This pedal powered carousel was a regular attraction at a local plaza while I was in Granada this summer. Like any bike powered gizmo, the technology is both dead simple and somehow totally engrossing: The front end of the bike is just for show (or for storing a stockpile of lollipops that the rider was giving out to the kids as they swung past). Instead of powereing the bike itself, the chain runs down to a drive-shaft that turns the whole platform.
When I first saw the ride it was packed with kids, and surrounded by parents who seemed to be as interested in the machine itself as in their children's giggles. It wasn't quite as popular when I came back to take photos.
There is a woman who makes milkshakes at local events in Vancouver with a bike powered blender and she seems to have the same kind of pull. For whatever reason people are captivated by the simple mechanics of pedal powered machines. Maybe it's a reaction to decidedly untactile digital technology which we now live with most of our time.
For a good bit of digital distraction, try a google image search for “pedal powered.” I'm looking for someone who would like to split the cost of the submarine with me.
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