Love+Sprockets | NYC Cycling Info

The winner of the CityRacks competition for outdoor and indoor categories have been announced.

The design of Ian Mahaffy and Maarten De Greeve (Bettlelab), based in Copenhagen, Denmark, was selected as the first-place winner in the outdoor competition that attracted over 200 entrants from around the world. Their design was one of ten prototypes installed and tested at Astor Place since September 30. DOT intends to use Mahaffy and De Greeve’s design as the new standard bicycle rack installed on New York City’s sidewalks. The jury also recognized second-place winner Andrew Lang and Harry Dobbs of London and third-place winner Ignacio Ciocchini of New York. Mahaffy and De Greeve will receive a $10,000 prize courtesy of Transportation Alternatives, Dobbs and Lang a $3,000 prize and Ciocchini a $2,000 prize.

Finalists in the CityRacks lock competition have hit the streets in selected locations. I think the Y rack is the most practical, although isn't ver different from the racks we have now, in terms of basic concept. The extended ascenders of the Y make this design a lot more accommodating though, and that's a great thing. Would have been nice if these were red to match the I Heart NY heart color.

I wonder how the paint on these things will wear, however, as they chip over time. Ugly as they are, the silver upside down Us we have now take wear very well because they're not painted. The newer black Us look terrible and are often loose enough to pry off the sidwalk. Hopefully they'll not miss that important feature of the rack--it has to stay attached to the ground to be useful.

David Byrne and the New York City Department of Transportation, in conjunction with New York art gallery PaceWildenstein, have unveiled nine unique bicycle racks designed by DB and installed in various locations throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. An avid bicyclist for almost 30 years, Byrne was invited to join the panel of jurors selected by the DOT to judge a design competition for outdoor and indoor bicycle racks. Inspired by the city's initiative, he submitted some original design ideas of his own named after specific locations and neighborhoods, which the DOT enthusiastically agreed to install for a period of 364 days.