bike

As we were just saying, bike technology is doing its best to catch up with car equipment, especially where LED devices are concerned. "Bicygnals" are no exception, and they provide important safety features to boot.

No ordinary turn indicators, these ultrabright front and back LED units are connected wirelessly by radio waves so they'll blink simultaneously as needed, according to Shiny Shiny. The absence of wires comes in handy for another reason: It's easier to pull them off the bike to take with you.

We applaud the effort, but we'd still like to see a … Read more

As cyclists continue to assert their equal rights on the road, their gadgets are trying to keep up with car technology as well--whether they be MP3 players, GPS devices, phones, speakers, or even heart monitors. But until now, one crucial element has been missing: LED messages.

Japan's Digital Cowboy (we love that name) is about to remedy that, however, with something called "Lex" that attaches to the bicycle's spokes. Just download a message from the computer through a USB connection and, according to Everything USB, "as the bike wheel spins down the road, you are … Read more

Given our position on physical activity, our appreciation for such gadgets as bicycle GPS devices is predictably limited (as in nonexistent). From what we understand, however, some hard-core cyclists have been anxiously awaiting the release of Garmin's latest "Edge" models, the 605 and 705, top-of-the-line devices that include new mapping features, training systems and the ability to share information wirelessly with other bikers on their 2.2-inch color LCDs.

But they'll have to wait. GPSLodge says Garmin has encountered some bumps in the road (sorry) and is postponing its release from the scheduled December launch date … Read more

Let the octogenarians have their Wii Bowling. At the other end of the life cycle, kindergarteners are getting their own indoor workout with virtual bikes.

As childhood obesity persists as a mainstay in headlines, more companies are looking for ways to make exercise fun--or at least seem like fun--and e-bikes are apparently leading the trend. Fisher-Price debuted its "Smart Cycle" earlier this year, for example, but it has some competition from across the pond in U.K.-based Gymkids and its "Cyberbike."

Both have brightly colored toy-like designs and can hook up to a TV … Read more

If the robust HyperBike is the bicycle equivalent of a Hummer, then the high-tech Yamaha Bobby is the BMW one.

The Bobby prototype from Yamaha Motor is an electric bicycle that lets riders connect to the Internet. Ubergizmo pointed out that the bike can also be turned on and off from select cell phones.

Bobby is one of 19 concept bikes Yamaha Motor plans to show at the 2007 Tokyo auto show. The Bobby is part of Yamaha's "Art of Engineering" theme for this year's show, according to Yamaha.

Yamaha Motor also seems to be partnering … Read more

A new take on handlebar-mounted mirrors for bicycles has cyclists mounting mirrors on themselves instead of their bike.

The Rear Vision activity mirror, which comes in a wristband or glove option from Pacific Connections, is intended to help urbanites better navigate the jungle of cars on a daily commute, as the blog BikeCommuters.com points out.

But I think it could have other uses:

For those stuck with their back to the office door, it's a handy prevention device for when your boss is about to catch you reading CNET blogs instead of doing work (like now).

When writing … Read more

At first glance, this bike may look more like a fashion statement than an environmental one. But its wheels, which resemble spinners adorning the tires of some inner-city SUVs, are actually circular solar panels soaking up energy from the sun's rays.

The "E-V Sunny Bicycle," which claims to be "the first all solar electric bike," generates enough natural power to charge the batteries that run a 500-watt motor attached to the front wheel with a top speed of 19 miles per hour, according to OhGizmo.

The price of this 75-pound bike is fairly steep at $… Read more

While we continue to maintain that speakers for bikes and motorcycles are of dubious value if you ride amid the din of Manhattan or Tokyo traffic, we do agree that they're preferable to headphones for safety reasons. And while enjoying your music in the open air, you might as well look good too--that's where "Cy-fi" comes in.

Scheduled for release next year, Cy-fi looks more like a spaceship console affixed to the handlebars than a speaker designed specifically for the iPod Nano. And to prove it's not just a pretty face, it uses wireless Kleer technology … Read more

It may not have a Wi-Fi computer or a waterproof GPS unit, but this motorcycle will still manage to turn heads--in a good way.

The "Victory Vision 2008" has iPod navigation controls built into the handlebars and a dashboard display, according to Chip Chick. That in and of itself is handy, but there are other bikes with similar features. What sets this one apart is a four-speaker system in higher-end models, with an option for XM Radio.

If the bike is anywhere near as fast as it looks, however, we'd suggest skipping the speakers. As we've … Read more