Bike riding is a super fun outdoor activity, whether you ride intensely or just like to tool around town. The downside is in winter and bad weather when you need to take the training indoors and hook up to a device to cycle in place. It’s just not the same, either emotionally or physically. TrueKinetix can’t help (as much) with your desire to get outside, but they can help make it a more fulfilling exercise with TrueTrainer.
Over the last few years, eBikes have exploded in popularity, and over the past year and a half, I’ve become an eBike and electric scooter enthusiast. Judie has been a fan of the electric mobility solution for years; Kev bought her a Sondors Original eBike with fat tires and an extended battery for Christmas 2017 that’s still going strong. I’ve gotten a fairly rapid education on the ins and outs of eBikes in the last few months, and in this post, I want to share some insights into the eBike classification system.
The Swagtron EB11 Electric Cruiser Bicycle is a beach cruiser-style bike with a 250W electric motor to assist you on your journeys. While it has an MSRP of $1511, it is currently on sale for just $799.99. That makes it an absolute bargain. It is a good eBike but, as we will see, it is far from perfect.
My son recently learned how to ride a bike, and it’s opened up a whole new world of excitement for him. In the fearless way of all small children, he’s jumping curbs and taking frighteningly tight turns like a pro. On the other hand, I am old and have a bad knee, making it a lot harder for me to keep up with him. So when I had the chance to check out the Swagtron Swagcycle Pro, I was super excited for the assist!
Electric bikes have gotten super popular recently, and Espin bikes have taken full advantage of the trend. With the versatile Espin Nesta, you can take your bike on offroad adventures or commute to work, thanks to the all-terrain tires and folding frame. The Nesta is a really nice bike that sometimes feels like a motorcycle and retails for $1,400.
The pandemic inspired many people to get back outside and enjoy biking, hiking, and other social-distancing-friendly activities. It was the inspiration for me to start biking again, and I’ve really enjoyed getting back into it with the State Bicycle Company 4130 Road Bike.
When I was a lad, we had one-speed bikes with banana seats* and sometimes big high backrests, like the kiddie version of Zed’s chopper, Grace, that Butch makes off with in Pulp Fiction. Sure, there were 10-speeds and the standard 1-speeds that Schwinn was famous for. And…um…that was pretty much it. Not any longer, baby! Now you’ve got so many different types of bikes it makes my head spin! And now we have word that Trek has expanded its premium custom bike program, Project One ICON, with a brand-new paint scheme called “First Light.”
A Strava subscription has been a great way to keep me motivated during my journey of getting back in shape. 2020 was rough; I was working out regularly but wasn’t eating well. Unfortunately, it’s true that you can’t outrun a terrible diet. So paired with a proper eating regimen, Strava’s been my go-to tracking app for getting to a better me.
Mongoose has just released its first balance bike in 10 years, and we were one of the lucky few to get to test it out before launch. The Mongoose Title Tot is a balance bike designed to help kids 2 years and older build their confidence before riding their first bike.
We’ve known the folks at State Bicycle Co for a while now, after having reviewed their 4130 Core Line fixed gear bike back in 2018. State is known for making high-quality bikes that are accessible and affordable. The introduction of the 4130 All-Road is no exception. Starting at $799.99, you get a gravel bike with an impressive set of features.
When we’re at the beach house during the summer, one thing we often have to worry about is air for our bike tires. But a lot of air pumps out there are clunky and outright cumbersome to deal with. However, the Viaggio Travel Pump by Silca is a stylish way of pumping up everything from pool toys, basketballs, and yes — even those bike tires.
If you are looking for a great casual urban shoe that is great for commuters who bike, you should check out the Shift Grey Flat Pedal Shoe by DZR.
Summer means getting outside, and there’s no better way to enjoy nature by hitting the open road on a bicycle. State Bicycle Co was kind enough to send us a Le Fleur 3 single-speed bike from their 4130 Core Line, so we wanted to put together a Summer 2018 Cycling guide, also featuring Showers Pass, Ottolock, ABUS, and Thousand helmets.
We recently looked at the Scosche MagicMount Pro Charge and the Speck Presidio Mount Case designed to take advantage of its magnetic wireless charging. The Scosche BoomBottle MM is part of the same line. It is a Bluetooth waterproof speaker with magnets to hold an iPhone in a Speck Presidio Mount or attached steel plates in place; it’s awesome.
If you like to ride your bike early in the morning or right before the sun goes down, then you know that there’s a fine line between decent riding vision and “too dark to see”. You need a good light to get you safely home, and the Cycle Torch Shark 55R Bike Light will give you just that.
Swagtron, the leader in electronic rideables, has expanded their cycling line to include two folding electronic bikes and a youth-sized electronic fat tire bike. Blending performance, value, and technology, new e-bikes offer solutions for adults, commuters, and kids alike. Ranging from $599.99 to $839.98, these new bikes are cost-effective and eco-friendly ways to get where you need to go.
As a runner, I am always looking for new and cool ways to be more visible. At the same time, I look for things that are convenient, comfortable and don’t require me to do much thinking at 4 AM when I get up to go running, so I was immediately interested in the LumaGlo Crossbelt.
I have often found myself guilty of being “penny-wise and pound-foolish,” that is, in order to save a buck here and there, I’ve put something much more expensive at risk. An example of this has been the way that I secure my road bike when I park it outdoors either at home or downtown when I’m running an errand.
If you’ve visited a large city any time lately, you’ve probably encountered racks of public bicycles available for short-term rentals by tourists and urban residents alike. Where I live here in Nashville, our B-Cycles are red and scattered at dozens of stations around town.
The original Scosche boomBOTTLE impressed me. A Bluetooth speaker built for use indoors and out, it pumped out excellent sound in every direction. And it had the added benefit of fitting into a bike’s water bottle cage! Now Scosche has released the Scosche boomBOTTLE+. It keeps a similar design and is a worthy update to an already-impressive Bluetooth speakers.
It’s official, we’re living in the future. Not only is virtual reality quickly becoming everyday reality, but now you can wear a heads-up display while you’re riding a bike, literally seeing your ride statistics floating in front of you like a biking terminator. That’s the future that Solos Smart Eyewear is promising!