Our Urban Odyssey » bicycles

Watch out WaHI, I’m starting a Schwinn Bike Club

Nova — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 02:06:41 +0000

What’s a Nova to do. Can’t drive a car. Can’t ride a motorcycle… Live in the North Pole of Manhattan and it’s tricky to move around….

I’ll start a Schwinn Bike Club.

I’ve seen one old school PR blessing the streets with his pimped out tricycle so I know there are some people up here who’ll understand. Perhaps I can start an on-2 cult up here if I blast salsa from its trunk.

Perhaps I am delirious from the first days of Spring and I’ve been sniffing too many Easter Hyacinths. But it’s that or I join a motorcycle gang.

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Good urban planning

Nova — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:23:15 +0000

Bike Parking in Inwood, Dyckman Street, NYC 2009

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Cekis, Afro-Punk Festival 2009

Nova — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:02:53 +0000

Afro-Punk Festival, Brooklyn, NYC, art by Cekis

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More smart urban planning

Nova — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:31:18 +0000

Bike Rental Station in parking lot, Syracuse, Sicily

Another example of good urban planning. In the city of Syracuse, Sicily, there are bike rental stations in places like parking lots and town squares near the cafes. No attendant needed, just use it like a vending machine. That way, when you’re done sitting on your butt for 3 hours driving to Syracuse you can pedal to the café for a pistachio gelato with brioche, espresso, cannoli, eclair (insert additional foodie obsessions here to add to list) and then pedal back, burning off your meal. Really smart, guys.

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Urban Planning with Style

Nova — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:25:45 +0000

Speaking of stilettos, this is urban planning done right. If you want to have cool things like bike racks, water fountains, garbage cans, etc- useful things that take up public space-make it art! Make it a statement of its surroundings. So if you are going to put in a bike rack in front of Bergdorf Goodman (probably in this case for all the delivery guys bringing lunch to the NY version of “Are you Being Served?” crew), then why not make it in the shape of a stiletto?

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Strip job

Nova — Thu, 28 May 2009 23:22:31 +0000

Ever wonder the story behind those bike skeletons you see locked to various poles throughout the city? Sometimes it’s just one wheel missing and you think, okay, someone wanted a wheel… Sometimes it’s two, and you think, okay, they wanted a pair… then you start seeing parts missing that sort of make you cringe because it’s like complete organ snatching–thieves not just after your wallet for a buck, but your PARTS. So how does this happen? Little by little because a bike is abandoned, like picking meat off a chicken bone? Or one swift strip job? And do the owners just forget their bike was there, or see the skeleton and forgo a burial? I just wonder. You?

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