It sounds like a great design solution: a pop-up bike rack that disappears below the pavement when not in use, but the problem it aims to solve really an issue, and (if so) would it ultimately work as intended?

On the surface, this idea by Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Milou Bergs looks fairly compelling — bike-stabilizing and locking bars fold down and out of the way when no cycle is present, minimizing visual impact.

“Bicycle racks are a particular eyesore,” says the designer, who debuted a prototype at Dutch Design Week. “Even when not in use, they get in the way, creating physical and visual noise. I started to think about how I could make a space visually and physically serene while keeping the functionality of storage.”

But it also raises some questions, like: how will bikers find the racks? Typically, a cyclist will attach to what they see and what is handy. Also: what would it be like to miss these in their downward position and cycle over them? There is also a durability issue: would bikes hitched up to these low posts be safe from lateral bumps and collisions?

It is certainly nice to see someone focusing on bicycle infrastructure and considering alternatives, and, if nothing else, design experiments like this one raise good questions. Still, this particular one may address a solution without a problem — bike racks are often in use around the clock, and may need to be above the surface anyway (for visibility) whether people like to look at them or not. Of course, this may also be a region-specific solution, suitable for a cycle-centric culture and hard for an American critic to understand.

When the government fails to meet the needs of its citizens, the citizens will go around them and produce their own solutions, whether they’re legal or not. That might mean occupying an alleyway with temporary housing, using cheap materials to create new public seating and other street furniture, or turning a disused city square into a park. In the Omaha neighborhood of Aksarben this week, it meant cyclists rounding up 120 toilet plungers and transforming them into a DIY bike lane barricade on one of the city’s more dangerous streets.

Group glues 120 toilet plungers onto Omaha street to show what a protected bike lane could do https://t.co/5XHamPfqwC pic.twitter.com/sxr5d31HIU

— Omaha World-Herald (@OWHnews) May 17, 2017

The group, calling itself PSA, or Plungers for Safer Aksarben, wrapped the plungers’ handles with reflective tape and glued them to the street without asking permission from the city. They knew their installation wouldn’t stay up forever, but hoped it would remain in place for at least 36 hours to call attention to a growing problem, since this bike lane has been the site of multiple accidents. City workers came by to take them down after just three hours.

Todd Pfitzer, the deputy director for transportation for the city of Omaha, told KETV “You just can’t decide one day to go out and do something on a public street, which is owned by taxpayers, that could create a dangerous situation without at least working with Public Works and getting a permit for it.” But he also said the city wouldn’t have approved a permit anyway.

Well, actually, Todd, you can do that, if the city fails to take necessary action. Just ask your fellow Midwestern city of Wichita, Kansas. Members of a tactical urbanism group calling themselves the Yellowbrick Street Team installed their own makeshift bike lane safety barricade using plungers, reflective tape and masonry adhesive back in March with the same goal, and city officials ultimately agreed that a more permanent solution was needed. Since then, they put up real barriers in the plungers’ place.

Images via the Omaha World-Herald, Todd Ramsay and Jaime Green of The Wichita Eagle

Well, here’s one way to get some exercise and simultaneously enjoy views of a beautiful city without getting rained on or dealing with traffic.  Gliding along the surface of the Seine in Paris, past such landmarks as the Notre Dame Cathedral, ‘The Paris Navigating Gym’ gets most of its power from the humans operating the stationary bicycles inside. Supplemented by rooftop solar panels, the boat is designed to be a mobile exercise facility and relaxing tour of the city all at once, separated from the noise and chaos of the streets.

Architect Carlo Ratti collaborated with fitness manufacturing company Technogym, non-profit Terreform ONE and urban generation institute URBEM to develop the project. Director of the MIT Senseable City Lab, which describes itself as ‘urban imagination and social innovation through design & science,’ Ratti aims to explore the potential of power generation through the movement of human bodies.

The boat itself is pretty cool, accommodating up to 45 people on the bikes and other fitness equipment made by Technogym. As they work out, they can keep track of how much energy they’re producing as well as their fitness progress. An inverter converts the pedal power into utility grade electricity, powering the electronic elements of the equipment and propelling the boat. Excess energy is fed into the grid.

The design of the boat is based on that of Bateaux Mouches, ferry boats for tourists that have dotted the Seine for nearly a century. The panoramic glass facades looking out onto the water sure beat the views of parking lots and televisions at most local gyms.

Minimalist frames, technology-equipped accessories, 3D printing and lots of multi-functionality make bikes more convenient, safe, fun and beautiful, as proven by these 14 cycling concepts and innovations. With modular parts, commuter-friendly features and designs that make racing more fun for casual cyclists, bikes get a functional makeover for the modern age.

Archont Electro E-Bike

Isn’t this bike a beauty? The Archont by Ono features the profile of a vintage motorcycle, but it’s an electric bicycle with a handcrafted stainless steel frame and 29-inch front wheel. The curvaceous cruiser has a 72-volt battery with a range of 99 kilometers and can go up to 80 km/h.

fUCI Bike: Fast Road Bike for Non-Racers

Most racing bikes are designed to the standards of the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationle), the governing body of every major bike tour in the world, to keep the races fair. But not everyone who wants a fast bike wants to compete in official races, and there are lots of fun features their bikes could have without these regulations. Designer Robert Egger presents fUCI (eff UCI), which has a larger back wheel, electric motor in the hub, a storage space in the wheel and a smartphone mount.

Recoiling Plume Mudguard

This mudguard has literally got your back when it starts raining, keeping you from getting splattered. With a rubber mount stretching to fit any standard seat post size, the simple add-on absorbs shock so it won’t automatically fold up when you hit a bump. Resistant to rust and corrosion, it suspends over the real wheel or retracts within seconds.

Sno-Bike

Combining two entirely separate sports, the Sno Bike concept by Venn Industrial Design Consultancy features a Z-shaped tensile frame linking a rear wheel to a single ski controlled by the handlebars. How would it actually handle in real-life conditions? It’s impossible to say, since it’s just a concept, but it looks like fun.

Shibusa Bicycle with Swappable Electric-Assisted Parts

This sleek black modular bike can be boosted with electric components or made back into a regular bicycle just by swapping a few parts. The award-winning Shibusa design eliminates the bulkiness associated with many electric bikes for a “hassle-free commuter” offering plenty of flexibility. Modular components include a stand-alone bike light, battery pack, storage rack and charge monitor.

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The Modern Cyclist 14 Bold Bike Ideas Innovations

Bikes are a convenient way to get around in the city, but if you’re like most of the cycling masses in crowded urban locales, you probably don’t have a dedicated and tidy-looking spot for your bike inside your apartment. Space is always at a premium, so sometimes, just hanging it from the ceiling is your only option. But what if an existing piece of functional furniture could be adapted not only to store your bike, but put it on display, too?

This series of bike-centric furniture by Chilean designer Manuel Rossel features simple cut-outs for bike wheels. Not only is there always a place to put your bike, you’re basically making it a major focal point in the room (which could be a good or bad thing, depending on whether you’re riding a replaceable thief-unfriendly beater or a bike that’s a work of modern design in itself.)

That’s intentional, says Rossel, noting that when you put a bike on top of a bookshelf, it take the place of what would normally be the center of attention: the television. “It changes the cult of the TV to one of the bike,” he told Fast Company. “It’s a way to optimize space that’s scarce in urban centers. If you already store your bike inside, it’s a way to avoid marking the walls. It also turns into a firm support that keeps the bike from falling.”

The furniture line includes single-tier bookshelves with either straight or angled bike niches, a sideboard and a couch. The bikes are currently only available in Chile, but may soon go on sale internationally.