Utility Cycling - Really great looking commercial...

Has anybody else seen the commercial with all the bikes, and couple of trikes pulling trailers with large objects on them ?… I believe it was a CXS Railroad commercial, but my wife had the T.V. muted, and I was on the phone at the time(darn it), so I don’t know what they were saying, but I thought it was really great that they were showing bikes, and trikes pulling very large trailers full of stuff. :)

If any one else knows the rest of the story, I would love to know what they were saying in the narration of that commercial. Sadly I can’t remember which channel we were watching at the time, may have been Fox News, or Discovery, or the wife may have been channel surfing… So I guess I’m not much help.

Like you, I was preoccupied with something else, however I did catch a glimpse of it! Looks interesting!

Like you, I was preoccupied with something else, however I did catch a glimpse of it! Looks interesting!

That’s good because I was beginning to think I had imagined it… :) I had asked my wife and she hadn’t noticed it, or had any memory of it…

I tried putting CSX and trike as a search term on you tube, came up with this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpiwDQr7OTs
Don't think it's what you were referring to, but interesting.

Found it!
http://www.csx.com/share/media/ads/docs/TV-Close_to_Nothing-REF24554.wmv

Found it!
http://www.csx.com/share/media/ads/docs/TV-Close_to_Nothing-REF24554.wmv

That's it! Coool, and many thanks for finding it. I think the fact that they show so many things being moved by bike, and trailer, has a far deeper meaning then the message that we could move much more by train. Both are good ideas, I just like the bike idea better... funny how that works.

Of course we all know that you can’t pull a ton of stuff on a trailer behind your bike, or trike… But, maybe John Q Public will see that commercial, and on some level get the fact that a bike is capable of doing more than just being ridden for fun, and exercise… it’s all that and so much more.

I know I’m just preaching to the choir here, but maybe more commercials like that, will get the curiosity of the average viewer peaked enough to check into that type of thing. I know I’m probably expecting too much, but one can always hope…


I thought it was a good commercial anyway..:) Caught me by surprise.

Of course we all know that you can’t pull a ton of stuff on a trailer behind your bike, or trike… But, maybe John Q Public will see that commercial, and on some level get the fact that a bike is capable of doing more than just being ridden for fun, and exercise… it’s all that and so much more.

I know I’m just preaching to the choir here, but maybe more commercials like that, will get the curiosity of the average viewer peaked enough to check into that type of thing. I know I’m probably expecting too much, but one can always hope…


I thought it was a good commercial anyway..:) Caught me by surprise.

Looked at that a few times now, it appears to be "real" i.e. not CGI trickery. Granted, the slopes seem to be slightly down if anything, but the bikes and trikes do seem to be actually, "pulling" the loads.

Man I'm a big railfan, but not really fond of CSX

here it is on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saqb4MtVm4o&feature=related

Given suitable gearing, I think the real question isn't how to get a ton of stuff moving via bicycle, but rather how to get a ton of stuff stopped via bicycle.. :eek:

Given suitable gearing, I think the real question isn't how to get a ton of stuff moving via bicycle, but rather how to get a ton of stuff stopped via bicycle.. :eek:

Yep… that could get real exciting, real fast on the slightest of downhill. I don’t think my rim brakes would be much help… Maybe if one was to drag their feet. :rolleyes: Oh well, a persons bound to run into something, sooner, or later and stop. :twitchy:

Stopping? No problem, as long as you have a nice tongue actuated trailer braking system (fairly common with some european trailer brands).

Stopping? No problem, as long as you have a nice tongue actuated trailer braking system (fairly common with some european trailer brands).

Tongue actuated? Don't you generate more force with the hands? :twitchy:

Coldfeet: speak for yourself....

Okay, so as I understand it, the gist of the ad was that each of those loads was "a ton", or 2000 lbs. So there's the challenge - just how effectively can any of us move 2000 lbs. using the power of one human being? Or two, if it comes to that? I'm going to have to cogitate on just how to attempt this....

Coldfeet: speak for yourself....

:roflmao2:

Love it! On the subject of tongue activated, or "surge" braking, I remember reading about someone who came up with a DIY one for their bicycle trailer, anyone know where to find it?

Okay, so as I understand it, the gist of the ad was that each of those loads was "a ton", or 2000 lbs. So there's the challenge - just how effectively can any of us move 2000 lbs. using the power of one human being? Or two, if it comes to that? I'm going to have to cogitate on just how to attempt this....

on foot no problem, you can push a 2 ton truck on foot. By bike, I don't think I have llow enough gears to push a car

on foot no problem, you can push a 2 ton truck on foot. By bike, I don't think I have llow enough gears to push a car

Really, how do you explain this?

That car haul is one of my favorite pictures ever (anyone know where it is?). Especially cool when you realize that the trike is one speed, not all that low a ratio, coaster brake, and if you look closely, the car isn't even tied down! It's true, any number of daily demonstrations indicate that one ton should be possible; I may try to put some effort into working out traction, gearing and brakes (all limiting factors).

on dry ground with properly inflated tires, ttraction should'nt be a problem when starting.