Author: KineticShift

Quiznos Pro Challenge Announces Five Top Pro Teams for 2011

And now there are five, as in the first five teams to sign on for the inaugural 2011 Quiznos Pro Challenge professional cycling race that will host as many as 128 professional cyclists from 15 teams.

Today race organizers officially announced the first five teams, which include Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) pro teams: Team RadioShack (USA), Liquigas-Cannondale (Italy), HTC-Highroad (USA), Slipstream Sports/Garmin-Cervelo (USA), and BMC Racing Team (USA). 

Among the racers that are confirmed include seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, world champion Thor Hushovd and former world champion Cadel Evans; along with team directors Johan Bruyneel and Bob Stapleton. 

“It’s exciting to see that the Quiznos Pro Challenge is already considered one of the most important races in the United States,” said Ellen Kramer, General Manager of the Quiznos Pro Challenge.  “Our goal is to connect new audiences in America with the sport of professional cycling; having several of the premier international teams already signed up is a huge step in that direction.”  Continue reading Quiznos Pro Challenge Announces Five Top Pro Teams for 2011

Trips for Kids to Take Part in North American Bike Tour

Tour d’Afrique has been known for making some epic rides, with tours in Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. Next year will see a coast to coast ride from Pacific to Atlantic, making it the longest North American tour currently available and the only one that will journey through the United States and Canada. It will also be doing a whole lot of good along the way.

This week the Tour d’Afrique Foundation announced that it is planning its first ever North American bike tour, and that it has partnered with the national bike charity Trips For Kids to raise money and awareness about these efforts. Trips for Kids is a nonprofit organization with 69 chapters operating in the United States, Canada and Israel, with a goal of bringing the world of cycling to at-risk youth through mountain bike rides and Earn-a-Bike programs. In 2011 the Tour d’Afrique Foundation will take part in the North American Epic Bike Tour help the group with visits numerous chapters including TFK Yarmount, Nova Scotia; TKF Chicago Voyaters; TFK Pontiac, Michigan; TFK Marin, San Francisco; and TFK Tallahassee, Florida.

The tour will visit each chapter along the 8,000 km (4,971 mile) route from San Francisco to St. John’s in Newfoundland. Along the way the group will make donations and help raise awareness about the work being done by Trips for Kids. Continue reading Trips for Kids to Take Part in North American Bike Tour

Vote for KineticShift on Battle of the Blogs

Last January we launched KineticShift.com to cover the convergence of technology and fitness. We were submitted for a Battle of the Blogs contest at SoftCity Cafe for best “Gadget and Home” blog. We’re hoping to get the vote out.
Please vote early (and often) as they say:

Get Your Energy From the Lab

When one thinks of a “lab” you probably think of white rats and mad scientists, but the folks at D3 Multisport aren’t looking to become super villains. Instead they may be looking to create super athletes with their D3 Energy Lab in Boulder, Colorado. The company opened its world-class facility for indoor cycling and training late last month.

And while Boulder and the surrounding area are great for training, this facility will feature state-of-the-art indoor cycling equipment to provide riders with significant benefits in a short amount of time, and more importantly no matter what the weather. Continue reading Get Your Energy From the Lab

Basalt Core Offers Light Weight Nordic Skis That Are Environmentally Friendly

Fisher Skis has announced that its utilizing its new core technology with it natural basalt core. These promise to be considerably lighter than many standard materials including fiberglass, awhile the new core material should have a significant effect on the ski’s weight and performance. For the new season this natural basalt core will be available on four ski models.

The company has moved to replace the traditional manufactured laminate with that of the natural fibers made from volcanic rock, and this is part of the Fischer’s commitment to the environment. These efforts to use the basalt will eliminate the chemically-intense process that is involved in creating fiberglass, as well as its harmful byproducts.

To this end Fischer’s Air Core Basalight technology is produced in an environmentally friendly process, but it has the added benefit of reducing the weight of the skis to that of more expensive carbon fiber skis. This makes them up to 70 grams lighter than the fiberglass-core predecessor. These are now available on the new CRS Vasa Skate and Classic models as well as the Superlight Crown and Wax skis. Continue reading Basalt Core Offers Light Weight Nordic Skis That Are Environmentally Friendly

Kinetic(mis)Shift: Once-a-Week Fitness

Ever gone to the gym’s trainer and lifted weights just above your ability? Your muscles feel like used rubber bands and you don’t feel like visiting the gym for about a week. The MaxOut Strength Studio work on this premise, and charges you $140 (per month) for four workouts. That’s more than most gyms and this is a small “studio” with leather couches instead of equipment. The franchise states a guarantee of results, but never states what that guarantee actually is.

MaxOut Strength Studios

Kinetic(Mis)Shift are products that we think deserve to be called out for their utter lack of fitness benefits.

LIVESTRONG and Johnson Health Tech Offer Special-Edition Indoor Training Cycle

You can show your determination and support the cause while spinning through the winter season come January. That’s when LIVESTRONG Fitness and Johnson Health Tech will release the LS281C, a special-edition indoor training cycle that honors the 28 million people living with cancer today.

The indoor training bike retails for $1,699, and LIVESTRONG Fitness plans to release a total of 500, each individually numbered, and with each sale $1,000 will be donated to LIVESTRONG.

“This cycle honors those who courageously live with cancer on a daily basis,” said Mike Olson, Executive Vice President of Retail for Johnson Health Tech NA. “We are honored and humbled to support such an important foundation, whose mission is not only to inspire and empower cancer survivors, but to take preventative steps through education and an active lifestyle. We’ve put the same passion and excellence into our line of LIVESTRONG Fitness equipment, allowing people to take responsibility for their own health and join the fight against a disease that is sometimes preventable.” Continue reading LIVESTRONG and Johnson Health Tech Offer Special-Edition Indoor Training Cycle

Organic Medicine Now on the iPhone

‘Tis the season of holiday gatherings, gift baskets, rich foods and spirits that aren’t always of the holiday variety. It can result in many a New Year’s resolution to indulge less so as to lose some of the end of the year bulge.

How about heading off the bad habits by boning up on some healthy tips? That’s where the 42 Healthy Solutions iPhone app can come in. It was devised by Dr. Craig Koniver, MD, a graduate of Brown University and Jefferson Medical College, who opened the Primary Plus Organic Medicine, LLC in Charleston, SC in 2006 to focus on his expertise in natural medicine. By combining his background in modern, conventional medicine with his unique expertise in organic, natural medicine to treat thousands of patients each year, he created the 42 Healthy Solutions iPhone App. Continue reading Organic Medicine Now on the iPhone

SAUR-SOJASUN Team to Use ROTOR Components

The Continental SAUR SOJASUN Team will be riding with ROTOR Bike Components for 2011 it has been announced. These include the company’s unique and innovative components including the Q-Ring oval chainrings, 3D+ cranks and BB30 bottom brackets, as well as chain-catchers and race-plate holders.

The revolutionary shaped Q-Rings have the promise of increasing power by maximizing the use of efficient zones of the pedaling stroke and reducing the intensity of the “dead spot” zones, while helping reduce joint and tendon loadings. The 3D+ cranks are 100 percent compatible with any BB30 or Class BAS threaded frame on the market.

ROTOR will be sharing the sponsorship with French bike manufacturer TIME. “France is one of our leading markets, in which we have quite a number of fans and high customer fidelity, so we want to thank them for this support by sponsoring one of the country’s leading teams,” said  Ignacio Estellés, ROTOR CEO, during the contract signature in Rennes. “A strong professional team, well placed in the 2010 UCI rankings – above some ProTour teams – is a new proving ground for our technologies, increasing the brand´s fame and customer’s confidence in our products.”

ROTOR Official Website

aG Control Comes to aboutGolf

Indoor golf centers can take better control of their aboutGolf Simulators. And not just control, but aG Control, a multiple simulator management tool that is designed to help business owners remotely manage users and rounds on the simulators, as well as monitor rounds while they’re in progress. This provides active simulator screens, where users can send messages to the simulators, retrieve information, analyze usage and even remotely access the simulators and view and print scorecards.

“We are in the people business. We’ve got to know each one of our customers as they arrive,” says Steve Graves, owner of Play-A-Round Golf near Philadelphia and early adopter of aG Control beta. “With aG Control we can better identify and manage each customer and enhance their golf experience.”

This control should no doubt help indoor golf centers and in turn help players have been control on the course.

aboutGolf

CrunchTime App Helps Set Work-Life Balance Goals

Today might be the day after Thanksgiving, but many Americans aren’t experiencing a long weekend. In fact, more American workers are working harder than ever.

All work and no play can make Jack a dull boy. It can also result in a stressed out Jack. This week Tav Shande announced the new CrunchTime app for the iPhone and iPod Touch, which promises to help users track work hours with health, and vacation hours.

The idea is “crunching,” or working extremely long hours, which has become a global epidemic in the workplace. This app helps users track the hours, and even receive achievement badges to better balance work-life goals.

“CrunchTime has been developed to help improve quality of life for anyone who has a job. Many employees would like to have more time outside of work to do the things that make them happy and we are delighted to deliver help by putting CrunchTime into the pockets of millions of people around the world who are carrying iPhone and iPod touch devices,” said Tav Shande, CrunchTime’s Chief Architect.

Tav Shande CrunchTime Website

Project RideRED Campaign Starts

This week pro cycling photographer and AIDS Awareness advocate Brian Hodes of VeloImages kicked off “Project RideRED.” This is a national campaign to raise awareness of and funds for a cure for AIDS/HIV. The event is timed to coincide with World AIDS Day, and the year-long Project RideRED campaign will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the first AIDS diagnois.

“More than a million people in the United States currently live with HIV, with more than 50,000 new infections occurring each year,” said Hodes. “The last thirty years of AIDS has brought heartache and suffering to too many families ­­­­- now is the time for us to stand together. I invite members of the cycling community everywhere to throw on a red jersey or red product and RideRED.”

The campaign will be with a series of organized and individual tribute rides on November 28, 2010 and people from all over the world have committed to the event, where they will sport red clothing, accessories, components and/or bikes when the ride. Riders have further committed to taking part in 30 mile rides (one mile for each year of known AIDS infection).

Project RideRED partners include Primal Wear, HUDZ, Rolf Prime, FLUID, Earth, Wind and Rider, SIDI America and Walz Caps. All proceeds from the sale of limited edition items will benefit Until There’s a Cure.

Project RideRED