Hasta La Gadget!

Yes, you read that right. A maniacal Frenchman piloted a home-made rocket-powered bicycle to what he claims was a speed of 163 mph. On a bicycle. Holy crap!

François Gissy developed the rocket bicycle with the help of the Swiss company Exotic Thermo Engineering, which created the hydrogen peroxide powered propulsion unit. A GPS placed on the bike was used to measure the speed. The video is quite short, as François holds on to the rocket bicycle as it rushes past a car.

He made the run on a disused air force runway this past Sunday and the speed record is as yet unverified. Other sources state that the bicycle went much slower, but we’ll soon find out if this really was the fastest bicycle on Earth.

[via Bikeradar]

Most of the replicas I’ve seen are of robots, vehicles and weapons. The inspiration behind Darius Bode’s creations is a lot humbler than that. But it’s one that is quite intriguing when you see it in action: a trash compactor. To be more specific, Bode made a working replica of the Schörling 2R rearloader.

In his making-of article (pdf), Bode confesses that he’s been fascinated by the compactor since he was a kid: “I think there is some kind of magic about this packer because it moves so stolidly (sic) and calm no matter what you throw in there.” He started with cardboard models of the compactor, but in 2009 he finally decided to make one that works just like the original. He ended up making a 1:11 scale replica using aluminum and steel. It takes its time, but the tiny compactor actually works. The video below shows it taking on some aluminum cans.

Aaaand we just spent a few minutes looking at a miniature trash compactor crush some cans which we could have just as easily crushed with our hands (or heads.) Thanks Internet! There’s more where that came from. Check out Bode’s YouTube channel for additional videos of the replica.

[via Darius Bode (pdf) via Classic Refuse Trucks via Doobybrain]

If you watch movies and trailers fairly frequently, then no doubt this shirt will look familiar to you. Its design is based on the Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) film rating review system that informs viewers if what they’re watching is safe for all audiences or not.

It doesn’t copy the entire notice, of course.

Rather, the designer behind it, New Zealand-based artist Barn Bocock of How to Carve Roast Unicorn, made a few choice changes to the text. The layout remains almost entirely the same, though.

Barn calls the design ‘The Following T-Shirt’, which is pretty apt for what it is.

The Following T-Shirt is available to purchase online for $30, and as it says, it’s rated “T” for Teerrific.

[via Gamefreaks via Laughing Squid]

Want to look like a tough guy on your bike? Maybe like Skeletor? Or better yet, Ghost Rider? Looking dead always makes you look tougher. Because if you are dead, but still riding a bike, well, that’s pretty badass.

This undead/dead biker wearing a skull helmet was spotted at the 5th annual Harley Davidson National Rally in Qian Dao Lake, China. The only thing stopping him from becoming Ghost Rider is a pact with the devil and some lit gasoline.

When you are dead you don’t really care how many flies go into your mouth. You probably don’t care about going 200 mph either or leaving a bunch of crashed vehicles in your wake. Yeah, it’s pretty badass being a dead biker from hell.

[via Nerdcore via Obvious Winner]

Valve’s Steam platform has earned the loyalty and respect of many desktop gamers because of its progressive online marketplace and social network. The frequent deals and discounts help too. Recently Valve launched a new meta-game designed to keep its members locked in to Steam. It’s called Steam Trading Cards.

The idea is to collect a complete set of certain cards. To complete a set, you have to spend time playing the supported games and trade cards with other Steam members. Note that you can’t complete a set just by playing or trading alone; you have to do both to be the very best.

When you complete a set, you can use them to craft a badge. These badges are unlike the normal Steam badges. They come with random goodies such as emoticons, profile backgrounds and even DLC or game coupons. If you collect the same set multiple times, the badge of that set levels up. The badge’s image and title changes with each upgrade.

Crafting or leveling up badges also levels up your Steam profile. When you level up, you earn non-tradable items such as extra slots on your friend list. Here’s a demo of the crafting courtesy of YouTuber PlaysVidyaJames:

Steam Trading Cards is still in beta, so as of now it’s only tied with 6 games – DOTA 2, Half-Life 2, Portal 2, Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Don’t Starve. I guess the Beta status also explains the errors and hiccups in the video. Are you ready to play a game about your gaming habits? Then sign up for the Steam Trading Cards Beta on Steam. Read the FAQ as well while you’re at it.

[via GamesRadar]