httpv://youtu.be/EqXmOWMgrZU
The guys at Signal Snowboards, home of Every Third Thursday have come up with many great ideas but for January’s snowboard build it was a bit of nonsense – or rather the Total Noncents Penny Snowboard, which integrated pennies in the base and “penny traction” edges. Given that Lincoln’s birthday is next month maybe they should have waited, but that’s just our “two cents”
Fashion and fitness don’t have to be mutually exclusive, and this is why Kristin Mayer launched Betty Designs. The podium age group triathlete has designed suits and kits for World Champion triathletes, cyclists and teams, but she is also a mother, and a lover of fashion. She’s taken her passion along with her serious drive and channeled this into an entrepreneurial spirit with Betty Designs.
She was recently featured in The New York Times Style section and something tells us we’ll be hearing a lot more from Kristen (a.k.a. “Betty”) in the months to come!
Industrial designer Joshua Brassé is quite the bicycle convert, not because he suddenly took up bicycling but rather because of his design, aptly named the Convert. This is a bicycle trailer that can be quickly transformed into a cargo dolly. In trailer mode the axle can be positioned at the middle of the unit to provide a more stable center of gravity, and by removing the wheels and repositioning the axle the trailer converts to a dolly. Brassé is now working on a crowd sourcing campaign via Ideacious to convert his idea into reality.
There are skateboards made for the half pipe but that’s just part of the skate scene. The Loaded Boards Chubby Unicorn is meant for downhill/freeride, where the experience is a bit more like snowboarding on the streets. The name reportedly came from the fact that the “unicorn” was somewhat mythical – as was this board given its long production time. The Chubby part of the moniker comes from its wide, flat stance.
Either way this serious deck took some serious design chops to get it to reality. Loaded Boards reportedly used 3D mapping to develop the board, which features ultra-high molecular-weight polyethylene that is commonly found in snowboards, along with CNC routed grab rails.
In other words this is so much than just a wooden deck and wheels. This is a revolution of skateboard technology for a new type of skateboarding. Video after the jump
Bicycle cleaning supply maker has White Lightning strikes again with its new line of biodegradable wipes made of bamboo. We’ve seen the fast growing grass used in the construction of bicycle frames, and even for fabric. But the Bamboo Cycle Wipes, which are made from 100 percent bamboo natural fiber fabric, are reusable yet biodegradable and will completely decompose after 28 days in compost.
We’ve seen a lot of ways to track your workout, but at this week’s 2013 International CES in Las Vegas Xsens will showcasing the world’s first wearable 3D body motion tracking system. It utilizes consumer grade MEMS combo sensors, and has the potential for use in wearable sports, fitness, healthcare and gaming applications. It provides real-time 3D body motion data that can digitize the wearer’s exact movements for immediate feedback and live sharing. Video after the jump
While speed skaters already wear helmets for protection from concussions, the Cambridge Speed Skating Club in Canada installed a special mat system this year to further protect skaters should they have a spill in races. All speed skating clubs in Canada will eventually be required to fit rinks with a mat system within the next two years.
The new mat system reportedly consists of three layers and a total of 28 inches of foam. The new mats cover the boards in all of the “red zones” – the areas where high-impact crashes might occur, including behind the nets and at the left-turn walls. The layers include nine inches of highly compressible foam, with an additional nine layers of firmer cushioning, along with a final 10-inch mat with a honeycomb-style interior designed to reduce impact with the boards. A total of 36 mats are used during practice and 112 during competitions. Continue reading Mats Come to Speed Skating
httpv://youtu.be/FgyGLWGB-AM
We’ve been hearing a lot about “nano technology,” the ultra small gizmos that can solve problems often too small for the eye to see. While it seems that nano technology isn’t just for high-tech problems, as UK-based firm Eiatech is looking to use it to solve the all-too-common problem of flat tires.
As the video above suggests the Wheelgoo can be injected into the tire through the valve as a preventive measure against punctures as well as for roadside repairs. Eiatech along with Grotech Production, a manufacturer of powder and liquid agrichemical formulations, together have worked to developed Wheelgo over the last three years. The product, which utilized ultra-micro fibers and nano-spheres is now available.
It could be a small solution to what can be a big problem for riders!
Barefoot running may be natural, but nature isn’t so kind to the feet. Rocks, roots and other objects on the trail can hurt! German shoemaker GoST looked to this old age problem and used old age technology to solve it. The company created the PaleoBarefoots, which utilize chainmail. The material protects from sharp objects but still gives a tactile sensation of the ground while running. The shoes truly let runners go medieval on the trails!
We know the saying, “give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day, but give a man a fishing pole and he’ll never go hungry again.” To that we’ll add, “give the man the POLETAP SMARTROD and won’t need to waste time sitting with a fishing pole.” The concept here is actually for the angler who wants to use several lines and doesn’t want to worry about an unmanned rod hooking the big one.
The rod, which is being developed by Kansas-based inventor Ed Hope through an Indiegogo fund-raising project, utilizes an accelerometer with a three sensitivity sensors that can determine if it has a bite. The rod features an alarm – including an LED one to avoid annoying those in proximity or scarring away the fish – to alert users that it has hooked a fish. There are low tech ways, such as bell, that do the same thing but this system could be ideal for those looking to land a few fish on multiple lines. Almost doesn’t seem sporting.
We’ve all seen people try to carry bags on the handlebars of their bicycles. The result is often haphazard where the bags aren’t stable. However, a new Kickstarter project called the Bag Buddy is looking to provide a better means of carrying items on the handlebars.
Basically this utilizes simple hooks that can attach over the handlebar grips. One real benefit of the hooks is that the bags will swing back and forth rather than side to side – and thus into the front wheel. While we still question what this might mean for the balance on the bars, it is better than looping the bags over the bars! Video after the jump
OK, this isn’t the most fitness friendly device we’ve chronicled but as one of the last items we’ll call out for 2012 we felt it was worth noting. The Bottle Grenade is as the makers proclaim, “the last opener you will ever need.” Unlike many devices and gizmos that add a bottle opener, this one begins as a bottle opener and offers other functionality.
In addition to the bottle twist opener and bottle cap opener the Bottle Grenade includes a keychain that has a ¼-inch hex, 7/16-inch hex, and can even be used as a bit holder. It can hang on a purse or belt loop as well. So while it isn’t the last multi-tool you’ll want to have, it might be the first and last bottle opener you’ll want to take on the go. The Bottle Grenade’s designer is now looking to raise funds via a Kickstarter project. Video after the jump
Bicyclists feel a lot of pressure while riding, especially in traffic. But that doesn’t mean that riders can feel the pressure in their tires. Not having the right pressure in the tires can result in flats, and many riders simply fail to forget to pay attention to their tires – at least until something goes wrong.
However, there is new technology that can provide real-time tire pressure data directly to the rider’s smartphone. The BTPS Bike Tire Pressure System uses a shockproof unit that consists of a sensor, circuit board and battery. It sends data to a rider’s smartphone via Bluetooth 4.0 or ANT+ wireless protocols. This allows riders to monitor the air in their tires without even getting their hands dirty. Video after the jump