We said last week we expected to hear great things about Betty Designs, and we’re already getting a peek at the new spring 2013 line up, which includes the snakeskin women’s cycling kit that will be available in Turquoise/Red Hot Coral and Pink/Olive. This striking looking jersey does look ready to strike!
Category: Cycling
Qmountz Up
The iPhone has created a revolution in tech fitness, and it actually isn’t a bad camera for capturing those moments on a bike. We’ve seen a fair share of special mounts for it, and the Qmountz case, which is waterproof and shock/shatter-resistant, could be the thing that truly turns the handset into a durable and reliable action camera. The Mapta-produced case offers options for helmet mount, handlebar mount and even chest mount. Mount up with the Qmountz.
Weekend Reading List (01.19.2013) Lance Comes Clean, Stadium Sustainability, Runner Friendly Foods
Lance Comes Clean
From BikeRadar: Lance Armstrong confesses to EPO and blood doping
Lance Armstrong has told Oprah Winfrey that not only did he use EPO and blood dope throughout his career, but that it was also impossible to win seven Tours de France as he did, without drugs. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (01.19.2013) Lance Comes Clean, Stadium Sustainability, Runner Friendly Foods
InterLock and Roll
A bicycle lock is the first (and sometimes best) line of defense against having a bike stolen. No lock will deter every would-be bicycle thief, but a good lock and chain is necessary or those times when you need to leave a bike for “just a second.” The problem is that it often takes longer to lock up the bike than it might to say, drop a letter in the mail at the post office or pick up that takeout order. In those cases locking a bike can be annoying, but still so necessary.
The InterLock, which is now raising funds via a Kickstarter project, could simplify the procedure to lock up one’s bike by including a cable system within the seatpost. This means the lock and cable are with you wherever you go and this system makes looking up the bike a snap. Video after the jump
Saddle Up and Cover Up
Bicycle seats don’t mix well with rain, and often riders tend to cover it with a plastic bag to keep it covered. But now OnYerBikeSeat has released a line of colorful saddle covers that can help protect the seat in the inclement weather. The covers even feature a loop for a light attachment. It looks like OnYerBikeSeat has us – or more accurately our seats covered.
SHOT Show: Safariland Rolls Patrol Bike in White
Good guys ride white. At this week’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas Safariland announced the release of a new Safariland/Kona Patrol Bike (29er) available in a bright high-gloss white finish to provide increased visibility for those in public safety and industrial markets. The original 29er patrol bike was released last year and has been a hit with law enforcement. Made of Kona Race Light 7005 aluminum, it features a 30-speed Shimano drivetrain, hydraulic disc brakes and tapered oversized headtube for increased stability and durability.
Introducing Betty Designs
Fashion and fitness don’t have to be mutually exclusive, and this is why Kristin Mayer launched Betty Designs. The podium age group triathlete has designed suits and kits for World Champion triathletes, cyclists and teams, but she is also a mother, and a lover of fashion. She’s taken her passion along with her serious drive and channeled this into an entrepreneurial spirit with Betty Designs.
She was recently featured in The New York Times Style section and something tells us we’ll be hearing a lot more from Kristen (a.k.a. “Betty”) in the months to come!
Bicycle Convert
Industrial designer Joshua Brassé is quite the bicycle convert, not because he suddenly took up bicycling but rather because of his design, aptly named the Convert. This is a bicycle trailer that can be quickly transformed into a cargo dolly. In trailer mode the axle can be positioned at the middle of the unit to provide a more stable center of gravity, and by removing the wheels and repositioning the axle the trailer converts to a dolly. Brassé is now working on a crowd sourcing campaign via Ideacious to convert his idea into reality.
Nintendo Technology to Light the Way
When we heard that Maxxon’s Wireless Brake Light would use “Nintendo Wii” technology we didn’t know what that meant, but in essence the light is equipped with an accelerometer that detects a sudden deceleration and turns on a bright solid red light, so that those behind the rider will react much as they might to break lights in a car. It offers auto power-on capability as well s auto power-off, and the Wireless Brake Light provides steady and blink modes as well. Not a bad way to help alert drivers when riding at night or dusk.
This Bottle is Filled With Music
Music and cycling go nicely together, but not hearing the world around you isn’t a good idea. So instead of jamming earbuds in that block the outside world a speaker that broadcasts the music to you might be the better way to go. There are plenty of handlebar mounted speakers, but then we saw the Scoche boomBottle, which fits nicely in the waterbottle cage and shoots the music up to you.
The shockproof device delivers the beats via two 40mm drivers and a passive sub. This plays music via Bluetooth or an auxiliary input, so you will need to broadcast that music from another device. Obviously this won’t work with every bike but this is clearly designed for those long solo rides not race day on a streamlined TT bike.
Kinetic(Mis)Shift: Ultra Low Tech Bike Rack
How low can you go in designing a bike rack? How about two pieces of wood? Seriously, that’s what Etsy crafter Fluoshop has introduced and is actually offering for sale as the Bike Hook? We like minimalist design as much as anyone but doesn’t even even appear that Floushop took the time to paint the pieces of wood it is selling as a bike rack!
The “kit” requires a stable wall for installation, and it includes dowels that according to the maker “can be used in some but not all walls.” OK, we can accept that shortcoming, but these dowels and pegs – which “need to be seated straight and firmly into the wall” – cost around $87, plus shipping. Likewise these are reportedly designed for use with lightweight bikes, and may not work with heavier bikes.
Frankly, a trip to Home Depot and about $10 could get the same results. Maybe some hipsters have an extra $90 to blow on this imported German-made bike rack, but for everyone else this is a serious (Mis)Shift.
Kinetic(Mis)Shift are products that we think deserve to be called out for missing the mark in health related products.
Mio Gets Upgrade-O
Sometimes we question the decisions companies make as it seems they are out of touch with their consumers, but last week Mio have announced the release of a software upgrade for its Cyclo 300 computer. This come based on a combination of custom-based feedback along with advances in technology.
Improvements include better navigation instruction, with greater visibility and intuitiveness with the maps, while other new functionality includes the ability to change preferences in advance of routes. Users can also edit and even delete their history, tracks, and points of interests. In total there have been more than 150 improvements made.
This free update is available through MioShare’s desktop application, which can be found on the system drive of the Cyclo device.
Xerxes The Great
We’re not sure how 45NRTH came up with the name Xerxes for its snow full traction commuter tire, but perhaps it has something to do with the way that it can “conquer ice, conquer snow, conquer your winter commute.” We just ask because while Xerxes I of Persia was a serious conqueror let’s not forget that he was also the Persian ruler who was held off by King Leonidas of Sparta – of the movie 300 fame. He did eventually conquer Greece but his victory was short lived, which isn’t exactly the sort of thing one might want to dwell on whilst riding to work.
Perhaps Xerxes just has a particular ring to it, and the tires do seem like they could roll over a group of Spartans. These feature fast-rolling rubber tread, which is flanked with 140 aluminum-carbide studs. So regardless of the name the Xerxes could be the tires that will let you conquer the snow and ice this winter.