utility cycling

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Are you a passionate cyclist who believes that bicycles can transform the way we move around our cities and towns? Are you interested in exploring the world of utility biking, where bicycles are a tool for practicality, sustainability, and adventure? If so, you've come to the right place!

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JacobCoffinWrites

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I'm working on a photobash and want to include the solarpunk equivalent of a pickup truck - is there a utility cycle/wagon/rickshaw type design you'd like to see? (self.utilitycycling)

submitted 1 year ago by JacobCoffinWrites to c/utilitycycling

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I honestly have no idea if this is practical, the closest I ever came to utility cycling was riding with small furniture in a handlebar basket. I am working on a photobash where a salvage co-op is recovering technology from overgrown buildings, and I wanted to put some kind of vehicle out front. My first instinct was a wagon with tires/suspension from a car, but I thought this might be an opportunity to show off alternatives to horse or oxen, - is there some kind of larger-than-average contraption you'd like to see here?

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[–] JacobCoffinWrites 1 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Thanks! These are good examples - it seems like the most practical designs are probably a single bicycle with a narrow trailer (though some are longer than I expected). Is there anything you'd do differently if this was going to be the only thing on the road? Would tandem bikes or multiple bikes per trailer be practical or just goofy?

[–] MrMakabar 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yu could go postal

Like that maybe

[–] JacobCoffinWrites 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's much closer to the kind of wagon shape I was picturing, I think I can definitely work from this!

[–] MrMakabar 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You could also use some type of cargo cycle rickshaw.

Also a lot of fork lifts are actually electric, so they can be operated in buildings. So a modified offroad form lift might be an option. Then there are wood gas generators, which can make a normal pick up truck wood powered.

[–] JacobCoffinWrites 1 points 1 year ago

Thanks! These are great

[–] poVoq 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Heavy stuff on a trailer is quite risky (car or bike) if the trailer doesn't have its own breaks and so on. So maybe the trailer could have its own break and propulsion system (incl. batteries) that could also help with navigating the stuff once uncoupled from the bike.

[–] JacobCoffinWrites 2 points 1 year ago

That's a good catch, I'll have to figure out how to show that

[–] markstos@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Those are my photos and no- not much I would change. Even bigger loads require electric trikes. You can also chain electric trailers but that’s rare.

[–] JacobCoffinWrites 2 points 1 month ago

Thanks! It's cool to hear from you! Here's what I ended up making based on feedback from here:

That was the first - I've included cargo bikes in a few other photobashes I did later:

I'm still making solarpunk art so if there's anything you'd like to see feel free to let me know!