New crest

 

Attached a new crest on the 2004 Porsche Bike X today for the upcoming Florida Coast to Coast ride.  

Last long ride before C2C Florida

I rode 36 miles today in some headwind, both ways it seemed, in warm nearly 70 degree weather. This was the last longer ride before heading to Florida. The 240-mile Coast to Coast ride in Florida is coming up fast. When home, I cleaned and degreased the 2004 Porsche Bike X well for the upcoming adventure ride.

Another PD bike reference

I found the following on a Porsche Design history webpage. The reference to the 1980s bicycle is new to me. I suspect what PD is actually referring to is the 1978 Austro-Daimler concept bike. Regardless, I need to figure this out!

2021

E-BIKE CROSS

In the early 1980s, Porsche Design develops a bike concept that includes a model cast entirely out of magnesium. Some 40 years later, the designers once again turn their hand to a two-wheeled product. E-bike drive technology has taken a gigantic leap forward and established itself as a mass-produced product. The Porsche eBike Cross offers the kind of performance and timeless elegance that is only possible with a Porsche model.

BWI to Annapolis rail trail

 

The goal was 40 miles, but ran into a dead end due to bridge repair along the trail. I had to settle for 36 miles. But that's ok since this was the first longer ride of the year. Better to start back up gradually. Although I did feel great at the end. I do love this route. Likely one of my all time favorite long ride routes. Compares well, but not better than the American River paved path in Sacramento. 

Sim racing fun

 

"If you're not first, you're last" - Rick Bobby

Largest Porsche Bike collections

I wrote another story about Porsche Bikes. This one was also published by PCA. In my research I have met some amazing Porsche Bike collectors with incredible collections. So, why not write a story about them. 

The one shoe to rule them all

 

I love the adidas Terrex line of light hiking and trail running shoes. I’m not a clipless shoe/pedal guy. I like the freedom of flat pedals and wandering around with proper grip in all conditions. Because of all that, I have found the adidas Terrex to be my favorite riding shoe. My last pair has lasted since January 2016 … that’s 6 years and thousands of cycling miles! So today a new pair arrived. These are adidas Terrex Ax4. Both my old pair and now these new shoes have Continental rubber under foot. I am 100% Continental guy. My Porsche cars have Continental tires, my Porsche Bikes have Continental tires and my shoes have Continental rubber. 

I have a lot of riding plans in 2022. New shoes would be helpful to avoid a flat tire (of the shoe variety). The first big ride is the 200-mile Florida Coast to Coast ride in March. 

Windy 16 miles

Sixteen windy miles on the 2004 Porsche Bike X today. A nice little lunchtime neighborhood ride in upper 60 degree weather ... and heavy gusts of wind! Still, a great ride and felt good.

First Porsche Formula E win!

 

Porsche dominated Mexico Formula E with P1 and P2 just now!

First Porsche-built e-bike was in ... 1893!?!

1894 April, Ferdinand at the age of 18 - Porsche photo

Professor Ferdinand Porsche is well known for the quote, "I couldn't find the sports car of my dreams, so I built it myself." But apparently before Porsche was building the sports car of his dreams, he built one of the very first electric bicycles.

Researching Porsche bicycles, I found a website for a museum in Mattsee, Austria (just outside Salzburg) that honors Ferdinand Porsche. The museum shares Porsche's engineering history and interestingly rents e-bikes for rides around town. Why e-bikes? Well, when Ferdinand was 18 years old he built an e-bike to get from work to school, the website explained.

Here is an excerpt:

"He invented the first e-bike out of necessity. In 1893, he started his first job as a mechanic at the Bela Egger United Electricity Company in Vienna. After work, he ran to the Technical University and listened to the lectures on electricity as a “sneak listener” – he was not officially enrolled at the university. He had to walk the distance between home, workplace and university. For the restless and ambitious young Porsche, this seemed to cost too much precious working time, which literally fell by the wayside. Then he discovered an old bicycle in the corner of the stairwell of his apartment. He bought the battered vehicle from its owner, repaired it, lubricated it and repainted it. To make it even faster and easier to overcome the not inconsiderable gradients in Vienna, it occurred to him to build ​​an electric motor. Thought, done! He found an octagonal piece in the company, leftover from a test assembly, and built it onto the now shiny black bike. Ferdinand Porsche’s electric bicycle, which he called “Octagon” because of the octagonal rear wheel motor, quickly became a key topic of conversation throughout the company."

The museum website also claims Porsche was the "inventor of the first e-bike." In 1893, that would be very early in the development of e-bikes. A quick wikipedia search shows one of the first e-bike patents awarded was in the United States in December 1895, two years after the museum's claim of 1893. Did Porsche invent the e-bike? It is very possible. He is also recognized for building the first hybrid automobile in 1898, so maybe add the first electric bicycle to the list!

What I find most interesting is that the first vehicle Professor Ferdinand Porsche ever created was a two-wheel electric bicycle – not a sports car for what his name is famous for today.

"Fly like an eagle, let my spirit carry me" - Steve Miller

Two days in a row. Another nice weather day, although a bit windy. But temps in the low 60s with lots of sun was perfect for a lunch time ride. Felt good and the 2004 Porsche Bike X is humming along. Maybe another tomorrow!?!

Original Bike Spyder water bottle

Dr. Ulrich Bez, the father of Porsche bicycles, is sending the original Bike Spyder water bottle to the Porsche Club of America. This is the water bottle that was on his Porsche Bike Spyder 9.85 prototype when he rode in Pakistan for five weeks. He is sending allowing PCA to add it to the Bike Spyder #37 display at the PCA National office in Columbia, Maryland. Also adding to the display soon will be a framed copy of the May 1991 Christophorus magazine featuring the Porsche Bike Spyder 9.85 prototype and the Bike Spyder #37 documentation.

First 2022 bike ride on my trusty friend

 

With the first day of decent weather in 2022, I rode the 2004 Porsche Bike X 15 miles around my neighborhood. That bike is so smooth and fast. I have gained several pounds over the winter, but that bicycle still makes me feel fast. I left it in "road bike" mode over the winter after the fall Lifeline 100 Century ride. With the upcoming 200-mile Florida Coast to Coast ride almost all on paved paths, I'll leave the Bike X like this for smooth riding.

Adventure Cycling club

I joined the Adventure Cycling club. I got my membership card and first magazine! This looks like a great bike touring club.

Porsche acquires stake in Fazua

Porsche is acquiring 20 percent of the shares in Fazua GmbH. Fazua produces innovative e-bike drive systems. These drives are already included in the Cyklaer bikes designed by Storck and Porsche Digital.

A Porsche press release about the acquisition states, "The Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer now wants to make greater use of this know-how in the attractive and fast-growing e-bike market."

Porsche is also establishing a strategic partnership with Ponooc Investment B.V., a Dutch company that focuses on sustainable energy and mobility solutions. Together with Ponooc, Porsche plans a joint venture to develop, manufacture and distribute a future generation of high-quality Porsche e-bikes.

In short, more Porsche Bikes are on the way!

Porsche Design 1978 Austro-Daimler bike

 

A new bicycle find at the Porsche Design headquarters in Austria. A single photo of this interesting bike design was shown in a story about the PD studio. The caption says, "An early concept bike designed in the 1970s. Austro-Daimler a nod to Ferdinand Porsche’s roots with the company." Here's the story link. Under the bike says Concept Study 1978 and the words Austro-Daimler Porsche Design are on the bike. So this new find is now the oldest bicycle with the name "Porsche" on it! Axel Catton, the story's author told me, "1978 design concept for an ultralight racing bike. Decades before it became the norm, this study bike was built in monocoque construction around a frame made of composite materials in honeycomb structure. Branded Austro-Daimler as a nod to Ferdinand Porsche's early beginnings at the Austrian firm.”