Russ Roca has posted a great review of the Bilenky cargo bike on his Bike Commuters site. After 300 miles of test riding, he says the Bilenky is better than the Xtracycle or LongJohn cargo bikes.

The most efficient land vehicle goes well with spring.

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Straight out of the heart of Copenhagen, comes the Triobike, an innovative cargo bike, that can transform itself into a regular bike and a stroller. It’s no surprise that this bike comes form Copenhagen — the city is filled with urban bikers. With the Triobike, you can transport your kids to school in the cargo bike, then, instead of riding the cargo bike around all day you just pull out a front wheel from under the cargo bay, put it on the front forks. You can then ride a regular bike or use the cargo section as a stroller. (more…)

^{eZee’s Torq II electric bike.}

We recently published a story about Schwinn’s new electric bikes, but a reader alerted us to the fact that the new Schwinn bikes may have some reliability issues, according to the comprehensive electric bike review site A to B Magazine. Here’s their electric bike review page, where bikes are rated on a five star scale. Unfortunately, all of their 5 star bikes are only available in Europe. One brand that got a 4 star rating is the eZee electric bike range from South Africa, and these bikes are available in the U.S.

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Schwinn’s new range of electric bikes are finally available. These innovative bikes have electric motors and batteries integrated seamlessly into their design. Schwinn claims that the four pound Protanium® lithium polymer battery included with these bikes is the lightest and most durable on the market. One charge will last 40-60 miles. The battery also charges faster than those found on most electric bikes — they become fully charged in less than four hours. (more…)

We came across an electric bike we hadn’t seen before: the Liberty Stealth Climber Mountain Bike. Sold by Liberty Bikes in Pennslyvania, this bike has a 450 watt 36V motor and it’s powered by a lithium-ion battery. Electric-assist is engaged with a throttle, and motor will get you up to 18 mph. If you want to go faster than this, you can provide further pedal power using the 6 speed gears.

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The Strida was designed from the ground up to be a very low-maintenance folding bike. It weighs 19-22 pounds and folds down in about ten seconds. Once folded, you can wheel it around (instead of having to carry it like most folding bikes). This makes it easy to bring the bike on trains or into the office. In place of a conventional bike chain, the bike has a simple cogged band to turn the wheels. There’s no grease is involved.

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Bike sharing is an optimal method of transportation. American cities and universities, eager for greener solutions to urban congestion, are rushing to set up bicycle-sharing programs similar to those launched in Europe in recent years. Washington DC will likely be the first in the nation to offer two-wheeled transport at various locations for a nominal fee, under a deal with advertising giant Clear Channel Outdoor. (more…)

Scheduled for release in early 2008, the iZip Express is an electric bike that will operate without a throttle. Instead, the bike has a special torque sensor that applies power as the rider requires it. Basically, the harder you pedal, the more the motor assists you. Test drivers have said that this automatic drive system is one of the most intuitive they’ve tried. The bike is said to have a 70+ mile range. (more…)

Brammo Motorsports, a company based in Oregon, will be debut their Enertia Bike at the EVS-23 Show in Anaheim California (it’s an electric vehicle show). The Enertia Bike was designed from the ground up to be a fully electric bike. It has a top speed of 50 mph, range of 45 miles, and can fully recharge via a standard plug in 3 hours. It weighs just 275 pounds, and uses a direct-chain drive for power. Over the fold is a video of the bike in action: (more…)

^{The Go-One Velomobile}

A velomobile is a “bicycle car”, or more officially, a human-powered vehicle, enclosed for protection from weather and collisions. Most people regard them as eccentric vehicles, and usually assume there’s a motor hidden inside the protective shell. Anyone who rides a velomobile attracts a lot of attention — most riders devote at least 10 minutes of their day to answering questions from curious on-lookers. Some owners even finance their vehicles by putting advertisement on the sides of their bike. Velomobiles, however, might be highly efficient vehicles, with a few additions. (more…)

Utility bikes or “work bikes” are very efficient vehicles for transporting cargo (and children too). They are quite popular in bike-friendly places like Amsterdam, Copenhagen and China. Bikes can tow a remarkable amount of weight. Loads in excess of 880 pounds (400 kilograms) have been hauled behind bikes along flat surfaces. Generally though, 300 pounds (140 kilograms) is considered the upper threshold for hauling. Full-sized refrigerators or couches that won’t fit in a car can comfortably be pulled behind a bicycle with the right kind of trailer.

Let’s take a look at the various types of bike trailers and utility bikes available:

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This is a new bike from Kona, called the Ute, to be released in 2008. With a cargo rack as part of its design, it will be one of the few bikes designed with the commuter in mind. The bike also comes with two grocery-style pannier bags that include a raincover. You can also opt to get a four bag version. The plastic deck on the rear is machined from 100% post consumer recycled material. The design is similar to the Xtracycle bike extender. Via Bike Hugger

CleverCycles has opened a store in Portland, Oregon. This store specializes in selling bikes that can serve as replacements for cars. They offer Dutch cargo bikes (bakfietsen), city bikes, folding bikes and the Stokemonkey electric assist for Xtracycles (which we featured previously here). Clevercycle says their bikes “feature passenger and cargo capacity, plain-clothes comfort, all-weather readiness, and low maintenance”. They are one of the few companies importing the practical Dutch bakfietsen cargo bikes.

The On the Level: Car Free Blog has an interesting first-hand account of the bike-friendly city of Groningen in the Netherlands. According to the report, 57% of all trips are made by bicycle in this student town. The city has just completed a new underground bike park at their railway station. The post continues:

The station now has room for more than 4000 bicycles, all of them monitored 24 hours a day and many of them valet parked. There is bike repair, rental, and sales, and the facility is linked to other bike stations through a membership scheme. Cycling in Groningen, and indeed much of the Netherlands, is just the norm. By prioritizing cycle traffic over cars, the Dutch engineers have managed to balance the roadway’s playing field and allow a blossoming of bicycle transport as a practical network useable by just about everyone. The city planners in Groningen have been able to achieve this through what they call a system that is “continuous and integral.”

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This bike is an Electra Ghostrider modified to add an Xtracycle FreeRadical on the back. We featured the Xtracycle previously here. Found via Bike Rubbish. Sweet ride.

Folding bikes have all the efficiencies of normal bikes but they can also be folded and stored in cars, buses, trains and even carried on air flights.

A recent review by Consumer Reports gave top rating to the Brompton C3-E. It was the lightest bike tested and it sells for $675. It is easy to fold, and it folds up so the chain is inside, not on the outside where you can rub against it. In the less expensive range, Consumer Reports named the Dahon Speed D7 a Best Buy. It was the heaviest bike of those reviewed, but it had the lightest price at $380.

One of the least expensive folding bikes is the Citizen 6 Speed bike, which weighs 35 pounds, and is selling for $174 right now. A very similar bike is the 6 Speed Folding Bike, which weighs in at 23 pounds and is selling for $169.

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Besides the wheel the invention of the chain is probably what made the modern bicycle possible but ironically it’s also the bike’s biggest downside. The chain usually needs a lot of maintenance and care to keep it functioning properly and of course there’s always the risk of pant legs or loose shoelaces getting caught. If the Dekra D-Drive (Direct-Drive) system works as well as they claim it does we could be seeing the end of the bike chain as we know it.

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Citrus degreasers are powerful and much safer to use than traditional petroleum-based solvents like gasoline or kerosene. Citrus solvents are non-flammable and 100% biodegradeable. They are also strongly aromatic — so use them in a well-ventilated area or your house will smell like oranges! Best if used on metal parts like chains, bearings and some components.

More non-toxic bike cleaning supplies can be found at Pedro’s. Washing soda can also be used as a degreaser.

Available from: Bradford Bike

The LIKEaBIKE is a unique toy vehicle for children between the ages of two and five. It’s a learning bike with no pedals — children can push themselves along with their feet. It allows them to gain the confidence and coordination to ride a real bike. It can be used indoors and out. With its inflated tires, it can be used for trips off the beaten track. A rear-wheel mudguard catches dirt.

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