Interview with David on the 690km Initiative - Transcript

Interviewer: Thank you for taking the time to talk with me today, David. Can you start by sharing how the 690km initiative was born?

David: Absolutely! The 690km initiative originated from my work in building bamboo bikes. While many people view bamboo as a sustainable material, I realized that true sustainability extends beyond just the material; it lies in the behaviors we encourage. This led to the concept of 690km, where cycling becomes a sustainable lifestyle choice rather than merely a recreational activity.

Interviewer: That makes sense. So, what does the name “690km” signify?

David: The name represents the average carbon emissions associated with bike production, which translates into a tangible goal for cyclists. By aiming for this distance, we can visualize our contributions to reducing carbon footprints. My goal is to motivate people to incorporate cycling into their daily routines. Even small changes can lead to significant impacts.

Interviewer: What challenges have you faced in getting people to embrace this concept?

David: One of the primary challenges is changing people’s perceptions of cycling. Many still see it as a leisure activity rather than a viable form of transportation. To overcome this, I focus on framing cycling not only as a means to reduce emissions but also as a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle choice.

Interviewer: What inspired the creation of the 690 concept, and why did you decide to pursue it?

David: I was building a lot of bamboo bikes, and everyone kept saying how sustainable they were. While bamboo is indeed a sustainable material, it felt wrong to reduce sustainability to just the product. True sustainability is about the behaviors we encourage. The act of cycling itself is much more sustainable than merely purchasing a bike, regardless of its material.

I realized that people often think buying a bamboo bike is the key to sustainability, but the reality is that it’s about whether they use the bike. So, I started to think about how we can make cycling a lifestyle. It doesn’t matter if the bike is made of bamboo, steel, or anything else; what matters is whether our bikes encourage people to adopt a cycling lifestyle or if they are simply viewed as recreational tools.

The concept of 690km emerged when I learned that specialized companies had begun to track the carbon footprint of their bike production. They reported an average of 174 kilograms of carbon emissions associated with producing a bike. When converted, this equates to 690 kilometers. Knowing this number, I thought, how can we use it to motivate people to consider their cycling habits? Having a specific target like this makes it easier for people to engage and set goals.

Interviewer: Did you have an initial goal for how many people you wanted to get cycling based on the 690 concept?

David: Initially, I didn’t set a specific percentage of people to target. The focus was more on shifting people’s perspectives about sustainability from products to behaviors. At the start, it was about getting everyone to cycle more; the idea was that every kilometer counts towards their sustainability efforts.

Now, I think a more realistic goal would be to get around 20% of participants to actively consider changing their mobility habits. This means tracking their progress, such as choosing a bike for errands instead of driving. The idea is that by reaching 690 kilometers, they would have developed a new mobility habit that continues on.

Interviewer: What would you say was the main obstacle in advancing this concept of 690?

David: The biggest challenge is that changing people’s behaviors is hard. Many people have entrenched habits, like driving to work every day. Encouraging them to cycle just once a week is difficult. I have a friend in New York who understands the importance of cycling, but despite months of encouragement, he hasn’t made the switch.

People tend to resist altering their established routines, so it’s essential to find ways to make cycling more appealing and accessible.

Interviewer: You mentioned there was a shift towards bikes with added features, like baskets. Was this shift purely for business reasons, or was there more to it?

David: It was primarily a business shift, but it aligned with our values. We wanted to integrate cycling into people’s daily lives rather than just framing it as a sport. Cycling has been largely viewed as a recreational activity, which limits its potential. We aim to show how cycling can enhance mobility in various lifestyle scenarios, like pet owners who want to take their dogs out.

Focusing on pet-friendly bikes has been successful, but we’ve had many other ideas that didn’t take off. For example, concepts around bike commuting or traveling by bike have potential, but just having the idea doesn’t guarantee usage.

Interviewer: So the pet concept is still ongoing and not just for fun?

David: Exactly. The goal is for bikes to become part of people’s lifestyles, enabling them to visit parks or locations that would otherwise require a car.

Interviewer: If you could change one thing about the advancement of the 690 concept, what would it be?

David: I would focus more on ensuring the business is sustainable from the outset. Ideally, I want the 690 initiative to drive people to become cyclists who naturally promote our brand. However, that hasn’t worked out as intended so far.

The initiative has become an additional cost without a clear revenue model. If I could do it again, I might prioritize establishing a sustainable business before expanding into initiatives like 690.

Interviewer: Are there any future plans for the 690 concept?

David: Currently, resources are limited, and there aren’t concrete plans. We discussed how 690 could fit into real estate projects to promote cycling-friendly environments. There was an idea to develop an app that tracks cycling habits and converts them into points or incentives.

However, the challenge remains in how to encourage widespread adoption. It’s tough to get people to engage with the app consistently, but if we can create a passive tracking system, it might improve user experience.

Interviewer: It sounds like there are a lot of challenges to navigate.

David: Yes, the business aspect is quite complex. Ideally, as more people cycle, they would support the brand, but it’s a difficult cycle to maintain.

Interviewer: Thanks for sharing your thoughts, David. It’s clear that there’s much more to the 690km initiative than just cycling.

David: Thank you for having me! I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this initiative.