. While there are helmets on the market that have large enough ventilation holes that allow to be U-Locked, Fuseproject's NYC Helmet design ensures that it can be with its design. Also, its polystyrene shell appears strong enough that it could be left out on the city streets and handle the elements.

Top two photos via Dahon & bottom via Fuseproject

tight fit

Love the combination of a bike tire inner tubes and handmade ceramics jars. Took the photo on a visit to Cassius Clay while on the Danish Island of Bornholm.

safe-T

One darling Brooklyn Industries Tee - worn by Ride Brooklyn's (one of Brooklyn's newer bike shops) Owner/Manager, Pete

a cyclist's view from halfway across the world

... in Melbourne, Australia on Merri Creek where cyclists must dismount to go up a flight of stairs.

Thanks, Zoë!

for the love of SAFETY

Janette Sadik-Kahn reminded the crowd at last night's Bicycle Diaries book launch panel discussion...

"failure to yield is the number one cause of accidents" in NYC

The NYCDOT 2006 report shows that “nearly all fatal crashes were the result of poor driving OR bicycle riding behavior, particularly driver inattention and disregarding traffic signals and signs.” With the growth of NYC bike culture and knowing the conditions we ride in - it feels to me that awareness about road safety is more important then ever.

Somehow, I only recently learned about the organized ride Critical Manners which grew as a response to Critical Mass. Critical Manners was founded in 2007 in San Francisco (and has taken place in Seattle and recently in Vancouver) as a ride during which everyone participating obeys traffic laws -- stopping at red lights and signaling. Umm, just like biking in Copenhagen.

Meanwhile, in New York, it is lovely to see Transportation Alternatives' Biking Rules emerge & the NYC's LOOK Campaign (launched in 2007) encouraging everyone to share the road and prevent the aggressive attitudes on the road - be it a pedestrian, automobile, or cyclists. Change is (still) in the air.

Top photo via Commute By Bike by Publicis, an advertising agency in Seattle, created the LOOK pro-bono campaign.

red-white-blue

Single speeds by Linus. Nice story and prices (starting at $359, so likely made in China).

via Oh Joy!

reflective sidewalls

Built-in added safety. So smart. Shouldn't every tire come with reflective beading? These Continental Contact Reflex are reliable for the city - but other companies like Vittoria make similar ones.

(Couldn't pass up including this photo.)

DESIGNER BIKES launches with Scott Henderson

Designers live-breath-think-dream design. So what better people to interview about their bikes than designers? Why do they ride them, and how they deal with logistical and technical issues facing the modern city cyclist? With this in mind, I am thrilled to be launching for the LOVE of bikes' DESIGNER BIKES profiles with an Industrial Designer who's work I've always admired for it's friendliness and functionality...

dustpan & brush for OXO / Vicks Underarm Thermometer for Kaz Inc. / 'Hare' grooming set for Skip*Hop / 'Grip' rake for casabella / 'Splash' baby bottle brush & drying rack

Scott Henderson is an American designer who heads the New York based design studio Scott Henderson Inc. and is also Principal and Co-Founder of MINT where he designs, manufacturers and distributes home accessory objects to over 350 retailers and museums throughout the world including The Museum of Modern Art and Design Within Reach.

Scott is known for his ability to transform the mundane. He believes that if something makes you smile it becomes easier to use. With over 50 patents in the U.S. and Europe for projects as diverse as housewares and home accessories to consumer medical products, electronics, even aircraft- his work has been widely recognized in exhibitions, awards programs and in the press.

You may have seen him in the New York Times a couple weeks ago and are likely to have used one of his products - and if you are a recent parent you are likely to own more than one. I recently caught up with Scott as he arrived to his DUMBO studio by bike, a 10 minute commute from his home.

Why do you commute by bike?

Its fast, easy, cheap and fun. Great to get that fresh air in the morning too.

For what reasons do you ride the type of bicycle you do?

I ride a mountain bike because I live in the city (ironic?). A mountain bike though is good for jumping curbs when the street is blocked by a garbage truck or something, or for riding over the jagged cobble stones and pot holes of the torn up streets of DUMBO where my studio is. The mountain bike is rugged and I don’t care if it gets scratched when its locked to a bike rack.

What is your most memorable experience while riding?

I did a 100 mile ride once up into the Catskill Mountains, and it was a great feeling to cover that distance in a day on just a bike. You really respect the bike when it’s your only way out of the middle of nowhere.

What is your favorite bridge to ride?

The Brooklyn, because it and its views are so incredible, but the Manhattan is a faster ride as there’s no one on its foot path.

Your favorite path?

I like the west side highway path, but I don’t ride it very often. Great to ride by the water. I ride my bike every day, but it’s really a utility vehicle. I find I rarely ride it just for fun unless I take my daughter for a bike ride. It’s all about transportation.

What are the challenges that you face riding a bicycle in NYC?

You have to be alert and second guess the drivers. Theft is a concern too, although I’ve been lucky about that so far.

How many bikes do you own?

Four, but I just use one. The other three are kid’s bikes in various stages of being grown out of, and that I will soon sidewalk sale away.

How do you store your bicycle at home?

My building has a large basement where I keep it, so it’s not in my living space hung on the wall or ceiling. The challenge I have there is getting it up and down the stairwell to the basement -- a technique I have now perfected.

Do you work on your own bicycle?

No, I leave it to the professionals. I take it to Brooklyn Heights Bike shop on Atlantic Ave. and the owner tunes it up on the spot -- no appointment -- while I wait.

What would be your dream commuter bike?

The one I have is all I need. A Trek Mountain Bike

Product photos & bio text via Scott Henderson Inc.

kickstand

While not for the cyclist who meticulously cares about ever single ounce added to their bike - kickstands seem like the best extra chuck of metal you could add to your [commuter] bike other then a basket or rear rack, chain guard and bell. They keep your bike up right even once you've loaded your baskets or panniers. Beautiful.

Here are a few that offer two legs, giving way more stability then just one...

Rivendell's Pletscher Twin-Legger Kickstand is Swiss made, cast aluminum, and has two legs which opens simultaneously.

Esge / SKS Double Leg Bicycle Kickstand for heavily loaded bikes, tandems, recumbents, etc. Double leg design lifts entire back end of bike up for a stable support and flips up under the rear chainstay like a standard kickstand.

M-Wave Steel Double Leg Side Bicycle Kickstand weighs in at 1.8 pounds, fits 26-28" bikes, is height adjustable, and has anti-slide feet.

Axle Kickstand 26" Wheel Bike Bicycle traditional style kickstand which mounts to axle of a 26" rear wheel. Heavy duty, easy to install and mounts to your rear axle. For single speed bikes only (can not be mounted to a bike that has speeds because of the derailleur).

Dahon's Doublestand Kickstand is center mounted. It is part of their 'Premium Component Group' and comes on their most expensive models. Might not be available on it's own.

take it easy

Slow movements have spread to all corners of our lives - as part of a cultural shift to slowing down and enjoying the many simple pleasures in life. It started with the slow food movement, as a reaction to fast food industry in the late 80's, then helped propel slow cities, slow homes, and ♥ slow design ♥.

Launched in 2008, in Denmark, there is a slow movement that I didn't know I was already a member of...

The Slow Bicycle Movement is a celebration of the bicycle. Not as a speed machine or a tool for tribal membership but merely as an enjoyable way to get around.

It's about the journey, not the destination. The destination is, invariably, a fixed geographical point which isn't going anywhere... [okay, sure, the tectonic plates are in constant movement but they are thankfully even slower than us]... so you're going to get there eventually and anyway.

It's about riding your bicycle. To work, to play. Casually, in a relaxed manner. With time to enjoy the self-propelled movement that you and you alone generate. And, of course, to look around and see the landscape - urban or not - that you pass by at your leisurely pace.

Kind of made my day!

Frequently Asked Questions about Bicycles & Bicycling

Brandt's tips from bike maintenance trouble shooting to cycling techniques can be found on-line - - - > here

Jobst Brandt is a mechanical engineer (Stanford) with extensive experience, having worked for Porsche automobiles, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Hewlett-Packard and Avocet bicycle products. He is best known in the bike industry as the author of The Bicycle Wheel, the definitive text on the theory and practice of building bicycle wheels.

5th Ave Bike Lane Love

This afternoon I joined the park(ing) spot in Park Slope coordinated by Transportation Alternatives volunteer, Martha. It was geared to rallying neighborhood support to keeping the 5th Avenue bike lane and sharrows as well as T.A.'s campaign to extend the bike lane south all the way to the water.

Thanks, Martha, for a lovely time under the sun!

dutch meets fold-up

With their sloping low step-through frame and UpRide frame geometry, Dahon makes a couple bikes reminiscent of Dutch bike style - yet fold-up and are designed in the US. Oh, and this model includes a hub which generates electricity to front and rear bike light (no more batteries!) and the drag is 'barely noticeable'.

They were even voted Bike of the Year in 2006 in the Netherlands!

Aside from the Glide P8 and Ciao P8 pictured above, which retail for $870-$950, they make other models at lower price points. While a fan of small light weight frame bikes which have you pedaling in an upright position, I'm not sure why these have clear plastic chain guards. Likely due to the weight factor.

off the wall

In New Zeleand's Christchurch, in the "posh nightlife-y neighborhood" of Sol Square.

Thanks, Jen + Jason. Amazing.

park(ing) day is TOMORROW

Parks will be popping up all over the place!

The annual (and international) event during which street spaces, normally occupied by parked cars, are reclaimed and transformed into little community oases.

Check the map for parking spots around the city.