There is a better way

I am bike obsessed.

I don’t do a tonne of riding, but shopping, browsing, and obsessing over bikes has been a hobby for about 20 years.

When Karina and I are visiting new places I enjoy checking out the local bike shops, using relaxing vacation minutes to drool over shiny bicycles.

On one of these drool sessions, at a ‘yuppy’ bike shop in Montreal I was introduced to some very beautiful folding Brompton bicycles stacked neatly into cubbies on the wall of the store.

Fast forward five years and I struggle to load four family bicycles onto the tall car carrier hanging off the Subaru hitch. Struggling with 30 pound awkward one arm lifts, while great for the delts, is the last thing I want to do four times on a Saturday afternoon, to accomplish a one hour long ride in town. (On the car, off the car, back on the car, back off the car at home… you get it)

Our family finally pulled the trigger on three Bromptons. The amazing thing about these machines, other than the workmanship, the cool colours, the head turning ‘neatness’ and the relaxed ride… is their ridiculously small folded size.

Engineering a bike to fold up easily, within 30 seconds, to fit easily in the trunk of a car, a hotel, or under a cafe table, is both practical and safe. No more struggling to lock them, no more large storage requirements, no more complicated bike racks on the back of the car.

For most things in life, there is a better engineered solution. Some already exist and are a Google search away, while others are opportunities waiting to be discovered.

Join the improvement club with a little research, elbow grease, or engineering.

It may not follow the crowd, but there is always a better way.

• Now that’s a peak ethos.