Global Cool » Cycling

A phone-controlled bike + The Bikebahn = this week’s wheelie good round-up

Global Cool — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:17:06 +0000

So it’s Sunday and that means another weekly round-up of the wonderful and weird from the bicycling world…

1. A mobile phone controlled bike
We knew it wouldn’t be long before a boffin would think of somehow getting a mobile phone to control parts of a bike via wireless or Bluetooth technology and Canadian electric bike firm Daymak has not let us down. Daymak has developed an app that allows an Android equipped phone to control the firm’s Shadow Ebike. The firm was already known for introducing wireless technology on the original Shadow Ebike so the use of Bluetooth technology via the Android operating system was a logical step. The phone app has the ability to turn the ebike on and off as well as allowing the owner to change defined pedal assist modes and top speeds. The app also has GPS, a speedometer and can record trip data. Even before the addition of Bluetooth, the Shadow Ebike had wireless controlled magnetic regenerative brakes and a wireless controlled throttle.

2. Adidas develop cycle fashion shoe
With Bike Polo growing in popularity it is no surprise that some of the major sportswear brands are sniffing around the scene. Adidas is currently mulling whether to produce a trainer that takes bike polo as its inspiration. The prototype 503 trainer has a high top profile for ankle support, reflective striping and a recessed cleat. We’re not sure if the trainer will ever see the light of day but the trainer might see some crossover into the mainstream fashion market with a very large “hipster” market to tap into. They have willing customers here at Going Going Bike anyway.

3. Shit that cyclists say
No doubt you will have seen the “Shit that cyclists say” video that has gone viral this past week, but you may not know that this video was a copycat homage to a “Shit Mountain Bikers Say” video (see below) that was made by Canadian comedy collective I F*cking Hate That! We did find both videos very funny but we’d love to see a “Shit that Bike Commuters say”. We’ve suggested this to the guys from I F*cking Hate That! already.

4. Designer wall mount
Bike storage within a flat is always a problem when you have limited space. There are plenty of options of course for the home but your average hipster (and probably your missus) wants something a bit more aesthetically pleasing for when your steed is not hanging up on the wall. Step forward the Bike Valet. This bike rack consists of two pieces of laser-cut cold steel that have been heated and hand-bent into sculptural curves. The insides of the steel are covered in either leather or neoprene to make sure your bike doesn’t get scratches. Once mounted to the wall, the rack will protrude out 12 inches from the wall, which is enough space to accommodate most road bikes handlebar widths. The designer Steven Tiller of Reclamation Art and Furniture is looking to go into commercial production with Bike Valet and is looking for funding via the crowd funding website Kickstarter.

5. The Bikebahn
We have cycle superhighways here in London but they’re not really in the truest sense of the world. A infrastructure project in Sweden that has just got the go-ahead aims to build a real cycle superhighway between two Swedish cities – Malmo and Lund. Sweden’s transportation authority has approved a four line 10.5 mile superhighway but a barrier to the project remains funding. The proposed highway would be virtually free of street furniture or stops as it will run by a railway line. Mimicking a motorway, there will also be bicycle service stations along the highway.

Here comes the science bit…
Global Cool wants you to lead a green and happy life. This article can help you to be green by:

1. Walking or cycling whenever you can
2. If you can’t cycle them make sure you’re using public transport rather than the car.

For more great cycling news and stories follow us on Twitter or Facebook

Pics: Preater (CC), Trendhunter and Ramboll

Be an Olympic cyclist (without having to give up the beer)

Global Cool — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:30:22 +0000

Brought to you by Going Going Bike

12,000 pedal strokes after leaving Richmond Park we completed the Going Going Bike Casual Ride Olympic Recce. Not, it should be admitted, a reconnaissance of the entire route to be raced this summer, but the vast majority of it PLUS a few more hills that we rode just for fun!

Guided routes and welcoming pubs
The Going Going Bike Casual Rides are building a reputation for combining guided routes with well chosen pubs. This ride reinforced this reputation with a 75km route that halted for 90 minutes after 60km for a well earned Sunday Roast.

The Parrot Inn in Forest Green offered a roaring fire, a selection of pork and lamb (reared on their farm) and some excellent ale. Highly recommended!

Views of the Olympic route
Anyway, back to the cycling. What did the group make of the Olympic route? Generally it was well received. It is clearly a fast route (at least until the circuits of Box Hill start) and goes via a number of landmarks that will provide excellent photo opportunities. Graham Watson must be licking his lips at the opportunities afforded by Bushy Park, Hampton Court etc etc.

However, the consensus was that the route follows “A” roads at times when there were alternatives that would offer more exciting racing. The drag along the A25 to Dorking, in particular, is never going to set the pulses racing.

In addition, a few riders hoped the roads will be repaired before the collective carbon rolls along them in the summer. Any regular to the Surrey Hills will know the roads are never in great condition. Given the vast sums being spent on media centres and Olympic villages in London I hope some funds are made available to improve this route. Not quite double handlebar tape territory but almost!

All in all though it was a great ride with amazing weather. The next Casual Ride is on 26 February. For more information and to be informed of route details for future rides drop us a line on contactus@goinggoingbike.com

Here comes the science bit…
Global Cool wants you to lead a green and happy life. This article can help you to be green by:

1. Walking or cycling whenever you can
2. If you can’t cycle them make sure you’re using public transport rather than the car.

For more great cycling news and stories follow us on Twitter or Facebook

Pics: PA Images and Going Going Bike

Cycling on ice + the transformer bike = this week’s wheelie good round-up

Global Cool — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 10:30:20 +0000

Brought to you by Going Going Bike

After a break for Christmas and New Year, we return with the first Wheelie Good Round-Up of 2012. We hope you enjoy the selections below…

1. The ice bike
What bike do you ride if you have to go across miles and miles of hardened snow as Blue Peter’s Helen Skelton is currently doing for her ride to the South Pole for Sports Relief. We blogged on Helen’s forthcoming trip to the Antarctic last month (click here to read it) but details of the ice bike she was going to be using were pretty scarce at the time. Now the ice bike, which has to function in -25C temperatures with windspeeds that can reach up to 80 mph, has been revealed. Made by US all-terrain bike brand Hanebrink, the bike (as pictured below) has huge tyres to make sure the bike can grip the snow. More details of the bike can be found here.

2. Transformer bike
A people building their own tall bike is nothing new. Such bikes can be made simply by connecting two conventional bicycle frames by welding or other means, one atop the other. The drive train of the bike is reconfigured to connect to the set of pedals on the upper bike. Tall bikes are perfectly rideable if a bit difficult to get off! This problem has been solved by one smart Russian bike builder, who has come up with the Transformer Bike. This bike interchanges between a normal bike position and a tall bike in one movement while you pedal so you don’t have to stop to change between the two. We’re not quite sure what purpose it serves though!

3. The rules of road cycling
If you’ve seen the movie Fight Club, you’d know there are the rules of Fight Club, the number one being that no one talks about Fight Club. Someone has done a road cycling equivalent called The Rules. The rules and the language do come across a bit macho and we think it is largely fits those people who love to go out on a club ride every week. We’re wondering if any of you obey all the rules?

4. A bike with no pedals
The draisine or the Dandy Horse as it was nicknamed was effectively the world’s first bicycle except someone hadn’t come up with the idea of pedals in the early 1800s. Odd as it seems now, people used to ride the Dandy Horse by propelling themselves along the ground with their feet in a regular walking or running motion using the handlebars to steer. Now it is making a bit of comeback, albeit in a modernised form, as a way of helping people with emphysema (a disease of the lungs that causes shortness of breath) get around more easily. A small pilot study has found that people with emphysema and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases actually did better on an indoor walking test when they used the bike-like draisine device than using a rollator (a four-wheeled frame with handles that people push in front of them as they walk).

Here comes the science bit…
Global Cool wants you to lead a green and happy life. This article can help you to be green by:

1. Showing you that cycling is really super cool and everyone should do it.
2. If you can’t cycle then just make sure you get on public transport rather than driving.

For more great cycling news and stories follow us on Twitter or Facebook

Pics: Going Going Bike and K.Steudel

Rolling in it! Ten tips for going green to save some green

emily — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 10:30:32 +0000

Our latest Get Involved post comes from Global Cool mate Tom Harding, who shows us how going eco-friendly can save you a whole heap of pennies…

Bright idea
Replacing your normal light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs will use 75% less energy, saving you money on your electricity bills. On average, they last around 7 years too! Look out for higher lumens (not watts) for the brighter bulbs.

Turn it down
Turn down your thermostat in the winter, and keep warm by whacking on an extra pair of socks and a cosy jumper… not only are winter jumpers highly in fashion now, but you’ll be more huggable and you’ll save on your energy bills. We’ve got lots of tips in our Turn Up The Style Turn Down The Heat section.

Pulling the plug
When leaving the house, make sure to pull out all of your plugs from their sockets: it will only take an extra minute in the mornings, save money on your bills and you’ll be doing your bit for the environment. (Oh and don’t forget to switch those lights off too!)

On yer’ bike!
Yes ladies and gentleman, cycling is officially cool again (although in our opinion it’s always been cool anyway). Instead of driving to work or the supermarket, why not combine getting in shape with saving money by using your pedal power each day!

Sharing is caring
For those of you who cant cycle to work, why not sign up to a car share with your company, ask colleagues about their commute and whether it would be feasible to share a commute each morning: This save you a massive amount of money on fuel costs. Or why not just Do It In Public and you’ll save heaps!

Thicker than water
Why not keep the bath as more of a luxury, and shower more? A shower instead of a bath will reduce your water and heating bills (especially with a water-reducing shower head), it’s also cleaner for you and will give you more time in the morning. And for those of you who are in a relationship, you can even save more by showering together (ooer!)

Hung out to dry
Invest in a drying rack for next to nothing and hang your clothes out overnight instead of using a tumble dryer or a radiator: This will reduce wear and tear on your clothes and save you money so you can buy more for your wardrobe.

Turn the tap
Another eco-friendly part of your routine to incorporate is to not leave the tap running when shaving or brushing your teeth. You may think this won’t make much difference, but think about how much water you could save on a yearly basis by doing this. We’ll tell you – a lot.

Shopaholic
When buying furniture or appliances for your house, why not save yourself some money and do your bit for the environment by checking on eBay, Gumtree or Freecycle for second hand household goods: it’s fun to search for treasures and can save you some serious dosh! For food and groceries, look out for the items that use less packaging (such as Kenco pouches) and support your local community by buying local (and fresher) produce.

Grow your own!
You don’t need an allotment to grow your own vegetables – with just a little bit of sunlight and water on a daily basis, you could purchase something like a pepper or tomato plant and watch your beauties grow. Not only will this save you money, but you’ll be amazed by how easy this is and your vegetables will taste much nicer because you’ve made them yourself.

Tell us your thoughts in the comments box below or if you’d like to contribute a story, photo, video or some tips on green living simply email getinvolved@globalcool.org…

Pics: PA Images

A hip hop tale of cycling

Global Cool — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:30:19 +0000

Brought to you by Going Going Bike

You know Going Going bike like to wax lyrical about our love of the bike, but song writing isn’t our collective strong point. Never fear. Just in time for the New Year though, we have a song from young Manchester hip hop artist James Gill that could be rocking your MP3 player as you ride along on your bike in the coming days.

James has perfectly crafted a tune that tells of his delight of cycling around Manchester on his bike. Called Flying Out My Gates, James describes the sense of freedom that his bike gives him while still managing to be effortlessly cool. Just another piece of proof that cycling

The video of the song has incredibly already clocked up more than 50,000 views on Youtube, so here is it – enjoy…

For more great cycling news and stories follow us on Twitter or Facebook

Pic: Going Going Bike

On the seventh day of Christmas, Global Cool brings to you… Talking bike bells and no-wheeled wheelies

emily — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 08:30:34 +0000

To celebrate The 12 Days of Christmas, we’re counting down our best features of the year, including today’s favourite: cycling. From tractor tricycles and cycling in heels, to talking bike bells and no-wheeled wheelies, we’ve seen it all. We especially love all the celebs we’ve seen cycling this year, including Dermot O’Leary and Katy Perry. And who could forget when the Mayor of Vilnius in Lithuania, took to the streets of the capital in a tank and drove over a Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury car that was parked in a cycle lane. Watch the video again here.

Finally, a massive thank you to Going Going Bike for all the wonderful articles this year – they’ve been (*bad pun alert*) wheelie, wheelie good!

Tell us what you think in the comments box below or on Twitter @global_cool…

Pic: Going Going Bike

Reasons to snog, marry and avoid the TOWIE girls, Kate Hudson and Rihanna

emily — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:30:39 +0000

We’re always on the look out for the good, the bad and the ugly in celebsville. But unlike most of the celebrity rags, we’re more concerned with who’s using their canvas bag at the supermarket than who’s been spending a little bit too much quality time with the botox needle. And what better way to put them to rights than by playing our favourite TV show, Snog Marry Avoid…

Snog
We’re usually avoiding the TOWIE folk like the plague, but it seems we shouldn’t have tarnished them all with the same brush. Lydia Bright and Lauren Goodger have ditched the limos for a more modest form of transport – bikes. The two blonde Essex bombshells have been spotted cycling around town with not a care in the world for those hair extensions, and we couldn’t be prouder.

Marry
This isn’t the first time we’ve praised the beautiful Kate Hudson for being a massive greenie. She launched a line of environmentally-friendly and cruelty-free hair products, with proceeds are going to benefit WildAid back in 2008. She also worked alongside Tobey Maguire and Gwyneth Paltrow, sharing her eco-friendly advice in the book Healthy Child Healthy World. More recently, Kate and her mum Goldie Hawn have been zooming about on the Eurostar. We love seeing a celeb taking a Traincation instead of hopping on a plane – well done.

Avoid
Speaking of planes, she may look great in a bikini but Rihanna really needs to stop jetting off on holiday every five minutes. The Umbrella singer has been snapped on holiday in Barbados (again). We know she may be raking it in but does she really need that many holidays? We’re getting a bit sick of this Good Girl Gone Bad routine and would much rather see her go green instead!

Have you seen someone you’d rather snog, marry or avoid? Tell us all about it in the comments box below or on Twitter @global_cool…

Pics: PA Images

On the fourth day of Christmas, Global Cool brings to you… Amy Winehouse, Jedward and a bicycle cello

emily — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:30:14 +0000

To celebrate The 12 Days of Christmas, we’re counting down our best features of the year. Day five is music! 2011 has been quite a year in terms of music with the sad death of Amy Winehouse and Jedward getting to number two in the UK charts (save us now).

Along with Global Cool mates Fairshare Music and Music Magpie, we’ve brought you all of our top tunes to keep you grooving while you Do It In Public. But that’s not all… we’ve also showed you how some musicians like Justin Timberlake have used their fame to make the planet a better place. You can find music anywhere whether it’s on the London Underground with One Direction or turning your bicycle into a musical instrument.

Tell us what you think in the comments box below or on Twitter @global_cool…

Pic: PA Images

How to light up your Christmas tree with a bicycle

Global Cool — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 12:00:03 +0000

A Christmas special brought to you by Going Going Bike

Pedal power electricity generation isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Christmas. Take a bunch of bikes, start pedalling and generate enough electricity to light the Christmas tree. Seems such a simple idea and something that authorities in the Mexican city of Puebla have been keen to experiment with as part of their sustainable Christmas campaign.

The local town council there have put up a Christmas tree at the city’s main park whose 8,000 lights get their electricity from the kinetic energy of people riding 15 bicycles. Each bike has a generator attached to it that feeds kinetic energy into two big two batteries that provides the electricity for the lights on the tree.

Light up
Each generator attached to the bike delivers 100 to 350 Watts. The batteries can light the Christmas tree for 45 straight minutes. The bicycles must be pedaled at a speed of between 20 kph and 30 kph for about eight hours to charge the batteries for the lights to stay on all night.

The Christmas tree is the centrepiece of “Navidad Sustentable” (Sustainable Christmas) fair at Puebla city park. Visitors to the park are encouraged to do their bit and pedal to keep the lights going. LED fairy lights are so energy efficient that it’s possible for one bike to power as many as 3000 LEDs in case you want to do this at home.

Cycling is also a great way to shift some of those Christmas dinner pounds, but you can worry about that after the weekend…

For more great cycling news and stories follow us on Twitter or Facebook

Pic: PA Images

Reasons to snog, marry and avoid Perrie Edwards, Scarlett Johansson and Christine Bleakley

emily — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 10:30:46 +0000

Snog
As much as we adored Marcus Collins, it was great to see a girl band finally win The X Factor. And now Little Mix have given us another reason to think they’re cool. One of the members Perrie Edwards has been spotted carrying a tote bag around town. She obviously knows how rubbish plastic is and has chosen to use a HunniBunni Bag instead. We hope all the girls will be following suit soon.

Marry
After her short-lived marriage to Ryan Reynolds, Scarlett Johansson is back on the market. The x star told WENN all about her eco-desires in a recent interview: “There are things outside of the movie business that I want to pursue and hopefully eventually will when all this falls apart. I also think it would be nice to have a vineyard somewhere and have an organic farm. It’s a hippy dippy wish but a good one.” We don’t think it’s a hippy-dippy wish – we think it’s a fab idea – and we’ll be the first people to sample her homemade wares.

Avoid
Frank Lampard’s lady Christine Bleakley was doing so well with all her cycling antics, we’re really disappointed she’s gone and fudged up. The Daybreak presenter has just bought a brand new Range Rover Evoque 4×4, and she was spotted in London struggling to park. In fact, Bleakley spent about 15 minutes trying to park the beast of a car before eventually having to drive elsewhere. If she’d just stuck to bikes she could park pretty much anywhere.

Seen someone you’d rather snog, marry or avoid? Tell us about it in the comments box below or on Twitter @global_cool…

Pics: PA Images