Cyclists for Sustainable Bicycles
#1
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Cyclists for Sustainable Bicycles
Good Evening fellow cyclists! In my spare time I've been putting together a blog that focuses on sustainability within the cycling industry. The hope is for this to develop to an online community, and eventually be a loud enough voice to help move cyclists and the cycling industry into a more sustainable direction. yes, I know, another blog, but I urge you to take a peak, read an article, and if it interests, you, bookmark it and visit again to see where we've taken it.
Also, if your interested in contributing written content or research, please contact me. I'm also always open to criticism and new ideas.
Thanks!
Tim
https://cyclistsforsustainablebicycles.wordpress.com/
EDIT: Chicbicyclist changed the future of the site! friends of mine liked Chic's better than any of my ideas! Thanks and Congrats! The Sustainable Cyclist it is, although the link above will still work
Also, if your interested in contributing written content or research, please contact me. I'm also always open to criticism and new ideas.
Thanks!
Tim
https://cyclistsforsustainablebicycles.wordpress.com/
EDIT: Chicbicyclist changed the future of the site! friends of mine liked Chic's better than any of my ideas! Thanks and Congrats! The Sustainable Cyclist it is, although the link above will still work
Last edited by tradtimbo; 05-16-09 at 11:17 PM.
#3
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My bike is mostly steel and aluminum, all of which is completely recyclable. There's some nylon and foam in the seat and a bit of Kevlar in the tires, but those last a long time. Even carbon fiber can be recycled. Cycling itself is pro-environment. How do you propose making cycling sustainable?
#4
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My bike is mostly steel and aluminum, all of which is completely recyclable. There's some nylon and foam in the seat and a bit of Kevlar in the tires, but those last a long time. Even carbon fiber can be recycled. Cycling itself is pro-environment. How do you propose making cycling sustainable?
You are right that cycling is pro-environment, but the products that are made are not necessarily. For example. PVC is found in many things cycling related. PVC is horrible for the environment. Many products undergo industrial processes that are not environmentally friendly. The mass production of bikes in asian countries is not necessarily earth friendly (not to mention factory conditions for workers). some materials last longer than others, some companies are more earth friendly than others. buying local is better for the earth. buying from companies that contribute to eco-friendly causes is better for the earth. patronizing stores that have a commitment to the earth is better. I could really go on and on and on.
The cycling industry consumes an incredible amount of products from cleaning supplies to clothing, to metal parts. There is always room for improvement when it comes to protecting the environment. an easy example is the waste produced by bike shops. Not all bike shops recycle tubes and tires. Not all bike shops use biodegradable cleaner in their parts washer. I could go on.
I urge you to keep visiting the site, and you'll begin to see how you can help, and how the cycling industry can change for the better.
#5
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Also, Cod.Peace, I am not personally going to make cycling sustainable. The idea is to change the desires of the consumers. when the consumers demand a certain thing, the suppliers and manufactures follow suit with supply. Many cyclists do not consider the environment when buying a product at a bike shop, but for some reason, they do when buying other things. cycling itself, as an activity is sustainable, but the products need work. This is where we come in.
#6
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Let's see. If we send you money you will write a blog and tell us what we should buy? Do I have this correct? Good luck.
#7
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Where did you get the idea we were asking you for money? Blogs are free!
#8
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#9
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Pipe dream in the USA. The number of serious cyclists in the USA is too small to sustain several manufacturers of bicycles. 98% of bikes sold is big box crap. Americans think bicycles are a child's toy and something adults shouldn't be bothered with.
Sad.
Sad.
#10
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The only pipe dream is thinking this stuff will improve on its own.
A perfect example regarding this is paper products. For the longest time paper was just paper. you bought the type you needed and didn't consider the forest it came from. Then "save the rainforest" and the environmental movement came about. All of a sudden, the forest stewardship council came about, and post consumer recycled paper came on the market. Today, you can still buy paper from questionable sources, but you also have the option, as a consumer, to buy FSC certified, or recycled paper.
Consumer movements are not pipe dreams. All it takes is people caring. Imagine if you are an earth-conscious parent who knows nothing about bikes, and you want to buy a bike for your child. You find a website online to help you make your purchase as earth friendly as possible. Or even better, you walk into a big box store, and in the childs bicycle section you see a selection of bikes made from recycled material. These things happen, because we, as consumers, cause them to happen.
Also, your thought about adults not bothering with bicycles. This is changing in the US through bicycle advocacy, green building advocacy, and health advocacy. This again, is something that is changed by us. Cities across the US are dedicating millions upon millions of dollars on bicycle infrastructure because they see bicycle use by adults increasing. Developers are designing and building things these days to be more accommodating to pedestrians and cyclists, and less to the automobile. The country is changing for the better, and we need to take our blinders off to see whats going on and to find out how we can help the cause.
#11
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Some of you may find my latest interview with a sustainable design consultant very interesting.
https://thesustainablecyclist.com/200...able-products/
https://thesustainablecyclist.com/200...able-products/
#13
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Good Evening fellow cyclists! In my spare time I've been putting together a blog that focuses on sustainability within the cycling industry. The hope is for this to develop to an online community, and eventually be a loud enough voice to help move cyclists and the cycling industry into a more sustainable direction. yes, I know, another blog, but I urge you to take a peak, read an article, and if it interests, you, bookmark it and visit again to see where we've taken it.
Also, if your interested in contributing written content or research, please contact me. I'm also always open to criticism and new ideas.
Thanks!
Tim
https://cyclistsforsustainablebicycles.wordpress.com/
EDIT: Chicbicyclist changed the future of the site! friends of mine liked Chic's better than any of my ideas! Thanks and Congrats! The Sustainable Cyclist it is, although the link above will still work
Also, if your interested in contributing written content or research, please contact me. I'm also always open to criticism and new ideas.
Thanks!
Tim
https://cyclistsforsustainablebicycles.wordpress.com/
EDIT: Chicbicyclist changed the future of the site! friends of mine liked Chic's better than any of my ideas! Thanks and Congrats! The Sustainable Cyclist it is, although the link above will still work
do you offer stickers? stickers = nearly free advertisemeant. i'd contribute for a *free* reflective logo sticker
#14
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no stickers at this point. We do eventually plan on having some sort of sticker/logo. We're working on a logo design right now.
I'm in the middle of a big move right now, but once I'm settled again, we may be moving forward with a research initiative concerning life cycle assesments. Exiting stuff!
I'm in the middle of a big move right now, but once I'm settled again, we may be moving forward with a research initiative concerning life cycle assesments. Exiting stuff!
#15
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My bike is mostly steel and aluminum, all of which is completely recyclable. There's some nylon and foam in the seat and a bit of Kevlar in the tires, but those last a long time. Even carbon fiber can be recycled. Cycling itself is pro-environment. How do you propose making cycling sustainable?
However, there are some trends in the cycling world that don't sit too well with the concept of sustainability. The biggest issue is the trend to build extremely lightweight components, particularly wheels, that are intended to last -- at best -- a few seasons before being tossed. The ideal of light weight doesn't work for wheels or other components that could last a generation. Yet there's no real reason why you shouldn't be able to buy a wheel that could last 20,000 miles. It would be very marginally heavier, but many riders wouldn't particularly care.
One heartening trend is the move to more commuter-style bicycles, which are build to endure more miles and more harsh conditions. There's no real reason why the bicycle industry couldn't move to generally more bomb-proof products.
#16
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Thanks for the support Gerv!
#17
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I work for an Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing Lab doing research and I agree that the cycling industry could be more green but at this time cycling is not where the United States needs to be working on being green. On reason is because you don't see our landfills being filled up with stuff related to cycling. We are located in the city of Toledo and I know if we did a bike shop it wouldn't even compare to many other industries. I think that you would probably be better off working on your recycling habits for your municipal solid waste and maybe educating others once you have a good handle on the issue. I believe this would have a much better impact on the environment.
#18
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My bike is mostly steel and aluminum, all of which is completely recyclable. There's some nylon and foam in the seat and a bit of Kevlar in the tires, but those last a long time. Even carbon fiber can be recycled. Cycling itself is pro-environment. How do you propose making cycling sustainable?
#19
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I work for an Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing Lab doing research and I agree that the cycling industry could be more green but at this time cycling is not where the United States needs to be working on being green. On reason is because you don't see our landfills being filled up with stuff related to cycling. We are located in the city of Toledo and I know if we did a bike shop it wouldn't even compare to many other industries. I think that you would probably be better off working on your recycling habits for your municipal solid waste and maybe educating others once you have a good handle on the issue. I believe this would have a much better impact on the environment.
I understand where your coming from, but my passion lies in bicycles, and it bothers me tremendously that the industry is not a leader in creating sustainable products. I'm doing what I think needs to happen, and I'll take suggestions, but will reject those that tell me my efforts should lie elsewhere. My work also contributes to the overall education of a citizen. For example, a cyclist stumbles across my blog, realizes that the sport he or she loves needs serious improvement, and begins to look around and learn how their entire life can be more sustainable.
Thanks,
Tim
#20
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My objection has less to do with frame materials and more with the components. Manufacturers keep evolving new components but they tend to have poor backward compatability. Bikes with 7-speed cassettes, for example, are rapidly becoming orphaned. Replacement 7-speed shifters, at least in the better quality ranges, are already becoming more difficult to obtain.