Back in October 2010, Datseplots Inc., DBA GeoManGear, received a consumer complaint regarding a lithium-ion battery for the Magicshine series of lights that are made in China and sold through GeoManGear in the U.S. The consumer reported that a small fire had occurred in the battery pack for his Magicshine light. Upon investigation, two other similar reports came in from other consumers that did not include bodily damage, but did include property damage. GeoManGear took these reports seriously and investigated. They found that there was an issue with some of the battery parks in the Magicshine Series I and II lithium-ion batteries sold with the Magicshine 900 Lumen (MJ-808), 1400 Lumen (MJ-816) and tail light (MJ-818); they immediately stopped production on the Magicshine lights and initiated a recall. Continue reading Recall: Magicshine Lights… So Hot, They’re Smokin’
Category: Cycling
USA Pro Cycling Challenge Provides Stage Details
We know that not everyone can, or even wants to ride like the pros. But there is no denying that professional cycling helps spread the word about the benefits of using a bicycle for fitness. It brings awareness to bicycles and that hopefully also means safer roads.
Cycling is on the rise in the United States and we’re seeing new races, including this year’s USA Pro Cycling Challenge, a free event for spectators to see 128 of the world’s top riders compete in a seven day race. This will some of the most scenic locations in Colorado, not to mention the world.
The course, which will include the Cottonwood Pass and Independence Pass will also take riders to some of the highest peaks in the world.
“What’s really remarkable is that the athletes will ride both these passes in one stage,” said Shawn Hunter, co-chairman of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. “There is no better place in the world for athletes to test their endurance and pure athleticism than Colorado, and there is no better place to watch a professional cycling race than in the Colorado Rockies.”
The race takes place from August 22-28.
Video after the jump, along with stage details. Continue reading USA Pro Cycling Challenge Provides Stage Details
Go Pro Went to the Tour of California
We’ve long loved the idea of wearing the Go Pro video camera while cycling, and at last month’s Amgen Tour of California the helmet mounted camera was there for the sprint of Stage 8. Makes you feel like you were in the race… almost!
Mini Drome Heads to Glasgow Scotland
The Red Bull Mini Drome, which is currently the world’s smallest velodrome, will make its way to Glasgow, Scotland for an indoor racing competition.
This is the first time the Red Bull Mini Drome has visited Scotland, and on June 25, the Barrowland Ballroom will play host to a race, where 100 randomly selected riders will compete in a single timed race of 10 laps. The fastest 32 will venture to the finals. Fixed gear bikes and helmets are required.
The purpose built track was designed and engineered in Germany by Velotrack, the team who built the tracks at the Atlanta Olympics and Delhi Commonwealth Games. It actually maintains racing dimensions in the smallest possible size to enable a single pursuit. This is the second time the track has visited the UK, and was used in a London competition earlier this year.
[Via BikeRadar.com: “World’s smallest velodrome” coming to Glasgow on 25 June”]
Red Bull Mini Drome Official Website
Made in America: Melanzana Outdoor Clothing
For over 150 years, Leadville, Colorado has seen both the boom and bust times that often occurs with mining towns. With the last of the big mines closing in the 1980s, it seemed as if Leadville might just fade away into the history books. A few citizens were not about to let that happen and numerous high altitude sporting events and festivals were born to bring in outside tourist dollars. Along with tourist dollars that started to flow into the economy, other businesses started to appear. One unique business is the outdoor clothing company, Melanzana. Continue reading Made in America: Melanzana Outdoor Clothing
Fitness Healing the Arizona Economy
There is no denying that getting out and doing some hiking, biking or running is good for the body – but according a recent study from economic consultants Brigitte Bavousett and Gerald O’Neill Jr. fitness can be even better for the economy. The pair prepared a study, titled “Sustainable Economic Benefits of Human-Powered Recreation to the State of Arizona,” and found that the “human-powered” outdoor recreation industry produces $5.3 billion in annual retail sales and generates nearly $471 million in state tax revenues.
The study concluded that 86,000 jobs were directly created from the fitness sector, while 100,000 jobs were indirectly created. The economic consultants even noted that closing state and national parks actually had a negative impact on economic recovery. The thinking hers is that keeping parks open encourages people to use them, and thus buy new products, which puts people back to work.
Meanwhile, Arizona’s neighbor to the west, California, is looking to close state parks to save money. Maybe the new governor should hire these consultants so residents in the Golden State don’t go without those parks.
[Via Arizona Daily Star: Hikers, mountain bikers, climbers boost economy]
Polar USA Rolls Out Suite of Technology Accessories With New Computer
There is no denying that training computers have typically had very specific uses. What is good in the water isn’t so good on the bike, but Polar USA looks to change the way the game is tracked with its new RCX5 training computer. It builds on the company’s decades of experience, and this new device combines Polar heart rate tracking accuracy with features that make it ideal in the water, on the bike and even on the pavement as you pound out each and every step.
The device, which is now available in “smart black” and will available in “striking red” later this year, is includes sport profiles that are essential for multisport and triathletes. It allows users to quickly switch between sports during training, so no time or training data is lost between swims, rides or runs.
“Triathlons are one of the fastest-growing sport segments in the United States, and we understand better than anyone in the market that multisport athletes demand data, whether they are training for their first regional event or chasing a lifelong professional pursuit,” said Jeff Padovan, President, Polar USA. “The Polar brand has been an established name among elite athletes for more than 30 years, and we are proud of the loyalty and knowledge we’ve built within the ‘tri’ market specifically. The RCX5 is the realization of everything we’ve been hearing that ‘tri’ users require to get to that next level, packaged in a new, sleek design.”
The RCX5 features a ZoneOptimizer that adjusts to personal heart rate zones based on the user’s current physiological condition to optimize just the right level of training intensity; plus Race Pace that lets the wearer set a target time for certain distances to see how far ahead or behind on a course the user is at a given time; and even a Training Load feature to let a wearer known when he or she has recovered enough for the next session.
The RCX5 is available in multiple product sets for running, cycling and multi-sport use. There is even a WearLink+ Hybrid transmitter that can ensure transmission in the water via a comfortable, fabric chest transmitter that transfers data both in 5 kHz and 2.4 GHz.
Training may never be the same again.
Bell Recalls Helmets
This week the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with Bell Sports announced a voluntary recall of the Full-face bicycle helmets. The plastic buckle that connects the chin straps can fail, causing the helmet to come off the wearer’s head. This poses a head injury hazard to riders in the event of a fall. The firm has received one report of a buckle failing during an accident, resulting in an injury that required stitches below the wearer’s eye.
Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product. About 31,100 of these helmets were sold in the United States and about 2,500 were sold in Canada. The helmets were sold at Walmart stores nationwide and Amazon.com between August 2009 and March 2011 for between $50 and $60. Continue reading Bell Recalls Helmets
Hands On: Bike Repair App Gives Your Ride a Tune Up
You might be able to change a flat tire. But do you know how to clean your rear cassette? Bike Repair App for the iPhone ($2.99), and Android ($3.07) from Atomic Softwares gives you a pre-ride checklist plus step-by-step maintenance instructions to keep your ride on the road without running to the shop every time you hear a clicking sound.
Photos with instructions help walk you through basic repairs for bike components such as wheels, rear derailleur, front derailleur, chain, handlebar/headset, crankset/pedals, brakes, disk brakes, shifter, suspension, helmet and even your body with an “aches and pains” category.
Atomic organized the app well, including a section for problems and another for parts. The app includes messages, sort of a Q&A where the developer posts answers to user emails. Throughout the app typos appear. Maybe it’s just my editor instinct. However if you’re publishing an app — especially if you’re charging for it — you should probably have someone read through the copy before putting it up there. I’d rather concentrate on identifying why my pedals click than become distracted by miss-worded instructions.
Bike Repair doesn’t replace a visit to the shop for a tune-up or major repair, but it does help you fine-tune your bike. The bike inspection information is helpful. It walks you through what to do before every ride, and a second section gives you a checklist of things to check your bike for monthly. The monthly checklist tells you to look for structural damage, looseness, and gives you tips on cleaning and other simple maintenance issues.
You probably need some knowledge of bikes to make use of the app. If you don’t know what a derailleur is you might be able to identify it from the picture, but it helps to know your way around the bike since the pictures are confined to the size of a phone or tablet. It’s a lot of instruction if you don’t know a tube from a tire.
Bike Repair App on iTunes
Bike Repair App on Android
Specialized Jumps on the Eco-Wagon
A few weeks back, we mentioned that Trek was going to be recycling carbon fiber bicycle frames as carbon fiber is not as “green” as all metal bike frames. Now it appears that Specialized, the manufacturer that created the frame that Alberto Contador just rode to victory in the Giro d’Italia, is creating their own environmental initiative. Some carbon fiber breaks can be repaired, but when is comes to the end of the line, carbon fiber is not a material that can easily be recycled.
This week Bicycle Retailer reported that Specialized has launched a comprehensive sustainability initiative by incorporating Outdoor Industry Association Eco-Index evaluation of their products during product creation, and leading a carbon fiber recycling coalition. Specialized has become the first major industry member to join the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) Eco-Index—a comprehensive system for evaluating and improving the environmental footprint of products during the design stage. Continue reading Specialized Jumps on the Eco-Wagon
Finish Line Crosses the Line Into Recyclable Bottles
When you’re done with that bottle of bike lube, do you wonder if you can recycle? Finish Line Technologies just made the switch to polyetheline terephthalate plastic, or PET, for its bottles. That includes Finish Line’s Ceramic WET Lube; Ceramic WAX Lube; Dry Lube made with Teflon Flouropolymer; WET Lubricant; 1-Step Cleaner and Lubricant and Ceramic Grease products.
The company used PET for its stability. The material provides improved barrier permeability, preventing paneling and the loss of product due to evaporation through the bottle walls. The barrier protection protects the stability of the formulations inside, and increases shelf life. Continue reading Finish Line Crosses the Line Into Recyclable Bottles
Small Bike Frame Builder Offers Some Big Options
Bespoke (adj – \bi-‘spok, be-\), from the Merriam-Webster dictionary, meaning ‘dealing in or producing custom-made articles’. There is a bicycle frame builder in Boulder, Colorado doing just that – handcrafting some of the finest custom bicycle frames around.
Mosaic Cycles, based in Boulder, Colorado is producing custom bicycle frames with a list of options typically are not available from the larger manufacturers. Working in steel and titanium, owner and frame builder, Aaron Barcheck has been producing custom bike frames since 2009. As a former fabricator with Dean Titanium Bicycles for seven years, Aaron is building frames at or above some manufacturers that have been fabricating for decades.
As I was making my way through the booths at the Boulder Bike Swap this past weekend at the Boulder Indoor Cycling facility, I was able to see Aaron’s work firsthand and meet the builder. Having been to plenty of trade shows and swaps, it is easy to just stroll right by a booth if nothing of interest jumps out. What caught my attention was all of the different bikes with the Mosaic name that were constructed using different techniques. Continue reading Small Bike Frame Builder Offers Some Big Options
Are You a Big Kid?
A Big Wheel for adults…it seems so childish. What adult would ride one and who would make such a thing? It seems like such a ridiculous idea until you ride a High Roller Big Wheel. The High Roller is the brain child of Matt Armbruster, aka Captain Obvious, who back in 1991 after a really bad day at the University of Colorado decided to get a group of people together to ride big wheels to the mall in Boulder, Colorado. Since then, Captain Obvious has been organizing “The Almost Annual Matt Armbruster Memorial Big Wheel Rally” in Boulder every spring and fall. Continue reading Are You a Big Kid?