Beginning today, Google has begun providing bicycle directions for its Google Maps service with directions for cyclists in 150 cities in the United States. Google already incorporates public-transit and walking directions in addition to automobile driving directions, and the bicycling community has been calling for Google to add bike routes for some time.

The routing suggested for cyclists is designed to avoid freeways and high-traffic areas, and to select gentler terrain by routing around hills. To make it even more useful for riders on the go, Google expects to have a mobile version available in the near future, as well.

We've seen several bike-related concepts in the past few weeks. If, in fact, alternative transportation is on the rise, bikes will become a larger part of our transportation mix. To be really effective and to find wide acceptance, these three may help make bikes more of an option.

Copenhagen Wheel

A group of MIT researchers developed the Copenhagen wheel, a versatile electric bicycle wheel which was given its debut last month in Copenhagen during the COP-15 summit. The wheel combines a regenerative brake, a battery, an electric motor, and a variety of sensors and a bluetooth connection. Combining regenerative braking and electric assist acceleration helps make it easier for bike commuters to deal with starts and stops. With the Copenhagen wheel, the bike can also track speed and distance traveled, as well as monitoring local smog conditions and tracking the proximity of friends. The Copenhagen wheel also acts as a smart lock to prevent unauthorized use of the bike.

YikeBike Mini-farthing

Weighing in at 10 kg (22 lbs), the YikeBike is a small folding electric scooter with a large-wheel/small-wheel combination like the a "pennyfarthing." It folds into a space of 150 x 600 x 600mm (approximately 6 x 18 x 18 inches) and can be unfolded and ready to ride in about 15 seconds. The YikeBike has a range of 9-10 km (5.5-6 miles). It is expected to be commercially available soon at a cost of around 3,500 Euros (roughly US$5,000).

Underground Bike Storage

In an area with extensive bike commuting already in place, storage solutions for the hundreds of bike riders becomes a problem. In Japan, the Eco Cycle is an underground storage facility with a capacity of 144 bikes (18 bikes per level and 8 levels of storage). The automated system can retrieve any bike within 10 seconds, making it quick and convenient. A one month pass for the Eco Cycle garage costs about $30/month (2600 yen).

Thanks again, John B!