Ticking the Design Box

It seems that the hint of Spring this week was just a tease and we’re firmly back into winter again. Or maybe two days of milder mornings was actually all we’re getting to pass for Summer this year and we’re now back into the cold.

Either way I’m not too impressed with having to go back to layers and winter gloves so quickly.

Nipping quickly from clothing to protect you form the weather to clothing to protect you from getting hurt, there has been a recent proposal in Colorado to make it compulsory for children up to 17 to wear helmets while riding a bike. So far so reasonable and par for the course in some areas, but what makes it interesting is the addition of an extra clause that was added (admittedly as something of a joke and a political point-maker) to suggest that boys should also have to wear a 'crush resistant athletic cup' while cycling. It’s reported here, and might be the start of suggestions that we should wear a protective covering all over when riding a bike. There should also be four wheels for balance and an engine to prevent any strains from pedalling too hard...

For more sensible ideas and infinitely more style than you’ll ever get form a protective box then have a look at the wide range of cycling-related bits and pieces that made the short list of the Brit Insurance Designs of the Year competition. As ever cycling seems to promote more new design ideas and solutions than virtually any other activity, with products ranging form the growing trend for city hire bike schemes, to attractive places to lock up your bike.

Lastly, we copped some (possibly fictional – I have my suspicions!) flak for posting a Land Rover ad up here this week and helping to promote and sell cars. I’d like to take the opportunity to point out that we’re not really environmentalists, just people who like to ride bikes for fun and because it’s faster and cheaper than any other way to get to work. Also the post in question did make a point about four-by-four drivers having a reputation of being awkward to cyclists, and although a Land Rover’s not really my style, I do have a car and enjoy it to get to places to ride and to do the shopping so it’d be somewhat hypocritical to suggest we were against them.

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