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Hyperefficient Transportation: Utility Bikes and Bike Trailers

Utility bikes or “work bikes” are very efficient vehicles for transporting cargo (and children too). They are quite popular in bike-friendly places like Amsterdam, Copenhagen and China. Bikes can tow a remarkable amount of weight. Loads in excess of 880 pounds (400 kilograms) have been hauled behind bikes along flat surfaces. Generally though, 300 pounds

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Chainless Bikes

Besides the wheel the invention of the chain is probably what made the modern bicycle possible but ironically it’s also the bike’s biggest downside. The chain usually needs a lot of maintenance and care to keep it functioning properly and of course there’s always the risk of pant legs or loose shoelaces getting caught. If

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Xtracycle: Efficient Bike Extender

Xtracycle is a 15-inch bike extender with dual racks. It turns standard bikes into practical transportation devices, capable of carrying sizable loads. The inventor, Ross Evans, realized that by lengthening the wheelbase of an ordinary bike he could increase the portage capacity without significantly hindering handling. He arrived at a simple, elegant modification: Remove the

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