Whatever the question maybe this holiday season you can offer up the Answer ProTaper aluminum handlebars. Made of 7050 aluminum these feature ProTaper designs that provide more wall thickness at stress points and clamp areas and for the holidays these are available in six new color combinations. Sizes include 780mm DH, 720mm All Mountain and 685mm Cross Country. They’ll look festive under the tree and colorful during the riding season.
Category: Cycling
H&M To Roll Out Cycling Attire
When we heard that H&M was going to introduce a line of cycling attire we weren’t sure what to think. Did the clothing retailer just add an athletic section? But it turns out that this isn’t exactly racing attire, but more along the lines of fashionable clothing for those who like to cycle and don’t want the spandex look.
H&M is partnering with Brick Lanes Bikes and will deliver a lineup of backpacks, shirts, waterproof jackets and pants. The clothing is set to roll in March of next year. Video after the jump
Report: One-Third of Consumers to Purchase Fitness Tech in 2013
If you’re looking for gifts this Christmas, you might want to get ahead of the game and consider a few fitness technologies. A report released by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) finds that one third of U.S. consumers plan to purchase fitness technologies in 2013. That means one in three people on your list plan on getting a fitness monitor, exercise equipment or other tech to aid their workouts. Continue reading Report: One-Third of Consumers to Purchase Fitness Tech in 2013
XC Ski Area Opens to “Fat Bike”
There has been a serious shift from several bike makers in what they consider “off season.” The days of hanging up the bike when the snow comes isn’t what some companies have in mind, or if they do think you should hang up one bike then you should hit the trails with another. This is the age of the “fat tire” snow bikes. Of course there is the issue where to ride such bikes.
More and more ski resorts and trails are opening to fat tires and this includes Methow Valley in Winthrop, Wash., which just happens to be the largest cross-country ski area. This season the resort is making a few of the trails open to bikes, and only when the conditions are right. And the trails will only be open to “purpose-built snow bikes” such as the Surly Pugsley or Moonlander or other bikes that have tires wider than 3.7 inches and must roll with tire pressure less than 10psi. These factors will ensure that riders don’t blow through the trails at high speeds, and if the rut is deeper than an inch it is too soft to be riding on the Nordic trails.
This might seem like a lot of rules, but it is about sharing the trails with skiers, so it seems reasonable to us.
Weekend Reading List (12.08.2012): Smart Workouts, Ethiopian Track Center, Fitness Instead of Sports, Millions for London Cycling
Smart Workouts
From Men’s Health: How the Gym Makes You Smarter
Put in the time at your university’s gym and it might provide more than physical benefits. A new study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows that the more often you go to your rec center, the more likely you’ll be passing calculus. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (12.08.2012): Smart Workouts, Ethiopian Track Center, Fitness Instead of Sports, Millions for London Cycling
Japan Continues to Invest in Earthquake Ready Bike Parking
Back in 20011 Japan was hit with a devastating earthquake and it took months to recover. This was only the most recent earthquake of this magnitude as the country is located in the epicenter of such events. Since the country can’t move from the earthquake to another region the next best thing has been to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
This includes earthquake proof bicycle parking, which is being developed by Giken and actually solves two problems. First it provides off the street parking for bicycles and ensures that in the event of a disaster the bicycles should survive. The latter isn’t just about protecting a bicycle but ensuring that a viable means of transportation following a disaster – as indicated by reliance of bicycles post-Sandy in the east coast of the United States. Video after the jump
Made in America: ReCycle Makes Recycled Bicycles
With a name like ReCycle you can pretty much guess what the company makes: bikes made from recycled materials, including aluminum. The concept behind the company is that recycled aluminum takes 95 percent less energy and creates 95 less CO2 emissions than creating it from virgin material. As such 75 of aluminum processed since the 1880s is still in use.
Based in Los Angeles and headed up by Bryce Edmonds, who moved out from Pennsylvania in the 1990s, the company has three models including the mBula, a cruiser made for beach or city riding; the Mudmaste, an “all-terrain bike;” and the hipster friendly Moshi Moshi, a fixed gear/single-speed. The company is looking to get in gear via a Kickstarter project, with bikes ready to roll soon.
ReCycle Official Website
[Via Onward State: Alumnus Creates World’s First 100% Recycled Aluminum Bikes]
Holiday Gift Idea: Bike Rack
This isn’t what we had in mind when someone suggested you could get a “bike rack,” but for the serious cyclist who has a bit of a silly streak consider having the handlebars mounted much like a hunting trophy. So instead of a rack of antlers Bicycle Taximdermy can “mount” those bars!
It’s in the XLAB Aero Bag
Even wearing jerseys with three pockets, many cyclists will find that there’s just not enough room to tote along the essentials. It’s also easier to put a few tools in a gear bag and keep it on the bike to stay handy. That’s where the new line of Aero Bags from XLAB come in handy. The line of bags discretely stay strapped to the bike, and actually help reduce drag. Continue reading It’s in the XLAB Aero Bag
Bike Spiked
There has been a notable trend in winter bicycle riding with several companies crafting fat tire “snow bikes” but another option is to get the right snow tires for winter riding. One solution is Bike Spikes, a unique solution that doesn’t even mean changing the normal tires but rather putting this series of flexible, studded plates – which are connected by a wire – over the tire. The details on this system aren’t entirely clear but we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for anyone riding with these! Video after the jump
Holiday Gift Idea: Straitline Seatpost Collar
Looking for a stocking stuffer for that cyclist on your list can sometimes be difficult. How many pair of socks or water bottles can someone use? Straitline Components, of British Columbia, Canada, can help you add a touch of color and style to their bike for just under $30. Continue reading Holiday Gift Idea: Straitline Seatpost Collar
Blaze of Glory
We first heard about Blaze back in June of 2011. This handlebar-mounted laser cast a virtual bike in front of you to provide a signal to cars that you were in their blind spot. The system was developed by University of Brighton student Emily Brooke in the U.K. That was the last we heard of it, until now. In the nearly a year and a half that has passed Brooke has launched a company, developed a working prototype and launched a Kickstarter project to fund the creation of the first batch. Video after the jump
Toe Straps From Down Under
Not everyone wants to clip into their bike’s pedals. This is especially true of commuters and if you’re going to cycle to work in nice shoes why not have some stylish clips. The Patebury Kangaroo Leather Peal Straps, which of course come from Australia, are available for road and track cyclists. Made of natural kangaroo leather with hand hammered solid copper rivets these won’t scuff the shoes, but will hold the foot snuggly on the pedal!