CityRack lock up

With commuter cycling in NYC up 66% in the past two years, just as the city's parking meters are becoming a bike lock up option of the past, NYCDOT is slowly but surely installing more (and new) racks. A few days ago, across from Bespoke Bicycles in Fort Greene, I spotted the winner from NYC's 2008 CityRacks Design Competition... my very first (winning) CityRack lock up!
You might recall this international competition to design a new NYC bike rack coordinated by the NYCDOT in collaboration with the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Google, and Transportation Alternatives.

Ian Mahaffy and Maarten De Greeve (Bettlelab), based in Copenhagen, developed the winning design (above). It is undeniably sleek, simple, utilitarian - while the crossbar makes it easy to lock up a little Dahon. It was interesting to find this one adhered directly to a subway vent rather then drilled into the sidewalk... it seems to leave your bike a little vulnerable but might just be easier for the DOT to install.

BikeHacks reported that 1,250 of the racks are planned to be installed around town. DOT, please hurry.

Two top photos via NYCityRacks.Wordpress
Bottom photo by for the LOVE of bikes

integrated lock goodness

Tony Pereira's Magical Locking Bicycle from j. dunn on Vimeo

Last week Oregon Manifest's Constructor's Design Challenge lined up 30 American frame builders compete to "develop considered, integrated, and spectacular solutions for the everyday rider." Pereira Cycles, based in Portland, OR, followed the design brief and entered this frame design (above).

The design made me nostalgic of my time in Copenhagen - where most bikes, including the one I rode, have a tiny attached lock (on the seat stay) for the rear wheel and just simply lean the bike against a building...

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.

city promo

As more and more cities around the world are realizing the major benefits (and trendiness) of having people commute by bike, here is a look at how some are promoting two wheels in print...

Amsterdam

New York City

Copenhagen

London

perfect match

Spotted on the Danish island of Bornholm last summer.

for the love of CARGO bikes

These are just a couple cargo bikes I photographed last summer in Copenhagen - a wonderful land where people use three wheels bikes to transport anything from pets, loads of kids, mother + kid, tons of groceries, and much more all in a little cube. So practical, so wonderful.

Christiania Bikes (named after the Copenhagen Christiania commune) have been making "transporter trikes" since 1976. They also make fabulously functional accessories/add ons including seat belts, mattresses, folding benches, rain hoods, and even hoods with windows. Here are just a few...



After living in Brooklyn for over 8 years, last fall I spotted a cargo bike for the first time in Brooklyn (in Park Slope). I feel the biggest obstacle in having one in Brooklyn is parking - while I know some people who argue the roads here are not big enough (which means some cars run you off). In any case, you may be seeing more on the streets soon since L.E.S. Bike Works and Bologna Bikes are collaborating on a new brand of custom personalized bicycle with two models: a cargo bike and metro speedster...

 
Wonder if the city would ever require cargo bikes to follow pedicabs regulations such as capping the number of them on the street, requiring license plates, insurance, and safety inspections? That would be sad and futile.

air / luft

While in Stockholm last summer I stumbled upon these awesome city bicycle air pump stations...

found image

It turns out Copenhagen adopted them this past spring.
Bloomberg, please make Brooklyn be next.