Cycling | Evolving Consumer

Nalini’s New Clothing Line Gets Your Blood Flowing

The Nalini Summer Collection of cycling apparel features Nalini Compression, which will promote increased blood flow and physical performance. The line includes bibshorts and jerseys. The line has additional attributes including reversible and convertible jackets and jerseys and apparel crafted from recycled plastic fabrics.

Nalini cycling gear is often seen in the team kits of professional riders. All garments are made in Italy from the fabric to each stitch of the seams.

The compression line includes Lambro Bibshort ($155) and Drava Bibnickers ($165) as a tight-fitting pant with a silicon gripper at the leg hem, reflective tape and a Nalini ECP Print pad. A contrasting 4-needle stitching on the seams add strength to the garments. The Full Season Man line includes a collection of convertible and reversible apparel able to be worn all four seasons. The Sorbo Jacket ((355) is a stretchable, reversible design that provides warmth and is windproof. The Vormano Jersey ($250) uses the brand’s Quick-Burst sleeve removal system so it can be converted from a long-sleeve to a short sleeve jersey on the ride. Think of the jersey as having built-in arm warmers so you don’t get that gap where the sleeve meets the arm warmer where wind finds its way to chill your arms.

For the Nalini recycling line, the company has the Insonzo Jersey ($120) and Fortore Bibshort ($100). The line is made from an eco-friendly Re-Pet fabric made from the recycling of Pet plastic bottles. The Pet yarns have the same characteristics as polyester yarns.

The Insonzo Jersey features a cycling fit, mesh insert, silicon bottom gripper and cam-block full-length zipper. The Fortore Bibshort provides a cycling fit, mesh insert, reflecting logos and silicon leg grippers.

Nalini’s summer line is expected in stores later this month. Nalini is imported and distributed by Albabici in the U.S.

Porous Pavement a Candidate for Bike Paths

Cycling in the rain is never fun. The puddles that linger after a big storm can be less fun when they overtake a stretch of bike path. A possible solution to the problem is porous paving. It addresses not only the problem of puddles on the path, but adding trails to parks and greenspace can often prevent rainwater from naturally soaking through the soil on ground surrounding the bike path.

Continue reading Porous Pavement a Candidate for Bike Paths

London 2012 Cycling Road Race to End at Buckingham Palace

Back in 2007 the Tour de France started things off in London – sort of a “Tale of Two Cities” theme going on – with the prolog as well as the first stage heading from the Mall. Now the Mall will be center stage again for cycling as start of the men’s and women’s 2012 Olympic cycling road race, which see the finish in front of Buckingham Palace.

Our friends at BikeRadar.com reported this week that the riders will likely be a figure-eight course that will take them out of London to the southwest and then back to the city. The reported men’s race will cover 265km, whilst the women’s race will be over 140km. The mostly flat terrain around London, and especially the final stretch, will prove to make a day for the sprinters, suggesting that Mark Cavendish could feel like a king for a day as he goes for the gold.

[Via BikeRadar.com: London 2012 Olympics road race route details emerge]

Planet Bike’s 1 Watt of Bright Light

It’s essential to have a tail light on your bike. Even when weight is a concern, it’s necessary to light your bike to protect your butt at sundown. Planet Bike has a new Superflash Stealth. It’s got a 1 watt Blaze LED light plus two eXtreme LEDs for visibility up to a mile.

You generally expect to have a red light, but this clear light flashes red and is visible even in daylight. Cars are getting tricked out with white or clear tail lights, why not bikes? The housing is weatherproof, lightweight and durable. Two AAA batteries provide up to 100 hours of run time. That means forever for casual riders who may turn it on when caught coming back from their rides at sundown or in inclement weather.

PlanetBike

SolaRoad Uses Cycling Trails at Test Bed

Dutch company TNO recently presented its idea for the SolaRoad. While the application will likely be used for roads eventually, TNO has its eye on Holland’s 15,000 km of bike paths to start installation of its solar panel-infused road.

The current conceptual design for the SolaRoad consists of modules. For the cycling application, the path will consist of prefab elements made up in layers: a concrete housing, solar cells, and optical layer and a transparent top layer. The concrete element will measure 1.5 by 2.5 meters and each layer will be placed on top. The glass will be a 1 cm thick hardened glass layer of crystal silicon solar cells. The road surface will then collect roughly 50 kWh per square meter annually. An average household consumes about 3,500 kWh of electricity per year.

Solar roadways have a few criteria in the design and implementation such as stiffness and maintenance. Benefits the SolaRoad can provide include the ability to display messages electronically on the road. If it’s a cycling path, the road can display a message that the upcoming light is turning red in cases where the path crosses a road. It also eliminates what TNO calls “landscape pollution”.

New applications to collect solar energy are interesting to watch. It will be great to see the roadways become potential solar farms rather than taking up vast open spaces to install solar panel farms. However with a top layer of glass, we are interested to see what the actual surface will be like. Roads especially, but even bike paths, can get slick with even the slightest amount of rain. How will the glass and other layers of SolaRoad stand up to cold and extreme weather conditions? We know this isn’t your average glass, but it sure can get cold and snowy in those winter months in the Netherlands.

For more information visit TNO and locate the English option.

via [Cyclecious]

New Guidelines for Anti-Doping Protocols in 2011 Amgen Tour of California

This week the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) made known its protocols for the 2011 Amgen Tour of California taking place May 15 to 22. The new guidelines are based on previous anti-doping procedures, and expand on the elements with their frequency and rigor.

In the 90 days prior to the race beginning February 15, all race participants will be subject to no-advance notice sample collections. International riders will be subject to the same no-advance notice, out-of-competition testing. During the competition the race organizers in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code in-competition criteria will conduct testing. This includes daily doping controls following a strategic test distribution plan. Samples will be screened for substances and methods used on the WADA Prohibited List such as steroids, hormones, stimulants and various masking agents. Continue reading New Guidelines for Anti-Doping Protocols in 2011 Amgen Tour of California

The Gym as the New Power Plant

When you go to the gym, do you think about how much power you’re expelling? The Columbia Athletic Club, part of Columbia Association, in Columbia, MD, just installed 28 Green Revolution stationary bicycles to divert the power exercisers produce and put it into the facility’s power grid.

The bikes in the spin class work to power the building. Each 45-minute cycling class averages about 20 bikes, and produces as much as 3.6 Megawatts of energy over the course of the year. That’s enough power to light 72 homes for a month. It reduces about two tons of carbon emissions per year, according to Green Revolution Inc.

Does it feel like you’re generating energy on the bike? “The ride is actually smoother than it was previously, so that has been an added bonus!” said Leslie Flynn, general manager of the Columbia Athletic Club.

“The generator does not add any measurable resistance to the bike,” explained Mike Curnyn, chief strategy and marketing officer and co-founder of Green Revolution, the Ridgefield, CT-based company that supplies the green bikes.

Since adding the bikes to the gym, Columbia Athletic Association has seen an increase in participants in its spin classes. “We have added two classes due to an increase in demand, partly because of the new Green Revolution bikes, but also in part to the usual increase during the busy season,” said Flynn, referring to January to March when more people attend fitness classes. The club currently runs 22 classes a week and looks to put more on the schedule. “We are maximizing our energy producing potential,” Flynn said.

Columbia Association

Green Revolution

Macworld Expo:Abvio Brings Out the Meters

While last week’s Macworld Expo didn’t exactly bring out any big announcements – the Verizon iPhone was already old news, and it was hard to say much about updates to the iPad or iPhone anyway – fitness was in the news.

Last week Abvio previewed its 5.0 version of its trio of iPhone apps, which include the Runmeter, Walkmeter and Cyclemeter. These offer similar features yet are a tuned into – note we didn’t say iTuned in – to specific forms of exercise. The 5.0 releases have also been submitted to Apple, so now it is just time to play the waiting game before going the distance with the meters.

Each of these will take advantage of the social networking opportunities as the company has partnered with dailymile.com, a 200,000 member social network for runners and fitness buffs. This integration will allow users of the Abvio app to share workout results in real time through the website and even get responses from other users during their workout. Information can also be shared with Facebook and Twitter, or send to friends via e-mail.

The apps will also utilize the GPS capabilities of the iPhone, allowing users to trek their course and monitor the progress, complete with audio feedback about pace and distance.

The dailymile link-up will further add a new level of friendly yet Virtual Competition. Friends can import a friend’s route as well as time and progress and try to beat it. We say game on, so get going.

Abvio Official Website

When Every Second Counts, An Aerodynamic Helmet Aims to Increase Performance

If you’re looking to increase your efficiency when cycling, consider an aero helmet. These helmets are designed to maximize your performance. While it isn’t new, Rudy Project’s Wingspan Aero Helmet is still highly touted by many. Its radical design will turn some heads, but that is if you can catch a glimpse of it as it wooshes by you. Besides protecting your noggin, the Italian-made helmet is designed to help you fly (not literally, but you get our point). This time trial (TT) helmet has been extensively wind tunnel-tested to be faster than many leading helmets in the category, according to Rudy Project.

Designed with assistance from cycling’s aerodynamics expert John Cobb, the Wingspan exceeds Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) requirements and, at 12.3 ounces, is lighter than the company’s previous Syton model. The Wingspan uses Rudy Project’s R.S.R. 7 Disc retention system for one-handed on-the-fly adjustments and includes ear covers for maximum aerodynamics.

The tail design is the result of the wind tunnel-testing. Cobb and the company found that it works best for all TT positions and back profiles, including the “flat” and “U” shapes. There’s a removable mesh front vent cover for triathlon use and a closed ven cover for time-trial. There are exhaust vents for cooling, too. A removable tail cover helps to reduce turbulence. Plus, it comes in six colors (like this cool fluorescent yellow).

But, at $300, you must be asking, does it work? The helmet has been in-use by the pros (the helmet made its debut with Germany’s Team Milram during the 2009 Tour de France and made waves in the cycling press), and continues to deliver impressive results for many cyclists. You can watch Italian rider Ivan Basso testing the helmet at Gazzetta’s website.

Rudy Project

Loksak Seals, Protects Your Phone on a Sweaty Run

Who doesn’t put their phone and ID in a zipper bag when they go on a long run, bike ride or other activity? I started sealing my phone and essentials a few years ago and it’s saved my goods in a few rain storms. Well Loksak has a line of bags for just that purpose, and they’re much more durable than what you find at your local grocery store.

aLoksak is a resealable bag that’s waterproof, dust proof and humidity proof. The bags were originally developed for SCUBA diving when the founder of the company realized he needed a 100 percent waterproof bag. There is a whole range of bags to fit many applications. There’s a number of bags the size of cell phones, iPods and other small electronic devices. The best part is that you can operate your devices, both buttons and touch screen, through the bag. You don’t need to expose your phone to the elements to look something up, or make a quick phone call. Continue reading Loksak Seals, Protects Your Phone on a Sweaty Run

Red Bull Brings Out Mini Velodrome in London

Energy drink maker Red Bull packs a big punch in a small can, and maybe size does matter. To that end the drink maker has created the world’s smallest velodrome in London’s East End. This purpose-built track was created by Velotrack, the team behind the velodromes for the Atlanta Olympics and Delhi Commonwealth Games.

It is so small it could almost fit in the average America back yard… but we think we’ll keep to the road for now.

Red Bull Mini Drome Offiial Site

Craft’s Zero Extreme Concept Base Layer Gives You Wings

The new base layer top from Craft uses moving wing technology in panels across the back and cuffs. Craft uses its COOL Superlight outer fabric for its moving wing panels, which are places across the back and cuffs. This is a moisture management and temperature regulation measure. The COOL outer fabric allows air to circulate around your body and promote moisture expulsion while the ZERO fabric stays in contact with your body pulling excess moisture from your skin and keeping you warm. The base layer is suitable for winter and spring activities. That is those spring days where you still feel the bite of winter.

Continue reading Craft’s Zero Extreme Concept Base Layer Gives You Wings

National Bike Summit Brings Many Companies Together

We received a press release this week for the National Bike Summit 2011, and our first thought was, “wow, look at all the corporate and group logos.” There were quite a few and this included League of American Bicyclists, Bikes Belong Coalition, Planet Bike, National Bicycle Dealers Association, International Mountain Bicycling Association, Safe Routes: National Center for Safe Routes to School, Alliance for Biking & Walking, Saris Cycling Group, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Interbike, AAA, My Bike Law, Cycling Mobility, FTA, Bicycle Times, Toue de Cure, Dero Bike Racks, CycleSafe Secure Bicycle Parking, Adventure Cycling, Toole Design Group, Washington Area Bicyclist Association, Rails to Trails Conservancy, QBP, Cat Eye, RBA, The National Center for Bicycling and Walking, Alta Planning & Design and Polar.

What does this really mean? To us, it actually means that the future should be looking very good for those who like to ride bikes. There is always power in numbers, and the coming together of so many cycling groups, companies that make cycling products and even a few groups like AAA in the mix that the power for pedaling should be in full gear.

We’ll be sure to report on the latest news from the National Bike Summit when it takes place in March.