going dutch, part II

photo by: Flowizm In the early 1800s, the first two-wheelers—velocipedes—were made to order since they had no chain mechanism or pedals and were quite simply wheels powered by the ‘rider’ walking.

Over time, chains and gears were added to increase torque and speed—exponentially increasing a peddle-pusher’s power.

Two hundred years later, in collaboration with Republic—who has city biking down to a science—we’re proud to introduce the 3-speed abuelo and abuela bikes, which is Spanish for grandfather and grandmother.

Inspired by traditional Dutch omafiets, with an upright and relaxed ride, they’re practical and a pleasant mix of old and new. Starting with sturdy hi-ten frames, including Shimano gears and brakes, a lobster red seat and bell—safety and sexy!—and wide yellow Kenda tires which are helpful to balance at lower speeds and even more so when cargo is secured over the rear tire.

Abuela, or ‘hers’, includes guards to keep skirts from getting caught in the chains or spokes and a front rack to keep baskets raised off the tire. For all the bells and whistles, stop in a local CB2 for a spin.

abuelo, or ‘his’ abuela, or ‘hers’

going dutch, part I

Every April we visit Milan for the annual Salone Fair and we come home with a year’s worth of inspiration. From via Montenapoleone to the da Vinci Museum, bicycles made a big impression since they carpeted the urban landscape.

Throughout our ten day visit—thanks to Eyjafjallajökull—we took hundreds of photos of all the bikes we saw wherever we went, and we made note of the details from the front to the rear tires and from the handlebars to the pedals. But it started with….

the milan/city rentals… and rentals in zona tortona… from the tires…and wheel covers… charming handlebars, bells… and baskets… comfortable…and well-worn seats… wheel covers… to keep skirts from getting caught in the spokes… to stowage… over the rear tire.

We loved all of it. So what did we do when we got home? Find out tomorrow, right here.

10 essentials: bike to work week

What: Bike to Work Week
When: June 12-18
Where: Chicago
Who: hundreds of corporate teams and thousands of participants expected

1.  Safety first! A tune-up is imperative.  Making sure your bike is in excellent working order improves the overall function and can greatly reduce the risk of injury.

2. Carry a flat tire repair kit—and a cell phone in case reinforcements need calling.

3.  Change into work clothes when you arrive but wear thoughtful—and safe!—attire such as: a helmut, mud clothes, rain gear, a fluorescent vest/jacket or reflective strips.

5.  A roomy messenger bag or bike basket for toting work essentials, lunch, rain attire, and some extra space for purchases on your bike ride home.

4.  During those hot days or even on days when it is spitting rain it is a great idea to pack a rayon bamboo hand towel in your bag.  Wiping down with the towel during your cool down at your destination in a great way to freshen up and put a “crazy check” on that helmet hair.

6.  A secure bike rack and lock to lock your bike to without worry while working your shift.

7.  Every street conscious biker should have easy access to their bike bell.

8.  Safety lights on the front and back of your bicycle are highly recommended and in some cities required by law.

9.  The w.r.d. bottle.  Filling your bottle with filtered tap water at home and cooling overnight in the refrigerator is a great way to keep refreshing water at bay during your commute.  The reusable bottle also eliminates the use of plastic water bottles further helping the environment.

10.  The recycled bike is a fun desktop reminder of your mission—and it supports a great cause.

Use a calculator at the end of the week to add up those dollars you saved by biking instead of taking public transportation or a personal vehicle.  You can also find a carbon calculator on-line and add up the number of pounds of carbon that you saved the Earth!

Thanks to seth, lincoln park sales, for this submission.

watch: bicycles

For all ten days we spent in Milan for the international furniture fair, one didn’t go by without Marta suggesting we rent bicycles to get around.

In this ancient, modern and fashionable city, it comes as no surprise that these words aptly describe the hundreds of bikes we saw.

Vintage styles with straw baskets, newer ones with electronic gadgets to measure every kilometer, and stylish? Each projected the personality of the rider be they young, old, or too little to reach the pedals.
We’re looking forward to bike to work week in Chicago June 12-19th, in the meantime we’re wondering…if CB2 were a bike, what kind of bike would it be?

what goes around

Traffic as we know it is a mix of motorcycles, cars, trucks and buses. In India, it’s all that and more including tractors, camel drawn carts, auto rickshaws, pedestrians and sacred animals.

Here bicycles are a vital tool to fulfill ones’ livelihood—an elemental, low-tech solution to a myriad of needs. Literally thousands of bikes share the road with  all of the above transporting workers to work, foods to markets, or materials and goods to factories.

It was inspirational to see bicycles transporting recyclables and a sistern to collect rain water. The mindset of the culture is amazingly resourceful so just about everything gets reused—or used sparingly.

Some of these very bicycle tires have been selected and repurposed as spoke mirrors for CB2. Each is one of a kind and the iconic engineering mixes great with old or new interiors.