September 2008 Archives

Bonk! offers some clever aftermarket stickers more in-line with cyclists needs. I’ve seen reflective 3M stuff sold previously, but it’s generally in awkward shapes and sizes. The nice part, is that the color options offered actually allow your reflective coating to blend in to the bike. This picture doesn’t do a good job of capturing the effect, but the fork has a line of black reflective tape on the trailing edge. I want my pretty new rain bike to still look good after adding some reflective material. I’m not big on the yellow and orange triangles.

More photos from the Bikehugger Interbike Mobile Social… Including this one with the beacon in the background emanating from the Luxor Hotel. Riding down the strip in Vegas was a highlight of the trip. Riding with Xtracycles, Dahons, Mundos, and Fossil Fool, made this the most unique group ride at Interbike. We’re already planning our next Mobile Socials at SXSW, and Portland’s Webvision.

Uploaded by Dapper Lad Cycles | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

With all the exhausting booths, parties, activities, and same old thing every year, it was refreshing to see Hed Cycling invent a Sunscreen Headset Cap and for me it was the “best in show.” And why’s that? Cause here’s a legendary dude that puts wheels under the top cyclists, constantly innovates in the wind tunnel, and he was totally excited about this plastic cup of sunscreen. It was infectious and cool to not hear someone describe in marketing mumbo jumbo how their carbon layup is better than everyone else. Seattle Cyclist are vitamin D defficient, so I rarely use sunscreen and was thinking that I’d put some Nuun tablets in there and use it like a salt lick on long rides.

This year, Bike Hugger brought more bloggers with the mission to go find cool stuff. I focused on our existing partners, the Mobile Social, and the next one — the mother of all Mobile Socials at SXSW 09 in March (more on that later).

I’m thinking that this bike was cargo, before cargo was cool and it’s aero cargo for touring across America.

Uploaded by qcom | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

I had actually seen Wheeltags online prior to the show, and wasn’t all that interested because the stock patterns they offer don’t really fit my style. When I saw the booth, I got a look at a number of their custom offerings - and some were quite impressive. I had just seen the Velocity ELVS reflective rims so I asked if Wheeltags had something similar. I actually like their options better - they can do various depths, with or without logos. I think a Bikehugger branded reflective wheelset is in my future for my new disc commuter wheels!

(Note - this rim appears black under normal light - with my flash or car headlights - it glows bright white)

Sally Scott, a Japanese fashion brand, features a girl and her bicycle for their 08-09 Autumn & Winter Collection.

In the 3 years that we’ve attended Interbike, the industry has started not only understanding and embracing blogging and Social Media, but also now launching their own communities. Interbike saw

• Greenlight Ride from Civia
• Cateye Commute
• Pedro’s Plus 3 Network

Ok, cool, but do we need yet another bike community and more fragmentation of an already niche audience? At Textura Design (the parent of Bike Hugger) we advise businesses to not start their own social networks or communities, but instead to join one and take part in the conversation about their brand and products. I talked about that with my fellow panelists during the Social Media session at Interbike.

Spend monies for Do Epic Shit shirts here.

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

iTMP got a few square feet in the Polar booth this year. I’m not even an iPhone user, but this was a app I wanted. Rather than schlepp your laptop to stage races or training camps, you can upload directly to your iPhone and sync your workouts. I didn’t seen any mention of GPS, but it can’t be far behind.

We rode the Strip from the Sands to Mandalay Bay … Dahons, Novara, Xtracycles, Big Dummies, Mundos, A2B electric, a Bike Blender, and more. Trouble free, fun, and massive. The next day, I qualified it as following the Bike Hugger prescription to “do epic shit.”

Uploaded by LightenUpBikes | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

Galen, our Interbike video blogger, interviewed Kevin Manning at the Phil Wood booth about his Pump Hub. It works sort of like a self-inflating tire

The Pump Hub is a bicycle tire pump that fits into a wheel (specifically the wheel hub) and operates through rotation of the wheel. The pump is turned on by pushing a button, riding the bike pumps up the tire. When the tire is fully inflated, the pump shuts off.

I found a couple gems amongst the smaller booths at Interbike this year. I took pics of the same big-ticket items as most of the rest of the media at the show, but I tend to look for the cool stuff in the “cheap seats” (e.g. no huge display and coordinated polo shirts).

My first find was the Tout Terrain Boulevard bike with the SingleTrailer. I’m a trailer user myself, and this one was pretty much the coolest one I saw at the show. Very rugged, suspended, and a simple attachement mechanism. The line is from Germany, but available to the US consumer via Peter White Cycles.

This Huggcast shows the Mobile Social Interbike where we rode the Strip, met up at the USA Crit Finals, and partied. Fossil Fool rapped with his Soul Cycle- equipped Yuba Mundo and sent it out. Our friends at Xtracycle brought the Bike Blender and transported Aussie beer. I rode a new Novara Buzz road bike alongside a small fleet of Dahons. Crumpler and Ibex gave the scwhag and one lucky dawg won a set of Hed Wheels.

Interbike attracted all types of bike culture. Messengers gathering for a Las Vegas Alley Cat killed some time at the Sands Expo entertaining the crowd. For a short time, these guys were the best show on the strip.

Uploaded by Dapper Lad Cycles | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

Socio-political, cultural messenger bag from Chrome.

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

We’ve seen the guts of a Rohloff, Pashley’s, Moulton, Ti Commuters, Belt Drive, Electric Ute, this Pabst Track Bike and more after the jump in our Flickr Pool.

Uploaded by Dapper Lad Cycles | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

We talked flax/carbon frames and the man told me himself they were stiff and compliant. He didn’t want to buy a frame from Asia and put his name on it; instead, he’s been working on a “green” frame and the next models are 100% flax.

A Huggacast of our interview will post later. Also note that we posted on flax earlier and I’d questioned it’s ride quality. Well, who am I to argue with Johan Museeuw. During our talk, I grabbed the rear triangle and it doesn’t move.

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

Cordarounds just launched their new Bike to Work pants and a pair are en route for us to test. We gave Cordarounds lots of input, suggestions, and ideas. The pants feature a reflective cuff and are designed for bike transportation. Also note that a reader spotted their photoshoot and the pants a few weeks ago and said so on our Longtail Fall Fashion photo.

Bike Hugger Visits Crumpler @ Interbike 2008
Originally uploaded by Dapper Lad Cycles

The huggas are making the rounds at Interbike. Check out this video to get a sneak preview of Crumpler’s hydration pack available Jan of 2009.

This dude does PR for Yuba and he just rolled right up on a Mundo and said so. Word.

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

That’s one tough looking Xtracycle. You could write a blog just about this bike and the setup.

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

If there was a contest for such things, this bag would win “most badass.”

More from Interbike and our Interbike tag

Uploaded by Dapper Lad Cycles | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

That’s right homies, we’re giving away a set of Hed Cycling cross wheels at the Mobile Social Interbike tonight!

We’re also giving away

* Crumpler bags
* Ibex clothes
* Sportgenic schwag
* JensonUSA schwag

And you gotta do is show up and get a raffle ticket.

Uploaded by Dapper Lad Cycles | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

The Mobile Social Interbike is tonight. Here’s what you need to know.

Mobile

an Urban Ride

We’ll meet at the Sands Convention Center Sands Blvd entrance, near the bike valet at 6PM and ride to Mandalay Bay for the USACrits Finals and Industry Crit. The route is on the Strip and side roads.

Note: the ride is optional, not required, you can just hang with us at the bike race

Ride Date/Time
Thursday September 25th
6:00 PM - 6:45 PM

Social

a Meetup

Register on Upcoming and watch for updates.

Mobile Social VIP Tent
near the Start/finish line USA Crits Finals
Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
7:00 PM — 10:00 PM

We’re at Interbike 08 and watched the DA Electric in action …

It’s not really a secret that I like Fizik saddles. I’ve got six bikes and all of them have a Fizik saddle. My favourite saddle for road bikes is the Arione, because of it has very little sag from the nose to tail and a squarish top. However, the long tail at the end of the Arione has a bad tendency to catch your shorts (or worse, your scrabble bag) while riding technical terrain.

Enter the Tundra saddle. A LOT like a Arione…just a touch more padding and minus the can-opener on the tail. The picture below was taken at the Starcrossed cyclocross race last weekend, after my race. Notice the racer in the background….he’s in mid-wipeout.

Yes sir!

We’re making the rounds and taking lot’s of photos. Take a dip in our Interbike Flickr Pool, for more from Vegas.

Uploaded by Dapper Lad Cycles | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

Civia is stepping it up with a brand new “townie” style bike (Civia Loring with nice bamboo baskets and fenders. They look great and will hopefully hit a more attainable price point than their $2k commuter.

More pics in the Hugger Photostream.

Rock the Bike is leading the Mobile Social Interbike ride and bike blending drinks during at our USA Crits Finals VIP Tent. We met Rock the Bike last year riding down the Strip. The Bike Rapper, raps to music by Fossil Fuel played from a Soul Cycle Head Unit, attached to a Yuba Mundo. There’s also some peloton rapping call and response: hey — hooooo; hey — hoooo; and lots of taxi horn honking. It’s quite a spectacle to ride, music blasting, with a Down Low Glow… .

Setup is underway. I hope to see this S&S Coupled bike for 10 on the showroom floor.

Uploaded by McBomb | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

You’ll find us here, a few blocks down the street from our hotel each morning in Vegas. We’re also riding the Calmest Road in America, the Mobile Social Interbike, and blogging bike culture.

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

Timbuk2 shows us their hidden bags and Steve Sleeve.

Today’s dose of Vélocouture.

Uploaded by Madness Rivera | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

While we’ve got a ton going on at Interbike, a Mobile Social, and it’s gonna be a good time, I still don’t exactly look forward to yet another trade show, a bit burned out, and damn it’s Vegas. Then boom we get a reader tip about MashSF and Lance on a Fixie!

Thank you bike culture for that refreshing dose of goodness. That reminded me we’re going to see Momentum’s fashion show, new longtails, bike blenders, urban bikes, gear, and more.

The Mobile Social Interbike is this week and we’re getting some questions:

So what’s a Mobile Social Event?

It’s like a Tupperware party for bike enthusiasts, only without the beehive hairdo or weird cult-like party games.

No really, what is it?

It’s an intersection of bikes, technology, and culture — we ride, talk bikes, party, and give away product. Learn more here.

What does it mean?

We don’t know or ponder such deep meanings, but put simply it’s for like-minded cycling fans of all types to get together, ride, and talk about bikes.

Where do we meet?

For the urban ride, meet at Sands Convention Center entrance nearest the Bike Valet.

Where is it?

For the social, find us near the finish line at the USA Crits Finals, Mandalay Bay. Look for the Mobile Social Banner.

Do I have to ride?

No, the ride is optional.

Where do I sign up?

On Upcoming.

What are you giving away?

Tons of schwag and gear like Hed Wheels

Who are the Sponsors

Sportgenic, JensenUSA, Crumpler USA, Dahon, Novara, Hed, Ibex.

Steve Gluckman of Novara talks to us about the Green Bike Project.

With the Cyclocross season full on, here are videos, posts, and photos. Have fun, train hard, race well, and we hope these help you. If you see us out there, say hello and tell us how the races are going for you. Next week we’re covering CrossVegas during Interbike.

Photo uploaded by PJ Photo.

So, the Starcrossed cyclocross event is officially over, but the bruises are still blossoming. I raced the Men’s Cat4 event. I’m going to tell you that good technique and fitness can certainly help you do well in cyclocross, but lack thereof shouldn’t keep you from having fun.

You see, many competitors will have trained well for cyclocross, or at least been racing mtb or road bikes all season. They might have practiced good cyclocross technique like what Tim Rutledge, the godfather of NW cyclocross, taught us as featured by Bike Hugger. A wise competitor would have practiced the course days before, or at least pre-ridden it the day of the event.

And then there’s me…. no fitness, no technique, no pre-ride. Hell, I barely made it in time to register for the event. But I managed to finish.

While not specifically a feature on Vélocouture, it’s notable that the “lanky” look shown in the Style on the Street feature crosses over to the plain-clothes cyclist. Also noteworthy that Bill Cunningham rides around NYC on a bike shooting photos for the NYTimes.

See the lanky look and here.

Next week we’re attending the Momentum urban cycling fashion show during Interbike. We covered an earlier Momentum show in this post.

Also see Bill’s feature on bikes in NYC.

I get asked so many questions, the cards help. I explain that it’s a sport-utility bike, a car replacement, and a cargo bike. That it’s liberating for errands cause no parking. Go to the store, just pull right up, and park.

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

Hed Cycling is giving away a set of their new cyclocross wheels during our Mobile Social Interbike. The wheels are based on their alloy Ardennes rim with 24 spoke front, 28 rear, 2x2x lacing, and 1550g. We’ve ridden, tested, and love the Ardennes — so does Cyclingnews and Road Bike Action …

To win the wheels and all the other good stuff we’re giving away, all you have to do is optionally ride with us, show up, drink our free beer, and hang out. You will need a raffle ticket and should talk bikes; topics like the merits of belt-drives, why the industry is stuck in no-man’s land between the future and the past, how to encourage plain-clothes cyclists, etc.

Spotted at Elliott Bay Bikes in downtown Seattle — it’s also set up to race Cross — see the rear here. The shop was busy, in a hurry, and so the photos aren’t great. Brian Fornes was riding the bike, Raleigh’s Marketing Coordinator, and I asked him if it was proto or real and he said he’s bringing it to Interibke and a version of it is going into production. We’ll see it at the Mobile Social.

I’m doing my first triathlon in years.

• Borrowing friend’s Cervelo P3: Check
• Borrowing Byron’s Hed Jet 60s: Check
• Ready to at least beat the Slowskys on the bike leg: Check!

I just hope I don’t drown.

Kid 1 gets the camera to record the ride to school on Bettie. After the slow, grinding climb, we hit Ludicrous Speed on the descent and that’s a big wheeeeee!

Note: this ride is performed by experienced cargo bike cyclists and passengers. Please don’t try this at home.

She complains about how slow we go, until we go fast. Oh and we have an agreement that I drop her off a block from school to prevent mortal embarrassment.

Also, we need to get one a Speed Vest to proudly display our speed.

Tim Rutledge of Redline teaches us his Secret Cross Tips. This is Part 5 of 5 and covers “Tipping the bike over the barriers.”

Starcrossed is a fan favorite to kick off the cross season in Seattle. It’s part of the new North Americal Cyclocross Trophy. This video will give you a little sense of what you’ll see if you make the trip out to spectate (or race?).

Did I mention there’s a beer garden right by the most treacherous barriers?

Marymoor Park, Redmond Washington Saturday Sept 20. Feature race at 8!

Scotty over at uBRDO sent us a link to a new feature on his store site - a Google Maps Photo GeoLocator.

I did something like this a while back to associate latitude/longitude data with a Google map, then associate photos too it. The hard part? Getting Lat/Long associated with the photos in the first place. The ubiquitous iPhone. It uses triangulation software to approximate a location. I’ve used a GPS enabled camera, but again you face the limitations of line-of-sight. I’d love to build something like this for Vegas to photoblog the show, the ride, the race, and the social – but in the mean time I’ll be checking out the adventures posted on Scott’s site.

We first noticed Flickr’s Moblogging, Geotagging Bike a few weeks ago, when I spotted it in Dunstan’s photostream. Since then, Yahoo! has launched a related site and Lifehacker details how the bikes work (PDF). The bike is an Electra and built by Uncommon Projects.

We’ve discussed bikes and mobile technology before and dig what Yahoo! and crew has built.

• Mobile Apps for Cyclists
• Ultra Mobile Bike Devices
• Bicycle Hi Fi

We hope the Purple Bikes generate even more buzz, pushing innovation. Next month, we’re back in Taipei for another Intel Developer Forum, and are looking for the latest mobile devices. Maybe we’ll see one during a Mobile Social? Also see Fritz’s post on Commute by Bike.

While visiting our friends at HED Cycling, we stumbled onto the office glue monster. Just before getting decals, a bead of excess glue is stripped off of each wheel. This cast off material has grown over time. One day, much like frosty the snowman, some decal eyes brought the office glue monster to life. Now he stands sentinel near the dock door. Basically, every HED wheel shipped first passes under the attentive gaze of the glue monster.

Uploaded by Dapper Lad Cycles | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

We’re hearing that cyclists are discovering at the airline ticket counter that their bikes will not be allowed to fly because the bike box is oversize.

Readers can you confirm? Also see the photos Bill Davidson put together for us. They show measurements and what will and won’t fly per the airline rules.

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

The oldest bike in my stable is a 1996 Bianchi EL/OS. I had a lot of luck with that bike. During some hard times I sold the bike, only to buy it back a couple years later. As much as that distinctive aqua colour known as “celeste” has been associated with the Milanese company founded by Eduoardo Bianchi in 1885, so too has celeste become inextricably linked to cycling in my mind.

Bianchi the company was owned by the Piaggio company for a number of years. And Piaggio of course created the Vespa motorscooter. I don’t really have a need for a motor vehicle in my life, but I still kinda want a celeste Vespa. One of the newer models; the old 2-stroke classics are too stinky for me…

Tim Rutledge of Redline teaches us his Secret Cross Tips. This is Part 4 of 5 and covers “2 bike lengths to the barriers”

Just a week away from the Mobile Social Interbike and a few updates …

• Xtracycle is our official longtail bike of the event — they’ll transport goods back and forth down the strip and give rides to the VIPs. They’re also bringing a bike blender.
• Kryptonite sent us new locks to try
• I’m wearing this shirt
• Dahon is providing folding bikes
• Novara is providing an urban bike
• You know we’ve got free beer, right?
• Will Lance race the crit? Maybe …

Give it away now

• Crumpler is giving away high-end bags and schwag
• Ibex is giving away wool clothes and schwag
• Sportgenic is giving away adspace

Commute by Bike posted and attendees are started to sign up on Upcoming.

Tim Rutledge of Redline teaches us his Secret Cross Tips. This is Part 3 of 5 and covers “know where the saddle is.”

Delicious was down for most of this week. Now back online, I blasted its bookmarking ass with lots o’ link lovings; including, but not limited to:

• xtrasue — is in Portland, rides longbikes, and occasionally has some amusing posts.
• Scraper Bikes — the site for the Oakland phenomenon that is sweeping the nation.
• Velorution — a shop in London with you stuff don’t see elsewhere.

Also see an interview with Dave Turner and Clix Wheel Release System contest.

Bolts came loose on the Stokemonkey, chain fell off, not feeling the Electric MonkeyLove — toestrapped back into alignment for a “disabled” ride home. I was in the middle of a hill and after the fix, rode at like 1 mph to Alki Bike and Board for tools. I’m keeping the strap there as a backup. Also, my stupid mistake for not having tools with me. I was on another quick test ride.

How has a toe strap saved you?

sidenote: When I arrived at Alki, someone said, “hey, aren’t you the jackass that busted his nuts in the Cyclocross video?” “You mean DZ-Nuts?”

Tim Rutledge of Redline teaches us his Secret Cross Tips. This is Part 2 of 5 and covers “committing your footwork.”

We just updated Bettie to 2.5 with the addition of the Stokemonkey — we did it with a one-time exclusive, Rolling Jackass mount and barrel-adjustable tensioner. Bettie 1.0 was stoked and when we built Bettie 2.0, we already had 2.5 planned. Our decision to make a Monkeymount was driven by back-to-school and getting the kids to and from schools. For those wondering, Stokemonkey status is best found on Clevercycle’s blog. At this time, according to the blog, they are not back on the market. We recommend Stokemonkey owners wait to hear from Clevercycles on the status of Big Dummy mounts and Stokemonkey retrofit kits.

After the Cross shenanigans, Tim Rutledge of Redline taught us his Secret Cross Tips. This is Part 1 of 5 and covers “controlling the bike while running.”

Tim Rutledge of Redline is the star of this Huggcast. He’s really good at Cyclocross. Byron not so much. Also featured is DZ-Nuts.

Frame made with Flax. Discuss! While we see these and bamboo, can’t seem to get one to ride … The industry could make frames out of hemp, if they wanted, but how’s it ride? Wooden like carbon?

Uploaded by Le Fromagier extraordinaire | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

As team hugga gets ready for another interbike jammed with the latest in bike technology, I caught a glimpse of a drive train that reminds me how far this technology has come. This Osgear system was an early attempt at a rear derailleur. The 1937 Tour de France was the first year that derailleurs were allowed in competition, and had you been there, you would have likely seen bikes equipped in this fashion. You may notice on inspection that this system is missing the chain tensioner integrated into today’s rear derailleurs.

Uploaded by Dapper Lad Cycles | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

We’re riding this bike at Interbike, zipping around and to and from the Mobile Social. Novara is attending the event, hanging out with us, and wants to hear what you think of their new Buzz Road.

Our take:

• All the attention to detail is evident
• Urban Assault intended for commuters
• Novara branded tires; interesting
• Did China run out of steel building the Bird’s Nest?

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

Announcing the Mobile Social Interbike (and the other ones we do), we get asked, “so what is a mobile social? I don’t get it.” Well neither do we, we’re just making shit up all the time and hoping to get paid!

OK, joking, joking — the Mobile Socials are an intersection of bikes, technology, and culture. We ride, talk bikes, blog, party, and give away product. The event offers no douchebaggery or lameness, but is for like-minded cycling fans of all types to get together and talk about bikes.

Technically, it’s a social media marketing event targeting an enthusiastic niche audience with lifestyle branding, but it’s just not our style to talk big with those sorts of mumbo jumbo words. As Brian Oberkirch describe them, “it’s a coffee klatch on bikes, an excuse to get together” with your buddies and geek out.

Sponsors underwrite the event and provide the product and scwhag we give away.

Questions? Hit me in the comments. This is what Mobile Socials look like — check the video here.

While a fellow cyclist can help with most issues, not much you can do about a lost crank bolt; unless, you have a crank bolt with you and a tool.

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

Readers,

We’re meeting with Trek at Interbike and they asked us what we thought of their urban lines this year. So we’re asking you.

Tell us and we’ll tell them during the Mobile Social.

Our take on the 2009 District:

• LOVE orange rims
• LOVE orange rims with orange accents
• Fender mounts, integrated lights?
• Can we haz stel plz!

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

We’re bringing the Mobile Social to Vegas for Interbike. We’ll ride from the Sands Convention Center and then meetup at the USA Crit Finals in our VIP Tent.

Mobile: An Urban Ride

An urban ride from the Sands Convention Center to Mandalay Bay for the USACrits Finals and Industry Crit.

Social: A Blogger Get Together

Mobile Social VIP Tent
Near the Start/finish line USA Crits Finals
Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas

The Mobile Social Interbike is brought to you by The FredCast, Commute by Bike, and Bike Hugger; and sponsored by Sportgenic, JensonUSA, Dahon, more.

Register for the Mobile Social on Upcoming. The event is free, but we need to know you’re coming to put your name on the list for the velvet rope action. Total bonus: Team Bike Hugger is racing the Industry Cup. Second total bonus: Bike Hugger is the Official Blog of the USA Crits Finals.

Check below for the ride details and back here for updates.

Interbike — International Bicycle Expo — is the largest annual gathering of the bike industry in North America.

Dont call it a comeback
I been here for years
Rockin my peers and puttin suckas in fear

Que LL Cool J cause It’s official that Lance is returning to racing.

Readers? Why’s he back? Theories

• Ego
• To save Cycling
• If Tyler can win USpro at 37, he can win it too!

I was asked for a follow-up on my post about how I coverted my Single Speed to an 8sp. I rode it for about a month before swapping back to single to get ready for cross season. Here’s a couple bullets on the good and the bad.

If you're a Garmin GPS user with a Mac, and you're not happy with your existing software choices, there's a new option coming soon.

The developers of Rubitrack are looking for beta testers of their app, which brings a polished Mac interface to tracking GPS and heart rate data collected through a variety of Garmin (and other USB-based) devices. You can check out screen shots and their frequently asked questions to see if it's something that might work for you.

The beta offers a free unrestricted version of the software, which will expire November 1. Licenses are set to be 29 euros, or about $42.

From across the pond, we’ve got Secure Bike Stands from the Design Against Crime Research Centre

The project seeks to reduce bicycle theft by applying and integrating the design against crime approach to the design of bicycles, bicycle locks and bicycle parking via the generation of new benchmarks in terms of design standards, design methodologies, design resources, user evaluation and design education that will generate commercial product design application.

And here’s the result. I couldn’t find any good photos, but the shape of the stand works to prevent these various theft techniques (pdf).

Jeremy Sycip emailed me today to say that his brother and co-founder of Sycip Design, Jay Sycip, has joined Chris King. Word has it that he will assist in bringing King’s Cielo frames to market. Bike Hugger wishes him the best of luck in his new adventures in Portland, Oregon. Hopefully, Bike Hugger can make it down to Portland to see the operation soon.

Bike Hugger raced Cross — kermesse style — at Kruger’s Farm. It was dusty, bumpy, crashy, and fun.

Quick Reminder — RideCivil’s next ride is this coming Friday, check www.ridecivil.com for details and the blog for the latest news. We had a great ride last month, with quite a few folks and wonderful weather. It’s looking pretty good this week too, hope to see you there.

Whatever that is, we’re looking for it at Interbike.

Uploaded by www.skydecomp.fr | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

We say hello to Hincapie Sportswear, meet Moto 1, and ride with Mavic at the USPro Road Race.

To date, one of the most intense, extreme, Mtn-dew-drinking things I’ve done is ride in the Mavic Service Course car. Barking tires around corners, whipping around other cars in the caravan, and following a breakaway down an S-turning mountain road is right up there with white-knuckle, 55-mph, Mtn pass descents on my road bike.

Is this old news?

I knew it was at Trekworld ‘07, but I haven’t actually seen this bike until today. It’s pretty - real simple setup, with an amazing Ivory paint job. The Nexus hub and the throw-back bar/stem/saddle is pretty darn cool looking. I may have to pull the trigger on that one.

Spotted at River City Cycles in Portland, OR.
That front basket is NICE!

Spotted outside Costco.

Uploaded by Hugger Industries | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

Brad Roe, Editor Road Bike Action, has uploaded photos for Bike Hugger from Eurobike. The first few are streaming in, including this Double Dutch.

Uploaded by rbabrad | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

We rode with George Hincapie on the USPro course and later partied at the Style in Motion Fashion show.

DZ-Nuts, a high viscocity chamois creme, just arrived at Hugga HQ

and in time to protect our junk during Cross.

This bike takes photos, geotags them, and uploads every 60 seconds. It’s also solar—powered. We need this bike in our Mobile Socials and at SXSW.

Next up: GPS art-bikes. Ride a route and make art with it.

Update

Yahoo has launched a related site for the bike.

Uploaded by Dunstan Orchard | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

Sturmey Archer blog is reporting the long-awaited 3-speed fixed cog system is finally to prototype. Made famous by Sheldon Brown is the SA ASC 3-speed fixed. The cogs are fixed - sure, but by the magic of internal gearing, there various speeds are fixed.

I can certainly see the value here. I live on a big hill. Rolling down in the morning with my 68 inch gear can be an excercise in leg speed. On the way home - it’s standing all the way. What if I could run 68 on the flats, 85 on the downhills, and 50 on the uphills? How novel, and coming to a hipster near you I’m sure.

Readers that follow us here and via Twitter, Flickr, Interbike, and our Link Blog, may wonder just how we do it or maybe even considering blogging themselves; well, here ya go, all the details.

Kim and I represented Hugger at the annual Labor Day Cargo Bike Ride. That is where we spotted this custom painted beauty. Alex, head mechanic and owner of 20/20 had this frame fashioned by Bilenky Cycle Works in Philly PA. Inspired to get your own? We expect two similar Bilenky Cargo Bikes are in the works. They’ll be available for sale at 20/20 upon completion. More photos from the cargo bike social to come.

Uploaded by Dapper Lad Cycles | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.

Pam got this “money shot” at the USPro podium, just for the ladies …

also noting that white shorts are in.

While off-topic, this story is related in a degrees of separation way — while recovering from the “ride with George Hincapie” day (that was totally NOT a recreational-ride pace …), I was reading a NYTimes article on Governor Palin and showed Pam her Miss Wasilla 1984 photo. Pam (the Mutha Hugga and wife) looks and says, “wait a sec, I know her, I competed with her in Miss Alaska!”

A few minutes of Googling later and yep it’s true: Pam competed in beauty pageants with Palin in the 80s. Back home in Seattle, Pam scoured the basement archives and found the photos

one day riding with famous bike racers and the next she’s connected to the Palin narrative.

I was walking around Hincapie HQ and spotted a Fat Guy Spandex photo taped to a monitor, and was like, “whoa, wait, is that the original?” And it was!

Jennifer Helms, shown here, shot that photo and I don’t think really knew that it was a meme. Ask anyone with a computer who’s into bikes and they’ll laugh about that photo. We posted on it last year, it was on Swobo’s blog, Cyclingnews, and elsewhere. The story is that Mr. Lampre Kit was the Mayor of the Town the Tour came through and was beaming with pride.

Now that’s bike culture … tattooing a crank arm on your leg. Sweet Rob also made sure we got into the Mavic cars for live blogging during the USPro Race. Greenville has a burgeoning bike culture — while we didn’t see any commuters, we did meet urban cyclists, one Critical Mass rider, and spotted a Nishiki with Godspeed Tensioner in the crowd.

During the Style in Motion Weekend, I talked with George Hincapie and other Greenville business about their enthusiam for the sport and recreational cycling. In downtown Greenville, Postcards from Paris sells European interiors alongside high-end bikes and Hincapie Sporstwear’s 09 line features Après-ride clothes for bike shops to sell.

One of the spectator highlights of the Greenville championships is the Kids Race, where kids from 6-12 get a chance to race the final 200 meters of the pro course.

They come on Big Wheels, BMX bikes, brand-new Treks, and steel frames with a sheen of rust. Everybody wears race bib number 1, and everybody takes home a medal. The cardinal rule is “don't run into any of the other riders.”

It's a terrific way to introduce the sport to youngsters -- where else would they get the chance to compete in front of thousands of spectators lining the race's start-finish area?

Here's a photoset with some of the participants.

Nate Miller’s got the low down on what’s green and going up (or has gone up) in the city center. I really enjoy rides where you get to learn a bit more about our city (like the train yard tour last year), this promises to be really fascinating. And what better way to tour the green architecture of the city than by bike?
What: Seattle Green Building Bike Tour
When: Saturday, September 6th, leaving at 10 AM
Where: Meet up at the park across from Westlake Center (4th & Pine), the tour will be through downtown and South Lake Union
RSVP: Please send an email to seattle@cascadiagbc.org
More information inside…