The Bike Nomad

Wandering my world on two wheels...
 

Laser Spoke Power Meter - Too costly or just right?

There is a fascinating new project over at IndieGogo (a Kickstarter clone) for a device that attaches to your bike and provides real-time power metering of your ride.  This can be very important info for serious cyclists, as it measures the efficiency of their motion, fit, and technique.

BUT the device is $750 ($550 for "beta testers") each... and typically it is cheaper here than it will be once it hits final production.  Would you pay 3/4 of a grand for this function?  As a simple nomad looking to lose weight and have fun...  not me!

Posted May 24, 2012
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Even giants deserve to ride!

The Bike Nomad loves to ride, and wants everyone to experience the joy of life on 2 wheels.  So, it was with great joy (and not a little awe) that he came across news that Yao Ming of NBA fame was recently given a custom bike sized to his amazing 7 foot, 6 inch frame.  

The attached photo gives a better idea of just how oversized this bicycle is.  Once wonders if this is how Jack would have felt on a group ride with the Beanstalk Giant.

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Filed under  //   bicycle   bike   custom bike   giant   yao ming  
Posted May 1, 2012
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GWB bikes for Wounded Warriors

There are plenty of people who have strong feelings about President George W. Bush.  His time in office was nothing is not full of controversy and change.  But I think we can all agree it is a good thing that he has taken to two wheels in a 100K ride to benefit veterans!

Presidential wheels rolling through Palo Duro Canyon could create some positive spin for the state park’s rugged mountain-biking trails and other features, according to those involved in events related to the The Bush Center Warrior 100K Ride.

Former President George W. Bush brought the three-day, 100-kilometer ride to Palo Duro Canyon State Park Thursday through Saturday.

The ride is designed to draw attention to the service and sacrifice of military men and women wounded in the war on terrorism, spokeswoman Hannah Abney said.

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(Photo is not mine; from Roberto Rodriguez/Amarillo Globe News)

Posted April 30, 2012
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FitDesk X: The Grand Experiment Begins!

My first year of cycling was a dream!  I had little trouble getting myself into the attic to practice on the stationary bike, and we found time to go out almost every weekend to bike on various trails.  The pounds fell away from my waistline, and my legs grew stronger and stronger. The second year wasn't bad, but lacked the enthusiasm of the first.  And the third year has been decidedly... lackluster.  It is not that I love cycling any less.  It is that life keeps jumping up and filling up my schedule, and when I finally have a chance to get outside on 2 wheels, I am not really fit enough to do so without hurting myself.

Enter the FitDesk X.  It's an exercise bike meant to replace your desk.  I work from home quite a bit, so it is a natural way for me to integrate fitness into my working like.  This way, I can work and work out simultaneously, leaving less chance for an emergency evening meetings or training class to rob me of fitness time.

Will it work?  We'll have to see.  But I am optimistic.  I assembled this thing last night, and the grand experiment begins... NOW!

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Posted April 20, 2012
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Kickstarter: Blink Steady Bike Light

It has happened to all of us.  You take a long ride with your blinkie lights flashing, get home exhausted, and put away the bicycle but forget to turn off the lights.  Unless you're fortunate enough to go back into the storage room/garage at night, you may not notice the relentlessly blinking lights for days.  And when you get back to it, the batteries are well and truly dead.

A new product on Kickstarter is looking to end all of that with a new bike light called "Blink Steady".  It combines a light sensor and accelerometer so that your light is only one when you are riding (or stopped on a ride and it is dark enough to require a light for visibility).  The light senses when the ride ends and automatically turns itself off.  And turns itself back on when you start to ride again.

No more run-down batteries.  And no more forgetting to turn on the light for the next ride.  At $95 for the base model, it's not a steal, but seems like a good investment for a safety-conscious cyclist.

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Posted April 18, 2012
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Guys Night Out bike ride

Last night, we took a break from our weekly ritual of "pizza with the guys" and went out for a sunset ride along the shoreline.  It was a beautiful night - warm but with a constant breeze - and we even got a chance to see the Metlife Blimp at Sikorsky Airport!

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Posted July 15, 2011
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Bikes are not a Conservative or Liberal Issue

If you read articles from cycling magazines, they often tend to have a somewhat Liberal bent.  I chalk this up to the fact that West Coast environmentalism interfaces well with those who enjoy being outside on two wheels - both groups love the outdoors and tend to have a dislike of car owners who would run them off the road.  But the fact is the libertarian and entrepreneurial side to cycling is very friendly to Conservative ideals.  And it is nice to see some people are recognizing the fact.  Hopefully, it is the beginning of a coming together around fun on two wheels.

Cycling is an exercise (literally) of a fundamental freedom—freedom of movement. in the Constitution, it derives from the “privileges and immunities clause” as interpreted by the Supreme Court in United States v. Wheeler, 254 U.S. 281 (1920). (Fair warning: I am in fact a lawyer). This is why you don’t need a passport to enter New Jersey.

Cycling is efficient. True Conservatives love efficiency! It has been said that a cyclist is more efficient than a bird in flight. Cycling has a glorious history of entrepreneurism! Think: Wright Brothers, Schwinn, and Trek. Lots of senators and representatives probably had paper routes. America invented the mountain bike, BMX and freestyle.

Posted July 13, 2011
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Birthday Bike Ride

July 6 is my birthday, and every year I take off from work and enjoy a long, leisurely bike ride.  This year was beautiful for the ride, if hot.  I rode by the Stratford shoreline - one of my favorite places, obviously - and shared the day with a few hundred of my closest friends, sunning themselves on the beaches.

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Posted July 8, 2011
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