Cycling | Evolving Consumer

One Street Makes the Shift

Our friend Sue Knaup, executive director of One Street, has updated on the progress on the efforts to bring out the simple Bike Shift Lever. The group has been working to develop and produce easy to use, easy to repair bike components. It seems like progress is really being made.

The long hunt for a machine shop willing and happy to make our permanent casting mold for our Bike Shift Levers, has finally come to an end. They will begin machining the first mold out of steel this week at their shop in Salt Lake City, Utah. I’m thrilled that we have finally reached this next important step in the production process to create these simple, durable shift levers designed for people who rely on their bicycle every day.

This first mold will be a prototype marked as “Mold #1 2014” so that the shift levers I produce with it here in Prescott will be collector quality, sent only to supporters of our Kickstarter campaign last October. With their feedback, we will adjust the mold design so that the next mold will be ready for full production.

If all goes well, I should be using that second mold here in Prescott to produce shift levers for sale by late summer. At that point, we’ll also be ready to sign up license partners who are prepared to buy in and receive their own mold for producing these shift levers for their region of the world.

Defying Poverty with Bicycles Official Blog

More Than a Moment of Silence

Throughout North America tomorrow cyclists will take to the roads in a slow, silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. The Ride of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph, wear helmets, follow the rules of the road, and remain silent during the ride. There are no sponsors and no registration fees.

Chris Phelan organized the first Ride Of Silence in Dallas in 2003 after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was killed by a passing bus mirror on an empty road. Since its inception, the ride now includes 372 listed locations worldwide. There are no sponsors and no registration fees. The ride, which is held during National Bike Month, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. The ride is also a chance to show respect for and honor the lives of those who have been killed or injured.

Ride of Silence Official Website

Wiggle Room

The DHB Goldline is Wiggle’s new premium line of cycling bibs, jsereys and shorts – yet could be an a truly affordable option for cyclists this summer. The kit is reportedly lighter than most, and it is available in practically any color you’d like – as long as it is black.

[Via BikeRadar: Wiggle DHB Goldline premium bibs and jerseys launched]

Tan Can

Tanner Goods is offering a few ways to make it easier to get around on a bicycle. The company’s line of Bike Bags include those that hang on the frame, sit up on the handlebars or hang beneath the seat. The bags are available in three colors including burnt oak, charcoal and field tan and each is made from durable 10-ounce canvas and 18-ounce twill. These feature plenty of pockets are ideal for hauling whatever you might need to take on the go.

Tanner Goods Official Website

Bike of Valour

The Valour smart bike will ensure you find your way. Its makers called it the first ever connected carbon fiber bike, and by this it means that it offers integrated Bluetooth 4.0 that allows the bike to connect to a companion Android, iOS or Pebble compatible app.

Users can use the app to tell the bike their destination and receive turn-by-turn navigation directly on the handlebars. The bike also features built-in sensors including an accelerometer, magnetometer and a speed sensor that can track calories burned, monitor speed and distance. The system can even suggest the best possible route should you desire to avoid hills or other difficult terrain.

The designers, which are based in Toronto, launched a Kickstarter campaign to help develop the Valour and at present it looks like they’ve reached their funding goals so it is likely we’ll be seeing this one on the streets in the not too distant future. Video after the jump

Trek Puts on the (Disc) Brakes

Trek is now offering a disc-brake equipped version of its endurance road bike line, the Trek Domane. It features the company’s IsoSpeed feature, which isolates the seattube from the seatstays to improve comfort. The disc-brake equipped Domanes offer post-mount disc brakes and thru axles front and rear (15mm front and 12×142 rear), along with Trek’s Closed Convert drop outs, which allow the use of standard quick releases and further make the bikes compatible with more aftermarket wheels.

Trek Bicycles Official Website

Go With the Zurigo

The Bianchi Zurigo is ready to roll where a traditional road bike dares not tread. This bicycle is designed for cyclocross racing, gravel grinding, bike commuting, credit-card touring, and back road adventure riding. The Zurigo features a triple-butted, hydroformed aluminum frame, a carbon fiber fork, tapered head tube and Pressfit 30 bottom bracket. The flat-bottom top tube and internal down tube cable routing makes it easy to shoulder in a cyclocross race, while the clearance for 38c tires offers true flexibility for riders.

Bianchi Official Website

Weekend Reading List (05.17.2014): Phily Fold Up, Lapping the Competition, Sprint Ahead

Phily Fold Up

From Bicycle Retailer:Philadelphia to host first US Brompton folding-bike events
The first-ever U.S. Brompton Urban Challenge will be hosted by the City of Brotherly Love May 31. Brompton owners’ orienteering skills will be put to the test as they make their way to secret destinations and Philadelphia landmarks. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (05.17.2014): Phily Fold Up, Lapping the Competition, Sprint Ahead

Suunto Moves to Strava

GPS smartwatch maker Suunto launched its online data-crunch website Movescount a while back, but now it is moving to a deal with Strava. This will allow users to track runs, rides, swims and hikes and track heart rate and cadence via the Suunto watches and will add the social fitness ability to provide motivation and camaraderie.

Movescount Strava Website

Made in America: Totally Hosed

Sadly many of the old industrial centers of the United States are now just crumbling ruins – but Detroit Cargo is preserving the past with some upcycled products including a new card holder made from very old fire houses.

As Detroit Cargo noted, these fire hoses have not been up to code since the 1960’s and only in Detroit can you find buildings that have been abandoned long enough to find these old hoses. They’ve salvaged them, clean them and sew a leather strip to the bottom. They’ve created card holders that can carry ID, credit cards, business cards and more. These are cycle friendly as the card holder fit in the products.

And just like America’s industrial past this product won’t last forever. Detroit Cargo expects to run out of hose later this year, so grab them while you can.

Detroit Cargo: Fire Hose Card Holder Official Website

The Big 125

Mavic is celebrating its 125 anniversary and will host a series of special VIP events in France this summer, but is also introducing some specialty products – because you only turn 125 once! Among those products are the limited edition HC 125 bibs, which will arrive in late June and feature a new Ergo 3D Pro insert and supportive Skin Power material in the leg panels. The new Ergo 3D Pro insert has progressive padding, a softer face fabric, lighter weight, and improved breathability.

A matching HC 125 Jersey, made with Mavic’s Ride Wick ST fabric with added cooling thanks to Air Mesh inserts, will also be available starting in late June. Other products include a new HC Wheel-Tire System.

Mavic Official Website

Bike Theft Report

While we noted today how many states are becoming more bicycle friendly one sad part of more people on two wheels is that more bikes will be stolen. According to the latest FBI Uniform Crime Report, from 2007 to 2011, bicycle theft in the United States rose (on average) 14 percent each year. On average, over 188,500 bicycle thefts are reported stolen each year in the United States, a statistic that in itself is staggering when one also considers the number of bicycle thefts that go unreported.

While some US cities are starting to fight back against bicycle theft, much more could be done. In San Francisco, the city issued its first ever official look at the bike theft problem in 2013 and issued a goal to reduce bicycle theft in the city by at least 50 percent over the next 5 years. The city also created a bike registry to help combat the 70 percent rise in bicycle thefts since 2006. Continue reading Bike Theft Report

Bike Friendly States

This month the League of American Bicyclists released its 2014 Bicycle Friendly State ranking. For the seventh year in a row the state of Washington has lead the nation, but is closely followed by Minnesota and Wisconsin, as Utah and California have moved up in the top 10.

“We’re excited and encouraged to see real progress in states like California, Minnesota and Utah,” said League President Andy Clarke. “Overall, we still see a lot of opportunity to realize the huge potential of bicycling to promote health, economic development, and quality of life in all 50 states.” Continue reading Bike Friendly States