BikeHacks

rimSkin

Worrying is a natural part of life, but level of worry has to vary, right?  For example, if you live in San Diego, do you really have anything to worry about?  With the weather being pretty much perfect 364 days of the year and fresh avocados grown locally, wouldn't your mind just be in a constant state of bliss?

I guess my theory is full of holes because two brothers in San Diego are worried about bike safety and are using technology, and KICKSTARTER, to do something about it.  In this entry you will find some magic green material, and I am almost 100% sure that supporting this magic green technology was another magic green substance found in California . . . guacamole!  KICKSTARTER page is here and company page is here.  All content below credited to the folks at rimSkin.

I'm going to go look for some ripe avacados . . .

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What is the rimSkin?

It's the affordable new way to customize and protect your bicycle rims. Made of high grade vinyl material, each original rimSkin set applies easily to most existing bicycle wheels or wheelsets. Just peel and expose the adhesive backing. Spray the applicator liquid and stick directly on your bicycle rim. The rimSkin will be available for bikes of all sizes. With the original rimSkin, you can switch up the color of your rims without the need to buy all new wheels -- just PEEL, SPRAY & STICK!

What is the GLO rimSkin?

The GLO rimSkin is our latest creation. We've created the first true glowing rimSkin material, made with an ultra bright, commercial grade phosphorescent pigment. Our GLO rimSkin emits a bright glow for hours after a single 10-15 minute charge under a strong light source such as sunlight, LED flashlight or (as we recommend) a UV black light. This not only adds a unique and cool look to your bike, it provides additional safety for night time riding.

 The rimSkin is something we have been working on since 2009 and have been getting requests for a true glow in the dark rimSkin from the start. We finally came around to finding the proper pigments and materials needed to create it! Backers who pledge $45+ have an opportunity to get the first batch of the GLO by rimSkin sometime in May, 2012 after we start production.

Also, we just added a $1000 limited (1 available) pledge where the backer will get a Pure Fix Cycles X the rimSkin glow bike. We are going to take the bike and have it painted in an automotive grade glow phosphorescent pigment paint. The bike will feature 50mm Pure Fix Cycles super deep V wheels with a custom GLO rimSkin set. We are excited to create this bike as well and will send photos once it is made!

The following video covers everything very nicely.

 

The Masked Bicycle Bandits of Korea

I lived in Korea for a few years a long time ago and two noticeably different things (from growing up in the US) I saw upon my arrival were many people toting umbrellas in the sun and wearing surgical type face masks as they walked around. Most Americans I know consider ashen/white skin to be unappealing and pay a great deal of attention to getting a tan. Most Koreans seem to think of dark skin as the badge of someone who works on a farm and thus most shy away from exposure to the sun. As far as the face masks, they are typically worn by sick people to halt the spread of germs.

The following is a picture of some Korean cyclists posted on this Korean news page:

Photo Credit to nate.com

The Google language translation page is fun to play with and when I popped the Korean text in it spit out this:

Bike to work every time I talk to is the question, does okay in the air. Air to air dwikkongmuni jotah of a car going, but do more harm anneu concerned to build expressions.

Inappropriate for the city to make cycling in the most serious factors in cities in the world than any of the bad gonggida. The bike is not only in silk. People in the suburbs of the mountains, climbing, walking seoulhyeong chadoreu or write hijapeul. Islam in the face yeoseongman invisible man, even in Seoul, but some of you’re wearing it, and a relatively good mountain air mask, a mask is going.

Obviously some things get lost in translation but I think it is safe to say these folks are worried about air quality issues and not simply making a fashion statement. Anyone from Korea out there feel free to chime in!

LIVESTRONG Bracelet Light Hack

LIVESTRONG bracelets have been around a while now, but I thought they were just for your wrist. JeffB502 over at Bike Forums got creative and used his bracelet to attach his Fenix light to his helmet.

  

We recently featured a similar hack, but with rubber bands.  

 

 

Video: Turning a Ten Speed into a Fixie

It feels pretty cool to take something old or discarded and with some elbow grease transform it into something usable. Reader Gabe sent along the following text and video showing the transformation of a ten speed that had been tossed into a dumpster.  If you have given a old item new life we would love to hear about it. 

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Last semester I did a video project on how to turn an old ten speed into a fixie. It is not really a kludge hack but it might give the viewers some ideas on their own projects.

A little bit of back-story on the bike is that it's a 1970s Prince Racer. I scoured the internet and could only find that it was a higher end department store bicycle that cost around $100 back in the day. Last summer I rescued the old ten speed from a dumpster. I replaced many of the components to convert over to fixie, BB, cranks, pedals, and bought new rear wheel w/flip-flop hub in addition to several other recycled parts.

Re:Cycling from Gabe Przygoda on Vimeo.

 

Cold Weather Bike Riding Tips

I posted last week on my purchase of a base layer to help deal with cold weather riding in Boston.  I have been happy with a the heavy weight baselayer from Columbia Sportswear and have been able to ride comfortably even on cold days. 

The day I used as an example of a cold ride referenced a temperature of 12 degrees Fahrenheit with a windchill that made it fell like -3. 

Reader Kellen posted the following comment in response:

Wanna test out your new gear? Come up to Edmonton, AB. 

Today: A mix of sun and cloud. 30 percent chance of flurries early this morning. Clearing this afternoon. High minus 27.

Tonight: Clear. Wind up to 15 km/h. Low minus 32. Extreme wind chill minus 44.

Wednesday: Sunny. Wind west 20 km/h becoming light in the evening. High minus 21. Extreme wind chill minus 47."

I rode to work today, 14km (about 60min in these conditions) each way. 

With conditions like that, I figured Kellen might have some good advice to share so I emailed him and he kindly responded with his tips for cold weather riding.  The following text is 100% credited to Kellen.  If other readers have advice feel free to contact us.  Stay warm!

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I wouldn't describe Edmonton as a cyclists' city, especially in the winter, but there is definitely a small sub-culture of hearty riders that never let mother nature get in the way of their commute. Being above the 53rd parallel, our winters can at times be excruciatingly cold.  It's not unusual to have days with the temperature below -40C/F.  At this temperature, if you blink a little too slow you risk freezing your eyelashes together, and frostbite can occur on exposed skin in under 10 minutes!

While I wouldn't recommend riding in temperatures as low as -40C/F (my personal cutoff tends to be more like -25C in most cases), Here are a few tips I've compiled over the years to help those cold commutes run smoothly.  I hope this helps!

• Ignore windchill or "feels like" factors on the weather forecast:  It's the ambient temperature that determines how cold you'll be.  There is always windchill on a bicycle!  
• Start with warm/dry shoes:  Pre-heating your shoes over a heating vent or otherwise goes a long way to warm feet during the ride.  Particularly if you're using a shoe cover that will cut the wind and trap that heat in.
• Avoid cotton for any next-to-skin layers:  Cotton does not transport moisture, and will eventually saturate and lose all insulating properties.  Merino wool and polypropylene are both excellent alternatives.  
• Avoid rain jackets: In the winter, it's rare to get rain, and "waterproof" or similar material only further impedes moisture transport away from your body.
• Don't expect to be able to shift gears:  Choose your gear wisely before leaving your house, because chances are you won't get a chance to change it until you warm your bike up again indoors
• Expect your bike to break.  Always be conscious of how hard you push it up hills etc, ease off a little during the cold snaps and save yourself the hassle of a broken chain or spokes.
• Consider your body as a closed loop heat system:  If your hands are cold, you may not just need better gloves, but maybe warmer clothes on other parts of your body that may or may not be "cold".  Ie. My hands will stay warmer if I'm wearing a toque.  
• Avoid fogging: If you need protection for your eyes, wear glasses, not goggles. This will allow you to take them off immediately upon stopping (ie.at a traffic light).  Wave them around while you're waiting, and don't put them on until you're riding again.  If you keep them on, they will fog up from the heat of your body, and once they fog, they will ice, and need to be scraped before you can see through them again.
• Don't overdress:  Dressing for waiting for a bus in cold weather is not the same as dressing for a bike commute in the same temperature.  Dress so that you're just barely warm, or even too cold when you start your ride.  You will warm up as you get the blood flowing.
• Regulate with intensity: If you're cold, just pedal harder.  Long downhill?  Apply your brakes and keep pedaling.
• Don't wet yourself: Shed layers or open zippers at the first sign of overheating, before you begin to saturate your clothes in sweat.  

Good luck out there!

Lifecycle

Over the years, Matt posted lots of pics of NYC bikes in various states of disrepair/disrespect. Including his own bike which, though it looked like a hobo bike, was actually in good shape.

Anywho, I thought this short clip of the life cycle of a bike in NYC was pretty cool. Some folks locked up a bike in January 2011, then watched what happened. The end result is not too surprising I guess, but the clip is still fun to watch.

DIY for Cold Hands: Moose Mits

It definitely seems appropriate to target winter riding advice during this time of year - at least in this hemisphere. For those in cold climates, keeping your hands warm and still being able to maintain finger dexterity can be a challenge. I have some neoprene bike gloves that work pretty well for keeping my hands warm, but if I want to undo zippers or even buckle my helmet on, I have to take off a glove. I just can’t feel very well through the material.

Handlebar mitts on motor scooters are fairly common, but it is rare that I see them on bikes.  had Nickjohnson’s flickr photostream provides a simple hack to try to keep your hands warm on cold rides.  Here is Nick’s description:

When the weather gets cold, some people put on gloves. Personally, it’s always bothered me to have anything between my hands and the brake levers. Here’s another solution: “moose mits” are insulated mittens built around your handlebars. You slide you hand inside, and have unencumbered access to your brake levers, but your hands stay warm.

This is the simplest design possible: I wrapped an old t-shirt around each brake lever, and tied it in place with an old inner tube. Voila. Warm hands.

Bikes Bike Rack

The subject of bike racks is a fairly common topic on bike hacks.  I have panned bike racks in Boston, NYC, and Princeton in recent years.  Rarely do I see a bike rack that I think is both practical and stylish.  Reader Mackey stumbled upon a great rack in NYC and wrote the following and submitted the pics as well.  Thanks Mackey!

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This rack was made by a local metal fabricator in Flatbush (Sinometal on Varet St.). While I was taking the pictures the owner came out and chatted with me. He was a nice guy, and very proud of the rack.

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Winter Bike Riding - Base Layer

Like any other time I have moved, when I shared with people last fall that I would be moving from New York City to Boston, I started to receive a lot of advice.  One recurring theme I kept hearing from people was how cold it is in Boston and if I planned on commuting  in the winter I would have to bundle up.  I try not to let the weather interfere too much with my commuting and the temperature has never kept me from riding.  I layered up when the temperature dropped in NYC, but my layering was a bit bulky and haphazard.

I decided that if temps were consistently going to feel like sub-zero (over to the left is what the temp was the other day) when commuting I might want to dial in my layers.  I recently purchased a couple of different clothing items in an attempt to stay warm and dry that I wanted to share on the blog because I have been quite happy with both.  These are not products that were sent to me for review, I did my own research and purchased them on my own. 

For winter riding in the past I have used several kinds of base layers. I have ridden with long underwear and some Sporthill tights from my running days and both methods were sufficient, but not entirely comfortable.  Columbia Sportswear has been making a marketing push recently and a technology that caught my eye was what they call Omni-Heat, billed as as thermal reflective technology.  I have never purchased a matching base layer of any kind and decided to go for their heavyweight longsleeve top and matching bottom.

From what I can gather, the technology is a silver fabric cut into small circles and then applied to the main fabric of the garment. The little dots are supposed to reflect heat back at your body, and the fabric is meant to breathe so you do not get too sweaty.  When you look at the fabric from the outside it appears "normal."  The photo is a bit washed out but it is solid black, except for the stitching . . .

When you look at the inside it is a different story.  The fabric almost appears to be a space blanket.

Both items have fabric only in the places that are likely to get the most sweaty.

Although the fabric almost appears to be entirely silver, when you look at it closely you can see the dots on the fabric.

My fear when I first saw the fabric was that it would be sticky when touching skin.  My fears did not become reality, the fabric feels like any other fabric when touching the skin.  I could not tell the difference, that is until I rode in it.  I have found the layer to be incredibly warm and the layer has helped me to achieve greater warmth with less bulk.  When paired with a new jacket, a topic for a future entry, I am warmer and wearing far less fabric.  The layer is a bit thicker than most other layers I have worn but there is a medium layer as well if you are not looking for "ultra" warmth.

I have been riding with the base layer for about a month now and I am really glad I made the purchase. Like other good products, the price tag is a bit high, but I have worn the layer every day and it has held up just fine so far.  If readers have advice on staying warming in cold temps feel free to contact us or comment.  I'll post on a recent jacket purchase that I pair with the base layer soon. 

 

Bike Passenger Seat Hack - Go Banana Go!

I stumbled upon a great bike hack recently that got me to thinking about the design of bicycles vs. the design of cars.  It is rare for me ever to see a bike designed to transport more than one person.  It is rare for me to see a car that is designed to transport just one person.  I guess this is one reason I always find myself stopping to stare at bikes that are either designed for more than one person or have been hacked for multiple person transport - they are rare indeed.  What happened in the evolution of bicycles?  What kept designers and companies from designing bikes meant to transport multiple people? 

I was thinking about the this topic on a recent trip to a shopping center.  The center had multiple national chain stores and restaurants and hundreds upon hundreds of parking spaces - for cars.  Yet the store I rode up to was absent any bike racks.  I ended up locking my bike to a shopping cart corral.  I'm not complaining as much as I am just observing, I know that the demand for bike racks is probably low and thus the landlords see no reason to install bike racks.  And I guess it is actually good for me because the likelihood of anyone wanting to actually take a bike is probably quite small.

Anyway, enough rambling, here is the hack I passed - brilliant use of a banana seat, some foot pegs, and an extra set of small handlebars.  I have seen similar hacks in the past, however the handlebars attached to the seat post is a first. 

Simple idea, brilliantly executed. 

The loose supports on the front basket are troubling, looks as if the bike has been sitting for a while. 

If readers own, have experience with, or come upon bikes meant for multiple person transport we would love to hear from you for posting. 

Toe Strap Third Hand

Earlier this week we had a post about using a bungee cord as a third hand to assist with brake adjustments.  A couple of people contacted us noting that a toe strap is also a great third hand hack.  Reader Tom clued us in to his flickr page where he has some pictures of the third hand at work.  Below is text and a picture taken from his account.  Thanks Tom!

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A 3rd hand is a pretty useful tool. A toe strap cinched around the brake caliper does the same thing. It keeps the frot wheel from flopping around as well.

Toe straps are a nice addition to any toolbox- they are great to temporarily hold the handlebar assembly out of the way or to hold the fork in place when overhauling the headset without losing loose bearings.

Bike Tricyle Built for Two

Riding a bike has always been a solo affair for me.  Not that I do not go on rides with other people, I just do not/have not shared the same bike.  Sharing the burden is certainly something I am interested in doing some time and reader Scott designed his own shared effort ride.  The ride in question has survived two Burning Man events so it has street cred.  Or would it be desert cred?  All text and pictures below credited to Scott.

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Greetings fellow bike hackers. I made this tricycle built for two a few years back and it has seen much use. Three persons can ride on it, but only two can pedal. I have plans to put two piggyback fork clamps for additional pedalling capability, and I also was thinking of an electric motor assist with solar panel shade canopy. 

I designed it to have the typical Schwinn cruiser look, just a little stretched out and gusseted for strength. I used two of my bosses old mountain bikes and one inch,and three quarter inch e.m.t. pipe. The fork and wheel are from a low-rider bike shop. The rear bench seat I made out of bamboo, wire, and fiberglass resin. I also made part of the rack from my grandfathers old tools. It has mostly been used on camping trips, and Fourth of July parades, but it has survived three Burning Man events. 

Stay cool,

Scooter Bee

Green Power: Bike Washing Machines

I do not claim to be particularly creative, but I have creative ideas all the time. You know that high you get when you think of something or daydream and say to yourself, “Dang I am smart. I’m sure no one else has thought of that.” I am sure many of you have the same experience as me though - you think the idea is creative and original and a few days later you see that someone not only already thought of it, but has already done it.

The Internet is a particular downer when it comes to finding out that you are not the only one with the particular bright idea. With a search engine like Google, you can type out a few words and see if anyone out there has already brought your great idea to fruition. 

I find myself constantly thinking of all the possible ways a bike can be used to make life better for people and the planet. Each time I am at the laundry mat, I find myself thinking about all the power that is used and one day I daydreamed of an alternate way. 60 seconds with Google and I found out my dream had already come true, multiple times. There are several versions of bike washing machines out.  One idea is to take an existing washing machine and hack it (link here).

Another version appears on the inhabitat web site.

Using two barrels of different sizes appears to be a cool option -

 

This option appears to be the most technical and certainly not very mobile.

 

The design I stumbled upon that I like the best is one that leaves the bike fully functional and seems fairly inexpensive and simple.  My only beef is that it is couched as being designed for the "developing world."  My feeling is that those in the developed world could likely benefit as much or more from exerting the effort rather than pushing a button to wash clothing. 

 

Have you used a bike to perform the function of machine?  Let us know.

Weld Your Own Bike Repair Stand

I have almost suffered a brain injury repairing my bike.  I have thought about wearing a helmet just to repair my bike.  Why you ask?  Sound strange?  Well, I don't have a repair stand and often times I will contort my body into strange positions to try to fix or adjust something. 

The dangerous part is that sometimes when I stand up I suffer from orthostatic hypotension  - commonly called a head rush. When I stand up quickly at times I get very dizzy and have almost fallen over.  I can just see myself some day in the future trying to explain stitches in my head to all the people at work.  "Yeah, well, um, I stood up and fell over." 

I have recently moved and might actually have space for a repair stand.  I will have to determine if I want to come up with something on my own, we have had some great suggestions, or perhaps just buy a stand.  Reader Miguel contacted us and I don't know if he suffers occasional instances of orthostatic hypotension, but he welded his own stand and wanted to share.  Thanks Miguel - repair safely!

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I am enrolled in a welding class and road biking is a passion. So I derived a blueprint from ground up for a road bike repair stand. I'm really in to distant riding, not racing. I had the bike but it needed repairs. It's a bit difficult to repair sitting on your ass, or kneeling down. I needed a bike repair stand; after a few minutes of searching the Internet I came to a conclusion...they are way to expensive to buy on my budget.

Of course me being dumb, I didn't think first that I could build/weld one myself! It only took a few minutes to make a blue print. Measuring should have been my first priority, I did it all by free hand. Overall it came out decent, my friend Craig helped me. We experimented with Stick welding first, let's just say that didn't work.

Then we went to oxy-acetylene; worked perfect. My instructor Steve Farnsworth only charged me for the amount of metal being used, averaged out $20. I made it specifically for my road bike. If anyone is interested I can give you tips on how to weld it or more, I can make it. I still have a bit of modifying to do.

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Cyclo-cross Brake Cable Adjustment Hack

Okay, to start off I have no affiliation with Nationwide Insurance and they did not ask to be involved in this post, however I was reminded of one of their commercials when we received an email for WV Cycling.  The hack passed on has to do with adjusting a brake cable for a cyclo-cross bike and made me think about how many times I wish I had a third hand.

 

WV Cycling wrote to us and stated:  Easy trick for adjusting the straddle wire on a set of cyclocross brakes. Gives you a third hand and halves the time spent setting them up!

Setting up Cantilever brakes in the past was something I did not enjoy so I made the jump and saw the following picture on the site:

Photo and Italic Text Credit to WV Cycling

A simple bungee cord pulled over the seat actually provided two extra hands.  The following text sums it up:

I attached it to one side of the brakes, then over the seatpost for some mild tension, back to the other brake. Tadaa! The brakes were touching the rim, and I could eye things to an accurate adjustment.

Brilliantly simple use of a bungee.  Do you have third hand hacks?  Feel free to let us know.