Velobration » Gadgets

Pcych Commuter Bag

Rob — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:08:06 +0000

I saw this video over at BikeCommuters.Com, it’s a bag that attaches to your top tube to hold water bladders, phone, tubes, and lots more. It seems like your knees would hit it as you ride, but perhaps not. Something like this would be awesome for randonneuring, I want one!

Cateye EL220 Review

Rob — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:16:11 +0000

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I picked up a Cateye EL220 for last weekends brevet. Price was an issue as I couldn’t afford much at the time, but I needed something that would produce enough light to safely ride at night. Knowing that the brevet could last as late as midnight, it was important to get something decent.

Now quality is a bit of a relative term here, the other two riders in the brevet are almost certainly mistaken for motorcycles from a distance with the amount of light they produce. This light does not come close to approaching that sort of output. That said, I’m happy with the EL220 for the price. It is powered by 4 AA-batteries and has 5 LEDs that provide good coverage exactly where needed.

All I cared about was being able to avoid hazards on the road in the dark. The long stretch of Old Hwy 51 in Louisiana was unlit and provided a good test which this headlight passed very well. I’ve used other budget lights which did not provide nearly enough illumination and anything more than the slowest speed. I’ve also used it in town for night commuting and running errands with no problems at all.

If you can afford it, I would definitely step up to a higher end light, if money is a constraint, this is a great light and performs well especially for it’s price point.

A Cyclists 12 Days of Christmas

Rob — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:57:55 +0000

Twitter user @bjsmith let me know I missed his list when compiling gift guides. Unlike all the others posted, this one is written as the 12 Days of Christmas, cool!

Be sure to check out the rest of his blog, Puncture Proof, as well, some great advocacy and safety information over there!

Bikes and Females – An attractive combination

Rob — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:36:34 +0000

There are few things as aesthetically pleasing as a bicycle. Few would argue that the top of that short list is the human female. If bikes and ladies are nice on their own, then together they are even better. Here’s a few sites which showcase this awesome combination.

Fixed Gear Girl Taiwan

FGGT Is a blog focusing mainly on Taiwan but there are lots of pictures from all over. Of course it is almost all fixie content.

Copenhagen Cycle Chic

Copenhagen is the cycling capital of the world, so it’s no suprise there are an abundent number of ladies on 2 wheels there. This blog captures that.

Riding Pretty

What Copenhagen Cycle Chic is to Denmark, Riding Pretty is to L.A. While the content isn’t just pretty girls on bikes, it certainly has plenty of that.

Chicks and Bikes

The name says it all. Be careful clicking the link at work, some posts contain nudity.

Girls on Bicycles!

Girls, Bikes, Japan. What more could you want? This blog covers it all.

DIY Bike Repair Stand

Rob — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:40:01 +0000

Over at The Petal Pusher there’s a good writeup on a DIY bike repair stand. At $30 in parts its a bargain over commercial versions. After all the work I’ve been doing recently, I really need a stand.

I’ve needed a repair stand for a long long long time now. But….damn those things aren’t cheap. Thankfully, I’ve got more than my share of blue collar blood in me….so I decided to build one.

via DIY Bike Repair Stand « The Pedal Pusher.

Getting more visible on the cheap

Rob — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:08:00 +0000

Found a really cool idea via Lifehacker today, using scraps from traffic signs to make your bike more visible at night:

Bike lover Scott was in need of some safety modifications for his bike. Rather than go with the regular old reflectors, Scott enlisted the help of his local traffic office for a free and seriously reflective alternative.

Anything you can do to be seen better (especially at night) is great, free is even better!

Bar End Brake Light: BEBL

Rob — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:04:58 +0000

Here’s a really cool idea, a brake light system that uses an acceleramoter to detect when you are slowing down. Best of all it’s fairly inexpensive to build and fits nicely in the bar-ends.

Bar End Brake Light: BEBL.