E – Bicycles on Transit Vehicles

It is all about increasing cycling traffic. For each obstacle or perceived obstacle that is removed from the thinking process of potential cyclists, the greater will be the penetration of the potential cycling market.  The greater will be the daily cycling traffic.

For some, the ordinary bicycle, no matter the design, will not do for reasons that may range from personal energy levels to personal preferences.  E-bicycles reduce some of these obstacles for not cycling for part of the potential cycling market, the customers.

Electrically-Assisted Bicycle
Vancouver BC
©Photograph by H-JEH Becker, 2013

When it comes to discussions on e-bicycles, we should be clear to all as to which type we are discussing:

Type 1 – The type that have normal bicycle frames and have an electric motor and battery attached.

Type 2 – The type that looks like mopeds and have pedals, which qualifies them as e-bicycles providing the maximum speed does not exceed 32 kph in North America.

Over the past few years, TransLink, the local transportation authority in Metro Vancouver, has been approached a few times for allowing the bicycle-framed type of electrical bicycles on transit vehicles. 

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Bike Share Systems Spreading into Small Cities

A bike share system is contemplated by this small northeastern US city. Sept. 2010. Photo by HJEH Becker

 Bike Share systems are springing up in cities around the world.  From the larger cities of Paris and London to smaller ones, people are picking up communal bicycles and cycling to their destinations.  All of a sudden people have more options.  Many more trips can be made without the use of a car.  Have a bag or some shopping with you?  No problem.  Just place it in the front carrier.  Have a young child with you?  No problem.  Just park it in the front carrier.  Have your girlfriend with you?  No problem.  Just place her in the front carrier and enjoy the trip talking with her.  Just remember to keep your attention on the road, not her.  For some, it is now more feasible to leave their cars at home and take transit most of the way and then cycle the rest.  For others, they can walk, do some shopping, grab a bicycle, and then cycle further on their journey.

Bike Share:  Redux of 1950’s Golf Clubs 
This begs the question if Bike Share of 2010 is the golf club phenomena in the 1950’s. Is it the thing to do? For a spectrum of the public, the social nuance of  

Small northeastern US city. Sept. 2010. Photo by HJEH Becker

membership is important and maybe these enthusiasts are the ones deserting golf clubrooms for urban city streets with their shared bikes. As Velib in Paris has shown, using Bike Share is a social, even chic thing.

Why are cities jumping on this bandwagon even when the economic case for viability of Bike Share is still being questioned? In fact, many are still questioning or are just unaware of the economic or social cases supporting Bike Share . Maybe it is more a modern day matter of “keeping up with the Joneses”.

Same U.S. city also equipped with bus bike racks. Sept. 2010. Photo by HJEH Becker

 Bike Share is truly not a cycling project.  It is more an extension of the transit system.  It is part of the linearity of trips.  No longer does one have to be tied to the routine of returning to a parked bike, or parked car if one is driving.  Now one can just move forward and mix modes of walking, transit, and cycling with ease and transparency.  Cycling can fill in very effectively the voids in transportation created with low-service level bus routes.  It can fill in the gaps past distances where walking is comfortable.

However, the question still begged to be addressed is why are small populous cities of 25,000 or 50,000 people wanting to get into Bike Share The answer may be varied from the vanities of an election platform to meeting some very specific,  tangible transportation or urban liveability opportunities.

Treed, New England style northeastern US small city. Sept. 2010. Photo by HJEH Becker

 A Modest Bike Share Project: Small Northeastern U.S. City
Just recently I had an opportunity to sit down with some community leaders from a downtown business association in a very small city and listen to their perspective on why they wanted Bike Share in their community.  This was densely treed, New England style attractive city with brownstoned homes and with less than 30,000 residents and about 45,000 visitors annually.  The city lays at the edge of a continental mountain range and is bounded by two wide, navigational rivers.  There is a college community of 2,600 students on top of the hill.  There is a vibrant bus system.  There is a car network that did not dissect the urban core.  Urban core streets are not over-car dependant.  There is much on-street parking.  The fall colours on the deciduous trees took over the vista at this time of the year.

These leaders had thought carefully about Bike Share for their community.  They recognized that the urban sprawl development model of North American cities, had come to its end.  They recognize that more and more people would realize that they personally had to make lifestyle changes.  It would be time to move back into the urban core.  These leaders want their city to be the leaders in this new movement of revitalizing their city into the model of the 21^st century for their valley and metro area.  They see Bike Share as part of this leadership.

In small northeastern US city. Sept. 2010. Photo by HJEH Becker

 These leaders had developed an understanding of their customer base and selected a segment for their first foray into Bike Share.  A strategy emerged with focusing on a customer segment and corridor where sufficient Bikes could be placed to create a mental image of an actively used system.  Bicycles would be very visible even to those who would be non-cognitive to moving objects about them.  Drivers would see the bike in motion.  They would be drawn to give cycling and Bike Share a try.  Usage demand would build the support for expansion within the city, the metro area, and the valley.

Today’s systems focus on a universal-type bicycle for a defined range of people but leave out other segments of a potential customer base for Bike Share.  For expansion of the customer base, bicycles design would be expanded as well and drift into specialized designs.  The Paris-style systems focus on daily turnover of bicycles.  For expanding the customer base in a small city, bicycle turnover performance expectations may be in a different direction.

Small northeastern US city downtown. Sept. 2010. Photo by HJEH Becker

 Creativity was recognized for funding a Bike Share system within a small community by using all available avenues.  User pricing would be dictated by the reality of the community.  Funding support from government and private sources supplemented by job support programs would contribute to the funding package.

The leaders recognized that the customers for Bike Share would be today’s drivers on the roads.  Since these drivers are not cycling today, it would take more than just giving them a bicycle to get them on the road.  Bike Share systems tend to be part of an overall program, not just providing bicycles to the populous at very little cost.  New users would also need to feel that the cycling environment is conducive to cycling.  Drivers would then be more receptive to the new way of this form of mobility with its perceived safer cycling environment, with its trip efficiency, with its close-by parking at destinations, with its focus on personal separation from cars, and with its higher visibility to others, especially through intersections.

With a supportive program, Bike Share would flourish and develop local bike rental business along with increased sales of bicycles and accessories in local stores.  Retailers, at their cash registers, would observe their clientele forgoing stylish hair for stylish helmets with striking colours and decals.  Scarcity of car parking would be replaced with bikes parked on sidewalks and with full bike racks in front of stores.

 

Over the last three years, Third Wave Cycling has been following the bike sharing evolution.

Further Reading: 
Partial list of bike share systems in large and small towns.

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Postal Cycling Workhorses: Door to Door Mail Delivery by Bike

Postal worker and her mail delivery bike. Strasbourg, France June 2010. Photo by HJEH Becker

 No, they were not quite like cavalier bike couriers zipping around cars, with a big mail delivery bag flung on their backs.  Instead, in several cities in Germany, France and Denmark, we saw every day postal workers delivering mail door to door on bikes.

Their bikes were a standard issue colour and model provided by their postal agency. The bikes did not have any fancy decals or tatoos  to individualize them.  The bike colours tended to be in the yellow-orange range.  Unlike bike couriers, whose pay is often driven by maximum

Postal mail delivery bike with its built-in small wheel bike stand for weight stability. Strasbourg, France June 2010. Photo by HJEH Becker

number of delivery points and packages in the least amount of time, these postal workers ambled along on bike.

Unlike bike couriers in North America, we saw several  postal workers  on bike who were at least in their third or fourth decade on the job.  They did not look stressed nor rushed. I knew someone whose son was a regular, somewhat stressed bike courier in Vancouver  for over 7 years –a long time for a bike courier. 

These European regular postal workers, did not carry any mail bags across their body.  All their mail weight was sensibly packed in panniers, front baskets and trailers.

A real deluxe postal delivery bike. Hamburg, Germany June 2010. Even had a front wheel electric motor for easier trips if necessary. Rear trailer can be detached and used as a pushcart. Photo by HJEH Becker

And what a range of bike models.  A favourite was the postal bike in Hamburg, Germany. A real Dom Perignon of the working bicycle world –expensive, durable and easy to flaunt.  Oh yes, there’s even an electric motor on the front wheel to make the trips more pleasant.

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Cycling to Airport Departure Gates

 At an airport of the future, after checking in and passing security, one grabs a small folding-style bicycle and enters highly visible bike lanes, which takes one quickly to the departure gate.  Before the hours of sedentary position in the aircraft, it is the last chance to work one’s cardiovascular system.

Airport security officer on his work bike, cycling slowly at walking speed. Trudeau Airport, Dorval (near Montreal) 2008. Photo by HJEH Becker

Why not?  A couple of years ago while I was sitting in the departure wing of the Montreal airport, a security officer was weaving his way through the crowd at “Schritttempo”  or translated from German, walking speed.

 So, why not carry this concept further?  Why do people need to take the 5, 10 or 15 minutes to get to their departure gate on foot?  Why not have the convenience of cycling to the gate?  Then, on arrival at the next airport and after that long period of bodily inactivity, an opportunity would be available to get the blood moving by cycling to the baggage area.

Frankfurt airport employee cycling on work bike to move around more efficiently on the job. Germany July 2010. Photo by HJEH Becker

 Now two years later as I was entering the Frankfurt Airport, there was a pool of folding bicycles by the entrance door.  Inside the terminal, airport and airline staff were cycling through the departure area and the gate wings on their bicycles, doing their duties.  This was not just a case of one staff person and a bicycle once in a while.  There was constant traffic. 

Now, let’s get the cycling activists involved.  First,  get some bike lanes defined on the aisles.  Then it will be time to get the airports of the future to refocus people movement to facilitate cycling including ramps between the floors.  Now, departure and arrival gates are set up so that incoming passengers can use the bicycles left at the gate by the outgoing

Airport employees on bike cycling to another work site. Frankfurt July 2010. Photo by HJEH Becker

 customers.  A bit of traffic management activity here.  Also, tricycles may be more the right vehicle rather than a bike.  This way, the one bag (ha ha) that one is allowed to carry on the airplane can be placed in the baggage tray at the back of the tricycle.  Now, maybe electric tricycles are in order for those who need assistance within the airport.

The next step, obviously, is  a bike share system usable by staff at the airport, as well as, the airline passengers.  Now, this could become a user pay system.  Then, once people see the advantage of using a bike share system.  The next step is to set up a premium bike reservation system so that a bike is waiting for you.

Sounds unreal?  Maybe it is or maybe these are next steps in using bicycles within commercial businesses.  What about having a tricycle with carrier in the back or a folding bike pulling a shopping trailer while negotiating the kilometres of highways within those colossal shopping super stores?

If this were to occur, what I would find funny is to cycle to the airport, fold the bike and place it into its bag, check it with the airlines, and then borrow someone else’s bike to get to the gate.

First cycling for fun, then shopping, then commuting to work, then to carry on a commercial activity at a place of doing business.  That is progress: expanding the usefulness of a marketable product.

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Health Benefits of Cycling: Exploratory Research for Other Illnesses

Facilitating Kinesia Paradoxica in Parkinson’s Disease
We know well, the cardiovascular and psychosocial benefits of frequent cycling.  However now there are recent medical research forays to examine cycling  and possible health effects for some other long-term disorders and diseases. 

Cycling in Saint Raymond du Port-Neuf, Quebec. 2009. Photo by J. Becker. Man was observed walking with his cane which he later stowed in his rear bike carrier before he cycled away.

 Recently the New York Times republished a remarkable video from the New England Journal of Medicine and an article about some  patients with Parkinson’s disease, who were able to ride a bicycle even though they had  difficulty standing or walking.  The video documents a Parkinson’s patient who rides his bicycle regularily for 10 miles. Yet the 58-year old man could barely stand or walk without trembling greatly and collapsing onto the ground.

Researchers posit a neurological coping mechanism in some Parkinson’s patients, “ kinesia paradoxica”, may be triggered “by the bicycle’s rotating pedals, which may act as an external pacing cue”. 

Cycling together. Saint Raymond du Port-Neuf, Quebec 2009. Photo by J. Becker

Similar observations were made for 20 other Parkinson’s patients.  It is hopeful work which may benefit  some patients. After I forwarded  the NY Times article to other people, a woman  indicated that health care staff already had her husband, who has Parkinson’s, unsuccessfully cycle a recumbent bike.  It was not clear if her husband rode a recumbent bike in the past.

Mitigating Some Effects for Prostate Cancer
At this time, Jack Layton, federal leader for the Canadian  NDP political party and long time cyclist, is participating in a medical research study for prostate cancer patients to determine if cycling and other regular exercise can mitigate tumour growth.  The research project, Survivorship Exercise Program is based at Princess Margaret Hospital, a lead cancer hospital in Toronto.  J. Layton has been undergoing radiation treatment.

Ring and post bike parking posts. Design concept by former Toronto councillor, Jack Layton. King St. West, Toronto. Photo by J. Becker

For over 20 years, which included his tenure as Toronto city councillor, J. Layton constantly advocated for cycling facilities.  For many years he also chaired the Toronto Cycling Committee and its predecessors.  The story has been  that over a drink of beer,  J. Layton designed on a napkin the now well-known Toronto post and ring for parking bikes. Now there are approximately 18,000 of these post and ring installations. During part of this time, Jack Becker of Third Wave Cycling Group had the pleasure of serving as his public co-chair from 1995 to 1999.

Further Reading:
Kolata, Gina. “For Some, Cycling Provides a Break For Some with Parkinson’s Disease.” In New York Times. Mar. 31, 2010.

Savin, Monique. “Studying Exercise and Cancer –with Jack Layton’s Help”. In Globe and Mail. Mar. 25, 2010.

Snijders, Anke J. and Bloem, Bastiian R. “Cycling for Freezing of Gait”. In New England Journal of Medicine. Vol. 362; (e62). No. 13.  Apr. 1, 2010.

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Being A Passenger in a Duet Bike

I recently wrote an article for Momentum magazine  on the Duet Bike program which allows frail, wheelchair-bound nursing home residents to be transported by bike for improved social engagement with the community outdoors.

Wheelchair detached from Duet Bike. Wheelchair does not allow self-propulsion due to wheel fenders. The wheelchair designed specifically for a specialized bike, can accommodate a passenger up to 200 lbs. Photo by J. Chong, Jan. 2010.

Since the article was restricted by length, I could not elaborate on my short experience as a passenger in the same bike-driven wheelchair. So this addendum article fills the gap.

My passenger ride happened shortly after Brian (incorrectly named as Paul in Momentum) disembarked from the Duet Bike. Glen, the cycling volunteer, urged me to try.

So after bundling me in the wheelchair, we were off onto Pacific Blvd., a moderately busy 4-lane wide road with  marked bike lanes in each direction and car parking. After crossing a Pacific Blvd. intersection, Glenn steered us onto the sidewalk for a short piece before pedaling back down onto Davie St. No doubt, we were a traffic-stopping sight since the Duet Bike is still rare but not totally unlike a pedicab.

Passenger Paul Hewer and Glen Paul, cyclist on Duet Bike. Jan. 2010. Photo by J. Chong. Momentum article provides more details on Yaletown House's Duet Bike Program.

 He said it was safer  to be briefly on the sidewalk away from the rushing cars  and particularily for any frail elderly person in a wheelchair.  No doubt, it is better for the wheelchair passenger to have been a previous cyclist  who would be comfortable with the sensation of cars rushing nearby. However, most of the time during the ride with Glen’s visible jacket and his long-time cycling skills, I was at ease.

Only on Marinaside Dr., along a row of parked cars,  did I suddenly realize what it would mean if I was car-doored:  the wheelchair seat was literally at car door level.  As a Duet Bike passenger, I would have no control to stop nor to steer quickly away. 

Our little jaunt around the neighbourhood in the Duet Bike prompted some thoughts:

1. Bike helmet for wheelchair passenger should not protrude into the chair backrest. A rounded helmet, like the Nutcase brand could be a solution, though adjustment of such helmet designs are abit more limited.  Since I am short, this forced my head and upper body to lean forward for the entire ride instead of sitting back comfortably against the chair back. Alternatively the chair backrest  could be designed for  adjustment to different passenger heights
2. Duet bike users and their vehicles are like other cyclists on regular bikes  –safer in separated bike paths or bike lanes.
3. There is interest in visibility of wheelchairs and safe wheelchair crossing at intersections according to keyword Google searches logged into our blog.

With a significant aging population, Duet Bikes will grow in popularity and cycling facilities should be designed with this in mind.

Further Reading:
Chong, Jean. “Duet Bike Program: Wheelchair-Bound and Bicycle-Propelled Seniors”. In Momentum. Mar./Apr. 2010; Issue no. 44.  See below.

View this document on Scribd

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Critical Mass, the Dutch Way

Part I. Preparing  400 Dutch Bikes.

Ov-Fiets bike. Courtesy of Dutch Railways. Vancouver 2010.

To promote the Netherlands during the 2010 Olympics, as a bike-friendly country, the Netherlands General Consulate provided as a service, their public bike rental fleet near its welcome pavilion, Heineken House in Richmond, BC. OV-Fiets is the brand bike rental fleet that is provided at various Dutch Railway stations throughout the Netherlands. OV-Fiets means ‘public transport bicycle’.

First task was to prepare all shiny blue and yellow OV-Fiets  bikes for the 10 kms. ignaural mass ride to kick-off  the Dutch 2010 festivities.  In one long day, Reckless bike store owner Paul Dragan and his tireless crew of six Vancouver staff members,  managed to unload, make mechanical adjustments and safety checks for 400 brand new bikes.  Paul credits  “Canadian and Dutch efficiency” for a job originally estimated for two work days

Reckless bike store owner, Paul Dragan & son Maximillian Feb. 2010. Photo by A. Bargen.

In addition to Paul, enthusiastic Reckless crew members for a job well-done were: Matt Johnson, Glenn AHert, Damian Spoorer, Takesh Hatta and 8-yr. old Maximillian Dragan. They were assisted by two Dutch Railways staff members, Gerrie and Arnold.

Each one-size, one-speed bike was equipped with an individually numbered frame lock and key, Schwabe 700 cc tires with full fenders plus  pedal-powered front and rear lights.  The bike frame was made in China, wheels laced and assembled in the Netherlands, while other components were from Taiwan and assembled in Sri Lanka.  This bike was a global effort.

This was a mighty handsome fleet of bikes for simple cycling around town.

Note:
Ov-Fiets’ web site is only in Dutch. But there are more photos of the bike and the Dutch Railways’ rental scooters.

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Bike Designs for Bike Share Systems: Challenging One Size Fits All or Ways to Avoid Some Pain

Bike design- Copenhagen bike share system 2008. Photo by Jack Becker, Third Wave Cycling Group.

I avoid fixed stationary exercise bikes –and we have them in our home building’s fitness centre. I avoid them at most hotels where I have stayed even if they have adjustable saddle height. Still this feature did not improve the fit.  After grinding painfully twice, each time on a different model in a different facility, I gave up after 10 minutes. After one experience, my arms ached for the next 2 hours.  I was already a regular cyclist on my bike outside several times per week for a few years and familiar with good bike fit.

What is thought to be ‘average’ bike geometry is a bike design where often the top centre tube is too long for short limbed folks and there is no provision to shorten handlebar set distance closer to the saddle. I am 5’1” (155 cm) .

Bike design- Velib bike share. Paris, France 2008. Photo by Jack Becker, Third Wave Cycling Group.

However there are many people who have similar problems even if they are several inches taller. Since their arm length is short, they are overstretched when seated on a regular sized bike.  Many women observe this problem when hunting for their first or next bike.

It is with tempered enthusiasm, I eyed the bike design submissions for City of Copenhagen’s 2009 competition for their next bike share system to be installed in 

Bike design- Velo'v bike share. Lyon, France bike 2008. Photo by Jack Becker, Third Wave Cycling Group.

 2013 after they announced the winning design  in Dec. 2009.   Some designs were cool bike ‘eye candy’. Yet one wondered about the practicality and cycling comfort for many designs.  Aesthetic fit to the city’s  milieu was one of Copenhagen’s  bike design competition criteria.

Over the years when I rent a bike, adequate bike fit is helpful.  After renting different bikes for a day ride or so in Portland, Seattle, Calgary, Montreal, Hawaii, Nantucket Island and Vermont, I have experienced various bikes.  Sometimes there was no choice at the rental shop. Good bike fit will make any bike ride more enjoyable and liberating, no matter how unfamiliar your surroundings may be in whatever weather conditions.  Good bike fit avoids much pain in the knees, back, hands, arms and legs.  Good bike fit reduces the effort of cycling.  Good bike fit will not cause people to say they will not cycle again because of  pain and effort.  Good bike fit enables the rider to forget bike fit. It needs to be quickly forgettable in order for the rider to focus instead, on performance of their body, the traffic and surroundings around them. 

Bike design- Bicing bike share. Barcelona, Spain 2008. Photo by Jack Becker, Third Wave Cycling Group.

Bike ‘fit’ is a relative word in current bike share systems. Existing city public bike share designs worldwide, integrate design features with built-in payment, time-tracking and locking mechanisms. Present bike share systems offer a set free time period, often within the first half an hour. This amount of time is deemed adequate for short trips in urban core areas before paid time period is activated. Depending on the cyclist’s capability, trip route configuration and traffic volume, trip distance would be approximately 7-10 kms. during the free half hour. In the City of Vancouver, the average commuting one-way trip is 5-10 kms. within its city boundaries. (City of Vancouver, Engineering Services). 

Perhaps it is the short bike trip rationale that drives bike designers to create a one size bike design with very little or no bike component adjustments for public bike share systems.  The bike designs submitted for the latest Copenhagen competition, seem to support a perceived lesser need for a  flexible bike fit compared to cost-oriented factors of bike durability and security to control damage and loss.

In May 2009, I tried the demonstration Bixi bike design from Montreal that was temporarily installed for a few weeks in Vancouver.  Though the fit was awkward for me, more importantly the heavy bike frame made me wonder if I was less physically fit, how one would cope with grinding up a gentle hill in

Bike design- OyBike share. London, UK 2008. Photo by Jack Becker, Third Wave Cycling Group.

downtown Vancouver.  After all, the target market for bike share systems includes a broad range of users who may not be frequent cyclists or indeed, engaged in regular exercise.  If a bike share system is to encourage redirecting urban car use to cleaner transportation  and reduce road congestion, then bike share makes a lot of sense.  Bike share systems should inspire more people to embrace cycling by acquiring their own bike later.  However the limited fit of current bike designs for  bike share systems may only appeal and convert some  people to regular cyclists later.

For practical reasons, in addition to flexible bike fit, these additional features are of value for a bike share model and foster greater use by more people:

• multiple gearing up to 8 speeds-  useful for weak or unfit cyclists
• reasonable light bike weight-  lighter bike compensates abit for other bike fit problems.
• front basket-  just a map holder is inadequate. Not everyone thinks of wearing a knapsack. Not all people like strapping on a shoulder bag across their back or front.  A weighted shoulder bag shifts across the body while on bike and gets in the way.

Take a look at the 2009 Copenhagen bike share design ideas. We have included bikes that J. Becker and R. Campbell of  Third Wave Cycling Group, saw during their 2008 visit to the captioned cities with bike share systems.  There are some intriguing bikes but for a more satisfying ride, an adjustable bike design, will surely draw more converts to cycling as a sensible transportation vehicle for urban trips to stores, cafes, services and nearby parks.

Interesting Reading:

CPH Bike Share Competition: All Entries. City of Copenhagen. Dec. 2009.  See under ‘Original site’ to view competition goals and evaluation criteria.

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