Equipment | Evolving Consumer

Mouth Guards: Now With More Absorption Power

When you sign up for a contact sport such as football, boxing, ice hockey, and wrestling you know you need a mouth guard, but do you realize how important it is? Not just to protect your pearly whites. “Ninety percent of concussions resulting in unconsciousness are caused by impact to the lower jaw,” says Joe Manzo, president of Brain-Pad, a company that offers a new mouth guard with more absorption power.

Brain-Pad’s new piece, the 3XS professional model (available at Wal-Mart and other retailers for $34.95) uses a patented technology and dual-protection system that offers 40 percent more absorption power than comparable models. The 3XS is a dual arch, bi-molar mouth guard that stabilizes the jaw in a neutral position, creating a safety space at the base of the skull that reduces the risk of jaw impact concussions and TMJ injuries. Traditionally mouth guards just protected the upper or lower teeth, but not both. The 3XS also opens the airway in the throat 100 percent, which allows you to breathe better, which is crucial to any sport.

Brain-Pad

Space Age Water Ski

Every speedboat owner has a pair of water skis. When friends come to visit the speedboat tour of the lake includes a spin on the skis. But those who take their water skiing more seriously may want to look into Goode water skis made from aerospace carbon fiber composite. The skis are lighter at less than 3 lbs.

Goode’s 99 SL Wide-Ride offers a wide forebody design to give added support at the buoy. The skiis feature an asymmetric design to eliminate having an “off-side” turn. Pair this or any model with Goode’s PowerShell boots, which look more like snow ski boots than the standard rubber boot of water skis, and you’re on your way to competition. The PowerShell boots aren’t a safety binding, but they offer more ability to hold your foot stead on the skis while still providing control.

Goode water skis

On Your Bike

That’s the name of a bike store chain in the U.K. But now Cannondale has released OnBikemade using the case closed technology used in the ON Concept bike shown at Eurobike 2007. What’s ON? It uses the System Integrated Chain Case Technology where the chain case is a single sided, fully enclosed structural part of the frame. Benefits are many. Fewer moving parts means fewer parts to go wrong. The enclosed chain structure protects the parts that move from collecting dirt and grime, which can cause failure. Fewer parts and enclosed parts means fewer parts to steal if you lock your bike up on the street.

Cannondale OnBike Limited Edition

CannonDale OnBike

Cycle Computing Gets a New Design

In the bright sun, in a competitive road race, it can be difficult to read your cycle computer. And even harder to change the display. The Polar CS500 remedies that with a large diamond-shaped display and rocker switch operation. The computer mounts to any bike with a reinforced composite metal dual lock bike mount. In the mount the computer can be adjusted with the tap of your thumb with the two-way rocker switch. Toggle the display to track speed, distance, cadence, heart rate, calories burned, incline, altitude, ascent and descent and temperature. What the CS500 lacks is a GPS reading, which competitive cycle computers from Garmin and other manufacturers provide.

The CS500 is compatible with Polar’s W.I.N.D. technology, which eliminates the issue of data drop-outs or cross-talk between cycling computers and also includes 2.4 GHz transmission. The computer can be customized and used on up to three different bikes, and has a drink reminder that alerts you to hydrate on those long rides.

A bit pricey, the CS500 is for serious riders, mainly those who race. The base set includes the handlebar unit, WearLink W.I.N.D. fabric chest strap, CS speed sensor W.I.N.D., and Dual Lock Bike Mount for $319.95. The CS500 cadence set is $359.95, the Power Output Sensor W.I.N.D. is available as a separate accessory for $359.95, and DataLink, which connects wirelessly to your computer can be added on for $54.95.

Polar

Fix Gear Bikes Suddenly Uncool? Blame WalMart!

Fix gear bikes are over! It is official – mass retailer WalMart is carrying “fixies” now, so you know that must mean they’re uncool. At least that’s what a lot of bloggers and various hipster types have to say. Here is a sampling of what has been said online:

Blogtown.com:
“Cry your eyes out, fixsters. Fixed gears have gone worse than mainstream. They’ve gone to WalMart. Tipster Amanda G. sent along a Treehugger article about the recent arrival of fixies on WalMart shelves.”

From Gawker.com:
“First Urban Outfitters started peddling them. Now Hipster of the Decade blog Hipster Runoff notices that Walmart is selling fixed gear bicycles. It’s official: The number one cause of fauxhemian crashes on Bedford Avenue is no longer cool.”

OK, so maybe those posts are as sarcastic about this being “over” as we’re taking it. But the truth is that this is actually good news, and we’ll shout it from the rooftops; it is COOL that WalMart is selling the 700C Men’s Mongoose Cachet “Fixed-Speed” Bike. We’re not sure what they mean by “Fixed-Speed,” but at $149, we’re not complaining either.

And for the record, once Specialized and other large bicycle manufacturers got in on the single speed and fixed gear market many said it was over. But this just shows that the market is expanding. And that should be viewed as a good thing. If the hipsters don’t like it, who cares. But WalMart also sells HDTVs and video games, and no one ever said those were uncool.

The Devil is in the Details From Handsome Bicycles

If you’ve never had love at first sight when looking at a bike, check out the Devil from Handsome Bicycles. The best part is that this isn’t just another major bike maker’s attempt to make a unique styled bike for the masses. Of course, the details are actually in the Devil with this sweet looking ride, which thanks to a 73-degree head and seat angle also offers a nice ride as well.

For 2010 the Devil line now includes a new “martini olive” color. And like a well-made martini (stirred not shaken), this one promises to be smooth and steady from beginning to end. It has a longish top tube combined with a medium-low 70mm bottom bracket drop, and a fork that is a neutral 45mm trail measurement. It is a fully customizable frame that can be built up as a city commuter, touring, single speed or just regular knock around bike for those who know that two wheels is a great way to get around. It offers traditional, forward-facing rear dropouts that will allow for derailleurs, internal-geared hubs or even single-speed transmission, so in a word this bike is truly “customizable.”

Additionally, the frameset is also sold naked, but with 2010 decal sheets included, so whether you like your bikes to have a minimalist look or want to trick it out you’ll get to start with a blank slate that will ensure no two are exactly the same.

The Handsome Devil should easily live up to its name, and it is currently available in 52-, 55- and 58-cm sizes (measured from center of the bottom bracket to the top of the seattube).

Handsome Devil Bicycles Product Page

Tired Old Tires Turned in Bike Stands

If you have a high-end bike, then you probably have that sense of dread when having to use the typical a bike rack. There is the worry of scratching the frame’s paint or decal, and the fact that the wheel-in-first racks are designed for bikes from decades ago. Even the general “metal” loops are poorly designed to allow for adequate positioning, as there just isn’t enough space to lean the bike.

A Wellington, New Zealand firm may have the answer, and it is one that solves another problem in the process. Duncan Forbes and Matt Hammond of Bikerakk have created a cycle stand that has a solid steel core frame but has a softer outer layer made of recycled car tires. And to encourage businesses to adopt these stands, the rack is in the shape of a bicycle, allowing the rear wheel to be a glass disc that can light up at night for advertising and signage.

So far the Bikerakk is only available in central Wellington, but the company hopes to eventually get the stands throughout the island nation. Maybe it will catch on, as it is a great use of recycled tires and provides a bit of padding. Plus it could be just the thing to remind people that two wheels make a good way to get around.

Via Stuff.na.nz
Bikerakk Official site

Intel Adds Intelligence to Employee Workouts

intel-unveils-high-tech-employee-fitness-center1 — Image from architecture3s via Core Performance

Some companies provide a gym for their employees. And then some companies add more incentive for their employees to use the facilities and actually see results. In a bold move, Intel outfitted its Chandler, Ariz. Campus with a high-tech fitness center. Machines include Intel-embedded technology-based and Internet connected machines through a partnership with a company called Core Performance. Why do these machines need Internet connectivity?

Each participating employee provided health records, nutrition habits, and other information to create customized workouts dictated by the machines. Intel is involved for obvious reasons: it has a stake in the equipment it’s using. But it also intends to improve the health and fitness of its employees and in turn reduce the company’s healthcare costs. It hopes other companies will deploy similar programs as well.

Sip on a Better Bottle from CamelBak

CamelBak-Better-Bottle — CamelBak Better Bottle

What do you get when you go for a bike ride with just any water bottle? Bisphenol-A (BPA) and phalates, a chemical that has been linked to obesity, neurological disorders, cancer, and a number of other health problems.

CamelBak makes BPA-free bottles from a material called Tritan, that doesn’t allow properties to leech in the water and compromise taste and health. KineticShift took a look at three of CamelBak’s bottles, two made from BPA-free materials, and one stainless steel. Here’s what we found.

Continue reading Sip on a Better Bottle from CamelBak

No Flying Scotsman Tricks for the Track

Track bike racing could turn into an off-the-shelf sport soon, as the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced plans to force teams to use equipment that is commercially available. UCI chief Pat McQuaid noted that Britain, Germany and Australia – three track bike powerhouses – have been warned this past weekend that the use of illegal technological advances will not be tolerated, and that he had concerns about the way some teams continued to flout rules while using expensive equipment that is (in his words) “not commercially available.”

This is reminiscent of when Graeme Obree – a.k.a. “The Flying Scotsman – built a homemade bike and broke the one hour distance record on the track. In Obree’s case the bike wasn’t so high-tech as it was just ingenious, utilizing parts of a washing machine for the bottom bracket, but the fallout was a crackdown on equipment that wasn’t standard. McQuaid has not defined what is actually meant by “freely available” nor “reasonable price” when discussing the new rules, so there will no doubt be questions raised.

But as some teams were riding on bicycle prototypes that cost between 50,000 and 100,000 Euros each, we have to agree that while technology should help athletes, the playing field needs to be level. In this case, even if the track the competition takes place on is banked!

GPS Tracks Pace During Run, Not Turns

GarminForerunner110mw — Garmin Forefunner 110 tracks progress on your workouts so you can keep your eye on pace.

When your feet hit the road, you have different demands on GPS than in your car. You don’t need turn-by-turn directions, you need data. Speed. Distance. Devices for runners are sometimes bulky, sometimes difficult to use. Garmin is about to release its Forerunner 110. This GPS device is a watch, and just about the size of an average sport watch or heart rate monitor. It’s packed with featuers.

Forerunner 110 has GPS and a heart rate monitor. Once you set it at the beginning of a run it tracks where you go on your run and your heart rate. From this data it calculates your pace, distance run, calories burned, and stores the information until you upload it to your profile on Garmin Connect. You can track your training progress, look back on a whole season of running, or just see where you’ve been by keeping data on your profile. This is one addition to the standard heart rate monitor we like.

Garmin Web site

Garmin Forerunner 110
Garmin Connect

Inform Your Run with Adidas miCoach

A heart rate monitor alone can only tell you so much about your run. It tracks your heart rate, and based on your age, calculates how many calories you burned, and some other data. Adidas adds to the monitor with miCoach. In addition to the chest strap to measure heart rate, it puts a sensor on a runner’s shoe, and an device on a runner’s arm. The shoe sensor adds more data by measuring distance, pace, and stride rate.

The device on the arm is the computer. It gathers and calculates data from the chest and shoe sensors. Then it tells you to speed up or slow down to get within four workout zones. Headphones plug into miCoach so you can hear its directions. The device is compatible with any MP3 player, so you can listen to music and also get prompts from miCoach.

At home miCoach syncs to an online profile at adidas.com/micoach, and tracks your workout. You can define your goals on the site whether it’s to get in shape or train for a marathon. Those goals then determine the direction you get while on your run. MiCoach costs about $69.99 for the arm piece, chest strap, and shoe sensor.

Adidas miCoach

Withings its Strange to Broadcast Your Weight

Withings scale sends your data to an online health profile.

Every appliance in your home will connect to the Internet some day. Today, the Withings scale connects to the Internet via WiFi. Step on the scale, and it sends your weight, lean and fat mass, and BMI readings to your computer. It will post your loss or gain on Twitter if you opt in to that feature. Now, it will integrate with Microsoft HealthVault.

Microsoft HealthValut is a personal health application platform. This is a good application for a WiFi scale. HealthVault is a place where you can create a profile for you and your family to track the basics, the history, and helps you keep up with the management of any illnesses or conditions. As the user, you get to decide who to share your profile with, and how much that person sees. At some point, maybe we won’t have to fill out forms at the doctor’s office before each appointment.

As for Tweeting about your weight and other stats, you can set up your profile if you want your vitals on Twitter. I think I’ll stick to my personal profile.

Withings scale, $159

Microsoft HealthVault