Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Bicycles 4 Humanity

Bicycles for Humanity gathers up your old used bikes and refurbishes them, and sends them in a container, along with tools, to Africa. The Africans, who may not have any other mode of transportation, are now able to see doctors, go to work a little farther from home, and sell their goods in markets in larger cities. B4H will train the Africans on how to repair the bikes, when they eventually break down, and provide them with the spare parts to do it!

Friday, January 4, 2008

Bamboo bicycle! $2400 frame only

Check out the bamboo bicycle made by Calfee Design. It won the people's choice awards at the North American handmade bicycle show! Apparently the bamboo is smoked and oiled, and has extra stiffness and vibration-absorbing qualities. The frame weighs four pounds. Talk about a small environmental footprint - but how the heck does it get to be so expensive??

1.4 billion bicycles in the world make it the most popular form of transportation

Princeton's International Networks Archive has accounted for transportation means around the world and put the information in a comparative graphic. Fascinating to find out that the bicycle is the world's most popular transportation means or that Armenians are the world's worst drivers!