Reader photo of the week: DIY bamboo bike parking
Posted by Elly Blue (Columnist) on July 29th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Reader Tomas Quinones and a friend made this bike rack out of bamboo, rope, and used bike tubes. (Photo by Flickr user TomasCoSauce in the BikePortland Photographers pool)
Figuring out a secure, upright place for people to keep their bikes after riding to an event, restaurant, park, or even a private backyard barbecue is becoming an everyday challenge as more and more people ride bikes everywhere they go. Solutions range from on-street bike corrals to portable event bike parking to valet parking to DIY solutions like the handmade bamboo racks in this picture.
Love this stuff? Check out our coverage of bike parking issues over the years.
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Too bad somebody can't invent a little portable stand that you could attach to your bike, maybe somewhere around the chainstays, that you could maneuver up (perhaps with your foot) for when you're riding, and maneuver down when you want to park.
Anybody?
RecommendedSome sort of stand that you could kick up and down? I just can't see it working.
Recommendedand just what would this 'stand' be called?!?
RecommendedGet real. A stand like you describe is about as likely as mounting sacks on a bike for carrying stuff. Engineeringly unpossible.
RecommendedI'm an engineer, and this is indeed impossible. Almost in the realm of that silly idea of 'horseless carriages.'
RecommendedPlus the mere act of kicking is so violent, so not what cycling is about. This whole idea saddens me. So much nicer to reach down with one's hand and gently swing the johnson (until it has a name, I'll call it the johnson) into place. I hear that's how the Dutch do it.
RecommendedReading these posts is like listening to a beautiful symphony... well done.
RecommendedWhy don't they just train their chickens to hold their bikes up?
RecommendedChickens? 6 year olds do it much better. Plus it teaches valuable standing still experience.
RecommendedActually, Mike and Davidio, one of our guys is currently developing a dual-level, A-frame bamboo structure that will allow both chickens and 6-year-olds (or either!) to share in the task of holding up the bikes, thus eliminating the need for the bamboo bike rack shown in the photo altogether. There are design compromises, as with all dual-user/dual-use applications, particularly in light of the size differential and feed requirements. Any thoughts appreciated.
RecommendedSorry, this comment is not so witty. Where do y'all get the energy on these hot days?
Portland Tri uses bamboo bike racks.
http://www.portlandtri.com/results/black.php?img=/results/2008/images/transition_smile.jpg
I believe these are their own design. Pretty cool (but a lot of work to assemble, I would imagine).
RecommendedYou're right, that one was just overreaching. Will try less hard. The thing is, I DON'T have energy anymore after this heat, hence the fairly witless ramblings. Now, back to the bamboo...
RecommendedThere is a great website about building a bamboo bike. Thought you all might be interested.
http://bamboobike.wordpress.com/
Recommended