Some cool films popping up on the web this week, related to cycling...
Nearly all of us, myself included own and use a car, and its great and convenient, But we don't have to use it to go everywhere all of the time, yet so many do, people always seem to be in a rush to get somewhere,
chill... walk...or cycle... make the time, its not that hard to do...
Sadly i think cycling will always be a leisure activity here in Scotland and not a lifestyle due to the speed of traffic and drivers attitudes to anything slower than themselves on the road... even in cites like Edinburgh with cycle lanes there are not the rights for cyclists as in the rest of Europe,
Such a shame, as like below kids would be a lot healthier and happier to be outside on bicycles going to school than looking out of a giant 4x4 as used by so many... dream on if you think they will look out of a tram in Edinburgh!...
First this lovely made film which appeared on Dougs blog, a film about Utility bikes, which i want to publish for non cycling readers of the blog to show what car free cyclists are riding to take there kids to school and do the shopping etc and contributing a zero emission to the planet...
This film is very, very well made... and cool... hats off...
I am glad i opted out of the rat race, I did not plan to end up not married (time yet!) or not have kids, infact i love being an Uncle to 3 but if i did have kids then i cant think of no better way to take them to school than on one of these utility bikes before they had there own bikes, this is an old film but great... this is The `Big Dummy` cargo bike by Surly Bikes, one of the first films i posted on this blog...
If you cant afford a Big Dummy then there is the original Xtracycle kit that bolts onto a regular bicycle, then you too can live the dream...
I plan to get one to fit to my 1980s Muddy Fox MTB for going to the shops...
Now living here in East lothian to the east of Edinburgh, the county has, unfortunately become `the Surrey ` of Scotland with far too many people earning far too much money living in the Rat Race` speeding about on quiet country roads far too fast in there big shiny 4x4s taking there children to school, then going to the Gym, then there game of golf etc.. makes them look pretty selfish about there lives, and there environment, and to other people around them...
When you watch this and then the next film of a country properly attuned to there environment...
Oops, was that a rant?, well i got buzzed by one to many a big shiny 4x4 cycling home from work the other day and still have a bee in my bonnet...
And to the country which said enough is enough to car congestion,
you owe it to yourself to visit Holland and experience the right as a cyclist to have `right of way` over motor vehicles...its a weird but great feeling!, power to the cyclist!
I plan to revisit again in the future to visit my mums own fathers war grave near Arnhem...i plan to cycle of course...
To be from the Uk and see the Dutch cycle culture is amazing, check all the bikes!...
There are some having a lot of fun here in the UK,
watch how to make the most out an old swimming pool, some amazing skills here,
I see this and i smile at `the youth` of today,
70 years ago these `kids` could of been flying the Spitfires...
And finally, a wee film from Surly Bikes which shows fatties flip fine...
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...taking there children to school, then going to the Gym, then there game of golf etc. makes them look pretty selfish about there lives, and there environment, and to other people around them...
ReplyDeleteI hate to say, it's starting to sound like the US :-(
In this case the our Siberian wilderness looks pretty nice :) Surly Pugsley and deep taiga swamp is one of our Gyms... for children and parents!
ReplyDeletehttp://pics.livejournal.com/macsimka/pic/0007c556
http://pics.livejournal.com/macsimka/pic/0007d8c8
:-D :-D :-D
2 comments that are very true!,
ReplyDeleteGlad we can opt out the rat race and also go explore the wilderness... on out fatbikes!,
There should be smaller wheel diameter fatbikes made for children!,
Hi, Bruce!
ReplyDeleteMy five-years-old son Anton still not has Surly Pugsley, but children growing up too fast! My 17-years-old daughter already took part with me in some epic rides on the own Surly Pugsley. It was 100 km ride across the Baikal Lake in the middle of February, for example!
The idea of these pedal assist cargo bikes is a really good one but they are pretty expensive. Imagine if you could get a government grant towards buying one though, that would surely get the ball (or wheels) rolling over here.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAgree on the costs Mike, maybe too much for non regular cyclists to commit,
ReplyDeleteMay be it is a good idea to use the device like the Xtracycle FreeRadical BaseFrame as an inexpensive fatbike converter for conventional MTBs?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.xtracycle.com/cargo-bicycles/freeradical-cargo-bicycle.html