...invention of the bicycle dates back all the way to 1817 when Baron von Drais invented a walking machine that would help him get around the royal gardens faster. Since then it was used as a means of transportation for many years, up until the use of cars started becoming more frequent. However, although cars are a good and refreshing invention that makes it quicker for us to move around, the use of a bicycle is much more convenient for the environment, for your wallet since you are saving money and for your health. An important component that affects our life is the environment which is why bike riding is beneficial to keeping the environment a good place for all of those who live in it. Riding your bicycle can help out with the environment since it doesn’t run on anything but your own physical power, while a car releases CO2 because it needs to run on gas. A car uses “[… ] fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel to transport people [it] is the second largest source of CO2 emissions, accounting for about 32% of total U.S. CO2 emissions” Since a bicycle doesn’t occupy gas like a car does, it doesn’t release any other toxins, like a car which, in addition to CO2 also release “…carbon dioxide (CO2 ), automobiles produce methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O)” The result of releases of methane to the environment makes it “more efficient at trapping radiation” which ultimately is deleterious to the environment, but can be prevented from being released if we use our bicycles as an alternative...
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...In every one’s life, the first time when he knows how to ride a bicycle, a motorbike or drive a car is an unforgettable and interesting moment in his life. However, possessing an own vehicle the first time in life is the more important and particular time. My first bicycle was very meaningful to me in my whole life. The bicycle was my closet and kindest friend. Everyday, it took me to school and home after school. It helped me go every where I wanted, even to all remote places I went. For example, when I wanted to go shopping, went out with friends, and went camping ect. Moreover, it never got angry with me or did any harmful to me. Whereas, it was always side by side with me at the moment I really needed and helped me out whenever I wanted. | It is really worthy sacrifice of my parents and their great love for me that I have never seen in the world. The bicycle was not only my best friend but also a worthy present that I respect mostly. The new bicycle is not only a deserved present with my attempt but also the motivation helps me try more to go further in my studying. My parents tried to work hard, even work over time to save enough money to buy me the bicycle. For instance, it was the first one to make me forget unhappy things when it took me around the streets. To me, it was really the big present at that time. According to the health study, cycling is the best way to have a good body and health as well. It marked the unforgettable memory in my life. My bike makes...
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...“Bicycles in Ohio” As the CEO and owner of my grandfather’s company, it is my job to make sure it is operating at maximum profitability and efficiency. At today’s meeting, one of the vice presidents of the company mentioned the idea of moving the factory international, specifically somewhere in Asia like China, India, or Bangladesh. “By moving to an international low-wage country” he says, “my profits will triple at a fraction of the cost.” The idea of moving over sea’s sparked my imagination and decided to look further into the idea. It turns out my products would receive little to no reduction in quality and the workers would be paid much less and would not receive any form of health insurance, resulting in more profit in my pocket. The downside is that the Ohio plant would not be able to remain open and 2,000 of my longtime employees would now be jobless and the local economy would most likely take a major hit. After some thought, I came to the conclusion that I will not be moving internationally and the Ohio plant will remain open! If I was to move my company overseas I would make a lot of money from the decision. The company that my grandfather built from the ground up was not money driven, it was built for the love of bicycle making. The company has not gotten where it is today on the dollar of tomorrow; only by the love of bike building. Even though the decision to move international would bring a lot of wealth, it also brings a lot of self-individualism...
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...Martin-Pullin Bicycle Corporation Martin-Pullin Bicycle Corp. (MPBC), located in Dallas, is a wholesale distributor of bicycles and bicycle parts. Formed in 2000 by cousins Ray Martin and Jim Pullin, the firm's primary retail outlets are located within a 400-mile radius of the distribution center. These retail outlets receive the order from Martin-Pullin within 2 days after notifying the distribution center, provided the stock is available. However, if MPBC doesn’t fulfill an order, then no backorder is placed. The retailers arrange to get their shipment from other distributors, and MPBC loses that amount of business. The company distributes a wide variety of bicycles. The most popular model, and the major source of revenue to the company, is the AirWing. MPBC receives all its models from a single manufacturer overseas, and shipment takes as long as 4 weeks from the time an order is placed. With the cost of communication, paperwork, and customs clearance included, MPBC estimates that it incurs a cost of $65 per order. The purchase price MPBC pays per bicycle is roughly 60% of the suggested retail price for all the styles available, and the inventory carrying cost is 1% per month (12% per year) of the purchase price MPBC pays. The retail price (paid by the customers) for the AirWing is $170 per bike. MPBC is planning inventory for 2004. The firm wants to maintain a 95% service level with its customers to minimize losses on lost orders. The data collected for the last 2 years...
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...GREENER INDIA A report on promoting cycling in the country PEDALLING TOWARDS A Study supported by All India Cycle Manufacturers’ Association (AICMA) Pedalling Towards A A report on promoting cycling in the country GREENER INDIA All India Cycle Manufacturers’ Association (AICMA) Study supported by the The Energy and Resources Institute © The Energy and Resources Institute 2014 All rights reserved Published 2014 For more information Akshima T Ghate TERI Darbari Seth Block IHC Complex, Lodhi Road New Delhi – 110 003 India Tel. 24682100 or 24682111 E-mail akshima@teri.res.in Fax 2468 2144 or 24682145 Web www.teriin.org India +91•Delhi (0)11 Contents Project Team ...................................................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgement ............................................................................................................................................vii Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................... ix Preface ............................................................................................................................................................... xi Executive Summary.............................................................................................................................
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...Learning to Ride a Bicycle This happened twelve years ago at my Dad’s house. It was a bright, clear and cool day. My Dad had just bought me a new bicycle the day before for coming first in my class. It was holidays and I was very happy about the new bicycle, I had disturbed my Dad a lot to buy me a bicycle because a lot of my friends had bicycles and some of them even rode theirs to school. This made me really jealous and so after my consistent plea, we (my Dad and I) made a deal that “if I come first in my class he would buy me a bicycle”. This made me work really hard that term and I came first. It was time for me to ride my bicycle with the help of my dad. I rushed for the bicycle and pushed it outside the house to the open compound and called on my Dad to hurry up, I was already getting impatient. Soon he came out and helped me climb the bicycle and then he began teaching me how to ride. He said, before we began “Dami make sure you hold the bicycle well with your hands, look straight and focus on the road, don’t remove your legs from the pedal while riding, don’t stand while riding, don’t move too fast and don’t be scared”. In my mind I said, “Jesus, how on earth would I be able to adhere to these instructions”. It was like a rock put on my head. They were too much, I could barely remember what he had said, and “don’t be scared “, why won’t I be scared when this is my first time”. I immediately became scared of riding the bicycle all my excitement had faded away. I...
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...ANALYSIS OF THE AUSTRALIAN BICYCLE INDUSTRY According to current data, bicycle retailing and repairing in Australia generates revenue of $812 million. 1,564 businesses employ 4,454 people. No one company enjoy a significant market share in this industry (Source: http://www.ibisworld.com.au/industry/bicycle-retailing-and-repair.html). Bicycle Industries Australia Ltd has reported that: • 2012/2013 imports totalled over 1.4 million bicycles – an increase of 16.6% on 2011/2012; • Imports for adult bikes increased 21% • Children’s bike imports decreased 7% (Source: http://www.bikeoz.com.au/index.php/news/67-bicycle-sales-hits-new-high-as-children-get-left-behind) A report released by the Prevention Research Collaboration of the University of Sydney has found: • Cycling in Australia is increasing gradually resulting in: o Cleaner cities o Less congested cities o Less stress on public transport systems o More active healthier population o Reduction in greenhouse gas emmisssions o Reduction in rate of obesity • Cycling offers commuters o Opportunity to say time and money o Chance to avoid stress of traffic jams, late trains, and crowded buses o Ability to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine • Cycling provides multiple health outcomes Recognising these benefits, Australia’s National Cycling Strategy aims to double the number of Australian cyclists by 2016, and The City of Sydney Cycle Strategy and Action Plan 2007-2017 aims to increase...
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...how great bikes are all the time. I believe bicycles are better than cars. I know some bike advocates still drive cars and get a little touchy about that. I used to drive a car. Growing up in Estacada, it seemed like there was an unwritten law that said "you must drive a car." I obeyed without question. I never even thought about it. One day when I was driving to work, I started noticing the cyclists around me and realizing that I was polluting the atmosphere and wasting resources and they weren't. I realized that I was contributing to the rising rate of asthma and that they weren't. They were part of the solution. I was part of the problem. I knew that the only solution was to buy a bicycle and start commuting by bike. Motor vehicle use degrades the environment in a number of ways, but bicycle use does not. Noise pollution, for instance, is a real problem for those living near highways, but bicycles produce no noise. Congestion creates stress for motor vehicle users, pedestrians, and cyclists, but bicycling does not significantly add to congestion. Adding extra lanes to existing roadways and building limited-access highways can degrade or even destroy neighborhoods. Creating bikeways or adding shoulders to roads, can be used for cycling, and have beneficial effects. Motor vehicles are the primary cause of air pollution in the US, but bicycles produce none. And carbon dioxide from motor vehicles adds to global warming, but bicycles are again innocent. Pollution from our...
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...Bicycle Thieves: The Unspoken Allure of Communism Bicycle Thieves is an exemplary demonstration of Italian neorealism that seeks to use non-professional actors to illustrate the struggle of average people surviving under a Fascist government. De Sica's use of film techniques such as close-ups heightens the effect of his neo-realist aesthetic, especially seen in his street-level depictions of Rome in the aftermath of World War II. The poverty and despair captured by De Sica's cinematography and narrative choices illustrates that capitalism has failed the Italian people, providing them only with grinding poverty and inward despair. By focusing on the mundane details of a simple man's life, rather than a narrative involving high drama, the film effectively captures the humiliating effects of class disparity while highlighting the role that communism could play in the improvement of life for the Italian people, if only a sense of community could be established. Director Vittorio De Sica uses Bicycle Thieves as a vehicle in which to stress the burdens faced by the individual in a heartless and uncaring society. He has stated that his aesthetic intention with the film was to "reintroduce the dramatic into quotidian situations, the marvellous in a little news item [...] considered by most people throwaway material" (Cheshire), and so too is his main character, Antonio, a throwaway person. As an unemployed person, he has no value to the larger society and no apparent worth...
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...myriad methods, including nonprofessional actors and shooting on location in order to accurately portray the struggles of their country after World War II. Vittorio De Sica’s The Bicycle Thieves offers a gritty portrayal of urban hardship that stands out as a shining example of the period’s meticulous use of mis en scene. The film tells the tragic story of Antonio Ricci, who sells his sheets to afford a bike that he needs for his new job, which he has been searching for tirelessly. A thief, however, steals his bicycle shortly thereafter. Ricci strives valiantly, though to no avail, to regain possession of the bicycle, and at the film’s conclusion resorts to unsuccessfully attempting to steal another man’s. The Bicycle Thieves paints a picture of an urban man’s alienation and economic struggle. De Sica makes this possible largely through his masterful use of mis en scene. He utilizes the mis en scene elements of set, prop usage, and costuming in order to emphasize themes of urban poverty and desperation. Vittorio De Sica utilizes costumes in reflecting the financial hardship of lower class Rome. The element of costuming serves as a reflection of economic adversity quite visibly through the change in the state of Antonio Ricci’s clothes as the film progresses. Antonio exchanges his sheets for a bicycle and meets with his...
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...A Tale of Three Wheels in the Bicycle Industry Pacific Cycle Chris Hornung, the founder and the first CEO of Pacific Cycle grabs a lion’s share of the U.S. bicycle markets. In 2005, around 19.8 millions of bicycle were sold in U.S. the total retail value of bikes, parts, and accessories were more than $6 billion. There are basically hundreds of bicycle manufacturers in U.S., but they are small specialized firm. Pacific Cycle is interested in high-volume business. Pacific Cycle designs, markets, and distributes a full range of bikes brands such as GT, Schwinn, Mongoose, Roadmaster, etc. Its’ powerful brand portfolio serves virtually all demographics, price categories, and product categories. Hornung pioneered the concept of sourcing bicycle from Asia for distribution in the U.S. Hornung’s first mass-market retailers are Target Corp. and Toys ‘R’ Us. Now, Pacific Cycle is the fastest growing branded consumer companies in the U.S. Hornung achieved this success by combining an aggressive acquisition of powerful brands with low-cost outsourcing, efficient supply chain management, and multichannel retail distribution. In December 2000, Pacific Cycle acquired Brunswick Corp. for $60 million, which includes Mongoose, Mongoose Prop, and Roadmaster brand. In this deal, PC does not only get the brand, but also the a very big customer: Wal-Mart (Brunswick’s biggest account), which doubled PC’s sales. A year later, PC bought the assets of Schwinn/GT Corp. out of bankruptcy for...
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...Even though centuries have passed since the very first bicycle was invented, the popularity of bicycles does not seem to decline with the lapse of time. Not only are they the indispensable means of transportation in most parts of the world, but they also evolved into a recreational sport which plentiful health benefits come along. However, the need for using bicycles for travel in a modern transportation system, especially that of an urban area, has been questioned in recent years with respect to its cost-effectiveness. In this essay, I examine both the benefits and drawbacks of the use of bicycles in public transport and form a brief conclusion based on my stance on this issue. Some advocates argue that cycling can greatly reduce the air pollution in Hong Kong. The air quality in urban areas of Hong Kong is worsening each day due to detrimental emissions and pollutants produced by the heavy traffic volume, which mainly consists of motor vehicles. Hitchcock and Vedrenne (2014) consider bicycles to be promising alternatives for motor vehicles in an effort to improve the air quality of urban areas, since they are low-carbon and human-powered vehicles that produce zero emissions when ridden. Indeed, bicycles are more environmental-friendly than motor vehicles, but its effectiveness in making a difference to the general air quality remains questionable. The findings from the research conducted by Rakowska et al. (2014) imply that reducing the portion of motor vehicles in...
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...even to run everyday errands. Lafayette has a big problem with biking accidents due to a lack of bike lanes around town. Being a college town we are very far behind on being bicycle friendly. We need to add more bicycle lanes around town, add barriers between the cars and bicycles, and spread bicycle awareness. Biking around Lafayette can unfortunately be very dangerous. As of right now there are only two main roads in Lafayette that have a bike lane. Saint Marry Street and Johnston Street and on those two roads the bike lane does not even span the whole road and instead just little parts of the road. When there are not bike lanes on roads, bikers are forced to ride in the motor vehicle lane obeying the same laws as a large car or truck. This can cause many problems to both cars and bicycle riders. Even the fanciest race bicycles cannot keep up with the 45-mile per hour speed limit on most Lafayette roads. When there are no bike lanes, bikes are expected to ride in the regular lane and obey regular traffic laws. This causes a problem due to the amount of vehicles that pile up behind the slow moving bicycle. Once the motor vehicle traffic starts to build up the drivers get very angry and start to drive aggressively. Aggressive driving does not only put other cars in danger, but it especially puts bicycle riders in danger since they are so unprotected from collisions. Besides the fact of the lack of bike lanes, Lafayette’s bike lanes are too small and close to regular traffic...
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...1 Persuasive essay Comm/215 Prof. Manuel Hernández January 8, 2013 2 Bicycle or car? In 1870 the first all metal bicycle machine appeared. The pedals were attached directly to the front wheel with no freewheeling mechanism. Solid rubber tires and the long spokes of the large front wheel provided a much smoother ride than its predecessor. The front wheels became larger and larger as makers realized that the larger the wheel, the farther you could travel with one rotation of the pedals. You would purchase a wheel as large as your leg length would allow. This machine was the first one to be called a bicycle ("two wheels"). These bicycles enjoyed a great popularity among young men of means (they cost an average worker six month's pay), with the hey-day being the decade of the 1880s. A bicycle is a mechanism that has transported man for many decades. Now and days, bicycling is a great way to keep in shape and specially to move from one place to another in short distances. I believe you should use a bicycle for short distances to protect the environment as well as your health those not matter the type of bike you have. The purpose of this essay is to explain why people should ride a bicycle for short distance trips. By riding a bicycle, people can decrease gasoline consumption, improve the quality of their lives, and protect the environment. The first reason to use a bicycle for short distances is that you can cause a decrease of pollution for a healthier environment...
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...customers. a. Promoting Our Accessible Website i. Write Articles for Websites: Writing articles about fitness, cycling, bicycles, and reviews allows us to distribute our expertise to other editors to use as free content for their websites and newsletters. This exposure on other sites can produces hundreds of links to Bicycle Pro’s website. EzineArticles.com offers great tips and information on how to use this as successful marketing. ii. Request Reciprocal Links: Bicycle Pro will use other bicycle related websites to increase our sites traffic. We will include a section on our site that contains links to other sites that have Bicycle Pro’s link on their page. We will work with related companies to keep customers on our connected network of sites. Zeus and IBP Link Builder will help get us started. This takes time and effort, but it has no cost. iii. List Products with Shopping Comparison Bots and Auction Sites: A good shopping comparison website allows visitors to compare prices, features, reviews, and merchants side by side. Shopping bots compare a company’s products and prices to others. Examples of bots to use are: mySimon (www.mysimon.com) BizRate (www.bizrate.com/) PriceGrabber(www.pricegrabber.com/) Shopping.com (www.shopping.com) iv.Promote Using Traditional Media: Don’t neglect the effectiveness of print advertisement. Bicycle Pro will use the magazines, classified ads, post cards, and newspapers to promote our website. The printed...
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