This recent election was known for a lot of mudslinging but hopefully one bicycle advocate will use the political signs to keep the mud from flying. Kent Peterson has taking leftover political signs and created bicycle fenders. Not a bad use for all those political yard signs.
Kudos to Ken for keeping the signs – from the winners or losers – out of the landfill.
Don’t you hate it when your bike falls over? You can lean it against a tree or the curb but eventually it is going to fall over. Now if you ride with… say your wife/girlfriend/husband/boyfriend you could click together the bikes. That is the idea of the Bicyclick’s Clickstand and Click-Base, which is basically a ball and socket connector that you put in the end of any flat handlebar.
Obviously this is meant for the casual rider with a hybrid or comfort bike more than a serious roadie, but the idea isn’t a bad one. It can install quickly and allows two bikes with the Clickstand to stay upright, while the Clickstand clips into the Click-Base mounted on a wall, to ensure that the bike can’t be accidentally knocked over. While not for everyone, we think it could still click for some riders.
If you happen to have some serious golf clubs – such as Miura clubs by chance – you don’t want to stick them in just any golf bag. Miura Golf, the maker of forged irons, apparently understood this and released its own Limited Edition Tour Bag.
“The world’s finest forged golf clubs deserve the very best bag — and for players who prefer a tour look, Miura’s new tour-style golf bag is the perfect home for Miura clubs”, said Adam Barr, president of Miura Golf
The 9-inch diameter top features six dividers that offers plenty of room for 14 clubs, while the carrying strap can be optimized for two- or three-point harness. The “belly” pocket can hold a rain suit and pair of shoes, plus there is even a hidden umbrella pocket so golfers can be prepared should the weather conditions change. It is made of high quality enamel-finish polyurethane that will endure years of travel. And yet this bag weighs in at just 9.5 pounds. So while it works well on a golf cart or three-wheel push cart this might be one you don’t mind carrying.
Not everyone wants camping gear that looks like camping gear. The Scout Field Bed, which is crafted in the USA from Italian organic selvage denim offers a look straight out of yesteryear. It looks ready for a cowboy with antique brass zippers, Horween Chromexcel horsehide pulls and leather tie-down straps – but features Climashield APEX Insulation that is rated to 20ºF. This way you can look tough and stay warm.
They blend into the landscape and even if we notice them, many think they’re eyesores. We’re talking about billboards. But here is something most of us never think about: what happens to the materials after the ad campaign is over? What becomes of the billboard?
Alec Avedissian clearly wondered exactly that, because he and two fellow surfers, Ryan Judy and Sho Rust, got together and formed Rareform, a business venture that takes the vinyl material from old billboards and creats durable, water-proof, mildew proof surfboard cases. Given the number of billboards in his native Los Angeles it isn’t hard to see that Rareform could have an endless supply of material! Continue reading Billboards Become Surfboard Bags
The bare essentials is what Naked Longboards of Vancouver, Washington is all about. The boards are simple, durable and classy. And while they aren’t (yet) 100 percent made in the United States, the team is working on it.
The decks and wheels are American made and they’re looking for local truck and bearing suppliers. And when they say “they” they mean Jabien Letlow, the one man team that owns and operates Naked Longboards, who choose the name to emphasize that the boards feature no extra graphics, with exposed wood and clear grip tape. Even the logo is laser-etched to provide that “tattoo on board” look.
We like what we see.
A good knife is one tool you don’t want to be without when camping, hiking or hunting. The DPx Gear HEST 2.0 Survival Knife isn’t a good knife, it is probably the one knife you’d serious want when things get serious. It features a 3.15-inch Sleipnersteel blade with a resilient cutting edge, a strong re-angled pry notch, wire strippers and hex driver. It available either with a PVD coating for the stealthy look, or as a naked stone-washed blade and wood handle for that woodsman look. Either configuration offers a hollow handle for storing extra survival materials.
While people still picnic it typically means paper plates, a two liter of soda and probably something bought pre-cooked at the grocery store – but there are still those who like the traditional picnics, with actual plates and cups. And what better way to get to the picnic site than by bicycle.
That’s the idea behind his Picnic Basket Pannier, from Bloon Design which can be strapped to the side of the bike and then converted into a mini tablet for two!
Apparently bike parking is so bad in Japan that a designer has crafted this “Bicycle Desk.” Dubbed the “PIT IN,” it is designed as a way of parking the bike and using it as a chair as well.
We’ve seen some strange innovations, like desk chairs that double as workout machines, and even a treadmill desk. What makes this questionable is that it is only for parking. Perhaps if it could be used with a trainer we’d see it as being more than just a tall table. Maybe there is a shortage of chairs in Japan as well, but really we see this a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.
We’ve seen a lot of innovative technology in boots – heat coils, synthetic materials and all sorts of waterproofing. But sometimes you can’t mess with a good thing. And that’s why the Danner Mountain Trail Left Bank boots seem so classic. These evoke style that is often missing today.
These are constructed of Horween Russet Chomexcel Leather from Chicago’s Horween Leather Company, and are fully lined to endure a hike in the woods and so much more.
As our bicycle editor can attest babies do something very annoying – they grow very fast and this really doesn’t stop as they age. That means replacing clothing, shoes and a whole lot of stuff. But it also means that things like bicycles can become “small” pretty quick.
Noelia Vallano Alvaro developed the “B’kid, a wood bicycle that is really three in one. It starts out as a trike, a balance bike and a pedal bike. We’ve seen similar products such as the Orbea Grow, but this is unique that it is designed to also help kids learn to ride. It is made of wood, giving it that natural and sustainable vibe that we think is also pretty cool.
Clearly something is going on, as in the past month we’ve seen all sorts of innovative new tools that put a twist on the traditional shovel and sledgehammer/axe. Now the Woodman’s Pal shows that campers, hunters and other outdoors types have been doing something wrong. This multi-tool features a sickle hook blade that can cut back branches up to 1.5 inches in diameter with a mere single stroke. It also features a 10.5 inch carbon steel blade for normal cutting and there is even a bottle opener. All these devices have a bottle opener so maybe it is beer company that is behind this conspiracy of tools. Continue reading Woodman’s Multi-Tool
Xtracycle has made a name for itself in the cargo bike space, but if the cargo space on the bikes isn’t enough the company now is looking to add a bit more with a sidecar attachment. This add-on mounts using the horizontal dropouts, and can hold up to 200 pounds on a 24-inch by 30-inch platform. In other words if you have some extra that you need to carry, Xtracycles probably can make it happen. Video after the jump