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Azeroth Choppers revs up to episode three
You've met the teams. You've understood the concept. Now it's time to get to the exciting work of watching people build fantasy motorcycles for World of Warcraft characters to ride in the newest installment of Azeroth Choppers. This is the first stage of assembly, leading to the usual ramping drama that you see in any sort of reality show wherein someone runs out of something and everyone panics before more is obtained in a minute of screen time. If you've enjoyed the previous installments, you'll find more to like here, as both of the factional teams are feeling the pinch in time and one team loses a crucial member. This episode also gives the barest hints of what the bikes will look like in preparation for the first look for Blizzard at the end of the episode. Take a look past the break to watch the full show, and stay tuned for future installments.
Copenhagen Wheel turns any bike into an electric hybrid, ships early 2014 for $699 (video)
We can't fault you for dismissing the Copenhagen Wheel as vaporware -- it's been nearly four years since the pedal-assist bicycle accessory made its debut at the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference. But, we finally have pricing and availability to share, and if all goes to plan, the MIT-backed project could make its way to your doorstep in Q1 2014. Superpedestrian, a Boston-based start-up, is making the Copenhagen Wheel available for pre-orders beginning today. The $699 device snaps onto a standard 26-inch bicycle wheel, converting your ordinary bike into a powerful hybrid electric version that can cruise along at 20 miles per hour. The Wheel, which sports a range of 30 miles, is powered by a 48-volt rechargeable battery. It's designed as an entirely self-contained unit -- instead of adjusting your speed using a throttle or button, you'll simply pedal faster, just as you would while riding a lesser-equipped bike. The device will compensate with additional power whenever needed, and it locks when you walk away, providing a bit of additional security (though with a $699 sticker price, you'll probably want to yank the removable battery, too). It can also communicate with the Superpedestrian mobile app, which tracks distance and calories burned. If you have the cash to spare, cruise on down to the pre-order link just below.
Helios handlebars add LED blinkers, GPS and more to any bike (hands-on)
Technologically bent cyclists have their choice of advanced bicycles these days, but it's a little hard to justify getting a specialized vehicle if your existing two-wheeler still functions just fine. However, swap your bike's handlebars with one of these handsome aluminum ones from Helios and all of a sudden your beloved ride is equipped with a 500-lumen headlight, a pair of rear-facing RGB LED indicators, Bluetooth 4.0 for smartphone communications and, yes, even a built-in GPS. Join us after the break as we give you a brief tour of the Helios Bars and how it's well worth its $200 price point.%Gallery-188819%
Engineering a better bicycle with DBC City Bike Design
My day with Dan Sorger was winding down and the photographers were out joyriding on his bicycles when he beckoned me to look at something on his tiny, age-stained LCD monitor. Nestled in between a curling collection of Post-It notes was an anecdote about a wealthy Italian man which he began to read aloud, "Once upon a time, long ago ..." According to the story he had spent an exorbitant sum of money to modify his prized Alfa Romeo. As a result, his family tried to have him declared insane and wrest control of his fortune. As the trial got underway, the judge asked to see the vehicle in question and, once he set his eyes on the custom-crafted aluminum body, he dismissed the case, declaring, "The search for beauty is the most natural thing in man." The tale is allegedly the origin of storied automobile designer Ugo Zagato, but it's the judge who is the real star and it's his words that struck a chord with Dan, the founder and owner of DBC City Bike Design.
Wahoo KICKR Power Trainer lets iPhone cyclists feel the simulated burn (video)
Wahoo Fitness' BlueSC cycling sensor is well and good for iPhone owners that always have fair weather and friendly roads to ride. For everyone else, there's the company's just-unveiled KICKR Power Trainer, a bike training system that uses a Bluetooth 4.0 link with Apple's device (or an ANT+ bike computer) to come as close as possible to the real thing. The KICKR can change resistance as soon as third-party iOS apps like Kinomap Trainer and TrainerRoad give the word, either arbitrarily for a routine or to replicate that on-asphalt feel at up to a 15 percent hill grade. Wahoo claims the super flywheel and wheel-off design improve the sensation of the virtual road and keep the measurements for both power and speed accurate over the long haul. If there's anything holding back indoor athletes, it's the launch. The KICKR will only land in US basements and living rooms come November, and while we haven't been quoted a price, we'd wager that it's much more likely to fall in line with the cost of a regular bike trainer than a sensor like the BlueSC.
Engadget takes a ride on the Faraday Porteur e-bike
We've watched as Faraday Bicycles' first offering, the Porteur electric bike, went from award-winning concept to a fully-fledged consumer product courtesy of Kickstarter. Recently, company founder Adam Vollmer offered us the chance to ride one, and naturally, we couldn't wait see it for ourselves and put feet to pedals.%Gallery-161281% First impressions are important, a fact of which the folks at Faraday are clearly aware. The Porteur's white frame, wood fenders, and sea foam green trim pieces and rims provide a pleasing visual counterpart to the leatherwork adorning the seat, frame and handlebars. Add in the yesteryear script of the logo and vermilion detailing work, and it's retro done right -- visually arresting without being gaudy. As is often the case, the coolest bits of the bike reveal themselves upon close inspection. We're fans of the leather pouch (for holding smartphones or other sundries) nestled between the parallel top tubes and chain stay guard embossed with the Faraday name. And, the addition of the company slogan claiming it's "the ultimate electric propelled utility bicycle" along with each bike's production number is a nice touch. But enough about its good looks, how's the thing ride?
iBike Powerhouse starts shipping: a workout coach for your set of wheels
Velocomp's iBike Powerhouse, the cycling computer that integrates with your wheels to bring you workouts such as the descriptively named Brazilian Butt, is finally ready to ship. Introduced back in January, the Powerhouse works with an app for the iPhone or iPod touch (hence the iMoniker) to measure your pedal rates and other health stats, with preset workouts guiding you through 45- to 90-minute rides targeted toward your fitness level. The regimens also include tips and video demos from cycling pro Hunter Allen. The $279 package, available through the iBike site, includes a case for the iPhone or iPod touch, the Powerhouse computer itself, the app, a wireless speed sensor and a handle bar mounting system. Though the system comes with two pre-loaded workouts, you can buy more for $9.99 a pop through the iOS app. Head on down to the PR for more info.
Brammo Empulse and Empulse R finally unveiled: 100-mph speeds and raised prices
Brammo has suffered some major setbacks in getting its latest Empulse electric motorcycle to market, but the company has stuck to its revised launch date: it unveiled the 2013 model last night. The key specs haven't changed during the delay -- we're still looking at a six-speed gearbox, a max speed of 100 mph and a fast-recharge time of 3.5 hours -- but the price has jumped from $14,000 to $16,995. There's also the Empluse R, a more premium model that will go on sale for $18,995 in June. The main difference between the base model and the R is the material: the Empulse has a plastic body, while the R uses carbon fiber. Check out the full presser below the break -- and if you're holding out for the 2013 Empulse, the gallery pics of the R will have to tide you over till the base model launches early next year.
Shimano showcases the Ultegra Di2 electronic bike gears, we go for a ride
How much would you spend for an upgrade to smooth shifting on your next road bike? If $4,000 to $8,000 is in the ballpark, then a Shimano-powered electronic bike may be in your future. We took the cycling giant's latest gear for a spin in Central Park, drawing envious glances from various spandex-clad bikers during the ride. Outfitted with the company's newest Ultegra 6770 Di2 series of gears, the shifters gave us a taste of technology normally reserved for Tour de Francers -- at new, more affordable pricing. So what was it like to be the envy of cyclists everywhere? Jump past the break to find out. %Gallery-139351%
The Detonator brings electric biking to bots, looks pretty bomb
Parker Brothers Choppers, responsible for one of several Tron Light Cycle replicas seen recently, is continuing to prove that electric bikes aren't all weedy-looking augmented pedal-powered affairs. This time, it tackled the Detonator concept created by Daniel Simon, a former VW designer who was also in charge of vehicle design for the Tron remake. Wired reports that the $100,000 bike charges in an hour and has an estimated range of around 80-100 miles on a full battery. According to the operations manager at Parker Brothers Choppers, it's "not the easiest bike to ride," though that could have something to do with Simon's original design, geared for non-human droids able to rotate their legs all the way around. Human riders, on the other hand, would likely face some chafing issues.
Lightning Motorcycles risks neck for an extra 10 MPH on the Flying Banana
Weeks after breaking the electric motorcycle land speed record, Lightning Motorcycles decided it wasn't satisfied with 206.079 MPH. Shunning a well-deserved vacation, its Flying Banana MK. II bike hit a verified speed of 215.960 MPH. The company is taking orders for the $38,888 eco-widowmaker and assures you it'll be cheap to run -- the record breaking trip in the video below used a mere 18 cents of electricity.
Lightning Motorcycles electric bike blazes past 2010 record, joins 200 MPH Club
Bonneville, home to the world's fastest lawnmower record, has just added another notch to its land speed belt -- this time for electric motorcycles. When last we left Utah's salt flats, Mission One had claimed top honors for its all-electric bike, but that title has once again been usurped by rival Lightning. Averaging a speed of 206.079 mph, the team's Flying Banana Mk. II blazed past its 2010 record of 176.044 mph to claim the speed hog glory. The chopper's rider, Paul Thede, now gets to join the likes of 65 other inductees in Bonneville's exclusive 200 MPH Club. His award for such a hallowed distinction? Why, he got to wear the club's red hat for a whole 24 hours.
Insert Coin: YouTurn accelerometer-based turn signal system for cyclists
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Many of us who bike in the city ride in constant fear of being tapped by a taxi cab, or crushed by a bus. There's no way to completely eradicate the risk of being run over by a much larger motorized vehicle, but making yourself easily visible -- both at night and during the day -- can certainly make a difference. Smart cyclists use hand signals long before they need to make a turn, but the YouTurn signal system aims to make those indicators difficult for drivers to miss, with an accelerometer-based gadget that illuminates an arrow in the direction of your turn. If you want to turn left, for example, simply point your hand to the left, and the device will flash a giant yellow chevron. The prototype you'll see in the video below is integrated with a glove, though the final version will simply attach to the back of your hand, and can be stored in a bag when you're not on your bike. There's no mention of durability or waterproofing, though since the inventor's objective is to enhance safety, we imagine he'll be taking precautions to avoid electrocution in the rain. YouTurn inventor Jack O'Neal launched a Kickstarter page to help fund his project, and is accepting preorders at $50 a pop. There's no final pricing listed at this point, but at 50 bucks for a first-run YouTurn, we were happy to make the pledge. We hope to see O'Neal meet his funding goal and send these to production, but until then, we'll keep looking both ways and hoping for the best.
Panasonic's Gyutto e-bike has room for two, actually even three
Okay, so the pic only shows one child seat on this new power-assisted bike from Panasonic, but the designers reckon you can fit another one on the back. It's called the Gyutto and it packs some nifty technology to make it safe for a trio. For a start, to prevent the bike toppling when you park up, the kickstand activates a lock on the handle bar, making the front wheel rigid. And to keep you travelling in the right direction up a steep hill, the 8Ah lithium-ion battery delivers some high-torque power assist, good for 36km on a single charge -- better than some others. Talking about steep, the price will work out at around $1,780 (including the two child seats) when the bike is released in Japan on May 23rd. The same money will get you a Mini version with smaller (20-inch) wheels. It's a lot to spend on a couple of ungrateful rugrats, but at least you won't have to pump those pedals so hard.
ExciteBike motorcycle built out of wood hits us like a ton of pixels
To say that ExciteBike ate up a ton of our childhood gaming time would be an extreme understatement. In fact, we still occasionally hear that particular "vroom vroom" noise in our sleep. So the fact that someone -- in this case Justin Harder -- cobbled together a 'pixelated' ExciteBike bike, trophy and helmet out of wood in a months-long labor of love is truly impressive to us, and brings wondrous, dazzling feelings of nostalgia. We're also fairly certain that 8-bit Gary's going to be buying one to tool around town on. Seriously, watch the insane video after the break.
Social Bicycles bike sharing system powered by iPhone app to hit NYC this fall
Social Bicycles is a bike sharing system with a twist. Using an iPhone app, the system allows users to drop off, locate, and borrow a bike nearly anywhere. The bikes are equipped with a GPS device which is locked to one of the wheels, and when the bike is locked, it's locatable using the app, so that someone can borrow it; when it's in use and unlocked, it doesn't appear in the app. The real upside to Social Bicycles is that the regular infrastructure required for bike lending systems -- such as docking stations in a lot of convenient locations -- are unnecessary with this system, which can get by with regular old bike racks, making it a much cheaper, fly-by-night option. It's coming to New York City in very limited beta this fall, and we expect it to outperform Segs in the City in no time. Video is below.
Test Drive Unlimited 2 director reveals plans for beta and bikes
There's a lot of news on Eden Studios' sequel, Test Drive Unlimited 2, coming out of Spain today. VG247 attended the event and spoke to the game's director, Alain Jarniou -- he had a lot of new information to impart. First, players will no longer find themselves bound by their automobiles. In the sequel, it will be possible to run around on foot and interact with the game world "in specific places." An example given by Jarniou is the pre-race: in the first game, there was simply a lobby for players to interact in before they got down to business. In the sequel, it's an in-game place where avatars stand around and interact. He also revealed that plans are underway to offer an open Test Drive Unlimited 2 beta. "Right now, the plan is to have an open beta of TDU2. The difficulty of having a demo for a game like this is the fact it's a huge island, and a huge amount of data. It's not the best way to show the game. So yeah, for now the plan's an open beta." Finally, Jarniou promised bikes will be available in the game -- just "not for the day one version." He says that the developer rebuilt the way cars handle from scratch, as Eden Studios wasn't totally pleased with how that worked in the first game. "So we decided to start from the beginning," he said, "and we now have a new handling for the cars, and we want to, of course, [do the same] for the bikes."
What an updated Road Rash might've been
Don't you wish there were a motorcycle racing game where you could beat your opponents mercilessly while passing them at high speeds? There is, friends. It's called Road Rash -- and it's wonderful. Superannuation spotted a nearly three-year-old "pre-vis" version (read as: mock-up) of a current-gen Road Rash on YouTube (found after the break), which presumably never got past the drawing board at the long-closed EA Warrington studio.We can't be sure if the tantalizing bit of video is of an actual working game or just a video depiction of what those involved hoped the game would one day look like, but we're not so sure that matters -- it's quite enticing either way. A recent trademark filing by the publisher certainly indicates something may be in the works for the once mighty motorcycle series. We've contacted EA for comment on the company's plans for the IP and will update this post if we hear more.[Via Superannuation]
Fuseproject commissioned by the City of New York to make bike helmets look less bad
In cities like New York, where bikers ride right alongside heavy traffic, bike helmets are a must. Trouble is, apparently plenty of riders don't like wearing them because of vanity -- most bike helmets aren't exactly attractive, if you haven't noticed. Well, the City of New York's commissioned Projectfuse helmets -- that combine safety with an attempt at decent stylings. The helmets feature a two-fold design, with an inner protective polystyrene, which is then covered with a customizable soft fabric that attaches with straps. No, you cannot buy them yet, and we don't know anything about pricing or availability yet, but we do know that you can score one for free -- yes, free -- at various events around the city. Let us know if you snag one![Via Wired]
Schwinn Tailwind electric bike review
Schwinn's Tailwind electric bike -- which has been available for just a few months -- has been sitting in our apartment since post CES, waiting for the New York weather to shape up enough for us to give it a fair spin. Well, it's been beautiful recently, so the pedal-assist bike has been taken for several spins on our backyard BMX trail to see what kind of dust we could raise together. The bike is a retro, hulking, 58 pound package, with a Toshiba SCiB Quick Charge Plug n' Drive (SCiB) battery saddled onto the back for about 30 miles of assistance. It's an expensive (about $3,200) piece of eco-friendly transportation, to be sure. So the questions are thus: what do we think about Schwinn's latest foray into commuter cycles? Just who is this bike for? Will we ever get used to carrying it up and down our apartment stairs? Join us on the road after the break.
