Meet the maker
Fredjan Twigt is the inventor of the Whike. When we first contacted him to go for a test ride, we expected to find him in a bicycle shop. We were surprised to see he was located in an ‘Ecodorp’, a sustainable living community, in Bergen (The Netherlands). After the first test ride we were hooked and decided to make the Whike our mode of transport. We asked him a couple of questions at the start of our trip.
1. How did you get the idea for the Whike?
The idea for the whike originated in my early youth. We were living on a farm in the lowlands of the Netherlands and my father experimented with blokarts (land yachts). I am a sailor (by boat) and I love cycling. I think the bicycle is the best invention ever, and we should have stopped there before inventing motorized vehicles…
Twenty years ago I started designing recumbent bicycles. I was living on the seaside and owned a blokart. The desire to be able to sail anywhere on land led me to invent the whike.
2. Can you descibe the feeling of sailing on the Whike?
For me the feeling of the whike has a lot to do with freedom. Real freedom also means leaving no trace like CO2. There is also a playful element in playing with and using the wind. The comfortable posture also makes it possible to ride long stretches without discomfort.
It is a fantastic feeling to be pushed by the force of the wind. I have been using the whike for years now, also for shopping or with a grandchild at the back.
3. What is your best experience with the Whike?
My most beautiful experience with the whike was riding 1100 kms down the coast of Western Sahara. Endless open land and stunning vistas. Great sailing with the right winds and sleeping in the sand. The endless space does something to me. Realizing how small you are and making such a tour on nothing but muscle and wind power was unforgettable.
4. What is the dream behind the Ecovillage Bergen?
The dream behind Ecovillage Bergen has some similarities to the Whike. We are a living and working community that tries to be self-sufficient on food, water and energy as much as possible. Besides that, living in a community requires a certain consciousness and that is what we want to further develop. We have been living on a former military base that we bought and completely cleaned up for redevelopment. Our aim is to build our own passive solar buildings for 80 inhabitants.
5. What developments are needed for a sustainable future in your opinion?
For a sustainable future we will first need to be aware that we need to live differently if we want to give our children, grand children and great-grandchildren a beautiful future. That means not only ecological, but also social, economic and cultural sustainability. Sustainability starts from within and needs to develop, that is the start. I think your trip on the Whike will contribute to that and that is one of the reasons I am wholeheartedly supporting your initiative.
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