Category — bike gear

I generally avoid anything spandex or flashy out of habit, but the following items have me convinced it’s time to upgrade my cycling gear:

Even though Astana is my favorite team, I really love the design and colors of the Team Slipstream/Chipotle jersey designed especially for women by Pearl Izumi.  Plus, the jersey is a great reason to buy these awesome matching Arm Warmers:

These award-winning Satin Shorts from Trashy Cat have also caught my attention:

It doesn’t really get cold enough for heavy jackets in Southern California, but I really, REALLY love the SheFox Thermal Jacket by SheBeest and may have to find colder places to ride!

I have been considering upgrading my front bike light for a while, but since it officially died last night, I guess now is the time for a new purchase.  I want a light that is bright enough that I can take my bike off road at night.  Here’s what I have my eye on:

• Light & Motion Stella LED bicycle light - The Stella is supposed to be twice as bright as other LED lamps, which sounds great for hitting the trails at night, and stays bright for up to 5 hours.

• Nite Rider MiNewt.X2 Dual LED - I love the dual headlight feature for more coverage.  However, it only lasts up to 3.5 hours between charges, as opposed to the 5 hours the Stella claims.

• Cygo Lite TridenX LED - The TridenX has 8 different light settings, so you don’t have to worry about blinding motorists if you take your bike on the road. 
  

I saw a guy out on the trail a few weeks back who seemed to be wearing a skateboard helmet instead of a bike helmet.  However, it turns it out it was a super stylish bike helmet by Jorg & Olif.

I was so intrigued by the Jorg & Olif helmet that I was motivated to do a little helmet hunting around the internet, and found a few more inspired interpretations of the standard bike helmet:

Yakkay makes bicycle helmets that can be accessorized with funky covers that look like real hats.

I first saw these Sawako Furano helmets on Treehugger.  These beautiful designs will definitely make an impression.

Unfortunately, Roar Helmets are just for kids!  Too bad, they are really cool!

Nutcase Helmets are designed to be used with multiple sports, so they are great for people who bike and skate or snowboard.

If you enjoy cycling and would like to expose your child to it too, there are some safe ways to do so. You may want to hit clear paths to help them get used to riding on dirt, rocks and twigs first. There are all types of kid bicycles and motorized bikes you can train your children on. You can find something for every stage of bike riding – from training wheels to extreme dirt biking.

For the really early stages, you can attach your little one’s stroller to the back of your bike.

This is the Chariot Corsaire XL Bicycle Trailer, perfect for bringing along your young child on biking trails with you. Some even fit two children.

Of course there’s the traditional child bike seat, which is attached to the back of your bike.

After having some practice with training wheels, you can purchase this to ensure they don’t wander off or get lost with this InStep Pathfinder Bicycle Trailer. The two back wheels detach, and it can be attached to any bike.

Stepping up from the bicycle trailer is this towable trailer. It comes with practicing training wheels and a detachable towing device for outdoor trips.

For the children who are beyond training wheels and towing behind mom and dad and are ready for Moto-X, there are kids dirt bikes made specifically for youngsters. These are scaled down versions of actual dirt bikes and look extra cool. Surely your tween would enjoy one. Some go up to 17 mph.

If you’re like the rest of us drivers, the gas prices have really gotten you down, maybe even a little depressed. You may be doing lots of things differently and it doesn’t seem for the better – driving less, skipping out on road trips and walking long distances. Those that are riding their bikes have already found an economical way to get around town, but it can be very energy consuming – let’s face it, cycling up and down hills can get pretty tiring. Not many of us are able to afford these fancy new electric cars, so why not think smaller?

With electric bike motors you can get around quickly and waste less of your energy. You don’t even have to worry about giving up your precious bike because electric motors can be purchased and easily installed to your current bicycle.

The system comes with a small motor that weighs less than 20 lbs., and has a rear sprocket and dash that allows you to see your battery meter and speed. You simply plug it in to recharge and you’re set for up to about 6 hours, depending on the settings you have it on. There are different electric bike motors to choose from and since you’re already thinking thrifty by riding a bike, you should be able to find one that fits within your budget. Besides, whatever you end up spending wouldn’t come close in comparison to what you’d be spending on gas!

I still haven’t gotten the Garmin Edge 705 bike computer that I have been dreaming of, so now I am starting to look into less expensive options for my current biking schedule. I am trying to bike at least 20 miles a day, and I think I am around that, but I would like to know for sure because I am particular like that. Plus, I think knowing my mileage will help me set training goals so that I can eventually do a century.

But, a journey of a hundred miles begins with regular and steady peddling, so here are some cool bike computers that can help keep track of the journey along the way :

Planet Bike Protege 9 Wireless Computer - I love the idea of a wireless bike computer like the Protege 9.0. The last thing I need to do is waste time with more cables!

Polar CS300 Cycling Computer - What’s better than a wireless bike computer? A bike computer you can wear on your wrist like a watch! Plus, it has a built-in heart rate monitor for optimal training results.

Velotrend Bike Brain Bicycle Computer -The Bike Brain is great for people who want to sync up their PalmPilot or Handspring Visor to their bike computer. This version doesn’t offer heart rate or cadence monitors, but otherwise, it’s like an organizational dream come true.

I don’t think I’ll be taking this Be the Bike! bike up to Sullivan Canyon anytime soon. It seems like the designers didn’t have things like pedaling or uphill climbing or even braking in mind when they came up with this concept, but at least it’s eye-catching. And it looks like you’d get one heck of an ab workout, if you can hold your body in that position! The safety gear in the illustration is what frightens me most; I think I’d need at least a bike helmet like this:

I was so scattered yesterday trying to get back into my routine that I didn’t even think about grabbing my bike and taking it for a spin. I really want to go down to the bike path tonight after work though, and as I planned out my evening workout this morning, it occurred to me that I hadn’t even looked at the bikes since we got back, and three of them had been stacked on a single steel bike rack. I was sure there was no way that rack could stay standing through a 5.4 earthquake and I was cringing as I opened the door to check on the bikes. Much to my surprise, they hadn’t moved at all. Everything was exactly as we left it.

I am astonished by the XPORT Bikes Aloft rack’s stability and durability, especially considering how lightweight the steel frame is. My biggest fear with having a bike rack in Southern California is that it would have to somehow be anchored to the wall or pressed into the ceiling in order to withstand serious tremors. The freestanding XPORT rack has given me peace of mind, knowing that my bikes will stay safe during a pretty big quake, and that I don’t have to worry about the rack fall over and crushing someone.

Here’s my preliminary review of the gorgeous redesigned ‘09 Fox 32 F-Series fork. PIC’s much anticipated F80 RLC fork finally arrived last week, so he spent the weekend putting it to work and testing it’s limits. I tagged along on Saturday for a quick loop up Westridge Fire Road and down through Sullivan Canyon, and even as a spectator on my own bike, I was impressed by the how well the fork seemed to handle the terrain. One of the jumps that PIC hit popped his front tire, but the fork was fine.

PIC also said that the fork handled well and made for a really smooth ride overall. I’ll post more info as I get it, but for now, here are a few more pics:

I have been meaning to put up some pictures for a while but have been so busy that I haven’t really had a chance to sort through them. However, I just went through a few folders this morning and dug up some cool pics of my bike that I want that I want to share. These were take at the single track in Sullivan Canyon about a month and a half ago. Enjoy!

Woo-hoo! Check out this stylin’ bike!

Here’s a close-up of my new bicycle seat. I love it because it looks so sleek and is surprisingly comfortable.

That blur is me flying down the single track!

Stayed tuned for more pics in the next few days!