The fatbike invasion has gone official! We’ve news that officers from the Environment Agency Wales are currently trialling a fat tyred behemoth to help identify possible pollution sources at beaches around South Wales.
They’ll be floating slowly and serenely above the sands of Swansea Bay using a borrowed Surly Pugsley as a more environmentally friendly way to take seawater quality samples. The demo bike has been supplied by none other than STW Forum regular and bicycle oddity specialist Charlie the Bikemonger.
It’s part of a project called ‘Smart Coasts Sustainable Communities’, which aims to improve the quality of bathing water. Officers will be pootling along the beaches at Swansea, Aberafan and Kenfig to collect hourly samples over a period of three days. They’ll then use that information to pinpoint pollution sources as well as providing bathing quality data.
Chris Palmer, from Environment Agency Wales said:
“This new bike makes our water sampling more efficient. It is quieter and more environmentally friendly than other vehicles, and much quicker than sampling on foot.
“Water sampling work is vital to our understanding of water quality issues in the area. Information from the samples we collect will help inform our plans to improve water quality in Swansea Bay and ensure it continues to meet European water quality standards.”
If only they’d thought of crowd sourcing the data from the hundreds of fat bike-ists that potter along the coastline of their own accord…
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Just an excuse to ride roumd the bay to mumbles for a beer I think 🙂
Like. The bike without a use has a useful use! Good work Environment people.