A retro-electric bike and a player-piano too

As promised here is the post all about player-pianos and bicycles that I had planned.  Just as I had hoped (and half-expected, as it often seems to happen this way) as soon as I had something to blog about after a relatively dry month a couple more interesting things come along out of which I can fashion a post.

I came across these two fascinating takes on traditional machinery a week or so ago (from the excellent blog Laughing Squid) and thought I'd - what's the word... reblog(?) them to my readers here, so much did they tickle my fancy.  They are not related to each other in any way, so no bicycle-powered player-piano I'm afraid (although I still maintain this would be a good idea and formally lay claim to it) but I decided in that I'd get one good post out of the pair of them rather than two lesser posts.



First up is the player-piano.  Stanley.  I like the sound of him already.  Literally.  Stanley isn't just any old player-piano, though.  Thanks to a "creative agency" (whatever that is) and the wonders of modern technology, Stanley has been retro-fitted with a computer and associated electrickery which allows it to... play any song, requested by anyone, via Twitter (I knew there'd be a use found for Twitter one of these days - lo and behold a piano-player remote control).  Of course to get the full effect one really needs to be at Stanley's location in Seattle but still, it's a clever little bit of retro-technology fun for a Sunday I thought.



The bicycle of the title is a far more serious, practical proposition that deserves to do well.  The Faraday Porteur may at first glance look like a reasonably ordinary bicycle but upon closer inspection it reveals itself to be anything but.  For one thing it is electrically-assisted but, unlike current electric bicycles with their thick heavy battery packs bolted onto the diagonal down tube, the Faraday's state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries are integrated into the standard-sized double top tubes.  This makes it light enough to carry and less ungainly to look at, while still providing up to 15 miles of assisted travel.  It has a few other deft little touches too, like the integrated LED lamps and - on this Porteur model - a handlebar-mounted rack capable of carrying up to 30lbs.

Forgive me if I sound like an advertisement for that is not my intention (although if they want to send me one over for evaluation I won't say no!) but the Faraday appears to me to be possibly the best execution of an electric bike I've seen so far - and by Jove do I like the look of it!  Wonderful vintage touches abound, from the basket-holder at the front through the wooden mudguards to the beautiful leather on the handlebars, top tubes and saddle.

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Both of these machines are yet more sterling examples of tried and tested technology updated for the 21st century but where Stanley is no more than an amusing - albeit appealingly clever - oddity the Faraday has true potential, successfully and completely merging the best of past and future.  I hear good things about Kickstarter and in fact I see that the company has already raised more than the $100,000 it needs to begin the first production run.  I wish them every success and would love to see more stylish Faradays not just in America but all over the world.  Good luck, chaps, and well done!