What A Concept 3

The 3rd Edition of the What a Concept post brings us to three concepts.  Not all concepts I come across are bad, just the majority, so the following may be surprisingly good... or not.  Either way it goes enjoy!

It is no secret that most cyclists are men by a ratio of 2:1. Women outnumber men in the total U.S. population, so that makes the 2:1 statistic slightly skew the total of each sexes participation in the sport. One website has decided to showcase those women that do ride, and has done so in a fun and effective way to get even the attention of men. TyK (Thought you Knew) produces a calendar with pin-ups that are real bicycle riding women. It is to show how bicycles empower women and inspire confidence.

"TyK’s goal is to empower women by helping them regain ownership of their sexuality, in whatever form they choose to have it manifest. These are real cyclists, like you’ve never seen them before."

Now that is a good concept. God knows, we (meaning men here) want more women involved in cycling, and this is one awesome way to do it. At least from a male's point of view. If you want to order your calendar, hit the link. 

HERE

Rating ~ 6 full Einstars! 

Next is a program started in Portland to run a kind of library for people living on the street.  It uses a bicycle truck with a custom built book storage rack.  The design is similar to an ice cream bike truck, with drawers and a cabinet for all literary flavors.

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 "our patrons, even though they live outside, or in shelters, have brought the books back regularly, sometimes donating a paperback or two from their own backpacks. We have committed regulars who visit the library at least once, sometimes twice a week, for books and conversation. They count on us being there, and we want to come through for them."

  StreetBooks

Rating ~ 6 full Einstars!

A Schwinn with a twist.  The last entry in this weeks WAC edition is now one of a number of manufacturers trying to make bikes out of anything but metal or carbon fiber.  Schwinn has devised a way to make Flax Fiber into a frame so that it can be more "green".  They claim the Vestige rides like carbon fiber.  When did carbon fiber become so evil that they have to replace it with breakfast cereal fiber supplements?  Does carbon fiber get confused with carbon footprint?  Does the bike also boast being an energy bar in emergencies?  It is a pretty bike, sure, but they can make one just like like it out of cro-mo or carbon without the extra cost they want to pass off as the price of being Earth Conscious.  Most people buy a bike to last them most of their lives, rust and stress have been enemies enough, but now we will have to worry about our bike rotting in the rain?  Or mice eating it in winter storage?  At least the bamboo bikes are resilient, and look like what they are.... bamboo.  Of course it isn't as ridiculous as those pushing wooden bikes as green, since chopping down trees to make stuff is the environmentalists favorite activity next to living in one to stop others from cutting it down.   The Schwinn Vestige looks like an earth tone painted...  well, Schwinn.    It does come with a bamboo fender set, because nothing says its green like Chinese bamboo harvesting and manufacturing processes.



All-New Schwinn Vestige Flax Fiber Frame & Carbon Fork to create the greenest bike ever made - rides just like carbon!
Frame features dynamo-powered LED lighting system that makes your frame glow without using batteries
Shimano 9-speed drivetrain with Alivio derailleur and shifter for plenty of gears & easy shifting; also includes bamboo fenderset

I'm sure this is just a first try, and hemp will be the next evolutionary step in fiber choice.  Hipsters will just love that.  A bike that you can smoke!  Until then don't be totally taken off guard on the next century ride if you see someone at the side of the road chewing their top tube like a cow while they wait for a SAG vehicle.

It will get one Einstar for having been able to figure out the whole flax thing, no matter how silly, that had to be hard.  

Rating ~ 5 Hipstars!