MOBILITY / THE BICYCLE

1. Historically, the creation and acceptance of the bicycle fits into an odd gap in history where technological
advances seem to have jumped immediately from horse and foot propelled transport to the automobile as
standard means of A-B mobility, leaving bicycling to fill a roll as not much more than a recreational activity.
HORSE IN CAR

2. Now, as we approach this era where the automobile and the combustion engine are coming quickly to a
near obsolete state, many are looking toward alternate modes of accessible transportation. Here, the bicycle
fills a niche beyond recreation, where it shines through with its design simplicity, adaptability, affordability, and is
fossil fuel free, allowing a freedom that a fuel reliance may restrict.
MAD MAX

3. After pushing the limits of technology with automobiles, we are beginning to realize how unsustainable this
model is, and how inaccessible it may be to rural areas that cannot afford an extensive infrastructure to support
it, including roads, fuel stations, trained mechanics and parts availability.
BIKER PINK BIKE

4. One indicator of the bicycles growth of popularity in a first world society that favors the shiny and new and
gadgety is the amount of current design competitions that are revolving around new and innovative bicycle
designs, asking designers to adapt the bicycle to beyond a recreational use and provide it with an alternate
function to help it blend with a functional lifestyle.
BIKE DESIGN PHOTOS

5. This is a blaring sign of how our transportation infrastructure is evolving to incorporate the bicycle in a much
more thorough manner. This should not be considered a step backward technologically speaking, but a step
forward in increasing the complexity and versatility of our transportation systems thinking.
COMMUTING

6. It's also interesting to note that out of the bicycle's near 200 year history it has only been within the last 30
that it has been adapted for all terrain riding (or mountain biking), which interestingly enough still comes from a
recreational birth. The first commercially produced mountain bike was unveiled as currently as 1981. This is an
interesting indicator of how the bicycle is only now coming into its own as a vehicle that can be easily adapted
or interpreted for a plethora of different transportation uses.
TANDEM + PHOTO

7. On the more realistic side of this innovation, we only have to look mere blocks away, where we discover
evidence of this versatility here in Portland itself (not too surprising), where our less fortunate homeless brethren
are beginning to be recognized for their exploitation of the bicycle as a major factor in their mobility. We see
how their innovation is allowing them to be capable of moving themselves and their belongings to where they
need to be, and are capable of having transportation around the city, which might otherwise be difficult even
with Portland's outstanding public transportation.
HOMELESS BIKE 1

8. Some Portland officials see this as "a great empowerment tool, [which] gives access to work, doesn’t cost
much to operate, and provides movement and exercise.” The strategy is easy, keep the cost down and the
effectiveness high, and you have a formula for great success
HOMELESS BIKES

9. This line of thinking begets the phrase "homeless not bikeless," which is indicative of the real value of a
bicycle in being able to endow a person with simple resources that go a long way. The best 'bang for the buck'
to put it coarsely. We are starting to see this thinking being recognized by the infrastructure itself, for example
the many free bike repair installations that more than occasionally poke their head up around town, some even
providing their services specifically for the two-wheeling homeless, as much as the standard commuter.
REPAIR BIKES 2
10. Exploring globally, we see this trend of the bike as a resource blossoming wherever the need for
transportation exists and is not thoroughly met through the use of the automobile or public transportation. In
emerging economies where the combustion engine is simply unaffordable or impractical the bicycle is a main
transportation resource
BIKE GRIDLOCK

11. This trend is established in not only rural areas where the infrastructure cannot support automobiles in the
first place, but is flourishing in urban areas where the infrastructure cannot support the VAST number of
automobiles whose gridlock traffic may cripple the transportation system. In these urban areas it is seen as a
means to bypass the crowded streets and move from A-B quicker and more efficiently than if in a vehicle.
CAR GRIDLOCK

12. In an urban setting, we see the bicycle as a model of systems efficiency, where the most adept way of
navigating a crowded city setting requires not only speed but also the dexterity and flexibility that a bike
provides. We've already seen how bike messengers and many metropolii are the extreme model of this speed
and efficiency combination; but what if the entire city was equipped with the same tools, and did not have to
rely on the crawling system of taxis, buses and rail systems?

13. The bicycle seems to answer this question, demonstrating the fact that it is the most efficient machine for
transportation, and that it can also take the rider wherever they desire, door front to door front instead of just
getting within a couple of blocks as the public transportation system may dictate.
URBAN

14. "Transport and development go hand-in-hand. Virtually everything traded, must be transported, and almost
everyone needs wheels to get to work or school. Simple, affordable transport generates wealth ..., as well as
saving lots of time and back-breaking work." This idea, when considered in the context of developing economy
can only lead to the bicycle as the answer. Nowhere else is there a mode of transportation that embodies the
simplicity and functionality necessary to be affordable and effective.
CARGO 2

15. In rural areas we see the bicycle as a means of necessary transport including moving goods to the market
and even people to the hospital. Where the infrastructure for vehicles cannot be supported because there are
no resources to maintain them, we see how the bicycle shines through in connecting people to locations that
would otherwise be inaccessible because of distance.
BICYCLE AMBULANCE

16. It’s easy to see how in these rural areas the bicycle is a tool for everyday use, where it is a workhorse that
eases the burden of necessary daily rituals for those isolated from infrastructure. We see the bicycle as a
grocery getter, water fetcher and even child carrier. Providing the household caretaker with this tool ensures a
reduction in the burden of the everyday, and we see an increase in the quality of life where the benefit of extra
time encourages everything from education to leisure.
RURAL

17. One of the most encouraging benefits of the bicycle in the cultural setting is the aforementioned 'sense of
empowerment.' In many rural areas especially, we see that the role of women is still undergoing a drastic
change, not always positively. We see though, that in some cases the bicycle becomes not only a tool, but a
symbol of freedom and liberation for women in cultures where they have previously been subdued by lack of
access to transportation. The bicycle, not only historically but even currently is providing women the ability
"develop autonomous power, [and] do so while leaving behind the old reliance upon men for travel."
CULTURALLY / LIBERATION

18. The most amazing thing about the bicycle though, is its universality; the fact that its most basic design is
nearly impossible to improve on. When considering the efficiency of A-B transport with the minimal energy used
for the bicycle’s production and continued operation, there is no comparison. However, when examining the
possibilities for further development of this design to cater to a more specific need, it seems the prospects are
endless.
BICYCLE DIAGRAM
19. As with the nature of task-specific automobiles in our societies, we see the development of bicycles
following suit. The simplicity of the mechanical design of a bicycle allows for most anyone with a technical grasp
to envision alterations of their machine that fill any specific functional role for their need, be it transport of cargo
or fellow persons, efficiency for the paved road or the rough terrain, or merely the transference of personality
into the bike's aesthetic.
INNOVATION

20. In this way, we can conclude by saying that the bicycle is one of the most pure examples genuine design
thinking. This tool, which is synonymous in nearly every culture where it is found, is key to innovative solutions
thinking, and will be part of the integral restructuring of future resource systems where the use of fossil fuels is
no longer possible.
INNOVATION 2 / pure need

IMAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.bakfiets-en-meer.nl/2008/03/14/the-coolest-tall-bike-ive-seen-yet/

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/06/homemade_tallbike.html

http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/12/stories/2008021259810600.htm

http://www.recreationalequipmentadvice.com/electric-bikes-and-mopeds/64-china-on-the-forefront-of-e-bike-
revolution/

http://www.kval.com/news/82848977.html

http://www.enzymepdx.com/2010/homeless-not-bikeless-in-portland/2/

http://bikeportland.org/photos/tags/bikehomes/photo/144570205/random-bike-homes.html

http://www.nj.com/warrenreporter/index.ssf/2008/09/mountain_biking_takes_center_s.html

http://sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/repack_revisited.htm

http://www.theindycog.com/labels/Commuter%20Checks.html
http://bikecart.pedalpeople.com/namibia/

http://www.bikeswithoutborders.org/bikeforafrica/press.html

http://norsaac.org/Projects.html