This bizarre-looking bike went 127 miles per hour
In 1962, José Meiffret used this odd-looking bike to ride down the German Autobahn at an incredible, record-breaking 127 miles per hour. That gigantic gear had 130 teeth. The bike had wooden rims to keep it from overheating. It weighed 45 pounds. And it went fast. As. Hell.
Meiffert practiced a type of cycling called "motor-paced racing" in which, rather than riding with a group of other cyclists, the racer rides behind a motorcycle or a car equipped with a wind-screen.
I got excited when I caught a glimpse of this picture...Thinking that it was a geared flywheel that could transfer the energy in braking, into usable force for acceleration and/or adding to cruising speed. Alas it's just an insanely large chain-ring designed to demonstrate the size of the nuts carried by this French rider.
A couple of very clever Swedes have invented a new type of bicycle helmet that borrows from automotive airbag technology to offer urban cyclists abit more peace of mind. The 
There’s no longer any real need to resort to fancy smartphone apps or psychic devination, when it comes to catching the TTC here in Toronto, because beleaguered transit riders now have 
Slowly but surely Metrolinx is becoming a household brand-name as it offers greater visibility for it’s exciting expansions of Ontario’s mass-transit infrastructure. Through new services in it’s operational GO Transit division, which is already very well known to all Commuters here in Southern Ontario, Metrolinx is also making a big push to break away from the commuting pack into much more leisurely and adventurous modes of rail travel as well. Not only can GO Transit enthuse weekend sightseers, but it’s also purposely re-geared itself for the pleasures of cycling as well. Most obviously with the provision of specially equipped trains that can carry our bikes down to spectacular routes and scenery that surround Niagara Falls!
Allright…Our mandate here at Thumbshift might have started with Cycling and the Art of Maintaining Zen, but it soon spread out into all sorts of multi-modal transport ranging from Commuter Transit to piggy-backing on the TTC…and of course some of the messy politics and civics that go along with all that. So since it’s been a long road already, I’d like to pause to reflect and refresh ourselves abit with some healthy outlooks on fast foods and fluids. Ironically enough, before we consider the subtle details of healthy fast-food, let’s start with a quick review of a great little spot for French-Canadian style poutine right here in Toronto…A quick ride across Queen West.
