cool electronic gear for bicycles

as bicycles become more and more obvious as an alternative to spending more than one dollar thirty per litre for trips to the store, they are also gradually being outfitted with appliances and gadgets that i would more commonly associate with their four-wheel buddies. i am one of those people who will not listen to music on a bike. i prefer the sounds of the road, not only the rush of the wind, the clinking sound of chains slipping from gear to gear, but the sound of oncoming tires, large engines, anything that can give me a heads up that i might be needing to take evasive action at any moment.

now having said that this next item is a cool alternative to the buds that i see cyclists wearing, effectively eliminating them from any real aural contact with their environment. it’s called the bike-to-beach bicycle speaker and it’s distributed by ihome who sell just about anything you can imagine for ipods. the bike-to-beach speaker clamps to your bike frame and is about 3 inches wide and 9 inches long. it will accommodate most ipod configurations except the shuffle. the bike-to-beach speaker also features a handlebar-mounted remote control, which allows for safe cycling while listening to your favourite music. naturally, it comes in a water- and impact-resistant polycarbonate case. for more information about this product just cruise over here.

the next item is one that i could see coming from a long way away because it just makes sense. i’ve done a few postings on solar panelled carry bags and it doesn’t surprise me that someone has developed such a thing for bicycles.
the nomad solar bike bag answers the question that long-distance touring cyclists have regarding the juicing up of their portable electronics - cell phones, spare batteries etc. covering all the necessary turf for cycling - reflective material, can be carried off the bike, attaches easily to your rear carrier, and a fair sized interior compartment at 1650 cubic inches so it’s not just another bag but can used purposefully. the bag weighs in at 2.5 pounds.
the bag produces 1.5 watts of power and has a single 12v charging outlet. it also comes with rear and side pockets. the technology jacks the price a bit as the nomad checks in at between $129.99 and $149.99 depending on where you shop. having said that, it’s going to save the bike tourer a lot of bother when it comes to the prickly question of how and where to juice up when you’re in the middle of nowhere.

a flashing led solar-powered bike lighting system is available from the good people at mountain equipment co-op.
three hours of sun stored up in the rechargeable battery will give you five hours of steady light from this headlight. mec will sell you this for $19.50. ditto for the taillight
which as you can see is essentially the same design encased in red.