Build your own dragster

Art Gallery of NSW

World's first ever cycle

A Chinese historian has recreated what he claims was the first pedal-powered cycle ever invented - which he says was in use over 2,000 years before the first western bicycle.

Academic Xu Quan Long has taken his bizarre contraption to the streets of Beijing to show people his discovery - which has raised more than a few eyebrows with other road users.

'It is quite slow and looks like very hard work to steer and control,' said one of the large, wooden device, which requires complicated gearing to allow it to even move.

Xu said he stumbled across the discovery while studying the works of legendary ancient Chinese inventor Lu Ban, who was born more than 2,500 years ago.

Lu is credited with inventing devastating military weapons like a counterweighted 'cloud ladder' for storming castle defences, and a 'wooden bird' that could supposedly glide for three days without landing.

The earliest verified examples of cycle-type devices weren't developed until to 19th century - first in the form of the 'draisine' or 'velocipede', a walking-powered two-wheeled device invented by German engineer Baron Karl von Drais in 1817, and briefly popular with dandies.

A variety of pedal-powered devices with varying numbers of wheels appeared over the next few decades, but it wasn't until the invention of the metal-framed 'boneshakers' in France in the 1860s that cycling really began to achieve any popularity.

But Xu now wants to challenge the accepted history, and is asking Chinese government officials to recognise Lu Ban as the cycle's true inventor.

A bicycle built for two

There it hung— a bicycle built for two, an exclamation point to her lonesome heart...
Unhappy Hipsters

Joop Moesman (1941)

'The Rumour'
Last year the Rijksmuseum conducted an election to find the most beautiful Dutch nude painting: This painting came third.
Sent in by Michael who found it at Inner Beauty

Hitler's fixed gear Bike Ride in danger

Bike fall on Google street view

Crazy Japanese sea creatures bicycling beach

NYX trailer from Portland

'NYX' Trailer from ••ANTIPHON•FiLMS•• on Vimeo.

Reclaim the lanes

On Saturday the 13th of Feburary, we're going to have a roving street party in Newtown! PLEASE invite your friends!
Suprise! bands, sound systems and installations along the way, ending up in a beautiful lost alleyway of the inner west.
To celebrate local music and art, to assert our rights to live in the roads usually given over to cars and to get to know our local laneways that make up our neighbourhoods.
This is not a protest against anything, more a celebration of our potential and the potential of our neighbourhoods.
It's about public space and how we could possibly see our streets as meeting places and open areas of community engagement instead of transit routes for cars which dominate our city.
The goal is to have a totally free community event celebrating vibrant local creativity in the face of gentrification and boredom.
We are meeting at The Hub in Newtown Square, opposite the train station for a roving party with mobile bands and soundsystems at 2PM. Bring friends, drums, mobile sound systems, couches on wheels, bikes, skateboards, chalk, picnic rugs and drinks.
This event will change as the weeks progress so watch out for details on this page or in your inbox.

Local artists, bands, DJs and various communities all come together for a street party that embraces community spirit and puts it all together for everyone.

A Free Party!

Date:	Saturday, February 13, 2010
Time:	2:00pm - 10:00pm
Location:	Inner West/Newtown Area

Go Team!

Groenendaal, the guy coming second said later:

We are the mice and Nys is the cat. Everybody saw it once again, Nys is the strongest around. Nys likes this game and I’m playing along. Of course he’s allowed to come back on us as we’re all fighting each other. There should be another competition for him, but I’m afraid that he’ll race with the 125cc motor bikes then.

How it all started

First car imported into New South Wales, c.1903

From the collections of the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Cycling is fun

The 10 Most Expensive Bicycles on Earth

Sidi Ergo

Critical Mass November 2009

Bridge ride. More pics here

Flaming Lips - Watching The Planets

Cycling is fun

Prayers For Atheists - Bike Song

The Battle of Sydney

Bicycle Art

You can buy it here.

Spencer Tunick coming to Sydney in 2010

A new work called The Base by contemporary artist Spencer Tunick will be one of the highlights of next year's Mardi Gras with thousands of locals and visitors expected to participate nude in one of his signature art installations on March 1st 2010.

Those wishing to shed their clothes for art on 1st March 2010 should sign-up here.

Cycling in the Netherlands in the 1950s