McMaster Carr ?

Frank Krygowski writes:

On 6/1/2016 8:03 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

Welcome to the wonderful world of industrial bicycles.
https://www.google.com/search?q=industrial+bicycle&tbm=isch
Forget everything you know about light weight, aerodynamics,
aesthetics, styling, comfort, and speed. Replace them with payload
capacity, durability, and "heavy duty".

Yep. I've worked in plants with industrial bicycles.

Do keep in mind, the objectives are much different from typical
bicycling. Speed is actually discouraged. And factory floors are
typically very smooth and dead level, so weight makes negligible
difference.

I think industrial bikes are cool. In fact, I'm baffled that bikes
aren't used more - by U.S. mailmen, for example.

Apparently the UK Royal Mail have recently given up on bicycles, they say
it's because there are so many more parcels, rather than letters, to be
delivered. Insufficient room on the auld postie bikes.

There are some who disagreeme: http://www.cyclinguk.org/campaign/keep-posties-cycling

The retired bikes are apparently being refurbished and sent to Malawi
where they are used by rangers patrolling elephant country. They have
all been repainted green, supposedly because the original bright red
made the elephants jumpy.

http://www.bikeradar.com/us/news/art...for-250-45377/

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On 6/2/2016 6:21 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Thu, 2 Jun 2016 00:39:54 -0400, Frank Krygowski wrote:


I think industrial bikes are cool. In fact, I'm baffled that bikes
aren't used more - by U.S. mailmen, for example.

One had to pass a safety exam and operation test to be qualified to
drive a forklift.
http://www.ivestraining.com/forklift-resource-center/common-forklift-questions-answers-united-states/
The company also paid extra for insurance for every forklift driver.
On the other hand, bicycles had no such requirements. Therefore, I
suspect it's a status thing. Minimum wage warehouse employees (like
me) got the bicycles. Higher status employees got the golf carts and
forklifts. Safety might also be an issue as management failed to
appreciate my cost saving efforts when I appeared wearing roller
skates.

Status is very, very important to human beings! In one plant where I
worked, only the electronic repair guys were allowed to have little
electric scooters instead of bicycles.

And one electronic guy I worked with a lot had raised his status by
hopping up his personal scooter. I forget the details - perhaps he
swapped out motors? - but he had the fastest electronic maintenance
scooter in the plant, and that was considered cool.

Boys and their toys!


--
- Frank Krygowski

On 6/2/2016 6:25 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Thu, 2 Jun 2016 05:42:05 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Thursday, June 2, 2016 at 12:39:59 AM UTC-4, Frank Krygowski wrote:
I think industrial bikes are cool. In fact, I'm baffled that bikes
aren't used more - by U.S. mailmen, for example.

mailmen on bikes ? ach DOA ...

They exist:
https://www.google.com/search?q=bicycle+mailman&tbm=isch
The private versions are called "bicycle couriers".
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=bicycle+courier

Oh yes. We saw ones like this
https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6101/6...5d8b84b6c4.jpg
in France, some electrified, most not.

For one summer long ago, I worked as a substitute mailman. Based on my
years of newspaper delivery, I knew I could get the job done much faster
if I used my bike. But no, that was not allowed.

--
- Frank Krygowski

Realities of continuous in/out berm cycling with the lowest profile ...

Sidewalk-pedestrian child bicycles-dog leashes-

weight of bag

Inability for using 3 hands

Maint.

Theft