By rushtrack
With gas shortages and global warming at the center of the evening news, many are searching for an easy way to save energy while also saving money. One by one, major metropolitan areas around the world have begun to place a stronger emphasis on alternative transportation as a means of reducing carbon emissions and congestion. Just recently the U.S. government even went so far as to acknowledge bicycle commuters as worthy of tax relief in a similar way that drivers are. Incentives, such as new bike lanes and congestion charges, such as those instituted by London, Stockholm, and Singapore, have set the stage for a change in the way the world travels and commutes. The century old bicycle is set to revisit its roots as a transportation vehicle. Or is it?
Simply jumping on a bike and pedaling off to work can be a far reach for many Americans as long distances, adverse road conditions, and bad weather can all get in the way, let alone asking that people give up the comfort of their car.
Recognizing these difficulties, Montague Corporation (wwwmontagueco.com), a Massachusetts based bicycle manufacturer has launched SwissBike™ (www.swissbike.com), a line of bicycles that allow people to choose to the moment how they would like to travel or commute. They are full-size bikes, with full-size performance, but they fold to fit in the trunk of a car, on the train, bus, or even in a cab. The multiple functions of these bikes neatly fill in the gaps that often cause people to write off commuting and traveling by bike.
Inventor David Montague explains: “Most people’s commute to work is farther than they feel comfortable riding a bike and as a result, they believe the only way to get there is by car. In this case, you simply put a SwissBike in the trunk of your car, you drive part way to work, park, and pull out your SwissBike for the rest of the ride. And if the day isn’t nice, or you don’t have the energy, you simply leave the bike safe and dry in the trunk until another day. We call it Cycle and Drive commuting. It’s easy, it’s good for you, and it’s a manageable step for most people.”
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