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 We're not called Green Gear Cycling Inc for nothing. Co-founders Alan and Hanz Scholz have always maintained that working towards a gentler, greener planet is necessary for the long term survival of the human race and that a folding bicycle can go a long way to help replace our dependency on oil. Here, the Scholz family, founders of Bike Friday, take a moment away from the busy production line to tell you where Bike Friday is headed. And we hope you'll join us! - LC UPDATE April 2007: Bike Friday launches the tikitTM. As we read the papers and listen to our customers, we feel we must change the overall direction of Bike Friday. We are focusing the company more on helping people cope with high gas prices and the high cost of personal transportation; on global warming and our national obesity epidemic. Originally, we succeeded in creating a way for cyclists to take fine custom bikes with them to far-off places. In doing that, we realized that our folding bikes can solve transport problems more critical than vacation air travel. Everyday problems - our customers told us so! We feel very strongly about this. It's our living and our way of life. At Bike Friday we are trying every day to waste less energy and contribute less to global warming. Alan rides his bike to work every day, year round. Hanz commutes nearly as often, despite living a good few miles out in the country. Hanz is installing a full solar photo voltaic system in his home. Alan's daughter Hanna Scholz (Bike Friday Marketing Manager) lives car-free; she walks or rides her bike to work every day. She has installed a full solar photo voltaic system to run her house. Every Bike Friday employee who has been at the company for 6 months or more owns a Bike Friday. 8 out of the 31 employees walk or ride to work every day. Alan and Hanz are initiating an incentive program to encourage the rest of the Bike Friday employees. They are rewarded if they ride their Bike Fridays or use public transit to get to work. Bike Friday also runs on 100% wind power for all its electricity needs. Many utilities offer alternatives now, so check with yours. Come visit us in Eugene - see if all of the above is true. We are dedicated to doing our share to live lightly on the earth and to giving you a leg up if you have the same ambition. To live active, productive lives, most of us must travel to many places daily. Since the bicycle is the all-time most energy-efficient travel machine, we can solve many of our daily transport problems - with the right bicycle package - one that is made for the individual rider. Lots of BF owners, many of whom bought their bikes for vacation air travel, love their Fridays so much they are now using them for daily transportation. Below you will see links to articles describing a few of them, plus other reading to help you picture yourself using your own bike for more of your daily travel. |
BF co-founder Hanz Scholz with 4-year old turbo booster - daughter Gretta Scholz. Piling the kids in this eco-friendly 'back seat' instils an early appreciation of the laws of energy - it has a cost!
Our Angels are watching over us!
Helping us to make this significant transition are what we call our Angels. Who are they? We have had many helpful Angels here at Bike Friday. Some are parents and family. We have had exceptional good luck here. Some are customers. So many we can't mention who all they are but hundreds or thousands have put in a good word for us somewhere and it has influenced public opinion in our favor. This has helped us get to the point where we can take the bold step in a direction we feel really matters, no matter what kind of business you run - that of sustainability.
We have some really special Angels to thank. Many of them have been working for years on the vision of making Eugene a welcoming 'City of Bicycles'. Because of our many, sensibly designed bicycle paths and routes, this is one of the easiest places in the world to live a bicycle way of life.
Lisa Spitzmiller-Scholz and Theresa Scholz, wives of Hanz and Alan respectively, fit the designation also as they have supported us through a long strenuous business gestation period. Alan says, "Ifor one would not have made it without Theresa!"
Two Angels stand out for having the largest and the most influential effects on Green Gear.
They are Jeff Linder and David Harrington. Both very early customers who have contributed significantly to make the business we work in possible. They did this at important and pivotal times in our development, and have stepped forward to help us get our business 'off the carbon express.' Thank you all.
So what can you do? Be ready, educate yourself, and see "An Inconvenient Truth" if you haven't yet. Our road is ahead of us. One that is clear of carbon emissions, with two giant bicycle lanes on either side!
Best in cycling, Alan, Hanz, Hanna Scholz, and The Bike Friday Team
RELATED ARTICLES
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Bike Friday wins Mayor's Sustainability AwardÂ
Founder's Letter, Spring 2007 Alan Scholz updates the fold
April 2007: Bike Friday launches the tikitTM Our solution to the global oil problem
Monday to Sunday on a Friday Commuting tips and tricks
Divorce Your Trunk Haul stuff with two fit legs instead of one lazy foot ...
Bike Friday History Where it all began
Car free and carefree on a Friday Go one step further!
DO YOU KNOW that a bicycle is one of mankind's most efficient machines?
A bicycle will do an equivalent of 1560 passenger miles per gallon; that is,
3.3 times better than walking at 470 passenger miles per gallon,
7 times better than an intercity bus at 225 passenger miles per gallon,
10 times better than the subway at 150 passenger miles per gallon,
15 times better than a local bus at 105 passenger miles per gallon,
43 times better than a 747 at 36 passenger miles per gallon,
156 times better than an ocean liner at 10 passenger miles per gallon.
(Data from Appendix N energy requirements for passenger and freight transportation. "Energy an Introduction to Physics" Robert H Romer 1976 ISBN 0-7167-0357-2)
A bike is an amplifier of human ability to travel on a road. A bike will enable you to go about 3 times further than you would have if you had walked. I know of no other machine that makes humans so much more efficient. You, Bike Friday, are at the cutting edge of efficient transportation.
- Dennis Workman, "stuck in the dust farmer from downunder", and a friend of Bike Friday.
Visit www.bikefriday.com/carfree and www.bikefriday.com/commuting
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