Surf journalist and writer Kimball Taylor’s new book The Coyote’s Bicycle, follows the flow of bicycles across the border between Mexico and the United States and makes the interesting case that bicycles are becoming one of the least tracked forms of illegal currency used to build illicit border businesses.
. . . bicycles are fungible, like a dollar. Once a bicycle leaves your hand, it joins the idea of a bike just the way a dollar would. That was shocking to me. Another journalist, Patrick Symmes, described it this way: “In America’s rough streets, there are four forms of currency — cash, sex, drugs, and bicycles. Of those, only one is routinely left outside unattended . . . I guess the most dramatic thing I learned on the trail of these bicycles was the story of El Indio, how this kid from an impoverished area who was abandoned with an elderly grandfather in his Oaxacan village was able to come to the border and see the value not in crossing but in becoming part of that underground economy, becoming a millionaire and losing everything dear to him in the process.”
We’re looking forward to reading this one. To purchase your own copy, please click here.
One of our favorite smart watches, the Garmin Vivoactive, just got a huge upgrade with heart-rate and a completely redesigned case with the new Garmin Vivoactive HR.
The vívoactive HR helps keep track of active moments throughout the day, counting steps and floors climbed, intensity minutes, monitoring sleep and featuring built-in GPS-enabled sports apps for walking, running, biking, swimming, golfing, paddle boarding, rowing, skiing and snowboarding. The vívoactive HR uses 24/7 wrist-based heart rate data to calculate calories burned information as well as the intensity of fitness activities, providing proper credit for users’ array of workouts.
For the official word from Garmin, please follow the jump.
Sometimes, the solution is more complex than the problem. While having a bike pump inside your seatpost is an interesting option if your main intention is riding around and pumping up other people flats, we’re wondering if the engineer behind Airsupply by remobic has ever seen how compact, affordable, and efficient a CO2 cartridge is?
He knows Michael Lang, the founder of the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, so he’s got that going for him. If you’d like to help, please click the link.
It looks so clean, smooth, and powerful. It’s like a Ferrari for your seat-tube. But what in heaven’s name is it doing on a 3x. With a motor like that we’d just ride a 55×11 and call it a day.
Just when you thought the suffering might ebb, the minds behind The Sufferfest training videos have added two more edits their collection of over 20 different flavors of pain. The new videos are Power Station and The Way Out.
The Sufferfest’s newest workouts feature officially licensed footage from the Milan-San Remo, Tirenno-Adriatico, on-bike camera footage from the Giro d’Italia, and scenic routes from The Col Collective across the French and Italian Alps. . . .The workouts were designed by elite Coach Neal Henderson of Apex Coaching and BMC racing, and are available via download from TheSufferfest.com or streaming app. Both videos are currently showing at more than 90 officially licensed Sufferlandrian Embassies around the world. The 50-minute Power Station video is focused on developing muscular endurance through a series of low-cadence, high-intensity intervals, and is also included in this year’s Tour of Sufferlandria.
For the official word from Sufferfest, please follow the jump.
Electra, the Encinitas, California based company that reinvented the beach cruiser bike market is updating their Townie Go! electric bicycle with help from Bosch.
The upgraded model features the legendary quality of the Bosch Performance Line mid-motor eBike system and a Shimano 8-speed internal gear hub that allows the rider to adjust their cadence based on speed. Handling better with a lower center of gravity, the Townie Go! 8i provides a smooth, comfortable ride with a wider range of power support. Whether the bike is being used for commuting or for fun, Electras new and improved battery-powered, electric-assist bike will keep riders moving without breaking a sweat.
If only that battery pack didn’t look like such a janky add-on. Almost like the old version with the battery on the rack, better. For all the official details, follow the jump.
The Pizalm has a new Tracer T275C from Intense Cycles and, according to the crew Vital MTB, it looks pretty good. Then again, some of the commenters are exactly backing Shaun Palmer or Intense’s promotional push saying, “So painting a frame and ordering components took almost a year? Sorry mates.” Us, we’re Shaun Palmer fans for life.
Who says you need a full squish to enjoy the ride? No one. That’s why this new carbon hardtail 29er from Canfield Brothers looks so nice.
“As a high-end brand focused on technology and performance, carbon fiber is a natural evolution for our product line. But with our background in downhill and freeride, strength and durability will always come out ahead of weight savings for us,” said Lance Canfield, co-owner and designer. “That said, you’ll find this bike climbs surprisingly well, but we don’t believe that just because you’ve got miles to burn, you should feel like you’re on a road bike. The geometry was designed to be fun and playful—especially when pointed down—just like all of our bikes. The EPO is all about ‘injecting’ carbon hardtails with some fun.”
For the official word from Canfield Bros, please follow the jump. [click to continue…]
Sock Guy is loading up on Halloween flavor with some “super spooky socks” that will “send chills up your spine.” As you might expect, these socks (Thriller, Jack-O, Batty, Zombie, and Candy Corn) are in limited supply. Click the link for more info.
Not content to let Apple run away with all the “rose gold” glory, cycling computer maker Gamin announced today (October 1, 2015) that they are adding two new color ways to their high-end Fenix 3 Sapphire watches.
. . . the Fenix 3 Sapphire multipart watches now include a silver version with a leather band and a white version with rose gold accents. Featuring the same multipart toolset as the original Fenix 3 Sapphire, these two versions put a fashionable twist on the rugged smartwatch for fitness training and outdoor navigation.
Nice to see our favorite watch (that literally does everything, yes, even ANT+ power) looking so handsome, dashing, and stylish. For the official Fenix 3 details, please follow the jump. [click to continue…]
Surf journalist and writer Kimball Taylor’s new book The Coyote’s Bicycle, follows the flow of bicycles across the border between Mexico and the United States and makes the interesting case that bicycles are becoming one of the least tracked forms of illegal currency used to build illicit border businesses.
