Crave

Ever wondered why Europeans seem to be in so much better shape than us Americans? Well, instead of driving everywhere, they bike around town. The good news is that one of their secrets, the eZee electric bicycle, is now available in the U.S.

eZee electric bicycles photos

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eZeebike USA announced Wednesday a major expansion of the eZee brand of electric bicycles into the American market. The eZee brand is already popular in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

eZee bicycles are just like regular bikes except they're equipped with an electric motor that helps power the vehicle to ease the pedaling during long rides or rides on rough terrain.

Each e-bike has a rechargeable battery that takes about five hours to fully power and then has enough juice to run the bicycle at around 20 mph for a distance of about 20 miles. Of course, you can always turn this off and power the bike by yourself, the traditional way.

eZee bicycles are obviously not for hardcore cyclists. ... Read more

Brendt Barbur, founder and director of the Bicycle Film Festival.

(Credit: Justin Yu/CNET)

As a longtime fan and patron of the Bicycle Film Festival, we're proud to welcome its founder and director, Brendt Barbur, into the studio for a sit-down interview about the international filmfest. The BFF is a celebration of everything that encompasses cycling: joyrides, casual trips, long-distance journeys, trick sessions, racing, and so much more is captured by the unique program offered.

Brendt tells us about the bike accident that motivated him to immerse himself in bicycle advocacy and the production of bikecentric movies. Eventually, the wheels started turning, more people submitted videos, and nine years later, the festival reaches tons of people across the world in dozens of cities including Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Paris, and Melbourne, to name a few.

Most of the movies are independently shot and produced with innovations in helmet-cam technology and mixed-media design. To further promote cycling, Brendt and the BFF team also host an annual art show that features both established and independent artists who use bikes as inspiration. If you have a chance, we highly recommend checking out at least one of the programs as the festival comes around to your city. By the end of the show, I think I might have convinced Wilson to actually buy a bike! Much thanks to Brendt and the Bicycle Film Festival for all that they do for the cycling community.

If you watch today's video (coming soon, check later today), you'll notice some serious changes to the introduction. We're very proud to announce that The 404 is now sponsored by Beck's Beer, so a big thanks to them for supporting the show. We're also going to be debuting several new weekly segments over the course of the next few months, so be sure to listen to tomorrow's episode for the first of many new changes coming to The 404 Web show. And don't forget that we'll have Blake Stevenson, the winner of our logo competition, on the show tomorrow to talk about his design. See you then!

Keep outta my virtual lane, buddy.

(Credit: LightLane)

The LightLane mounts just under the bike's seat and projects laser lights onto the ground.

(Credit: LightLane)

Yay for this. I can't count the number of times I've had to swerve wide of cyclists to avoid one of those tense situations between wary bikers and impatient drivers vying for road dominance. It can be particularly challenging for people in countries where there's no bike lane set aside for bipedal locomotion. So having something like the LightLane go from concept to commercial production would be good news, indeed.

This patent-pending little gizmo was originally created for a design competition. Although the concept did not win, the inventors received an encouraging response and are continuing development.

The product clips onto the back of the seat bar, uses super-bright red LEDs and two high-visibility diode-pumped solid state green lasers to project a virtual light path on the ground around the cyclist. The result is a recognizable boundary that's clearly visible to drivers.

Hopefully, when this device finally goes to market, the transport authorities will make it compulsory as a safety add-on for all cyclists. Watch a video after the jump.

(Credit: CBS Interactive/Corinne Schulze)

Sometimes, working with a very specific type of tech product for so long will make one doubt whether anything truly unusual is ever going to flutter in through the mail slot. I was in just such a slump when I came across the CyFi Wireless Speaker while researching fitness-friendly tech. This unique, bicycle-mounting gadget seemed like just the ticket for active types who shun the gym in favor of hitting the streets on two wheels.

Far be it for me to look down my nose on anything that encourages cyclists to shun dangerous earbuds in favor of a safer way to enjoy tunes on the go, but the CyFi is not exactly the perfect solution. Don't get me wrong: it has plenty of things going for it, not the least of which is its weather- and shock-resistant design. Plus, the Bluetooth functionality and included iPod adapter are great for eliminating cord clutter.

However, the sound quality is decent but not great, and turning it up loud enough to hear over the sound of traffic was slightly embarrassing (I'm not much for foisting my musical tastes on others, though). I also discovered during testing that the mounts have a tendency to fall apart, as the washer from the screw handle permanently fell out during one adjustment. Despite these complaints, I still think the CyFi is a sweet idea, just one that could perhaps use a bit of fine tuning. It was certainly one of the more fun products to play around with, and the price of $160 for the iPod version is not too ridiculous, given the features. The gallery below includes some more information on the results of my testing.

CyFi Bluetooth bike speaker hits the streets--photos

Michael Foster, whose right leg was amputated at the hip 10 years ago, folds his prosthetic leg up and uses his other leg to run on the GlideCycle.

(Credit: GlideCycle)

A cool new contraption called the GlideCycle is putting a novel spin on outdoor exercise for amputees and others with mobility limitations. Users sit in a patented sling-type seat that essentially lifts them into a smooth-arch suspension, letting them power forward on one or two legs with virtually no impact to injured limbs and joints.

Ashland, Ore., resident and runner David Vidmar conceived of the two-wheel mobility device following a knee injury. He and others with sports injuries can rehabilitate by favoring the uninjured limb and adding more weight as the healing advances.

But most striking are the GlideCycle's applications for people with disabilities. The Web site includes testimonials from people with conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, who report that the GlideCycle has given them the freedom to get outside independently and run for miles.

Schwinn adds electric assist components to a standard bicycle frame.

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)

The Schwinn Tailwind is one amongst a large number of electric bicycles available today, a segment gaining popularity due to interest in transportation alternatives to the car. But don't expect to sit back and let the Tailwind whisk you along--the electric motor on this bike merely provides assistance; the rider still has to pedal.

We found the Tailwind works largely as advertised, with a nice assist while riding around town and a battery with a high capacity that recharges quickly. On our test bike, the front brakes were too grabby, and we wondered why such an expensive bike wouldn't have disc brakes. And the price of the Tailwind, above $3,000, puts it far beyond the realm of people who may just have a casual interest in an electric bike.

Design

The frame for the Schwinn Tailwind's electric gear is built for urban and suburban riding. The aluminum frame, along with the upward curved handlebars, creates an upright sitting position.

The electric drive system is integrated with the bike through a drive motor in the front wheel hub, a battery that slides into a special luggage rack over the rear wheel, and a control unit tied to the left handlebar. The gear shift for the rear hub is integrated with the right handlebar grip. The control unit is easy to use, with thumb buttons to activate the electrical system and change the amount of assistance from the electric motor. Graphics on the control unit illustrate going up hill, riding on a flat surface, or going downhill. Red LEDs show which mode you have selected and indicate how much charge the battery has left. ... Read more

(Credit: Jens Almstrom)

Here's a really ingenious way to record your cycling stunts. All you need is the old-school bicycle bell that you use to warn pedestrians or freak out your cat.

Jens Almstrom has found out that by removing the upper casing of the bell, there is usually a screw at the bottom chassis, which has the same dimensions used for most tripod sockets. What he did was to simply mount the camera onto that screw, and there you have it--a simple fix to record your journey or stunts with your BMX.

Our advice is to not fumble with the controls while you're on the road, lest you cause an accident, or worse, damage your shooter. Keep to point and shoots for this experiment as a dSLR may make your ride unstable. If you've survived the experience, tell us about it below.

(Via Crave Asia)

The Pedalite Anklelite is a solar-powered floodlight that can help keep you safe when cycling after dark.

(Credit: SmartPlanet)

As a child, if I rode my bike after dark, I'd have to rely on my bike's reflectors and, occasionally, a flashlight to keep me visible. However, today's cyclists have gadgets like the Pedalite Anklelite to help keep them safe.

This Anklelite is a solar-powered floodlight. According to Pedalite, users can expect at least three hours of use from the light in strobe mode; however, it doesn't say how often it will last when not being used as a strobe.

I think the real benefit from this, other than safety, is that you never have to buy or replace batteries. Just keep the Anklelite near your bike gear, and in the sun, and it's ready to go when you are.

According to Pedalite, "The Anklelite's robust design and versatility enables it to be also used as an arm light on the upper or lower arm--perfect for jogging, cycling or riding." It can be used as a strobe or a solid light. Also, says the company, it's weather- and impact-resistant, so it should survive the occasional fall or rain shower.

No word yet on when the product will be available from Pedalite North America, but it's going on sale in the U.K. for £10 (about $18) in December.

(Via SmartPlanet)

(Credit: MyCyfi)

I'm not sure how well this works, but it sounds like a great idea.

A new company called CyFi is selling a clip-on, wireless speaker for bikes that is about the size of a deck of cards.

The speaker offers "CD audio quality," according to company claims. It can also receive audio commands for cell phones supporting hands-free dialing.

If you're like me, you like listening to music or a podcast while exercising outdoors, but feel unsafe wearing earbuds that block out life noise. It's hard enough to hear a regular car coming 'round the bend with headphones in. I can't tell you how many times I've almost been hit by a Prius.

I've seen many joggers and bikers doing the one earbud in and one earbud dangling routine.

(Credit: MyCyfi)

It makes sense then, that someone would try to come up with a solution. Enter CyFi, which was invented by Jeff Lotman, an avid cyclist.

"Music makes biking more fun. It enhances the experience and motivates you to push harder," Lotman says on his site.

The iPod/iPod Nano version for $199.95 comes with a little transmitter that plugs into your iPod. You can then chuck your iPod in your backpack and control it from the speaker. The A2DP Bluetooth-capable model for $179.95 syncs with a cell phone, smartphone, or MP3 player.

The company advertises it as a sports speaker for bicyclists, but it seems like you could really use it anywhere your hands are occupied. The speaker has a range of 30 feet, and a battery life of five or six hours, depending on which model you buy.

CyFi's speaker will be available September 22 from the company's own online store.

CyFi speaker kit for the iPod or iPod Nano.

(Credit: MyCyfi)