I think that biking is quite the craze these days and maybe its always been if you live in Amsterdam! My hope is that here in America we get closer to that mode of transportation in the coming years and it somehow gets more accessible for everyone. The funny thing about it is that I see more people bicycling as a sport and very few using it as a mode of transportation, just seems a bit silly me... why not bike to work? bike to the store? bike to the beach? bike to the gym? instead people walk/drive to the gym get on a bike and cycle inside for a few hours... drive their car to work, hurry home and get on their bike gear and ride for a few hours... why not just keep it simple and bike as a mode of transportation?
I know it wouldn't seem so, but New York City is very bike friendly... the 'thought' of it sometimes seems scary but when you are actually 'in' the traffic you can almost feel how the traffic is moving and very rarely is it moving faster than you are on your bike! Then there are the West Side Highway paths... wonderful! When we lived in New York we went everywhere on our bikes, but at that time it was very easy, we lived Downtown (way.. down, by Wall Street) and on the weekends it would totally clear out, it was strictly a 9-5 Monday - Friday area, and otherwise it was a ghost town, and we LOVED it, we biked everywhere!
Living here in Rhode Island it's nice and flat, perfect biking territory! We bike to the beach, our oldest son who is 7 years old now, he loves riding down to the beach. People say that we are crazy because cars drive on that road, but I think the cars can see us, I can see them we can both watch out for each other and heck the kids can't just bike in the driveway all day long! My son thinks it's really exciting and he knows that he can only do it when we are with him, we all love it! ...Now, this is the year that I am going to start biking to work!
I work with a company called Areaware, they are the ones that bring us Salvor, coming soon are wonderful Kuma bears, and some fine other little things. They have been instrumental in bringing some great bikes to reality here in the USA and I love them! Some of them are pictured here, and if you are interested you can actually buy them (for a pretty large chunk of change) right here at Nonchalant Mom (you'll have to send me an email I don't stock them!), but if you want to be the most styling cyclist on the block then perhaps this is just up your alley!
IF Mode Designed by Mark Sanders - IF Mode avoids oily chains, complex tubes with hidden dirt traps, and the clutter of traditional bike features. Meant for city commuters rather than bicycle warriors, it looks at home folded up on a subway or in an office, like other well designed accessories in your life. It also performs on the street like any lightweight, well-balanced full size bike. (32 lbs. and retails for: $2,250)
The Strida - also designed by Mark Sanders is the first completely new bicycle geometry in 95 years. Inside a triangular frame of lightweight aluminum, power is transferred to the rear wheel via a silent clean Kevlar belt. Handlebars are mounted horizontally so the rider can sit comfortably upright with an excellent view of the road. The genius of the triangular frame is that it can quickly fold. In five seconds, you have a light, compact form that you can easily wheel, stow in a closet, load in your car or take on the train. (22 lbs. and retails for: $800)
MOOF - This is probably the bike that I would like to have! Designed in Amsterdam by Sjoerd Smit, MOOF’s unique aluminum construction houses two solar powered lamps for dual visibility. This single speed sleek and smooth urban cruiser is both smart and conscientious. (28.5 lbs and retails for: $600)Like I said you can buy all of these bikes from Nonchalant Mom if this is what you really need/want (ha!) or just go for that version that's sitting on someones lawn for $20 at the garage sale... any way you put it... Have fun and get on your bike!!!
