Crave

(Credit: Crave UK)

Phones make trusty sat-navs, MP3 players, and cycling computers--as well as handy phones--so they can replace a pocket full of gear on your daily commute or monthly trek. But short of lashing them to the handlebars with duct tape, you need a decent way to keep them front and center, without them flying off to become the puck in a horrifying game of car hockey. You'll be needing a mount.

With all the mounts we tested, we were surprised how much we enjoyed having our phone at our fingertips while pedaling. Not only did our sat-nav apps benefit from having a clear line of sight to the satellite-soaked sky, but we could answer calls and see texts as they came in, while a quick switch between podcasts was much easier without having to root around in our pockets.

But hopefully it goes without saying that you shouldn't get distracted by your iPhone's beauty and go ploughing into lampposts and pedestrians. Drive safely, people! Try to stay at least as attentive as a white-van driver is while he's smoking a cigarette, talking on the hands-free, typing into the sat-nav, and reading the paper.

We took three of the top bicycle iPhone holders (the Ram Rail EZ-on, Velotrac Pak, and Bicio GoRide) for a test pedal to see which one kept our little touch-screen buddy safe and sound.

Read more of "Best iPhone bicycle mounts: Bracket and bike it" at Crave UK.

(Credit: eniCycle)

The wheel is being reinvented yet again, this time in the form of the eniCycle by Slovenian inventor Aleksander Polutnik. Think of the foot rests as handle bars, with directional steering done by pressing on the left or right foot rest, and the speed controlled by leaning forward or backward.

Less of a Segway clone than the Orbis Urban Mobility Vehicle, this self-balancing electric unicycle is said to be so intuitive, the average new rider just needs a maximum of 30 minutes to master it. But don't take our word for it. Check out the video after the jump to make up your mind as The Gadget Show takes up the challenge. In fact, you may get to try out the eniCycle in person sooner than you can say "gyroscopic stabilization," as Polutnik's on a one-wheel crusade to get this mass-produced early.

The foot rests act like handle bars. You press down on them to steer left or right.

(Credit: eniCycle)

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!

The cuffs on the Bike to Work Pants fold up to increase reflectivity.

(Credit: Cordarounds)

Cycling commuters are forced to deal with a million obstacles on the ride to and from work. In urban areas, cars remain our biggest foe, largely because people don't make the effort to look out for our blinking lights. Plenty of companies offer cycling-specific clothing, but they're terribly unflattering in all the wrong places.

But check this out: Cordarounds has developed these Bike to Work Pants. The inside of the pockets and pant cuffs are actually made from a material that reflects lights, thus increasing a cyclist's visibility and safety.

In "daytime mode," the pants just look like a standard pair of khakis, made from a brushed pebble cotton that's just as comfortable as they are durable. The mudflaps subtlety fold into the pockets, completely concealing the reflective material. Wear them around the house, at work, or while running errands, but when it comes time to jump on the bike for the ride home, the Cordarounds really shine: the inside cuffs and pant pockets of each pair are made of a strong Illuminite Teflon material and bound with reflective 3M Scotchlite that illuminate at night to protect the rider. Get a more detailed look at the pants by watching this video.

All Cordaround products, including the Bike to Work Pants, are sewn exclusively in San Francisco and are available through the company's Web site. If interested, head over to Yanko Design and enter for a chance to win a free pair!

Turn on the magic of reflective light

Meet your new favorite cycling partner.

(Credit: Podio)

Listening to headphones while riding a bike is obviously dangerous, and yet I see so many fellow cyclists mashing around with wires dangling from their ears. Why? Well, that's easy: because everyone loves riding to a soundtrack.

Unfortunately, there are too many important road noises (honks, sirens, etc...) that deserve attention, so music has to take a back seat...that is, unless you have the Podio, a digital audio player with a built-in speaker specifically designed for jamming in the bike lane.

(Credit: Podio)

The portable Podio includes a special bracket that easily mounts onto a set of handlebars. You can also throw a lanyard on it and hang it around your neck, since its convenience and size make it suitable as a walking, jogging, hiking, and camping partner as well. I guess that's cool, as long as you're willing to broadcast your music to everyone around you. Maybe leave the High School Music soundtrack off that playlist.

Two rechargeable batteries power the Podio, and you transfer music to it using the included USB cord, so we're assuming your system recognizes and mounts it as if it were an external hard drive. In terms of sound quality, the device uses a proprietary 1.5 watt microamp, delivering a punchy 94db to a Foster speaker typically used for notebooks and handheld devices, which should be enough to get you going without pulling your hearing away from the outside world.

No word yet on pricing or availability dates, but check out the slideshow for more pictures of the Podio digital audio player.

Podio portable audio player is a bike's best friend

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.

If you've walked down the street in an urban area, you've likely witnessed at least one near-accident between a car and a cyclist or pedestrian wearing earbuds.

How welcome, then, are these groovy concept headphones by Seohyun Baek? The semicircle shape is designed to fit in your ear without blocking out background noise, so you can have your tunes but still be in tune with what's going on around you. The designer also claims the small shape will produce less fatigue during long stretches of music-listening.

The headphones themselves are connected via wire to a Bluetooth receiver, which communicates with a small transmitter plugged into the headphone jack on your music player. The wireless connection lets you stash your MP3 player in a bag, carry it in a secure pocket, or even mount it on your bike without limiting movement.

As with all design concepts, there's no telling whether this will ever see the light of day as an actual product. But we hope accessory manufacturers are paying attention, because neither cyclists nor pedestrians should be forced to forgo their music fix during the daily commute.

(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)

(Credit: Pearl Izumi)

As clothing with built-in gadget controls is becoming increasingly common, from mini-skirts to pinstriped suits, the variety of tech-friendly sportswear has expanded exponentially. But you know the concept is truly valid when it's taken seriously by bicyclists.

The "MicroSensor MP3 Bib" from Pearl Izumi goes a step further than most wired apparel, which usually includes only controls sewn into the fabric. ProductDose says this cycling bib actually includes an integrated 512MB MP3 player along with its embedded controls, which are strategically placed for easy access so you won't kill yourself while riding--unless, of course, you keep the volume so high that you can't hear horns and sirens.