Touring around the U.S. to see all of the MLB stadiums, NFL stadiums or college stadiums is certainly not a new concept. For years people have been making a pilgrimage to these houses of sporting worship, but most do not even get to step on the playing field of their heroes. Cycling is on of those sports that fans can actually ride on the same “playing field” as the pros if they are willing to guide themselves, learn enough of the local language to communicate with the locals and unfortunately battle traffic. Knowing that fans want to ride on the same course as the pros, numerous touring companies have cropped up offering cyclists to opportunity to ride the famous courses of their heroes. Sometimes even on the same day as the pro race, just hours in front of the peleton, and be fully supported with guide services, food and accommodations. Seeing an opportunity of their own to diversify their business, the bike company Cervélo, has teamed up with the touring company, Butterfield & Robinson Management Inc., to create the Cervélo Pro Travel Experience.
Italian Style: Gucci and Bianchi Partner for New Bike and Matching Helmet
Even if a bike is just for commuting the Italians know you should look good going and getting there. To this end Italian luxury goods designer Gucci is rolling out a bicycle with Italian bike maker Bianchi. The result is a Gucci branded road machine that will feature plenty of style for commuters, and a helmet to match.
The bike will feature a black carbon fiber frame, with the Bianchi by Gucci logo on the frame and seat, while the helmet will be available in white and black and feature the signature green/red/green branding by Gucci. What strikes us as odd is that from the photos the signature Bianchi “Celeste” color seems to be missing. Hence this is why it is a Gucci brand bike (as in Bianchi by Gucci). Likewise, the price is all Gucci with the bike reportedly carrying a $14,000 price tag while the helmet will retail for $890. Hardly small change for commuters, but can you really put a price on style – apparently you can and it is almost $15,000! Continue reading Italian Style: Gucci and Bianchi Partner for New Bike and Matching Helmet
MOTOACTV – Music and Fitness Tracker All in One
Looking to get fit this holiday season? The MOTOACTV has arrived. It is a wearable fitness performance tracker and smart music player in one, offering a digital fitness instructor and personal DJ for the wrist. It features an intuitive touch-screen display along with the ability to sync to the PC to better track workouts.
“Motorola has created a new category of smart device that support your active lifestyle with the addition of MOTOACTV,” said William Ripley, general manager, Companion Products EMEA, Motorola Mobility. “Workout smarter without using multiple devices or even wires, with the first multi-activity music and fitness tracking device with the brains to push you beyond your limits.” Continue reading MOTOACTV – Music and Fitness Tracker All in One
Beardhead Keeps You Warm, Keeps it Fun
Not everyone is willing or able to grow a full beard to stay warm in colder weather. Beardhead has a line of hats and beanies that give you an instant beard to keep you warm and add a little humor into your day.
Knit hats from Beardhead, which cost around $30 a piece, add a knit or scraggly beard to a head covering. Most hats are knit from a 30 percent wool, 70 percent acrylic blend yarn that will stay warm and dry all season on those cold days when you want to wear a balaclava but don’t want to be mistaken for a robber.
Styles include Grandpa, Ginger (redhead), Pirate, and Santa in the knit variety hats. The barbarian collection has a knit horned helmet paired with a hairy beard in several lengths and styles. Expect to get plenty of looks when you put this on next time you go out for a run.
Beardhead Official Website
[Via Be Sportier: Beardhead Winter Sport Hats With Personality]
It’s a Bike, It’s a Scooter, It’s…
Part bike, part scooter and part concept, the Scoobike combines the push of a scooter with the pedal power of a bike, resulting in a very strange device. This is the brainchild of Archyaska Amy – not to be confused with ScooBike Ezee Sprint, the Swiss made commuter bike, or SCOOBIKE, the Brazilian based cycling retailer – which allows users to either ride like a bike or a scooter. It is a simple and elegant design, and something can be said for that, but frankly that’s all we have to say! More images after the jump
3LC’s Spin on Training
Pounding out miles on the bike trainer through the shorter days of winter can be a real motivational challenge especially after a long day at the office. Hooking the bike up to the trainer, strapping on the heart rate monitor, watching the watt meter and simply turning over the pedals can be a real drag. Three Legs Cycling (3LC) has a series of training DVDs utilizing a different and simpler approach to training that promises a more exciting training experience.
The 3LC series DVDs are designed to help you stay fit, become stronger and stay motivated through the winter, but instead of requiring a host a monitoring devices, they have designed the series behind the philosophy of leg speed. Hook the bike up to the trainer, pop in the DVD and ride. The videos will take you through the workout and during certain intervals, instruct you to increase or decrease your leg speed. Even if you do not have a computer with cadence, simply watch the riders on the video and match their leg speed. If you feel good, put the bike in a harder gear and maintain the same cadence as the riders in the video. The beauty of the video is if you are having a lackluster day, simply put the bike in an easier gear, but match the cadence of the riders. It is that simple – always match the cadence.
aG One Allows for Simulated Greens
No matter what the weather may bring golfers looking to improve their game can get into the stroke with the aboutGolf aG one, a standardized simulator system. The producer of PGA TOUR Simulators and golf performance technology has announced the introduction of this new system.
Suited for more restrictive budgets, the system is known for its “One size, One Week, One Price” solution, and the aG one costs about 30 percent less than the customized aboutGolf PGA Tour Simulator while still offering the same principals of accuracy and reliability.Packaged as a complete simulator system, aG one takes only one week to produce and not only includes aboutGolf’s proprietary 3Trak ball tracking technology, but also the company’s 700 Series Software, nine 3D graphic golf courses, a basic enclosure, and turf stance mats.
“For more than 20 years, aboutGolf has been on the cutting edge of golf simulation and performance improvement technology,” says Bob Ryan, Chairman and CEO, aboutGolf. “aG one is just another example of our dedication to meeting clients’ needs without sacrificing the quality that has become synonymous with ‘aboutGolf.'”
If it is about golf simulators the folks at aboutGolf know it!
Impulsive Lawsuit
Take a very good look at the picture above. On the left is Impulse Technology’s Trazer Interactive Fitness machine, while the one on the right is the Nintendo Wii in action. Do they look the same, because Impulse Technology has filed a lawsuit against Nintendo – along with several third-party game development studios, for violating a 1996 patent for an “interactive system for measuring physiological exertion.” According to Joystiq.com the suit is reportedly based on the “weight-tracking Wii Balance board (and the games which use it).”
Impulse Technology has claimed that the Wii too closely resembles the Trazer Interactive Fitness machine. Now what is curious is that the Wii was launched in 2005 and the Wii Balance Board came out in 2007, so why the delay until late 2011? Could it be that Impulse filed a similar suit against Microsoft over the Kinect this past July and is just covering all bases?
[Via Joystiq: Impulse Technology suing Nintendo for patent infringement]
PowerSnorkel for Undersea Adventures
For those who want to do some underwater exploring but don’t want the heavy equipment there is an alternative way to do so and still breathe fresh air. The Floating PowerSnorkel from Power Dive is a free-floating Hookah that allows users to dive to six meters without the need of a tank. The PowerSnorkel Hookah features a pump and motor that float on the surface, via a battery that can run for more than an hour, so users can go (fairly) deep and still get all the air they need. Essentially this is a solution for those looking to do something between snorkeling and scuba diving, but a good one at that. Continue reading PowerSnorkel for Undersea Adventures
Nike Goes Xtreme With New Golf Bag
Those looking to walk the course need not think of golf as an “extreme” workout, as the Nike Xtreme Sport IV Carry Bag will offer comfort and functionality from fairway to fairway. This latest bag, which arrived at retail this month, was inspired by Nike’s impressive knowledge of bags.
The Nike Xtreme Sport IV Carry Bag incorporates key features and benefits for those golfers who enjoys walking the course. It features ventilated air mesh back pad and updated Nike revolving double strap system, so every player can pick up and play with comfort and ease. It also includes new Nike Grind zipper pulls that are made using raw materials from the recycling of athletic shoes through Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program and from the recycling of scrap materials left over from the manufacture of Nike product. Additional features include new custom leg end caps to provide ultimate stability and GPS/rangefinder loops for functionality. Continue reading Nike Goes Xtreme With New Golf Bag
inReach Helps You Reach Out
If a tree falls in the woods, but no one is there the question is asked, “does it make a sound?” But what if you’re lost in the forest, all alone, and you cry out for help. No one will hear you, not unless you have DeLorme’s new inReach device.
Essentially this satellite-enabled device is your hiking, backcountry panic button for those times when you need help and have no cellular coverage. The device can send a general SOS message to the GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center, and users can also send pre-loaded text messages to additional parties as well. The latter messages don’t have to be warnings, but updates – such as “I’ve reached the summit.”
For those times when you need urgent help the device, which features GPS technology, can regularly transmit its coordinates at regular intervals. The inReach can also be liked up with an Android device via Bluetooth and allow for two-way text communication, sending/receiving of email and even provide access for Facebook and Twitter updates. Video after the jump
Fitness and Health Apps: Big Business in Years to Come
Even if all the sports and health mobile applications aren’t getting people in shape, it is making for a very healthy market. According to a new report from ABI Research the sports and health mobile application market will grow to over $400 million in 2016, way up from the $120 million the sector reported in 2010.
According to ABI much of that growth will be spurred by the ability of mobile handsets to offer connectivity to wearable devices that can provide greater functionality, accuracy and appeal to sports and fitness applications. The new apps can in essence replace, or at least replicate what standalone products such as heart rate monitors and calorie counters are currently providing. Continue reading Fitness and Health Apps: Big Business in Years to Come
Product Recall: Joss Rock Climbing Cam Units Recalled by Sierra Trading Post Due to a Fall Hazard
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Joss rock climbing cam Units: About 1,280Importer: Sierra Trading Post, of Cheyenne, Wy.Manufacturer: Cassin Sri, of ItalyHazard: The recalled cams can fail unexpectedly after being set, posing a fall hazard.Incidents: One incident reported in Europe. No deaths or injuries reported in the U.S. Continue reading Product Recall: Joss Rock Climbing Cam Units Recalled by Sierra Trading Post Due to a Fall Hazard