bemoreeco

One of Boris Johnson’s missions as Mayor of London is to get more people out of their cars and on to their bike. Howeve, last Friday, London Mayor, Boris Johnson, was it a near miss accident with a Lorry while out cycling in London. 

If you the above  watches CCTV footage of the mayor’s last outing on his own bicycle is likely to be put off for life. During the morning Johnson headed out in London with transport minister Lord Adonis and Kulveer Ranger, his director of transport, to look at potential sites for new cycle “super highways”. The routes are part of his plan for a “cycling revolution” in the capital. Round a corner peddled the mayor and the minister, enjoying the ride, until a large lorry overtook them.

In what is being described as the mayor’s “near-death experience”, the lorry’s back door then suddenly flew open, dragged a parked car into the street and smashed into another – just feet from Johnson, Adonis and Ranger.

A CCTV camera which caught the drama obscures the cyclists during the collision until 30 seconds later a figure that is unmistakably Johnson emerges, helmet in hand, scratching his head and lucky to be alive.

An aide to the mayor said: “It was pretty awful. They were shaken up and Boris was shocked. But it makes the case even more for his super highways.”

Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are testing a new electric wheel hub that features a wireless, remote control throttle that works by Bluetooth technology. The secret to the GreenWheel electric motor is that it is little larger than a bicycle’s standard hub and as a result can be fitted to the rear wheel of almost any standard bicycle.

Unlike other ‘retro fit’ electric bicycle motors, the GreenWheel has no wiring to fit – the throttle, which attaches to the handlebars, uses the same Bluetooth technology used in many mobile phones in order to control the electric motor.

Eco-friendly motoring

The GreenWheel is designed to deliver 25 miles of pedal-free riding, and this can be extended to 50 if the rider does some of the pedalling. The battery is intended to last for 40,000 miles. The battery can be charged by pedalling, or by plugging the wheel into a mains electrical supply for 15 minutes.

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “Electrically-assisted bicycle make sense for those who are unable or unwilling to ride convent bikes, but the key to their success lies in them becoming more affordable.”

The GreenWheel electric motor is currently undergoing testing and no retail price has been announced.

Source: ETA

Winter is coming and we have been told that this weekend the weather is going to be wet. We all know that cycling and an eco activity and therefore should not keep it as a summer fun activity. Each day my colleagues and I cycle to work and now winter in creeping in the thought does worry us. 

To help us with these seasonal concerns our friends at New Consumer have written up a guide to winter cycling. Hopefully these will help you continue to use your bike over the coming months.

Start from the top

Having a cold head is one of the worst things about winter – especially if you cycle. Make sure you wrap up well with a special hat. If you want waterproof protection then think about getting a helmet cover. They protect you from the rain, and most are windproof with reflective strips for added visibility.

Keeping warm

The importance of a good baselayer when cycling in the winter is often underestimated. With temperatures reaching as low as -3c, coupled with strong wind-chills, a good quality baselayer will provide you with thermal protection from the elements. As they are usually stretchy, wearing one doesn’t restrict your movements and the majority of them have moisture wicking properties – as well as being anti-bacterial and odour resistant. 

Keeping your fingers warm is almost as important as a baselayer. Most cycle-junkies know the value of a good set of gloves – without them your hands can go numb, ache like crazy and your fingers can freeze – making braking reaction slower. 

Stay dry

Rain has to be the nemesis of the cyclist (well… rain and lorries). It’s just miserable. Overshoes are a good idea if you’re going to be cycling in the rain – they’ll keep your feet dry, your shoes protected AND they provide added grip, without restricting your movements.

Match those with a good set of waterproofs and you’ll be well-protected from the elements. It has to be said that when it comes to waterproofs you really get what you pay for, so it’s worth saving up a bit. 

Waterproofs should protect you from the worst of the weather, but with rain comes mud. Mud guards are pretty essential if you’re going to be cycling through the winter.

Be seen

In the winter months the hours of daylight shorten dramatically. This means that if you cycle to work, you will no doubt leave home in darkness and arrive in the same way. Making yourself known to traffic is essential to your overall safety, so make sure you arm yourself with some sort of reflective clothing.

In the hours of darkness, good lights are essential. If you haven’t got a decent set yet, make sure you invest in some. It’s illegal to cycle without them, and good quality ones could save your life.

Well I hope that these hints will encourage you to main this eco activity.  Take care.

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If you do not have bike insurance and would like to purchase a policy <click here>.

Does your bike have a puncture? Do you need to replace the gripshift cable? Do you know to shift your gears? Well instead of driving or taking the bus to work, visit The Bicycle Tutor and learn how to fix any feasible problem with your bike. The website features tons of great advice for fixing problems and most of it comes with a video, step-by-step, tutorial.

Here are a few of the more popular videos:

This is an amazing idea. As part of Design21’s competition to improve the cycling experience with design accessories or add-on’s for existing bikes, Matthew Boyko and Christina Ng came up with the Bloom Device to ‘Peddle Green’. The concept involves mixing seedlings with soap which creates carrier bubbles. When in motion the air pushes these seed-carrying bubbles into the air.

Similar to the tuft of a dandelion as the wind carries the seedling, we propose a way of dispersing seedlings with bubbles and bicycling. Seeds are co-mingled with a bubble mixture and upon pedaling to your destination , you release the floating seeds.

Although this idea did not win the competition, it has gained a lot of publicity via venture capitalist, Guy Kawasaki’s blog. Interestingly, the inventors suggest the best use of this would be in urban, rather than rural areas. As noted in the comments of Guy’s blog, this is likely to cause problems. However, in a rural environment this could prove an especially clever idea.

The winner of the competition was Ben Decherd’s brilliant portable power back, a pack charged by cycling which can be used to power a range of essential devices, most especially in disaster-struck areas. Second place went to the UK’s own Joe Wentworth’s retrofit handlebars.

The big news of the week is Bristol becoming the UK’s first Cycling City. Bristol has been awarded £100m to double the number of people cycling in the city. As reported in The Guardian:

Chief among the recipients is Bristol, which saw off competition from Manchester and Leicester to be named the country’s first “cycling city”. The city council, in partnership with neighbouring South Gloucestershire council, won the bid promising Britain’s first Paris-style on-street bike rental network, the offer of free bikes to people in deprived communities, state-of-the-art shower and locker facilities in the city centre, dedicated commuter “cycle ways” linking the suburbs and the centre, and an ambitious expansion in training for schoolchildren. It will match its £11.4m grant with the same amount from the two councils and their partners over the next 30 months.

It’s certainly an ambitious plan with a lot of promise. Will it be successful? Doubling the number of cyclists is not going to be issue and it requires committed activists to see the plan through the politics of running a city. Be sure to also read the Guardian’s Environmental Editor’s take on the decision: