Colorado “Did it for the Children”

Jake Snakenberg

March 29th marked that date that Colorado became the state with the most sweeping law creating guidelines to protect young Coloradoans in the event of a head injury during organized youth athletic events. Colorado Senate Bill 40, also known as the “Jake Snakenberg Youth Concussion Act”, requires that coaches of youths between the ages of 11 and under 19 take a free annual concussion recognition education course. This course is designed to teach these coaches how to recognize the signs of a concussion; what steps to follow if a concussion is suspected in a young athlete; and immediately remove that athlete for the game, competition or practice. The athlete will not be allowed to return to the practice or competition until he or she is evaluated and receives written clearance to play from a health care provider.

Jake Snakenberg, the individual who the CO Senate Bill 40 is named, was a young high school athlete who died in 2004 after being hit in a football game. It is suspected that the injury was compounded by a previous concussion that he suffered which was never diagnosed. Governor John Hickenlooper signed the law on March 29th with Kelli Jantz, Jake’s mother, near by. Colorado Senate Bill 40 will take effect January 1, 2012. Continue reading Colorado “Did it for the Children”

Hoops You Don’t Jump (or Cycle) Through

Normally we think of “hoops” as something you jump through, but usually not in a circus kind of good way, but rather as a tedious task. However the UK-based designed firm Cyclehoop is actually looking to utilize hoops in a non-tedious way. The award-winning designers and architects specialize in producing innovative indoor and outdoor cycle parking solutions, and they’ve developed a new way to transform existing street and sign posts into bike parking. The Cyclehoop can even be used with existing parking meters, essentially making the posts able to do double duty.

What is great about this is that many sign posts, and especially those parking meter posts aren’t really ideal for chaining a bike. The former lacks coating to protect against scratches to the bike, while the latter isn’t ideal as many bikes with chains could be forced over the top of the meter. The Cyclehoop further allows riders to know that the posts are for legitimate bike use. It is a simple way for buildings and cities to work together to quickly provide an alternative to bike racks. In the end it is one less hoop to jump through.

Cyclehoop Official Website

Woo Hoo, Wahoo Brings ANT+ to Android

From insect to robot, or rather ANT+ to Android, that’s the news that hit last week as Wahoo Fitness announced the release of the first ANT+ application program interface (API) that connects Google Android smartphones to Wahoo Fitness products as well as any ANT+ compatible equipment. This ain’t just for iPhone anymore, as Android API joins Wahoo Fitness’ line of products tailored for the iPhone, broadening the pool of users able to use their smartphones as a fitness training and tracking tool.

“Wahoo’s technology is a perfect complement for anyone interested in better understanding the true results of their workouts, whether they are a casual exerciser or an elite athlete,” said Chip Hawkins, CEO, Wahoo Fitness.  “The availability of our Android ANT+ API allows a new wave of fitness enthusiasts to benefit from Wahoo Fitness products by enabling them to them to monitor and manage their workout information on a device they use every day.” Continue reading Woo Hoo, Wahoo Brings ANT+ to 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

Interbike 2011: Key Brands Returning

As we head into spring that means we’re at about the “half way” point to another Interbike, the the cycling industry’s annual flagship trade event. This year the show hits its 30 year mark, and is quickly selling out as exhibitors large and small lock up their space for the September 14-16 show at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.

“Interbike 2011 is already shaping up to be one of our biggest shows ever,” said Show Director Andy Tompkins. “The mix of established brands that exhibit every year and companies new to the cycling industry or just new to the show provide retailers with the opportunity to see the latest offerings from every corner of the cycling world, something that can only happen at an event as broad based and well-attended as Interbike.” Continue reading Interbike 2011: Key Brands Returning

Catch It For the Month of June

As baseball season opens, Rawlings Sporting Goods Company announced this week a new initiative to get kids out from in front of the TV. Time to put the joysticks down and pick up a ball, as Rawlings announced the creation of “National Play Catch with Your Kids Month,” a new platform to promote kids’ physical activity during the summer months. This effort is further designed to encourage families to come closer together through the game of playing catch.

“As the exclusive supplier of baseballs to Major League Baseball and the glove of choice for more pros than any other brand, Rawlings has truly owned this activity that evokes childhood memories for both fathers and sons, and has for years,” said Kurt Hunzeker, senior director of brand marketing for Rawlings. “Our mission is to enable participation in the game, even in its simplest form of playing catch, but the bigger goal is to provide a new avenue to promote daily physical activity.”

The month-long celebration will begin this June with Rawlings pitching in. This includes a national cause marketing effort, with the announcement last month of its Rawlings Replay gently-used equipment trade-in program, and its continued activation efforts within communities across the U.S.

National Play Catch with Your Kids Month

U.K.’s NHS Wants to Combat Tiredness

There’s an acronym, TATT, which stands for “tired all the time.” Does that sound like you? Or do you have strategies to combat tiredness? Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) wants videos from people, presumably residing in the U.K. explaining or demonstrating how to combat tiredness. It’s for use in a video wall.

The social media outreach is asking for user-generated videos that are factual, funny or professional. All content welcome. They’re asking for videos to be uploaded to the NHS Healthy Living Facebook page. The first video submitted is of a woman filming herself running up six flights of stairs to get a boost of energy rather than eating a bar of chocolate. It will be interesting to see what others come up with, and whether this helps those of us who are TATT.

Catch Some Air or a Wave

We’ve heard of surfing, where you basically ride on the water; we’ve heard of windsurfing, where you ride on the water propelled by the wind; and we know about para sailing and para gliding, where you ride over the waves propelled by wind. So it was just a matter of time until someone came up with kite surfing.

This is part para sailing and part surfing. It is now an adventure sport that is being encountered in off the Venezuelan coast, but it probably won’t be long before it catches the trade winds and makes its way through the Caribbean.  It also seems to be gaining popularity in Australia and New Zealand.

This sport is a hybrid of surfing and kite flying, and uses both the waves and the wind to propel the rider. The surfer uses a standard board, reportedly with or without footholds or straps, and apparently hangs on to a kite. So you hang ten while hanging on.

[Via Mid Day: Have kite, will surf]

The Great Skate Day

The first day of summer, also the longest day of the year is now also going to be the day for the 9th Annual Go Skateboarding Day. June 21, 2011 will bring together the skateboarding community and let them get out en masse for a day dedicated solely to skateboarding.

Go Skateboarding Day, presented by The International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC), works to honor and unite participants in the spirit of skateboarding and since its 2003 inception, has prompted cities to build skate parks, promoted local skate shops and raised money for local charities.

“Go Skateboarding Day is a great day for everyone to rid all obligations and go skate, “said IASC Chairman of the Board, Don Brown.! This June 21 will be another great day full of smiles, fun and lots of rolling as millions of skaters around the world unite and charge their local terrain.”

Go Skateboarding Day started out as a small group of colleagues skating to the Huntington Beach Pier and has grown into a worldwide event with millions of participants.  Last year, millions of skateboarders participated globally in more than 500 events held worldwide. If you are possessed to skate, than June 21 is the day for you!

The International Association of Skateboard Companies Official Website

Go Skateboarding Day

TIME to Ride with StemCAPtain

We’ve seen no shortage of cycle computers, and today these feature GPS in addition to tracking distance, calories burned and of course speed. But a pair of Colorado mountain bikers, Graeson Lewis and Mike Hogan, have opted for a more retro and stylish approach with their StemCAPtain clocks.

Essentially, the device replaces the generic – and frankly boring – handlebar stem cap with a timepiece or other similar round gizmo. These include waterproof thermometer or compass (think of that as old school GPS). The installation is simple enough. Remove the old stem cap and replace it with the aluminum base of the StemCAPtain and then snap in the clock or other insert. A silicone gasket at the bottom reportedly keeps it snug and rattle-free.

So do these caps do anything that a cycle computer doesn’t do? Not really, but it is a sort of nifty and easy swap out, and can add a bit of individuality to a bike. The StemCAPtain is available directly from the company, with prices ranging from $19.95 to $26.95 US. Time to ride.

[Via Gizmag.com: StemCAPtain – not a bike lock, but a bike CLOCK]

StemCAPtain Official Website

Artificial Clouds to Beat the Heat

While no one wants it to rain on game day, too much sun can be a real pain – and actually a health hazard for those in the stands. There are indoor stadiums of course, but that’s not the same. And even retractable roofs don’t always shield everyone away from the glare of the sun’s rays.

This is no doubt a concern for the 2022 World Cup games that will be played in Qatar, where extreme summer heat is something that can’t be easily beat(en). The solution, according to The Daily Mail is a cloud. We’ve heard of the digital cloud – as in online hosting of digital data – but this is actually an artificial cloud. And least you fear that this is some of gaseous creation, it is actually lightweight carbon structures carrying a giant envelope of material containing helium gas. In other words, large balloon like objects. So maybe a retractable roof would be the better idea?

However, because of the region has so much sun, organizers are looking to power the artificial clouds via solar power, as well as the air conditioning in the stadium. Hopefully as this will let spectators beat the heat.

[Via The Daily Mail: Pie in the sky! Qatar invents artificial clouds to beat the heat at 2022 World Cup]

DannyShane Takes it in Trade

It may be a crash, or just seasons of wear, but at some point, every jersey has to be retired. And sometimes you buy a jersey that just doesn’t fit and you start eyeing newer, shapelier jerseys out there. If the latter is the case, DannyShane has a deal for you. Between now and June 15 of this year, DannyShane will take any brand new or gently used cycling jersey as a trade-in when you upgrade to any of the cycling wear company’s jerseys or bibs. For the trade, you’ll receive a $22 trade-in rebate. Continue reading DannyShane Takes it in Trade

Wilson: It’s Official (As in Official Game Ball)

Wilson, at least Wilson the Volleyball, who was Tom Hank’s “friend” in the movie Cast Away, hasn’t gotten much attention in recent years. Probably like Babe the pig, the rolls for a volleyball are few and far between. But Wilson the Basketball, which we assume is a cousin of the volleyball, is heading to court.

Not a legal or regal court however, but the much more high profile basketball court. Wilson will be the Official Basketball of NCAA Men’s and Women’s Championships, and will be part of every winning shot, pass, dunk and dribble. The composite leather cover, composite laid-in channels and Cushion Core Technology variety was first introduced in 2003, the first non-leather NCAA tournament game ball. Continue reading Wilson: It’s Official (As in Official Game Ball)