Hasta La Gadget!

Here’s a novel concept — rather than rolling up to a recharge station in the year 2020, plugging your Volt in and reading the latest issue of Esquire while life passes you by, why not swap out a dead fuel cell for a fully rejuvenated one? We can’t say for sure the idea will catch on, but it’s certainly one that would save Earth-lovin’ motorists an awful lot of time. A little-known outfit by the name of Signa is to thank, as the company’s new fuel cell-powered bicycle operates using this scheme; riders simply pop in a recyclable 1.5 pound cartridge (where sodium silicide and water mix to create hydrogen power), toss on a pair of Ray-Bans and cruise for 20 to 30 miles. Once that runs out, you can either break out the pedal power or pop in a new cell — given the right infrastructure, this could one day be as simple as stopping to refuel. In reality, this new bike is just a way to show off the company’s technical aptitude, but we’re told that it is actually going on sale next summer for an undisclosed amount. Dollars to donuts Floyd Landis already has one on pre-order.

Signa’s fuel cell-powered bicycle paints a rosy picture for drop-in power stations originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 02:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple patent applications can be a little out there sometimes, but this one makes so much sense we have to wonder why it’s not a product already. Described as “Systems and Methods for Integrating a Portable Electronic Device with a Bicycle,” the application details what basically amounts to Nike+ for bikes. That includes the ability to relay data from bike sensors to your iPhone or iPod, which you’d be able to view on the device itself or on an external display of some sort — the application even goes so far as to mention the possibility of a heads-up display, although we wouldn’t get our hopes up for that. What’s more, the application also suggests that the system could communicate and share information with other nearby cyclists, and it would apparently include some fairly extensive GPS capabilities (on the iPhone, at least), including turn-by-turn directions to help you find a specific bike route, and maps complete with reviews from other cyclists.

Apple patent application details iPod / iPhone bike integration system originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Parking your two-wheeler in a shady neighborhood, but left your secondary lock at home? No problem — to protect your wheels, just bend your bike around a nearby post and thread your U-lock through the whole kit at once. That’s the idea behind UK designer Kevin Scott’s folding bicycle, which is rigid enough to freely ride, but releases its flexible ratcheting mechanism when you push a lever on the side. The design won the 21-year-old student £500 at the New Designers exhibition in London this week. He’s presently looking for partners to help commercialize the concept, which looks more practical than some, so we expect it’ll be only a few years before you’ll see his creation zipping down the street. One question, though — why not go the whole nine yards and give it a built-in lock, too?

Bendable bicycle wraps itself around a pole – by design originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Jul 2010 18:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Fraunhofer developing bike helmets (and other products) that stink when damaged

Fraunhofer developing bike helmets (and other products) that stink when damaged originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While walking to a home office in slippers is probably the best way to get to work, riding on a bike isn’t far behind, but these people-powered contrivances aren’t exactly known for their storage space. If you need to lug a laptop or tote your tablet you really don’t have many options beyond somehow strapping it to your body or throwing on a set of bulky saddlebags. The Central Storage System for Bicycles (CSSB) from Swiss start-up TATO makes room by splitting the top tub on the frame, leaving space to slip in a laptop bag, purse, or your oversized copy of the Necronomicon, making this perfect for getting to the next Cthulhu fhtagn meeting while minimizing your environmental impact. It’s all yours for about $1,450, but shipping out of Switzerland will likely add a good bit on to that.

[Thanks, James]

Continue reading TATO’s Central Storage System for Bicycles makes room for your briefcase, manpurse

TATO’s Central Storage System for Bicycles makes room for your briefcase, manpurse originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 May 2010 08:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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