CNN Hero's nonprofit Pedals for Progress gives new life to used bicycles...

Via CNN News

Several times a year, 55-year-old Dave Schweidenback can be found prepping large shipments of used bicycles bound for a developing country. For Schweidenback, gathering and breaking down these bikes is a labor of love -- one that is helping to keep the bikes out of landfills and give them new life.

"Used bicycles can transform the economic and social condition of families," says Schweidenback. "[They] give people access to jobs, health care and education that is too distant for walking."

Since 1991, Schweidenback's nonprofit Pedals for Progress has collected and shipped more than 115,000 used bicycles to 32 developing countries worldwide

Does anyone else see a problem here?

Star Trek Coffee House - Is This The Final Frontier?

Well it looks like G4 TV has gone 'caffeinated' with one of their old ads for Star Trek re-runs

I couldn’t help but post this. It is a Star Trek version of a coffee house. Make sure you turn it up to hear Mr. Spock

Too Funny....

Besides gamers and coffee go together just like cycling and coffee. Come to think of it most of the cyclists I know are also gamers. I also noticed while browsing the G4 website, that "Spaceballs, the animated series" is coming soon

Who says we Americans don't have a sense of humor?

Americans demand to be buried in coffee tins following "The Bucket List"

via Telegraph.co.uk

A coffee company whose tins are used as urns in the film The Bucket List, are reporting a stream of letters from fans who want to use the tins as the final resting place for their loved ones.

Inspired by the film starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, consumers are contacting Chock Full O'Nuts, the company whose coffee features in the story.
The product has been marketed for 75 years as "the heavenly coffee" and empty cans of the product are used as urns for the main characters who suffer from terminal cancer.

Visit the Chock Full O'Nuts website for coffee tips, information about their coffees, more stories about the 'urns' and to order online.

I couldn't resist letting you know about this blog....

I couldn't resist letting you know about this blog, if for no other reason than I really like the humor of the author, and the site's logo is calling my 'caffeinated soul'...

Sadly, it looks like she has moved on to other 'grounds' (Her last post was May 27th, 2008, but hopefully she will find it in her heart to allow me to join her for a 'cup of goodness' sometime soon...

Either way, you can check out her wit, and this gives me an reason to pass along her logo...

Let me know about your new stomping 'grounds' Hot Coffee Girl. I'll keep it a secret if need be...

Another Fine Electric Bike Design...

I am seeing more and more electric powered (or assisted) bikes lately, could it be that gas is still around $5 gallon?I have found yet another electric bike, this one with a design that definitly catches the eye, and this is one that you can buy.

This electric bicycle uses an automatic transmission to downshift into a lower gear when it senses a hill, upshifts for rapid acceleration up to 20 mph on flats, or allows you to pedal normally because the motor can be disengaged at your command. Powered by a 750-watt electric motor housed in the horizontal chain and motor assembly that provides 1 hp, the 8-speed automatic transmission is capable of four modes of operation, all controlled by a thumb toggle on the handlebars: a setting for rapid acceleration, a low gear setting for inclines (but slower acceleration), and a setting for manual gear shifting that disengages the motor to preserve battery life.

You can pick one up for yourself from Hammacher Schlemmer for a mere $5,500...

Molly Murphy's House of Fine Repute...

I was just forwarded a copy of an old video from Molly Murphy's - One of my 1st jobs, where I lost and gained many things, and mainly grew up (& regressed at times), learning to live & love...

The only place where you could drink Long Island Ice Tea out of a baby bottle (Molly Murphy Sundays, I shall never forget)...

Oh to go back again...

"Flash' Cavendish Collects Fourth Stage Win!

I haven't posted much about this year's Tour de France, mainly because I have been a bit 'reserved' (Read as: Pissed) in passing judgement on the Grand Tour organizers ASO for excluding Astana from this year's Tour.

But after watching Mark Cavendish of Team Columbia (formerly Team High Road) become the first British rider to win three stages in the Tour de France yesterday after stage 12, and after he turns around and wins a fourth stage victory in stage 13, I have to give credit when and where it is due.

Much has been written about the young phenominal sprinter, but after seeing it with my own eyes, this guy isn't fast, he is REALLY FAST....

'Flash' (I am now claiming first credit for the nick-name, because there is some debate about what nickname to give him) Cavendish from the Isle of Man, became the first British rider to win three stages in the Tour yesterday. 'Flash' Cavendish is only 23 and is taking part in only his second Tour de France, but he has already ridden himself into the Tour de France record books. He is also a multi-Gold Medal hopeful for Britain at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Only 24 hours after his record-setting victory on tage 12, Cavendish reinforces his reputation as the race's fastest sprinter by outgunning Silence-Lotto's Robbie McEwen, one of the elder (sorry Robbie...) sprinting statesmen of the race.

Power to the Pedal Finalist - Contrail

Give your ride some color... or Give your slower cycling buddies some idea where you went after you dropped them... You Decide...

THE CONTRAIL: Contrail is a small bright bike accessory that allows bicyclists to color in their own space on the road. It’s like playing with sidewalk chalk, but faster.

How it works: Contrail holds 200 grams of chalk, enough for about 20 miles (32km) of riding. It functions much like a carpenter’s chalk line: A small amount of powdered chalk is filtered through a brush inside the device and picked up on a felt wheel. The felt wheel transfers this chalk onto the rear tire leaving a fine layer. As chalk builds up, the tire leaves a faint line of color on the roadbed. This is you contrail. It is a colorful and ephemeral representation of your path.

More details after the Jump...

If your plain-jane bike tires just are not doing it for you?

Try adding a splash of color with the Speedblend Ruffy Tuffy Tire ($43). Its unique placement of colors around the sidewall cause the observed color to change constantly while you're rolling down the street.

Features:
• No more boring bike tires!
• Speedblend Ruffy Tuffy puts new spin on biking
• Inventive arrangement of colors creates kaleidoscopic convergence of hues as tire rolls
• Sturdy nylon sidewalls great for rough rides and long commutes
• So cool, you might want to get two (sold separately)

Imagine, people will be mesmerized and drivers stuck in traffic will be soothed by the dance of colors as you roll along!

Are you tired of your 'heavy' mountain bike? Check this out....

Looking for the lightest mountain or XC bike you can find? Then check out the Ibis Mojo SL ($3,900 and up).

It is quite pricey, but if you really 'need' a lighter bike, instead of losing a few more pounds (note: preaching to myself), then this machine is made just for you...

With a frame, swing arm, and rear shock assembly weighing less than five pounds, the complete bike weighs in at less than 22 pounds (Damn, that is lighter than my road bike!!!), and offers carbon fiber head cups, dropouts, and seat tube insert, DT Swiss XR Carbon shock and shock hardware, special, durable rubber paint, a carbon monocoque frame and swing arm, DW-Link Suspension, and much more.

Pretty sweet, if you can afford the price... Now where is that rich relative when you need one? Any rich folks out there who want to adopt? I will gladly offer up myself, it will only cost you few sweet bikes.... LOL

Short Film on Vélib, World's Biggest Bike-Sharing Program in Paris

StreetFilms has produced an excellent short video on Vélib, the great bike-sharing program in Paris that inspired so many others around the world. Almost 1,500 bike stations are spread all over the city, with over 20,000 bicycles and 3 million subscribers have saved about 10 million kilometers of car trips.

This is a real world demonstration that bike-sharing does work. I hope that other cities around the world and particularly here in US are paying attention...

Bike Sharing Program Launched in Mexico City

Determined to prove its not a just a smog-addled city notorious for traffic and pollution, Mexico City had jumped on the bike-sharing bandwagon and launched its own free program called Mejor En Bici (Spanish link), or Better On Bicycle in English.

I really like the jewel-toned wheels of the Mejor en Bici white cruisers (I bet they would really suck in a cross-wind though), they definitely look better than the bikes being used here in the US. The bikes are available at three sites in the Condesa and Roma neighborhoods, the city's hipster and eco-friendly stomping grounds.

To use the bikes, users must register, sign a form, and leave a piece of identification and a deposit of 200 pesos (about $20), which is returned when the bike is dropped off at the same station. The bikes are available from Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 6 pm.

The Circular Bike, a.k.a. "Vicious Cycle"...

Circular Bike made from Salvaged Parts

Yeah, it's pointless and not necessarily green, but once in a while you just gotta have fun with bike culture. As one commenter on reddit said:

[ ] useful

[X] want one

Or as another one said: "I would like to suggest the name 'Vicious Cycle'".

The circular bike was made by Robert Wechsler in the Spring of 2003 at University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).

"Nine salvaged bikes were reassembled into a carousel formation. The bike is modular and can be dismantled and reassembled. It is normally left in public places where it can attract a variety of riders."

Via TreeHugger

Power to the Pedal Finalist - éL: Elevated Cycleway: 2008

The éL: Elevated Cycleway did not win the "Power to the Pedal" design contest, but it was a finalist, and one of my favorite submittals

éL is a Product that can be implemented by city governments utilizing existing electric service poles or new structural poles when needed.

This Elevated Cycleway provides increased riding safety by connecting and filling gaps in a preexisting but patchy network of bicycle infrastructure.

The éL is inspired by the California Cycleway of 1900, a wooden elevated bike path, built after the “bike craze” of the late 1890s, which ran from Pasadena through the Arroyo Seco to downtown Los Angeles. “In 1901 nervous cyclists found the track safer than the widest roads, for there are no horses to avoid, no trains or trolley-cars, no stray dogs or wandering children.” Ironically, Ironically thethe cycleway was torn down to make way for the nation’s first freeway, “the 110.”

Power to the Pedal Design Competition Update...

I stumbled across the Social Design Organization Design 21 quite a while back, but I had completely forgot to pass along the news when I found it, so over the next days/weeks I will be posting the results from an inspiring bicycle-focused design competition called Power to the Pedal.

The challenge is to design a biking accessory or add-on for existing bikes that will improve the bicycling experience and encourage more people to make biking their primary means of transport – more convenient, more enjoyable, safer and more integrated into daily lifestyles – whether it’s for commuting, working, shopping, transporting, leisure or all of the above.

The United States finally joins Europe, with our own public bike sharing program...

America's First Self-Service Public Bike Rental Program Kicks into Gear!....

I'm happy to share the news with you that the US has finally warmed up to the idea of public bike sharing, making bike rental as simple and quick as a card swipe. Washington D.C. recently unveiled SmartBike DC, the first fully automated touch-and-go rental program in the US. The program is currently offering only 120 bicycles at 10 locations throughout the city center.

Located at key locations in the central business district, the bicycles provide a new way of discovering and moving around the city.

The Washington District of Transportation has teamed up with Clear Channel for the SmartBike DC program, exchanging advertising space for funds to maintain the bikes and improve upon the system.

For a $40 annual membership fee, SmartBike users are free to rent a three speed for up to three hours at a time. An electronic system monitors the bikes, assuring timely returns and keeping track of lost bikes. If all goes well, the program is hoping to expand the program up to 1,000 bicycles.

Chicago and San Francisco are in the process of implementation as well. Last week The New York City Department of Transportation announced its plans to examine the possibility of creating a bike share program.

Mowercycle, how you can do your part to reduce greenhouse gasses while cutting your grass...

Mowercycle!! Human powered lawn-mower!

Behold the mowercycle! Is this an awesome DIY design or what? This ingenious bicycle-lawnmower fashioned by an unknown suburban lawn owner out of an old bicycle and a broken lawnmower, is a testament to the creativity of the human spirit.

Spotted in 'dot dream’s' Flickr stream, I have no idea who the original photographer was, nor do we know anything about the owner/designer of the MOWERCYCLE. All I know is that it is awesome and should be an inspiration to sustainable design fans and DIY tinkerers everywhere.

If any of you readers have any knowledge about this fabulous DIY design - please get in touch and let me know!

Via Inhabitat

Personal Post...

I am not one to post a lot of 'personal related' information but I have been asked by the 1 or 2 'repeat' visitors why my blog posts have stopped over the last week or so.

I have not been feeling well the last few weeks. After a visit to the ER last week, I have been in a 'drug induced stupor'...

Well today I was diagnosed with a severe case of Viral Meningitis. Sadly there is not any medical treatment available except 'pain management', and my doctors have finally got that part taken care of... Oh the miracles of modern medicine!

So expect me to get back up to speed in the near future, and my normal flurry of posts will soon recommence, starting tonight...

Ohio cancer survivor shot, killed on bicycle riding to work...

SOUTH TOLEDO -- A 46-year-old family man and cancer survivor on his way to work riding his bicycle was shot and killed just after sunrise Tuesday morning near the Western Avenue and Langdon Street intersection in South Toledo.It was his first day of riding his bicycle to work.The victim, David Babcock, was riding his bicycle trying to save gasoline in these tough economic times when he was shot by an unknown assailant, Toledo Police detectives say.

Babcock, a father of two and grandfather of two from East Toledo, had worked at Fresh Products on South Avenue for over 25 years. Police say The price of gas from his East Toledo house to work was getting to be too much so Babcock put lights, a radio, and a cup holder on his bicycle so he could ride it to and from his job."

If you have any information, you are asked to call Crimestopper at (419) 255-1111.(FOX Toledo's Michelle Zepeda contributed to this report)

How efficient is your vehicle?

The bicycle is the most efficient machine ever created: Converting calories into gas, a bicycle gets the equivalent of three thousand miles per gallon. ~ Bill Strickland, The Quotable Cyclist

Life's Little Instructions...

If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough. - Mario Andretti

Put the Pedal to the Medical...

Ok, no Flintstones jokes please…this is serious business.

Africans in rural areas often need ways to traverse vast distances to seek immediate medical attention. Most of the time a traditional ambulance or even any motorized vehicle is simply not available.

Designer Benoît Angibaud addresses this issue with his “Jaambaaro” pedal car design. The Jaambaaro is literally a pedal-car with a stretcher, driven by two persons pedaling and assisted by electrical power generated from solar energy.

Made of salvaged materials, and will hopefully fuel the local economy through localized manufacturing, thus making this vehicle not only sustainable but also fun for the kids. Yaabaadaabaadooo!

via Yanko Design

Yet Another Electric Bike...

What better alternative to driving to work than riding an electric bicycle? Panasonic's Vivi RX 10-S, which is due in Japan on August 20, works the same way many hybrid vehicle systems do: taking the energy from braking and harness it into recharging the battery.

The total assisted travel range combining pedal power, electric power and electric regeneration is around 55 to 77 miles, which should be enough to get you to and from work without having to go super sweaty style. If you switch on its automatic mode, you'll be able ride upwards of 113 miles on a single full charge.

No word on US release yet.

Regional Hot Dogs Styles Across America...

Sonorans Hot Dog. Photo: Mr Frosted [Flickr]

Jenn Sit of Serious Eats’ Eating Out Blog has posted a very interesting article about the various regional styles of American hot dogs. Her #1 on the list is my favorite hot dog- "Sonorans" from Tucson, Arizona:

"Bacon-wrapped hot dogs are grilled, then nestled in steamed bolillo rolls and topped with pinto beans, chopped tomatoes, onions, mustard, mayo, and jalapeños. Other variations could include any of the following: shredded cheddar, queso fresco, cotija cheese, salsa verde, and guacamole. "

I say Sonaran Hot Dogs are the best you will ever have..

Try 'Hermano's' , a local stand located Mon- Sat 11am- 10pm on 22nd just west of Wilmont St, Tucson. (Not that I haven't been there thousands of times or anything...) Is your hometown’s dog listed?

Link - Check out the "Slaw Dog', another of my favorites

Wear your helmet!!!

11-year-old Savannah Haworth was riding her bike home when a car ran over her arm, shoulder and head! She was taken to a hospital, but suffered only minor scrapes and bruises.
The helmet she was wearing bore the brunt of the impact and shattered into pieces.

Savannah’s parents Harvey and Gillian believe if their daughter had not been wearing the protective head gear, she would now be dead.

Accounts manager Harvey said: ‘Without her helmet Savannah would have sustained serious head injuries or would have been killed. She’s been a very, very lucky girl.’

Link -via Unique Daily

New luminous paint will glow for years without re-charging...

Litrospheres are tiny luminous particles that can be injection molded or mixed into paint. The company that makes the product believes it will primarily be used for rescue and safety, but we think people in time will find many useful and fun applications for this invention.

Especially since the luminous material is modestly priced ($2.95 a tube, $8.95 a spray can, $70 a quart, $225 a gallon), and that it comes in 8 different colors.

I can see a thousand applications for this product, especailly on bikes and outdoor equioment. A more detailed description of the Litrospheres can be found on PESWiki or visit the offical website Glowpaint.com.

Chain free bike with electrical assist

American bicycle manufacturer Schwinn has released their 2008 line-up. Among the new bikes are two models with both chain-less shaft transmission and a small electrical assistance motor.

The motor and battery is pretty well integrated in the design; the batteries placed under the baggage holder.

The batteries will be a lithium polymer variant that Schwinn claims to be the lightest and most durable yet. One charge will last 60 miles.

The price for these bikes will range from $1,499- $1,999 (US)

Life's Little Instructions...

Dont ride or drive on slick tires....

Bicygnals - turn lights for bicycles go wireless high tech

Bicygnals. We’re talking the Rolls Royce of bicycle turn signals here, with wireless connectivity front to back, super bright LED lamps and a quick release slide off mechanism to avoid having your glory tech stolen while you’re supping that Cappuccino Lite. £39.95 keeps you safe, keeps you seen.

These ingenious bicycle lights feature wireless indicators that can be operated with a flick of the thumb - no frantic arm-waving required. Brilliant! Wireless technology enables both front and rear indicators to work in perfect sync. Simply slide each sleek light cluster onto the adjustable clamps and you’re away…

The super bright orange LED indicators are visible from the side as well as head-on, so fellow road users will always know when you’re about to make a turn. There’s even a hazard-style distress function. And thanks to a super bright 5 LED headlight, super bright 3 LED rear light and integrated front and rear reflectors your bike will be brighter than the brightest bike in Brightville.

BioLogic ZorinPump - the bicycle pump in your saddle post...

The BioLogic ZorinPump takes bicycle flat tires to a whole new place. Well, actually under your bottom, which is where the pump is discreetly hidden. Just unlatch the seat from the bike, unfold the foot catch and pump away. Perfect if you’re one of those people who keep forgetting to take the pump with you. $45.00.



The Biologic ZorinPump is an ingenious combination of a seat-post and powerful floor-pump. The pump is always at hand, hidden from the elements and thieves, and can inflate a tire in a few strokes! You stand while you pump and use the saddle as a handle, so say good-bye to kneeling in the dirt with a mini pump that will give you an arm cramp before your tire is filled and ready to ride.

PlantLock - secure your bike and pretty up the planet at the same time...

PlantLock is a clever new idea for securing bicycles in urban areas. Basically a metal planter with secure rails for the locks. The planter weighs 75 kg when fully planted up, and the rails are made from case hardened Boron steel, which means you’re only going to scratch them with a set of bolt cutters.

Obviously you don’t want to stick your £3000 Acme Carbon Fiber Racer out there over night (just in case, eh?) but it does look like a great way to pretty up the front space while keeping muddy mountain bike commuters out of your hallway. Each planter takes two bicycles. £135.00.

PlantLock accommodates most bicycle types on the market. Bicycle frame and both wheels can be secured to the bar with the owner’s existing locks – ideally two quality locks of different types, as recommended by SoldSecure. PlantLock requires minimum maintenance, being made from robust, durable materials.

The locking bar is made from boron steel, case-hardened and tempered, to achieve robustness beyond most commercially available bicycle locks. Each PlantLock accommodates 2 bicycles, and is available in a range of subtle colours

Gorgeous recreation of sleek 1930s Pashley bicycle - Boing Boing Gadgets

Gorgeous recreation of sleek 1930s Pashley bicycle - Boing Boing Gadgets:

"The Pashley Guv'nor — horrific name aside, apparently chosen by the company to 'signify the renaissance of our great English bicycle heritage' — is a gorgeously sleek recreation of the same company's Path Racer Model from the 1930's... a throwback to the days when the aesthetics of a truly handsome bicycle were just as important to its price as the space-age alloys used in its construction and impossibly intricate matryoshka arrangement of gears.

I love it, but not for the price: perhaps I'm a pleb, but £795 is a hell of a lot of money to spend on a bicycle with only a single speed.

Pashley Guv'Nor [Official Site via Retro-to-Go]

Stars and Stripes Forever

Sam the Eagle and his Muppet friends salute America on its 232nd birthday. Happy Independence Day!

Science Vault: Coffee As Treatment For the Plague

Its been nothing but roses lately for us coffee drinkers needing a scientific reason to validate our habit.

The past couple weeks have yielded no less than four separate studies on the beneficial health effects of drinking coffee: reducing the risk of liver cancer, protection from age-related memory decline, cutting the risk of colon cancer in half, and caffeine + exercise might contribute to lower risk of skin cancer.

With all these "real" benefits coming to light, it is amusing to discover that coffee (while once maligned as a bad habit) was once touted as a ground-breaking treatment for the Plague in 18th century Europe. Guess what? It didn't work.

(Continued by following the link...)

Post-exercise Caffeine Helps Muscles Refuel!

ScienceDaily (July 2, 2008) — Recipe to recover more quickly from exercise: Finish workout, eat pasta, and wash down with five or six cups of strong coffee.





Glycogen, the muscle's primary fuel source during exercise, is replenished more rapidly when athletes ingest both carbohydrate and caffeine following exhaustive exercise, new research shows. Athletes who ingested caffeine with carbohydrate had 66% more glycogen in their muscles four hours after finishing intense, glycogen-depleting exercise, compared to when they consumed carbohydrate alone, according to the study.



American Physiological Society (2008, July 2). Post-exercise Caffeine Helps Muscles Refuel. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 2, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/07/080701083456.htm

If your a cyclist, I'm sure you will like the message from this ad...

Proof that stupid cyclists can be funny! - Monkey Dust - The Cyclists

Proof that stupid cyclist can be funny!

Kalkhoff Agattu Electric Bicycle - the best electric bike in the world?

Apparently this Kalkhoff Agattu is just about the best electric bicycle you can buy in the world right now.



It uses a Panasonic Pedelec system (which senses how hard you’re pedalling and adjusts power assist accordingly), has a range of up to 50 miles and will charge up in 3 hours. What makes it special? Well according to this review it seems to be the combination of low weight, robustness and performance when compared with the rest of the field. It’s £1325.00 including delivery.





It uses something called a 'pedelec system', meaning the Panasonic motor senses when and how hard the pedals are being used. Your pedalling is converted into motor power which drives the rear wheel through the chain and gears. It makes for near silent operation, excellent hill climbing and the sensation of being bionically boosted.

EcoSpeed - High Performance Electric Bicycle Kit for Recumbents

EcoSpeed.



This is one sweet kit for sure... Ranges up to 100 miles, cruise speeds of 20 – 25 mph, burst speeds up to 40 mph...



With the EcoSpeed EMD, a recumbent bike has enough performance to match a car in around town driving. That means you can forget about high gas prices — you can go over 500 miles on a dollars worth of electricity. That’s even up to 20 times better than an electric car or gas scooter. Electric bikes are legally bikes and can be ridden in bike lanes and on bike trails in most locations. That means big safety advantages over motorcycles and scooters because you don’t have to mix with automobiles. Or, get caught in traffic.



It can get quite pricey for a full performance kit & battery but for a few thousand dollars you can have the fastest 'bent' on the block....