Some interesting goings on in the cycling world since the previous volume!
This funky piece of kit made the rounds earlier in the year, but it seems like a good inclusion for this cycling round-up. It’s a novel spin on the traditional bicycle helmet created by Swedish design students Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin in Malmö, Sweden.
This is great because it questions the assumptions about what a helmet should be. We think it’s a vital part of any cyclists riding attire, although there are various reasons people elect not to wear helmets. People may find them unnecessary, uncomfortable, or even unfashionable. Hopefully the Hövding airbag will convince some of the doubters that you can be safe without sacrificing style or comfort – watch the video crash test here:
SMART HAT – Cycle Helmet
Another piece of cycling head gear made the news this week, this time in Shortlist Magazine. While this is definitely unseemly, the ‘Smart Hat’ contains everything a cyclist needs to be seen and be safe:
This taps into other aspects of the cycling debate. The inclusion of an e-tag allowing for identification of unsafe cyclists addresses the frustration of some members of the public that cyclists are anonymous and not held accountable for unsafe cycling. The integrated camera and light allow the rider to take headcam footage which can be used if an accident occurs to see who was at fault. The windscreen wiper is a fancy addition to get the rain out of your face!
It will be interesting to see whether the Smart Hat progresses from the concept stage – we’ll be keeping our eyes out.
Once concept that looks likely to progress to production is the Impossible folding bicycle, which is currently in the midst of a phenomenally successful Kickstarter campaign.
This excellent piece of kit is a folding electric bicycle that can fit into a backpack. The saddle doubles as the carrying case, the motors will be housed in front wheel, and the weight is spread evenly across the two-circle frame. The implications for a portable commute are huge – people who aren’t keen cyclists but want to ride to work will find it appealing, as will current cyclists who travel on public transport where non-folding bikes are not allowed.
The project is based in Canada and, as the Kickstarter project is still ongoing, you can get involved! Rewards range from having your name printed in the manual, to a t-shirt, to a Kickstarter exclusive version of the bike.
On the 3rd December the Daily Mail published a story about a cyclist’s successfully completed round-the-world trip. He spent 1,606 days cycling via the Arctic Circle, down to the southern tip of Africa, to the east of Asia, and into the jungles of Vietnam. His route is mapped out in full below – incredible stuff:
We wonder what Charlie would think of the Ride25 round-the-world trip!
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