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Jul 05

Google Maps-powered training bike simulates Tour de France, refuses to speak English

Poor France. The nation known mostly for its food and wine only has a few major sporting events to call its own, yet we — great, fat and lazy America — have pwned its most iconic one for seven years. That legacy could still live on — if you don’t mind shelling out $1299 and sweating all over your living room floor, that is. Powered by Google Maps and touted as the official trainer of Le Tour de France, comes a Pro-Form training bike so hardcore, it even simulates potholes. Ok, we made that last part up, but it does allow you to feel the burn of 24 pre-set courses, or one of your own punishing design. For the ultra-committed indoor enthusiast, there’s also Intelligent Wind Resistance and a 20 percent incline / decline feature that’ll match the ups and downs of real life outdoor cycling without the hassle of the actual outdoors. Honestly, it’s a bit much and we can’t really see this thing taking off with the New Year’s Eve resolution set, but if you’ve always wanted that biker’s derriere, this is your trainer.

Google Maps-powered training bike simulates Tour de France, refuses to speak English originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jul 2011 07:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 01

Toyota Prius Project’s concept bike lets you shift gears with your mind

Posted in: bike, concept, Today's Chili, Toyota, Wireless

Got mind control on the mind? Check out this new concept bike from Deeplocal — a Pittsburgh-based design house that’s adding a neurological twist to the art of cycling. As part of Toyota Prius Project No. 11, the company outfitted the seat post of a Parlee PXP aero road bike with a wireless transmitter, allowing users to remotely shift gears with a smartphone. Deeplocal’s designers then added a set of neuron transmitters to a helmet and re-programmed the PXP to communicate with them — meaning, in theory, that riders could control the bike’s gears by simply thinking about it. Theory, of course, isn’t the same thing as practice, but perhaps the concept will become a reality if we think really hard about it.

Toyota Prius Project’s concept bike lets you shift gears with your mind originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 09:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Toyota Prius Projects | source Prolly Is Not Probably | Email this | Comments

Jun 30

Solar Cross e-bike soaks in the sun, powers your pedals

Posted in: bike, electric vehicle, ElectricVehicle, ev, solar power, SolarPower, Today's Chili, video

Ah, the bicycle — that first symbol of locomotive independence from our youth. How we’ve often wished you came with a motor, solar power and some rechargeable batteries to make that ride less… taxing. Well, chin-up childhood glory days, because Terry Hope’s done all that and a bit more. The self-described EV enthusiast outfitted a Specialized FSR bike frame — chosen for its double crown suspension fork — with an array of three solar slats, a 24-volt one horsepower motor, and three 5,000mAh Li-ion batteries to assist your pedaling on those grueling uphill climbs. The sun-soaked panels powering this 18-speeder’s motor are a homemade mix of polycarbonate sheeting, aluminum and 18- x 6- x 6- inch mono crystalline cells that generate a combined 8.7-volt charge to the batteries of your choosing. While its beneficial turbo boost isn’t intended to replace that Harley you’ve got covered in the garage, it will takeover on those lazy days when you just feel like cruising. Hilarious robot voice over for the environmentally-conscious cyclist after the break.

Continue reading Solar Cross e-bike soaks in the sun, powers your pedals

Solar Cross e-bike soaks in the sun, powers your pedals originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gizmag | source Solar Cross | Email this | Comments

Jun 30

Wii Cyberbike gives you a workout, costs more than the system itself

Posted in: bike, controller, nintendo, Today's Chili, wii

We’ve seen this sort of preposterousness before from BigBen, and we’re no closer to falling in love now than we were back in 2009. This behemoth allows you to get the full experience in the console’s Cyber Cycling Sports title, and the feeling of actually accomplishing something in the process? A presumably marketable side effect. The updated Cyberbike Magnetic Edition is available in North America this time around, relying on — surprise, surprise — magnetic resistance to offer a costly workout for those under 286 pounds. This oversized peripheral is available now for $199.99 (bike and game combo), which puts it a bit too far above the cost of an actual console ($150) for us to consider giving it a shot. Plus, we’ve already committed to biking downtown for our eventual Wii U pickup — and frankly, that’s enough to cover our yearly workout quota.

Continue reading Wii Cyberbike gives you a workout, costs more than the system itself

Wii Cyberbike gives you a workout, costs more than the system itself originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Kotaku | source BigBen | Email this | Comments

Jun 30

Five Seats to Save Your Penis From Your Bike

Posted in: bike, Today's Chili, top

Your bike is destroying your penis. Unless you are a woman. In which case it’s destroying your vagina. There is a solution. But nobody wants to use it because it’s embarrassing. It doesn’t have to be. We’re here to help. More »

Jun 29

Insert Coin: Social Bicycles bike sharing system (video)

Posted in: bike, hands-on, Today's Chili, video

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you’d like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with “Insert Coin” as the subject line.

It’s been a year since we last heard about Social Bicycles (SoBi), the bike sharing concept that has potential to revolutionize the way we rent, ride, and lock bikes. Now the New York-based startup is working on a very promising second prototype, and is turning to Kickstarter for funding. The new version is still a few weeks out (that’s a rendered version in the image above), but we pedaled over to SoBi HQ in Brooklyn to take a look at the first model, which is already far more efficient than systems we’ve seen implemented in Europe and select US cities, including Denver. Both versions feature a main rear-mounted lock unit, containing a U-lock, rear wheel immobilizer, GPS tracking chip, GSM modem, and a hub dynamo electrical generator. The new version’s unit will be much more compact, two-thirds lighter, and will include an integrated solar panel for keeping the electronics powered up even when the bike isn’t moving.

Gallery: Insert Coin: Social Bicycles Hands-On

SoBi interfaces with a mobile app, which lets you locate and unlock unreserved bikes around the city (you’ll use your PIN to control the lock during the reservation period). Users pay a monthly fee to subscribe, which will include an hour of free riding each day. The system implements a clever financial incentive to have bikes returned to strategically located hubs, charging a fee for users who prefer to leave bikes elsewhere, then offering the same amount as a credit for riders who rent that bike and return it to a hub. Because the SoBi will be a rental service and you won’t be buying a bike to own, early supporters will receive a future credit in exchange for a Kickstarter donation. Donations of $50 or more also include a slick AR-enabled t-shirt, which displays a “3D” model of the bike on your mobile device. Jump past the break for a hands-on with the first Social Bicycle, and a behind-the-scenes look at the company’s shared workshop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Social Bicycles bike sharing system (video)

Insert Coin: Social Bicycles bike sharing system (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Kickstarter | source Social Bicycles | Email this | Comments

Jun 29

The Elliptical Machine Office Desk: putting the ‘commute’ back in ‘telecommuting’

Posted in: bike, household, Today's Chili

Quite frankly, you’ve got it just a bit too easy. You rise 98 seconds before you’re scheduled to clock in, you mash a power button, and suddenly, you’re at work. PJs still caked to your legs, mouth still steaming from a lack of brushing. You’re a telecommuter, and you’re the envy of the working world. In fact, it’d be just stellar if you’d do us all a solid and add a sliver of complexity to your workday — you know, like swapping out your OfficeMax special for an elliptical machine. And maybe, just maybe, you can convert your laptop into one that’s pedal-powered, forcing you to keep churning for fear of dropping from the virtual office. And no, you can’t ask for donations to cover the $8,000 price tag — your fuel savings from last week alone should just about cover it. Harrumph.

The Elliptical Machine Office Desk: putting the ‘commute’ back in ‘telecommuting’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 07:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Medical Xpress | source Hammacher Schlemmer | Email this | Comments

Jun 16

Tilto personal transporter looks like seated Segway, does donuts in Argentine parking lot

Posted in: bike, prototype, Today's Chili

Remember how the Segway revolutionized personal transportation? Neither do we, but this Tilto single-person electric vehicle is really gonna go places. Like, around the parking lot — “manos libres!” Named for the two-step maneuver you’ll use to get going (tilt and go), the battery-powered Tilto can move forward, backwards, and sideways at its top speed of 20km/h (12 mph) without the need for pedals or a steering wheel. You’ll be able to travel 15 km with each charge, but that should give you plenty of time to score a traffic ticket in the UK, or to roll a safe distance away from screaming fans after your next concert in Arizona. Tilto is little more than a “prototipo experimental” at this point, without a release date or any plans for production, but roll past the break to see how it works.

Continue reading Tilto personal transporter looks like seated Segway, does donuts in Argentine parking lot

Tilto personal transporter looks like seated Segway, does donuts in Argentine parking lot originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jun 09

Ecotricity looks to break 100 mph barrier with Ion Horse electric bike, at Isle of Man TT (video)

Posted in: bike, electric vehicle, ElectricVehicle, ev, green, Today's Chili, uk, video

More than two years after breaking the world land speed record with its wind-powered Greenbird, Ecotricity has its eyes set on the record books once again. This time around, the UK-based green energy company is bringing its Ion Horse superbike to the Isle of Man TT raceway, in the hopes that it will become the first electric bike to average 100 mph over the course of the one-lap race. Developed by a team from Kingston University London and constructed in seven months, the Ion Horse is powered by a set of lithium polymer cobalt batteries, allowing it to blast from zero to 60 in three seconds, before topping out at 140 mph. Its engine also boasts up to 100kW of power, which should help the Horse make its way around the Isle of Man’s sinuous, 37-mile circuit. The bike cost some £150,000 (about $245,000) to produce, but if Ecotricity breaks the aforementioned barrier during this week’s TT Zero race, the team will receive an extra £10,000 (roughly $16,370) from the Isle of Man Government, in addition to all kinds of street cred. The race was originally scheduled for yesterday, but has since been postponed due to rain. In the meantime, though, you can head past the break for a video of the Ion Horse during a recent practice run, followed by the full PR.

Continue reading Ecotricity looks to break 100 mph barrier with Ion Horse electric bike, at Isle of Man TT (video)

Ecotricity looks to break 100 mph barrier with Ion Horse electric bike, at Isle of Man TT (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 19

Grace One electric bicycle is ready for purchase, our bank accounts are still preparing (video)

Posted in: available, bike, germany, now available, NowAvailable, shipping, Today's Chili, video

Your average electric bicycle has a basket on the front and a lot of shame in the rear. Not the Grace One. When we first saw it almost two years ago, in the fall of 2009, it looked… well it looked like a pretty kickass bike. Since then the design has been thoroughly refined, the frame redesigned, but still the stacked projector headlamps remain in their aluminum housing in front of the bars. They’re a hint at the high-tech nature of this bike, which features integrated Li-ion batteries that charge in about an hour and spin a hub-mounted motor in the rear wheel, giving you a top speed of 30MPH and a range of up to 31 miles — all for a mere €4,199 ($6,000). If your finances can manage it the bike is available now, but if they can’t you’ll have to make do with a celebratory video of the thing in action after the break. Word of advice: get those glow sticks cracked and shaken up before you hit play.

Gallery: Grace One electric bicycle