Sunday Oct. 30th, 1:30 PM
Seminar Room 123 (Ground Level in hallway behind bike valet)
Presented by Noah Wangerin
Urban mobility: Having mobility options serves the most needs within a population. Travelers highly value autonomy and flexibility. Historically, bicycles have been the most accessible fit for these needs.
The e-bike boom: Electric bikes improve accessibility in some ways. Consistent power is available to riders of all physical abilities. Maintaining urban traffic speeds makes car-centric infrastructure more usable for riders. But e-bikes also harm accessibility in other ways, namely cost, and maintenance.
What’s at stake: cities, communities, and people stand to gain or lose in this e-bike growth. Each has its part to play in responsibly bringing about this shift. We will look at potential solutions at municipal, industry, craft, and rider levels.
Context: 2022 Masters in Design thesis on urban mobility at the University of Illinois at Chicago, http://noahwangerin.com/new-old-bike