Tag: London

Recyclebank Offers Reward for Biking and Walking

It shouldn’t have to come to this, rewarding people for biking and walking – since better fitness should be the reward itself, but Recyclebank, a company that already rewards people for taking everyday green actions with discounts and deals from local and national businesses, announced last week a partnership with Transport for London to develop a program to reward people for cycling and walking in London.

This program incentivizes people to cycle or walk in the British Capital to help reduce pollution, ease congestion and boost fitness among Londoners. Members will collect points for every journey they make by bike or on foot; these points will be redeemable for a growing range of offers and discounts from Recyclebank reward partners.

This rewards program is another example of many initiatives that the Mayor of London and TfL have taken to build and improve public paths and parks, and the many other initiatives that make up the city’s bicycle rental program, launched in 2010.

“Walking and cycling are the healthiest and greenest ways to travel and we are truly inspired by the excellent work TfL has done to encourage people to make greener transportation choices in London. We are excited to partner with TfL and look forward to motivating Londoners to take greener actions,” said Jonathan Hsu, CEO of Recyclebank. “Our hope is that this program becomes something that other cities can emulate to reduce their environmental footprint, realizing the collective impact of individual green actions.”

The program is being delivered at no cost to TfL and will be free to join for anyone who cycles or walks in London. We think it is a good way to get people to make that first step – and hopefully many to follow.

Recyclebank Official Website

Olympic Velodrome Completed and Green

Let the games begin! That’s the feeling we’re getting right now as it has been announced that the site of the 2012 London Olympics track bike racing events has been completed.

The Hopkins Architects-designed arena can seat about 6000, and is the last of four permanent venues in the London Olympic Park to be completed. It is however the first to be completed on time and on budget. The sinuous velodrome was also reportedly inspired by the lightweight and streamlined bikes that do the loops inside. It features a track with western red cedar timber as the main cladding, while the roof collects rain water, which can be resued and recycled. The curved cable net structure is also designed to reflect sun, and thus reduce the need for air conditioning. Continue reading Olympic Velodrome Completed and Green

London 2012 Cycling Road Race to End at Buckingham Palace

Back in 2007 the Tour de France started things off in London – sort of a “Tale of Two Cities” theme going on – with the prolog as well as the first stage heading from the Mall. Now the Mall will be center stage again for cycling as start of the men’s and women’s 2012 Olympic cycling road race, which see the finish in front of Buckingham Palace.

 Our friends at BikeRadar.com reported this week that the riders will likely be a figure-eight course that will take them out of London to the southwest and then back to the city. The reported men’s race will cover 265km, whilst the women’s race will be over 140km. The mostly flat terrain around London, and especially the final stretch, will prove to make a day for the sprinters, suggesting that Mark Cavendish could feel like a king for a day as he goes for the gold.

 [Via BikeRadar.com: London 2012 Olympics road race route details emerge]

Red Bull Brings Out Mini Velodrome in London

 

Energy drink maker Red Bull packs a big punch in a small can, and maybe size does matter. To that end the drink maker has created the world’s smallest velodrome in London’s East End. This purpose-built track was created by Velotrack, the team behind the velodromes for the Atlanta Olympics and Delhi Commonwealth Games.

It is so small it could almost fit in the average America back yard… but we think we’ll keep to the road for now.

Red Bull Mini Drome Offiial Site

Snow Won’t Stop the Bond Bike

While mountain bikes can handle reasonable amounts the white stuff, usually deep snow means it is time to hit the rollers or exercise bike instead. Two wheels and thick packed snow just don’t mix. But the British Environmental Transport Association (ETA) might have an alternate solution with a special bike kit that utilizes a caterpillar track-driven snow bike.

BikeRadar.com reported that the bike, which was designed as a proof of concept device for the Cycle Show 2010 in London, actually found use following the recent snow fall in Britain last week. The concept converts any existing 26-inch mountain bike (hard tail or full suspension) into a snow bike by replacing the front wheel with a single ski and using a rubber track setup with the rear wheel. This solution allows the rider to retain the use of the gears and rear brake. Super villain and Bond girl not included.

[Via BikeRadar: Taking the ‘Bond bike’ for a spin in the snow]

No Lasers for London Olympics

Lasers in use in the Youth Olympic Games

Sorry sci-fi fans there won’t be lasers at the 2012 London Olympics after all. This past August it had been announced that laser pistols – seriously laser pistols – would be used in the modern pentathlon. The event, which is actually a cross discipline sport, includes pistol shooting, épée fencing, 200 m freestyle swimming, show jumping  and a 3km cross-country race. The event was first held at the 1912 Olympic Games, but it was conceived of by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games.

The idea behind the modern pentathlon was to simulate the experience of a 19th century cavalry soldier (and officer at that); someone who could ride a horse, fight with a pistol and sword and be able to swim and run. For the 2012 games the organizers had looked to add a bit of the future into the mix by using laser pistols for the shooting events.

However, these shouldn’t be confused with the Star Wars style blaster weapons, but rather have are much more likely laser pointers – so sorry also to anyone who hoped light sabers would eventually be used in the fencing. The lasers will still be used for the junior competitions, which are more reported to be more “environmentally friendly” that traditional pistols. The lasers were used this past August at the Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore.

So clearly it is just a matter of time unlike the Olympics gets lasers, but we’re glad they won’t be used in London. It would be like if James Bond used a laser – which he did in the film Moonraker and look how that turned out.

[Via Inside the Games: Modern pentathlon drops laser gun plan for London 2012]

London Introduces High Tech Bicycles for Rent

The Barclays Cycle Hire Bicycle

Plan on visiting London any time soon and you might not have to hail a black taxi cab to get around; instead you might be able to rent – or “hire” as they say in the British capital – a bike instead. The city, which is also in the process of installing new bicycle friendly lanes, has introduced 6,000 new high tech bikes for people for to use.

As part of a system that went live last week, users can register online for a year’s membership or pay an access fee for the week or day – ranging from £45 for a year to £1 for a day. After accessing a bike the rental costs are a tad high too, with an hourly rate of £1, and if you keep the bike for more than 24 hours you’ll get hit with a £50 fee. That’s probably too hefty a cost for most commuters, and some have asked why regular riders wouldn’t prefer to buy their own bike. Jon Snow, a presenter for “Channel 4 News” and also presidents of the National Cyclists’ Organization further offered a first-hand opinion of the bikes for The Financial Times, noting that the bikes are a bit heavy, especially compared to his own titanium ride. Continue reading London Introduces High Tech Bicycles for Rent

London Opens Blue Bike Superhighways

If you’ve ever visited London you know that the Brits like to paint clear directions on their streets – as in “Look Right” for those who are about to cross the road. No doubt that is done because they drive on the opposite/wrong side of the street (depending on your perspective), and it probably wouldn’t be good to have the black taxicabs run down American tourists. But this summer London has introduced another type of painted marker – and this one is a lot more than just merely “look” plastered on the ground. London now has cycle superhighways, with the first two being opened this year, and to keep riders safe the routes are marked out in bright blue paint.

Continue reading London Opens Blue Bike Superhighways

Bike Lock Not Needed For Bendable Bike

Serious cyclists often talk about how rigid their bike frame is, and often times a bike that is too “flexy” is considered a bad thing. Likewise, the serious cyclist also knows that the best lock is not leaving he bike locked up. So it is interesting to consider a new design from Kevin Scott, 21, a De Montfort University graduate who has created a very revolutionary folding bicycle.

Scott’s design means a bike that is both rigid whilst riding, but can actually be folding to wrap around lampposts when you need to run into a shop or otherwise stop. Obviously this bike isn’t meant for racing, or probably even serious training, but as a commuter ride it’s a great Scott of an idea. The bike utilizes a ratchet system built into the frame, which allows it to wrap around a pole, something that can come in handy in cities that lack adequate bike racks. A locking mechanism is built into the frame as well, which means one less thing to carry.

The bendable bike is currently on display at the New Designers Show at the Business Design Centre in Islington in North London, where Scott hopes to attract investors. Given that more than 52 bikes are stolen daily in London, we hope Scott’s invention gets a backer.

[Via The Daily Mail: The incredible ‘bendy bicycle': British designer, 21, invents a bike you can FOLD around a lamp post]