We’ve seen a lot of interesting bicycle saddle designs in recent months, and the Dpardo T2 Healthy Saddle is in a word unique. It is a horizontal bar that offers two main functions – it is designed to eliminate friction on the groin but also pressure on the perineum.
It certainly does seem based on the concept that less can be more!
[Via BikeRumor: Make your Butt happy with the Dpardo T Type Healthy Saddle]
Texas is increasingly becoming a more bicycle friendly place and KHOU in Houston recently reported that police started an undercover sting that targeted drivers who endangered cyclists. In Houston police have been donning bike attire and hitting the roads to go after drivers who aren’t following bicycle safety ordinance.
“What that simply means is that there are officers out there on bicycles, dressed as normal citizens, who are just riding around town,” Mark Eisenman, an HPD assistant chief, told KHOU.
This followed the March 25 announcment by Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who worked with the city and BikeHouston to create a new Bicycle Master Plan for the City as part of the Goal Zero Fatalities Bike Safety Campaign.
“As the name of this program implies, the goal is to end cycling fatalities,” Parker said. “Whether on a bike or behind the wheel, we have to abide by the rules of the road and learn how to share the road safely. Unfortunately, a spate of recent bicycle fatalities on Houston streets indicates there is much work to be done in this area. As a first step, I am dedicating $50,000 toward the cost of a Bicycle Master Plan that will guide our future decisions regarding placement of dedicated on-street bike lanes and infrastructure.”
[Via GearJunkie: Undercover Cops Sting Drivers Endangering Cyclists]
[Via KHOU: Undercover stings target drivers endangering bicyclists]
Breezer has launched a new line of of full-suspension bikes with 29-inch wheels and 120 millimeters of travel, called Supercell, which are equipped with Link suspension design Breezer introduced on its 650b Repack enduro bike last year. The MLink was designed with Sotto Group, an independent engineering firm.
“When we introduced Repack last summer, Breezer’s new all-mountain bike, it climbed and handled so well it completely changed people’s perception of what an all-mountain bike could do,” said JT Burke, Breezer product and brand manager. “And with Supercell, our new trail bike, we’re pushing that even further. Our patented MLink suspension technology is so efficient, lockouts are a thing of the past; and Breezer riders are seeing just how fast a balanced and efficient full-suspension system can climb.”
This innovative MLink design features a short-link pivot placed in the middle of the chainstay, which reportedly can balance out opposing braking and pedaling forces for an anti-squat and anti-rise ride. Breezer Supercell and Repack are currently the only bikes available with the technology.
The Double O isn’t exactly something we’d expect 007 or any other British super spy to use, but these are being developed in the U.K. by Paul Coksedge Studios through a Kickstarter campaign. The Double Os put out 80 lumens up front and 45 lumens in the rear. The designers suggest that this round style uses less bright LEDs but more and that results in a more visible light – without being blinding or otherwise distractive to drivers and other cyclists.
These charge up in 90 minutes via USB and have three modes – steady, which can run for about 2.1 hours; flashing at 4.2 hours and Eco at about 10 hours. Video after the jump
New Balance is once again offering a special running shoe to commemorate the Boston Marathon. This year the Limited Edition Boston 890v4 (M890BOS4) is ready to hit the streets of Bean Town, and is a tribute to the supports and competitors of the historic race.
It features a custom color along with the image of Massachusetts ghosted on the side. This shoe uses no-sew construction to keep the wearer’s foot secure at any speed, while responsive REVlite midsole and ABZORB crash pad will ensure runners can go the distance.
New Balance Limited Edition Boston Marathon Running Shoe Official Website
USA BMX knows that there are two fundamental “Rs” – and has launched the “Read to Ride” initiative for young schoolchildren. It is aimed at helping kids make up for learning loss they experience when out of school. This program is currently in a soft-launch and will roll out nationwide in May.
“With the success of our existing after-school STEM Program (science, technology, engineering and math), we felt it was important to continue our commitment to education and a lifelong love of learning. Through the BMX industry partnerships we have built over the years, we have significant interest for support of this new program,” said USA BMX chief executive officer B.A. Anderson.
Students in kindergarten through the sixth grade can read or be read to, choosing any publication or format they like, and log each hour of reading activity through an online tracking system. Each student receives a certificate of participation and a one-day membership to USA BMX. Students who rank in the top tier of their class in hours read earn additional prizes such as water bottles, shirts, hats and synch sacks. The student who logs the most minutes per school wins a BMX bike and helmet and recognition at a school assembly as the top reader.
From Sport Techie: #SportsInSTEM Series: Applying Sports to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Issues
In recent years, the United States has fallen behind other nations with educating students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Only 16 percent of U.S. high school students are proficient in math and actively pursuing STEM careers. In a world run by technology, where the majority of jobs in the near future will require advanced education in technical fields, these trends are troubling and must be reversed. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (04.12.2014): Sport Studies, Name Game, Weight Loss
If you’re planning to go camping this spring you could still find the ground a bit cold and damp, but the Klymit Insulated Static V camping pad will keep you high and dry and have you almost feeling like you’re back home in your bed. It uses body mapping technology to provide all season warmth and comfort, while the v-chamber design limits air movement and heat loss.
It also inflates in just 10-15 breaths so you don’t get out of breath getting ready for bed.
Last month saw the end of winter and while it is still cool and damp out there, Nike knows golfers are ready to hit the green. As such Nike Golf introduced three limited edition footwear styles that include hhe new Nike TW’ 14, Nike Lunar Control and Nike Lunar Clayton. These three designs blend Nike’s innovative performance technology with pops of iconic color throughout all three styles.
Nike Golf noted that each model features premium white uppers and a range of colorful design details, from the outsole to the lace eyelets to the Swoosh. Continue reading Nike Golf Goes for Three
We’ve seen – and will continue – to see plenty of utility knives for the trail and campsite. There are knives that could survive the end of the world and be ready for more. Knives that can cut tree limbs, ropes and tin cans; but would you want those to slice or dice the food you’re going to eat?
The Freescape Camp Kitchen Knife from Gerber is a rugged outdoor knife that is meant for cooking. Its razor sharp blade can mimic a chef’s knife and it can handle most food prep, but it features a rugged design that can handle the campsite. Back home it is even dishwasher safe – which is something most of those survival style knives likely are not!
Charge Bikes is charging ahead with a new brand dubbed Fabric. This includes a new collaboration with aerospace giant Airbus to produce bike saddles with 3D-printed titanium rails and carbon shells. The seats look to be aerodynamic, sleek and lightweight. They almost look like these could take flight right off the bike.
Charge Bikes Official Website
[Via BikeRadar: Fabric saddles – sonic bonds and hyper pins]
You can’t keep Boston down, and even after last year’s tragic and cowardly attack on the Boston Marathon – this year the race will go on. Competitor Group Inc. shows its support with its “Boston Strong” hubt, which includes videos, articles on the course, a spotlight on key Boston players, and facts on the growth of the Boston marathon including breakdown of the runners and number of finishers over the past few decades.
The 118th Boston Marathon will take place on April 21, 2014. Continue reading Back to Boston
Trail Cameras has introduced two new outdoor rugged cameras, the Browning Strike Force and Dark Ops Trail cameras and both are small enough to be virtually undetectable by animal or human eyes.
Each of these outdoor cameras is powered by six AA batteries, while offering easy set up. These feature time, date, temperature, moon phase, and camera ID on the data strip of every image, along with trigger speeds of .67 second, recovery times of 2.1 seconds, and increased power efficiency allow the cameras to capture more than 10,000 images on a single battery charge. These provide infrared images with an auto-adjusting illumination feature that prevents overexposed images in nighttime photos and videos; while the extended illumination feature brightens the field of view and eliminates dark edges.