Bike Racks - The Next Generation
Stop the presses. On occasion there are design concepts that pop up on our radar that make us lean back and say... 'wicked cool'. Quickly followed by 'why the hell didn't we think of that?'
The Airago - type Ypenburg - combination bike rack and air pump is simple Northern European design at its best. If it isn't the Danes designing something cool, functional and just plain fantastic, then you can bet your bottom euro that it's the Dutch.
The Airago is the brainchild of Studio HiMom founded by designers Krijn Christiaansen & Jeroen Bruls. They aim to design products 'dedicated to public space phenomena'. You can lock your bike to the rack and/or pump your tyres with the shiny pump.
The goal with the Airago was to 'stimulate an interaction between neighbours while pumping up the tyres of their bicycles'. It was concieved as an art project in a newly-built neighbourhood in the Netherlands, Ypenburg.
It won a design prize in 2006 and we would love to see one placed next to the bike sheds outside our Copenhagen flats.
More information about the art project: http://www.heklucht.nl/
14 comments:
Wow, I'm in awe. That is just simply magnificent! Any idea how this model copes with vandalism?
Amazing...such a good idea. the amount of times i see the public cycling around with flat tyres..they can cycle soo much easier fully inflated but never think about buying a pump.
Not sure how long those plants will last located where they are.
Fairly clever. Around here everybody just airs up at the gas station. At the bike parking facilities at work and train stations there are usually air pumps, also.
Just like revrunner said, it seems that the Airago rack/pump is improperly installed in at least two of the three photos. Saw this last year. Really cool!
I have to agree that some of the installation locations are more for art over function (at least for being able to lock bikes to the rack).
There are a couple more photos on Flickr that show the rack and the pump in use.
Excellent idea! Especially since many stations here in the states charge for the air at gas stations.
Always though that was funny, charging money for air.
thanks for the comments.
here in denmark we just get air at any given bike shop - and we have a bike shop on any given street.
but the model featured would be great in suburban settings.
Thats really cool. Maybe add sets of tire levers hooked to the main rack/pump with a stretchable cord? It'd make the perfect public cycling pit stop.
wish the USA was more bike aware, seeing stuff like this makes me want to move to a bike friendly country. Cars suck, why cant people in the states realize this?
what about valve types? Are presta people out of luck?
regarding valve types, there is a standard in many european countries. but you might have to carry a little adaptor just in case.
"bike rack at the train station" ya right, most places in the USA there ain't a train station and if one is in the few locations with passenger train service, it is a sure bet that a bike will not be allowed on the train.... OK there is a bit of enlightenment in California on Amtrak California trains and on the Boston-Portland, ME Amtrak Downeaster but other wise it in necessary to break down and box a bike and ship as checked baggage. Why can't American trains have space to roll (or lift on) a bike? Guess we are just too advanced for anything practical like that.
I could have used one of these when cycle touring in Denmark! Had a massive flat while viewing the Little Mermaid. Upon attempting to fix the flat discovered my pump was toast.
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