Liveable cities

Mikael has a Parisian holiday

Via cyclelicio.us

Mayor Boris (via the LCC):

I fully intend to ensure that the cycling share of London journeys is massively increased in the coming years. TfL is working towards a target of 5% by 2025, but I will be working with TfL and the boroughs on new ideas that might enable us to be more ambitious. I’ve already asked TfL to develop plans for a bicycle hire scheme for London, along the lines of the hugely popular Velib scheme in Paris, to make cycling accessible to everyone. We’ll work to make cycling safer and more convenient, and we’ll work with the boroughs to make cycling a priority. £2 million will also be made available for more secure parking facilities such as the Finsbury Park cycle park.

Good stuff; except the last point: let’s not waste money on bunkers and let’s tackle theft by

1. catching thieves: set the right targets for the Police: no bonus unless you have recovered 10,000 stolen bikes
2. discourage the trade of stolen bikes: force online sites to take off ads of bikes which don’t have frame numbers posted and checked against a database such as Immobilise.

The three yellow dots are the symbol of Christiania, where the WorldChanging tricycle was developed.

… entices us
A cycling girl becomes our dream today.

Fly out in flocks, you lovely cyclists
That which smiles and which tempts, entices us
Fly out in flocks, fly out with your partner,
The youth must have freedom every day
But remember that bike lights must be turned on at 9!

All winter you long for the sun
Now springtime embraces the dresses
As the bike bell chimes from the polished handlebars
Every girl’s heart is a promise given
One to be embraced completely by life
Springtime’s fairytale begins today

…

Cyclist Song by Sigfred Pedersen, 1936, translated from Danish by Mikael

He has had several of his bikes stolen and he has promised to put decoy bicycles in N1.

Let’s hope now that tackling bike theft is given the priority it requires. My guess is that the great majority of criminals who actually are sent to jail, began their career stealing bikes.

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Image by Colin Fahrion

Today two mothers visited us with three children: they were looking for a Like-a-bike, but were not sure what size to get: Midi or Maxi? They spent half an hour debating posture, weight and life-cycles, while the children (very well behaved) tried various bikes we have on the floor. A decision was finally made: a red Midi, which retails for £159.00.

And here is when the ‘unacceptable face of capitalism’ took off its veil. The lady mentioned a cowboy site on the internet where the bike was offered cheaply. I explained that the price I was offering was the recommended retail price, i.e. she was not being overcharged. The lady started to bargain; I felt that for the service she had received, the full price was appropriate. The two ladies conferred and started to pick up their bags but not the new bike.

“Don’t you think that trying out the bikes is a service worth paying for? How would you have known which bike to choose, if you had not come here?” “Business is business” responded the ‘lady’. “No. There is ethical business, and there are cowboys, and you are acting dishonestly”. She did not repent and left with her retinue. What a tjuv.

What is disappointing is that suppliers are unwilling to unplug these internet cowboys; they fear the Office of Fair Trading will persue them for ‘price fixing’. That would be a perversion of the law: The role of the OFT is to pursue cartels and monopolies who abuse their market power, not suppliers who want to ensure that their product is sold by reputable retailers who provide excellent service. If people feel that Like-a-bikes are expensive, they can go and buy some shoddy Chinese copies: in six months they will realise that “Best is Cheap”.

Detail of ‘mixed-media bicycle’ from a selection by Merry Saddles

The temperature is finally rising, we are less than two months away from the solstice, and thoughts are turning towards evening and week-end rides.

We are hosting a sale of spring/summer clothing by Nalini on Thursday to Saturday. Prices are slashed by 30%, 50% and even 70%.

Stylish in London, brotherly in Japan.

If you want to carry him in front, consider the Doggy Basket, in stock at £53.00

Top images by Face Hunter and Takato Marui

David Hembrow, our skillful basketmaker, and Dutchphile has recently shot a typical school day morning at his home town of Assen:

Fancy spending a week cycling in the Netherlands? David is guiding some interesting tours.