Here is a minimal and modern bag by Route Werks for your favorite bike! This Handlebar Bag project ($119+) got fully funded on Kickstarter within six hours, and it's not hard to see why. I love the universal mount on top that accepts a cycling computer, GPS device, GoPro or smartphone, the spring-loaded lid for smooth one-handed access while riding and the handy little lever that makes it easy to detach, grab and go. What do you think of this handlebar bag? 

Having a bell on your handlebars is more important than you realize. Made in the good old USA, each Spurcycle Bell ($59) is trimmed and hand brushed using brass and stainless steel with a black DLC (diamond-like coating) finish. It also blends simply with your bike, making it almost invisible until you need it. Once needed, it's super loud, with a convincing tone that rings three times longer than other bells, announcing your presence to motorists or pedestrians on your route and ride safely.

Redshift has created the ShockStop ($139 & Up) suspension seat! The ShockStop is an adjustable-stiffness suspension seatpost that will dramatically improve your ride by smoothing out the road. It is equally suited for an epic gravel adventure or just dealing with potholes on your daily commute. You can even adjust the spring rate and pre-load to match your specific riding style.

The ShockStop Seatpost suspends your body, isolating you from the imperfections of the road and trail. We optimized the travel and suspension kinematics to provide a plush, bottomless feel.





The ShockStop has an internal spring which applies force on the seatpost's four-bar linkage, which in turn suspends the saddle and rider. As you ride, the seatpost allows the bike to move under you as it encounters uneven terrain, which reduces the accumulated effects of bumps and vibrations by up to 60%. The four-bar linkage ensures that your saddle angle remains constant through the full travel of the suspension.



The ShockStop Seatpost will fit any bike that has a round seatpost 27.2mm in diameter or greater (the vast majority of bikes). If your bike has a seatpost that is larger than 27.2mm in diameter, inexpensive shims can be used to make it fit perfectly.

Check out Redshift's Kickstarter to learn more about the ShockStop. More information below in the video.

Now this collection of casually styled helmets is any riders delight! Thousand Helmet's, is a young company that is already getting widespread attention and you can see why. These helmet's ($85- $115) feature copper hardware, vegan leather straps and Thousand Helmet's main feature: an integrated locking system that pops out of the logo on the side.




Check out the whole collection and their other items on their site

BMW has unveiled a tribute to the BMW M family’s compact high-performance sports car: the BMW Cruise M Bike Limited Edition. A core stylistic element of the bike is its Long Beach Blue metallic paint finish, which matches the official color of the BMW M2 Coupe.

Like the M2 Coupe, the BMW Cruise M Bike Limited Edition – which will be produced in a limited run of 1,500 units – boasts exceptional dynamics and agility.The bike cuts a powerful figure thanks to the hydro-formed aluminium frame’s distinctive “bullneck” – reminiscent of the tank position on a motorcycle – and its clear transitions in form.



The bike’s striking design concept is complemented by high-quality technical components, which generate a special feeling on the road. The carbon seat post and spacer ensure the BMW Cruise M Bike Limited Edition is a light yet also a strong device. With larger wheels (now 28 inches), a 30-gear system and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, it has all the tools to deliver the last word in riding pleasure – on straight roads and twisty or hilly routes alike.

Every example of the limited-run special edition also has its own specially made plaque. The BMW Cruise M Bike Limited Edition is available at selected BMW retail partners for about $1,585.

 


all images courtesy of BMW
Source: urdesignmag..com

Bike bells generally look and sound a bit ugly. But why? What if they looked sexy and sounded like an angel playing a glockenspiel?  Knog, which is a bike accessories company has designed this sexy sounding bike bell.

The Oi bell's shape originates from its home - the handle bar. There are five styles. The standard aluminum model comes in 4 finishes: brushed aluminum; brass-plated; copper-plated; and black. The top of the range, "treat yourself” model is made from titanium.  If you want to find out more information check their Kickstarter.

Clambering over rock beds and through snowfields on a fully-packed fatbike is all well and good, but nothing can compare with the glory of carousing French roads on a full-dresser randonneuse road bike.

Victoire Cycles last project was to create a tribute to the Golden Era of frame building, but with modern conveniences; A Rohloff internal rear hub, for instance, with it’s natty handlebar-mounted twist-shifter, and the SON dynamo front hub and lights.

Without luggage, the weight comes in at 13.4kg, complete with pump, lights, fenders and racks. That’s pretty comparable to any modern tourer, but as far as style goes, Victoire’s Randonneuse takes the gâteau.  You can read more about the details of this bike on CycleEXIF

It has been a long while, but Bikespiration is back, and with Part 20. In this installment I wanted to go with bike that bring out the fall colors and styles that would be fitting of a nice fall bike ride. So enjoy and share the Bikespirations!

Feel free to contact us at The Collective Loop if you have ideas for future Bikespriations.

Check out the other installments - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18 , Part 19

Now here is a Kit Bike that gives your bike a different meaning for portability. This sleek single-speed breaks down and fits into your very sexy Eddie Bauer sailcloth messenger tote. The Kit Bike is a very minimalistic two-wheeler and comes with 21 easy-to-assemble parts. With its easy-to-follow instructions and interlocking hollow tubes connected by twist joints, you will have this bike put together and taken down in no time. Oh, did I mention it was the winner of 2014 Red Dot Award. If you didn't know, know you know.

The handlebars are well just cork. The frame is made out of lightweight aluminum with steel hubs. The seat's is Corinthian leather and oh did I mention that it has no breaks. So you're going to have to stop with your feet like you did as a kid. Enough information, check out the video below.





Source: Thrillist.com

As you may have surmised, we have arrived at Part Three of our three part bike innovation series. Part One was focused on more of a futuristic approach to what bikes will eventually become and have the capability of becoming, while Part Two is more of an urban approach of what genius ideas can do to make your bike extra smart as well as theft proof. In Part Three, we will see some bike hacks to give you that new fangled feature or the "sexed up" look, without having to shell out for an all new ride.



Easily the coolest piece of kit I've seen, is the Helios Smart Handlebar. Coming in many styles, this handlebar comes with front and rear LEDs along with turn signals. Yes, I know, we've all seen indicator lighting blah, blah, blah... Yeah, you are way wrong! What sets the Helios apart, is the built in Bluetooth and GPS. Basic functionality lets you do the obvious stuff you would expect; tracking where you are, where you've been and how far in between. Get excited because here is where it gets good. Using the GPS and the rear facing LEDs, the Helios gives you real time telemetry. Set your destination in the app and follow the lights to get to where you need to go, while using the pulsing color feature (to indicate speed) at which you are traveling. Better yet, should the criminal element make off with your ride, the Helios can send you a text to your bike (SMS) when you want to retrieve location coordinates. You'll then receive a text back containing a Google Maps link to its current location. Shwing! For added flair, you can turn the lights on or off from your phone when you approach or when you walk away. Yay safety! $279 isnt the cheapest, but this is a serious product for serious riders.



Named for its T-shaped appearance. The Hammerhead is another navigation LED set up, but with more of a social angle. Much like the Helios, the Hammerhead uses LEDs to give it the turn-by-turn directions, but steps it up a bit to let you know when road hazards show up in the mix. As for the social angle, it syncs to the popular cycling app Strava, so you can send routes to friends, and of course, compete for bragging rights... you show off! For the price ($85), this is definitely a must have item, which you can preorder here.



As you no doubt remember, back in May, my good friend Damion Schweizer featured The Skylock...you did read it, right? For those of you who are new...or just slacking off... go here to read about it's app based key less entry and accelerator based notification system. So when some douchebag is fondling your goodies or when you've taken a spill, it gives you the option to call for help to friends, family or to the authorities. Way cool!


Now that the douchebags are no longer diddling your diddles and you know where you're going, what you need next is to keep those wheels spinning with the Patchnride. Small enough to fit in your pocket, this device can be used with any tube tire to permanently patch a hole. You don't even need to take the wheel off, although you will obviously need a pump to refill the air back in the tire. Head over here to check it out.


Of course with safety being of the utmost importance to every cyclist, you cant forget your helmet. The LifeBEAM Helmet will not only keep your brain in tip top shape, but it will track your heart rate, calories burned and distance traveled. Big bonus, no need to worry about any extra devices, straps or any unnecessary shenanigans. It can function in conjunction with almost all apps and devices. Head on over to LifeBEAM to check out this and their other products such as a hat and visor with the same capabilities as the helmet.

Now that I have thoroughly met all of your future bike tech needs, the test will be on Monday. So study up! Haha! I'm just joshing you. Questions, concerns or ideas are welcome in the comments section, and dont forget..."Like" early, "Like" often.

Welcome to Part Two of this bike series. As you've seen, Part One was geared towards a more futuristic machine that a bike is fully capable of becoming. Now in Part Two, I'm going to show you about two ingenious concepts that, with luck, will become standards in bike security.

Would you believe me if I told you that there are two ways that bikes cant be stolen? That's right! I bring you the Yerka Project and the Seatylock.

The Yerka Project is a one of a kind concept that was created from three Chilean childhood friends who are now engineering students who have no small amount of experience with having their bikes stolen. A play on the Nordic word for strength, the Yerka is based on the idea that there's less incentive to steal a bike when you have to destroy it in the process of getting to it.

What I like about the Yerka is that it gives you that urban, funky colored casual appeal that could almost resemble a traditional lightweight bike, but with a significant twist. You see, here, the bike frame itself is actually it's own lock. Coconuts, right?! How it works is once you pull up to a bike rack, street post or any stationary item, you pull out the seatpost, flip out the downtube, and create a lock with the frame itself. It creates a security feature that if anyone decides to hack open the lock, they are actually going to destroy the frame itself...and it also looks pretty rad around a tree.

The Yerka Project expects their first batch of bikes to be available within six to eight months. The guys are also planning to launch a Kickstarter campaign by December to raise funds for mass production.



Designing a perfect bike lock is a constant ongoing challenge that will forever be one upped by the thieving douchenozzles who want your bike. Most are pretty bulky, obnoxious and sometimes a pain to remember when you're running out in a rush. The Seatylock which is currently being funded on Kickstarter aims to keep your bike and all of it's bits and pieces from being stolen.

What's pretty creative about this design is that it looks like a normal bicycle saddle, but once unclipped turns into a three foot steel chain lock and takes only 30 seconds to secure your bike to any fixed object. An additional thumbs up goes to it's universal adaptor. In other words, no matter what bike you own, this bad boy will be there for you. It adjusts to any seating position that your little tush desires. It'll be available in a range of colors and designs for those of you who like to turn your ride into an expressive fashion statement.

I highly recommend checking out the Seatylock Kickstarter campaign with bids starting at $75. Once fully funded, it has been estimated to ship on out in March of 2015.

Keep a look out for Part Three in the bike series! If you can dig it, don't forget to hit the like button. 

I love stuff like this, especially because it has to do with bikes. Andy Scullion a graphic designer from the UK has put together an illustrated family tree of the bicycle, featuring over 70 bike illustrations. Find out more information from the video below or check out their kickstarter.  Happy biking!

Since May is "Bike Month" let me introduce the Skylock ($159), its a smart lock that has a theft alert system that sends a message to your phone when someone touches your lock for an extended period of time. Messages are sent via bluetooth or via Wi-Fi. "Using Bluetooth Low-Energy, Wi-Fi, and an accelerometer.

Skylock pairs itself with a smartphone to be contextually aware. Through this connectivity Skylock can keep cyclists safer by comparing accelerometer data from a smartphone to its own and determine when a rider has been in an accident. In the event of a severe impact Skylock will send a push notification to see if the rider is ok. If they fail to acknowledge the notification within a set number of seconds, Skylock will automatically determine that the rider is seriously hurt and alert emergency responders so they can come to the rider's aid as quickly as possible."

This is an interesting idea and looks to keep the cyclist safe while riding at night. The Lumen is a retro-reflective coating bicycle inspired by late nights, city lights, and full moons. By day its frame and fork appear to be dark gray, but by night they both glow white under direct light. There's no on/off switch, no batteries required.

This is there third Kickstart and if you pledge $499 on Kickstarter you get just the frame and fork. If you want the whole bike you're looking at spending anywhere from $1245 to $2500.  Check out the there Kickstarter to get more information.

   

Here is an invention that can change everything about your commute. It can change the various things that can strain us while riding like hills, heat and sprawling distances. A group of bike enthusiast from New York have created the Smart Wheel by FlyKly Bikes ($550 Suggested price). This is a motorized bike wheel that fits almost any bike, instantly turning a regular old bike into an electric one.

The Smart Wheel is a pedal assist which means it helps you ride your bike effortlessly. The motor turns on when you start pedaling and begins accelerating to your desired speed. It stops when you stop. It saves you time by getting you to your destination faster and gets you there without losing your breath or breaking a sweat. This electronic rear bike wheel can take you on a 30 mph ride and last you for up to 30 miles on one charge.

We want to make cities more livable, and make them more people -- not car -- friendly, says Klansek.

 It's other features are security and we all need that. You can remotely lock the motor and track it in case someone with grubby fingers wants it. It also offers a FlyKly App to control and monitor the Smart Wheel. It also offers many other features like support and social connectivity and safety. It can also charge a phone and power lights on the bike.  You can even control the top speed for the wheel.



The New York-based team is currently raising funds to mass produce their invention on Kickstarter.

As of now, $493,256 has been pledged by 1,857 backers. They’ve got 10 days remaining in the funding period and expect to need at least $100,000 more to begin mass production by spring of next year.




Source: huffingtonpost, elitedaily