Sustainability and protecting the environment are of course hot topics in 2019; and while cycling is infinitely better for the planet than using a vehicle powered by fossil fuels, the manufacturing process to produce bicycles isn't always so green.
Ohio brand Vaast Bikes are aiming to change this with their framesets made of Allite's 'Super Magnesium', the first in the world to do so. It's 100% recyclable, breaking down far quicker than carbon or aluminium, meaning a new bike made of magnesium alloy in the future could technically be made out of material that used to exist on another bike. As magnesium is readily available on earth, it's also more sustainable to get hold of and manufacture than alloy or titanium.
There are even claimed performance benefits; Vaast say their frames are 33% lighter than aluminium, 56% stronger than grade 1 titanium and 20 times better at absorbing shock than alloy. They're launching with four models (two trail bikes, a gravel/adventure model and a hybrid) and should be available through European distributors soon.
Meanwhile, Copenhagen-based Coh&Co are making frames using their completely unique 'Stoneweave' production... it's literally a bike made of stone, partially at least! The manufacturing process for the frame interweaves stone and carbon fibres, which fuses them into what Coh&Co call "the world's first recyclable high performance composite resin". Co-founder Paul Harder Cohen told us that while the frame itself can't necessarily be forged into another bike frame at the end of its life cycle (like Super Magnesium), it can still be reused in other industries. The frames are also exceptionally tough, which means corrosion isn't a worry.
If that wasn't sustainable enough, Coh&Co also have a unique buy back agreement; each bike comes with a lifetime warranty, and after ten years you can choose to sell it back to Coh&Co. They will then either refurbish the bike and get it back on the streets, or reclaim the material that can then be used for other purposes.
Coh&Co's Erik urban commuter starts from 1,476 euros. We weren't told prices for the very tasty Campagnolo-equipped racer, but we know the frame weighs in at around 1.1kg.
For me it's the lack of secure (well, any) cycle parking. If we cycle to Lidl, we have to go as a pair so one of us can sit with the bikes. But...
Another one where my reasonable and necessary use of the highway to park something in is impeded by selfish people just dumping stuff on the road...
OMG! Went camping with son and tried to do most of the transfers early. That worked!
I tried it once, but instead of slowing down, the daft old nit just turned into the verge at about 40mph and the car jumped up and I suddenly had...
Just think how bad it would be if the average Range Rover was reliable enough to be on the road 12 months of the year instead of having to spend...
" a "single, brief incident" in which the damage caused to the train was "minor". " Good to see you back
It is effectively a cap on energy suppliers' profits. It was never intended to cap energy prices across the board; the intention was to prevent...
It's so wrong, but in Celeste, so right...
Good working with you at Dunfermline Iain Park (and all the others!)
I got hold of some clinchers as my gp 5000 clinchers have seen better days, and the Vittorias are on a par speed wise (well they don't seem to be...