Tag: bike

Categories
Fitness Video Games

TreadGaming works you out without cheat codes

Video gaming is a fantastic way to spend a day off, but pretty a pretty terrible thing for the body. As much fun as it may be, a sedentary lifestyle is nothing but bad news. Although virtual reality is eventually promising a future where people will be able to move around with their favorite virtual worlds, that future is a considerably long way off.

Enter TreadGaming, a tiny, USB-enabled device that attaches a treadmill or an ergometer bike and transforms it into a giant video game controller powered by nothing but physical activity. The Mountain Dew and Doritos won’t be at arm’s length anymore but, in exchange, users will be able to sneak, walk, and run throughout whatever world they popped into the DVD tray.

What’s more, any action can be mapped to the exercise device or the two Wii Nunchuks that are able to plugged into the TreadGaming devices along with free I/O pins offer a ton of versatility when it comes to interacting with the game itself and expanding the device’s capabilities. Early birds can grab the device for kr380 (~$47) before it goes up to kr456 (~$57). The kr22,500 (~$2,800) campaign is looking to get people off their couches by March 2015.

The TreadGaming device is fairly limited at the moment in its execution, working out only with the PS3. Further revision and a deal with another company will be required to bring the rest of the current generation consoles up to speed. In addition, other types of exercise tools won’t work, like ellipticals and rowing machines. A similar device that combines exercise and gaming is the STABALLIZER, but works only with smartphones and tablets. Omni-directional treadmills that work with VR headsets have been teased, but are a ways off. Until then, something like TreadGaming can fill that niche.

Categories
Connected Objects Cycling

COBI connected bike system stylishly declutters handlebar gadgets

Most riders who take their biking seriously pony up the cash for all sorts of mounts and lights to make their trips more manageable, but their handlebars end up being anything but. To put it simply, handlebars are extremely cluttered and the more functionality a rider wants, the worse it becomes.

iCradle, Inc.’s COBI connected biking system is taking what cyclists want in their ride and combining it all into an unobtrusive, wireless system. On its own, COBI gives riders an automatic flashlight, turn signal, and a proximity start-up that senses a cyclist’s iPhone or Android device and reacts accordingly. The COBI’s main draw is its handlebar dock. When a smartphone is inserted, COBI instantly adds over 100 intelligent features to any standard or electronic bike, all controlled with a handy thumb controller that allows focus to stay on the road ahead. A lot of these features, like intelligent navigation, the ability to call friends, a fitness tracker, Spotify integration, and a smart theft alarm, all make use of their large, colorful screens, and their high-powered internals —all while being charged with a 6000mAh battery pack for standard bikes or an e-bike’s hub.

COBI is extremely modular, allowing riders the freedom to pick and choose which components they’d like to add or remove from their systems, handy when more are created in the future. The company has created four separate types of designs to accommodate different types of riders: racer, city, urban, and mountain. They mainly differ in aesthetic, though. A complete kit for standard bikes goes for $255, while an e-bike gets a small discount being that they come with compatible controllers at $199. iCradle, Inc. is looking to ship the product in June 2015 provided they reach their $100,000 goal.

The COBI connected system is extremely polished and full-featured, traits sure to attract a large number of supporters and adopters. With add-ons to protect from tough terrain and inclement weather, the thought behind the design and implementation of the product is obvious. Combine with the Helmetor to get maximum efficiency out of any bike.

Categories
Cycling Maker/Development

Bamboobee lets you build your own bike from bamboo

There’s a certain satisfaction from building things on your own that is unfortunately absent from an economy that wants us to buy everything pre-made and brand new. That experience doesn’t do much for us, so instead of going to your local bike shop and riding one out the door, why not make your own? The Bamboobee lets you do just that with a package that includes all the parts necessary to build your own bike frame from bamboo. Termed a BIY (build it yourself) bike, the Bamboobee makes it easy to assemble your own cross-country frame in just three days by giving you the instructions to do so along with a platform to do it on.

At this point in the campaign, the inventor is also offering a kit with everything but the wheels for an additional $139 so that you can be 99% at the end of the third day. The combination of beautiful materials and the excitement of riding a bike of your own making will have many interested in such an unique product. They’ll just need to be careful their assembly is up to snuff as it could lead to potential accidents. All in all, the Bamboobee’s customization options sure attract as does its $179 price tag. Backers can expect delivery of the bamboo bike in Februrary 2015. The campaign is hoping to raise $15,000.

Categories
Cycling Safety

A strip show on wheels, LightCycle helps nighttime riding safety

Those little red squares on the back of most bikes claim to be some sort of brake light, but, in reality, are as useful as having nothing there at all. With the safety concerns associated with an increase of bike riders in high traffic areas, you would think companies would figure out a better alternative, but that hasn’t been the case. Instead, a slew of companies over the years have presented their own solutions to varying degrees of success.

LightCycle’s small, battery-powered brake system is easy to install on any bike and lights up every time you apply the brakes. This avoids unnecessary collisions and the potential for more dangerous accidents by increasing visibility. Revolights is another brake light system that handles this issue in a similar way but includes the front of the bike to achieve maximum visibility; even if the creators of LightCycle claim to use LED lights, the campaign video wasn’t convincing enough to prove it. That said, if you’re looking to make sure everyone sees you while you ride, the 8rlicht is the way to go — a large screen with custom messages will get surely rid of any doubt. LightCycle is currently going for $65 with an expected delivery date of January 2015. The campaign is looking for $2,000 to make it happen.

Categories
Cycling

Battery-powered EB XL bike pump provides air to spare anywhere

EB XLPumping up tires can be exhausting and time-consuming. The EB XL is a battery powered tire pump that does all the work for you. The campaign video shows this somewhat loud and bulky product at work. The one downside of this product is that there doesn’t appear to be any kind of psi gauge to tell you when the tire is full. In the video, the user just pushes down on the tire judging the pressure that way. It would be a practical addition to include a gauge so that the pump automatically stops when the tire is full. One EB XL will cost backers $60. This battery-powered pump hopes to raise $5,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Cycling Lighting Nutrition/Hydration

Aqualight water bottle quenches need for bike path lighting safety, thirst

AquaLightCycling at night can be dangerous and it’s imperative to have forward- and back-facing lights for your ride. AquaLight is a water bottle with built-in lights. The back light is red and faces back while the forward light is white. Obviously, the bottle also holds water and sits in the beverage cage. The creators claim that the lights are bright enough for safety, but it’s hard to tell, especially since they sit so low in between the bike frame and wheels. In addition, not all bikes have beverage cages, so the light is impractical for bikes without this feature. Still, for interested backers, AquaLight will cost $40 with choice of color. This lit-up water bottle hopes to raise $17,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Automotive Travel

Arctrike puts some power into lying down on the road

The Premise. With rising gas prices and a suffering environment, people are looking to new ways of transportation. Many choose bicycles or public transport, but for those who need a little power and privacy behind their ride, electric is the way to go.

The Product. The Arctrike is a recumbent three-wheel vehicle. The rider sits back and relaxes while he cruises down the road. It’s electric for extra power with pedals as well. A handle makes steering a breeze and front suspension ensures a smooth ride. Behind the back of the rider, the motor stays out of the way and is concealed. The trike itself looks sleek and rugged at the same time.

The Pitch. In the campaign video, the creators explain the advantages of a trike over a moped or car. It shows a man cruising around in the trike and his ride really does look quite smooth. The rest of the campaign goes into the trike’s specs along with the prototyping process. Arctrike’s creators really pushed their product to the limit in testing to ensure a great ride for all. This recumbent bike hopes to raise $65,000 CAD on Kickstarter.

The Perks. For $1,800 CAD, backers will receive the frame kit which includes most of the materials to assemble the trike by oneself, leaving out the battery, motor and other items. For $2,950 CAD, backers get the kit again, but including more materials, though still leaving out any kind of power. For $5,000 CAD, backers get the Arctrike and for $5,400 the better quality version of the trike.

The Potential. This recumbent bike seems like a blast to ride. It’s great for those looking for a fun and unique way to get around, at least in the warmer months. The creators claim that it’s safe, but stress that a helmet is needed to ride. One would also think that, being so low to the ground, being run over by a Mack truck might not be out of the realm of possibility. We’ve seen other trikes like this, such as the Horizon, which is designed to be a bit more accessible to people of all levels of ability than Arctrike. Still, Arctrike is a cool, fun, energy-efficient way to zip around town.

Categories
Cycling Personal Transportation

Robobike Mobile Generator gives your e-bike a jolt on the road

robobikeInventor Chris Wilson wants eto never worry about battery again with his Robobike Mobile Generator. It connects to the back of an electric bicycle, passively stabilizing itself so that the rider can fully enjoy their ride without issue. Also connected to the generator are the bike’s brakes, allowing it to recharge itself when in use. And when you’re done, the Robobike Mobile Generator can power a refrigerator if need be, among other things. Although potentially practical, the product seems a bit awkward.

Categories
Cycling

Bicyclick shows that a bike pair divided against itself cannot stand

The Premise. Without kickstands, it’s difficult to keep your bike upright. In addition, when parking a bunch of bikes together with family and friends, one strong breeze can cause a domino effect of falling bikes. No one enjoys untangling bikes that have fallen over.

The Product. Bicyclick is a clever little product that screws into the side of your bike handle. Bikes using this product can click into one another to them upright. The product also comes with a rubber strand that holds down the brakes so that the bikes don’t roll away together. Bicyclick is designed to fit together bikes with handles of different heights and can attach as many bikes as possible. Its completely black and discreet meaning that when its not in use, you won’t even notice it. Different versions make it possible to connect to a variety of handles.

The Pitch. This charming campaign video features soothing Irish music while the creators talk about the pitfalls of fallen bikes. They show the Bicyclick doing its thing with tons of different types of bikes on all different kinds of terrain to display how versatile it is. Photos of the product in action permeate the rest of the campaign. Bicyclick hopes to raise $25,000 in a 45-day Kickstarter campaign. 

The Perks. One Bicyclick costs $25 or two for $42. The product offers different types of attachments for different kinds of handlebars. Estimated delivery is set for October 2014. Reward tiers reach up to $700.

The Potential. For those without a kickstand or those who have had trouble using a kickstand, Bicyclick is the way to go. It’s perfect for couples, families, bike tours or anyone who travels in a pack. It’s great that it attaches and stays on the handlebar, making it easy to use and transport. For many, this product doesn’t seem super necessary, but for outdoorsy types and those who live in California, like the creators, Bicyclick will certainly come in handy. 

Categories
Cycling Imaging

Klamp smooths out the bumps in the road for extreme cycling videos

KlampThose involved with extreme sports love to record videos of  their adventures. Various cameras have been developed to help them do just that. Some attach to helmets while others lack any kind of fastening device. The Klamp works with several “extreme” cameras to capture action shots. It allows the user to film their ride in eight different ways and is designed to work with bikes. A pack of two Australian Klamps costs backers $38 AUD. While there are lots of camera arms and clamps out there, Klamp seems to offer more versatility and stabilization for capturing shots. This product hopes to raise $45,000 AUD in a month-long Kicstarter campaign.