Video | Utility Cycling

Janice Turner’s NYC Biking Story

Posted on 16. Nov, 2011 by Melanie Colavito.

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Health issues such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, and much more are becoming more and more of a concern for many Americans. For Dr. Janice Turner, who is featured in the most recent MY NYC Biking Story on Streetfilms, cycling is one way to help curb these problems. Many of us utility cyclists can appreciate the fact that cycling is salubrious, so it’s great to see someone like Janice help bring cycling to kids and adults in places like the Bronx through initiatives such as Sustainable South Bronx and by teaching kids to ride. Alright, Janice!

My NYC Biking Story: Dr. Janice Turner from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

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World Bicycle Relief

Posted on 14. Nov, 2011 by Melanie Colavito.

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World Bicycle Relief is an incredible organization that is working to bring bicycles to people around the world to improve their independence and livelihood. The power of a bicycle is immeasurable in the hands of people who are otherwise very limited in their personal mobility. World Bicycle Relief was founded in 2005 after the Indian Ocean tsunami by SRAM, and they have since delivered more than 90,000 bicycles to the field and impacted over 450,000 lives. Learn more about World Bicycle Relief in the video below.

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Bikes Needed at Occupy Wall Street

Posted on 08. Nov, 2011 by Melanie Colavito.

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A few weeks ago, the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City was asking for donations to help develop pedal power stations to keep the movement sustainable. With a lot of donations, they are well on their way to pedal powering the movement in situ. However, they are also in need of bikes, cargo bikes, and bike trailers to haul goods and provide services around the city by bike. They also need bikes to help set up a bike share program for the movement to help the different committees get around the city efficiently. Help them spread the word and encourage pedal power!

Via Copenhagenize.

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Traffic Garden

Posted on 04. Nov, 2011 by Melanie Colavito.

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The city of Utrecht in the Netherlands has it nailed: teach traffic safety to children, especially how to deal with different modes of transportation, and there is a pretty good chance that you will produce better drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike. The only traffic safety I can recall receiving as a child here in the U.S. was to look left, right, left before crossing a street. In the video below from Streetfilms, the children of Utrecht learn how to navigate traffic from three different perspectives in a miniature traffic garden, which has been in use in the city since the 1950′s. This looks like a great way to teach people how to navigate traffic safely with different modes, and I’d imagine this sort of exercise would be of great benefit to adults too!

Self-Reliance Grows in the Utrecht Traffic Garden from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

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Bike Love

Posted on 03. Nov, 2011 by Melanie Colavito.

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Here at Utility Cycling, we are all about using your bike. We love all things utilitarian that bicycles can accomplish from basic transportation to bike delivery to bike moves to emergency and patrol services and beyond. Bikes are great tools for getting from here to there in an efficient and fun manner. But just because we focus on utility here doesn’t mean that we don’t love our bikes…or that there isn’t utility in love. So please enjoy a little bike love movie here today at Utility Cycling via Cyclelicious.

bike ♥ from Rick Darge on Vimeo.

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Pedala Zezinho

Posted on 31. Oct, 2011 by Melanie Colavito.

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Here’s an uplifting video for your Monday evening via Copenhagenize. In September of 2010, the Pedala Zezinho Project, which took place in the in the south zone of Sao Paulo, fixed over 150 kids bikes and checked over more than 200. The project was intended to help out the local population of children, who are often exposed to hard times and violence, and through the power of bicycles, the kids were given a positive experience and activity. Learn more about the project in the video below and check out aromeiazero.com for more information.

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Occupy Wall Street Using Pedal Power

Posted on 29. Oct, 2011 by Melanie Colavito.

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The Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City is trying to make itself entirely sustainable, and the folks in the Sustainability Committee are trying to get everyone occupying the streets off fossil fuels. So they went about making a pedal power bicycle, which can replace the gas generators that a lot of the different Occupy Wall Street committees are currently using to literally “power” the movement. Check out the bikes and their call for help in the video below via Velo Vogue. You can visit Time’s Up to help out.

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An American’s Take on Amsterdam

Posted on 28. Oct, 2011 by Melanie Colavito.

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The US Consul General in Amsterdam, Julie Ruterbories, reflects on her reactions to Dutch cycling, policy, and society in the most recent film from Streetfilms below. What is neat about Julie is that she learned to commute by bike while in Amsterdam, and hopefully she will take that new habit back to the U.S. if/when she returns. Julie talks about the general health and well being of not just people, but also places, that cycling can produce. Hear hear!

An American in Amsterdam Shares Her Take on Dutch Cycling Policy from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

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Convenience in Copenhagen

Posted on 25. Oct, 2011 by Melanie Colavito.

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The folks at Copenhagen Consulting are looking to make cycling a tad bit more convenient for cyclists in Copenhagen with two simple, but very convenient and functional ideas. The first is a handlebar for holding onto poles when waiting for a red light, while the other is a cyclist-level trash can for ditching your empty to-go cup or other trash while you are riding. I personally love the first idea quite a bit, as I love holding onto something stable when I’m stopped without having to put a foot down…and you can’t beat the name: “love handles”. I don’t carry a lot of trash while I ride, but I could see the other idea being useful at the right times, as well. Check out these two simple, fun, and functional ideas in the video below. Enjoy! Via Copenhagenize.