Retroreflective vinyl turns your black bike white in the light

If you go biking at night, it's a smart idea to have reflectors on your bike so cars don't accidentally run you over. But what if, rather than slapping reflectors on your bike, you made your entire bike a reflector? Oh, and you did so invisibly?

This is entirely possible thanks to retroreflective vinyl. It's a material that looks black in normal light, but turns completely white and reflective when a bright light, such as headlights, is shone on it. It's totally awesome, giving your bike a cool black exterior that also keeps you totally safe by acting as beacon when light hits it. You can get the material and do it to your own bike if you want.

BrightBike, Via Core77

Brunton BrewFire Dual-Fuel Coffee Maker

If you really, really need your morning cup o' joe no matter where you are, check out the Brunton BrewFire Dual-Fuel Coffee Maker ($TBA; February 2009).

This unique coffee maker is fueled by either propane or butane fuel, letting you brew up to eight cups of java pretty much anywhere you want.

Great for one of those 'plush' camping trips, but it might be a great use for all of those partial propane leftovers from the latern

Update: It has finally released and it goes for a whopping $160+, amazingly the thing is already temporaryly out of stock, but you can still get on the waiting list

Optibike is the perfect bike for people who hate to bike?!

Biking is a great way to get around, but what if you're lazy? If that's the case, biking isn't that great, what with it demanding physical exertion to work. And who likes exerting themselves physically? (I do, Ido) But if you don't then that's why you might like the Optibike OB1. Powered by a lithium-ion battery, it allows you to sit back and pedal as little as you want, even enjoying a delicious Subway sandwich while riding if you so choose. It also has built-in GPS to ensure that you know where you're going, and a PDA to keep track of your rides. It's the perfect bike for those individuals who would rather be sitting on the couch, doing anything they can to avoid exercise.

Engadget, via Ubergizmo

Grasshopper bike generates energy, is super portable

Biking is a great way to get around, what with it providing exercise and being totally eco-friendly. But what if it could be even more eco-friendly?

Well, not only does the Grasshopper not use any energy, like all bikes, but it actually generates surplus energy that can be used for other things.
In addition, it folds up into a compact, carryable size, making it perfect for city dwellers who don't have much room to store their bikes and have to lug them up flights of stairs every day.

Oh, and did I mention it can also be converted into a stationary exercise bike? Yeah, it's that awesome. I want one right now.

Via Yanko Design

Ride Anywhere: Pugsley, the Bicycle SUV

A few days officially into Winter for the Northern Hemisphere, and many cyclists are probably thinking about hanging up their cycling helmet for the season. The bicycle is however a very adaptable beastie, than can be ridden in a myriad of conditions, including snow.

One such never-say-die trusty stead is the Pugsley. No doubt named after the chubby child from the Addams Family TV series, this bicycle version is also easily recognised by its sizeable girth, particularly those ginormous 4” tires. These give the bike incredible float over what would otherwise be very awkward terrain.

Article continues: Ride Anywhere: Pugsley, the Bicycle SUV

A Resolution for 2009: Around the World in an Electric Bike

Guim Valls Teruel is almost ready to go. His goal: Travel all 5 continents on an electric bike. The project is called the Electric Bicycle World Tour.

Guim decided to choose this alternative form of personal transportation to promote the use of cleaner energy and the non-reliance on fossil fuel. According to him, one person has never done this before. However, many people can participate in this “one kilometre – one hope” sponsorship program set up by an NGO, by showing solidarity and hence become part of the tour. So why go electric?

Article continues on Treehugger.com: A Resolution for 2009: Around the World in an Electric Bike

How Fast Can a Bicycle Go? 8 Videos Brings Us Up to Speed...

I really like the shape his shadow casts. Image source

I do prattle on about how the bicycle is the world's most energy efficient vehicle, but just how fast can a human go on a bicycle?

It depends on how you are measuring that speed. Are they rushing downhill added by the press of gravity? Are they riding an upright style bike in the position familiar to most of us, or are they reclined in the recumbent pose most suited to streamlined rocket profiled two wheeled vehicles? Are they drafting or slipstreaming along in the partial vacuum created by a non-human powered craft? So many ways to feel the need for speed on a bicycle, and to measure that rush. Below we take a peek at just a few.

Article continues on Treehugger.com: How Fast Can a Bicycle Go? 8 Videos Brings Us Up to Speed

Olympic Success Converts Millions of British to Cycling

Via TreeHugger.com

It's amazing what an Olympic victory can do for a country's cycling fervor. Yes, as noted by The Times' transport correspondent, Ben Webster, the British are in the midst of a cycling revival of sorts -- fueled as much by the recent hikes in energy prices as by their target='new'team's epic haul at the Beijing Olympics. The squad, which boasted two Olympic track cycling champions and a BMX world champion, took home an impressive 12 medals -- 7 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze -- to top the medal table in that category. That cycling prowess seems to have rubbed off on a large section of the population in the last few months, resulting in record numbers in London and other major cities.

Article continues: Olympic Success Converts Millions of British to Cycling

Popovych rejoins Discovery Team... Err I Meant Astana

Ukrainian Yaroslav Popovych completes the 2009 Team Astana roster. Popovych will support leaders Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer and Alberto Contador in Grand Tours.

Yaroslav Popovych - Team Astana.

Yaroslav Popovych, a top ten Tour de France and Giro d’Italia finisher, has signed a two year agreement with the Astana cycling team. Starting in January 2009, the Ukrainian cyclist will join Johan Bruyneel’s team, which already includes top Grand Tour leaders Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Alberto Contador and Andreas Klöden.

Cycling Quote of the Week...

It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle. ~Ernest Hemingway

A Dog In A Hat...

Dog in a Hat, a book about an American racing in Belgium, reads like the racer — Joe Parkin — was just telling you these epic stories on a ride, up a climb, or at a coffee shop. I guess that Joe’s friends convinced him to write this book after years of hearing his stories, laughing, embellishing them, and imagining themselves what it’s like to race the Hell of the North. Joe did that and more. I expect when you get dropped by Joe, the grumbles are, “yeah drop me on this local hammerhead ride, but he got dropped all over Liege-Bastogne-Liege, whatever … .”

And that’s the beauty of this book and story. It’s not a hero’s journey, but instead a racer’s tale, including drugs, betrayal, crazy stuff. A story about getting flat-ass dropped and waking up in a whorehouse to race again.

Think about the determination it takes us to finish our local Tuesday night world championship and here’s Joe: a stranger in a strangeland, racing with some crazy-ass mofos.

Ah Yes - The Beer Refreshing

Ah yes, second only to coffee as the refreshment of choice for cyclists, this photo from the BBC reminded me to post about seasonal beers.

Via Bikehugger.com

Spare Tire Belt

Green meets style in the Spare Tire Belt ($45). This smooth black belt is hand-made from reclaimed bicycle inner tube with canvas labels, pop rivets and nickel plated belt fasteners. Pair with jeans for a unique casual look.

RFID programs aim to make bike theft a thing of the past

Biking is becoming more and more popular in cities due to people looking for alternate modes of transportation that are eco-friendly. And with cities looking to reduce congestion, they're making it easier for people to get around by bike. But a raise in bike use brings with it a raise in bike theft. And that requires some high tech preventative measures.

There are three new and clever systems being put in place that use wireless RFID tags to protect people's bikes. One in the University of Porsmouth in the UK attaches a tag to your bike that's connected to your phone. If your bike is moved without you unlocking it via your phone, a camera catches the culprit in the act. The similar program at Oregon State University attaches bugs to students bikes so they can be identified and recovered if stolen. And there's a very similar program going on in Copenhagen. In the future, hopefully bike theft will be much less of an issue thanks to these groundbreaking programs.

Via Treehugger

Custom-made Gold Shoes for the Olympic champion

What could be a better way of honoring the Olympic champion points race, Marianne Vos (DSB cycling team), other than giving her a pair of gold shoes that match her medal perfectly? She has been given gold SH-R300 Custom Fit road shoes, which fuse together the three most significant properties of a racing shoe - the stability, rigidity and light weight. Forget the golden work, the SH-R300 shoes are one of a kind. Shimano’s Custom Fit technology is touted to be presumably the most advanced power transfer available today. The SH-R300 shoes are technologically advanced to meet the demands of the most discerning professional cyclists. On receiving the pair of gold shoes, Marianne Vos said...

"These gold road shoes are a reminder of a great race in Beijing. I hope to get some extra morale!"

Pricing for the golden pair hasn’t been disclosed and they won’t be dirt cheap by any means. Anyhow, she now has the perfect thing to match her gold medal from Beijing.

Via: Bike.Shimano

Jeweled Carbon Bikes for Rich Kids , Are You Kidding?

This Christmas, gift your little one a Swarovski bike, and you will never have to explain to them the benefits of outdoor sports. Pinco Pallino, the company which specializes in clothing for high-end babies, has signed a global distribution agreement with De Rosa, marking production of exclusive pieces for the world of cycling, best known by the more experienced connoisseurs. The two models include a “silver” one featured above with Swarovski crystals designed for girls and the “black” one featured below with a “1950” mark on it is meant for boys.

No further information can be had including the price tag and availability. The designer bikes were on display at the cycle and motorcycle exhibition at Milan.

Via: Fashiontimes

New US Patent says "Cyclist Are Human Too" via a Traffic Loop Sensor Trigger For Bikes That Gets You More Green Lights

A common problem for bicyclists, and in particular for bicycle commuters, is the traffic loop sensor. These are the devices which detect the presence of vehicles to control the sequencing of traffic lights at many intersections. Often, they are installed in figure-eight slits cut into the pavement near a traffic light.

Those traffic loop sensors embedded at stop lights to detect the presence of a car have always provided fodder for vehicular snake oil vendors: I've seen products promising to eliminate red lights ONCE AND FOR ALL by ingeniously fooling a mysterious (but gullible, apparently) system hidden below the pavement. While false promises abound, this patent for bicycles seems to be more on the legit side, and could result in more carefree whizzing through intersections than previously allowed.

The systems work by detecting the shift in inductance caused by a huge metal object being in the vicinity of a charged loop of wire embedded in the road, thus knowing when someone is waiting for a light chane. Bikes, naturally, have a hard time tripping these sensors, which are calibrated to avoid false positives by smaller objects. This sensor, then, emits a signal which fools the sensors at the press of a button. Carry on, cyclists, carry on.

A bit too bulky, and it sure eliminates any idea of clearance, but maybe it can get smaller & lighter in the future.

Via Plan Bravo via BBG

Bicycle Film Festival 2008. It’s Not Too Late

I’ve given kudos to the Bicycle Film Festival for years, for spreading the word about this most miraculous of vehicles, so why should I stop now. Although, admittedly, I have arrived less than early to the party. But the annual festival still has four gigs before it slams on the brakes for yet another year.

Having just finished in Paris, the show now moves Down Under. It will be playing in Sydney, Australia on 13-15 November, before heading further south to Melbourne (19-23 Nov). Then it flies off for a penultimate performance Milano, Italy (26-30 Nov). The movies, events, swap meets, art displays, performances and general good times wind up its eighth successful year in Portland, Oregon on 11-13 December.

Whilst some of the program remains the same in all cities, plenty of local content is also assured so click those links above for more details.

::Bicycle Film Festival 2008

Bodum Chambord 8-Cup Press & Thermal Glasses

While high-end coffee makers promise ultimate convenience, I (and many others) say there's still nothing quite like a french press.

The Bodum Chambord 8-Cup Press & Thermal Glasses ($40) brews up to 8 cups of coffee the old-fashioned way, and features a built-in, three-piece stainless steel filter, a polished stainless lid and holder, a wide black handle and knob, and a glass carafe.

As a bonus, the set includes two 12-oz. Pavina double wall glasses, giving you everything you need for a great coffee experience.

Exploding bike lock shows bike thieves who's boss

Bike theft in major cities is a big problem, leaving most folks afraid to leave their rides locked up anywhere out of eye sight for fear of some 'creep' (read as a much stronger term editted for public) coming along with some bolt cutters and snagging your beloved bike. With biking a great, environmentally-friendly alternative to driving and great exercise to boot, we all should want more people to feel up to using their bikes more often.

Enter the exploding bike lock.

The exploding bike lock is pretty self explanatory: it's a bike lock that blows up if you try to cut it instead of opening it properly. It works like anti-theft tags on clothes by spraying a permanent dye everywhere when it's cut, so the potential thief is covered and easily identified. Is it a perfect solution? No, but it's a clever step forward for bike security...

Claw Bike Storage From ABC's "American Inventor" Available For Pre-Order

If you caught ABC's "American Inventor" last season you may remember "The Gladiator Claw" bicycle storage device as one of the finalists. Well, the folks behind the Claw have used the startup money earned from the show to turn their idea of a push-button catch and release storage hook into reality.

Basically, it is a modest but clever upgrade to basic hook systems, but if you have a really nice bike it may be worth dropping an extra $60 on. Plus, I don't see why it could not be used for other items as well.

The Claw is now available to pre-order from Amazon.com for a November 15th release.

Amazon and The Claw via Crunchgear

Bike mounted generator harnesses energy from your bouncing butt to light up the road

Ask any serious bike racer, and they'll tell you that a bike needs to be as stiff as possible to avoid wasting energy. That fine for hard core racers, but most of us want our rides to be comfortable too, so we buy bikes with a nice cushy seat, and a springy suspension system to help smooth out the bumps.

Designer Deco Goodman decided that there must be a way to harness that wasted movement, so he developed the Commuter Cyclist's Sustainable Energy Source. Attached to the seat post, this device harnesses movements in the seat post spring, along with energy produced by the brakes and a wheel mounted generator system, to deliver an electrical charge that powers a headlight and built in tail light. It also charges a battery which can then be used to juice up your cellphone, or top off your iPod so you have some tunes for the ride home.

This looks a whole lot more practical that some bike mounted wind generators I've seen.

Deco Goodman, via Dvice.com

An exercise bike that chills beers makes exercise more appealing...

If you're trying to get yourself to exercise more, you need the proper motivation. Sure, losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle are OK motivations I guess, but I prefer a more tangible incentive: beer. Frosty, cold beer.

That's why this exercise bike would be perfect for me. It's got a heat pump attached to it, so if you drop a beer in and pedal enough, it'll cool it off for you. So you can time your workouts instead of by calories burned or minutes biked but by beers cooled. Once you chill up a six pack, it's time to stop. What a healthy system!

PEGE, via Treehugger

Coker Cycles Unicycle

I'm going to post this for an old friend who I think of often, but never get a chance to really catch up with... Yes that's you Ted...

If you are a bike fan, or you want to try the new experience for the Unicycle? Give the Coker Cycles's V2 Unicycle a try; it features a patented design described as a 'QuadCrown' construction. Coker Cycles uses 48 spokes, the fully dressed V2 weighs less than 20 pounds. Coker has also added enhancements for the unicycles including a touring handlebar. Unicyclists can ride in a variety of ways including freestyle and off-road, with some riders reportedly capable of going approximately 22 miles per hour.

Price: $570 BUY

Geek Caffeine Themed Design - Something to add to your wish list...

Created by Taiwan’s MOD Design, Reset Cups are larger-than-life versions of the “Ctrl-Alt-Del” keys, typically used to reboot or login to your Windows PC. Each set of three key cups ship with a matching circuit-board embossed tray (which sort of reminds me of TRON for some reason). MOD will be making them in both a white-on-black and black-on-white version, so you can match them with the color of your keyboard.

Other than the fact that MOD showed off the Reset Cups at the recent Maison + Objet design show in Paris, there’s no further information on when or where you’ll be able to buy these yet. I guess for now, you’ll have to settle for pressing the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys on your PC over and over again.

[via Electric Pig via The Daily Dairy]

DIY SpokePOV System Lights Up Your Bike in Support for Obama

Past generations decked out their bike spokes with playing cards, this generation is doing it with LEDs. One of the best examples so far comes from a Flickr user that utilized six SpokePOV kits to turn his bicycle wheel into a stunning, illuminated Obama logo.

If you would like to do a little campaigning of your own, all of the .dat files necessary to reproduce the effect are available on Aneel's Flickr site.

Naturally, you can customize it to endorse whichever candidate you choose. Either way, it definitely makes a statement.

[Aneel's Flickr Page via Make via Likecool]

President-o-lanterns? Are you kidding?

Campaign-o-lanterns: Presidential election pumpkin patterns

Now you can print these presidential candidates .PDF patterns(includes their parties and spouses), and cut the President lanterns to show your political choices...

Somehow the kids just didn't understand these choices, come to think of it, I'm not sure if I understand them...

Download them here

7-Eleven Election 2008

7-Election Coffee drinkers weigh in on the '08 US Presidential race with every coffee purchase by choosing between a Obama cup of coffee and a McCain cup of coffee at U.S. 7 Eleven stores. Which coffee you will buy? Current Tally: Obrama Vs McCain is 59.68% : 40.32%.

Are you to busy/lazy to leave your desk for another cup of coffee?

If so then this is a new product just for you...

If you want to have the coffee and without leaving your chair?

This Desktop Coffee Maker(GBP 20; about $35) is a smart little device will make two cups of coffee in one time and without leaving your desk. It aslo comes with two small mugs.

It is fabulously compact, fuss-free Desktop Coffee Maker, it is designed to let you enjoy your own coffee, without having to brew up for the whole office.

Taga - Urban Family Biking

I just saw the Zigo Leader Carrier Bicycle, now you can consider this Urban Family Biking. The Taga($TBA) is a new style of bike, combines the the benefits of a premium stroller and a carrier bicycle to create a new transportation modality. It just scored a Eurobike 2008 Award and the Kind and Jugend Innovation Award.

Help find a missing bicycle...

I haven’t seen it. Have you?

Down Low Glow Turns Bikes into Low Riders

The Down Low Glow is a bright tube light for your bike. You strap it on to the bottom of the frame and it puts your ride right in the center of a pool of neon light. Apart from making your bike look like a lowrider, the $110 kit actually makes you safer.

Regular bike lights, whether they blink or burn bright, only shine forwards and back. The Down Low Glow adds a third dimension, making you visible from the side. The light (available in five colors, including hot, hot pink) also marks your territory -- the glow on the ground marks out your space on the road and car drivers keep out, meaning you won't get clocked with the wing-mirror when they pass.

According to the FAQ, the lights are neither waterproof (although they try) or burglar-proof. The batteries are rechargeable lithium ion, so at least they're not affected by the cold, although the lamps may take a little longer to warm up. But if you live in a cold, dry town with low crime rates and a lot of drunken driving, these might be just the thing.

Product page [Rock the Bike via Cool Tools]

vel'oh! Luxembourg City Gets a Bike Sharing System

A new bike sharing system, vel'oh!, has been put into action, this time in Luxembourg city, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in Europe.

For a city that is quite hilly and has just under 85.000 inhabitants, over 600 long-term subscriptions and 300 short-term ones are not bad going considering it only launched in march this year. If we compare vel’oh! to Barcelona’s Bicing service, we find that in Luxembourg non-residents can also rent the bikes, and which, unlike in other places, are available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

So how does vel’oh! work?

You can simply take a bike from one of the 25 stations (not very many but hopefully they expand soon) located in the center of the city. The stations are approximately never more than 400 meters away from each other and easily accessible. You can subscribe online for a yearly membership (15€) or only for 7 days (1€), using your credit card at the stations. After that, the first 30 minutes are free and every extra hour after that is 1€.

Luxembourg has chosen blue for the bicycles that have been designed for users over the age of 14. It comes with a wide mudguard to protect your trousers and a big shopping basket at the front. Bicycles are of course unisex, come with 3 gears and an adjustable saddle and permanently lit front and back lights. It would be quite interesting to see what the bike sharing systems in each city say about its inhabitants…

We like the way vel’oh! advertises cycling as being kind to your body and the planet. So if you’re every in Luxembourg city, use vel’oh! to get around. More information ::vel’oh!

Cycling-Induced Helmet Hair May Contribute to Climate Change?

photo by Andy Gates

Via Treehugger.com

Bicycling is a great way to get to work without using gasoline or other non-renewable resources. It strengthens the body, bolsters the immune system and adds to the overall well-being of the cyclist, but a new poll shows that some may not be utilizing pedal power for the wrong reasons.

Two Thirds of Women Never CycleAccording to a poll from the United Kingdom, the majority of women, aged 18-34, do not bike at all, and most of the women polled would not bike to work. 58 percent of those women cited the fear of sweaty dishevelment as the major deterrence. 27 percent were worried about helmet hair. Other concerns included lack of shower facilities at the workplace, safety issues, unwilling to carry a change of clothing and inadequate cycling skills. Only two percent of the women polled biked every day.

Read More about the results at TreeHugger.com

Hindsight Cyclist Glasses Are Eyes in The Back of Your Head, Kinda...

The Nike Hindsight cyclist's glasses from designer Billy May (I liked his Torn lights before) are designed to do one simple thing: stop cyclists from getting hurt on the roads.


At the extended side of each lens is a carefully arranged high-power Fresnel lens that captures the view to the sides of the wearer's head, and sends it into the peripheral vision.

That's the bit of your eyesight that doesn't capture too much detail but does excellently at detecting motion...so the extra data hopefully wouldn't be too distracting.


Essentially its a clever way of augmenting your normal checking of the road, and avoiding being side-swiped by a fast-moving vehicle that was sitting outside your normal vision zones.
Simple and blindingly obvious, when you think about it... and could have potential uses in all sorts of places.

10-year-old completes 100-mile bicycle ride

Via HometownAnnapolis.com

On Oct. 4, Teddy Collinson completed the Seagull Century 100-mile bicycle ride from Salisbury to Assateague Island and back. Teddy recently turned 10. He lives in Edgewater and is a fourth-grader at the Key School. He is the son of Sharyn and Tom Collinson.

Teddy's account of his ride:

My dad told me about the Seagull Century when I was 6. He had done the ride several times with his friends and thought I could do it some day.

When I was 7, I rode 60 miles of the Seagull Century on a tag-along pulled behind my dad's bike. The very next year, I did 60 miles of the Seagull on my own bike. It took me about 9 hours in the wind and rain.

Read more about his ride

Bailout Bill includes funding for Bicycle Commuters

I’m definitely not a supporter of this bailout, but I’ve got to hand it to Blumenauer, he sure fights for cyclists.

From Bicycle Retailer and Industry News:
Employers of people who bike to work stand to gain a $20 per month tax credit per cycling employee, according to the final version of the Wall Street bailout bill, H.R. 1424, passed this afternoon.

The House passed the bill today with a final vote of 263-171, a comfortable margin that was 58 more votes than the measure garnered in Monday’s stunning defeat. The Senate passed the bill Wednesday by a vote of 74 for and 25 against the bill.
The bicycle tax provision was part of an additional $110 billion in line items added to the already $700 billion bailout package.
What does bicycle commuting have to do with credit issues or covering the debt racked up on Wall Street? Bicycle commuting advocate Earl Blumenauer, a Democratic Representative from Oregon, was one of the 228 Representatives who voted against the House version of the bailout package on Monday. House members looking to pass a bailout bill needed to convince as least 12 of the dissenters to switch their position and vote for a bailout bill.

According to a Blumenauer spokeswoman, the bicycle commuting tax credit had the Representative’s attention, according to a report by www.govexec.com. However, Blumenauer said he was opposed to the bill because it failed to include bankruptcy equity for homeowners, not because employers of bicycle commuters suffered unfair tax burdens. He is also against incentives for coal-based liquids, tar sands and oil shale also included in the Senate’s bill. Blumenauer voted against the bailout bill in today’s vote but his pet bicycling project passed with it.

Congressman Blumenauer spearheaded a seven-year campaign to extend commuter tax benefits to those who bike to work.
Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists, said the Bicycle Commuter Act has been held up getting through with previous bills.
“It’s been attached to a variety of different bills or devices—climate change, energy, transportation,” Clarke said. “It’s ironic that it would wind up in a financial rescue package, but we’ll take it. I’m not going to quibble with the method; I’m glad to see it done.”
The employer tax break is laid out in Sec. 211, “Transportation fringe benefit to bicycle commuters,” which is under the Transportation and Domestic Fuel Security Provision section in H.R. 1424. The $20 a month tax relief per bicycle commuting employee is to cover the cost of any employer reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred by the employee “for the purchase of a bicycle and bicycle improvements, repair, and storage, if such bicycle is regularly used for travel between the employee’s residence and place of employment.”
“It’s definitely a day to celebrate just this one little thing that has been achieved after seven years,” Clarke said. “It may not be a total game changer—it’s still a relatively small break—but it gets us closer to the kind of treatment that cyclists in the U.K. and other parts of the world have had for years.”

Coffee Cup Powers Your Morning...and Your Gadgets

Without that cup of coffee in the morning most of us would be completely useless. Now our gadgets can get the same jump start thanks to this 'coffee cup' charger from PowerLine.

It features 2 AC outlets and one USB charging port with 200 watts of continuous power (400 watt peak). That's enough to power up some TVs and laptops. Because of its coffee cup shape, the charger fits snugly into most cup holders so it would be ideal for long trips.

Just make sure that you don't reach for the PowerLine when you are looking for a sip of Starbucks. Sticking your tongue in this thing would be seriously unpleasant. Also if your car is like the one in the photo, or like my own, this might take up 'necessary space' for the real thing thus making this device, useless... No way will I give up my coffee spot, unless I can figure out a way to power a whole coffee pot hmmmm I wonder... I let you know...

Available for $27. [Gizmodo via Coolbuzz]

Read More: Porta-Jump Will Jump Start Your Car From the Comfort of the Driver's Seat">Porta Jump Will Jump Start Your Car From the Comfort of the Driver's Seat

Austrian cyclist Kohl tested positive for CERA

So the 'mighty' keep falling... My guess that this year's Tour de France was not the 'clean' Tour that everone was hoping for...

PARIS (AP)—Third-place Tour de France finisher Bernhard Kohl tested positive for a banned blood booster when his race samples were checked for the new drug.

French anti-doping agency director Pierre Bordry told The Associated Press on Monday that he told Austrian anti-doping authorities, who confirmed the doping case.

The Austrian cyclist is the fourth rider to be caught using CERA, an advanced version of EPO.

The new blood tests for CERA also exposed Kohl’s teammate at Gerolsteiner, Stefan Schumacher, and Italian cyclists Riccardo Ricco and Leonardo Piepoli.

Kohl, the Tour’s best rider in the mountains, finished third behind Carlos Sastre and Cadel Evans in the second-tightest podium finish in the 105-year-old race.

Kohl risks a two-year suspension and could lose his podium spot to fourth-place Denis Menchov of Russia.

Tour de France rocked by new high profile positive tests

This coming after rumors involving sixth-place overall finisher Frank Schleck, has put even more doubt about this year's Tour.

Two Tour de France stage winners have tested positive for an advanced blood doping product.

Italy's Leonardo Piepoli and Germany's Stefan Schumacher (25th overall, winner of 2 stages, and wore the yellow jesrsey for a few days) tested positive for Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator (Cera).

Italy's Riccardo Ricco has already admitted to using Cera, a version of the blood booster erythropoietin (EPO).
Between them the three riders won five stages during the July race - or about a quarter of the 21 stages.

The French Anti-Doping Agency has been retesting blood samples from the race in a bid to catch more cyclists they suspect may have used Cera.

The German cycling federation (BDR) is set to take disciplinary action against Schumacher following his positive test and he could face a two-year ban. Schumacher has been suspended by his team Gerolsteiner.

Cyclist Vinokourov plans comeback to clear name?!?

Here is another one from the Canadian Press, this one I can't say I thought would ever happen

1 day ago

PARIS — Kazakh cyclist Alexandre Vinokourov is making a comeback because he wants to clear his name following a doping ban.

In an interview in Tuesday's editions of French sports daily L'Equipe, Vinokourov said he has lived with a sense of "enormous injustice" since he was kicked out of the 2007 Tour de France after testing positive for a banned blood transfusion.

"With time, I understood that I would not live with that forever and I felt the need to ride again to show who I really am," Vinokourov was quoted as saying.

He added his return from retirement, announced last week, aims "to show that I am a clean rider." After serving a one-year doping ban, the 35-year-old Vinokourov said he plans to ride competitively for two years.

He said he plans to join Team Astana, which is based in his native Kazakhstan. Seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong, who announced last month his return from retirement, is also expected to ride with Astana.

Vinokourov said he would have "no problem" riding alongside Armstrong - whose advocacy on behalf of cancer patients Vinokourov called "remarkable." "My opinion of Armstrong has changed a lot since his retirement," the Kazakh cyclist was quoted as saying.

Still, Vinokourov said that unlike the 35-year-old Armstrong - who has said he aims to win an eighth title at the world's premier cycling event - he has not set the bar too high.
"I am not shouting from the rooftops that I am going to win the Tour de France," Vinokourov was quoted as saying. "At my age, that seems risky."

Doping probe into Tour de France cyclist Frank Schleck being extended

Via The Canadian Press

LUXEMBOURG — Luxembourg's anti-doping agency has expanded its investigation of cyclist Frank Schleck, who was provisionally suspended by his team last week.

Schleck, who finished sixth overall in the Tour de France and led the July race for three days, told the agency last week that he transferred money to a Swiss bank account held by a Spanish doctor at the heart of a major doping scandal.

The agency ruled on Tuesday that his statements denying that he doped or had direct contact with Eufemiano Fuentes were insufficient to clear him.

"It has been decided to carry out an additional investigation at different levels," the agency said in a statement, without elaborating how long the process will take.

His CSC Saxo Bank team acknowledged that Schleck told them he transferred almost $9,500 to an account held by Fuentes in March 2006 "to receive training advice by experts who presumably worked with some of the biggest names in the sport."

Fuentes was at the heart of Operation Puerto, cycling's biggest-ever doping investigation, which was set off by police raids at clinics in Madrid and Zaragoza in May 2006 that turned up steroids, hormones and the endurance-boosting substance EPO, nearly 100 bags of frozen blood, and equipment for treating blood.

Over 50 cyclists, including 2007 Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, 2006 Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso and 1997 Tour champion Jan Ullrich, were reportedly linked to the scandal.

Schleck admitted making "a serious blunder" and deeply regretted the contact with "these people," the team said.

Riding on feathers with the most expensive bicycle wheel

Via LewRacing.com

Riding your bicycle with a wheel trimmed to suite your build is something any professional cyclist would cherish, for he would know what advantage it brings to him while riding. This however, does not mean that the Lew Racing Pro VT-1 tubular road wheel is meant only for pros, but yes, a price tag of upwards of $15,000 for a set can categorize you as one when you have it fixed.

The amazing thing is the weight of these wheels, which can get as light as low as 850g for a pair, based on how you furnish the details, which shouldn’t cite a wheel required for the higher terrains. The usage of boron in the rim surfaces gives the engineers over Lew Racing the ability to curb that weight to unbelievable limits, and it is the same fiber that places the wheel at a sky-high price, the highest in the world.

Weight Tubular Standard Set PRO VT-1 Both Front and Rear = 880 grams* (APPROVED RIDER WEIGHT < = 185lbs)

Weight Tubular Clydesdale PRO VT-1C Both Front and Rear = 1080 grams* (APPROVED RIDER WEIGHT < = 250lbs)

Video: New York CityRacks Design Competition Finalists

Beautiful Bike Racks for NYC

Our friends at StreetFilms went to have a look at the finalists of the CityRacks Design Competition (which we wrote about in the past few months: See Call for Entries: Redesign the Bike Rack and Turning Bike Racks into Works of Art). Some really great bike racks have been designed. Little the little girl, I like the one that looks like a giant paperclip.

You can see the video and photos below.

Read more: Video: New York CityRacks Design Competition Finalists

Shade-Grown Coffee Ensures A Future Cup-a-Joe

Photo Via Melinda Shelton

Coffee is grown in two main ways: in the sun or in the shade. But three University of Michigan researchers show that if we want to look forward to a nice hot cup of coffee a few years from now, shade-grown coffee is where its at.

Read more: Shade-Grown Coffee Ensures A Future Cup-a-Joe

Treehugger post: Op-Ed Piece Argues That Cyclists Should Get Off the Road

Visit Yehuda Moon

'Get Bikes off the Road.' The article began as follows: "It is often suggested that automobile drivers should learn to share the road with bicyclists. In my opinion, it is foolhardy and dangerous for bicyclists to be on the highways with motorists, period. Bicycles no more belong on roadways than autos belong on bike paths." In all likelihood the driver that almost hit me, as well as many drivers, would agree with that statement.

Guide To Winter Cycling

I went on a chilly night ride last night, so I feel that this post was quite timely...

With the rain setting in and the temperature dropping, cycling at this time of year can seem like a chore. Soggy shoes, messed up hair and numb fingers are just the tip of the iceberg – but if you make sure you’re prepared for the worst of it, cycling in the winter doesn’t need to be so punishing

New Consumer.com has put together a guide to help you get ready for the onslaught of bad weather, which will help to make your journey far more pleasant

Spinning Wheel Lights Make A Rolling Video Screen

In the darkest corner of the giant Interbike show here at the Sands Convention Center, a small company is showing off the most eye-catching bike lighting system I’ve ever seen -- a bike wheel light that plays full-motion video inside a spinning bicycle wheel.

Monkeylectric, a Bay Area startup, claims to be the first company to use a bank of flashing LEDs to create video using the spin of a bike wheel. Even though I posted about Hokey Spokes about 6 months ago, I've had seen Hokeyspokes for a few years now

Using a bank of battery-powered LEDs mounted to the wheel’s spokes, the system is able to show off cartoonish moving video that’s as bright and colorful as a storefront neon display.
As the wheel spins, the battery-powered LEDs flash on and off, creating the illusion of a man running and jumping; Homer Simpson belching; or a scrolling ticker-tape of words moving across the face of the spinning wheel.

The company currently sells a cool $65 bike-wheel light called the Monkey Light that generates bright neon patterns – but not full-motion video.

On a side note, HokeySpokes cost about half that ($29.95) and have a cleaner design.

The new Monkey Light can be programmed wirelessly and changed on the fly. The video is created on a computer and uploaded to the wheel-mounted Monkey Light. Goldwater says it uses Zigbee, a low-power, low-speed alternative to Bluetooth.

Unfortunately, the system isn’t yet for sale to the public. Xander Hudson, the other co-inventor, says they hope to have a retail version in a few months. For now, the system will be leased for retail and promotional purposes, like conventions and store displays.