The sweet spot

Jeffrey the Barak cocks a thoughtful eye at the ebikes trend, surveying low-end transportation systems “From a One Foot Hop to E-Bikes” at the-vu, asserting that there is room for all of ’em (even if I resent having to post about e-scooters, simply because of a lack of other news in the two-wheels-and-a-handlebar world).

The sweetest reading for me, though, comes when he reveals his own favorite:

Personally I just have to look at a bike with a chain and gears and it spontaneously breaks and has to be carried to a repair shop. These diabolical chain and gear systems are one of the main reasons I love the simple yet inefficient kick scooter so much.

Read it all here … and do yourself a favor and bookmark the-vu while you’re at it.

Swifty in America

Kent and the Swifty in front of G and O Family Cyclery in Greenwood. Photo by Madi Carlson.

Long-time cyclist Kent Peterson has imported a Swifty scooter to the Seattle area. Kent, who recently and enthusiastically discovered the KickPed, has upped his game to the point of buying a Swifty scooter. While he’s learning about it, here’s a collection of pictures he’s taken of the immigrant. More will follow at Kent’s ‘blog.

Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try

Hamilton’s Campbell Buckingham, 6, had his Poppa Stuart Cottam, 69, with him for Saturday’s unofficial world record mass kick scooter parade attempt on New Plymouth’s Coastal Walkway. (ANDY JACKSON/Fairfax NZ)

From the Taranaki Daily News (New Zealand):

An unofficial world record breaking kick scooter attempt has fallen short, but no one seemed to be that concerned.

More than 489 scooter riders needed to muster at New Plymouth’s Te Rewa Rewa bridge and scoot to 3.2 kilometres to East End Reserve on Saturday for the city to break its own Guinness Book of Records record for the world largest kick scooter parade.

It didn’t quite get there but organisers weren’t too worried with the unofficial attempt falling short, saying it was still a good way to have a fun and celebrate how more and more kids choose to get to school.

Not bad … for an electric

What we have here is a 40 lbs electric scooter with a 10-15 mile range that neatly folds to fit in the back of a MINI.

People – and consumers, MINI hopes – do love scooters. Here’s a concept electric designed to fit in the trunk of a BMW MINI. At 40 pounds, when the juice runs out (not if), it should be pretty easy to kick.

MINI is a transportation company. They solve transportation problems in smart and stylish ways that hold true to the MINI brand. And in this case that doesn’t necessarily mean an automotive solution. Today MINI takes the wraps off of the MINI Citysurfer, a product designed to solve transportation needs of urban dwellers in the most space and fuel efficient way possible while holding true to the kind of fun we expect with MINI products.

And then there’s the Scooter-SportPed … more about that here.

OT: Google this!

https://twitter.com/randazzoj/status/411843398958845952

Okay, I don’t have THAT much time on my hands

‘What device, vehicle, object, etc would you like to see powered by a cordless drill and how would you do it?’

If you’ve ever had a hankering to fit a Milwaukee M28 Right Angle Drill to a footbike for a motor (and who hasn’t?), here’s how to do it.