california may give tesla an environmental pass to build new green factory. state would exempt automaker as an incentive package as other states start making pitches. via los angeles times [RK]
denny | seattle
Five teams in five cities: Chicago, New York, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle – competed to redefine the category of the urban bicycle. On 4 August 2014, the winner is… ‘Denny’. The voting period lasted a week and over 136,000 voters selected the winner. They are no losers here, all pretty cool bikes.
Denny (Seattle) wowed voters with its ingenious handlebar lock design, unique fender system, automatic shifting and modern styling. “It’s inspiration? The diverse community and unpredictability of our home, Seattle. From the auto-shifting electric assist, smart reactive lighting, integrated locking and the redefining of the fender, we’ve created the purist biking experience possible for Seattle riders. Now you don’t have to worry about the hills, rain or an impromptu ‘farmer’s market’ trip. [ Teague ] x [ Sizemore Bicycle ]
blackline | chicago
Blackline (Chicago) takes its name from Chicago’s iconic elevated train lines that run throughout the city, non-stop. A custom smart handlebar with integrated LED headlight and side blinkers utilize GPS enabled turn-by-turn navigation and be securely tracked using a connected smartphone app. The virtually maintenance-free drive train utilizes a sealed 3-speed hub and belt drive, designed to endure the extreme conditions of rural Africa the daily commute in the harshest winters. [ Minimal ] x [ Method Bicycle ]
merge | nyc
Merge (New York) is inspired by the variety of cycling needs in New York City, a tough proving ground for an urban bike. Merge is a compact and nimble ride, offering its rider confidence when navigating tight spaces. Merge’s thoughtfully designed features include cargo, lighting, security, and a USB charging port. [ Pensa ] x [ Horse Cycles ]
solid | portland
Solid (Portland) is inspired by the diverse beauty and soul of Portland’s urban energy and raw beauty of its surrounding forests. Solid is the first connected (“Discover My City” mobile app) 3D-printed titanium lifestyle bike, capturing the essence of the city and the best of both worlds – hand-built craft and modern manufacturing. [ Industry ] x [ Ti Cycles ]
evo | san francisco
EVO (San Francisco) is a hybrid blending utility of a city bike with robustness and geometry of a mountain bike to satisfy the city’s diverse lifestyle and terrain. An innovative plug-and-play quick-connect mounts enable users to rapidly attach or detach cargo accessories, ranging from a child seat to different racks for carrying everything from groceries to surf boards. Inspired by San Francisco’s famous towers and bridges using 3D-printed steel lug and tube construction. [ Huge Design ] x [ 4130 Cycle Works ]
[ The Bike Design Project ] a pioneering bike design competition which partners five high-level design firms with American bicycle craftsmen to create the Ultimate Urban Utility Bike. The 2014 competition includes teams from the city of Chicago, New York, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle. The winning design will be will move into production with the competition’s Manufacturing Partner, Fuji Bikes, for its retail debut in 2015. “The Bike Design Project” teams created their unique vision of tomorrow’s bicycle for the everyday rider with innovative designs and features that benefit transportation cycling.
[ Oregon Manifest ] exists to celebrate and amplify bike craft, design and innovation. They provide an independent innovation platform for designers, engineers, craftsmen and makers to collaboratively develop bike designs that can expand transportation options for the everyday citizen. They are a nonprofit organization that values the process of making, the spirit of ingenuity, and the passion of brave undertakings.
Just heard on the radio: The Federal Transportation Safety Authority has asked members of the public to submit ideas to make airport check-in lines run more rapidly and smoothly. Process is also design. AND friends, there’s also a $15,000 prize [ details ]
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Jeep showed off the final design of its Renegade model small SUV. Mark Allen, head of Jeep design. said the vehicle was designed in Detroit and rides the same underpinnings as the Fiat 500L, the long Fiat. It will be built in Italy.
All admitted that the face of the vehicle was “a little bit cute” but cute, he said, like a puppy dog beside the mature dog. There are lots of numerous playful details as well, such as the X-shaped taillights that echo a jerry can for holding gasoline.
A new Harley-Davidson electric motorcycle was unveiled Tuesday at an exclusive preview on a closed runway at the former Marine Corps Air Station in Irvine. The name is LiveWire.
LiveWire weighs 460 pounds and is capable of zero to 60 in under four seconds. Harley isn’t saying much about the drivetrain beyond saying the bike uses a lithium-ion battery with a range of 53 miles. It charges in 3.5 hours at 220 volts.
“As a company, we have always been about strength and freedom and power,” Matthew Levatich, Harley-Davidson’s president and chief operating officer, said on the former El Toro airstrip. “So it’s really a question of ‘why not?’ instead of ‘why?’ This isn’t some sort of ploy for us. This is real.”
It’s a pretty big bet by the 110-year-old company who’s built a reputation on power and rebel attitude because this bike is not loud, but quiet. It doesn’t sound like the prototypical Harley—or a “fighter jet landing on an aircraft carrier” as Harley puts it. But the whirring noise of Harley’s electric is in special jarring contrast to the well-known sound of its engines — They won a well-publicized legal action protecting the “potato potato” sound of its Vtwin engine as a design feature and brand element.
Electric technology in the motorcycle world has not kept up with automobiles for several reasons. Motorcycle manufacturers are not required by federal agencies, as carmakers are, to produce a certain number of electric vehicles or to maintain an increasingly low average miles per gallon rate. Also, a motorcycle frame cannot accommodate massive battery packs as easily as a car chassis.
There are well-regarded electric bikes on the road now. Ashland, Oregon-based Brammo has leading-edge electrics, but it’s not gaining market share.
Electric motorcycle industry leader, Santa Cruz-based Zero Motorcycles, produces and sells only a few thousand units a year of its S and SR street bikes.
San Francisco’s Mission Motor Co. bikes can go zero to 60 in three seconds with a top speed of 140 mph-plus. They’re pricey starting at $32K.
An electric motorcycle made by Lightning set a new record at last year’s Pikes Peak mountain race, beating records set by gas-powered superbikes.
BMW is the only major that has an electric two-wheeler in production, a scooter called C Evolution, but not yet available in the U.S.
The big four Japanese bike makers, Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Suzuki — are believed to be deep into research and development. Electricity might be something every motorcycle manufacturer will have to investigate –just like every automobile manufacturer.
What’s a little interesting is how the company plans to expose LiveWire and see if it will be accepted. They’ve made a number of prototypes to be released around the world starting with New York City Monday, 23 June.
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hyundai-kia is greenest automaker in u.s. detroit big three continue to excel in least-fuel- effiecient. via china.org.cn [RK]
A Memorial Day Weekend tradition, started by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2004, an avid biker himself, Lake Shore Drive is closed for cyclists. From 5:30a to 10:15a you can ride north to Bryn Mawr then go south to the Museum of Science and Industry as many times as you want, a loop of 30 miles. This is a fun(d)-raising event costing $62 dollars. But with online registration already closed on the morning of the event, and an expected 20,000 riders, getting a free pass is not too strictly enforced.
[ bike the drive 2014 ] [ chicago peddles bike-friendly image: blair kamin ]
Chrysler’s “imported from Detroit” car, the 200, has been redesigned. Parts were inspired by the American design of Charles Eames lounger and Airstream, according to the designers, Brandon Faurote/Head of Chrysler Brand Design and Jon Gaudreau/Design Manager, Chrysler Interiors. The common idea: use bare material as structure, not decoration.
can cars and bikes ever get along? an excerpt looking at america’s conflict over bicycles. via forbes [RK]
robotaxis replace public transit.. in favor of faster, better and cheaper mobility-on-demand services fulfilled by driverless cars. via forbes [RK]
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