Schwinn is showing off its CycleNav smart bike navigation system at the 2014 International CES this week. The system is a device and app combination that gives you turn-by-turn directions while on a ride. Continue reading CES: GPS Bike Navigation From Schwinn
Category: Cycling
You Pump iPUMP
Hitting the road without a plan for a flat tire is almost like asking to ruin the ride and perhaps the day. If you don’t want to lug around a large pump and don’t care for the one-shot functionality of those CO2 cartridges, the iPUMP might be for you. It features a carbon fiber body and Presta connector so it can pump you up – or at least your tire – quickly and won’t take up too much room in a pack or pocket.
The iPUMP is being developed through a Kickstarter project and apparently a lot of people are pumped up. More than 400 people have helped it go way past the developer’s $10,000 goal. Video after the jump
Make Your Personal Imprint
While gloves can fit many hands, the truth is hands are fairly unique. The designers behind the Imprint Grips saw this and have designed a specially mountain bike grip that had be truly customized. The goal here is a grip that provides the maximum contact between the hand and the bike, which means the contact is supported evenly and thus removes all the high pressure points.
These are designed to be molded in hot water, and once customized will provide vibration damping that will provide a tight grip in all conditions. In addition to a truly custom fit these also offer a diamond pattern that further helps ensure a good feel while riding. The grips, which are now being developed via a Kickstarter campaign, are highly durable and the life is maximized by the increased contact area. This could be time to get a grip! Video after the jump
Wahoo Gets in Cadence
Wahoo Fitness has introduced its RPM Cadence Sensor, which is just seven grams and attaches to the bicycle crank with a 3M adhesive or a sleeve. It can connect wirelessly to an IOS device via Bluetooth 4.0. Cadence can be displayed on any compatible cycling app, including Strava, Wahoo Fitness and MapMyRide. LED lights flash when sensor is connected to the iOS app.
The sensor does not need to be charged and will run on one coin cell battery for up to two years.
Wahoo Fitness Official Website
http://www.wahoofitness.com/
Ride in the Sky
The roads of London can be dangerous for cycling, but the designers have Foster + Partners have a solution: ride in the sky! Instead of building new roads for cars, the firm along with Space Syntax has looked to develop the SkyCycle, which could follow existing suburban railway corridors and provide bicycle only roads to ride throughout London. By following the rail network this could provide more than 220 kilometers of car-free cycle route, which could be accessed via more than 200 entrance points. Each route could accommodate 12,000 cyclists per hour and improve journey times by as much as 29 minutes.
Foster + Partners: SkyCycle, proposals to create safe new cycle routes throughout London
Weekend Reading List (01.04.2014): Trek Makes the Cross, Runner Resolutions, 2014 Apps
Trek Makes the Cross
From Bicycle Retailer: Trek unveils IsoSpeed ‘cross bike
Trek unveiled a new line of cyclocross bikes that feature the company’s IsoSpeed decoupler, previously used on its Domane endurance road bikes. The decoupler isolates the seattube from the toptube to increase comfort. The unveiling was done with Trek-sponsored athletes including Katie Compton, and world champion Sven Nys in Baal, Belgium. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (01.04.2014): Trek Makes the Cross, Runner Resolutions, 2014 Apps
Million Dollar… Baby!
What does a million dollars get you at The House of Solid Gold? Try on the 24K Gold Extreme Mountain Bike, which has nearly every plated in gold – right down to the brake rotors. We’re not sure how durable this bike is, but we wouldn’t want to ride it far. You don’t just get gold either, as the THSG head badge on the bike is made from 600 Black Diamonds and 500 golden sapphires! For the record The House of Solid Gold offers plenty of expensive (dare we say useless) products, like a $375 gold-plated soccer ball.
Don’t plan on putting this one on your credit card – as only Cashier’s Check, Money Order or Bank Wire Transfer are viable payments! What no Bitcoin!
No Menace to This Phantom
There are plenty of methods for putting lights on bikes to help younger riders be seen at night, but instead of trying to add lights to the frame, the designers of Phantom Frames are looking to light up the bike. The concept, which is being developed via a Kickstarter project that ends today, looks to have a frame that is normal looking during the day – but at night it can’t be missed.
The concept came to light when Ken Spaulding in Santa Ana, California needed to replace his son’s rear bike light. When his son suggested why couldn’t the whole bike light up instead Ken decided to build one. The result was a series of designs including a polycarbonate frame filled with LEDs that resulted in the first prototype. Now Ken and his boy Jack are looking to bring their bright idea to the masses. Video after the jump
The Right Fit
The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS announced that it is developing a wearable sports monitoring system. The FitnessSHIRT contains new technology that pairs it with a pedelec bike powertrain and smartphone app that can seamlessly manage motor output based on the user’s physiological data.
What this means is that as the rider tires the motor can kick in and give a boost of power. The FitnessSHIRT utilizes conductive textile electrodes as well as an elastic band that is worn around the upper body, and together these can track metrics including pulse, breathing and even changes in heart rate.
Researchers from IIS recently demonstrated how the FitnessSHIRT will work in conjunction with the MENTORbike, a new type of training device considering of a pedelec, smartphone and an online user service site, live at the Medica 2013 Trade Fair in Düsseldorf last November.
Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS Official Website
Urge Not Overkill
In the 1990s the alterna-pop band Urge Overkill had their 15 minutes of fame, but the Urge Supacross helmet could prove to be more than overkill in a very good way. It is designed for cross country mountain bike riding, and is lightweight and offers plenty of vents – as well as internal channeling – to help keep the wearer’s head cool.
The new helmet will be ready to hit the trails later this year. Video after the jump
Crash Time
A crash on a bicycle is not something to take lightly, and the cycling charity the CTC has launched an iPhone app that most cyclists will hope they never, ever have to use. This app is for those who had a crash record vital details of the incident, which could be important if this involves a court case.
The CTC Crash Kit app allows victims to record time of the incident, weather conditions, and even witness contact details as well as weather conditions, photos of the scene and equipment damage, plus early injury details. Once the incident is recorded it can be sent to CTC’s lawyers, who can review the case.
This is of course for U.K. residents at present, but does make for an interesting app to watch. It is available now for iOS while an Android version will come out later this year.
Pole Position
Many of us hate the thought about going out for a bike ride in the winter, but British adventurer Maria Leijerstam took a long ride last week in the snow. While technically summer in the southern hemisphere it surely felt like the dead of winter as she was the first person to ride a bicycle to the South Pole from the edge of Antarctica.
It took Maria nine days to travel the 400 miles, and she arrived at the South Pole on December 27 at 1am GMT. She rode the distance on a specifically-designed recumbent trike build by Inspired Cycle Engineering (ICE).
Congrats to Maria for being the first to ride to the South Pole.
Speed Freak
Quick release has been a standard feature on higher end bicycle wheels for decades, but there is a new game in town that could have the fast draw on the old school quick release. This is the SPEEDrelease hub, which offers a quick take down of quick release, but offers the added benefits of thru-axles.
Developed by Topolino Technology the SPEEDrelease promises quick wheel changes along with a more solid wheel connection. This is because while thru-axles are designed to be stiffer and thus safer than traditional quick release axles it isn’t without its faults. The SPEEDrelease system incorporates a permanently-attached skewer that runs through the center of the axle. It is also ideal for closed dropouts and ideal for road disc applications.
In other words it could be truly a best of both worlds product. It is one of those that begs the question why someone didn’t come up with it sooner? Continue reading Speed Freak