Being a cyclist can sometimes be a lonely experience. Limited bike lanes and aggressive car drivers can almost turn you off this emission-free mode of transport.
So, New York designers Pepin Gelardi and Teresa Herrmann entered a competition to design a bike accessory that would draw new cyclists. They discovered the top deterrent was that cyclists felt unsafe and outnumbered by cars. Gelardi says, “We wanted to create a device that proved to potential cyclists that a community exists.”
The pair came up with Contrail, a receptacle filled with colourful chalking fluid. You attach it to your bike and as you ride, it leaves a colourful line behind you as the rear-wheel action powers the device’s pump. When many people ride with Contrail, the result is a colourful criss-crossing path which illustrates where bicycles are riding.
Contrail uses washable, non-toxic chalking fluid made from eco-friendly pigments. Like a jet’s contrail, the lines on the road will fade with time and rain.
Gelardi and Herrmann envision Contrail creating public art, making cycling safer and attracting new cyclists.
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