Rcyl – a recycled plastic urban bike

https://rcyl.bike/en/the-bike/

#HackerNews #Rcyl #Bike #RecycledPlastic #UrbanCycling #SustainableTransport #EcoFriendly

˜Life is about balance.˜ #UncleRinne por #TetsuroOhno #Bicycle #Bicicleta #Cycling #UrbanCycling #Ciclismo

Oh, and Crankbrothers Eggbeater pedals!

Nominally they are mountain bike pedals but after trying several different clipless systems for my commuting and recreational road cycling back in the day I decided they are the best for my usage too, and have put them on every bike I've owned since.

The key for me is the ease of clipping in and out, especially the clipping in. Because you can clip in from any of the four sides of the pedal there is no need to fiddle around making sure it's in the right orientation when setting off, you just push down and go. Bonus, they use two hole recessed cleats so you can use MTB or, better still, cycle trekking shoes and actually walk around when you get off the bike. Another bonus, the pedals need no adjustments and (almost) no maintenance.

https://www.crankbrothers.com/collections/eggbeater

#Cycling #CycleCommuting #UrbanCycling #SydneyCycling

While I'm on the topic of things that are great...

The Orbea Vibe H10 EQ is, IMO, a great ebike for commuting. The integrated lighting, included mudguards and included pannier rack make it commute-ready out of the box, but it still looks good and not overly ebike-y.

Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic pannier bags are still the best. So quick and easy to get them on and off the bike, no movement or rattling once they're on the bike, and completely waterproof.

Finally something that most people wouldn't give a second thought, my bike bell. It's a Knog Oi Prima, and it's fantastic. Really loud so it doesn't go unnoticed, but it's still a pleasant sound so it doesn't come across as aggressive (unless you hammer away at it). Perfect if you do much cycling on shared used paths, and regularly need to give pedestrians a courtesy ding or two to warn of your approach.

https://www.knog.com/products/oi-prima-bike-bell

#Cycling #UrbanCycling #SydneyCycling #CycleCommuting

Some additional context, between about 19 and 12 years ago I was a keen cyclist in pretty good shape. I never got into any kind of racing, but I would cycle to and from work each day and then go for a hilly 80-90 km group ride on the weekend just for fun. Back then a moderately hilly 12 km each way suburban commute was no big deal. OK, I'd regularly have ute drivers almost kill me, but the physical effort required was no problem.

I remember at the time I was sceptical about the utility of ebikes. I accepted that they would be useful for elderly cyclists and other people with mobility issues, but reckoned that for most people the additional weight (and cost) of the e-assist system would outweigh the benefits of having it. To be fair e-assist systems were heavier back then, but I was still wrong.

Then, almost 12 years ago, my son was born, and with a newborn baby I had neither the time nor energy to keep up the cycling. I got out of the habit, and got out of shape and overweight. I have tried several times since then to get back in to the cycle commuting habit, but each time I bounced off it because the hills made the ride just too hard when I wasn't already fit.

If I lived somewhere totally flat and didn't have to mix with motor traffic at all then maybe I could do this by just going slower, but that simply doesn't work when there are unavoidable hills and places where you need to get amongst cars. When you're out of shape those will force you into excessive effort.

Hopefully the combination of the ebike and a somewhat easier commuting route will enable me to stick with it this time, and get back into shape. At which point I wouldn't really need the ebike any more...

#Cycling #UrbanCycling #SydneyCycling #Ebike #CycleCommuting

Trying to make a habit out of riding to work! The commute in already felt a little easier today than it did on my first go on Thursday, and it took less time too. Melville Street in West Ryde is still a git, though. I made it up the climb but I did stop at the top for a few second to catch my breath, take a drink and undo my gilet.

I am going to rave about ebikes at this point. Without the electric assist there is very little chance that an out of shape, overweight person like me could just dive into a cycle commute like this. I know that because I tried it. Years ago I tried to get back into the habit of cycle commuting to the old office using a good quality but not electrically assisted urban/utility bike, but because I was out of shape and there were unavoidable hills it was just too hard. Each climb forced me into the red zone just to keep moving, and I'd end up arriving at work utterly exhausted. The crucial thing that the ebike allows me to do is moderate my effort. It's a proper ebike rather than a dodgy electric motorbike in disguise so the motor is limited to 250 W, and 25 kph, and is torque activated so it only engages when I'm doing at least some of the work myself. I still get a workout riding it, but using the electric assist controIs I can adjust the intensity of that workout to keep it within reasonable bounds for my current level of fitness. That way I can get to the other end having got some exercise but not completely wrecked, and that means, hopefully, that I'm going to be able to maintain motivation and keep doing it.

Neat animation: https://strava.app.link/8OqYfnNY2Wb

#Cycling #UrbanCycling #SydneyCycling #Ebike #CycleCommuting

Well, my first cycle commute to the new office went well.

I had to make a small detour from my planned route when I discovered that the Angas Street bridge over Constitution Road in Meadowbank is currently closed, but otherwise no problems. The only part where I struggled a bit was the climb up Melville Street in Ryde, where the gradient briefly exceeds 10% and even with the electric assist that was hard work with all the extra weight on the bike (both in the panniers and around my waist). I coped though, and overall this cycle commute is a lot nicer than the one to the old offices in North Ryde. That route involved several short, sharp climbs like Melville Street which had to be done while mixing in with motor traffic, whereas on the new route there is just the one steep climb and it's on a very quiet street. The majority of the route is a relaxing roll along off road shared use paths on mostly level ground, and during the on road bit in the middle the traffic was generally light and I didn't have any problematic encounters with cars.

These 3D videos that Strava makes now are pretty neat, too: https://strava.app.link/vzFWdmJhWWb

#Cycling #UrbanCycling #SydneyCycling

Over-preparing for an attempt at cycle commuting to the new office tomorrow.

I've swapped out the ebike's tyres, lubed the chain, and now have it on the charger. Meanwhile I've got the route planned in RideWithGPS, and am working out what to pack in my pannier.

If I'm being honest the main reason I changed the tyres is aesthetics. I've never loved the look of these Kenda tyres, but I've always liked the Conti Contact range. The Contact Urban is, supposedly, a low rolling resistance tyre too though, and at 37-622 instead of 45-622 they're also narrower. The psychological effect of this will doubtless be larger than any actual speed gain, but I'm OK with that.

#Cycling #UrbanCycling #SydneyCycling

I've been living in this zone of the metropolitan area of Vancouver for 10 years... I hadn't dared to go up and down this block in those 10 years. #bicycle
I did dare on Friday and I did it.

Image 1: the day I did it, after the descent, before going up.
Image 2: StreetView by GoogleMaps
Image 3: 3D view of GoogleEarth

#bike #urbanbike #biking #cycling #urbancycling

Japan’s automated underground bicycle parking, Eco Cycle, combines innovation with urban efficiency.

#ecocycle #japaninnovation #urbancycling #ecofriendlyliving #innovations

They’re part of a population of so-called invisible cyclists: low-income riders who use two-wheelers as an affordable necessity to get around or do delivery work, in contrast to Spandex-clad fitness bikers and pannier-equipped professionals who ride to office jobs.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-08-12/in-san-diego-homeless-cyclists-find-support-on-group-bike-rides

#cycling #urbancycling #poverty

In support of my plans to cycle to the archery club instead of driving I've bought this archery backpack. It claims to be suitable for up to 2 recurve bows and associated equipment, but it remains to be seen whether it's really big enough for all of the kid's and my stuff.

I've got panniers for my bike that I can use for assorted other bits and pieces (e.g. extra clothes, snacks and, of course, bucket hats) but I would like to cram both of our bows, all their accessories, our arrows and our tools into this bag.

#Archery #Cycling #UrbanCycling #SydneyCycling

Due credit to the City of Parramatta council, I have already received a response to my email about the missing pedestrian crossing, in which I was told that yes, they do plan to fix this, and they have an approved and funded project to do so. Details here: https://participate.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/bennelong-parkway-bridge

The main feature is a new bidirectional cycleway running along the north-east side of Bennelong Parkway, connecting Hill Road to the Parklands Circuit/Badu Mangroves shared use path via a new bridge over Haslams Creek. The project also includes two new pedestrian and cyclist crossings, one at the location I complained about plus a zebra crossing further along by the archery centre.

Construction isn't due to start until mid-2026 though, so it could well be a couple of years before this is all done. Better late than never, but it remains ridiculous that crossings weren't put in when the existing shared use paths were first built. The need has been obvious for a very long time.

#Cycling #UrbanCycling #SydneyCycling

Why don't more people walk/cycle/scoot/etc. around in Sydney? The weather is usually nice, it's mostly not too hilly, and there are waterside views and parklands to enjoy, right? Well, crap like this doesn't help.

This is the place on the Bennelong Parkway road where the Parklands Circuit shared used path meets the road on the east side, and other paths from Wentworth Common and Wentworth Point come to the same location on the west side of the road. Is there a zebra crossing to link these routes? No. At least a pelican crossing then? Also no. OK, well they must at least have a low speed limit to help people get across the road safely? Nah, it's a 60 kph zone. There's a 50 kph nearby, but it ends 20 metres *before* the crossing location.

This road is busy at all times, even on a weekend morning gaps in the traffic long enough to cross safely are very rare. If you've got kids or other slow to cross people with you it's even more difficult. There's nowhere else you can cross either, the paths in the area funnel you to this location and this location alone.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SeqETo6RHxFTajmn9

#Cycling #UrbanCycling #SydneyCycling

#52WochenFotoChallenge
#52wfc25
2025/30 "Verkehr" / "Traffic"

#Fotografie #Photography
#RideSafe #BikeShare #CityTransport #EcoFriendly #BikeStation #UrbanCycling

I'm continuing to think about resuming cycle commuting when the AAO moves to the Macquarie University campus in September.

Looking at the plans for the new building that we'll share with the Engineering Department I am pleased to see that we'll have decent End of Trip facilities, fairly similar to what we have in our current building. There's secure staff bicycle parking indoors on the lower ground floor, and next to that changing rooms with showers and lockers. Hopefully those 29 bicycle parking spaces, 6 showers and 64 lockers will be enough to meet demand.

I really need to do a stock take of my cycling gear, to make sure I have enough stuff that still fits and is not worn out.

#Cycling #CycleCommuting #SydneyCycling #UrbanCycling