Posts Tagged ‘Bicycle’
Written by Peter Suciu on 18 February 2011
Over the years we’ve heard of how bicycles can generate power for lights (on the bike and off), but how about purifying the liquid needed to cool down the rider? That’s the idea of a new bicycle that could soon be mass produced for the developing world. Nippon Basic Company announced a new bike system called Cycloclean that needs only manpower to help run a motor to pump water through a series of filters, purifying five liters (1.3 gallons) of water in about a minute.
So far the company has sold about 300 bikes since launching the system in 2005, and soon the bikes could be mass-produced in Bangladesh, where demand for the cycles has increased. The only drawback could be the cost – currently the bikes sell for about $6,600 – making this a rather expensive glass of water. But if costs can come down, this could be a way to have clean, safe drinking water for those long rides.
[Via Bangkok Post: Japan touts pedal-powered water purifier]
Tags: Bicycle, Cycling, Cycloclean, Japan, Nippon Basic Company, water purifier
Posted in Cycling, Equipment, Sustainable | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 20 October 2010
There have been a lot of folding bicycles, including several that are small enough to fit in a suitcase, so when we heard that there was a briefcase bicycle we quite expectedly got a little excited. But in fact the bike doesn’t fold up to a size small enough to actually fit inside a briefcase, and instead the carbon fiber bike comes with a carbon fiber briefcase that helps maintain the rigidness of the frame while riding. The bike was designed by Marcos Madia, a finalist in the Seoul Cycle Design competition.
It is an interesting concept, and it is just in the concept stage at this point. The biggest downsides we see to the bike is that it is still likely to be too big to bring into most offices (those building managers have something against bicycles), and the briefcase is too small to transport much. Likewise, there is the fact that this could be a tricky bike to lock up too – and it has “steal me” practically written on the side, even if it isn’t quite stable enough to ride without the briefcase. Now if only there was a way to get a folding bike that could actually fit inside a briefcase. George Jetson had his aircar that folded up, so a bike should be a no brainer.
Tags: Bicycle, Briefcase, concept, Cycling, Marcos Madina, Seoul Cycle Design
Posted in concept, Cycling, Gadget | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 01 September 2010
There have been dozens of books on bicycle maintenance, riding techniques and even the history of the sport, but little has been written that actually describes the technology around a bike – at least not in a way for the average rider. Authors Rob van der Plas and Stuart Baird, who both share a lifelong passion for bicycles, have finally addressed this and have written a concise book that examines everything you’d ever need to know about the two wheel contraptions.
This effort, Bicycle Technology: Understanding the Modern Bicycle & Its Components will appeal to the hardcore gear head as well as the causal rider. It offers 28 chapters, beginning (fittingly enough) with a short yet thorough history and development of bicycle, its accompanying technology and finally to what the future may bring for riders. Additionally, this book offers detailed information on practically every single component and materials used in bike construction, and while this isn’t meant to be a study on maintenance, it will help anyone who tinkers with their cycles have a better understanding of how the specific parts work. Other key topics such as different types of bicycles, as well as information on design are all presented over the course of the 320 pages. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Bicycle, Bicycle Technology: Understanding the Modern Bicycle & Its Components, Book Review, Cycle Publishing, Cycling, ISBN: 978-1-892495-66-2, Rob van der Plas, Stuart Baird
Posted in Cycling, Research | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 13 August 2010
During the Second World War many nations relied on bicycles to transport soldiers in rear areas, and to carry messages. Some nations, such as Japan, even used bicycles to rush troops to the front lines. This worked well until the bikes got flat tires – and with rubber in great demand many bikes proved to be sort of worthless, a feeling any rider with a flat probably feels. However, the Japanese solution was simply to ride on the rims until those bent out of shape. Fortunately today bicycle tubes are still just about the least expensive part on the bike, but that’s little comfort when you get a flat and have to change the tire – unless you think of riding on the rims.
So we’re not exactly sure who this “Stan” might be, but he invented one cool product – at least as long as you’re not the maker of bicycle inner tubes, or like riding on your rims with flat tires. The Stan’s Tubeless System is essentially a kit that allows for most standard bike tires to hold air without the use of a tube. This innovative system uses a rubber rim strip to cover the spoke holes along with a liquid sealant to prevent air from leaking through the tire. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Bicycle, Bikes, No Tubes, NoTubes.com, Stan's Tubeless System, tire, TUBES
Posted in Cycling, Equipment | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 02 August 2010
The Barclays Cycle Hire Bicycle
Plan on visiting London any time soon and you might not have to hail a black taxi cab to get around; instead you might be able to rent – or “hire” as they say in the British capital – a bike instead. The city, which is also in the process of installing new bicycle friendly lanes, has introduced 6,000 new high tech bikes for people for to use.
As part of a system that went live last week, users can register online for a year’s membership or pay an access fee for the week or day – ranging from £45 for a year to £1 for a day. After accessing a bike the rental costs are a tad high too, with an hourly rate of £1, and if you keep the bike for more than 24 hours you’ll get hit with a £50 fee. That’s probably too hefty a cost for most commuters, and some have asked why regular riders wouldn’t prefer to buy their own bike. Jon Snow, a presenter for “Channel 4 News” and also presidents of the National Cyclists’ Organization further offered a first-hand opinion of the bikes for The Financial Times, noting that the bikes are a bit heavy, especially compared to his own titanium ride. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Barclay Cycle Hire, Bicycle, Bicycle Superhighway, Jon Snow, London, National Cyclists' Organization, Radio Frequency Identification Device, RFID
Posted in Cycling, Software | 1 Comment »
Written by Peter Suciu on 30 March 2010
Track bike racing could turn into an off-the-shelf sport soon, as the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced plans to force teams to use equipment that is commercially available. UCI chief Pat McQuaid noted that Britain, Germany and Australia – three track bike powerhouses – have been warned this past weekend that the use of illegal technological advances will not be tolerated, and that he had concerns about the way some teams continued to flout rules while using expensive equipment that is (in his words) “not commercially available.”
This is reminiscent of when Graeme Obree – a.k.a. “The Flying Scotsman – built a homemade bike and broke the one hour distance record on the track. In Obree’s case the bike wasn’t so high-tech as it was just ingenious, utilizing parts of a washing machine for the bottom bracket, but the fallout was a crackdown on equipment that wasn’t standard. McQuaid has not defined what is actually meant by “freely available” nor “reasonable price” when discussing the new rules, so there will no doubt be questions raised.
But as some teams were riding on bicycle prototypes that cost between 50,000 and 100,000 Euros each, we have to agree that while technology should help athletes, the playing field needs to be level. In this case, even if the track the competition takes place on is banked!
Tags: Bicycle, Flying Scotsman, Graeme Obree, International Cycling Union, Pat McQuaid, Racing, Track Bike, UCI
Posted in Cycling, Equipment | No Comments »
