Category: Hands On

First Impressions: NightWave Nightlight Puts You to Sleep

All my life I’ve had trouble sleeping. By now most nights are better, but there are nights I’m up to see the sunrise, and not because I slept like a baby all night. The problem is that my mind races the second I turn out the light, and I can’t stop it. At some point I learned to concentrate on breathing, using a relaxing breath that ends just about every Yoga class.

That’s the concept behind NightWave. Thought at first you have to wonder, how is a light going to help me get to sleep? NightWave is a device that projects a blue light on the ceiling or wall of your bedroom. Set for sleep mode, it runs for seven or 25 minutes. A blue light brightens and dims at a regular pace that suggests a rate for you to breathe. In addition to the light being suspect, you keep your eyes open to watch the light for this time interval.

Last night I turned it on the normal sleep mode, which runs for seven minutes. I kept my breathing in time with the light, though I found that a little faster than I might time my breaths. I also tend to close my eyes to breathe, and kept wanting to do so. For the first night I found my mind a bit distracted by the device. I think it will be easier to focus tonight. I also plan to try the 25-minute mode, which has slower light intervals for longer breathing. Continue reading First Impressions: NightWave Nightlight Puts You to Sleep

Hands On: Bike Repair App Gives Your Ride a Tune Up

You might be able to change a flat tire. But do you know how to clean your rear cassette? Bike Repair App for the iPhone ($2.99), and Android ($3.07) from Atomic Softwares gives you a pre-ride checklist plus step-by-step maintenance instructions to keep your ride on the road without running to the shop every time you hear a clicking sound.

Photos with instructions help walk you through basic repairs for bike components such as wheels, rear derailleur, front derailleur, chain, handlebar/headset, crankset/pedals, brakes, disk brakes, shifter, suspension, helmet and even your body with an “aches and pains” category.

Atomic organized the app well, including a section for problems and another for parts. The app includes messages, sort of a Q&A where the developer posts answers to user emails. Throughout the app typos appear. Maybe it’s just my editor instinct. However if you’re publishing an app — especially if you’re charging for it — you should probably have someone read through the copy before putting it up there. I’d rather concentrate on identifying why my pedals click than become distracted by miss-worded  instructions.

Bike Repair doesn’t replace a visit to the shop for a tune-up or major repair, but it does help you fine-tune your bike. The bike inspection information is helpful. It walks you through what to do before every ride, and a second section gives you a checklist of things to check your bike for monthly. The monthly checklist tells you to look for structural damage, looseness, and gives you tips on cleaning and other simple maintenance issues.

You probably need some knowledge of bikes to make use of the app. If you don’t know what a derailleur is you might be able to identify it from the picture, but it helps to know your way around the bike since the pictures are confined to the size of a phone or tablet. It’s a lot of instruction if you don’t know a tube from a tire.

Bike Repair App

Bike Repair App on iTunes

Bike Repair App on Android

Hands On: Not Off-Camber with this Bike

Is it about time that your current mountain bike needs to be upgraded? Are you looking for a full suspension bike that has decent travel, but is also a bike that you can ride all day, all over the mountain? Like most people, IS money the object (to save)? If you answered ‘yes’, the Camber line of bikes from Specialized might be for you.

The Camber line of bikes is touted by Specialized as being “The best high-performance, high-value trail bike. Perfect as a first ‘fully’ or hard-earned upgrade.” On a recent trip to Northern California, I was able to throw my leg over one of these bikes and hit some familiar trails. I signed a Camber Elite 29 out from the Tam Bikes’s ‘Test’ fleet in Mill Valley and hit some trails on Mt. Tam.

I spend most of my mountain bike days on a 26-inch Moots YBB so I was looking forward to having 4″ of front and rear travel along with the larger 29-inch wheels. We rolled out of my friend’s place and had to ride the pavement for a few miles before hitting the trails. The previous day I had test ridden a Specialized Epic Comp 29, so I was used to some of the features on that bike like the automatic lockout of the rear shock. The Camber is not meant or designed to compete with the Epic line…the top of the line Camber is about $100 less than the bottom of the line Epic 29. Continue reading Hands On: Not Off-Camber with this Bike

Hands On: Epic Comp 29

Recently I mentioned the demo day and test bike programs that bicycle retailers and manufacturers have in place so that the consumer can really test drive a bike before purchasing. With bikes costing several thousand dollars, it only made sense that the customer would really want to make sure that their new bike investment was the right one. Out of all of the mountain bikes that I have, only one is full suspension and it only has a little over one inch of rear travel. Since my days of racing for Pro-Flex in the late 1990s, I have been turned off of full suspension bikes. Realizing that there have been many advancements in bike technology and now that I am a little old (translated…more body pains), I think it might be time to add a full suspension bike to my fleet. Continue reading Hands On: Epic Comp 29

Fitness Journal: Test It Before You Ride Part II

You wouldn’t buy a car without taking it out for a test drive, but surprisingly this is exactly how many people buy bikes. This isn’t surprising for lower-end bikes, but then the numbers are well north of $1,000 this is just crazy. Why wouldn’t you test a bike first?

Some of the major bike retailers even maintain a small fleet of ‘Test Bikes’ for their customers to sign out for the day to ride on the local trails. There is usually a fee that you will have to pay to take the bike out, but most shops will allow you to apply that fee towards the purchase of a new bike. Just a few weeks ago, I was able to sign out two different full suspension Specialized 29ers from a local dealer, Tam Bikes in Mill Valley, California, to take up on some trails that I am very familiar with and have ridden often. After a few hours on each of the full suspension bikes, my mind was swayed by being able to ride a test bike on trails that I have ridden often instead of just around the parking lot. Continue reading Fitness Journal: Test It Before You Ride Part II

Fitness Journal: Test It Before You Ride It: Part I

Are you considering buying a new mountain bike that might even cost more than your car? If so, you might want to crank on the pedals before you put down the plastic.

When I bought my first mountain bike 20 years ago, it was common practice for the local shop to let you take the bike around the parking lot for a ‘test ride’. This was back when there were U-brakes; thumb shifters; no suspension; and a mid end bikes were $500 and high end bikes were seldom over $2000. You got the feel for the bike and if the frame fit you, but it was not a real good indication as to how it would handle on the trails.

With the ever increasing amount of technology being put into bikes today, it is not uncommon for a decent bike to be in the range of $1500 to almost $10,000 – more than some new cars! With front suspension, rear suspension, 29er wheels, disc brakes, 2×10 gearing, etc. the parking lot test course just does not cut it anymore. If you have only ridden 26-inch wheels on all of your mountain bikes, how do you know that you will like the feel of a 29er? This in fact happened to me a few years ago. I test rode a Cannondale 1FG 29er from a bike shop in Fairfax, California and absolutely hated how it handled in the parking lot. I own a 26-inch wheeled 1FG , but the 29er felt slow and seemed to corner like a school bus – I vowed to never own a 29er bike. Continue reading Fitness Journal: Test It Before You Ride It: Part I

Fitness Journal: Wearing the BodyMedia Fit

Trade shows, especially for journalists, are a time for getting work done. Meeting exhibitors and seeing product. It’s easy to lose sight of your fitness routines. As the Consumer Electronics Show approached and the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (Bluetooth SIG) approached me to wear an activity meter and compete for the journalist who takes the most steps, I was intrigued. There are a few shows including CES and the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) where I know I log a lot of steps because I’m running (sometimes literally) back and forth between several spread out halls to get to appointments and to see the show. I’ve always been curious just how many steps I’ve taken and calories I’ve burned at these shows. Now I had the perfect tool to give me the answer. Not only that, but immediately after CES I was headed to the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, and was curious to see how that show compared in steps and energy output. Continue reading Fitness Journal: Wearing the BodyMedia Fit

Fitness Journal: Water, Water (Bottles) Everwhere – Here’s on Hands On Test Recap

Over the past month we rode, we drank, we tested. We tried out many water bottles and wrote up the findings. Here is a recap of Brian O’Connor’s hands on tests of this year’s water bottles:

Nalgene ATB Bottle with Black Closure
The 32 oz version didn’t fit many cages, but the wide neck opening of the bottles made dropping in an ice cube no problem at all. Read the full review.

Specialized Purist
No bad taste, just pure water with this bottle, which mostly rinses clean. Read the full review.

BioGreen ProX
Want to use the same water bottle in a century? Most of the time you can, as the bottles aren’t so biodegradable – but the BioGreenX is made from 20 percent post industrial recycled plastic and should biodegrade in just two years. Read the full review.

Hydrapak Gel-Bot
Like a burst of energy with some gels? The Hydrapak can supply water and gel from one bottle. Read the full review.

Polar Insulated Bottle
On a hot summer ride nothing is better than a cool drink. Too bad most bottles let the liquid heat up to a temperature resembling bath water. Not the Polar Insulated Bottle. Read the full review.

Clean Bottle
Getting a bottle clean can sometimes be no easy task. Wouldn’t be easier if both the top and bottom came off? Oh wait, with the Clean Bottle they do! Read the full review.

CamelBak Podium Bottles
Ready to make a dash for the finish line. The CamelBak Podium Bottle might just have you on the podium. Read the full review.

Nalgene Bottles
Are you tired of the same old bottles? If so consider the variety offered by the Nalgene Bottles that are made from Tritan plastic. Read the full review.

Hands On: Nalgene Bottles Made from Tritan Plastic

KineticShift.com concludes our hands on test of water bottles.

All good things come to an end, including our hands on test of water bottles. We wrap things up with the Nalgene bottles, which use Tritan copolyester plastic. The line includes the All-Terrain Bottle made from low density polyethylene, the On the Fly (OTF) and the On-the-Go (OTG). Here is our test.

Nalgene Bottles Made from Tritan Plastic Description: Each of the bottles tested (unless noted) are manufactured using Eastman’s Tritan copolyester plastic.

Everyday Tritan
BPA-Free High impact resistance
Resistant to staining
Won’t retain odors
Withstands sub-freezing to boiling temperatures
Dishwasher safe away from the heating element
Max temperature: 100 degrees C/212 degrees F
Min temperature: -40 degrees C/-40 degrees F

Bottle Sizes: Varies – 16oz to 32oz
Plastic: Eastman’s Tritan copolyester
Country of Manufacture: USA except for the flip tops – those are made in China
Retail Price: Varies – $6.75 to $14.99 Continue reading Hands On: Nalgene Bottles Made from Tritan Plastic

Hands On: CamelBak Podium Bottles

KineticShift.com continues our hands on test of water bottles.

Time for another dash to the finish line, and this one might just be the water bottle to help you on the long ride to the podium and beyond. And we hear it’s good for the casual group ride too.

CamelBak Podium Description: Step up to the Podium. The New CamelBak Podium Bottle incorporates Jet Valve, a revolutionary self-sealing valve into a taste-free bottle with a high flow rate.

CamelBak is the official hydration sponsor of Team Garmin-Transitions, and proud to support the team’s 100% Clean initiative for untainted sports performance.

Bottle Sizes: 21oz and 24oz
Plastic: Polypropylene
Country of Manufacture: China
Retail Price: $8 (21oz) and $9 (24oz)

Continue reading Hands On: CamelBak Podium Bottles

Hands On: CamelBak Chill and Ice Insulated Bottles

KineticShift.com continues our hands on test of water bottles.

The company that invented the backpack with a water bladder built-in has some new offerings in the water bottle category too.

CamelBak Chill Description: The CamelBak Podium Chill Bottle is a soft, lightweight, easy-to-use insulated bottle. Keeps beverages cool for hours. Perfect for cyclists, runners, and other outdoor athletes. With great thermal performance and innovative features, the Podium Chill Bottle sets a new standard for insulated bottles.

CamelBak is the official hydration sponsor of Team Garmin-Transitions, and proud to support the team’s 100% Clean initiative for untainted sports performance.

CamelBak Ice Description: The ultimate insulated bike bottle, the CamelBak Podium Ice bottle keeps water cold four times longer, to maximize your performance and keep you focused on your ride.

Bottle Sizes: 21oz
Plastic: Polypropylene
Country of Manufacture: China
Retail Price: $12 (Chill) and $20 (Ice) Continue reading Hands On: CamelBak Chill and Ice Insulated Bottles

Hands On: Clean Bottle

KineticShift.com continues our hands on test of water bottles.

It is time to come clean about a sad fact about water bottles. Some bottles just never get clean when used with energy drinks, and even water can transform bottles into something that you’d never want to drink out of – but the Clean Bottle might just have the solution.

Clean Bottle Description: Flat tires. Getting dropped. Bad drivers. Stinky, moldy water bottles.

We can’t help you with the first three, but we can 
do something about the fourth.

Introducing Clean Bottle, with a patent-pending, leak-proof , screw-off bottom. Gone are the days of trying in vain to wash out that funk at the bottom of your bottles. With Clean Bottle, cleaning and drying are easy.

Clean Bottle is made with 100% non-toxic, BPA-free plastics, making it safe to use over and over. Clean bottle is also top-rack dishwasher safe, so you can run it in the dishwasher without fear of it breaking down.

Bottle Sizes: 22oz
Plastic: Polyethylene (body) and Polypropylene (caps)
Country of Manufacture: China
Retail Price: $9.95 (22oz) Continue reading Hands On: Clean Bottle

Hands On: Polar Insulated Bottle

KineticShift.com continues our hands on test of water bottles.

The Polar express is up and running. Polar Bottle returns with its latest insulated water bottle that is thinner, making it easier to squeeze, yet still keeps water comfortably chilled.

Polar Insulated Bottle Description: Polar Bottle is the original insulated plastic sport bottle. It keeps liquids colder longer than other water bottles. We innovated the industry back in 1994 by creating a bottle that would actually keep water cool during any outdoor activity. The bottle has evolved in the years since with brightly colored foil liners and patterns and an innovative removable valve system. Made in America, Polar Bottle is popular throughout the world.

Bottle Sizes: 20oz and 24oz
Plastic: Low Density Polyethylene
Country of Manufacture: USA
Retail Price: $10.99 (20oz) & $11.99 (24oz) Continue reading Hands On: Polar Insulated Bottle