Social Science Bike night rolled-in Thursday evening with a wide range of bicycle exhibits from the casual learner to hardcore enthusiasts. Cyclists entered the museum, grabbed a drink, and were ready to learn & explore.
Rotating back in time, there was a little history presented by the Cycling Museum of Minnesota who demonstrated High Wheel Bikes, historically known as “Penny-Farthing” due to the wheels resembling two coins of different sizes. As you can see, it was once a big deal.
Winding down the staircase into the impressive heart of the general exhibits brought us to the atomic level of bicycles. The NISE network used buckyballs to demonstrate how the form of carbon determines the mass of a bicycle frame. And for those who have wanted to know what the numbers on a gear-shifter do, The Hub Co-op handily broke the process down gear by gear.
Entering the lowest level provided an insight into the biking community with the Twin Cities Bicycling Club (TCBC). TCBC hosts a bike ride everyday, even during the winter! Mechanics of gyroscopic motion were demonstrated with a spinning wheel and a counter to show how the laws of motion balance out. On another note, Recovery Bike Shop demonstrated how spoke tension can turn a bicycle wheel into a musical wonder.
The night ended on a personal level with 3 speakers from Spinning Stories. These cyclists shared heartfelt tales of life, death, and how bicycles intertwined in these journeys. More spinning stories can be heard around the Twin Cities, via http://www.spinningstories.org/
With new-found insights into the social & science aspects of bicycles, everyone rolled-out!
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Joe Russo is a talented Animation Director with the local animation studio, NEIGHBOR. Biking to and from work everyday through the suburban winter slush and hazardous city traffic, Mr. Russo knows quality bicycle events like the back of his handlebar.
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Next up on the Social Science dance card is Super Hero Science on Thursday, August 6th from 6:00 to 11 :00 p.m. From the website: “What would your superpower be—flight or invisibility? Is either even possible? Explore the science of superheroes this Social Science, as we examine the powers of your favorite caped crusaders and defenders of justice. Take a look at what our future holds, and whether we ourselves may one day be super."
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