The quest to reinvent bicycling

[Mantadiver]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2013/10/24/the-quest-to-reinvent-bicycling/

[bobco85]

I found the keyless U-lock to be interesting, but the bicymple part is just messing with my head (I recommend watching the video for it).

Here’s a picture from the bicymple website to show what I mean:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]3932[/ATTACH]

I mean, just look at it, it’s so weird! It bothers me that the wheels are so close together with nothing connecting them except the top bars.

It made me think of those cars that can turn all of their wheels 90 degrees to parallel park. I’d love to see the tricks people could do with it!

[PotomacCyclist]

I’ve sometimes thought about having sturdy locking devices at bike parking stations, so that cyclists wouldn’t need to haul around heavy U-locks. The specifics could vary, but it would involve something like a U-lock or something even sturdier. The locking device could be built into the parking or as part of the overall package.

The “key” would be a variable combination. I’ve seen this already at gym lockers. You press a button to enter a combination of your choosing. Then lock up the bike. Then use that same combination to unlock the bike. The variability of the codes would make it more difficult for someone to sit around and try to figure out the combination, because it would change with each use. The fact that the lock remains in place means that it could be more durable and heavier than a typical U-lock. The cyclist won’t need to carry it, so weight isn’t an important consideration.

The problems with the idea? There are a few that I can think of. It would rely on a power source, perhaps solar/battery or electric grid. If the power gets cut off, then the locks might be off-line too. The electronic component would make the locks more expensive than typical locks. The locks would also make bike parking more expensive to build and maintain than standard bike parking. The property owner or the local government would bear those greater costs. This could be a deterrent for widespread adoption.

But if those issues could be solved, it would be nice to have these heavy-duty in-place locking devices. Just as long as people remembered their temporary codes.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this at a bike parking area?

[mstone]

@bobco85 67417 wrote:

Here’s a picture from the bicymple website to show what I mean:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]3932[/ATTACH]

Because the helmets and bike clothes aren’t dorky enough?

[dasgeh]

@PotomacCyclist 67430 wrote:

I’ve sometimes thought about having sturdy locking devices at bike parking stations, so that cyclists wouldn’t need to haul around heavy U-locks. The specifics could vary, but it would involve something like a U-lock or something even sturdier. The locking device could be built into the parking or as part of the overall package.

This is a cool idea. It could be a simple post with a solar panel and a heavy duty chain permanently attached to the post at one end, and with an attachment at the other that plugs into the post and is released with a code. You could charge people 25c to use it. And cyclists would keep quarters handy just like motorists.

[jrenaut]

@dasgeh 67439 wrote:

And cyclists would keep quarters handy just like motorists.

NO NO NO NO NO. I refuse to allow you to do anything that encourages anyone to ever pay for anything with change. Change should be outlawed.

[mstone]

@PotomacCyclist 67430 wrote:

I’ve sometimes thought about having sturdy locking devices at bike parking stations, so that cyclists wouldn’t need to haul around heavy U-locks. The specifics could vary, but it would involve something like a U-lock or something even sturdier. The locking device could be built into the parking or as part of the overall package.

They used to have these bike-clamps at some of the metro stations: you’d put the bike in, then swing it shut and lock it with a regular locker-type lock which was (IIRC) shielded to prevent it from being pryed or bludgeoned. Almost never saw anyone using them.

You’d need this system to be fairly pervasive to eliminate the need for people to carry a lock, or even to be familiar enough with it to use it. In the meantime, you’d have a fairly expensive system rotting from disuse, and a fairly high opportunity cost.

In terms of technical implementation, the power requirement is so low that you could have some kind of human-based charging system integrated. (E.g., turn a dial or somesuch.) If you’re spending this kind of scratch on the bike parking, might as well roof it and make it vertical.

[GB]

@PotomacCyclist 67430 wrote:

The problems with the idea? There are a few that I can think of. It would rely on a power source, perhaps solar/battery or electric grid. If the power gets cut off, then the locks might be off-line too. The electronic component would make the locks more expensive than typical locks. The locks would also make bike parking more expensive to build and maintain than standard bike parking. The property owner or the local government would bear those greater costs. This could be a deterrent for widespread adoption.

But if those issues could be solved, it would be nice to have these heavy-duty in-place locking devices. Just as long as people remembered their temporary codes.

You can have a purely mechanical variable combination lock, so that takes care of all electricity related problems. https://kryptonite.zendesk.com/entries/21298956-Resetting-Your-Resettable-Combination-Lock

Cyclist could/should pay for the use of locks, maybe $0.25 per use, just like other lockers.

My guess is that bicycle theft isn’t a big enough problem to warrant this type of investment.

[consularrider]

@jrenaut 67441 wrote:

NO NO NO NO NO. I refuse to allow you to do anything that encourages anyone to ever pay for anything with change. Change should be outlawed.

Ok, dollar coins then. :p

[PotomacCyclist]

Perhaps the in-place locks could be concentrated at Metro stations and downtown D.C. We know from CaBi stats that many people bike-commute to downtown each morning.

Anyway, I don’t see a good way to make money from the idea, so I hope that maybe an organization (Metro, private landowners in downtown D.C./Arlington) might think about working with it and improve on the details, to offer side benefits to potential customers/tenants. I’m not an engineer, so I wouldn’t be the best person to work on mechanical/structural details.

[PotomacCyclist]

@dasgeh 67439 wrote:

This is a cool idea. It could be a simple post with a solar panel and a heavy duty chain permanently attached to the post at one end, and with an attachment at the other that plugs into the post and is released with a code. You could charge people 25c to use it. And cyclists would keep quarters handy just like motorists.

What are these “quarters” you speak of?

[Greenbelt]

@jrenaut 67441 wrote:

NO NO NO NO NO. I refuse to allow you to do anything that encourages anyone to ever pay for anything with change. Change should be outlawed.

Cyclists carrying change in pockets is a definite no-no — too much added weight. Cyclists must leave all coins in the Take a Penny tray.

Dollar bills are fine, can be used for improvised tire repair.

[bobco85]

@mstone 67437 wrote:

Because the helmets and bike clothes aren’t dorky enough?

Well, I am a dork (at least according to my family), so I did think the clothes and helmet the guy was wearing in the video were cool

[Author]

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