In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil deliveries don’t happen on trucks, most goods are delivered via cargo bikes. The riders get little recognition though they keep the vibrant city thriving. This mirrors the scenario in Copenhagen 80 years ago, and a race for those who ride cargo bikes brought the riders into the spotlight. Now one race organizer is hoping to get his plans to organize a race for cargo bike riders in Rio off the ground. Continue reading Cargo Bike Race in Rio Needs Crowdfunding
Tag: bike
Interbike 2013: Wipeout Helmet for Kids
Triple Eight is onto something. The Wipeout Dry Erase Helmet doesn’t encourage a wipeout on a bike, skateboard or in-line skates. The “wipeout” in the name is actually to denote that the surface of the protective helmet can be decorated using dry erase markers. The helmet, which is available in three sizes, comes in a 3-pack that includes multi-sport wrist guards; knee pads and elbow pads; two neon dry erase, non-toxic markers; and a helmet in either black or pink. Triple Eight also offers stencils to give kids some shapes such as rockets, spiders and peace signs to get started on their doodles. Continue reading Interbike 2013: Wipeout Helmet for Kids
Speed Projection
Most cyclists have some sort of cycle computer. Whether it’s an app on an iPhone or Android smartphone, or a GPS device from Garmin, your miles are logged. But when on the bike sometimes the sun glares on the screen and it’s difficult to make out your speed. Likewise, after dark your screen may not be easy to see as well. A new Dynamic Bike Headlight, in development, projects your speed on the ground ahead of you, which also provides a light to increase visibility. Continue reading Speed Projection
Bike Storage Options Save Space
Ever since we had to find a way to store five bikes in a New York City apartment – and still have living space for ourselves – we keep an eye out for new ways to store bikes. Now that we’re in a house we have a little more space, but still like to keep our growing fleet of two-wheeled cycles neat and manageable. Apartment Therapy has a round-up of 10 solutions that hang on the wall, ceiling, or just help your bike stand on the floor without risking a fall every time you walk by. Check out some of the options they’ve found. How do you keep your bikes out of the way?
[via Apartment Therapy: Park It: Small Space Bike Solutions]
Bicycle Museum of America Welcomes RoundTail to Exhibits
RoundTail is about to join the ranks of historical bicycles at the Bicycle Museum of America in New Bremen, Ohio. This Thursday, June 21, at 11:30 am, one of RoundTail’s first production prototypes will enter the museum to be placed on display. Continue reading Bicycle Museum of America Welcomes RoundTail to Exhibits
BioLogic Makes Android Bike Mount
When cycling, I use the Strava app on my Android phone as a cycling computer. This is great to track distance, speed, and even where I bike. However it doesn’t help me so much when my phone is in my back pocket and I can’t access that information. Continue reading BioLogic Makes Android Bike Mount
Sweden Design Firm Comes up with the ‘Invisible’ Bike Helmet
Swedish design house Hövding has come up with an airbag-style bike helmet that puts an inflatable protective hood around the wearer’s head at the time of impact. The helmet is worn in a collar and only inflates when an impact occurs. Continue reading Sweden Design Firm Comes up with the ‘Invisible’ Bike Helmet
Made in America: Elevengear Cycling Lifestyle Apparel
“Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China”. If you are reading this post on an iPhone or iPad, that is what is printed on the back. The Kindle Fire is not any better with the line “Assembled in China”. Long ago we lost a majority of electronics manufacturing to Asia along with many other goods, but lately if you look at a tag for cycling gear, production for that type of product is also migrating out of the U.S. This is not the case with every company that designs and sells cycling apparel. One company that we have mentioned a few times, Elevengear Cycling Lifestyle, still believes in the concept of designing AND manufacturing their apparel in the same country, not out sourcing to the cheapest sweatshop. Continue reading Made in America: Elevengear Cycling Lifestyle Apparel
Made in America: Stan’s NoTubes Tubeless System Conversion Kit
Having a tire go flat on a bike is not a pleasant experience. The resulting situation can range from a minor inconvenience to a major catastrophe. A majority of the time it is just an annoyance that interrupts the momentum of a good ride or a possible chance of placing well in a race, but this problem can be virtually eliminated for less than $70.
As most avid cyclists know, the chance of getting a flat can been greatly reduced through the use of a tubeless tire system. Doing the conversion can involve the purchase of new rims, tires, tape, valves, and sealant. All of these components easily costing a few hundred dollars even before the labor cost is factored in for those who are not a home mechanic. When compared to the overall value of a bike, these new rims and tires might not be worth the investment. An option that some people might overlook is where the modern tubeless revolution started – the Stan’s NoTubes Tubeless System conversion kit. Continue reading Made in America: Stan’s NoTubes Tubeless System Conversion Kit
New Bike Racks Ready to Park on the Streets
An increase in biking calls for an increase in places to park your bikes. We don’t see to many of those multi-bike parking structures anymore, they take up too much space. But there are lots of new options coming out that take up little space, and are kinder to bikes. Continue reading New Bike Racks Ready to Park on the Streets
Chalktrail Leaves a Chalkline Behind the Wheel
There’s some innovations we have to applaud for getting people on the bike and doing some exercise. Chalktrail is one of those innovations. Chalktrail is an accessory that drags a very big piece of sidewalk chalk behind a bike or scooter to leave a line. Possibilities for fun are endless. Continue reading Chalktrail Leaves a Chalkline Behind the Wheel
Made in America: Vuelta USA Bicycle Chainrings
Finding a bicycle frame made in America is actually pretty easy. Though most of the big names have sent production overseas, there always seems to be a new hand built frame maker popping up. The same used to hold true for component manufacturers, but it is much harder to find companies that still make their products in the U.S.A. Chris King, Paul Components and Wheels Manufacturing are just a few of the companies that remain, but there are even fewer who still make chainrings. Vuelta USA of Pacoima, California is one of probably less than five companies that still manufacture chainrings in America and may be the only one that offers such an extension selection of sizes. Continue reading Made in America: Vuelta USA Bicycle Chainrings
Made in America: Chamois Butt’r & Chamois Butt’r EuroStyle
Spring has arrived for most of us in the Northern Hemisphere and for those who have not been on the bike in a few months, it could be a painful time of the year. Not only do the legs need to be dusted off and put through the paces of riding ’base’ miles, but just getting used to time in the saddle can be painful for some people. Even if the correct saddle is installed, the rider’s positioning is correct, and good, quality padded cycling shorts are being worn, sometimes soreness and pain can still develop in the area of the body that is directly in contact with the saddle. Hanging up the bike or cutting a ride short does not have to be the answer. To help relieve this pain, a chamois crème or ointment can be applied to the chamois area of the cycling shorts before putting them on or directly to the part of the body that is sore. This crème is not only designed to reduce chaffing, but also provide relief to that area of soreness through the addition other ingredients inside the product.
We have highlighted a number of different chamois crème products in the past, and all of them have the same goal of providing relief to the area of soreness – just with a different list of ingredients designed to tackle the issue in a slightly different way. The main difference between the two types of chamois crèmes are the ‘regular’ creams act as a lubricant, reducing chaffing; while the ‘European’ formulas, along with similar skin lubricant properties, also provide a cooling feeling through additional ingredients like menthol to stave off the growth of bacteria. Paceline Products, of Pleasant Valley, Missouri, has been developing and distributing both types of chamois crèmes since their ‘regular’ formula, under the name Chamois Butt’r, was introduced to the market back in 1997. Continue reading Made in America: Chamois Butt’r & Chamois Butt’r EuroStyle