Cycling | Evolving Consumer

To Serve and PROTKT

Wahoo Fitness knows that many people might not be comfortable taking their expensive iPhone on a bike ride. Since an iOS app is a crucial part of the business strategy for Wahoo Fitness, the company has introduced the PROTKT iPhone 5 Bike Mount and Case, which provides weatherproof and shockproof protection.

It also offers secure and quick mounting to a handlebar, while providing full phone functionality. It can be paired with Wahoo’s Blue HR and Blue SC for real-time heart rate, speed and cadence data.

Wahoo Fitness Official Website

GI Go

When we think of a “G.I. Bike” we think of something American soldiers used in World War II, but the Gi Bike is something different. It is a full-sized, folding, electric bike designed for travel around town.

It folds up or down in just three seconds, and can run 40 miles on battery. It even offers smartphone integration with apps and maps, and designed to handle the mean streets with side lights that help riders be seen, while an anti-theft safety lock ensures the bike is there where you left it. This is Gi is ready to roll. Video after the jump

Weekend Reading List (04.26.2014): Going Downhill, Bionic Olympics, Entrepreneurial Approach

Going Downhill

From Runner’s World:Three Tips for Running Downhill
Train on descents – without getting hurt – to build strength, boost coordination, and even have some fun. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (04.26.2014): Going Downhill, Bionic Olympics, Entrepreneurial Approach

Tee Time

Anytime is Tee Time with Kitsbow’s new Ride Tees, where are performance T-shirts made of blends of New Zealand Merino wool, polyester and spandex. Designed to be more causal and less fitted than cycling jerseys there are meant for the casual summer rides, and are available in five sizes and three colors, with varying material blends depending on the color. They include Kitsbow’s signature embroidered nylon shoulder panels for added abrasion and wear resistance and a stitched chest patch pocket.

Kitsbow Official Website

Smart Thinking

Researchers at the University of Oxford found that the human brain can notice symbols faster than it notices generic lights, and with this in mind a group from the school developed Brainy Bike Lights, which feature an LED “cyclists” symbol instead of just a row of bulbs.

In tests the team found that people were able to quickly identify that it was a bicycle and more importantly reacted more quickly to it. Those in the study reacted about 100 milliseconds faster, which for a car traveling at 30 mph could mean the distance of 1.34 meters. That could make a difference for those on the bike!

The lights are reportedly visible from a distance of 20 meters and provide a field of view of almost 180 degrees. The headlight version can run for about 50 hours while flashing, and the tail light can run for 200 hours. That should be plenty of time to get noticed.

Brainy Bike Lights Official Website

Garmin Back on the Edge

Garmin has remained on the cutting edge again. This month it unveiled its Garmin Edge 1000, which will carry over many of the training features from its Edge 819 but also add the navigation features of the Edge Touring. This new cycling computer features a 3-inch touchscreen display with full-color 240×400 resolution.

The new cycling computer will come loaded with maps and points of interest including parks and trails, and can provide riders with turn-by-turn directions. It can synced with ANT+ products including heart rate monitors, power meters and speed/cadence sensors. The Edge 1000 is even compatible with Shimano’s Di2 with D-Fly system to display the current gear on the screen. This unit can also be paired with a smartphone so riders can view incoming calls and even text messages.

Once again Garmin could very well give riders an edge in more ways than one!

Video after the jump

Adjustable Moxie

Moxie Cycling shows that it can adjust with its new Adjustable Cycle Skirt, which adjusts between 7 and 14 inches in length, features a hidden waistband pocket for carrying essentials, and — with its liner-free design — pairs with the rider’s favorite bike shorts.

Moxie Cycling Official Website

Shocking News

RockShox, the company that practically defines the mountain bike suspension fork, is turning things upside down. The company’s new RS-1 model features inverted legs and a full carbon chassis.

It is designed specifically for 29ers and features a totally integrated front end system that has been dubbed “Predictive Steering” as it combines the fork and wheel into one. By inverting the fork the damper legs can be more consistently bathed in oil, which means better lubrication and better small bump sensitivity along with more speed. About the only thing not to love about this concept is its high price! Continue reading Shocking News

Shine Like a Eagle

The Eagle 600 bike light from Magicshine doesn’t necessarily soar higher than most lights, but it does have a little magic of another sort. Unlike most cycling lights this light features an OLED display that shows remaining battery and runtime.

It can be fully charged in about four hours and can run on full power for about 1.5 hours. It also has low modes plus flashing mode to preserve the battery life. On full blast it offers 600 lumens, which is enough to light the road ahead. The best feature is still that lets you know the runtime that is left with the light so you’re not left out in the dark.

Magic Shine Eagle 600 Official Website

Kid of the Road

While kids can’t get behind the wheel until they’re 16 years old they can still feel like they’re a kid-sized king of the road with the new Farrier 24 kid’s road bike from Swobo. Peter Disco, owner of Swobo, has launched Farrier Bikes as a separate brand that makes road bikes especially for junior sized rides.

These include 24-inch wheels – as well as the slightly larger 650c – along with 6061 butted aluminum frames and forks and Shimano Claris 8-speed STI shifters. At $750 these are aimed at those serious young riders, and yet aren’t meant to be the final bike for anyone – and that makes sense as most kids might outgrow it in a season or two.

Farrier Bicycles Official Website
[Via BikeRumor: SWOBO LAUNCHES FARRIER BICYCLES W/ PREMIUM KIDS’ ROAD BIKES]

Rudy Gets Cool With Airstorm

Spring can be a time with wild weather and the Rudy Project is forecasting quite the Airstorm – its new road and mountain bike helmet. It features 16 front vents along with six rear “extractor” vents, which along with the internal crown architecture is meant to help hot air flow outwards to dissipate heat.

The helmet weighs just 260 grams, and features an adjustable “chassis and ring” structure to allow one-handed adjustment on the bike. It also features two sets of interchangeable and washable pads, plus a bug stop mesh protection system.

“Rudy Project has come a long way since we began developing helmets, and the Airstorm is a testament to that evolution and our engineers’ commitment,” said Paul Craig, president of Rudy Project North America. “By listening to our athletes and using that data to improve our design, we’ve come up with an incredible combination of features that’s sure to impress anyone who gives it a spin, plus the Airstorm is competitively priced for the benefits it packs.”

Rudy Project Official Website

State Your State!

Want to show some state pride while you ride? Pactimo’s new line-up of cycling jerseys includes design’s for California, Colorado and New York. Each State jersey features a full length YKK zipper along with hidden elastic sleeve openings, and a silicone gripper at the waist. These new 2014 jerseys are also quipped with the standard three rear pockets, while the jerseys even have a race radio earpiece opening in the rear pocket with a cord loop in the collar.

We’re not sure if more states will follow, but Pactimo could certainly help encourage a race between the states!

Pactimo State Series Official Website

Harrison and Eleanor On the Bike

Linus Bike has introduced two new bike bags for spring – the Eleanor canvas bag (left) and the Harrison briefcase. Both are designed to easily attach to bike racks with covered hooks.

The Eleanor, which can be carried as an over-the-shoulder bag, is made of coated 16 ounce canvas, with a leather bottom and handle. It features a magnetic closure, an interior iPad pocket, brass key hook and a D-ring for locking. It even includes a padlock.

The Harrison is designed for use on a bike as well as being a functional briefcase for around town. It can hold a 15-inch laptop in a padded pocket, plus it is made of coated 16 ounce canvas with cotton webbing handles with reinforced leather. The Harrison has a large main compartment with two interior pockets, pen holders, a brass key hook and a detachable shoulder strap. A D-ring can add a lockable option and it includes a padlock.

Linus Bike Official Website