Sports

Dual Clutch Transmissions (DCT) are still a relatively rare breed, though in the past few years we have been inundated with them in high end automobiles. By using a separate clutch for odd and even gears, gears can be changed without interrupting power by applying the engine's torque to the next gear just as it is being disconnected from the previous one. This enables quicker and smoother gear changes and delivers better fuel economy while reducing emissions. Honda’s newly-announced, fully-automatic motorcycle DCT is a first for large-displacement sport bikes and will debut on the new VFR set for release in 2010.  Read More

If you're a professional distance cyclist or even a dedicated off-road pleasure rider and you need an edge over your competitors or friends, then Garmin's new GPS navigator for cyclists could be just up your street. Weighing just 2oz, the low profile Edge 500 has an easy-fit bike mount and can assist with training by tracking a rider's distance, speed, location, elevation and can even wirelessly monitor pedal strokes per minute and heart rate.  Read More

Mini celebrated its 50th birthday on August 26, 2009 with BMW announcing it will unveil the very sleek Mini Coupe Concept at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show (17-27 September). This two-seater will happily take the most powerful engine currently available in the Mini range (the 1.6-liter twin-scroll turbocharged power unit carried over from the 2010 Mini John Cooper Works), with a maximum output of 155kW/211hp and peak torque of 260Nm/192lb-ft. Through the Overboost function, this increases to 280Nm/206lb-ft. for a short burst. Add to that its improved aerodynamics and it’s no wonder BMW is confident that this model Mini will deliver the best ever performance.  Read More

Honda has announced that the CR-Z sports hybrid will be available for sale in Japan from January of next year. First unveiled as a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2007, the two-door sports hybrid is powered by Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system, which combines a small gasoline engine with supplementary power from a built-in electric motor.  Read More

There’s no doubt that when BMW promises, it delivers. Last year we reported from the Paris Motor Show on the unveiling of the Concept X1, which BMW promised to have to market in 12 months. And, sure enough, one year later here it is: BMW’s first compact SUV (essentially it’s an X5 shrunk to a more city-friendly size) with a choice of two- or four-wheel drive and the first in the X series to have Auto Start-Stop.  Read More

For swimmers and triathletes in training or racing, keeping a tab on laps is tedious, but also it can be easy to lose track at times, especially as you tire. Plus there are frankly better things to think about while you’re working out in the pool. British company Swimovate has come up with a swimming computer, worn like a wristwatch, which takes the mental work out of keeping a lap count. But being a smart bit of tech, the Pool-Mate does a heap more besides.  Read More

Damage to knee cartilage is one of the more common types of sports injuries. Treatment often involves drilling a hole through the cartilage into the bone to stimulate the bone marrow to release stem cells, transplanting cartilage and the underlying bone from another part of the joint, or removing cartilage cells from the body, stimulating them to grow in the lab and re-implanting them. Now MIT engineers have built a new tissue scaffold that can stimulate bone and cartilage growth when transplanted into knees and other joints, potentially offering a more effective, less expensive – and painful – option to more conventional therapies.  Read More

Elite athletes know that training smarter is much better than training harder, and to do that you need to know exactly what's happening in your body. Suunto has introduced its new Triathlon collection heart rate monitors which measure the time interval between heartbeats and its variations to produce seven different body parameters as well as analyze these readings to provide the information needed to maximize their training efforts.  Read More

Action camera specialist VholdR looks to have pulled out all stops with its latest offering - the ContourHD Wearable Camcorder. Billed as the world’s first and lightest HD wearable camcorder, the ContourHD shoots widescreen, 1280x720 HD quality video at 30 frames per second, sports a new 135 degrees lens, a new internal microphone and an innovative twin laser shot alignment system, all wrapped in a self-contained, ruggedized package that weighs just 4 ounces.  Read More