Pedal-powered snowplows clear driveways and paths

The first legitimate snowfall in my area got me to thinking about pedal-powered snowplows.

They have lots of advantages, primarily by transforming the act of snow-shoveling into a good workout for your legs instead of a back-breaking chore.

As for this one at left, it's effective as well. Kevin Blake (MrPlowKevin), an engineer at Trek, created it for last year's Specialized Innovate or Die contest. He used parts from an old riding lawnmower and old bicycles and two store-bought snow shovels. 

The plow didn't win the contest (a water filtration bike did), but it certainly looks like a useful machine.

Pulled plow

Here's an easier plow design that attaches to a bicycle. The inventor, GSRGOPEDRIDER247, plows circles around your standard snow shovel.

Although he admits it's fun, but not too effective, I'd say it would work well on sidewalks or bike trails.

Trail plow

Plowing the snow off bicycle trails and sidewalks it exactly what Dave Peterson does in northern Illinois.

Peterson developed a snowplow that can be towed behind a bicycle in the winter of 2002-2003 and has been improving it ever since. Check out his website — The Story of the Bike Plow — for detailed instructions on his bicycle snowplow improvements over the years.

Peterson gets lots of gratitude from joggers, walkers and other bicyclists for his efforts. Although the plow usually can't get down to bare pavement, the plow track is the first area to melt and dry off after a few days. He's also found that thin snow is easier to ride on than the deeper snow on each side of the track, smooth snow is easier than lumpy snow.

Why does Peterson do this? He explains at his website:

“There are many reasons why I decided to try to keep a clear path to ride on; the commute along the bike path is so much more peaceful than driving in traffic, it gives me an hour of (usually) low impact exercise at least 5 times a week,  many of the side streets are plowed and the bike path is a small but critical portion of the ride, and so many other people can get out and use the path too.”