Re:How Germany became Europe's cargo bike hub
by usrusr on Tuesday December 14, 2021 @01:38PM
(#29555420)
The bike theft arms race is a race to the bottom: if you want your bike to loyally wait for you where you left it you need to make sure that it looks worse than its peers. A nearly broken bike that is there when you need it has far more utility than a neatly maintained one that isn't.
Re:How Germany became Europe's cargo bike hub
by masklinn on Tuesday December 14, 2021 @01:38PM
(#29555427)
> I don't understand this about the Dutch people. So many old, granny bikes, that are so heavy, with steel fenders, steel stands etc. So heavy, inefficient.
Cheap, reliable, low-maintenance, unattractive to thiefs. When you drop your bike at the train station you don't want it to stand out in a sea of other cheap bikes.
And with bikes generally getting priority, the weight is likely less of a concern.
Re:How Germany became Europe's cargo bike hub
by wyclif on Tuesday December 14, 2021 @01:52PM
(#29555676)
Weight is much less of a concern for flatlanders like the Dutch.
Re:How Germany became Europe's cargo bike hub
by PaulDavisThe1st on Tuesday December 14, 2021 @02:06PM
(#29555887)
I would suggest watching this video from Not Just Bikes:
So many cyclists with their chains screeching loudly, as if they haven't seen oil in years. So many broken chains around the streets and bike paths. So many with terrible lighting, cheap flickering LEDs that are barely visible. Or many young people with no lighting at all.
In comparison, the Germans seem to invest a lot more in their bikes. A lot more expensive bikes, and generally a lot better maintained.