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Bike
The Pedal-A-Watt Stationary Bike Power Generator: create energy and get fit
By Jude Garvey
20:10 November 24, 2009 PST
As people the world over continue to search for renewable energy sources, innovative and interesting ideas for generating power are constantly being devised. Those interested in keeping fit and producing power at the same time might be interested in this unique product – the Pedal-A-Watt. It converts your bicycle into a stationary bike and uses your pedal power to generate energy that can be stored in a power pack. An average rider can produce up to 200 watts – ride for an hour and you'll generate enough to power a 25 watt fluorescent light bulb for eight hours. Read More
GRACE e-bike boasts F1 technology
By Paul Ridden
15:41 November 19, 2009 PST
Combining jet fighter technology with Formula 1 grade parts and German build quality, the GRACE street legal electric two-wheeler will start to be shipped in limited numbers next year. As well as offering a couple of city travel options, GRACE is also available in an off-road version too. The company has even manufactured a demonstration-only racy model capable of speeds up to 70kmh (44mph). Read More
The award-winning PUYL for cyclists combines a light with a pump
By Paul Lester
15:19 November 5, 2009 PST
Most cyclists would agree that the two most likely things to forget after heading out on a journey are a light and a tire pump. It would make perfect sense, then, to combine the two into one handy accessory, which is exactly what designer Kai Malte Roever has done with the “PUYL”. The bonus is that when you pump up your tires, you're also charging the LED light. Read More
Dosun J-1 LED safety pedal for bicycles
By Paul Ridden
16:25 October 28, 2009 PDT
Taiwan's Dosun Solar Technology has added a flashing LED bike pedal to its range of safety lighting gadgets. As well as sporting the familiar orange reflective plastic strips on the front and back, each outer corner of the J-1 Pedal Light holds four bright LEDs which start to flash when the rider begins to pedal. Read More
At long last - a bicycle simulator
By Darren Quick
20:40 October 25, 2009 PDT
Simulators are a great, safe way to teach people how to do things properly before they actually have to do them. The first simulators were for airplanes and they cost a lot of money when they appeared 80 years ago. Although simulating an aircraft cockpit and behavior was a difficult and costly business, it had a very effective ROI in terms of planes and pilots. Nowadays, you can simulate almost any environment thanks to the computer - there are low cost safety simulators available for planes, boats, cars, motorcycles, and even the inside of a person’s mouth - but until now, not bicycles. Honda is rectifying that with a bicycle simulator that has been developed for the purpose of traffic safety education. Read More
Ultra Motor dumps pedals for new A2B Excel electric scooter
By Jeff Salton
10:04 October 16, 2009 PDT
Ultra Motor, known for its A2B electric assist bicycles has thrown out the pedals and replaced them with footrest platforms in its latest offering - the A2B Excel electric scooter. Weighing in at 90lb (41kg), the Excel uses an 800W hub motor at the rear wheel to achieve a range of around 28 miles (45km) and a top speed of 28mph (45kmh). Read More
Bicycle bling at London Cycle Show
By Gizmag Team
11:45 October 15, 2009 PDT
Amongst the sea of carbon fiber and Lycra pants at last week's Cycle Show in London, two products really shone - not for any particular innovation or cutting edge technology... they just shone. Exhibit A is a very stylish custom Ben Wilson Low-rider that's been swathed in over 100,000 Swarovski crystals. Sunglasses were also required when wandering past the iLoveMyBike.co.uk stand where a Brompton S2L folding bike had been given the 24ct gold treatment. Read More
Cyberbike brings an exercise bike to Wii’s growing army of peripherals
By Paul Lester
17:40 October 14, 2009 PDT
Most sane people would agree that cardiovascular exercise is a pretty boring way to get fit and, unless you’re working out with a friend, a little extra visual stimulation would rarely go amiss. The Nintendo Wii has already had a decent crack at bringing a bit of fun to boring routines with the Wii Fit and EA Sports Active, and seems to have picked up one of the minigames from the latter as the subject of its latest peripheral revolution. Read More
The Cruzbike Silvio - form and function in a front wheel drive
By Mick Webb
22:05 October 4, 2009 PDT
For many, the words “recumbent bicycle” conjure the image of a strange-looking vehicle with the rider set low to the ground achieving less than remarkable speeds. That perception could well become a thing of the past with the Cruzbike Silvio, the world’s only recumbent racing bike that is not only fully compatible with road bike components, but aims to eliminate many health problems associated with standard cycling. Read More
Gyrobike gyroscopic training wheels help kids learn to ride
By Alan Brandon
02:56 October 3, 2009 PDT
The Gyrowheel is a new spin on the old training wheels that help kids learn to ride a bike. Manufactured by Gyrobike, the Gyrowheel replaces the stock bicycle front wheel and features an internal spinning disk that helps stabilize the bike, reducing wobbles and slowing falls. While the Gyrowheel doesn’t eliminate crashes and skinned knees, the company says it does reduce the amount of time needed for a new rider to gain confidence and become proficient. Read More
Mosquito Electric Bike by Toto Design
By Paul Ridden
17:15 September 24, 2009 PDT
With a very sturdy folded steel frame and elegant simple design, the Mosquito or Mücke electric bike is one good-looking machine. Its 48V lithium batteries only cost a few (European) cents to charge up and will give a range of about 60km (37 miles). The 0.8kW motor produces a top speed of around 50km/h (31mph) and the bike also has a removable center pole for instant accessibility. Read More
The slim-line, funked-up Bullitt cargo-bike
By Paul Ridden
09:47 September 17, 2009 PDT
Danish duo Larry vs Harry have taken the obviously functional but visually uninspiring cargo-bike and given it a funky makeover. Notable for a streamlined design that's not much wider than your average bicycle and weighing as little as 22kg, the Bullitt range sports jumbo-sized hardened aluminum tubing, top quality gears, hydraulic braking and puncture-proof tires with an added dash of iconic branding. Cue the 1970s soundtrack! Read More
Renovo Hardwood Bikes provide the smoothest ride - the looks are a bonus
By Karen Sprey
21:07 August 24, 2009 PDT
Back in the 1700s before strong, lightweight metals were available, the first bicycles were made almost completely of wood. Crude wooden bikes are still used in many developing countries today, built from whatever recycled timber can be found. And as interest in sustainability and renewable energy grows, not only are more people (re)turning to pedal power, there is renewed interest in wooden frame bicycles. Renovo Hardwood Bicyles combine "high-tech magic and fine craftsmanship" to create a range of bikes from hollow wood and laminated bamboo, and are confident their bikes are “the smoothest bike you'll ever ride, stealth quiet, light and responsive, stiff as you want.” Read More
Spooklight signals your cycling intentions with a wireless indicator and brake light
By Darren Quick
22:20 August 13, 2009 PDT
City cycling is an activity fraught with danger but cyclists’ safety can be enhanced by increasing their visibility and also by signaling their movements to fellow road-users. Options such as the Safe Turn Indicator help in that department but now there’s a new product called the Spooklight that could achieve the same feat without the need to strap LED lights to your wrists. Read More
Contortionist: cleverly designed full-size folding bike
By Jeff Salton
22:20 August 10, 2009 PDT
Folding bikes make a lot of sense for the urban commuter, and at Gizmag we've been busy keeping up with a steady flow of impressive designs that look to marry the convenience of a small folded footprint with the usability of a full-size bike. Some of our favorites include the Switch Commuter Bike, Airnimal, Mercedes-Benz folding bike, IF MODE and Onyerbike, and we can add the Contortionist prototype from 24-year-old UK inventor Dominic Hargreaves to this list of ‘shrinking’ bikes. Read More
PedalPower+ charges cyclists' phones, GPS, iPods
By Jeff Salton
21:52 August 9, 2009 PDT
In bygone days, a bicycle dynamo struggled to generate enough energy to power a weak headlight for the lonely cyclist riding home on a dark night. Back then it was the only electronic application that a cyclist needed because dynamos were first invented when riders still made calls from public telephone booths or stopped to read a map for directions. But a new bicycle dynamo system called PedalPower+ can help recharge the arsenal of battery-powered accessories modern cyclists’ rely on for communications, navigation and entertainment - on the fly. Read More
Exclusive: Cranklock technical drawings
02:57 July 31, 2009 PDT
The Cranklock is a brilliantly simple idea that offers speed, safety and security benefits to cyclists by allowing the rider to lock the pedals at will - and our article and podcast on the subject has generated lots of interest over the past week. So we know what it does, but how does it do it? The company's engineering team has left no stone unturned in finding the right solution and many patent applications have been filed covering different versions of the mechanism. While exact details on the final production model are still under wraps, Cranklock inventor Chris Toal has given us a peek at early technical drawings from a couple of the patent applications to provide an insight into how the Cranklock will operate... plus the first pics of a new downhill prototype. Read More
Zero releases dual purpose electric motorcyle
By Jeff Salton
01:09 July 30, 2009 PDT
Electric motorcycle manufacturer Zero has followed up the success of its X and S ranges with the Zero DS – a combination dirt/street machine the company says can “handle any surface you can throw at it.” This new option for those looking to ditch their noise-polluting, emission-spewing internal combustion bikes looks very similar to the S model, but has a bigger front wheel (17 inch), chunkier tread on the back tire and a nobby on the front, specially-designed wheels and suspension and a distinctive naked round headlamp without the windshield found on the S. Read More
Smart concept for public transport solar ‘bike’ - but can the public be trusted?
23:05 July 28, 2009 PDT
Young German industrial designer, Tobias Bexten, has come up with a nifty little idea for city transport. The STEM is a compact electric three-wheeler, powered by a lithium-ion battery, that would be available for pick-up and return at a city-wide infrastructure of rental stations. But, if a popular Parisian bike rental scheme is anything to go by, Tobias could expect to see half his bikes stolen, and the rest vandalized, hung from lamp posts and tossed in rivers. Read More
The bike lane that travels with you
By Jude Garvey
03:17 June 26, 2009 PDT
The first automobile crash in the United States is said to have occurred in 1896, in New York City, when a car crashed into - surprise, surprise - a bicyclist. Even today, despite the introduction of reflective gear, helmets and lights, cyclists are still very vulnerable, particularly at night. Enter LightLane – a clever concept that uses lasers to project a virtual bike lane on the ground behind and around the cyclist. Read More
STRIDA folding bike picks up speed and grows taller
20:39 June 25, 2009 PDT
One of our favorite folding bicycle designs, the unique triangular-framed STRIDA, is now available in a new model. Geared for additional speed and comfort, the limited edition STRIDA 5.0 SX has thinner, larger wheels and extended handlebars for taller riders... and it can still fold down in five seconds flat. Read More
BMW's convertible Kidsbike - two bikes in one
By Karen Sprey
17:31 June 23, 2009 PDT
Riding a bike is something most of us learn as kids, with many a wobble along the way as we develop our sense of balance. The BMW Kidsbike has been designed for youngsters from around two and a half to five years of age, helping them progress from their first experience on two wheels to their first proper bike by means of a separate chain and pedal unit which can be easily mounted when the time is right. Read More
Elmoto: Stylish and economical electric biking in one lightweight package
By Paul Ridden
20:50 June 15, 2009 PDT
So what's so special about the new Elmoto HR-2 electric bike? With so many other green transport choices around, why opt for this one? Promising all of the convenient practicality of a bicycle and some of the power and comfort of a small scooter, the HR-2 tips the scales at a svelte 45kg (99lbs) with the help of a strong aluminum frame. The patented 2kW electronic brushless, gearless drive attached to the rear wheel and state-of-the-art battery technology offer an impressive 65 - 70km (40 - 45 miles) of riding between charges and a top speed or 45kmh (30mph)... and no corners have been cut in the style department. Read More
The fast-folding Switch Commuter Bike
18:10 June 4, 2009 PDT
Using pedal-power to get to work makes sense - get fit, reduce your carbon footprint, save money and probably time too - but for many cyclists, negotiating the urban sprawl often means using other forms of transport like trains for part of the journey. That's where the folding bike comes in. We've seen some cracking designs in recent times that incorporate large wheels and make the bike easier to handle when folded, and this award winning example from student designer Robert Dumaresq ticks all the boxes. Called the Switch Commuter Bike, Dumaresq's lightweight, fast-folding design takes up only the footprint of one wheel when collapsed so it can easily be maneuvered in crowded environments. Read More
The Multi Mode Vehicle - motorbike AND aircraft in one
By Darren Quick
18:55 June 2, 2009 PDT
Here we are in 2009 - televisions are thin, phones are smart and robots are on the rise, but still there's that nagging sense of disappointment each time you look outside and realize that cars don't fly. Samson Motorworks hopes to rescue us from this predicament, but realizing the weight and aerodynamic disadvantages of the 4-wheel platform, it has left the car in the garage and embarked on a mission to create a flying 3-wheeled enclosed motorcycle. Two dual-use Multi Mode Vehicles (MMVs) models are in development - the Skybike, which uses a patent pending telescoping wing design, and the Switchblade, which uses a scissor wing design to retract the wings when you swap the airway for the freeway. Read More
Spirit of 76
- November 27, 2009 @ 05:10 UTC
