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Slate reviews dutch commuting bikes (warning: massive lulz)

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Slate reviews dutch commuting bikes (warning: massive lulz)

Old 08-25-09, 09:14 AM
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Slate reviews dutch commuting bikes (warning: massive lulz)

Next up was the Biomega Amsterdam ($1,400). The Biomega's killer feature is that it has no chain. In the chain's place is a driveshaft—a slender medal rod that turns like a table leg on a lathe, connecting the bike's pedals to the rear wheel's hub. It's a miniature version of the driveshaft in your car, which delivers power from the engine to the wheels. Because the driveshaft is one solid piece, and fully enclosed, it will theoretically never need servicing and never need to be relubricated. It's a pretty clear step forward in the evolution of the bicycle and will surely become more common in the years ahead.

It's also very cool-looking. It's almost startling to see a bike without a chain, and like the Abici, the Danish-made Biomega turned heads. In this case, they were slobbering bike nerd heads. One guy who saw it (he was wearing toe clips) begged for a test ride, which I happily granted him.




https://www.slate.com/id/2225698
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Old 08-25-09, 08:21 PM
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The very first thing I noticed in his video is that he's SALMONING IT!
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Old 08-25-09, 08:25 PM
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Wait, wait, wait! He keeps calling fenders "mudguards" and calls a coaster break bike a "fixed gear"! OMG, please don't let me slap that man.
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Old 08-25-09, 08:44 PM
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It keeps getting worse... He used a cable lock to "secure" the bike overnight?!? And it was stolen! Raise your hand if you didn't see that coming?

I'd love to tell you how the Amsterdam rides. Sadly, I can't. The first night I had it, I locked it up to the bike rack in front of my apartment building. Not being an experienced bike owner, I stupidly used a cable lock instead of a U-lock, and the next morning the bike was gone. A thief had snipped the cable, which lay limply on the ground.
Please don't use cable locks! It's only good as an addition to a u-lock or a chain. It's not meant to be used standalone, especially outside overnight. *shakes head*
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Old 08-25-09, 09:50 PM
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Originally Posted by envane
[i]Next up was the Biomega Amsterdam ($1,400). ...Because the driveshaft is one solid piece, and fully enclosed, it will theoretically never need servicing and never need to be relubricated. It's a pretty clear step forward in the evolution of the bicycle and will surely become more common in the years ahead.
Yes, driveshafts for bicycles have only been around for a little over 100 years - you can see some early examples in the Wright brothers' bike shop in Dayton Ohio that's preserved from the time before they got involved in some other money-losing industry. I'm sure the idea will revolutionize the bike business any day now.
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Old 08-26-09, 05:52 AM
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"Slate's D.C. office is full of commuting cyclists, so I lent the Batavus out to a few of them and asked their impressions."

I call BS. Author appears to be a contractor, and none of those bikes were ever in the DC office that I saw...... And besides, bunch that do commute ride Electra's, so it's not like these bikes would be a reach.

Time to do some research here
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Old 08-26-09, 07:06 AM
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I thought it was one of the best pieces on cycling ever to appear in the mainstream media. However, the wrong-way rider did make me cringe.

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