Contrail is a concept bicycle device that attaches above the wheel of a bike and covers the bicycle wheel with a layer of chalk. The chalk then creates a trail or mark on the surface of the road, turning the bike into a sort of large drawing utensil. The concept, developed by Pepin Gelardi of Studio Gelardi focuses around the idea of safety in numbers. By using this device, bicyclists will have a clearer path on which to ride safely and out of the way of vehicular traffic. At the same time, as more bicyclists using the Contrail go over a line created by a cyclist before them, the line gets brighter allowing drivers to clearly see a marked bike path where there might be none. It’s sort of similar to what happens when a dirt path appears in a grassy field after lots of people have taken the same shortcut over a period of time.
Below are two images of what the Contrail would look like in production. The first image shows a cross-section of the unit and how it works and the second image is an early production model.
I’m not too sure about the whole “safety” part of this concept, but I do think the Contrail is a nice way to visually enhance city streets. Imagine seeing colorful lines all over the pavement instead of just regular black or grey asphalt. I’d like that very much!
this looks like fun! I want one just so i can draw on the floor with my bike and never get lost!
Is this available now? Me and some guys at ratrodbikes.com are ready to buy now!
Gerry :)
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I like the idea. As long as it didn’t rain, maybe I would have better luck finding my way home from the bar.
This is a great idea for people to ride! It also looks really fun! I think it will lead to more stolen bikes though =?
lead to more stolen bikes? It should lead to more found bikes!
I love this idea, so does anyone know when/where we can buy these things?
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I’d like to extend this great idea – for me, part of the problem of commuting in LA is that a lot of the bike paths on major roads are in disrepair. It’s as if the city fixes the road good enough for cars, but when they get to the edges where the bike paths are, the attitude is “eh, good enough, screw it.” It’s so bad that I’m expecting someone will crash and sue the city for failure to maintain safe streets.
Anyway, I’d love to see a device that would be able to mark road hazards while in motion on your bike. It’d be something triggered by going over a big bump or pothole, perhaps by dumping chalk on the spot.
I’m for anything that raises awareness of cyclists and makes the streets safer for them.
Wow! What an excellent way for cyclists to show their continued disrespect for road users by effectively applying graffiti to the road. Temporary as it may be it’s still visual pollution, i.e. vandalism.
@ Dan.
“but when they get to the edges where the bike paths are, the attitude is “eh, good enough, screw it.”
Fair comment. When cyclists start paying to use the road that car owners pay to use they should get their bike paths fixed.
This isn’t trolling. It’s pointing out indisputable facts.
Now let’s see all the cyclists respond like offended infants..
I own two cars but, bike every day. So I paid holmes – I don’t feel the need to chalk up the road either, so you need to come up with a new beef with this biker.
Waaaaah!
The majority of interstate-highway funding comes from gasoline taxes. So yes, car drivers are paying for the highways where bicycles are not allowed to go.
The majority of local road funding, however, comes from property taxes. So I guess you should take up your crusade against renters, since they are the ones getting a free ride on our streets by not paying property taxes.
Perhaps you should verify your so-called “indisputable facts”.
In most cases, renters pay for all or part of their landlord’s property taxes via their rent.
We should really blame the homeless people ;)
Cyclists do not have insurance services as car owners. that’s bad; cyclists pay taxes like every other citizen; cyclists do not polute (except when they eat bad food, if you know what I mean); cyclists do not hurt people, so no victim is treated to a hospital from tax money; cyclists are ignored by motorists in traffic, due to their low speed, and treated as they are “blocking” traffic, lol. Cyclists breath all shit exhausted by the motorists, also the pedestrians breath the same shit.
So, Mr EvilGod, who has respect and who doesn’t ? Now go back to your video games and shut up.
PS: that is chalk, not paint you idiot motorist ! I guess for you, even the 6 year old kids who draw with chalk on asphalt have disrespect.
@evilgod
agreed with the disrespect/visual polution remark. However, the taxes remark just sounds like you’re carrying a grudge against cyclist. Why don’t you find yourself a hobby, & leave cyclists alone?
While it may look cool and give an indication of the general flow, it may also lead people to treating it as a cycling lane. This has the potential to be counter productive in terms of safety.
Cycling to work daily leads to one developing a natural flow with the road, learn it in a way people in cars don’t experience. Any time one is venturing into a new area they should get a feel for the road before assuming it is the same as any other.
@EvilGod
Where might I find more information about this payment all of the car owners have been making to directly benefit our roads? After having driven a car for many years I must owe a small fortune.
Apologies if the reply wasn’t infantile enough..
I don’t know about where you you live but most countries charge either vehicle registration fees or some other sort of tax that as far as I know no cyclists ever have to pay. Who do you think is paying for the building and maintenance of bikeways and bike lanes? Cyclists? Not likely.
Read http://betterthangod.wordpress.com/2005/08/18/bloody-cyclists/ and get another perspective.
Cyclists, like most people, either never think about how what they do affects others or simply don’t care. The worst thing about most humans is there lack of consideration for others. in this case a few cyclists expect respect and consideration from drivers but never respect or consider the motorists in return.
as far as I know no cyclists ever have to pay
You make the assumption that all cyclists do not own cars. Your assumption is false.
Who do you think is paying for the building and maintenance of bikeways and bike lanes?
I know that all property owners are paying for these services. There’s lots of services paid for by my taxes that I don’t want or use. But since I am considerate of others I don’t let it bother me.
errr, You might want to look at what’s coming out of your car’s tailpipes before getting on your high horse about some chalk dust on the road!!!
What about repecting everyone’s right not to breath your exhaust fumes!!
Ah, a stupid evil god. Driving makes you stupid. Cyclists choose a method of transport that (almost) cannot kill anyone else. Drivers do not. Which shows more consideration? Car drivers have this elaborate collection of safety rituals, that still don’t make cars as safe for other people as bicycles already are.
The registration fees pay the salaries of the people who collect the registration fees. In the US, at least, towns pay for the maintenance of roads in towns, and this maintenance is mostly funded by property taxes and subsidies from the state, who in turn gets most of their money from income taxes (this state, at least). Oddly enough, cyclists pay property taxes, cyclists pay income taxes.
I don’t know if you had noticed or not, but alcohol taxes fund bars, nor do cigarette taxes subsidize smoking. Where on earth did you get the idea that gasoline taxes were intended to subsidize driving?
There are no bike lanes where I live. Literally none.
I ride in the street and the cars slow down to yell at me to ride on the sidewalk.
I ride on the crappy sidewalk and all the peds yell at me to ride in the street.
Facts: Bikes are fun. Bikes are cleaner, more efficient, and healthier than cars. I breathe goddamn exhaust EVERY time I ride.
In conclusion, F all you bike-haters.
What’s the alternative? More cars?
excelent IDEA !!!
My friend set up a similar system using paint and a brush on his bicycle. However, the brush went directly to the road, not through the wheel.
Andrew, your friend’s system sounds really great. How did he reload the brush with paint?
brilliant concept. love to get my hands on one of these.
This idea incorporates childhood with my favorite hobby. I don’t know of another bicycle accessory that I want more!
I am in love with this idea – is it something that can be marketed? As a full time cyclist and bike commuter – I would love to have one and spread the fun!
Absolutely great…! mmm… Can the chalk get through the brisles of that brush pretty easy? … if not, then solid chalk can be used so that, with a little spring perhaps it can be pressed against the felt brush to be applied to the wheel… Great concept… great idea… wonderfull applications! Let me know what the challenges are please… I would love to work it out further =)
I like the rubber band idea…! The traditional clip would be harder to manufacture… more expensive… way to DFM DFY =).
Does the chalk reduce the traction of the rear tire? Might reduce braking efficiency or cause the rear wheel to slide out?!?
Anyone know the bicycle’s used in the photo above?
I like the orange one on the left with blue tires, it looks so cool
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I love these kinds of street drawings, I think they are amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Well I am the organizer of the World Naked Bike Ride Greece and i think that the device is excellent!
Is there any way that we can have it for our WNBR day on 4 Jun 2009?
Where can i buy it ? Me and a lots of friends in france love it.
I want one for my grandson, how do I get one?
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Anyone know where I can get bikes like these?
We need these!!!! Would definitely buy if was in production for our cycle tours, let us know when they are up and running!
You know, I like it.
kind of vandalisim, but it can be used to draw attention to rough patches in the road, because with lots of riders, that go around a pothole… it creates a visual cue!
This is such a cool idea! I’ve been waiting now for months! This needs to go into production, but i can’t wait anymore. I would happily take a prototype.
You know once someone seen one chalk trail, they would want to know what, why, and where do I get one? London needs this and so do I. Send me one and i will plaster it all over the London city roads, every day on my way to work!!
I think it would be great for this to catch on. It’s like making a bike lane for ourselves on heavily traveled routes that don’t have bike lanes. Where can I get me one?
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no reason why this doesn’t get built, other than lack of initiative. Read this article, minus a bit of capital to get it going the roadmap is clear for small-batch manufacturing.
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