A-Bike Bag.

[Weakling_Sweden]

Cantonese and Mandarin, how different are they. Could you compare with English and French? Or English and Spanish or English and Latin?

Korean and Japanese how different are they? Do they get anything at all when they listen to their radio?

I am at lost to discern how much French I get. I have no education in it. I get almost nothing of it. Latin and Spanish maybe have words common the latin routes of some english words.

I admire the innovation of written pictograms? That despite Cantonese and Mandarin being so far apart you have signs or symbols that are common.

Different languages but same symbols. That is clever. Wish we in Europe had same system so we could read news from all European countries and getting all they write. now get almost nothing.

sorry derail from bikes. but some fun is ok.

[Amuro Lee]

How can I explain to you?
Hmm...
Actually, whatever people who speak Cantonese, Mandarin or any other Chinese dialects, we share the same writing system. However, the PRC in mainland China changed the Chinese characters into simplified form in 1950s. Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau remain using the traditional Chinese characters.
Some linguists say that Cantonese and Mandarin are different languages because they are different in accent and grammar. However, there is a formal written language in Chinese makes different dialect speakers can still understand each other in writing.

Here are articles about Cantonese, Mandarin and Chinese characters in Wikipeida.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Cantonese
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Mandarin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplified ... _character
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditiona ... _character

[Weakling]

Amuro, Maybe the simplified pictograms are easier to do on computers?

Typical of me I have not prepared my windows and browsers to comply with pictograms so I see only ? or boxes.
Don't tel me to do anything about it cause I am very insecure about computers, they break down when I look at them.

Thanks for the links though.

Do you find it likely that China get so culturally and economically important that all of us will learn Mandarin?

Here in Europe some hope that Latin will be shared language for European Union but I guess English for a long time will be the dominating one.

It is interesting what will come out of it all.

Binch Shin, you know about small bikes in Korea, do theyallow foldable bikes in the trains too? As you maybe know by now I am very curious on the Carryme bike or even a Carryall, the A-bike is too small for me. 195 cm tall and 95 kg heavy. So I hope the Carryme will be a good compromise between being practical and being small.

Does A-bike and Carryme sell good in Korea? Japan seems to like both of them?

[Amuro Lee]

Amuro, Maybe the simplified pictograms are easier to do on computers?

No, not really. The display and input efficiency of the traditional and simplified Chinese characters on computers are almost the same.
There're many problems occur when using the simplified characters in our daily life, espeicially on cultural or historical studies and researches. More and more people in mainland China regret the change of the characters half century ago.

[Weakling]

Too much of simplification could mess up things I guess.

China make A-bikes, Japan like small bikes, Taiwan make small bikes. England too, Sweden and Finland too make folders even if not supersmall. Austria, France, Italy, ... Singapore makes the Trolley bike http://www.jz88.com/


I'm surprised that we don't have Korea on that list. Or are they just not interested in exporting them? They are so industrious when it comes to electronics and cars. Their people have needs for small bikes to use for commuters too.

India has a demand for bikes but maybe they accept bigger ones. They make three wheels for transportation.

[Binch Shin]

Hello^^ vekling
Sorry.. I was late to reply.

In Korea..
1. Every folding-bicycle is allowed in trains.
2. I have no experience of Carryme but.. I guess the sales amount is..
... Strida >> A-bike > Brompton > tikit > Carryme
3. Until the end of 1980th, Korea was an important bicycle exporting country but we had a very serious problem that we had no original technology. We did mass production but didn't invent any remarkable things because it(OEM production) was enough(very easy) for export at that time. As you know, most of bicycle parts manufacturers are in China now. So all of Korean bicycle makers are importers or assemblage companies with Chinese workers in Korea. And they don't invest in developments because it is unfamiliar and they don't have a suitable testmarket. I think my country abandoned bicycle industry at the end of 1980th.

[Weakling]

Binch Shin thanks for your info,

so Strida are that popular.

I loved Strida when I first saw it but me being so long 194 cm one have to set the saddle so high and then the knee is near steering it is not practical.

And the bike have a twitchy steering that i fail to get used to and are comparively expensive here, what I like is that you could let it roll folded beside you. A Mobiky is build that way too. And the Carryme.

Sweden and Korea share that fate then. We had a big bicycle industry too way back. Many different brands and then we got outcompeted.

Finland still manage to build one folder but it is almost unheard of even in sweden being a neighbor country. Denmark have a small lamost cottage industry making special bikes for family. A box in front of the bike where you could put the kids.

I've seen the Bike Fridays Tikit on youtube and it is impressivly easy to fold. But too expensive for me.

I liked the Mobiky Genius a long time and planned to buy one but it is almost double the price of a Carryme. That bike is bigger and more heavy than a Carryme. Made in France.

Flickr.com have a group of Mobiky owners who love to take photos of it in different locations folded and unfolded. Much like we admire A-bike or Carryme. Small is beautiful.

I have some photos of Microbike on my flickr account kickrollator but it is not on my own, I borrowed those pics from other owners.

My mobile have a poor camera. Only 1.3 megapix resolution so that will not make great pics.

If I had the talent for it I would make a foldable Rollator that is both walkable, kickable and cycleble to ride like a bike I mean.

compare with Carrybike from Japan. In front it looks like a shopping cart or trolley for luggage with two front wheels but the rear side is an ordinary 16" cycle.

My "imagined" KickRollator should be changeable between two wheel, three wheel and four wheel. But it is unrealistic cause it makes it clumsy and heavy so it defeat the purpose, not practical to build or to own.

the purpose was to be able to adjust it to seasonal weather.

To not fall to ground because of snow on icy street when it is frosen temperature outside I need four wheeled thing that has a low center to ground. The kickbike allow you to be two inch above ground so you have a very low center which makes it extremely safe with four wheels.

I've tested to kick as fast as I could and then hit the drum brakes on absolutely slippery wet ice with no sand on it and I still was safe.

Had I walked or used a bike I would certainly have fallen badly and hurt myself so a four wheeler is needed for me when it icy which it is during three months in winter. Sometimes if the winter is extreme some 4 or 5 month? November to April or so. But now when we have had mild winters it is easier to bike the years around.

In spring, summer and autum it is sufficient with two wheel and biking but to be allowed to take the bike inside or on train and buses it is good to be able to change it to a Rollator look alike cause they are allowed everywhere due to being an aid for elderly who have problem walking without support. I will become such an elder sooner or later so it is good getting used to it while I can

I'm no constructor or designer or engineer though so my attempts looks incredibly clumsy or unrealistic but it is great fun laying in tub with hot water and with pen and paper think about which construction would have a slim chance of maybe just be usable for somebody like me. I even dream about such transformer bikes.

Fred Weakling of Sweden the Kick Rollator fantasy inventor.