Shanghai cargo hauling
 

That goes around the internet. It's retouched. The action depicted is not possible.

Yup, seen it before. Not sure about "retouched", but either that or posed- doesn't seem to be normal people doing normal things, at least. It's an art project, not a documentary.

I noticed that the shadow cast by the driver disappears at the junction between the first and second layer of that stack right below his shoulder height. Me thinks the first layer of the stack is real and everything above is photo-shoped in.

There's a whole series of these, by the way, not just the one picture floating around.

Here's the complete series, called "Totem". Note the "forward" and "backward" links on the photo to go through them. There's text in French, maybe it explains more.
http://www.alaindelorme.com/?p=works&ga=totem#

No big deal carrying a small ladder on a bike, did it myself many times.

Real or not it makes you think.

Yeah, makes you think "Carrying that much junk on a bike probably isn't a good idea".

Actually, I've noticed a number of photos where they have bikes piled high with stuff, but then they're just pushing the bike along- basically using a bicycle instead of a wheelbarrow. Not the most efficient use of a bicycle, but you make do with what you have.

saw one with woven baskets stacked waaaay up. possible, due to more volume than mass.

Noglider's right I don't think you could get the laundry line that taut. BTW where can I get the wheels and the axle too hold that kind of weight? That would be handy to know.

On a recent trip to shanghai I was surprised at the number of heavy single speed trikes rolling in town. One of them must have had over 200lbs on scaffolding on the back. Several others are used as food carts. Saw one drop bar bike the whole trip.

[IMG]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/k...psc006db05.jpg[/IMG]

Those delivery bikes were all over when I visited Shanghai in 2006. In the original picture, the first section of load was totally normal (all the tires at the botttom section up to the top of the guys head). I'm betting the tires above his head were photoshopped in.

When I was there, I saw tires, water dispenser bottles, other bikes, huge boxes, etc being delivered on those bikes...cargo was usually topped out at the riders head...occasionally stacked higher.