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Bike
Gruber Assist electrifies just about any bicycle
By Darren Quick
01:41 May 5, 2009 PDT
There’s a few reasons why cycling has remained a popular form of transport for over a century. It’s cheap, keeps you fit, is environmentally friendly and it’s fun - usually. Unfortunately it can get a little less fun when you hit a steep hill or have neglected your fitness for a while. This is where electric assist devices such as the Gruber Assist can come in handy. It still lets you do most of the work, but helps to make the job that little bit easier. Whereas electric bikes such as the E+, the eneloop and the Gocycle require the purchase of a complete bike to get some electric assistance, the Gruber Assist can be retrofitted to practically any bicycle provided it has a seat tube with an inner diameter of 31.6mm. Read More
Podio – for playing out loud
By Jude Garvey
23:48 May 2, 2009 PDT
Taiwanese-based Agios Technology Company has spent two years developing the Podio - a portable digital Hi-Fi player made specially for bikes, but not exclusively. The cylindrical, pocket-sized music machine has been designed to produce a clear, natural sound, which is intended to be listened to without the need for earbuds. Read More
Handmade Cetma cargo bike delivers
By Tim LeFevre
20:34 April 21, 2009 PDT
Given that there are more bicycles sold in the world each year than cars, they are non-polluting, the transport of choice for many developing countries and are used to deliver a large part of the world's freight the final mile, it’s a wonder there aren’t more purpose-built cargo bikes around. The Cetma cargo bike, produced by a small, one-man operation in the US state of Oregon, is one that is out there ... delivering. Read More
Gocycle: The fold-up electric bicycle fit for the 21st century
By Darren Quick
01:42 April 9, 2009 PDT
April 9, 2009 One of the most compelling examples of urban transportation we've seen in recent times, the Gocycle is a lightweight electric bike developed with professionals and families in mind which brings a number of style and performance firsts to city-specific two-wheelers. Gocycle’s design engineer and founder of Karbon Kinetics Limited (KKL), Richard Thorpe, cut his teeth working in lightweight vehicle design for companies such as McLaren and turned his attention to bicycles in an attempt to break the mould of conventional design - and with its lightweight magnesium alloy construction, push-button access to electric propulsion and an innovative enclosed multi-speed chain-drive, the Gocycle does just that. Read More
Shimano's Dura-Ace Di2 electronic shifting to give road racers a time advantage
By Paul Best
01:18 April 8, 2009 PDT
Japanese bike component manufacturer Shimano seems to have the pro-cycling world in a bit of a spin with its newly launched electronic Dura-Ace road racing components. It’s still early days but already the Dura-Ace Di2 – which stands for digital integrated intelligence – is receiving favorable reviews, with talk of significantly slicker, cleaner gear changes and one expert opinion describing the electronic component series as “revolutionary”. Read More
IF MODE: the sleek folding bicycle with a clever twist
By David Greig
06:21 March 31, 2009 PDT
In a world in which we have come to expect our gadgets to be small and compact yet deliver the benefits of the full size model, Pacific Cycles' IF Mode fold-up bike is unlikely to disappoint. The IF MODE combines a number of features to optimize fast folding into a compact footprint including a single sided fork and rear stay (on opposite sides of the frame), folding handlebars, integrated stem and front fork and even folding pedals. The clever twist - literally - is the patented, single-action, automatic folding mechanism that requires no tools or removal of parts and automatically guides the wheels together. Once folded, MODE becomes a wheelable package complete with in-built handle so that you don't have a dead weight to lug around when you swap pedalling for perambulation. Read More
Wire Bike uses carbon fiber and Kevlar cables
By Paul Evans
07:05 March 9, 2009 PDT
Super light structural materials such as carbon fiber and Kevlar have incredible natural strength in tension but are much weaker in compression. A good example of this is how the carbon fiber suspension on a formula one car can resist several tons of downforce but explodes when crashed into a barrier. The concept of tension has been a familiar sight in large engineered structures such as suspension bridges and now the same concept has been applied to a bike frame. Read More
World Superbikes - round one wrap up
16:25 March 1, 2009 PST
Japan’s Nitro Noriyuki Haga and American newcomer Ben Spies were victorious in round one of the WSKB held today at Australia's Phillip Island Circuit in front of a record crowd of 63,250. Haga took the podium in race one after an enthralling battle with German Max Neukirchner which saw Haga's Ducati 1098R cross the line just 32/1000ths of a second ahead of the Suzuki. Read More
Green Wheel - 3 in 1 wireless electric bicycle hub motor
By Paul Evans
21:01 February 23, 2009 PST
A fully self contained bicycle hub motor known as the GreenWheel has been developed by students at MIT that contains the motor, batteries and motor controller all within the hub enclosure. Very similar in concept to the E+ we reported on earlier this week, but taken one step further by combining the batteries together with the motor in a single hub instead of putting the batteries in the front hub and motor/controller in the rear hub as on the E+. Read More
E+ Electric Bike - the world's most advanced electric bicycle?
By Paul Evans
18:42 February 22, 2009 PST
With the increasing popularity of the electrically assisted pushbike we are starting to see some innovative designs hit the market. While hub motors are the number one solution for mounting the electric motor within a bike frame, either in the front or rear wheel, mounting the battery pack and motor drive electronics has remained a challenge when taking into consideration practically and aesthetics. The folks at Electric Motion Systems think they have the answer with a combination of a 750 watt rear wheel mounted hub motor with built-in motor drive electronics paired with a battery pack mounted in the front wheel hub. Read More
The Mountain Monk transforms from backpack to downhill bike
23:26 January 21, 2009 PST
Riding downhill is fun, riding uphill is not, and depending how mountainous the terrain you're tackling is, it can sometimes be easier to walk the uphill part. That's the starting point for this innovative folding bicycle design. The Bergmönch, which means "The Mountain Monk" and is a reference to the kneeling position you can adopt on the descent, is a pedal-less downhill bike (or should it be scooter) complete with hydraulic disc brakes and shock absorption front and rear that weighs only 9.5kg and folds into a backpack in around two minutes to provide walkers of an alpine bent with a fast, exhilarating ticket home... and one that's a lot easier on the knees. Read More
Schwinn Tailwind electric bicycle boasts world's fastest charging time
20:37 January 14, 2009 PST
Bicycles are a fun, environmentally friendly way to get from A to B under your own steam, but we're not all Tour de France cyclists, so the addition of electric assist systems helps to increase our range and leave the car in the garage more often. The latest offering from Schwinn - the Tailwind - will hit US dealers at the end of this month and arrive in Europe in Spring equipped with a battery that not only charges in a world beating 30 minutes via a standard outlet (or a lightning 7 minutes via a 40 amp commercial charger), but also guarantees 2000 cycles before it's full capacity begins to diminish. We took a closer look at the Schwinn at the 2009 CES. Read More
Sanyo announces eneloop electric hybrid bicycle
By Darren Quick
23:16 December 14, 2008 PST
Countries with a strong bicycle culture such as those in Asia have rapidly embraced bicycles of the motorized variety. Whereas many early motorized bicycles employed internal combustion engines, the tide has shifted in favor of more environmentally friendly electric motors. Sanyo’s new eneloop electric hybrid bicycle offers a “Power-up Mode” assist ratio of up to 1:2 to enable easy pedaling up steep hills and a new “loop charge function” that charges the battery as you cruise the streets. Read More
Double the fun: Kid Balance bike/scooter design
By Jude Garvey
16:40 December 13, 2008 PST
Dutch designer Neils Smeltink's clever multifunctional bike design can adapt to the needs of children as they become older by easily transforming from a bicycle to a scooter or a walking bike. Younger children will love to use it as a walking bike or scooter while older children can use it as a real pedal-bike. Read More
Taga: it’s not just a bike or a stroller, it’s a multifunctional people carrier!
By Jude Garvey
22:55 December 9, 2008 PST
When you first see the Taga you wonder why nobody thought of this sooner? This machine has taken all the benefits of a bike and a stroller and put them together in one unique package. Firstly, it is a bike with a stroller attached to the front of it but the bike can be removed in a matter of seconds to convert the machine into a stroller and it can also be converted into a double stroller or simply used as a stand-alone bike. A clever way for parents to get their cardio fix whilst their babe relaxes in comfort and watches the world go by. Read More
Ducati 1098 Streetfighter unveiled
22:05 November 5, 2008 PST
Ducati has officially taken the wraps off its new super-naked - the Streetfighter - and it's one mouth-watering package. The familiar Ducati trellis-frame houses a water-cooled 1098cc L-Twin putting out 155 horsepower, add an aluminum single sided swingarm, dry clutch, Brembo radial monoblocs, Marella electronic fuel injection, stainless steel 2-1-2 exhaust system and a weight figure of 167 kilos and you have a bike that backs its aggressive stance with performance topping anything the company has ever released without fairings. Read More
Seat-less bike design promises fitter children
By Emily Clark
17:17 October 22, 2008 PDT
October 22, 2008 The “Taurus” is a futuristic bicycle concept from Julia Meyer which promises to keep kids fit through its seat-less design. The forward-leaning configuration means you stand on the bike in the optimum position for giving your leg muscles a solid workout as well as ensuring correct posture. Read More
No hands, no pedals: the electric self balancing unicycle
21:04 October 19, 2008 PDT
While the unicycle could never be accused of being the most practical form of transport, one or two designs that have emerged in recent years (like the Unomoto and Bombadier's Embrio concept) have identified the potential of combining self-balancing technology with a format that is, well, inherently unbalanced. Known as the electric self-balancing unicycle or SBU, this new incarnation from Focus Designs makes the challenge 50% easier by incorporating a system of accelerometers and gyroscopes to control the forward and backward balance, leaving the rider to concentrate mainly on sideways movement. The other big difference from the traditional design is that there are no pedals or crank arms, just footrests to help balance while you glide along at up to 8mph while controlling speed by leaning forward and backwards. Read More
Urban cruiser: the A2B electric bike
19:12 October 15, 2008 PDT
Yet another option for short-distance commuters who want to pollute less, avoid traffic snarls and keep fuel-money in their pockets, the aptly named A2B electric bike lets you cruise under electric power at 20mph for up to 20 miles on a single charge with an optional second battery doubling the range. Read More
The Innervision recyclable bicycle concept
22:12 October 2, 2008 PDT
Industrial Designer Matt Clark is taking what is already the world's most popular mode of eco-friendly transportation a step further with his recyclable Innervision bicycle concept. The goal behind the project is to reduce costs and streamline the manufacturing process by using pre-molded plastic components rather than aluminum tubes for the bicycle frame, producing a lightweight and affordable product for the cycling masses that could be made from, or turned into, plastic products. Read More
Run while you ride on the elliptiGO bike
By Jude Garvey
17:55 September 25, 2008 PDT
The elliptiGO glide bike offers riders all the best elements of running and cycling in one machine. Whilst running is an excellent way to improve cardiovascular health and general fitness, many runners are plagued with back and leg injuries due to the high impact nature of the sport. Similarly, bike riders often suffer from shoulder and back injuries and saddle-soreness. When you ride the elliptiGO you use the same biomechanics of running but the impact is reduced and the upright position is a much more comfortable way to ride as well as providing greater visibility in traffic. Read More
The CarvX four-wheeled carving recumbent bike
00:39 September 25, 2008 PDT
Vehicles with a carving or tilting mechanism to assist in steering through corners make a lot of sense. We can attest to the validity of the theory following our test ride of the virtually undroppable Piaggio MP3 scooter and we've seen numerous design platforms that incorporate this approach including the VenturOne plug-in hybrid , the Xnovo three-wheeler, Brudeli's Leanster and the Lumeneo Smera. Human-powered carvers have also been spotted on the drawing-board, but we've never encountered a concept design that applies this principle to a four wheeled recumbent bicycle - until now. Read More
Cy-Fi Bluetooth wireless sports speaker
00:25 September 11, 2008 PDT
There's nothing like strapping on the earphones and cranking up your favorite tunes to help you through a serious bout of exercise, but in many outdoor scenarios, especially cycling, this can become a major safety risk by preventing you from hearing traffic noise and other potential hazards that might not be visible. This is the thinking that inspired Los Angeles entrepreneur Jeff Lotman to invent the Cy-Fi Bluetooth wireless sports speaker, a palm-sized unit that attaches to a bike or backpack and wirelessly transmits music and phone calls from Bluetooth enabled devices. Read More
Honda's all-new 2009 CRF450R Motocrosser gets fuel injection
By Loz Blain
17:29 September 8, 2008 PDT
Honda's CRF450R motocross bike has been hugely successful since its launch in 2002 - and although the bike is already recognized as the class leader, it's receiving a kitchen-sink included upgrade for 2009. Lighter, quicker, more powerful and with even tighter mass centralization for quick handling, the 2009 CRF450R also sports a Honda first - battery-free, programmable fuel injection that raises output power and control while dramatically reducing fuel consumption. Out of the box, Honda says it's two seconds faster around a supercross track than this year's bike. Read More
New functionality for Zoombak A-GPS locators
By Emily Clark
04:43 August 5, 2008 PDT
Following the release of the basic GPS Locator product earlier this year, Zoombak has begun its roll-out of additional functionality with the release of "Mobile Location Requests", a feature that lets users find their Zoombak in real-time from any cell phone. Read More
Alexis Olson
- November 9, 2009 @ 21:08 UTC
