The Chainlink

Really interesting bike

Velonews had a short blurb about WBR's buffalo bike. It's a pretty cool bike especially given that it's only $140 and designed to last really harsh conditions.  Also, world bike relief is a really interesting program based out of Chicago.  Does anyone know if they sell the bikes in the states?  It's fairly heavy but it looks like it might be an interesting option for people that would like a heavy duty bike that can haul everything (the rack is rated to carry up to 220lbs) and deal with pretty much anything you'd run into here.

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Permalink Reply by Ace Mann on January 23, 2011 at 6:34pm
We got 2 of them at are place.(donated by SRAM)Working Bikes coop.(workingbikes.org 2434 S Western).Looking at the pictures on Velonews,it looks like they have up dated them a little.A nice seat and the coaster brake. Ours has a brutally hard seat and steel rod brakes and is heavy as sh!t.I rode it last fall and it was a real workout.Stop in sometime to see it.
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on January 23, 2011 at 7:40pm

Nothng new about that bike...

 

Actually I would prefer to see a 3 spd and rod brakes, like that exact bike had years ago, if you wanted a really useful bike but that is just me.

Permalink Reply by S on January 24, 2011 at 1:32am
I'd think making it 3 spd would add more components that could fail and result in a bike that wouldn't be used. The bike might not be new but it looks like there's a new program where they let families receive and keep a bike as long as the kids are in school. Since most of the recipients are girls, it tends to keep girls in school longer, hopefully leading to better outcomes later in life.

notoriousDUG said:

Nothng new about that bike...

 

Actually I would prefer to see a 3 spd and rod brakes, like that exact bike had years ago, if you wanted a really useful bike but that is just me.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 24, 2011 at 7:03am

They should sell these bikes to the general public to raise money for their project.

 

I know they were offering copies of the "One Laptop per Child" laptops to donors who wanted one, as a friend of mine had one of those. It's a total POS if you want to know...  I don't know how much it costs or how big of a donor you have to be as my friend gave them a LOT so this might not be that common.

 

Anyhow, this bike would be cool and I'd pay $300 (plus shipping as we don't want to waste their time building a US distribution network, naturally) for one knowing that half of it would go to a worthy project like this.  I don't care that it is heavy as I'm not a weight weenie.  I know I'll never ride as fast as Lance anyhow.  Who cares? If there was a huge demand for this bike it would increase production to the point where it would lower their costs as well.  Oh, no -looks like I'm one of those evil capitalists...

 

This bike looks cool.  It'd be nice to have a bike that could survive the zoombies.

 

 

Permalink Reply by travesty on January 24, 2011 at 12:52pm

Thanks S, I had not seen this and it was informative and interesting.

There is something new at that link. They say that this is the third revision, and someone from WBR adds in the comments some interesting stuff like why the double top tube, and that the bike was designed from the ground up to be durable because of local culture and custom and a real problem finding replacement parts for other styles of bikes.

Permalink Reply by S on January 24, 2011 at 1:17pm
Yeah, a program like the one laptop where you can buy a bike and that would fund another bike would be great.  I think the bike might be useful for the average cyclist.  It's heavy but if it's super low maintenance and sturdy, it'd probably be a better fit for someone just starting off.  It'd probably work better than a bike at comparable prices in a department store.

James Baum said:

They should sell these bikes to the general public to raise money for their project.

 

I know they were offering copies of the "One Laptop per Child" laptops to donors who wanted one, as a friend of mine had one of those. It's a total POS if you want to know...  I don't know how much it costs or how big of a donor you have to be as my friend gave them a LOT so this might not be that common.

 

Anyhow, this bike would be cool and I'd pay $300 (plus shipping as we don't want to waste their time building a US distribution network, naturally) for one knowing that half of it would go to a worthy project like this.  I don't care that it is heavy as I'm not a weight weenie.  I know I'll never ride as fast as Lance anyhow.  Who cares? If there was a huge demand for this bike it would increase production to the point where it would lower their costs as well.  Oh, no -looks like I'm one of those evil capitalists...

 

This bike looks cool.  It'd be nice to have a bike that could survive the zoombies.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 24, 2011 at 1:36pm

The only issue with this would be that it certainly WOULD be competition to not only the department-store bike (no competition that is, because they would be far superior to the K-Mart bikes in everything but weight) but it would be a huge competition to the Dutch Bike Shops who are basically selling very similar bikes with a multi-speed hub and a few more amenities.  And not much heavier.  The only issue would be it not being a step-through.  I wonder what the stand-over is on thee bikes.  I'd like to see more specs.

 

I bet hese bikes could be ridden as-is no problem (for most male-type people) and if you wanted to,  you could swap out hubs front/rear for IG with Hub-brakes in the rear and Hub brakes up front and have one hell of a bullet-proof bike WITH good brakes. (I kind of hate coasters as the main brake in the city).  It'd be the killer kommuter.

 

Or you could just add in a simple front caliper for next to nothing in cost and weight (and at this weight what's a few more ounces?)  and have something quite a bit better than the way it comes (which isn't bad.)  If the front brake failed in the zombiepocalpse then rip it off and ride on!  Whoohooo!  The more I talk about this the more I WANT one of these bikes.  It might even become a collector's item someday.

 

If I owned one of the Dutch Bikes shops around the country I'd hate to see these out tere selling for half the price I was selling my own bikes at!  Ouch.  There might be some resistance to these selling to the general public!

 

S said:

Yeah, a program like the one laptop where you can buy a bike and that would fund another bike would be great.  I think the bike might be useful for the average cyclist.  It's heavy but if it's super low maintenance and sturdy, it'd probably be a better fit for someone just starting off.  It'd probably work better than a bike at comparable prices in a department store.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 24, 2011 at 2:00pm

What I just said earlier has made me think about something.  (I do that sometimes)

 

Why in the heck are they making Diamond-frame bicycles?  Sure they are a little bit stronger, especially this double-toptube.  But is it THAT important that they be THAT strong?  You can make a pretty darn strong step-through, since they don't seem to be all that concerned about overall weight anyhow. 

 

If you go to the World Bicycle Relief Home Page you see them saying:

But in many culturally-undeveloped* parts of the world women aren't allowed to walk around in trousers and are forced to wear long dresses/skirts or even more clothing/Burka-type dress.  A Diamond-framed bike is not easy to ride in a long dress and probably would be considered "obscene" by the men even if they tried.  Such a bike is of no use to women in many parts of the world because of this.
I'm not a big fan of "affirmative action" but I believe in the case of some developing countries the key to helping them is empowering the HECK out of women.  I think 99% of the money spent on helping these places should be spent on empowering women.  Educating them, allowing them to become strong and powerful and to have a voice.  Only then will they be able to say NO to being baby-machines and continuing the cycle of poverty and over-population.  Only then will we be able to help them out in the long run.
I don't think they should be building anything BUT step-through frame bikes because of this (although I do covet one of those double-toptube units for myself).
*I'm sorry but I am going to have to call any culture that treats women as THINGS or PROPERTY and doesn't give them the same rights/privileges that a man has, and be treated like individuals with Freedom to make their own choices in life as "culturally backwards/undeveloped" -and I'm prepared to take the heat for saying so out loud.

 

Permalink Reply by S on January 24, 2011 at 2:48pm


James Baum said:

What I just said earlier has made me think about something.  (I do that sometimes)

 

Why in the heck are they making Diamond-frame bicycles?  Sure they are a little bit stronger, especially this double-toptube.  But is it THAT important that they be THAT strong?  You can make a pretty darn strong step-through, since they don't seem to be all that concerned about overall weight anyhow. 

The diamond framed bikes with the double top tubes is apparently because the Raleigh bikes in the area had that geometry and without the diamond frame/double top tubes people think it's not as strong and may not immediately understand that they can take it to their local bike mechanic.  For historical and cultural reasons, I'm not sure a step through or a mixte would be accepted.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 24, 2011 at 2:51pm

So what they get in the end  is a bike that the women can't ride to the school/clinic without getting stoned by the village elders for showing her legs...

S said:

The diamond framed bikes with the double top tubes is apparently because the Raleigh bikes in the area had that geometry and without the diamond frame/double top tubes people think it's not as strong and may not immediately understand that they can take it to their local bike mechanic.  For historical and cultural reasons, I'm not sure a step through or a mixte would be accepted.

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