# The Conference Bike: Dumbest Invention yet (?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 11, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552 "2004-10-11T01:23:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/1 "2004-10-11T01:23:34Z")
Want something stupid? And probably expensive? (I don’t know how much 9500 Euros are, but I’m sure it’s a chunk of change. I give you… [The Conference Bike.](http://www.conferencebike.com/) As if meetings weren’t bad enough, now they have to be in motion too. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/2 "2004-10-11T04:41:41Z")
My wife likes to say, “Some people will do anything to be crazy.” That is certifiably strange. Oddly, it’s called a Conference Bike, while the web site calls it a tricycle. The movie, though clearly shows four wheels. These loons can’t count to four. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/3 "2004-10-11T04:56:28Z")
I’m speechless :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/4 "2004-10-11T10:48:29Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > And probably expensive? (I don’t know how much 9500 Euros are. . . 9500 Euros -\> $11,797 - £6,500 enough for a [modest car](http://www.virgincars.com/newcars2.asp?CID=8531) I think the idea of cycling sideways, let alone _backwards_ is just wrong, you’d get motion sick surely? ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/5 "2004-10-11T11:57:16Z")
I’ve actually ridden one of these (In Hannover, Germany during the Maschseefest), and it was actually a lot of fun (especially the strange looks you get from people). Hannover is actually the city where this bike was first “invented” and built by a couple of students of the Technical University, and our “driver” was one of the original co-inventors. The Q&A on the link above mentions this. Even riding backwards isn’t that bad. You don’t go very fast, so there is no motion sickness (even after quite a few beers 😃 ). However, I think they should change the gear ratio a little, because you have to pedal pretty hard. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/6 "2004-10-11T12:18:08Z")
They demonstrated this on Irish TV a few weeks ago. I don’t think the conference aspect of it is the intention - it’s just a novelty. It’s the funniest thing ever. I think if I saw one driving down the street I’d laugh so hard that I’d crash. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/7 "2004-10-11T12:21:26Z")
The animated graphic in the bottom right hand corner is very, very scary. ---
**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/8 "2004-10-11T13:55:45Z")
I’m apparently going to all the wrong conferences 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/9 "2004-10-11T14:17:27Z")
That would make an interesting Tour de France if you could get the entire team on one bike! 🙂 Going up Mount Ventoux would sure be a bitch, though. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/10 "2004-10-11T14:49:28Z")
Any company that needs a paradigm shift can think outside the box by embarking on a new journey on the conference bike, while they brainstorm new ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/11 "2004-10-11T15:02:34Z")
They charge $5/rider to go on one of these in Times Square. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/12 "2004-10-11T17:07:55Z")
There are several of them working in NYC. I think the only reason for the bike is to get tourists to do something stupid and charge them $5. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/13 "2004-10-11T20:03:04Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > My wife likes to say, “Some people will do anything to be crazy.” That is certifiably strange. Oddly, it’s called a Conference Bike, while the web site calls it a tricycle. The movie, though clearly shows four wheels. These loons can’t count to four. :smack: I can’t get the movie to play, but to me the still pictures clearly show _three_ wheels. Does the movie show a different bike? ---
**Author:** ![Tiggrkitty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tiggrkitty/32/17966_2.png) [@Tiggrkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiggrkitty)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/14 "2004-10-11T20:24:42Z")
> [@](#): > > It LOWERS INHIBITIONS…It’s a PARTY ON WHEELS! Okay this is scary. Who is driving that thing? Who is paying attention to traffic? Who wants to get sweaty at work during a conference meeting? I live in Texas, it get’s hot here! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/15 "2004-10-12T00:51:38Z")
I thought the whole purpose of the conference was to decide what direction to go in and whether to apply the brakes before you get creamed by a Greyhound…? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/16 "2004-10-12T01:44:30Z")
Hmm. I guess I’m the only one who thinks it looks fun, huh? Guess I’ll be doing my pedaling solo. ☹ I’m thinking how much easier it would be to chaperone a gaggle of children on a park/zoo/city tour if we were all on the same bike. It’s really like a paddle boat for land, no? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/17 "2004-10-12T01:48:40Z")
Don’t get me wrong. It looks fun. I’m just wondering whethere there’s a pilot or master of the vessel responsible for overall direction of the thing as well as crisis decisions… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/18 "2004-10-12T01:48:44Z")
> [@TwistofFate](#): > > The animated graphic in the bottom right hand corner is very, very scary. Very Gilliam-esque. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/19 "2004-10-12T02:04:21Z")
Hmm. Okay. It looks like one position, above the single wheel, has a steering wheel. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552/20 "2004-10-12T02:09:35Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Don’t get me wrong. It looks fun. I’m just wondering whethere there’s a pilot or master of the vessel responsible for overall direction of the thing as well as crisis decisions… You have to fight over the steering wheel. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-conference-bike-dumbest-invention-yet/268552.md?page=2)