Rock The Bike

El Arbol: The Bike Tree

This custom art bike, made and based in San Francisco, rides through the city at 12 feet tall, then sprouts roots, branches, and leaves at events, where it becomes a 2500-Watt double-stack main speaker at our Pedal Powered Stage. Integrated LEDs look stunning at night. The Tree has two seats and creates all of its own power using an integrated One Bike / One Speaker circuit.

el arbol bike powered tree

 


Above, El Arbol in action as a Aerial Dance rig at Gaia Fest in 2012.

 
Shredder performs on hoop from El Arbol
Aerialist Shredder performs on hoop from El Arbol’s trusty rear branch. 
Tara performs on El Arbol at the start of the SF Marathon
Tara performs on El Arbol at the start of the SF Marathon
El Arbol without its Canopy of Leaves.
El Arbol without its Canopy of Leaves.

The sound quality is incredible. By using the audio elements from 2 Modified JBL PRX loudspeakers, it has the ability to get music out at festival levels with very low distortion. We use El Arbol as half of our Pedal Powered Stage at the San Francisco Bicycle Music Festival. The height of the upper loudspeaker (9′ up!)  helps the sound spread out easily out above a crowd, without requiring deafening volume levels for those in the front.

bike powered performance on el arbol

It’s fun and expands the notion of ‘Stage’ to include the pedalers.

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Yuba’s new V3 Mundo is here, offering numerous parts upgrades and usability improvements

Yuba releases its all-new V3 Mundo Cargo Bike, with numerous upgrades and usability improvements, making this already beloved bike a true tool for mobility, fitness, and community. Stylish, tough, and highly customizeable, the V3 Mundo stands at the ready for all sorts of missions. The new 21-speed drivetrain and the impressive weight savings — 9 pounds lighter than the original V1 Mundo — mean more riders can enjoy a true cargo bike, in more terrains, with no sacrifice in the Mundo’s legendary stiff ride quality.

 

Above: 36-spoke front and 48-spoke rear wheels with sealed-bearing hubs mean fewer popped spokes and a stable ride when carrying passengers and heavy cargo.

With a max payload of 440 lbs, the Mundo is still the heavyweight of the long-wheelbase cargo bike world. Riders have raved about the predictability and surefootedness of the frame, which become all the more apparent when the bike is loaded down. The 48-spoke tandem-strength rear wheel with its new sealed bearing hub and oversized axle, is a big part of why the Mundo feels so stable when hauling loads.

Above: 4 strap guides keep straps from slipping, and 24 threaded customization points make it easy
to mount running boards, locking equipment cases, custom equipment racks, and Mundo accessories.

The chassis-style loading system has evolved, with welded strap guides, ensuring your straps won’t slip from road vibration. The Mundo is now easier to customize to your unique cargo applications. Threaded braze-on points positioned throughout the cargo rack allow customers and businesses to integrate specific cargo racks, signage, tools, etc. Yuba’s huge and water-resistant GoGetter Bag is a great way to carry smaller and softer loads like food.


Rock The Bike uses Mundos to haul music equipment to their Pedal Powered Stage events.
For many people a Mundo is the “most comfortable bike I’ve ever ridden”. The long wheelbase makes handling easy and predictable, and puts road shock further from the spine of the rider. The Mundo’s upright riding position gives the visibility riders need to steer, signal, and pedal effectively through traffic. The rider’s weight is evenly distributed between the drive wheel and the steering wheel, making quick accelerations and maneuvers safe and decisive. All this comfort, safety, and control gives riders a chance to relax, breathe, and begin to integrate physical fitness with everyday tasks: dropping the kids off to school, picking up supplies for the home, and doing deliveries for a small business.

 


Above: Yuba’s Peanut Shell childseat installed on the rear rack. There’s still room for picnic supplies or a second child seat.
Families will appreciate that the new Mundo’s rack accomodates up to two standard child seats. Yuba’s new Peanut Shell is the simplest choice, as the mounting hardware have been chosen to match the rack.

Adam dropping his girls of to school with a Mundo in San Francisco.

Bigger kids can sit directly on Yuba’s top deck, and rest their feet on the bags or the Side Loaders. The Mundo’s new customization points make it easy to add full-length running boards to the Side Loaders for a stylish and secure footrest. And as the kids grow up, they’ll be able to ride the same bike mom and dad used to drop them at school. The Mundo’s low standover height and long seatpost accomodate riders from around 5′ to 6’3″, and the adjustable stem can be positioned to give the desired room in the front.

For mixed terrain, the Mundo now comes stock with a 21-speed drivetrain, including Shimano Acera front and rear derailleurs, Shimano shifters, and lightweight forged alloy cranks. The frame accomodates fat tires, up to 2.75″, meaning that riders with potholed or offroad routes can get the suspension and control they need. For those in wet climates, the stock fenders and disc brake tabs will enable them to get the best performance in the rain. The standard V-brakes have gotten many positive reviews from Mundo customers.


The welded and reinforced rear rack offers chassis style loading for rigid objects like equipment cases.
Previous generations of Mundos had a bolt-on rear rack.

Bike shops and home mechanics who assemble the new Mundo will love the simplicity of assembly. The all-welded cargo system and full-size carton means the build is now well under an hour, with most key parts (derailleurs, brakes, cranks) installed at the factory and in need of only minor tuning.

The V3 Mundo starts at $1099, and includes fenders and a sturdy side kickstand. Most customers will add the $115 GoGetter bag, and a $16 pair of cam straps. A cargo-strength center-stand will be available in early 2010.

Thanks Central Park! Rock The Bike NYC is alive and kicking.

Rock The Bike NYC

 

Rock The Bike says a huge thank you to Central Park Conservancy for getting us involved in Earth Day 2009, and helping us get Rock The Bike NYC off the ground. Here are some of the highlights from our visit to New York over the past 11 days.

 

Kids Love Spin Art

 

We had a blast meeting the public at Earth Day. Above, Pedal Powered Spin art.

 

 

The Biker Bar

 

We debuted our new multi-person pedal power system, the Biker Bar. Three bikes share a common drive shaft, that turns a powerful generator on the fourth bike, an Electric Mundo (blue bike on the left)

 

The Biker Bar -- Multi-person Pedal Power farm.

 

Unfortunately, in its first outing, the Biker Bar was no match for the power-hungry PA equipment that event organizers supplied. The power consumption of the audio system was approximately 300-400 watts with one person speaking on a microphone, not even any music playing.

 

Ever since we started doing Pedal Powered Stage events, clients and organizers have been asking “Why can’t we use the speakers we already have?” Good question. We commonly answer “Because we use the new generation of digitally powered speakers, and their higher efficiency makes pedal power possible.” But in the process of working with Central Park and other clients, they kept asking… So with Central Park, we accepted the challenge. We put our efforts into making the Biker Bar powerful, simple, and efficient. We told them “Sure, you can.”

 

But on the day of the event their equipment’s power draw was just too much. Suddenly Pedal Power felt really hard. When a chain snapped, we talked with the Central Park team and decided to focus on our other offerings and let their music stage run on wall power. Luckily they had that backup option at the ready. In future events, we definitely plan to have a 30-45 minute battery backup, which will allow us to fix mechanicals or other issues without letting the performers down.

 

Spin Art

Luckily, the Spin Art station and the Bike Blenders were a huge hit.

Paul spinning up the Spin Art as kids look on enthralled.

Kids of all ages were able to make Spin Art and pedal for other kids.

Above, the Tropicalia team making bike blended smoothies.

Sarah on the Mundo

We had bright bikes and big smiles to share with the crowds.

 

Galen ollying.

 

And tricks to share… Above, Sara floating on a Mundo. Galen ollies.

 

 

Travis hauling the Biker Bar

We biked everything back to Brooklyn on a hot afternoon.

Travis piloted the Biker Bar, which becomes a cargo trailer to get gear home from an event. Just add the wheels!

The Electric Mundo helps haul the 250 pound load up and over the Williamsburg Bridge.

 

 

Cruiser ride in Manhattan

 

Rolling down 5th Avenue

 

Above: Rolling back from Central Park with our crew, friends, cousins, and the Choprical Fish.

 

Eden in the pack

 

Getting ready for Central Park was a huge task. We arrived a week ahead of time and only set our tools town to pack for the park at 2AM the night before. Check out the preparations below:

 

Sunset cruise in Brooklyn.

 

 

First things first! How about a social ride to get to know each other.

 

Carrying gear

Leif keeps the beat as Galen and Lopi haul gear across Brooklyn with Mundos and the trailer.

Riding gear through Brooklyn.

We set up a little workshop at Brooklyn’s 3rd Ward.

Below, hand stretching the frame of the Mundo to fit the electric rear wheel.

Leif and Emily stretching the Mundo frame to fit electric rear wheel.

We generated many sparks and generally looked bad ass with our protective eye wear.

Lopi cleaning up the spin art station.

Removing screw heads with grinder.

Olivia cutting frame to get seat tube.

We solved engineering riddles. Above trying to anticipate issues with the drive train of the Spin Art station.

Choprical Fish as getter.

We used the Choprical Fish as transportation bike and ‘getter’.

Above, 75 pounds of Sealed Lead Acid batteries.

Hip hop cipher in SoHo.

Of course having the Fish in New York meant there were a few impromptu street parties and even a cypher around town over the past week.

Above, freestyle session in front of a school in Soho. A teacher came out and said “How about a song about getting back to class?!”

Fossil Fool rapping at 3rd Ward party

Fossil Foolin’ at a 3rd Ward party.

Brooklyn Bike and Board

In our last couple days in town, we picked up a couple cool new Mundo dealers. Above, Brooklyn Bike and Board

 

are your Mundo people in Brooklyn. Map.

Leif delivering a Mundo

Leif delivering Mundos. The same bikes we used to get work done in New York are now for sale and ready to ride at two locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

George Bliss picks up the Mundo

And in Manhattan, cargo bike innovator George Bliss picked up the Mundo for The Hub Station in Soho

Many thanks to the Rock The Bike NYC crew for their hard work and excellent hosting.

From the informative illumination files…

From the folks at speedvest.com comes a reflective vest that displays your speed to the drivers you’re passing in city traffic. If all cyclists wore these, it could deliver a message about how effective cycling is as urban transport. Personally, my favorite way to deliver this message is simply to beat my driving friends to the next destination on a night out.

Music is “Do the Spoke” by The Golden Greats, a musical project of one of the inventors.

Concept invention in blog echoes the need to define one’s space on the road.

Bike light concept echoes the need to define one's space on the road.

Bike light concept echoes the need to define one’s space on the road.

Bloggers at Altitude have beautifully illustrated a concept for “Light Lane,” a bike light of the future, one that helps cyclists define their space on the road. This has been one of the goals of the Down Low Glow from day one.

The concept light uses a laser to project the lines of a non-existant bike lane on the road around you, along with a clever bike symbol behind you. Meanwhile, the Down Low Glow, which is not a concept, uses a fluorescent light source to project a diffuse cloud on the road, as seen below. I  don’t know the relative efficiency of lasers vs.fluorescent lamps, or whether the photo of the Light Lane, shown above, is real is real or a composite created in Photoshop.

Down Low Glow throughs light on the road around the bicycle, defining your space in traffic.

The Carpoon

This is a stunt video, not an education video. The idea was to recreate a tool I read about in the book “Snowcrash”. The device is called the carpoon and it costs $5. The Carpoon: Designed to attach to large slow moving vehicles and allow a bike to quietly skitch behind it. Enjoy.

Innovate or Die, Dante!

Dante is on the cutting edge of research into human powered amplification. We set him up with a bench in our workshop, and he’s putting the finishing touches on the Ginger Ninja’s touring rig as I write these words. Dante helped Rock The Bike develop an offering for an Xtracycle-based DC motor mount for human powered music systems. Now he’s working day and night on a 4-bike human power setup for the Ninjas. No one’s had a chance to hear it in action yet, but it’ll probably be 5 times louder than the setup we used for the Bicycle Music Festival.

It’s amazing how the project just totally flows through our community. First Blender man Nate got the bug, then me, then Kipchoge and Dante. With each handoff, we get more experience. Dante is now the most knowledgable guy in our community when it comes to human power. It’s a rad collaborative atmosphere, knowing that we’re producing powerful tools for sending out the bike vibe, the peace vibe, and the party vibe, through bikes and music.

The title of this posting refers to a video competition from Specialized on Human Power.

New Worldbike prototypes sweep Juacali district in Kisumu, Kenya

Ed Lucero’s been ripping it up at the Worldbike workshop in Kisumu. Check out the beautiful curves on the cargo rack section. When bent right, curves are strong, light, and reduce the number of welds. They also reduce the number of poky things sticking out from the side of the bicycles.

This photo is unusual for another reason. The woman in the foreground is one of the only female Juacali workers in Kisumu.


Test ride, Kisumu#2 Worldbike