Ben Johnke, Bill Engelking, and Matthew Stout from CSU teamed up on a self-shifting bike prototype. As the rider picks up or drops in speed, the bicycle shifts gears to accommodate. The stock derailleur and cable system are paired with electronic sensors and computer code. When starting the bike, the rider keys in initial gearing on the bar-mounted main computer. While pedaling, a sensor reads speed as an LED light bounces off reflective tape on the rear wheel.

A detailed presentation after the break…

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In all honesty, I didn’t expect to like Lezyne’s Super Drive.  As a commuter who regularly starts and finishes his morning commute in the dark, I’ve been spoiled by trail-ready 900+ Lumen lighting systems and the vision -and visibility- that they guarantee.  Coming from substantially more powerful lighting systems, I wasn’t sure what a 450 Lumen light with a mere 90 minute runtime could offer- especially at $110.  After about eight weeks of near-daily use, I now know- and have taken quite the shine to the little light.  Click through to find out more…

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The Bike Valet by Reclamation Art + Furniture is a simple, minimalist wall mount for indoor bicycle storage.  It supports one bicycle and features two hooks to serenade your helmet and gear.  The Bike Valet looks to be in the same price range as the Cycloc wall mount, so it isn’t the cheapest on the market by far.  But, if price isn’t an issue, this wall mount is endowed with maximal style and character.  The Bike Valet looks more like a piece of Second Empire furniture than a wall mount.  My only complaint is that there is no integrated coffee-cup holder, but I guess some things must be sacrificed for the art of minimalism.

On that note, the Bike Valet will come powder-coated in a variety of majestic colors: black, blue, cream white, grey, pale green, and red.  They give a choice for the product to be equipped with either leather pad or neoprene pad to prop the bike on (keeping the Vegans in mind I assume). The Bike Valet is laser cut, hand bent, and made from 1/8” quality steel.  On a side note, the mount extends 12″ from the wall, so it shouldn’t provide any issues with most handlebar widths apart from mountain bikes.    More about this classy rack after the break.

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More gadgetry from CES…

OK, so most of us won’t see the 119kph in the screen capture above, but how much cooler would helmet cam video be with speed, G-forces, lap map, and lap time shown?  If your answer is “way cooler,” then Optrix’s iPhone mounts and $10 VideoPro app may well be for you.  Hit more for mount photos and the full release!
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Having had the chance to check out a prototype 4iiii Innovations’ Sportiiiis heads-up display at Interbike last fall, I’m actually going to call this a pretty cool idea.  An ANT+ enabled receiver that mounts to sunglass arms, the Sportiiiis’ most unique feature is a boom that places an array of 7 green, yellow, and red LEDs in the rider’s secondary vision (see view shot below the break) and audible alerts close to the ear.  Once the Sportiiiis unit is programmed with a workout’s desired heart rate, speed, power, cadence, or pace zones, feedback is provided unobtrusively, allowing the rider to keep their eyes on the road or trail.  Sportiiiis are available now from 4iiii for $200.  Click through for the full release and to see the Sportiiiis in action…

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Afternoon edit 1/12:  clock issue workaround added to text.

As a kid in the late ’80s, the mountain bike was my and my friends’ tool to explore the old logging roads and quarries of the Granite State.  As I’ve grown and moved over the past 25 years, I’ve continued to do the same, compiling extensive paper and mental maps of everywhere I’ve lived.  For that reason, I’ve long liked the idea of using GPS to map my rides.  While early multi-sport and later bike-specific models could certainly take the data needed to make decent maps, their size, complexity, and cost have long kept me away.

With ever-improving (and ever-shrinking) GPS and battery technology, it was inevitable that someone would release a GPS-enabled cycling computer that made sense for my intended use: tracking time, speed, and distance as well as collecting data that could later be used to generate maps- all at a price that makes sense.  With the release of Garmin’s $150 Edge 200 this fall, it looked as though the inevitable had happened.  Click through to find out if traditional cycling computers have become obsolete and my desire to map every ride can be met…

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Magellan has debuted their first ever sports line up of GPS receivers. Two models, a running-only Switch and the multisport Switch Up will be available this spring.

Both models have a high resolution display, 8-hour battery life, nine customizeable sports profiles and are compatible with other ANT+ devices and sensors. A high sensitivity GPS receiver is built in, and they’re waterproof to 50m.

The Switch Up ads barometric altimeter to measure elevation, a thermometer, vibration alerts and a quick release mount to help you quickly move through transitions. It’s available with an external battery pack to stretch battery life to 24 hours total. The different modes let you see different, presumably more relevant, information depending on which sport your participating in, narrowing it down even between road and trail running.

Lastly, you’ll be able to upload your training data to review and compare with friends. Full PR with pricing after the break…

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Too good to be true?

The folks who brought us the slick iBike power meters- which combine wind speed measurements with accelerometer outputs to determine the forces a rider is overcoming while riding- have just introduced their POWERHOUSE cycling computer.  The idea is a slick one- to combine iBike’s proprietary sensors and power deduction calculations with the display, battery, computing power, and memory of an iPhone or iPod Touch.  Taking advantage of the iPhone/iPod’s processing power, iBike have teamed up with coach Hunter Allen to develop a number of 4-6 week “fitness plans” targeted at specific goals (including “iSlim”, “Weekend Warrior,” and -yes- “Brazilian Butt”).  These plans are claimed to adapt to the rider’s progress to maximize workout benefit.

If it works as promised, at $269, that’s a lot of information and direction for not a lot of -wait for it- booty.  Click through for more images and the full release…

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Note: When playing, bump videos’ resolution up to 720p for a better feel for the ContourROAM’s picture quality…

As much as I am amazed by and enjoy new electronics, I’m not usually one to incorporate them into my rides.  Still, there have been dozens of times over the past few years when I’ve ridden a particularly perfect stretch of trail and wanted to have the ability to share it with friends and family.  That’s why, when Contour asked if I’d like to review their entry-level (read: simple) ROAM bullet-shaped video camera, I jumped at the chance.

Touted as “the easiest video camera in the world,” the ContourROAM retails for $200, is waterproof to 1m, and can record full 1080p HD video.  The camera comes packed in a small plastic carrying case with a couple of adhesive-backed mounts and a micro USB cable.  The ROAM will record on MicroSD cards up to 32GB- though those need to be purchased separately.  Read on for more videos and more review…

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This is why you bought (or will buy) an iPad. Heuristic Media’s Cyclepedia App takes their print volume and does everything a book like this should do when it goes digital.

Featuring 100 iconic bicycles, it lets you zoom, pan and rotate them 360º. It shows origin, specs and details and it does it all with a polished interface that’s simply gorgeous. It also features films, original advertising, links, engineering drawings and still photos. Folding bikes feature swipable folding animations, and many include original owners manuals and more.

Get it on iTunes for $9.99, which is a real bargain considering the non clicky-flicky print book is about $23. Now you know what to do with those iTunes gift cards you find in your stocking! Screenshots after the break…

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If you missed out on the chance to win a Ahrens Cycles’ Wisecracker earlier, Paul has another cycling related bottle opener for you, though this one isn’t attached to the bike.  Just in time for the holidays, Paul has introduced a beautifully anodized and CNC’d Bottle opener. Not content with it simply being “just” a bottle opener, the opposite end of the lever holds a 15mm brake spring adjuster. In typical Paul fashion, the bottle opener is impeccably machined from 6061 aluminum stock, and then anodized in silver, black, and festive red and green, all for just $15 while supplies last!

Based on Paul Component’s description on their site, they definitely have a sense of humor, check it out after the break.

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The 60beat system is a nifty little device that plugs into one’s smart phone allowing an athlete to use their iPhone or Android phone as a HR (Heart Rate) monitor. First you’ll need to download one of 20 iPhone and two Android apps that capture or display HR data, turn on the 60beat receiver, put on your HR strap and get to work. I used an iPhone 4 and the HR monitor strap that accompanies the 60beat, but you can use  any compatible HR monitor strap if you prefer.

I had a few questions when setting up the apps I chose to use, so I sent a message to customer service and received very timely replies. One question I had was if  any of the available Apps  allow for HR data storage? They replied that Runtastic and Logyourrun both have websites that allow for storage and are the most popular but other Apps do allow for storage. These two Apps are similar to the Strava App where you have to log in to their website and customize each ride. The App I downloaded, “Heart Rate”, does not allow for storage which was a bummer but quickly remedied by downloading Logyourrun.

Another feature that was a nice addition is the “pass through” feature in that the 60beat is designed so that even though the transceiver is plugged into the headphone jack, the 60beat itself has a  headphone jack  so you can listen to tunes.

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