ipZine: The world's first super light folding electric bike | YikeBike

ipZine: The world's first super light folding electric bike | YikeBike:

This posted over at ipZine. ( The world's first super light folding electric bike | YikeBike: )

Even cooler than the Segway, and multiple times as functional.

Give a look at this YikeBike. When you see this bike, you will say Yikes!

It is reminisce of the old High Wheeler bikes with the monster wheel in front, and no gears (1-speed). But with a twist.

The question to ask is this new bike a true invention? Is it innovation? Or is it both?

It won the Time Magazine's intention of the year in 2009. Finalist in Nobel's Prize for Sustainability.

Part of that question might be answered by how many patents the technology harbors.

The main international PCT patent (2008-2009) has been filed in about 8 countries and does not appear to be issued yet. There are other interesting patent technologies integrated into the design. Here's the main patent WO2010007516A1 from the EPO.

It seems like a great alternative to the idea of our usual approach to jump into our SUV and drive a few streets to work or for a latte -- 180 pound person being transported by a 2,000 vehicle using a 300-400 horse power motor.

This idea seems to solve several problems with the bike as a mode of transportation, some problems that we never really knew we had.

When you look at the product, you will wonder where the motor and the batteries hide.

How does it keep from falling over in 3 different directions?

What is a "farthing" and how can it possibly be considered a great selling point? Even if you call it a "mini-farthing". Do we really need a secondary axis, orthogonal to the primary axis?

Can you take your YikeBike on your man bike (Harley) without being called out for having a "girlie-man bike"?

Where can you get a YikeBike? Apparently, they have free international shipping.

YikeBike comes with "the freedom to park wherever I DAMN please!"

Will people say, "Wow", "Cool" and "hip", or will they say:

"Yikes!"???

Translation to English: The Carbon Fiber Model C weighs 25 lbs. goes about 14 mph max with a range of 12 miles. The model V weighs 30lbs (or 34 for the 3-wheeled V version).

Colour means Color in English and pictures pretty much speak for themselves without translation. Bet they even drive on the wrong side of the road?!

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Coming to a Couch Near You: A New Wave of Telecommuting

Coming to a Couch Near You: A New Wave of Telecommuting:

Very cool discussion about Telecommuting. And Traffic. 

I just saw stats on the worst commutes in America. (several different ways to slice n dice it). One stat was the average person spends a bout a week per year (38 hours) in traffic. I have no idea where Mr Average lives, cause the rest of us used to ring up that many commuting hours in 2 to 4 weeks. An hour to work each way will clock you in at 40 hours within a given month. 

But don't move to DC or LA or SF or hour time in traffic meter will max out!

Before the recession there were 4 or 5 Metros in Florida that were in the top 10 for worst commutes in the USofA. Now all I find (2011) is Miami with #22 and Tampa with 39.

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How Telecommuting Lets Workers Mobilize for Sustainability

How Telecommuting Lets Workers Mobilize for Sustainability: "According to Gartner, this drive to mobility will become a $1 trillion market in the next four years. T"

This is a great article from March '11, but it mentions many of the key benefits and issues with telecommuting.

Included in the article is: "According to Gartner, this drive to mobility will become a $1 trillion market in the next four years."

The savings from telecommuting are too great, and too immediate, to ignore.

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Transportation: Humor:-) is funnier than the facts:-(

There's just a little transportation humor that you need to go with your cup of joe in the morning. (Or you McCoffee or SBUX latte on the way.)

Both of these come from Sunday, August 14, 2011. The comics, where all news worth knowing comes from:

• First is Non-Sequitur (Whiley) on road signs: http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2011/08/14
  I think that last panel is what they replaced the "Entering the City Limits of " sign with.
• The last one is Dilbert (Adams) where the true story behind telecommuting and why corporations won't allow such activities is finally revealed: http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2011-08-14/

So far, though, nothing compares to the hot reality of the 6-day traffic jam in China, one year ago to the days. This specific article anticipated the jam would go on for a few more days. Article by Coonan in The Independent on Aug 25, 2011.

This type of gridlock is the types of things that we all can look forward to in the next 15 to 30 years if we don't start to work out more alternatives to the 1-person-per-car commute that 77% of the workforce enjoys(?). That's about 9.7m single -- and I'm not talking unmarried here -- commuters each workday out practicing patience-in-defensive-driving. Twice per day.

Seems to me like telecommuting might be a potential solutions for some of these folks? Huge savings to the employee (time and money), the employer (increased productivity, retention, etc.) and massive savings to the community (reduced pollution, less oil dependence, reduced carbon footprint, fewer roads built, etc.)

And you get all that, essentially for free!
Is that idea too revolutionary and crazy,
or is it just me?

Hmmm.....