The week’s top bike news from around the world, brought to you every Wednesday.
Local news
Velo-city wraps up
Last week bike advocates and infrastructure experts from around the world gathered in Adelaide for the Velo-city Global conference. Hear what key speakers former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, Janette Sadik-Khan, and Copenhagen’s urban mobility expert, Mikael Colville-Anderson, had to say about the future of bike planning, and read Bicycle Network CEO, Craig Richard’s, report on the proceedings.
Time to go our separate ways
With separated bike lanes stirring up controversy in Adelaide and Sydney, Fairfax media ‘On Your Bike’ blogger Michael O’Reilly makes the case for why these lanes are a win for all Australian road users.
Gen Y on a roll
For Mellenials, the bike boom isn’t just a passing craze; it’s a choice for life. Adelaide 20-somethings explain why they love life on two wheels.
International news
Parisians paid to ride to work
In a new six-month experiment to improve health and reduce fossil fuel consumption, 20 Paris-based companies are offering to pay their combined 10,000 employees €0.25 for every kilometre they ride.
US study gives thumbs up to separated bike lanes
A new major study, the first of its kind in the US, has looked at the use and perceptions of separated bikes lanes in five US cities. Previously, urban planners have relied and bike advocacy groups have relied on studies largely conducted in European cities where bike culture is widespread and well-established. This new study from Portland State University’s National Institute of Transportation and Communities (NITC) not only looked at how the lanes were used and perceived in America, it was also incredibly thorough. Researchers gathered 204 hours of video footage of 16,000 riders using the lanes and surveyed 2,301 residents who lived near the lanes and 1,111 riders who used the lanes. The findings were positive. “This has never been done on this scale—having five cities and a number of different sites being done at the same time,” NITC spokesman Justin Carinci said. “The number of hours of video review is unprecedented. But the perceptions piece is really the most definitive of it: This is a big enough sample that we could say for each of the (projects), people feel safe riding them. People say we should have more of them.”
Top lock?
Felix Ure, a product design undergraduate at Nottingham Trent University, believes he has created the world’s toughest bike lock. His design uses high strength Kevlar being wound through two case-hardened chains and wrapped in nylon. It’s impervious to bolt cutters and angle grinders and wraps neatly around your bike’s top tube when not in use. Ure is currently sourcing funding to produce his lock via Kickstarter.
Health
Inactivity heightens women’s heart risk
A study from the University of Queensland has found that inactivity is the biggest heart disease risk factor for Australian women over 30. According to Professor Wendy Brown, of the Centre for Research on Exercise, Physical Activity and Health at UQ’s School of Human Movement Studies, “If all over-30s followed recommended exercise guidelines—150 minutes of moderately intense physical activity per week—the lives of more than 2,600 middle-aged and older women could be saved each year in Australia alone.”
Video
MacAskill’s done it again
Danny MacAskill, the Scottish trails rider famous for his whimsical-yet-mind-blowing videos, has truly outdone himself, bringing new and playful life to the abandoned city of Epecuén, Argentina.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiF5HHkHvX0]
Upcoming events
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7 June | Bicycle Queensland Bicycle Maintenance Workshop | Brisbane, QLD |
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8 June | World Environment Day Bike Ride | Bokarina, QLD |
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Hi – in the June mag, you reviewed the Whyte Strawberry Hill bike, however, it doesn’t seem to be easily available in Australia. Any suggestions for the Melbourne area?
Hi Fay, Fitzroy Revolution (just off Brunswick St in Fitzroy) should be able to help.
Thanks I will give them a go.
Regards, FAy