Inspiring Trishaw cyclists from China in Singapore

Wow! I saw this late yesterday night and impressed with the couple efforts. Living their dreams to visit the world. No money to fly.. well, build a trishaw and ride all the way. And they did, all the way from China!  See the article on the news.  http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120414-339763.html

We quickly shared this on our facebook and it became buzzing. Derrick and Nick was so curious that they got out of their bed at 1130pm and went to check them out. This is their rig(thanks to Nick and Derrick recce) They and  trishaw are now parked at Hong Lim park and they will be out sightseeing. By this friday, the couple will be headed back to Thailand and to India! This is not an everyday event and if u want to be inspired by the human spirit . Go down quick to show your support!

City touring slowly?

City Tourer at Sentosa, 1993 :)  yes, it is a fully working prototype!

Design sketches. Back then, there was no computer. Just marker, pastel. Front sitting for better views!

The recent cargo bike news on the internet and cycling activities in Singapore made me think about a project I did back in 1993. I was studying product design at Temasek Polytechnic and my final year project was called City tourer.

The idea is to re-invent the Trishaw as a viable form of touring vehicle in the city. How many times have u visited a place by bus. Get on a bus, drive to a place of interest, de-bus. Click click. Get back to the air con comfort and zoom to the next place. In the haste to zoom from one place to another. Very often we fail to see, smell and experience the small, nice things in life. So enter the City tourer. Designed with a snail like form, to encourage more people to use it. With an iconic design, I hoped that it could become a part of Singapore city scape.  The Canopy is solar panel to provide power for the electric power assist motor. This should make it easier to pedal around.  The front seat folds up like a cinema seat so that the passenger access is easy and when not in use, can keep dry.
I hoped that it might be adapted and be commercialised.  I was close. Sentosa actually approached my school, did a series of surveys and it was displayed and road test at Sentosa.  Later on, I had to do my national service and the followup fizzled some what.... anyway, here is my City tourer! Let me know if u like it and I am trying to find my video.... later.  Enjoy!