Wikipedia for Bicycle Mechanics

One of the goals of this blog is to provide a plethora of bicycle mechanic information all at your fingertips...

But what if other bicycle mechanics could add additional information that they feel other bicycle mechanics could use? The result would be a bit like Wikipedia. The problem with Wikipedia (cough cough Crapipedia) is that any amateur can add information on there which is incorrect or potentially dangerous...

Or worse, the information on there is accurate and general knowledge, but some asshole shows up and deletes it. (I know because I've tried adding technical info to Wikipedia and there's always some asshole who shows up and deletes it. Wikipedia is a complete waste of time.)

Thus if you are a bicycle mechanic yourself, and you've come across a technique, a tool or whatever you think other bike mechanics would benefit from please email me and I shall post it for you.

Techie Bikes

TECHNOLOGY - Designer Chen Chun Tung has designed a bike that runs on wind-solar power (the Win-Solar Energy Bike), but only part of the time. It stores up energy from the sun/wind and then uses that energy later when the rider is going up hill by running an electric motor to help speed up ascent.





If you like gadgets there is also the Mercedes folding bicycle. It costs approx. $1,770 USD.



Or for the more mechanical amongst you, the amazingly easy to disassemble "Urban Bicycle" designed by Victor M. Aleman, which can fit into a box after being completely disassembled or reassembled in record time.





And finally here is one that is just plain unusual... the wheels run on a track inside the rim, there's no chain or spokes, and its designed to be extremely lightweight... oh and its ALSO solar powered to boost uphill speed, tracks your speed, calorie loss and plays music. Oh and its being promoted by Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman (whoop dee do, celebrity endorsements!).

Cycling around Nuit Blanche

CANADA - If you're in Toronto today and tonight, its a good chance to check out Toronto's local art scene and catch live performance art, art galleries and a variety of events going on in the city during the annual "Nuit Blanche" art festival. It starts around 6 PM and goes until 6 AM the next morning.

Call it your chance to cycle around downtown Toronto and meet lots of people interested in art.

One of the things you could see is BICITYCLE (Bike City) by Tokyo artist Sakaguchi Kyohei.

BICITYCLE is about mobile life and is inspired by the lifestyle, innovation and survival skills of homeless people in Japan. His mobile "sculptures" emphasize mobility and recycling. The houses of Tokyo's homeless people are easy to dismantle and remake because people are forced to move their houses regularly. Their homes have water, gas, toilet, and electricity, but they're made from the scraps they find and in this case incorporates old bicycles to make the "houses" more transportable.

From a bicycle mechanic's perspective that just sounds so kewl. It also means these homeless people are pretty good mechanics themselves.

For Nuit Blanche Sakaguchi created 11 'mobile housing units', each somehow attached to a bicycle. The audience can interact and relocate the works within the area. (Thats correct, you get to ride the bikes.)

The BICITYCLE event is near Dovercourt and King Street West. Consult one of the free Nuit Blanche maps that art galleries are handing out.

Kyohei Sakaguchi is also a writer, adventurer and architect and has shown his works internationally. I think this particular art piece is worthy to go in art history books.

If you attend the event could you please email me (charlesmoffat[@]charlesmoffat.com) with some photos of Sakaguchi's bikes / etc? Unfortunately I will be busy at the Ben Navaee Gallery where two of my paintings are showing tonight and schmoozing with attendees.

Bicycles Vs Farm Animals

I posted this just for fun. For reference, I think the farm animals would win in a fight vs a cyclist so please don't try this at home.