We like the idea of electric bicycles and, apparently, the world does too. We've known that electric bicycles have become extremely popular in China but new numbers reveal they're really starting to catch on in Western countries too. In America, for example, where we have rising fuel costs and an aging population, sales almost doubled to reach 10,000 in 2007. Though they say it's partly because of an increased line-up, Amazon.com is reporting a whopping 6,000 percent increase this summer from a year ago.

In Europe, where bicycle culture has traditionally been pretty strong, demand for battery-powered rides is also on the rise. France matched America's pace in 2007 with 10,000. And while sales in Germany reached 60,000 last year, they expect to double that number this year. As you might imagine, the Netherlands had no problem representin' with 89,000 in 2007 and will likely reach 121,000 by the end of this year.

If you're in the market for a new light-weight ride you'll find a wide range of manufacturers out there with varying quality. The cheapest bikes use lead-acid batteries and you can pick them up for a few hundred bucks. Lithium ion batteries are finding their way into more bikes and, although they might be more expensive (from $1,500 to ridiculous), they offer lighter weight and longer ranges. Happy trails.

[Source: Business Week]

SpongyWonder bicycle seat

Some of us guys who use a bicycle to commute to school or work expect to reap the benefits this kind of self-propelled transportation provides. We save money and don't pollute by going gas free. We get a bit of a cardio workout and reduce our need for expensive medical treatment later on. However, for some there are drawbacks to cycling that don't get mentioned much because it was thought nothing much could be done about it and besides that, there are some things guys just don't like to talk about.

For those of you who were afraid to ask there is good news to be had today. A new study informs us that no-nose bicycle seats can improve penile sensation and erectile function whilst decreasing "groin numbness" and perineal discomfort. No, really! The study was carried out over the span of a year using 90 cycling police officers from all over the country as guinea pigs and found that, well, no-nose bicycle seats rule! Of course, some complain that this type of seat also decreases control over your bike (and looks funny) but for transportation purposes they should function just fine. There are many different styles of noseless saddles out there so hit up the great Google and take a gander.

[Source: Science Daily]

Gilbert Tang is worried. In just over two months, he plans on flying to New York from Los Angeles just in order to get on a bike and make the return journey. The idea is to draw attention to the fact that "our bodies provide everything we need to go wherever we please." This might be true, but Tang admits that he's not exactly in tip-top shape and this attempt to ride 3,000+ miles across America could very well end in failure. As he wrote in an email to AutoblogGreen:

The purpose of the trip is to raise awareness for reduced fuel and energy consumption. I'm trying to prove that people of average means and physical (and mental, I guess) health can utilize alternative methods of transportation in their daily lives without significant compromise.

On his blog, Gilbert writes:

I want people to know it's possible, regardless of age, fitness level, or income to contribute to our collective need for inexpensive, but feasible alternative forms of transportation no matter where we live or work. This journey is how I will do it.

Sure, cross-country trips can attract attention, but there's nothing wrong with just using alternative methods of transportation in his daily life to prove the same point. In any case, we look forward to checking in on Gilbert's journey and we'll see how far his legs will take him.

[Source: Gilbert Rides Across America]

With Gasoline prices at record high levels, more drivers than ever are trying to unload their SUVs and get into vehicles that don't consume as much fuel. Some are moving to smaller more efficient cars, while others are hopping on public transit. Still others are opting for pedal power. Barry Dahl of Bismark ND seems to have picked a most opportune time to open his new bike shop. He sold more than fifty bikes in his first month in business. Bike shops all over the country are having record sales this year and even those who aren't buying new ones are getting their older bikes fixed up. Shops that have seen declining repair business for over a decade are seeing a big up-tick in business this spring. For those of you haven't ridden your bike to work yet this Friday may be a good time to start. The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Day on May 16. Depending on where you live, this may be the time to start. Fortunately here in the Ann Arbor area, we have lots of bike lanes and, for people who work in the downtown area, there are places to lock up your bike. Try it, you might like it.

[Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune]

Have you been wanting to celebrate National Bike Month in fine style this May but are lacking the necessary bicycle part of the equation? Fret no more because OHM Cycles has just announced their 2008 hybrid electric line-up of urban and sport bikes. Designed to help you get up those steep hills and ride farther, OHM harnesses lithium ion batteries from Moli Energy and a microprocessor-equipped brushless DC BionX motor with a command console that allows you to choose between four "power modes" and four "regenerative modes." You can get assistance going up inclines and get some charge back on the way down. Built on an aluminum frame, the weight is kept down to a manageable 48 to 53 pounds, depending on the model. Sounds pretty nifty to us. Prices aren't mentioned but if you contact any of these stores we are sure they'll fill you in. For other details check out the press release after the jump.

I don't know why, but Cerevellum plans to make a rear view video camera with video monitor for bikes. Bikes have no blind spots because, well, it's a bike, so the bicycle rear view monitor only saves you from turning your head and body slightly. If tipping you head or glancing down at the monitor on the handle bar is too much trouble, there is also a head mounted display unit. Only prototypes of the system exist but production version is expected to have GPS, measure your heart and cost $200. Would you buy it?

Related:

• TomTom Rider, GPS for bikes

[Source: Engadget]

There is a United Nations climate conference in Bali with 10,000 delegates from 178 countries working on the international agreement that will replace the Kyoto Protocol. You might think the delegates are getting around in stretch limos before they go to the beach, but it turns out there are green transport options at the conference. Reuters reports there is a bike share program with 200 bikes, 120 shuttle buses carrying everyone around and a car ban. I did spot a Prius in the CNN video of the conference below the fold, though. The CNN announcer in the video also noticed that transporting thousands of delegates from all over the world did not help the climate. Teleconference or e-mail might be a better option next time.

The eleven-day conference is already showing results with promises expected from Australia and even China. America? Not so much. Bush has said America won't sign any international agreements on climate but the U.S. will probably sign an internal pact on ethanol with China days before the UN conference finishes. I am sure the timing of the China-ethanol deal coinciding with the UN news was not planned as a way to distract from the embarrassment of the US being the only industrial nation in the world to reject Kyoto. *cough*

[Source: Reuters]

Riding a bike to work is a great way of avoiding the hassles of traffic, parking and high gas prices. Unfortunately it can bring along its own problems. You need a place to stash your bike, and there is of course the issue of getting chain grease on your pants. British designer Mark Sanders has designed a new type of bicycle with a triangular frame that breaks down in only six seconds. The pedal power is transferred to the rear via kevlar belt instead of the typical metal chain. The belt means no grease and the fold-up design makes it easy to store. The Strida isn't cheap, with two models available at $499 and $799. The more expensive one is a little lighter and uses disk brakes in place of drums.

[Source: Strida, via GizMag]

We've all heard that flying is safer than driving, right? That doesn't mean people aren't afraid to fly, but on a purely statistical level, people who are should be more frightened about getting into a passenger car. But what about biking? A 1993 study has been revived by Grist (and I caught wind of it on Treehugger) that shows that biking fits between flying and passenger cars in terms of fatalities per million hours activity. You can see the entire list at either of the two links above, but for our purposes, we'll note the following:

On-road motorcycling 8.8
Living (all causes of death) 1.5
Passenger cars 0.5
Bicycling 0.3
Flying (scheduled domestic airlines) 0.2

The reason Grist uses these numbers is that, while outdated, they're apparently the only ones that can be found in a peer-reviewed journal. I'm sure bike clubs around the world would like to have more recent statistics, but for now we'll settle for authenticity over currency. I highly recommend the Grist article, as it gets into all sorts of reasons why biking is so good for us and the planet, and it points out that the U.S. still has a long way to go to make biking safer.

[Source: Grist, Treehugger]

And you'd think walking would be free.

Thanks to years of poor planning and an increasingly lazy (sorry, "busy") population, the U.S. federal government, through the Department of Transportation, is spending $612 million for a program called Safe Routes to School in about 20 states. This program sets out to "help build sidewalks, post traffic signs and find ways to make it easier for students to bike or walk to school."

While I like the result - parents and children biking to school together, kids tromping together in a little pack called a "walking bus" - it speaks volumes that we need to spend so much money to provide communities with sidewalks so it's safe for small children to walk to school. The AP's article on this program says that only 15 percent of kids "travel to school under their own power," so there's certainly a lot of improvement that's possible. While school buses make sense for kids who live far away from school, it's simply common sense to have kids in town get a little exercise at the start and end of each school day. Nobody tell Chris Goodall.

[Source: Daniel Yee, Associated Press]

I stumbled upon this rather gratifying article on Wired, and thought you might like to see it too. It's apparently become "hip" to ride a bike in many large metropolitan areas. Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco and London are all burgeoning bike markets, to the point where each of these cities and more have their own bikes named after them. According to the article, it's the simple single-speed bike that is becoming the most popular. I can totally understand why, with no gears to change and adjust, the appeal is in their simplicity. Sure, it might be nice to go down to the granny gear for that particularly steep hill near your favorite hangout, but you can always get off and push if need be. And, you'll probably get in good enough shape in a little while that you won't need to.

"My friends in Boston were getting into these bikes, and it was just sort of appealing to me. It's like there's nothing to worry about, and they're just a blast to ride," says Matt McDonald, in the article. That they are, Matt!

Related:

• San Francisco looking at bike sharing, through Clear Channel

[Source: Wired Cars 2.0 Blog]

Now this is something that you don't see every day! It looks like this bike has lost a front wheel, but it met up with a shopping cart, so everything's OK. Those extra wheels make this bike a five-wheeler, which is also a new one to me. The idea is that you could ride this machine to the grocery store, detach it for your shopping needs, reattach it and ride back home. Obviously, you would never need to use shopping bags in this scenario. Unless it's raining out - that could be bad.

I feel the need to add here that there are many bike trailers which would really be able to do the same thing, and probably be much easier to ride. But, this option certainly is an attention-getter!

[Source: Reuben Miller]

There is absolutely no good reason for me to get an Ergo Bike Premium 8i. It would be just too embarrassing! I am not nearly good enough a rider to consider challenging anybody with any real skill. I like to ride for fun, though. If you consider riding a stationary bike too boring, but need or want the exercise, maybe you should consider one of these for yourself. This stationary cycle allows you to socially network yourself with other people who enjoy bike riding and who might be a tad competitive. Using an internet connection, people with the Ergo bike can stage rides together, watch their heart rates and breathing statistics and do it all on virtual versions of the world's best rides. Using VoIP connections and video, riders can interact with each other to give support or to talk a little smack.

Alternatively, the bike records how many watts your are putting out, so if you ever decided that you'd like to make your own electricity, well... now you can see just how impractical it may be. Unless you are in really, really good shape that is. In a very real sense, your mileage may vary.

[Source: CNET News]

The bicycle has long been one of the simplest and most efficient modes of transportation around. There are countless numbers of variations to the same theme: pedaling with your legs and steering with your arms. For instance, there is the recumbant bike, the tandem bike, the mountain bike and many more. And they all serve an excellent purpose; imagine Lance Armstrong riding down the side of a mountain with the same bike he rode during that French tour he was so enamored with. But, one thing remains constant with all of these bike designs: the rider faces forward. Well, all of them except this one.

Is it just me or does this look completely unnatural? Most of the designs shown on the website have two-wheel steering, which might allow for additional maneuverability in tight places. According to Michael Killian, the bike's designer, "The original bicycle has been around for 200 years. Don't you think it is time for a change?"

Eh, maybe. If you don't like bikes, there is always the sideways scooter. For now, I'll just stick with my 200 year-old design. Follow the break for a video of the machine in action.

[Source: Sideways Bike]

Step One: Admitting you have a problem. Okay, I am a geek. Are you happy now? But, I am a reformed, eco-friendly green geek, so I suppose I am doing all right. I always try to stay up to date with the latest technologies, and tiny portable computers using solar power is right up my alley. Being that I also love riding my bicycle, it is with great interest that I am following the progress of Steve Paine from Bonn, Germany.

"Solar-UMPC.com is a blog covering the topic of powering ultra-mobile and ultra-efficient personal computers through solar and natural energy sources. Follow the blog to find out about related topics and my Solar UMPC tour which I have planned. I'll be taking a UMPC, a solar panel and a bike to south Germany and cycling down the Rhein for 7 days blogging and working only using the power of the sun! "

This is a trip that sounds absolutely awesome! I am totally jealous, I must say. So, I'll just have to enviously keep following Steve's progress as he pedals his way down the river. Fortunately, the technology that he is taking with him is allowing the rest of us to come along for the ride.

[Source: Solar UMPC Blog]