chinese bike of the day 2, electic boogaloo

Worst bicycle based job EVER.


Click for big.

This guy rode (yep rode, no walk the bike with the load that is also common) through the city collecting what, based on the rancid oil smell, appeared to be used cooking oil/grease from little eateries throughout the city. He used the bucket to hand carry the crud to the large oil drums and then rode off slopping tiny bits of noxious liquid in his wake. I presume he was recycling it somewhere. I saw a number of motorcycle derived versions of this, but this was the only cyclist I saw. He was remarkably clean given his job description and barely spilled anything. There was a distinctly unpleasant odor that trailed behind him.

The bike stood on its own as the drums were so close to the ground. I am not sure if he could have crashed it if he wanted, the drums were like stabilizers and bore the scrapings to prove their utility.

Typical raleighoid bike, linkage brakes, single speed, fenders, leatheresque seat etc...

Again taken in Chengdu, near the university, by me, early 2005. Copyright, Tarik Saleh, 2005.