Center Stage

StagesPowerHSDStages Cycling is powering up again, with an update to its mobile app and firmware on its crankarm-based power meter. This will add new features including a high-speed data analysis tool that could be useful for BMX racers and track sprinters who want to look at a very small sample of pedal stroke data. The meter, located on the left crank arm, records force and torque data 64 times per second. The data is sent via Bluetooth to the iOS app, which can then email the data in a .csv file.

The company further added pedal smoothness and torque efficiency data gathering, which can be used with Garmin’s 510 and 810 cycling computer models.

There is also new battery level features to its iOS mobile app, which when the app is connected via the Bluetooth LE wireless system will show the power meter’s battery level; when connected via the ANT+ wireless system. The app will further present a low battery warning when there is about 10 hours of battery life remaining.

The app includes a Fahrenheit/Celsius toggle to use during device calibration and a “Tools Page” that shows the meter’s calibration data and other settings.

Stages Cycling Official Website

Louis Garneau’s Holiday Gift: A $100,000 Christmas present for the Little Brothers- Friends of the Eldery

LGPress Release: Louis Garneau and Pierre Dion presented a cheque for $101,223 to the Little Brothers- Friends of the Elderly organization. Thanks to the record participation of the public to the Granfondo Garneau-Cascades presented by Quebecor, the amount raised represents $40,000 more than last year!

For Pascal Fournier, Director of the Little Brothers- Friends of the Eldery organization in Québec, this amount will greatly improve the help for the elderly: “The money raised will go towards the maintenance of the vacation home at St-Joseph Lake and to the development of the Little Brothers- Friends of the Elderly in the greater Quebec region. This will allow us to welcome more lonely elderly from Quebec City and surrounding area who will never again be alone.”

For Louis Garneau, organizer of the event, the funds collected are synonymous with both victory and promise kept: “Last year, I promised that we would surpass ourselves and reach greater objectives, and that’s exactly what we did! It was possible thanks to the 3,000 participants of the Granfondo and the help of our valued sponsors. I would like to express a very particular thank you to Pierre Dion, Honorary President of the 2013 edition, for his generosity and indispensable help in making this event a success. I am proud that together, we contributed to improving the life of the elderly suffering from loneliness, while practicing a sport we love.”

2014 Granfondo Garneau-Quebecor

Louis Garneau Sports and Quebecor are proud to sponsor the sixth edition of the Granfondo Garneau-Quebecor presented by Cascades, which will take place on August 10, 2014. In addition to the cycling portion, a 10 km foot race is added to the event, making even more people move.

Granfondo Garneau-Quebecor

Kinetic Gets Training Partner for Winter THAW

KineticThis month Kinetic announced that it has teamed up with training experts at Carmichael Training Systems (CTS), and this will provide cyclists who use the innovative Kinetic by Kurt trainers access to indoor training advice and coaching that can help them go the distance this winter.

The new partnership, which runs through all of next year, kicks off with a special Winter T.H.A.W. (Train Hard And Win), which includes a new Kinetic Road Machine Trainer, three months of CTS full-service coaching and a Train Right Climbing series DVD set. This also includes a 100 percent personalized training schedule, power file analysis and schedule adjustments.

Winter T.H.A.W. Official Website

Change of Color

ColorPhaseThe military has long looked to develop superior camouflage, but typically the only method of changing the color was to have it be two sided – thus summer green on one side with the browns and oranges on the other. This year Cabela’s worked to develop ColorPhase, which the company noted is the world’s first camouflage clothing to be printed with rapid-change, temperature-activated dye.

What this means is that when it is warm outside the fabric remains mostly green, but as the temperature drops below about 65ºF (18ºC) it starts to change to brown. ColorPhase isn’t limited to just the jacket and also includes caps, gloves, pants and shirts. Continue reading Change of Color

Assos Brings Lighter Bibs

AssosSome cyclists swear by bibs, and Assos is looking to ring in the New Year Year with the new s7 line, the first update to the Swiss brand’s bibs in six years. The new line, which includes four models, is designed to be lighter and features fewer seams. It has softer compression and is designed to be even more breathable, which should be ideal on those long rides next year.

Assos s7 Official Website

Fitness Six Pack

Voyager-500When we think of six pack fitness doesn’t really come to mind, but the Six Pack Bag is designed for health and fitness enthusiasts as a way to travel with workout gear, laptop and even some food. Everything has just the right place.

The Voyager 500 backpack is one solution that can accommodate five full meals, sports nutrition products and shakers, supplements, a computer or tablet, and professional accessories. It is designed so that hot food can stay hot while cold stays cold. It is ideal for those times when you might head out for a day or more and want everything to remain in order.

Six Pack Bags Official Website

Retro Replicas

De-MarchiItalian clothing brand is going back in time with a line of replica jerseys. These will be made in Italy with 100 percent merino wool. This is fitting as the company launched in the late 1930s with a line of homemade cycling attire. Now 80 years later the company has launched the Authentic line, and has launched an e-commerce site to sell the jerseys. We hope to see more cyclists donning these retro jerseys in the New Year.

De Marchi Official Website

The Devereux Collection Goes Contemporary

DevereuxRobert and Will Brunner, brothers and avid golfers, have introduced the Devereux collection of premium-quality modern menswear aimed for the avid golfer’s lifestyle. The attire is tailored to move seamlessly from the workday to the weekend, providing elegance and versatility. It was created to be simple-yet-sophisticated, with clean modern styles that are designed to fit properly and inspire performance – on and off the golf course. Continue reading The Devereux Collection Goes Contemporary

QBP Gets Colorful

QBPQuality Bicycle Products will let you put some color in your ride. The company has introduced the iSSI line of mountain bike pedals that will be available in eight colors next year. The iSSi pedals will be available in Bright Silver, Intense Black, Brilliant White, Hi-Vis Yellow, Hi-Vis Orange, Tru Blu, Really Red, and iSSi Pink.

“We are creating iSSi specifically to support specialty bicycle retailers,” said Jason Gaikowski, QBP director of brand design and marketing. “Pedal iSSi is competitively priced at $75 MSRP and offers dealers a healthy 50 percent margin with strong MAP and Sales policies.”

Quality Bicycle Products Official Website

Weekend Reading List (12.21.2013): A Walk in the Snow, Daily Vitamin?

A Walk in the Snow

Snow-Art

From Gear Junkie: Artist Walks For Hours To Create Snow Art
With an orienteering compass in hand and TSL snowshoes on his feet, Simon Beck creates amazingly intricate but enormous designs in fresh snow, one step at a time. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (12.21.2013): A Walk in the Snow, Daily Vitamin?

Can Your Mobile Phone Really Keep you Healthy?

fitnessModern western societies are swamped with the most advanced communication technology the world has ever seen. They’re also – almost universally – suffering from epidemics of obesity and preventable deaths from related conditions like diabetes. Are the two related? Well possibly. Certainly, we live more sedentary lives than when we were chasing our dinner. However, mobile technology can be a good guy as well as a villain in this story, with plenty of apps offering to keep an eye on your exercise program, monitor your health and help the disabled live more active lives. Continue reading Can Your Mobile Phone Really Keep you Healthy?

Rig in the New Year

Big-RigGet in the big ring with the Big Rig pedal desk. We’ve seen a variety of other desks that have melded bicycles to work, but this one is designed to meet the demands of getting a spin and getting work done.

Andy Wekin and his team are now looking at ways to harness cycling power – which they claim is already 97 percent efficient – and utilize it as a practical method of providing power as well as helping burn calories. Many of the workout desks with treadmills need to be plugged in, and the pedal power of many workout desks with bicycles just goes to waste. The concept with Big Rig is one where the energy created from pedaling could power a device!

The team is now looking to a Kickstarter campaign to get this one rolling. Video after the jump