Candy Cranks

If it comes to the topic of climate change, one is being confronted with a long list of things that aren´t allowed anymore. However, to speed up the necessary change in our  society, we don´t need prohibitions, but examples, dreams and social experiments.

Therefore, the Green Music Initiative created an Off Grid Experiment - the Green Music Fahrrad Disko. It´s all about music and energy without  an electrical connection / power supply.

The DJ is only going to be able to play, if there´s enough people (minimum of 4 at a time) producing power by cycling. Which means the DJ can only give you something - music - as long as you´re giving him something - energy. Pretty simple.

The Green Music Fahrrad Disko has it´s premiere on thursday, 19. August 2010 in Berlin. The event starts with a bike tour from Bar 25 at 5pm, which is gonna lead to a secret location. There, DJs of Bar 25 will play as long as enough power is being produced.

If you wanna get involved, RSVP here. More info here.

I put a basket on the front of my geared bike. It’s not my daily ride, but it has its uses.

Like hauling beer…

For the vege lover…

Via instructables

A couple of weekends ago, when it was hot and sunny (seems like eons ago), I ventured out to the Trout Lake Farmer’s Market at its new location in the north parking lot of John Hendry Park. The move from it’s former location by the community centre on the south side of the park means no parking for customer vehicles.

The group that organizes the market, Your Local Farmers Market Society, has taken this lack of parking as an opportunity to promote cycling, transit and walking as viable ways to get to and from the market. Pedestrians and transit-users are encouraged to bring along rolling carts to wheel around their purchases, and cyclists have it easy, with unofficial parking along the fence of the adjacent alley. Plus there are a couple bike routes that run to the park from different areas of town.

I did keep my eyes out for valet bike parking, a more and more common service at community events, however I only saw a tent that was promoting a specific brand of bikes and allowing test rides. Perhaps I missed the valet parking station?

At any rate, more people seem to be choosing sustainable and healthy means of transportation to support the choices they are making by purchasing local, organic and delicious farmers market fare.

Car-free alley behind the market is flanked by bikes ridden by market-goers.

Masses of Vancouverites scouting out produce, baked goods, cheese, meat, ready-to-eat to-go meals, plants, crafts and more at the market.

Delicious sunflower sprouts grown at the University of British Columbia and transported to the market by bike.

Nicest tractor I’ve seen in a long time.

Get out those commuter bikes again folks because it’s Bike Week!!  I am doing a ton of stuff at work (Department of Transportation) to promote commuting in by bike and general bike fitness this week:

We are staffing a bike week celebration table to get employees signed up for the Mass Commuter Challenge, we are hosting a biker’s social and breakfast on Friday morning, and offering two bike maitenance workshops here at work.  One on the essential “How to Change a Flat Tire”, and one on “Drive Train Magic” to show those geared folks how to work on their derailleurs.  I’ll try to post a pic or two from the events.

I was in New York last week on holidays and this bike caught my eye outside the American Museum of Natural History - I love the green wheels and patterned saddle.

I really like Affinity bike frames which are based in Brooklyn so while in New York I headed out to their shop for a look and managed to get a spin around the block on one of their new frame, unfortunately it was too small for me and there is a waiting list of a few months for new frames! :(  Better luck next time! I’ll have to go back soon so

http://affinitycycles.simple-helix.net/stop/ (although their site was down for maintenance last time I checked!)

Below is the Marta frame by Affinity. I just love the mean angle of the frame and most importantly it is a really nice bike to cycle too.

Richie's Bike

Assembly Required: One Peace at a Time from Bikes Not Bombs on Vimeo.

This short video shows part of the story of Bikes not Bombs, a charity in Boston, MA. Bikes not bombs has seen the donation of tens of thousands of bicycles to youth programs and charities from Boston to Ghana.

Bikes Not Bombs promotes bicycle technology as a concrete alternative to war and environmental destruction. For 23 years, BNB has been a nexus of bike recycling and community empowerment both in lower income neighborhoods of Boston and in the nations of the Global South. BNB’s programs involve young people and adults in mutually respectful leadership development and environmental stewardship, while recycling thousands of bicycles.

This film is (C) 2008, Allegra Anderson

Veja and Cyclope, the first cycle shop in Paris to specialise in fixed-gear, have joined forces to create an exclusive fixed gear trainer.
- Made of ecological materials.
- Limited Edition: 384 pairs.
- Available in store from the 1st February 2010 at Offspring Neal Street (London) and Paper Scissors Stone* (Leeds)
- Pre-order at Paper Scissors Stone from Wednesday 27th January.
- £95

*Brainchild of Artist Si Scott and The Electronic Poet’s Steve Banks, Paper Scissors Stone is an eclectic mixture of concept store and exhibition space.