by editors on April 1, 2014
Spokes are for suckers! They add weight, increase drag, and transmit harsh road bumps up to the rider, but for years they’ve been the only way to keep your hubs attached to your wheels. Until now.
Thanks to dynamo-hub powered electromagnets, neodymium rim inserts, and some engineering magic, the Nikola makes spokes a thing of the past. At low speeds, the magnetic field generated keeps the rims stable and allows some wiggle-room to absorb road shock (imagine invisible magnetic shocks and you’ll get a sense of how cool it is), at higher speeds the stronger field keeps your rims stiff so you don’t lose any energy to flexing like on a standard spoked wheel. This is basically the coolest thing you’re going to see all year. 1 part mag-lev train, 1 part urban-assault bicycle, 100% Pure.
We think April 1 is our favorite day of the year.
[Link: Pure Fix]
by editors on March 17, 2014
We’ve all shot terrible, jittery video. In fact, most of us do it all the time. Finding a solid, inexpensive rig to smooth things out, however is nearly impossible. Now, a crew from Berlin, Germany is working to create the LUUV system specifically for use with GoPros, iPhones, and other small cameras and best yet, make it affordable and modern.
LUUV is a camera stabilizer for all action cams and smart phones that enables you to shoot shake-free footage while you are in motion. Thanks for a full three-axis-stabilization, LUUV separates the motion of your hand from the camera. You hand is moving, but the camera is not. The outcome: flowing, steady footage instead of shaky videos.
Co-founders Felix Kochbeck and Tim Kirchner are launching their product on IndieGoGo and hope to raise $50,000 in the next 53 days. If you’d like to help them out, click the link and be one of the first to get the LUUV when they begin production.
[Link: IndieGoGo]
by editors on February 24, 2014
After a rising tide of complaints from users that Fitbit’s extremely popular Force fitness tracking device was causing a rash on users’ wrists, company CEO and co-Founder James Pack has officially stopped sales of the device and launched a voluntary recall of the product.
In a letter from the CEO on Fitbit’s corporate blog dated February 20, 2014, CEO Park explains:
“Late last year, we began selling Fitbit Force, our most advanced activity tracker,” Park says. “Recently, some Force users have reported skin irritation. While only 1.7% of Force users have reported any type of skin irritation, we care about every one of our customers. On behalf of the entire Fitbit team, I want to apologize to anyone affected.”
Park says the company has run the Force through independent testing by “medical experts” and found “no issues with the battery or electrical systems,” but says that some users may be reacting to nickel in the stainless steel, the strap, or adhesives used in manufacturing the device. Through this testing Fitbit has “learned enough to take further action” and is conducting a voluntary recall of the $130 device.
The company has set up a dedicated recall page which directs users to fill out an online form. Fit bit will then send users an instruction kit on how to Return the Force for a refund. Fitbit says that once the Force is returned, a refund check will be sent directly to the user “within 2-6 weeks.” Fitbit Force users with other questions can call 888-656-6381.
by editors on February 20, 2014
Before you buy your next bike computer you might want to check out the new Garmin fenix 2 watch (on sale in March 2014 for $3.99.95). Why? Because it does everything the Edge 500 does and nearly everything the Edge 810 does, yet it fits on your wrist (or can be strapped to your bars). Those who run and/or swim (not sure why anyone would want to do either of those things) will discover that the fenix 2 also does everything the Forerunner 620 does and everything the Garmin Swim does including (but not limited to) counting and naming your strokes, and recording the number of pool laps.
What’s more, by pairing an iPhone 4s or newer to the fenix 2 via Bluetooth Smart the watch will reflects iOS notifications straight to your wrist so you’ll know when you get a text, email, phone call, or have a calendar event coming up without pulling your phone out of your back pocket. This thing maybe the smartest smart watch ever. Seriously. Why buy anything else?
Follow the jump for the official word from Garmin. [click to continue…]
by editors on January 31, 2014
Mother Jones writer Dana Liebelson has done some investigative journalism and discovered that fitness trackers from companies like Fitbit, Garmin, and Nike actually track your fitness and hold that data in their vast databases where it can be shared on the web, on a smartphone, and with others. Yes, really.
“Let’s start with the popular Fitbit. When you buy one of these bracelets or clip-on devices, you have the option of automatically sending fitness data to the Fitbit website. And the site encourages you to also submit other medical information, such as blood pressure and glucose levels. According to Fitbit’s privacy policy, “At times Fitbit may make certain personal information available to strategic partners that work with Fitbit to provide services to you.” Stephna May, a Fitbit spokesperson, says that the company “does not sell information collected from the device that can identify individual users, period.” However, she says that the company would consider marketing “aggregate information” that cannot be linked back to an individual user—which is outlined in the privacy policy as aggregated gender, age, height, weight, and usage data.”
Yes, and Strava knows where we ride, who we ride with, and what we say to them after we drop them. Seems like it’s time for all of us to just throw in the towel and know that unless you’re some kind of charismatic, political genius with plans to buck the new world order, no one really cares about any of your particulars. Seriously. And if they do, then there’s nothing you can do about it. We already live in a police state. Get used to it.
[Link: Mother Jones]
by editors on October 1, 2013
Until the release of the GoPro app (iPhone, Android, and Windows) we’d pretty much thrown in the towel on every figuring out how to use the overly complicated little action POV cameras. With no easy way to review footage or be certain the camera was on and pointed in the right direction, we left the GoPros to the professional video guys (and the genius kids). The free GoPro app has changed all that.
Now, with the iPhone app connected to the camera, reviewing shots, grabbing photos and video for Instagram, and setting the cameras functions is as easy as flipping a few slider bars on our phone. The GoPro camera is now simply an amazing image gathering extension to our iPhone. Today, as GoPro has announced that the Hero3 has been upgraded to the Hero3+, we’ve become even bigger fans.
So what’s the word on the new rig? The Hero3+ camera is the same size as the Hero3, but features a 30 percent increase in battery life, faster WIFI (four times faster) and a new lens for sharper video and stills. They’ve also added a new “SuperView” video mode that is even wider that before. And when the Hero3+ is used with the new GoPro waterproof housing the total rig is reportedly 20 percent lighter. If you’ve put off buying a GoPro because you didn’t want to deal with the details, worry no more. With the free GoPro Studio 2.0 editing app for Mac and Windows grabbing great video and mashing it down into a quality edit has never been easier.
For the official word from GoPro follow the jump. [click to continue…]
by editors on September 30, 2013
Active Network, owners of the online cycling and running registration website Active.com was acquired today by private equity firm Vista Equity Partners for $1.05 billion. Yes, billion, according to a story in the New York Times.
Vista Equity is offering $14.50 a share in cash, a premium of 27 percent from Active Network’s closing stock price on Friday. . . Active Network went public in May 2011 at $15 a share. Earlier, this year, the stock fell as low as $3.95. . . “We believe the partnership with Vista will position us to execute on our strategy and further enhance our industry leadership, Jon Belmonte, interim chief executive of Active Network, said in a statement.
Yes, we believe a $1 billion dollar deal would help us further expand our online efforts as well. For the rest of the story click the link.
[Link: New York Times]
by editors on September 11, 2013
by editors on September 4, 2013
Wahoo Fitness is turning to Kickstarter to round up cash for their newest RFLKT computer. Rather than using Bluetooth Smart, the RFLKT+ will act as a bridge to connect to ANT+ sensors (without any strange dongles, cases, or other funkiness) to the iPhone 5. They also plan to include a barometric altimeter as well.
The RFLKT+ Smart bike computer taps into the power of your iPhone to provide you GPS data plus the functionality of your favorite App. The RFLKT+ is a reflection of your iPhone, with the App controlling everything you see on your bike computer screen.
Wahoo hopes to raise $100,000 on Kickstarter. So far they’re at $40k with 16 days to go. If you’d like an ANT+ RFLKT the click on over and show them the money.
[Link: Kickstarter]
by editors on August 20, 2013
Garmin, the company that lets most of us know where we are and how fast we’re going, today (August 20, 2013) announced the launch of an action POV camera that is set to go head to head with the ubiquitious Go Pro. It’s called the VIRB and it features ANT+ connectivity that will allow for live sensor data recording right on the video. The VIRB is on sale today on the Garmin website for $299. Click the link for the official word.
[Link: Garmin]
