To say there were a few surprises at least week’s Outdoor Retailer Show would be an understatement, notably as we expect the big bike news to occur at Eurobike or Interbike. But REI introduced the Novara, an affordable commuter bike that features the Gates Carbon Drive.
This bike offers a 3-speed hub as well as rear rack, fenders and a basket, but it is the grease-free belt drive that turned out head. It will be just $850 this fall.
We know summer won’t last forever, which is why we’re already considering attire for that cooler weather. The Novara Flirt Pedal Pusher bike Capri pants from REI are ideal for those who want to ride as the weather cools down. These feature nylon/spandex blend with 2-way stretch that allows pants to move with riders, while moisture-wicking finish keeping the skin dry. These offer a perforated gel pad to provide cushion, while the fabric provides a UPF 50+ sun protection, because as the weather cools down the sun can still be bright in the sky.
Cycling jackets don’t have to feature team branding or other colorful designs. REI’s house brand Novara has introduced the Dutchtown, a jacket designed to provide protection when riding in some wind and rain. It features a Polyester fabric with a durable water repellent finish that resists water to keep you warm and dry on those wet spring days.
The jacket offers roll-down cuffs with reflective trim to help keep you visible in low light, while two front pockets and one inside zippered pocket will let you stash whatever you need to carry. The Dutchtown jacket even features a media port so you can also keep your music player stashed inside and out of the elements.
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Having a sports devotee as the Secretary of the Interior can only be good news, and this week REI chief executive Sally Jewell, a reported mountain bike enthusiast, was nominated by President Obama to head up the Interior Department.
“As the CEO of REI, she’s done an excellent job of blending and balancing recreation and conservation interests,” said Tim Blumenthal, president of Bikes Belong and People for Bikes. “She understands mountain biking, the importance of easy bike routes for people of all ages, and the value of the recreation tourism economy. Her experience and outlook should help improve bicycling on public land and this will benefit bicycling and the bike industry.”
Given that Secretary of the Interior rarely undergoes the scrutiny of other cabinet positions it seems likely Jewell will get the job.
[Via Bicycle Retailer: Jewell is a good pick for the job, say advocates]
Riding a bike – even if it is just commuting to work – should be an adventure. And we don’t mean that in a bad way in the least. Cycling shouldn’t an arduous trip, even if it does involve some work or effort. With that in mind outdoor retailer REI’s Novara brand has rolled out the Safari, an “adventure touring bicycle” that can handle the daily commute on the mean streets, weekend rides on fire roads and turn simple trips to the store into an enjoyable ride. This steel bike is built with 27-speed gearing and looks ready to haul serious gear. So even if you never make it to the African veldt the Safari will have you feel like you’re heading on an expedition to fun.
Novara, REI’s bike line, is marking its 30th anniversary with a new line of bikes and gear that includes folding bikes for transportation, road bikes, mountain bikes and reflective clothing. Retailer REI will start to get the 2013 line of bikes, and continue getting new items through spring. Continue reading Novara Offers New Bikes, Gear at REI
There is an old saying that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Seattle-based Alchemy Goods essentially operates on that principal, and it creates new products from what many of us would likely just toss in the garbage.
This includes inner tubes, and to date the company has reclaimed more than 182,000 tubes from across the country and used these to make durable products including messenger bags and belts. Alchemy Goods has also partnered with REI bike shops and Trek retailers to obtain the tubes – ensuring that bike shops that do accept tubes actually have somewhere to send them.
On each product that Alchemy Goods produces it stitches a tiny number in the upper right hand corner, and while small it has a big significance – as it represents the percent by weight of upcycled material that goes into each product. The company strives to make this numbers as high as possible by incorporating as much upcycled material as they can. Continue reading Made in America: Alchemy Goods
