News Archives - 2013

Flat-pack Sandwichbike – the bicycle IKEA would make

Making bicycles from wood is nothing new. In 1790, the timber-built Celerifere might have done without pedals, or even steering, but it represented cutting edge bike technology of its day nonetheless. Nowadays the use of wood, bamboo and even cardboard as a primary building material for bicycles is the preserve of low-volume, but highly creative makers. According to bicycle makers…

New bus has cinema screen bodywork

Buses are a major part of every modern city’s iconography, but rarely are they considered visually appealing. Tad Orlowski has designed a concept bus that uses technology to transform the appearance of city landscapes for the better. Both sides of the Willie bus are made of transparent LCD screens. The most likely application for the giant screens would of course…

Free-skiing in Detroit’s ghost districts

Film reveals the abandoned urban landscapes of Detroit re-purposed as a playground for ‘urban skiing’ Detroit has become a somewhat stark icon of decline in the post-credit crunch world. Once the powerhouse of the American auto industry and a booming manufacturing centre, the city had to file for bankruptcy this year. However, if necessity is the mother of invention, it…

Concept bike embodies ‘clean as you go’ policy

A new award-winning concept bike cleans the surrounding air for its rider and his or her fellow citizens Aside from boosting their local economy, raising property prices and enhancing the public image of their surroundings, cyclists could soon add another claim to the already impressive list of benefits their activity has not just on themselves, but on the places and…

Boris Bike conquers Ventoux

An intrepid British cyclist has ridden a Boris Bike to the top of Mont Ventoux in southern France and returned it to its docking station – all within 24 hours. Rob Holden summed up the endeavour, which he and his support team undertook in aid of Macmillan Cancer, as follows: “Setting off from London a shade before 4.00 AM on a chilly Saturday…