The not so humble bicycle

The humble bicycle is the precursor for all the two-wheelers we see today - be it the heavy duty cruiser bikes that weigh more than cars, or the super light mopeds of the 80s and 90s. In fact, in India, till just a few years ago, the bicycle was the workhorse of most delivery services. It was a cheap, easy and efficient mode of transport, and it was definitely safer than using a motorcycle.

But with the explosion of delivery services with their “on time or free” guarantees, the sector needed speed. The obvious answer was motorbikes - faster, fuel efficient, and the maintenance costs weren’t all that bad, especially when one considered the advantages. But today, increasing congestion and skyrocketing fuel prices are eroding that advantage.

Is there a middle ground worth exploring? Something that is faster and less physically exhausting than a bicycle, but lighter, more agile and less expensive than a motorbike? It would seem there is.

Volvo Car’s recently concluded the Voices of Future contest, as a part of their second BreatheFree campaign. The contest called for innovators, tinkerers and inventors still in school, to send in their ideas on how to solve the environmental crisis, with a special emphasis on air pollution. Several hundred entries were received.

Of the top 20 ideas, three were related to bicycle designs that brought together the best of the bicycle and the motorbike. For instance, harvesting energy from wind, solar and the mechanical motion of the bicycle itself, to charge a battery that can take over when the rider is tired, or when he needs to put on a burst of speed. The usage of gears in mechanical and power mode to maximise output. And anti-theft systems that make these bicycles safer to own.

Of course, the idea isn’t entirely new. We have had mopeds once upon a time, and they were elbowed out by their more stylish cousins - the scooters and the motorbikes. But is it time to revisit them?

Think about it for a second. The average driving speeds in most Indian cities hover around 24km/hr. It makes sense to trade in all that excess horsepower for maneuverability, economy and environmental friendliness. Add to that the fitness benefits of pedalling even part of the way to work, and the idea sells itself!

Now throw in the fact that the technologies involved have evolved significantly in the last 30 years - batteries can store more and charge faster; and solar, wind and kinetic energy harvesters are more effective and compact than ever before. This translates into a zippy little moped that is small enough to squeeze through dense traffic, fast enough to keep pace, makes exercise a part of your daily grind, and is kind to the environment.

Now remember that these ideas came from children. Volvo Cars has experienced this kind of thinking before, with the first BreatheFree campaign where Delhi school children came up with the ideas behind Clean Zone kiosks for traffic policemen, which Volvo Cars implemented during peak air pollution season.

This year, Volvo Cars will be publishing the top 20 ideas, curated from the entries received for the Voices of Future contest, in the hope that they inspire innovative businesses to create something new... or as in the case of the humble bicycle, reinvent something old.