Cycling

Given that wireless gear-shifting for bicycles has been around for the past few years, perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that someone has now developed a wireless braking system. Created by computer scientists at Germany’s Saarland University, the current prototype still looks a little boxy, but it does do away with cables and brake levers. According to computer algorithms that would normally be used in control systems for aircraft or chemical factories, the system should offer 99.999999999997 percent reliability – that means it would fail three times out of a trillion braking attempts. Read More

Automobile manufacturers have been leveraging their brand names on other modes of transport for years, with bicycles a common focus from companies including BMW, Audi and McLaren. Porsche has also been producing bikes for years and has now expanded its Driver’s Selection range with the addition of two new bikes – the Bike RS and the Bike S. Both models are 29-inch wheelers and are constructed from lightweight materials and high-end components with performance in mind. Read More

When Canadian media artist Nicholas Hanna first moved to the Chinese city of Beijing, he was quite taken with the water calligraphy that he saw people creating in the parks. The art form consists of using a large brush to paint Chinese calligraphy on the road, in water, so the characters disappear as the water evaporates. Hanna decided to put his own spin on it, and rigged up a cargo tricycle with a computer-controlled dot matrix water release system, that squirts out passages of Chinese poetry on the road behind him as he rides. Read More

Relatively obscure though recumbent bicycles are, many people appreciate the ergonomic and aerodynamic advantages of the quirky two-wheelers. If quirkiness is your thing, however, then a recumbent tricycle might be even more to your liking. Not only do they look pretty sharp, but they're also more stable than the bicycles. Unfortunately, however, most of them are also quite cumbersome to transport - can you imagine trying to carry one up a flight of stairs, or fit it inside a car? Fortunately, there are some recumbent trikes that fold up. One in particular has been lighting up the recumbent forums lately, as it folds very small, very fast. Read More

Whether you have the wind whistling in your ears on the highway, or the sound of scrunching tires coming from beneath you on a singletrack trail, it can often be difficult to hear what other cyclists are saying. While most of us are just content to yell “WHAT?”, Swedish wireless tech company Free2Move has what it thinks is a better idea – it’s HIOD One, a Bluetooth communications system designed specifically for cyclists. Read More

... and why on Earth, you may ask, would you want to go slower? Well, because it requires more effort to make a slow bike go fast, and the more effort you put into your training rides, the faster you’ll go when you swap in a regular front wheel on race day. That’s the idea behind the new PowerWheel and SlowWheel, made by TriSport Devices. Read More

What do cars have that bicycles don’t? Lots and lots of things, actually, but one of those is a rearview mirror. While both cyclists and drivers have to shoulder check when changing lanes, cyclists additionally have to twist all the way around in order to see what’s directly behind them. Helmet- and handlebar-mounted side mirrors are certainly one way to minimize that twisting, but for people who like stuff, there’s another – mini rearview camera and monitor systems. Cerevellum has just started taking orders for one called the Hindsight, which now has a competitor known as the Owl 360. Read More

For many of us, the list of dream mountain bikes that we’ll never be able to afford just keeps growing. That said, quite a few of those bikes have a way of looking alike – after all, there are only so many variations on the basic upright bike frame that will stand up to off-road use. At this weekend’s Eurobike trade show in Germany, however, a pretty unique-looking full-suspension rig is making an appearance. It’s the Look 920, and as is the case with some high-end road bikes, its handlebar stem is integrated into the top tube. Read More

While heated handlebar grips may be nothing new for snowmobilers or motorcyclists, they’re something that mountain bikers have never been offered before – or have they? The comments board is open, if you know of a previous product. In any case, A’ME’s Clamp-On MTB Heated Tri Grips are just such an animal. If you’re a cold-weather cyclist who doesn’t like wearing thick gloves that cause your hands to get sweaty, they may be just what you’re looking for. Read More