Matters of Design

In the last couple of days there has been a huge media buzz over the launch of the iPad, Apple’s tablet computer. While opinion sees a little divided it does seem to be not much more than a big iPhone, but this might be where it’s going to win. With all the cycling applications and uses that are flying around for the iPhone none have addressed the problem of being able to read the screen quickly while you ride. With a bigger version, like the iPad, strapped to your bars you’ll be able to tell at a glance what’s going on in the world and how your training regime is going. If the ride’s especially boring you can use both hands to type a few emails, or just enjoy a film rather than boring yourself with a stream of tarmac and look-alike cars. I’d suggest incorporating the bike lectern I mentioned a few days ago, for a seamless and fool-proof interactive cycling experience. It’ll also make you ride far more carefully as you’ll hardly want to smash the £500 computer into anything.

At least it looks pretty (and you can pretend to be a Borrower who’s stolen a phone), and design is very important in cycling. That is why I thoroughly approve of this bike rack. There is no need for bike parking to be dull, grey and simply looking like someone’s run riot with a large stapler. Let’s have more colours and words on our streets. I hope that people are selective about the order they lock bikes to this particular rack, and don’t avoid the chance to obstruct the right letters to leave it spelling B**E *ER*. The possibilities are endless and possibly obscene.

You could perhaps run through the options as you ride with your handlebar iPad (not to be confused with the handlebar pads (no “i”) that were so fashionable on BMXs) and come up with the optimum wording for the next piece of street art. Alternatively, as you will inevitably crash you might as well update this map, which shows the location of any cycling accident that’s resulted in death or admission to hospital in London between 2000 and 2008. To be honest, it’s scary just how many serious accidents there have been on some of the main roads in the centre of town.

Finally, There'll probably be no post on Monday as events have conspired to make it quite tricky to do one. Please be assured we'll bring you more on Tuesday, or you might get lucky on Monday afterall.

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