Tag: Cycling

Cycle Goes Round

Bicycles have lots of round parts. There are obviously the wheels, but there are the chain rings, cassette, hubs and in many cases, even the tubes are round. But Lou Tortola, an avid cyclist who put in more than 3000 miles on his road bike last year, has another idea. The inventor and entrepreneur from Windsor, Canada has created a revolutionary bicycle frame design that he says will increase comfort, while retaining lateral stiffness and pedaling efficiency of the standard diamond frame bicycles.

The result is the Roundtail, which he says should provide more shock absorbing than traditional straight seat stays.

Tortola uses his computer to draft up a prototype of the twin ring design, and with his years of experience in metals and fabrication produced tooling to test his concept. Custom bike builder Paul Taylor helped bring the Roundtail to life.

The bike made its debut at the San Diego Custom Bicycle Show this past weekend. Titanium and carbon fiber versions, with mountain bike and hybrid models will be available later this year at Interbike.

Roundtail Official Website

Trimble Updates AllSport GPS Apps for Android

Trimble released new versions of its AllSport GPS app for the Android Market. This includes AllSport GPS Pro ($3.99) and AllSport GPS (free). The programs collect more than 20 fitness stats and calculate calories burned to help people reach their fitness goals. AllSport GPS apps track 14 outdoor fitness activities including running, cycling, skiing and walking. The apps also let you access real-time weather forecasts, chart workouts over time, and view street and park maps.

Continue reading Trimble Updates AllSport GPS Apps for Android

Giro Makes Us All Lightheaded

If a helmet’s aim is to protect your head in a crash, it’s goal is to provide ventilation and be lightweight. Following the introduction of the Specialized Prevail at Interbike last fall, Giro just announced its Aeon performance road helmet. This one was introduced over the weekend at the Tour of Flanders. The Aeon weighs in at 222 grams (size medium), 28 percent lighter than comparable helmets such as the lonos and close in weight to the Prolight. Continue reading Giro Makes Us All Lightheaded

Audi Sports ‘Wood’

Bicycles and automobiles are more intertwined that you may think. Several automobile manufacturers were actually started as bicycle manufacturers or key players dabbled with bicycles before becoming involved with automobiles. The now defunct Pierce-Arrow Motor Corporation started as a bicycle manufacturer and Carlo Maserati got his start in engines while working at a bicycle manufacturer near Milan, Italy. In recent year, Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, Cadillac and Mercedes have lauched their own line of bicycles to more than likely capture additional revenue after they have sold an automobile. The new car owner can buy the hat, jacket, pen, sunglasses…why not the bike? Saab was clever and sold a Saab bicycle that was folding so that it could fit inside your car just in case you could not park near your final destination. Most of the modern bicycles offered by automobile manufacturers are in reality designed and built by bicycle manufacturers. It is possible that the car company designs the bikes and specs the components, but they certainly are not making them. Continue reading Audi Sports ‘Wood’

Pedal Power Gets Boost From Powerpedals

Going out for a spin can mean a good workout, but if you’re spinning to work sometimes you can use a little help with the pedal power. To that end Powerpedals is on the way. Enter the Tonaro electric bicycles, which feature a revolutionary central drive technology that makes electric cycling more efficient and gives riders more freedom when shifting and when choosing how to ride.

“Every so often a radical new design comes along and changes everything. So it is with Tonaro’s patented central drive technology and electric bicycles,” said Philip Hughes of Powerpedals. “The entire drive system is housed within the pedal cranking system and the bracket mount motor enables the bikes gears to be used with the motor. This allows you to down shift for hills and to shift up to higher gears as you gain speed.” Continue reading Pedal Power Gets Boost From Powerpedals

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

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

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

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

Hands On: Epic Comp 29

Recently I mentioned the demo day and test bike programs that bicycle retailers and manufacturers have in place so that the consumer can really test drive a bike before purchasing. With bikes costing several thousand dollars, it only made sense that the customer would really want to make sure that their new bike investment was the right one. Out of all of the mountain bikes that I have, only one is full suspension and it only has a little over one inch of rear travel. Since my days of racing for Pro-Flex in the late 1990s, I have been turned off of full suspension bikes. Realizing that there have been many advancements in bike technology and now that I am a little old (translated…more body pains), I think it might be time to add a full suspension bike to my fleet. Continue reading Hands On: Epic Comp 29

Hiplok Not Just for Hipsters

Anyone who has spent any time in a large city has probably seen riders “wearing” their bicycle chain and lock. This “fashion statement” was popularized by bike messengers since the early 1980s. Unlike most U-locks or other cable locks that can be defeated with relative ease, a sturdy lock and tough chain are actually serious deterrents.

Now with more urban commuters, it is no surprise that some companies have taken the simple concept and turned it into true fashion statement. This includes Hiplok, which does sound like something hipsters would either embrace or shun for the name alone. Continue reading Hiplok Not Just for Hipsters

Fitness Journal: Test It Before You Ride Part II

You wouldn’t buy a car without taking it out for a test drive, but surprisingly this is exactly how many people buy bikes. This isn’t surprising for lower-end bikes, but then the numbers are well north of $1,000 this is just crazy. Why wouldn’t you test a bike first?

Some of the major bike retailers even maintain a small fleet of ‘Test Bikes’ for their customers to sign out for the day to ride on the local trails. There is usually a fee that you will have to pay to take the bike out, but most shops will allow you to apply that fee towards the purchase of a new bike. Just a few weeks ago, I was able to sign out two different full suspension Specialized 29ers from a local dealer, Tam Bikes in Mill Valley, California, to take up on some trails that I am very familiar with and have ridden often. After a few hours on each of the full suspension bikes, my mind was swayed by being able to ride a test bike on trails that I have ridden often instead of just around the parking lot. Continue reading Fitness Journal: Test It Before You Ride Part II

Transforming Bicycle – Bike to Cart

One problem with biking to the grocery store is that you have to lock up the bike. The other problem is that most bikes aren’t really designed to carry a lot of goods, and unless you’re just getting a bag of chips (not exactly health food for riders), you might have a hard time transporting your purchases home.

The Ville Urban Folding Bicycle, which won a Bronze Prize at last year’s IDEA Design Awards might just be the solution. It is a folding bike that essentially transforms into cart to help you do your shopping, and then with a quick change you can be ready to ride home with a bike that includes baskets for your goods. And unlike those actual Transformers from movies and cartoons, this one actually seems practical!

[Via Yanko Design: How To Fold A Bike Into A Cart]