The Pocket Drone

January 9, 2014 by Lee Agur

The Pocket Drone – Your Personal Flying Robot

Capture all of your amazing skills with your personal flying pocket drone that can follow you through GPS!

Yet another reason to own a GroPro, instead of strapping it to your helmet, now you can fly the camera in the sky.

This product was just launched on kickstarter and has reached its goal in under 24 hours. Quite amazing. Just make sure you use it in an open space… I don’t think it can see trees. Maybe that is the next generation…

“The world’s first multicopter that’s powerful enough to carry a high quality action camera and folds up smaller than a 7in tablet.

The Pocket Drone is the personal flying robot that enables anyone to capture amazing video and photos from the sky. The year 2014 is going to be the “Year of the Drone.” Personal and professional photography is literally beginning to take off. Everybody can already take great looking photos and videos with their camera phones and share them online, but they have been limited to what could seen from the ground. Now with the Pocket Drone, it’s never been easier to capture spectacular aerial images that open up a whole new perspective and insight that had previously been unseen.” – Kickstarter

Do you want your own flying camera? Go to Kickstarter to order your very own pocket drone.

Electric Mountain Bike

January 6, 2014 by Lee Agur

Electric Mountain Bike

All I can envision is hammering up a climb sucking wind thinking how I am about to slay this Strava segment when all of a sudden my little sister (who rarely touches a bike) silently sneaks up on me… blows my doors off and yells “eat my dust sucker!” Feels like a nightmare that may come true.

This 9 speed monster can go up to 50mph… and weighs a whopping 116 lbs! It is like a silent dirt bike humming along at 65 dB (as loud as a normal conversation).

This bike’s ideal for downhillers that usually shuttle, instead of driving to the top, they can rip up the hill with their 4500 Watts of power.

With a charge time of 2 hours and a cost of less than $0.01 per mile it is… no wait we didn’t factor in the $10,000 initial cost…

Interesting concept but I suspect it will have to come down in weight… and price to be more feasible. I think it looks sexy… but that is where my compliments stop.

What do you think of the bike?

SkyCycle

January 4, 2014 by Lee Agur

SkyCycle

Norman Foster has designed cycling paths above London;s railways in response to 14 cyclist deaths in the city during 2013. SkyCycle is a “cycling utopia” of approximately 220 kilometers of cycles lanes with over 200 entrance points that will be above the current train lines.

SkyCycle will be able to accommodate approximately 12,000 cyclists per hour and is an innovative idea to a serious problem in London.

Downside

This route will take approximately 20 years to build. Streets are already congested and the population growth is estimated to rise approximately 10% per year for the next few year. Can this possibly be the solution to safer roads? Will it come soon enough? What happens in the mean time?

Upside

It is unlikely with the new infrastructure that we would ever see 6 deaths in a two week span ever again. There would be increased health benefits and significantly less congestion. It is estimated that travel times would be cut down by approximately 30 minutes.

Norman Foster describes the plan as “a lateral approach to finding space in a congested city.”

“By using the corridors above the suburban railways,” he said, “we could create a world-class network of safe, car-free cycle routes that are ideally located for commuters.”

Do you think the SkyCycle is a good idea for London to implement? Share below and leave a comment.

Cycling Underwear

December 29, 2013 by Lee Agur

Cycling Underwear

Versatile, vintage inspired cycling underwear for women. Sexy, comfortable panties with a chamois (foam insert) sewn in for riding.

Chamois Panties are stylish, comfortable cycling underwear for women. They are great for spin class at the gym or a ride downtown. They have a foam insert sewn in for added comfort while riding. Unlike traditional riding shorts with a chamois, these panties will fit discreetly under your clothing. You can wear them under any pants, shorts, skirts, denim cutoffs, and even non-cycling specific work out clothes you already own. Urban cyclists and bike commuters can end up riding 20+ miles on any given day. Obviously spandex is not appropriate day-wear in the city, and ‘jorts’ are certainly not comfy long term on a saddle. Ouch! That’s precisely where Chamois Panties come into play. The foam insert alleviates the discomforts of riding while remaining discreet, allowing you to flaunt your own unique style. Help fund the Chamois Panties and make them a reality. Your contributions will go toward the manufacturing and distribution costs so that we can get these babies on the market!

Go to Kickstarter to help Christiana Guzman fund the project.

The Brigitte is for women of all shapes and sizes. They are flattering and comfortable with a chamois insert thick enough to protect your precious lady parts from the pains of those longer urban rides. They are full coverage with a higher, ’50s style rise in the back. They are 100% discreet under any type of skirt, pant, or short you desire to wear. In lieu of elastic is an attractive stretch lace band to avoid muffin top (no thanks, right?). Great for spin class and daily commutes.

The Bettie is for the ladies that want to feel a little sexier while they ride. The sheer mesh sides, and ruching on the back give these panties a feminine touch. You definitely won’t feel like you are wearing your grandmother’s bike undies (huh? Just go with it). Betties are lower rise in the front and show a little more cheek in the back. They are great for those cute low waisted pants or shorts but there’s still plenty of coverage so you don’t end up with plumbers’ crack. The chamois insert is a thinner, triathlon style pad offering just that extra bit of comfort you need while you bike about the city. Great for shorter, lower impact rides.

Fabian Cancellara Will Attempt to Beat the One Hour Record

December 26, 2013 by Lee Agur

Fabian Cancellara will attempt to beat the one hour record of 49.7 kilometres set by Ondřej Sosekna in 2005. The previous record was 49.441 set by Chris Boardman in 2000. And before that? Eddy Merckx with 49.431 in 1972.

Fabian Cancellara nicknamed “Spartacus” has won an Olympic gold medal and four World Champion time trials. The Swiss is a definite contender to take the record despite his larger frame.

Luca Guercilena, the team manager, said the attempt will be in 2014. Where is another question. The track should ideally be near sea level for optimal air density, but no decision has been made yet.

Some previous records were dismissed due to the extreme positions that the UCI banned in some new rules set out in 2000.

Fabian Cancellara one hour record attempt – 50km, one hour, can it be done?

Cycling and Impotence

December 11, 2013 by Lee Agur

Cycling and Impotence

Does cycling cause impotence and erectile dysfunction? Before you freak out… studies have shown that cycling can decrease impotence as well as increase it depending on a few factors.

Lowest risk for Impotence

If you cycle for less than 3 hours a week it is likely that you are decreasing your chances of impotence much more than you are increasing it.

Moderate Risk for Impotence

Anyone cycling over 3 hours a week should take as many steps as they possibly can (listed below) in order to decrease their risk.

Highest Risk for Impotence

Anyone sitting on their couch instead of cycling because they read this article and were afraid to continue biking. Smokers and obese people are also at a very high risk for erectile disfunction.

Why Can Cycling Increase the Risk of Impotence?

Studies (such as Massachusetts Male Aging Study) show that prolonged pressure on the perineum while cycling can increase the chances of impotence. The prolonged pressure on the perineum can damage nerves and blood vessels responsible for an erection and the damage could become permanent if the nerves and vessels are continually damaged without adequate recovery.

Symptoms of Impotence

There are early warning signs for impotence caused by cycling. Almost all cyclists will have either numbness, pain or tingling before there is a serious case of erectile disfunction. If you are experiencing these symptoms it is time to take an active role in preventative measures. If you are not experiencing any of these symptoms then get back out there and keep cycling.

Factors That Increase the Chance of Impotence Cycling

Improper Bike Fit – Want to save $250 on a bike fit only to pay excessive amounts for viagra? Don’t risk it… get a proper bike fit, especially if you are a serious cyclist.
Saddle – Some saddles put a lot of pressure on the perineum. Make sure you find the right one. If things go numb… it is past time to find a new saddle.
Weight – A heavier cyclist will put more pressure on the perineum than a light cyclist.

Factors That Decrease the Chance of Impotence Cycling

Intensity – If you are pedalling hard then more of your body weight is on the pedals and consequently less is on the perineum.
Change position – Cycling in the exact same position hour after hour is not good. Change it up. (Mountain biking you automatically do this, road biking sometimes, but if you do a lot of time trials on a TT bike it is very important to keep this factor in mind)
Stand up – Stretch out once in a while, allow some blood to flow, stand up and cycle for a change.
Proper bike fit – Saddle height, body position, handle bar position and saddle angle all play a major role in impotence while cycling.
Less saddle cushion – Too much cushion is actually bad, it can put pressure in the wrong areas.
Proper bike shorts – Bike shorts that fit properly with some padding are a good idea.
Saddle – There are saddles with a hole/cutout in the perineum area to reduce pressure in the more important areas.

Moral of the Story

If you don’t have any symptoms of numbness, pain or tingling then stop worrying about the impotence risks. If you are experiencing these symptoms follow the steps listed above. If you choose to stop cycling due to fear of impotence it is likely that you will increase your chances more than decrease them unless you are able to substitute cycling with another activity.

Cliiiimb Pro – New Invention for Strava Users

November 14, 2013 by Lee Agur

Are you a Strava user? This new invention may really intrigue you.

Cliiiimb is a gadget that gives real time Strava segment feedback. You are able to set the desired segments before your ride and the gadget will let you know:

when you are approaching the segment
when the segment starts
where you are in comparison to your training partner/your personal best/KOM holder through out the segment (which ever person you select to compete against)
Where the segment ends

Cliiiimb comes in audio or audio and visual and clips on to your sunglasses and works using a free app downloadable to your phone.

The new invention will make you dig deeper for your intense training rides because it can show you where you are in relation to the KOM or your personal best in real time.

This is a very cool new invention that is the first in its class. No other device allows you to know real time statistics.

Cliiiimb is being sold for $129 (the audio version) and Cliiiimb Pro is going for $199 (the audio and visual version). The Cliiiimb Pro is available for purchase online right now from 4iiii. The audio only version will be available next year.