Bikes are better than cars most of the time…
Ok, I like my bikes now but there was a time when I didn’t even consider..no, wait, I still did ride my bike a lot when I lived In Toronto. The only problem was that I sweat a little too much on the way to work in the morning.(whatever wicking clothing now helps that too!)
Anyway, there are a lot of really cool looking bikes out there now and bike culture has come to a place where building your own bike is seen as a very cool thing to do. As a designer I really don’t concern myself too much with the technical aspects of biking. I mean, if you squeeze the brake lever and you stop then it works. You don’t have to have the a super light, ergo fit..(blah, bah, blah, blah..insert boring, expensive parts and tedious conversational tidbits here) parts to have a good looking bike. However, you might want to be careful telling a “gearhead” that you just want matching parts.
The other great things about bikes is that once you buy them you really don’t have to spend that much money for upkeep or for things like gas. Plus, if you actually ride your bike you get in better shape and feel better about your health. The intangibles are that you may find yourself feeling a little more in tune with your surroundings when you ride. You hear conversations. You can nod/wave at other bikers and feel like you are colleagues..sort of …sometimes…and if you are like me and you despise the idea of wearing a helmet…then you might have to do things like ride on the sidewalk a lot and accept a few tickets here and there depending on your local bylaws. I find that wearing a hat also helps you sneak by the police without getting ticketed most of the time.( but I am not encouraging you…) I ride on the sidewalk a lot because I know that drivers have numerous reasons not to care about my safety.(sorry walkers!)
Lastly, there is the most important reason of all…Reverse Road Rage! In most urban and some suburban traffic jams a bike can get there faster than a car so you feel even better for getting to where you are going because deep inside you know you got there faster than someone in a car.
Over the next few months I will be throwing in pictures of new, funky bike designs so stay tuned and get out and ride!
Steven Saldebus is a clothing designer/entrepreneur currently exploring the use of recycled and sustainable materials for use in fashion.
This blog about trying to live a smarter, more progressive life while absorbed in consumer culture.
Enjoy