Google Me a Bicycle
by Bonnie Alter, London on 03.27.07
Last christmas Ikea gave all its 9,000 U.K. employees a moving bonus: a free folding bicycle, worth £139 and made by Raleigh Poland. In addition they gave them a 15% subsidy on public transport. This week Google did an "Ikea" and offered its 2,000 employees in Europe, Africa and Asia a German Raleigh folding bike, the Dahon Curve, worth £349. As well as being able to choose from men’s and women’s hybrids, there’s a Google cruiser. Also available is a smart silver helmet with Google on the side. The Ikea bikes appeared on ebay very quickly; how long will it take for these, complete with Google logo, to appear... Others have written about Google's free biodiesel shuttle bus service to work in the Silicon Valley and the installation of solar panels at their headquarters. But one last Google tidbit--did you know that Google Europe has also this week been given an award for using free-range eggs by the Compassion in World Farming organisation? :: Guardian
IKEA's locations in the UK are near motorways and can be difficult to access by bike so I wasn't surprised when some of the 9000 bikes went up for auction a day or two after the giveaway.
I predict that a much smaller percentage of the bikes that Google is giving employees will be sold. For one, Google is offering a variety of different bikes to choose from. Secondly, as Google is a leading edge tech company with like minded employees, the corporate culture in their organization is more likely to encourage use of the bikes. Regardless, it will be interesting to see what happens next.
Larry Lagarde
RideTHISbike.com
Bravo Google! It's a pity their HQ in Mountain View is so suburban. It would be almost impossible to safely bike there even with free bikes. I'll be impressed when Google moves to an urban campus!
Are you serious? I bike around Mountain View all the time. You have to choose your roads carefully, but it can be done. The weather in Northern California certainly accommodates it.
Go to bikely and search for google and you can check out different routes cyclists have used to get there:
http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/srchkey/google
I spent Spring Break of 2005 in Mountain View with a friend that works for Google. Every day, when he went to work, I'd cycle from his apartment into town for breakfast and spend the day studying for my Ph.D qualifier exam and bum around.
Mountain View, from the perspective of my handlebars, is a cyclist's dream, and I have considered moving there almost on those grounds alone.
Trust me. If you want to know what frightening cycling looks like, you're welcome to try Ft. Lauderdale, FL any day. Or, if you prefer, you can try Gainesville, FL. Nothing leads to dead cyclists quite like a blend of young drivers, cellphones, and lots of road construction.
According to what I read about Google's giveaway, the value of a Google folding bike and helmet comes to $700. Assuming that the other bikes are in the same price range, if Google gives away 2000 bikes, that's a total value of $1,400,000 US. Way to go, Google!
I am very happy that Google is giving their workers a choice in the bike they choose. The bikes listed are a very good cross-section of bike styles that are a good range for all. I would choose a Dahon Curve myself. Ikea was cheap. Google appears sincere. Now if only these companies notice it's North American workers....it would be a start in the right direction.