BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Neat.  These have been available for a while and claim to do the same thing. http://www.cat-ears.com

Also http://www.slipstreamz.com/ I've used their "The Spoiler" product in the past, and found it minimally effective.

I know someone with the Cat Ears product that loves them. A science digression: I'm skeptical that turbulence is the cause of the wind noise problem and that reduction of turbulence is the key to the success of Cat Ears for cyclists or fur windscreens for microphones. I suspect the problem is wind speed at the sensor (eardrum or microphone) and fur works by slowing the wind speed at the sensor. If old people stopped using ear hair trimmers, maybe we wouldn't need Cat Ears.

Science from https://www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov/have-you-heard/wind-noise-can-contribute-to-noise-Induced-hearing-loss-in-cyclists ... Researchers from Henry Ford Hospital Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery found that wind-related noise experienced by cyclists can be loud enough to contribute to noise-induced hearing loss—with wind noise increasing proportionally with speed, ranging from 85 decibels at 15 mph (about the speed of an average cyclist on flat terrain) to 120 decibels at 60 mph (the approximate speed of a professional cyclist racing downhill). ... To study the impact of wind noise, researchers used the Ford Motor Company aero-acoustic wind tunnel to generate wind speeds ranging from 15-60 mph. Cyclists were fitted with microphones attached to their ears to measure the noise level at various speeds, with sound measurement taken with the cyclist’s head position at 15-degree increments relative to the wind. Interestingly, researchers discovered that wind noise was greatest for the cyclist’s downwind ear due to air turbulence caused by whirlpool currents observed on the downwind side. You can read more about the study online: From https://www.henryford.com/news/2016/09/wind-related-noise-experienced-by-cyclists-can-contribute-to-noise-induced-hearing-loss The researchers say this finding may be due to air turbulence caused from eddy currents observed on the downwind side. .... May be AIR TURBULENCE...

I tried cat ears. They reduced the wind noise but they would get sweaty (gross) and also kept slipping down my helmet straps, so I gave them up.

And another thing.... Why does the wind noise seem so much worse in the winter?  I hardly notice it in warmer weather.

From Interbike 2017 via Bicycle Times http://bicycletimesmag.com/interbike-2017-day-1/ Silca Tattico pump with Bluetooth https://silca.cc/products/tattico-bluetooth-mini-pump...digital gauge interfaces to your phone...a bit overboard I think.. Acepac Bike Shelter... 1100 grams, sleeps two people, folds up into the size of a Nalgene bottle. Leave the groundsheet at home and you have a 750 gram shelter. All for only $120 AnneeLondon folding helmet https://www.anneelondon.com/...that's innovative ... http://bicycletimesmag.com/interbike-2017-day-2-tidbits/ Pinhead Locks https://pinheadlocks.com/store/en/... Pinhead is an anti-theft system for the entire bike, including locks for your components as well as your frame. ....

The annelondon helmet looks interesting. Looks kind of goofy in the photos, but it's still not in full production. The one thing I havn't seen is pictures of anyone actually wearing one of these on their head. My biggest worry would be lack of ventilation. I was looking at the morpher helmet, which looked like an decent folding helmet option as well.  https://www.morpherhelmet.com/    

https://www.treehugger.com/bikes/can-life-sticker-prevent-door-prizes.html "Any car door that’s opened suddenly can have serious consequences, especially if cyclists or motorcyclists are approaching from the rear. Semcon’s patent-pending solution is called Life Sticker. Life Sticker can be stuck easily to a door mirror, no matter what kind of car you have – old or new. When a cyclist approaches, the driver is alerted in time and can avoid opening the door into the cyclist, thereby preventing an accident."

It is cheaper to look over your shoulder before opening a car door. (:

Safety is not something you buy, it's something you do.

If you want a pedal-powered, collapsible boat, here are 5 options: Akwakat, itBikes, Bikeboat (chiliboats), Shuttle Bike, Bikeboat Up (chiliboats). All of them use a catamaran flotation system (two inflatable pontoons). Some attach to your existing bicycle, and fit in a backpack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfcUFAqddNs

Dirk Strothmann's new campaign for brake shoe Magnic lights is up. For a brief time you can get a complete set for  approx $18. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dynamodirk/magnic-microlights-non-contact-driven-brake-shoe-b?ref=nav_search&result=project&term=Magnic

If you have a craving to pedal at work, perhaps you need a Bicycle Desk: https://slate.com/technology/2018/01/the-flexispot-bicycle-desk-is-healthier-than-a-sitting-desk-and-less-of-a-drag-than-a-standing-one.html

Or, you could just go fully autonomous and ride to work while working: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSZPNwZex9s

From https://gearjunkie.com/berd-bicycle-spokes-soft-uhmwp-polymer Freaking Strings! Fabric Bike Spokes Are Stronger Than Steel Berd PolyLight Spokes: A Significant Change to Bike Wheels UHMWP is the strongest material on the planet on a per-weight basis. Its popularity stems from its extremely light weight and famous resistance to abrasion, impact, corrosion, and UV damage. Actually, the outdoor industry knows this substance by a number of trade names: Dyneema, Spectra, and Nanofly, for example. Brands already use it in myriad products, from backpacks to shoe closures to sailboat rigging. The stuff is widely recognized as tougher than nails and super light. So how does a soft fabric spoke support a wheel? Well, bike wheels (even with steel spokes) use tension to support the wheel. Your spokes don’t act as pillars upon which weight rests. Instead, they are carefully tensioned to maintain – “true” – the wheel’s shape. It can get technical, but put simply, spokes bear tension rather than load. .... Thus, a fabric spoke can function just as well as a metal one, or, in this case, even better.        

Cardboard box makes a (soggy) bicycle umbrella, of sorts, in Wellington, New Zealand: https://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/108912279/wellington-cyclist-snapped-wearing-a-cardboard-box-to-shelter-from-the-rain Box man talks: https://www.stuff.co.nz/video/108931626/Box-man-talks-The-story-behind-Wellingtons-box-wearing-cyclist

Tandem tricycle with wheelchair seat in front is good for seniors and the disabled. https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/14507291-74/joy-riders-program-will-provide-bike-rides-to-people-with-limited-mobility

I have SPD pedals on all of my bikes.  When it's really cold out I'd like to ride in boots on a platform. I know there are combo petals -- one side platform, the other side SPD, but I don't want to have to change out pedals (or buy new pedals).  Are there cheap platform inserts, for lack of a better word, that I can snap into the spd pedals to make a platform? I saw one on amazon "Currently unavailable." L ooked like cheap plastic. maybe you guys have specific names/brands.

I use SPD on all of my bikes too.  A quick google search turned up these https://www.ebay.com/i/263819753975?chn=ps I would think the plastic tabs would wear out with a lot use, but their cheap enough that you might want to give them a try.

Thanks @marko82. Those looks 10x better than the crappy plastic things I found.   I have rain shoe covers for my cleats (sexy, I know) and they're ok in the winter, but sometimes you just need boots to keep your toes from freezing. Plus I'm always afraid of starting to skid on ice and not being able to get my feet down in time.  (ie, when I fell the other day I was still helpfully clipped in while on the ground)

Fly Pedals are a very polished version of what @Marko82 posted. I think they had a couple pairs at Banker Supply when they were open (I could be wrong). It was originally a kickstarter project. https://www.flypedals.com/

Personally, I prefer the dual-sided pedals that are flats on one side, with a cleat interface on the other. The worst of both worlds performance wise, but very versatile. I have some Shimano M324 dual-sided pedals, but if I was buying today, I would get the new more aggressive ones available from Shimano PD-A530 https://www.coloradocyclist.com/shimano-pd-a530-pedals

The Fly Pedals look great.  They're more expensive than the shimano plastic crap I bought (waiting for it to come from China) but I'm sure they last much longer.  When the Shimano plastic ones die, I'll buy the Fly Pedals. You mentioned banker supply -- a quick websearch makes it seem like they moved and the new location isn't open just yet.  (Ed: I guess that's the "when they were open" part of your email.")

I use SPD during the warmer part of the year and flats during winter. I used to ride SPD's with 45 North boots, but found that my winter boots are much warmer with flats.  In fact, the 45 North's are sitting on a shelf in the garage.  The flats I use were less than $20 from Cycle Symphony in Adamsburg.  They are plastic with nubs.  I can get the brand and cost if interested.  The pedals are much like these.

An all-in-one solution for converting your traditional bicycle into an electric, pedal-assist bike. The Electron Wheel contains a powerful motor, smart & intuitive sensors, and an efficient battery that delivers plenty of kick to transform your ride. Just replace your existing front wheel and experience your bike in a whole new way. Really, it's that simple. https://electronwheel.com/  

Here's a review. looks promising. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradauerbach/2018/02/05/electron-wheel-advances-the-strategy-of-creating-an-electric-bike-with-a-single-wheel/#4d9980d03cd4

How many times have you wished you could paint a rainbow from your bicycle? robo-rainbow https://vimeo.com/19374769

Has anyone had any luck adding one of these to their bike? https://youtu.be/Ac7G7xOG2Ag