Smartphone Bike Theft Tracker

Bike theft costs over $350 million in property loss each year in the U.S. alone, and a Chicago based startup is addressing this costly problem with a new gadget called BikeSpike.

Currently raising funds via Kickstarter, the BikeSpike is a GPS tracking device with open API that alerts your smartphone when your bike is tampered with and makes it easy to notify police. Users receive text and email alerts and can track the cycle’s location on the web and through your smartphone.

Not only does it protect your bike, BikeSpike’s accelerometer can also detect a crash, pinpoint its location and alert people on your contact list to send help. Parents could also be alerted when kids ride outside a set “safe zone.”  Plus, BikeSpike enables cyclists to monitor stats like distance, speed and courses, and fans and coaches can oversee groups of bikers or watch a specific person race from the web.

With 18 days left to go, BikeSpike has raised $30,000+ in funding, and the bike community is helping bring this product to fruition. Many are pledging $149 to get the device, carbon filter water bottle cage and bundled data plan set to launch in October, and the blogging community is hopeful, saying:

·        “BikeSpike: The best idea yet for recovering stolen bikes” – Commute by Bike

·        “It’s a device I’ve heard a lot of people mention always wanting, and this may be the chance to make it a reality.” – Urban Velo

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1054587410/the-bikespike

Cycling Can Raise PSA Levels

 Some doctors don’t consider that strenuous cycling could raise PSA levels, which is a key indicator of prostate cancer.

“Unfortunately some doctors may be unaware that cycling can spuriously raise a man`s PSA levels and so refer their patient for further and unnecessary treatment. All because their cycling produced a false positive,” said Consultant urologist Chris Eden.

“Cycling does raise PSA levels but only temporarily. So the way to distinguish whether cycling has caused a rise in levels is to refrain from getting on a bike for 48 hours and then having a second PSA test. The levels will have dropped if cycling was responsible for the rise.”

If you are a regular cyclist, you should inform your doctor, especially if he sees an increase in your PSA level. This could avert an unnecessary and possibly painful biopsy.

Source: Cycling increases warning signs of prostate cancer

PSA is present in small quantities in the serum of men with healthy prostates, but is often elevated in the presence of prostate cancer and in other prostate disorders. hile frequently used for prostate cancer screening, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) does not recommend its use in healthy men. Prostate test screening is controversial and may lead to unnecessary, even harmful, consequences in some patients. More: Prostate testing’s dark side: Men who were harmed

The Man from Canada Who Lived on His Bike

So this guy (Leguigz) rides through the streets of Montreal, Canada on his bike while doing all the things normal people do at home. This includes showering, shaving, cooking, business meetings, playing, sleeping, and much more.

The music is just fantastic that is really what I think. Oh, by the way, the Music is by Paul Maco.

Best of all, Leguigz dedicates this film to his dad, Yvew Blanchet. He must be a good son.

1st Bike Ride of Spring 2011 On Little Miami Bike Path

If you ever wondered what its like to ride on the Little Miami Bike Path? It is my privilege to share with you this short video of my first official spring ride on April 6, 2011.

I like to launch near the Wilmington Bridge on the Little Miami River. The bike path goes for 76 miles from Springfield to Milford and beyond.

I ride from Origonia to Xenia north or Loveland south. As you can see the bike paths are very nice, riding much of the way alongside of the Little Miami River.

Click Image to Enlarge Little Miami Bike Path Map

Bike “Hunting-Season” Safety Tip

Orange Headgear Good Idea During Hunting Season

Nerd Alert: You could buy a helmet cover like the one above here.

I wasn’t sure how to title this post, because the title I wanted to use was:

“How to Keep Your Head from Being Blown Off During Hunting Season”

but it was too long.

Gir Xar Orange Helmet

If you ride during hunting season, you want to wear orange to avoid being mistaken for a deer.

Especially if you ride off road. You can’t buy this New Giro XAR Orange Helmet until Feb 2011. and it will cost about $130. You might have to go with a helmet cover like the one above.

Orange Long Sleve Cycle Jersey

Next consider an orange jersey for cycling like this Capoforma from Cambria Bike.  Capoforma cycling apparel and casual clothing is one of the few treasures in cycling. American owned, Italian manufactured. Its the bright orange color you need during hunting season.

Wearing orange during hunting season is a wise idea, even if you are on a bike path like the Little Miami Valley Bike Path. You ride alongside a river, but you also ride through farmland and some wooded areas. And I hear guns going off all year long, not just during hunting season.

Hunting Season is here, stay safe, wear some orange.

Skagway, Alaska Bike Trip

Our trip started with a two hour train ride on the White Pass – Yukon Route into the Yukon Territory in Canada. We boarded in Skagway and traveled north to a summit elevation of 2865 feet at the White Pass summit. There was a train guide who filled us in on the history, life and death surrounding the railroad and trails in the area.

On to Alaska with Buchannan - US Canada Border Checkpoint - We biked through this checkpoint. This shot is from the train on the way to the summit.

Near Frazier Station we passed the immigration checkpoint, with ‘On to Alaska With Buchanan’ painted on the rocks below.  George E. Buchanan, a Detroit coal merchant, began bringing boys and girls to Alaska on adventure trips in 1923. Many years later members of the various Buchanan Boys groups returned to Skagway to ride the WP&YR and to revisit the memories of their special and happy trips. Reportedly the boys from one of the summer trips painted the sign “On To Alaska With Buchanan” on the side of the mountain to commemorate their inspiring leader, George Buchanan.

Upon arriving at Frazier Station, we took a 15 minute shuttle van to the summit of White Pass which is 3294 feet.

There we were instructed by our tour guide Stephanie, on how to use hand-brakes and other safety precautions. Then we started down the mountain on our 15 mile bike trip.

Too bad we never went faster than 30 miles per hour, mostly under 20. There were some steep areas where you could easily do 50 mp. We stopped 4 times during our descent one time at a waterfall, where we filled up our waterbottles with clear clean water.

The views were breathtaking and the ride was the easiest 15 miles I ever biked. All and all it was fun but a bit pricey. We paid $195 per person for the train and bike ride. For more information visit Skagway Bicycle Tours.

Music by Perspective XIV – Album: Shadow of Doubt

Xenia Creekside Bike Path featured in World Watch Magazine

Recently, World Watch, a print and web publication featured this photo that I took in it’s magazine.

Featured on page 9 of their article titled, “Power to the Pedals” which is about urban cycling and the benefit of decades of trial and error. The Creekside Bike path was cited as an ‘off-street’ bike path separated from automobile traffic and features two-way traffic. Read the full article here: World Watch: Power to the Pedals

This photo was from a set of photos I took when riding from Xenia Station west along the Mad River Bike path in Ohio. Here is a slide show of my ride from Xenia west alongside the Mad River on the Creekside trail.

The Creekside Bike Trail is featured in World Watch Magazine