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Frenchbuilt

If you have been to Paris lately, you will notice that there is less and less parking and more and more poles. This is to to keep everything orderly and under control since cars cannot park on little poles. Attached to these anti car devices and other assorted but very old metal grills, fences and hand rails were thousands of bikes. I have seen everything from the best racing bikes of the '70's and 80's to bikes that have not moved since the owner was probably shot dead during the occupation.

But now the "great" government has decided to clean up Paris and remove all "unattended" and unwanted! old bikes. 10,000 is the number I read. This is probably a very sophisticated plan to get people in shape by forcing them to actually ride their parked bikes. At least there is velo libre which is great but the bikes are pretty ugly and built like tanks which is good for riding in Paris.

By the way there is nothing more elegant than a young woman riding an older mixt or step through frame bike through the streats of Paris.

Dan

greyhundguy

Dan,
If you have the chance, I think we would all enjoy seeing photos of the Velo Litter in Paris. A shot or two of the "elegant" young women might be fun too. Wink

Jay

pomCpomV · Last edited by pomCpomV on Sun Aug 01, 2010 7:11 am; edited 1 time in total

This is Clémence, the most known of the "elegant young women" riding in paris daily !

She had the same shoes when she passed me (very fast) during the last un-official bike race in paris Sad

Fred from Paris

greyhundguy · Last edited by greyhundguy on Sun Aug 01, 2010 12:26 pm; edited 1 time in total

bowser

you reckon those stilletos take a cleat?
no ladys like that on my commute mores the pity!

Frenchbuilt

In Montmartre today and found several with no girl.( Lots of girls on foot though) Shot maybe 20 bikes and here is one that got away from the "bike trasher"!

greyhundguy

Dan
So, these are just forgotten about or abandoned bikes that the City is removing?

You need to find the Velo Warehouse where they are being stored and start making offers.

Jay

verktyg

nicolas

I have something to confess...

I ride "velib'" the free bicycle tanks on a daily basis to go to work. Yes, they are ugly and heavy but you don't have to worry about your own bike being damaged or stolen...

Frenchbuilt

I agree with you that its a pretty good system but there is no excuse for them being so ugly. I know how designs are picked and 90% of the time its done by people that know nothing and have poor taste. Because the design group was paid no matter what (probably well for this project), if the "buyer"says "thats the one we want", nobody is going to stand up and say "you have made the wrong choice" Look around you and you will see that roughly 90% of everything we have to look at is unattractive. The last 10% everybody loves.

I ran half of Citroen Design for almost 20 years (big cars) and I can tell you that the easy part is the design itself. Then its nonstop battles with everyone.

Dan