I'm flattered – Jokey Poet has written a "Joem" (joke poem) about Crocodile Jock here… the joke's not bad, I'm not too sure about the poetry (sorry JP)…then again, who am I to judge?But it's very nice that somebody has taken the time to do it! You can read it here.
Thursday 31 March 2011
Friday 18 March 2011
The Skoot
Funny how these things work… after posting about the Voltitude, I came across this folding bike design from Skoot. Although it's a proper bike rather than an electric or "assisted" one, it's a pretty cool design,
I can't find out a lot more about it other than what is written about it on the blog (or journal as he puts it), Mr Porter, and he is featuring a book on iconic bike designs "Cyclepedia" (itself a nicely designed tome on cycle design) rather than the Skoot itself.
The other source of information was here, which fleshes out the story a bit… it was designed by Vincent Fallon, in 2001. Rather beautifully I think. The rationale was to "Ride where you want to go, and fold the Skoot away, in seconds, into its case. Then carry it into offices, restaurants or hotels, or take it further on trains, buses, trams, or taxis. All without hassle, loss of dignity or greasy hands".
At one stage it looked like you could get hold of one from an Essex (UK) based company, Skoot International, for about £850, but their website is no longer up… and the skoot.com name is up for sale. (GREAT brand name for a scooter or citycar, anyone out their "namestorming").
Perhaps it was just a little ahead of it's time. With the resurgence of cycling and commuting in London for example, maybe now the market has caught up.
Know more about the Skoot? Is it still being made? Have you owned one? Get in touch, or leave a comment.
Friday 11 March 2011
Swiss Army Scooter!
Hot on the heels of my post about the FIDO Electric Scooter, here's another cool concept that references another iconic brand. Taking more design cues from the classic Swiss Army Knife, and Brompton folding bikes than a Vespa or Lambretta, I think the Volitude is a nifty looking little scooter. Designed to be easily folded and rolled… you could easily stow this in the boot of a car, a locker or under the stairs. Although, having struggled with folding a double buggy, I'd like to see that in the real world!
Powered by a 250 Watt inegrated motor, with a Lithium Polymer battery, thehttp://www.voltitude.com/product/ specs sound very impressive. And because you pedal it too (the electric motor is jus there to provide "assistance" ) you won't need a motorcycle license, as it is classified as an electric assisted cycle in European countries. You can even use it in cycle lanes.
If you like the look of the Volitude and you want one, you'll have to be living in Switzerland if you actually want to get your hands on one of the few being produced.
The good news is though, Volitude are taking pre-orders for International shipping now, and they'll let you know the final specs (and, importantly what it's going to cost you), and you can choose whether you want one or not.
Check out their website if you're interested.
Wednesday 9 March 2011
FIDO Electric Scooter
With shenanigans in the Middle East causing fuel prices to hit record prices at the pump… people are taking alternatives a bit more seriously. Part of the answer may be smaller, more efficient cars… like the Smite… or the Morgan ThreeWheeler, recently launched at the Geneva Motor Show.
But as usual, I'm ahead of the curve. (Actually, I'm SO far behind the curve, I can't even see it). As in their original heyday (surprisingly this was the nineteenFIFTIES not the sixties as many people think)… there has also been a rise in the sale of scooters… good news for Lambretta if they get round to launching their new models.
There are also new, innovative solutions such as this electric scooter being developed by Jeb Gast at FreemontMotors in Seattle. Named FIDO, this little puppy bears more than a passing resemblance to the original "open-framed" Lambretta's… Models A to D… Although the Lambretta clearly had a petrol engine!
Much of the thinking behind Fido is similar to that of the original Lambretta… such ease of use and maintenance by the owner. There are nice touches, such as the removeable, underseat baggage pack that can be worn like a rucksack when not on the scoot, the battery pack located under the footboards, which can slide out for easy recharging (just swap a spare in). The range is projected at 30-35 miles… which makes it an ideal commuter ride, while the projected top speed of 45mph isn't going to break any records, it isn't too shabby. If they get this thing made, and priced right, I reckon they could sell a ton of them.
Find out more on FIDO <a href="http://scootinoldskool.wordpress.com/2011/03/04/here-fido/
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