Category: Cycling

Smart Car’s Two-Wheel Companion

The makers of those little electric cars, Smart Cars, that fit in even the smallest parking space and go for miles on an electric charge are ready to introduce an even smaller mode of smart transportation. The Smart ebike has a four-level electric boost that charges as you brake. The ebike’s design is a solid frame with clean lines. The aluminum frame and all the bike’s components weigh in around 22 kilograms, making it a lightweight contender among electric bikes. Smart’s parent company Daimler went so far as to construct the frame so it suspends the rear wheel by large, sturdy aluminum profiles to eliminate struts that are typical for a similar bike. It also conceals the Bowden wires and cables so they don’t impede on the streamlined design.

Design elements lend way to technology on this ebike. The two-wheeler uses a belt drive instead of a chain, which minimizes maintenance and makes for a quieter ride. The belt drive demands a particular shape of the rear triangle. On this bike the geometry allows for a rear extension of one side of the triangle, which allows for the belt, a continuous loop, to be installed. Traditional frames require a cut somewhere in the rear triangle to outfit the bike.

Continue reading Smart Car’s Two-Wheel Companion

Interbike 2010 Wrap Up: Cycling with Cervelo

At Interbike we were able to get a peak at what is going on with “Project California,” and took a ride on some of the new Cervelo bikes, including ones using the upcoming BBright. This new technology is the only bottom bracket standard that uses an oversize axele and oversize frame tubes. The idea here is that it will be an optimal combination for overall system stiffness and weight for the frame, crank, and bottom bracket.

There are a few moments with any technology where you say, “this is going to change everything,” and that ride with Cervelo to Red Rock Canyon was certainly one of those. Continue reading Interbike 2010 Wrap Up: Cycling with Cervelo

Interbike 2010: Let the NiteRider Pro 1400 Light Your Way… on Your Terms

As you are browsing through the accessory section your favorite bike shop, you will probably notice that most of the large bike companies have their own headlights on the market. These headlights are perfectly fine for commuting and bike path rides, but rarely do they offer enough light for a fast descents or tight single track. If you find that you are riding slower during the night or you are planning on entering a 24-hour race, you need to invest in a good lighting system.

One system that may interest you is the Pro 1400 system offered by NiteRider based in San Diego, CA. As the name implies, this dual LED lamp system produces 1400 lumens when set to the ‘high’ mode. The 1400 lumens is achieved during the ‘high’ mode by both the spot and flood light being fully illuminated to 700 lumens each. Though this will offer plenty of light for the trail you are blazing, your run time will only be 2:30 hours. For a longer night ride with these light right out of the box, all you have to do is switch to either the flood or spot lamp when the full 1400 is not needed. Continue reading Interbike 2010: Let the NiteRider Pro 1400 Light Your Way… on Your Terms

Interbike 2010: Fold and Change

Change is coming, and we hope this time it is actually means something. We’re not talking about anything political either, but rather the Change Folding Bike. We’ve seen a few folding bikes we like a lot, and we’ve seen a lot of folding bikes we don’t like at all. The Change is one that might actually “change” everything. It features the traditional diamond frame – with a few sexy curves thrown in for good measure – and more importantly this is one of those bikes that doesn’t offer tiny wheels and a messed up center of gravity. It offers full sized 26-inch tires, disc brakes, is compatible with standard bike parts and weights just around 11.5 Kg. Continue reading Interbike 2010: Fold and Change

Interbike: Purist About Water

The Purist bottle is the next best thing to glass.

Ever since Interbike we’re hooked on water. That’s because we found a bottle that you can sip clean, pure tasting water (at least as pure as our local water department supplies). Specialized introduced its Purist water bottle. It’s made from silicon dioxide, a material that allows it to mimic the natural behavior of the lotus flower. It doesn’t absorb the liquid contained inside. That means it leaves all the taste, flavor, smell and other properties of your drink for you to enjoy when you’re drinking it, not the next time you have another drink. Continue reading Interbike: Purist About Water

Interbike 2010: Lighted Brain Bucket

There was no shortage of helmets at Interbike this year, but one was hard to miss – mainly because it lighted up the booth and more. Leave it the Taiwanese to put an electronic fiber optic light into a cycling helmet, and actually make one worth even considering. Aegis could have just slapped a normal bike light on the back of a simple helmet and called it a day, but at the company developed a nice brain bucket that is ideal for commuting and other causal riding.

It features 19 large vents to help keep the head cool, while stainless steel mesh over the holes work to keep out insects and other objects. The shell is constructed of high impact PC, and the YKK clip and chinstrap ensure a nice tight fit. The LED light is powered by 2 AAA batteries and can flash for up to 120 hours, while the LED offers a lifetime up to 50,000 hours. It is EMS certified, so no worries about harmful electromagnetic waves frying the brain it was meant to protect.

Aegis Bicycle Helmets Official Website

Interbike: Kryptonite, Bike Revolution Create Groundswell Around Stolen Bikes

This QR code stuck to your bike will help locate it in the event of theft.

A bike shop owner we know in Harlem once saw one of his bikes ride by him. The bike had been stolen a year or two before the sighting. He grabbed the cyclist and learned the beat up yet high-end bike was just purchased for a suspiciously low sum of money and reclaimed his old friend. We know a few other people who have reclaimed their bikes from thieves, but it’s an action that needs to be undertaken with caution.

We advise you use caution when recovering your stolen bike, but some precaution and active social measures make finding your bike a real possibility. Kryptonite and Bike Revolution both teamed up to apply social networking to crowdsource the recovery of stolen bikes. Register your bike on U.K.-based bikerevolution.org with its make and serial number, it’s free. To take precautions a step further, purchase a Kryptonite Bike Revolution Bicycle ID Kit that includes anti-theft Pulse ID tags.

The kit includes a Pulse ID tag, a unique, tamper-resistant, weatherproof ID tag with its own QR code so anyone with a mobile phone and a downloaded program can scan and identify the tagged bicycle. The scanned tag links to the bike in Bike Revolution’s secure database, which tracks the status of the bike. If a bike is listed as stolen, Bike Revolution publishes information on the bike on its site and uses social networking tools to mobilize the community to search for the bike. Localized Stolen Bike alerts are sent to Bike Revolution’s followers on sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Alerts are also sent to local authorities, bike shops, cycling clubs and other groups to be aware of the stolen bike.

That same Harlem shop owner has a bulletin board for community announcements but only posts his employee’s bikes for sale, and occasionally a trusted seller. He’s leery of helping sell a stolen bike. The Kryptonite Bike Revolution Bicycle ID Kit is somewhat like a community watch group to help find your stolen bike, but prevention is your first line of security. We still advocate locking a bike when leaving it unattended. May we suggest one of Kryptonite’s bike locks?

Bike Revolution official website and Twitter.

Kryptonite Locks official website and Twitter.

Interbike 2010: Steel Wheels for Rush Hour

Single speeds and fixies remain popular on the track and on the mean streets, yet few one gear cycles fit all need. Hipsters and urban dwellers want their stylish bikes, racers want a quick and responsive ride and messengers and commuters want a simple bike where little can go wrong.

Raleigh’s Rush Hour  is the bike you’ll be rushing to ride no matter which need you look to fill. It goes old school with a Reynold 520 butted chromoley steel frame left bare, fitting for a bike that has the bare minimum of parts too. Rather than trying to hide the beauty of the materials, it instead shows off the unfinished metal, offering a special clear coat protection finish to stop rust. The Rush Hour can be ridden on a track as a sleek racer, or used on the street as a truly one-of-a-kind bike where no two will be exactly alike.

Raleigh Rush Hour
$770
Raleigh USA

Interbike 2010: You’ve Got the Whole World on Your Back

There is looking like a team player when riding, and then there is really showing your support. Or if you’re like us you just like flags a lot. That’s why we were seriously impressed by the cycling attire from World Jerseys. The company has a handsome line jerseys with international flags, so whether you’re a fond of a particular nation, or just happen to like the idea of being decked out in a flag, you can show your true colors – and many colors at that.

Each jersey is made of 100 percent polyester Euro-Mesh fabric to provide moisture wicking, whilst the lightweight material features an antimicrobial finish that resists odors and reduces germs. Now is your chance to fly the flag – such as the Spanish one pictured (in honor of Tour de France winner Alberto Contador of course).

World Jerseys

Interbike 2010: Zigo Leads the Way with 5-in1 Family Cycle

For years it has been a common sight to see parents running while pushing a special sports baby jogger stroller. For those who like to ride a bike the only option is to put young children in a trailer and tow the tots along. That doesn’t give the kids much to look at, and makes it hard for the parent to see their child, so that’s why we were impressed with Zigo’s new Leader, the first hybrid carrier bike system.

It integrates traditional bicycle technology with a front-positioned child carrier. And we it is worth noting that this is a five-in-one system. It can be converted quickly to be used as baby jogger, stroller, rear trailer or urban cycle. Continue reading Interbike 2010: Zigo Leads the Way with 5-in1 Family Cycle

Interbike 2010: Oh Danny Boy, Oh DannyShane

With apologies to the classic Irish tune, and to our friends at DannyShane: Oh Danny Boy, the bamboo, the bamboo is calling.

The eco-conscious cycling apparel company is doing something very unique with bamboo. While we heard about a bamboo water bottle previously, and even a bamboo bicycle, we never thought we’d ever have the chance to wear bamboo whilst riding. The whole grass skirt thing doesn’t seem ideal for use with a bike. But DannyShane will suit you up in the fast growing grass.

The has created a line of proprietary fabric blend materials that 44 to 50 percent bamboo white ash (BWA), the latest innovation in truly natural fibers. And according to reports the BWA should capture odor naturally, breathe easily and provide natural UV protection while still feeling soft. The fabric dries quickly too, as it provides the BWA into every weave of fabric, helping provide natural moisture-wicking capabilities. Continue reading Interbike 2010: Oh Danny Boy, Oh DannyShane

Interbike 2010: Motorex Goes Green With Bike Lubes and Cleaners

The words “green” and “largest crude oil refinery” aren’t usually things you’d think would be one in the same, but for Switzerland-based Motorex this is very much the case. The company has been in business for more than 90 years and has made efforts to develop and produced produces that minimize the impact on both man and the environment, and creates as little waste as possible.

It’s line of lubes and cleaning products are popular with many racing teams, including Team Trek World Racing, Team GT World Racing and Team BMC among others.

The current products include both a Dry Lube for dry/dusty conditions, which utilizes a unique wax/oil formula to penetrate into the pins and plates, is also compatibles with the Easy Clean Degreaser, allowing riders to lube up the chain right after degreasing. For wetter and muddier conditions, the Motorex Wet Lube features a synthetic formula that is waterproof, and provides a guard for the chain in those sticky conditions. The Easy Clean Chain/Parts Degreaser promises to live to its name, it is aggressive on grease and dirt yet safe on components and finishes. Continue reading Interbike 2010: Motorex Goes Green With Bike Lubes and Cleaners