Century Of Self

In the documentary "Century of Self"(wiki), Adam Curtis illustrates how advertising was used through the 20th centery to shape public and popular opinion. One of the most significant persons presented in this documentary is Edward Bernay, a nephew of Sigmund Freud, who became thought of as an advertising genius.

One of the most noteworthy things he accomplished is how he changed women's views of smoking in the 1920's.

It is a four part series. You can watch them below.

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:



Part 4:



Recommended Links:
- Cycle Santa Monica! community forum

Love Tricycle

"Love Tricycle" is an animated love story, drama, adventure, between bicycles, tricycles, unicycles, trick BMX's, and skateboards.

This is a trailer for the film:



Related Links:
- "Love Tricycle" website

Who Needs Truck?

There has been an email circulating around with the subject line "Who Needs a Truck?" and a bunch of pictures attached. The pictures are of people with their mopeds and bicycles carrying amazing amounts and sizes of things. Presumably these pictures were taken in either China or Vietnam.

Here is a sample of some of the pictures included in the email.

Dutch Ebike Boom!

This article was reported by the "Bike europe, Trade journal for the European Bicycle and Scooter Market" on January 23, 2007:

Electric Bike Boom in Holland

BUNNIK, The Netherlands – The electric bike market in Holland is booming. At the annual Congress of the Dutch Dealer Association BOVAG that was held yesterday, a GfK market survey indicated that electric bikes sales upped a big 63% in one year to about 32,000 units.

The GfK survey over the first nine months of 2006, also indicated that bike sales in Holland upped 5% in units and 8% in turnover. During the January – September 2006 period a total of 1,077,000 bicycles were sold. By far the biggest part of that unit sale was delivered by the Dutch bike dealers; 828,000 units; up 4% over the 2005 figure.
On the electric bike sales, the GfK market survey revealed that 32,000 units were sold during the January – September period up 63% on the 19,000 for the first nine months of 2005. If the 60% plus in sales also continues during the rest of the year, then 2006 total sales of electric bikes in Holland will run up to about 55,000 units. 2005 ended at 34,000 E-Bikes sold in Holland.
Next to the boom in electric bikes, last year another drastic change took place in Holland. During the past years prices for bikes continued to increase. That was stopped in 2006; the mid-end of the market in the price range € 500 - € 699 showed a huge 33% growth.

This kind of new may lead to higher quality and lower prices electric assist bicycles.

Bicycle Boulevards

(see Bicycle Boulevard video below)

If Santa Monica had followed the recommendation of the writer of the Santa Monica Bicycle Master Plan to make Arizona into a bicycle Blvd, it may have prevented the errant car driver from ramming through the World famous Santa Monica Farmers Market on Wednesdays in downtown Santa Monica on Arizona.

See this video for more info on what a bicycle Blvd is. Note the barricades that block car traffic. Often those are place about every few blocks. And their likely would have been a set of them at the entrance to the downtown district on 4th or 5th street.

If you would like to see a bicycle Blvd on Arizona or on some of the other roads that were recommended in the Santa Monica Bicycle Master Plan contact Cycle Santa Monica and write to the Santa Monica City council to let them know.



Recommended Links:
- Cycle Santa Monica! Community forum

World's Fastest Humans...

World's Fastest Bicycles...



Related Posts:
- Fastest Bicycle

Recommended Links:
- Cycle Santa Monica! community forum

Solar Electric Bike

Video Description:

"Solar electric recumbent bicycle. Solar Biking in the Santa Ynez Valley"

Solar Electric Trike

Solar powered trike "Solar power goes straight to the wheel when
needed, bypassing the batteries."



Video Description:

"Solar electric recumbent trike at Arco, taunting the thirsty dinosaur burners."

Solar Trek Mobile

This is a video of the "Solar Trek Mobile" (AKA STM) as seen at the Intercycle Cologne 1995.

It is a hybrid bicycle/car that is powered by solar power and human power. It has 3 wheels. and space to carry a child and cargo.

Intercycle Cologne 10

Intercycle Cologne 6

Intercycle Cologne 8

Intercycle Cologne 9

Intercycle Cologne 7

Intercycle Cologne 5

Intercycle Cologne 4

Intercycle Cologne 3

Intercycle Cologne 2

Intercycle E-bikes

This is episode #1 in a servies of videos which document the electric bicycles exhibited at Intercycle (Cologne Germany) in 1995.

"Ello"(spelling?) by "Sachs"(spelling?) with an electric hub motor in the rear wheel.

If someone has more info on this bike or the comany that manufacturers it, please send the info to me or post the info in the comments section. Thanks! (smile)

Bicycle Americana

Do you remember stories about an old TV show called "I Love Lucy"? In one of her many shows she did a show titled "Lucy's Bicycle Trip" on April 23, 1956. Here is the show synopsis:

The Ricardos and Mertzes are leaving Genoa for Nice when Lucy decides they should all go by bicycle because they can't see enough of the countries from the train. Ricky and the Mertzes agree under protest and after an exhausting day of pedaling, they spend the night in an Italian barn with the livestock. The next morning, they enjoy a breakfast which includes milk fresh from the cow, courtesy of Lucy. They finally reach the French-Italian border but Lucy thinks she has locked her passport in a trunk that was sent ahead.

That show is available on Amazon as a downloadable file for $1.99.(LINK)

Here is a more thorough recap of the show "Lucy's Bicycle Trip". Interestingly, reports say that the bicycles used in that show were all made by Schwin. I wonder if they had Schwin bicycles in France or Italy at that time.

If you get it, please share it with me. I would love to see that show.

Also, if you have some good pictures of Lucy or any of the other folks on the I Love Lucy show riding bicycles, or know where they can be viewed online. Please let me know and/or post the info in the comments. (smile).

Thanks.

Liberty Mountain Ebike

The Liberty electric bicycles also come in a mountain bike version. The mountain bike is a 36 volt system.

Interestingly, on the mountain bike, the wheel appears to sit a little futher behind the rider than ordinary bicycles. (See the Liberty City Electric Bike)

Liberty E-bike

This is a video of a Liberty 48 volt city electric bicycle. (LINK)

This bike appears to be using a "brushed" hub motor. And it appears that brushed motors tend to make a humming sound. Most "brushless" motors seems to be far quieter. (Also, see the Liberty Electric Mountain bicycle)

Reader Questions

Edward wrote:

"Have you seen this video?
It might be kind of old, but just in case I thought you might want to post it on the blog..."

It was posted back in July 2006 (see LINK). But I can post it again here(see blow).

Also, you(and other readers) may enjoy some other posts from the CSM! blog archives:

- Jet Bike
- Rocket Boots
- Power Boots Run
- Russian Power Boots

BTW, the Russian Power Boots videos have been very popular with over 100,000 views combined.

Keep the letters comming. Thanks!



Recommended Links:
- Cycle Santa Monica! community forum

Quiet E-Bike

A video demonstrating a super quiet Crystalyte electric hub motor powered hybrid bicycle.


Film Maker's video description:

Ebike Kit Runs for 15+ Miles at 20MPH Using Ultra Quiet Crystalyte Motor, Visit www.TheEbike.com for more info on Ebike kits.

CalStart E-Bikes

This is a video of some test riding of e-bikes (electric bicycles) at CalStart, in Pasadena.

Book Recommendations

Hi guys.

I would like to make a couple recommendations of some books for you to read ( or listen to audiobook).

The first one is a book by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki titled "Why We Want You to Be Rich: Two Men - One Message".

These guys, among other things, really emphasis our communities need, and for that matter the US and even world community to focus on sustainable lifestyles, including finding alternative/sustainable sources of energy, such as wind energy. They believe that our civilization is very dependent on it.

And interestingly, they believe that one way that we can do it is if we can make ourselves rich. They present the idea that the reason that this is important is because, through history there has been an expression that is true even today, "“Those with the Gold Make the Rules". So if you are rich, you can help shape the rules of our community.

I was also very surprised to learn in this book that Robert Kiyosaki was a member of the Board of Directors of the "“Global Energy Network Institute"”. That organization was founded "“to investigate the idea of Dr. R. Buckminster Fuller, proposing a global electric energy grid as the number one priority to solve many of the world's most pressing problems"”.

Dr. Fuller, also known as "“Bucky", is an amazing person. And we in Santa Monica are fortunate to have one his daughters living among us. It might be really nice to have her speak in Santa Monica, about her dad sometime. And perhaps we can organized to play the "World Game"” simulation, developed by Dr. Fuller.

And if you got limited time to read, you might want to consider getting the audiobook version and listen to it while bicycling or do other things.

The Second book I want to bring your attention to is called "“The Coming Economic Collapse: How You can Thrive When Oil Costs $200 a Barrel" by Dr. Stephen Leeb. This book is actually is on a list of recommended books in the book "Why We Want You To Be Rich: Two Men, One Message".

Both of these books are available in the Santa Monica Public Library I believe.

If you have any books you would like to recommend, please post your recommendations.

Here is an interview with Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump on the book they co-authored.

Bike Grafitti

There is a building similar to this in downtown Santa Monica (California)
(via)