Category Archives: Bike Tech

So I am at Dick’s in Crossgates, insert joke here, and I’d just bought 55 Lbs. of plates to use for my kettlebell. After I load it all on my bike I quickly realize there is no way I am getting home. What do I do? I call my friend up to give my new purchase a ride home while I ride my bike home. I am a failure as a cyclist. It’s time I buy a bike trailer.

In this frame of mind here is an article from UtilityCycling.com that breaks down bike trailers in an easily understandable form for the masses.

Carrying Your Stuff: Bicycle Cargo Trailers

Written by Chris Belsole

I have, for a long time, been in a search for good panniers. For the most part it seems to me they pretty much fall into three categories; good panniers that cost a lot of money, alright panniers that cost a lot of money, and absolute garbage.

Recently I have been turned on to a few companies and a great website that has a very good selection of high end panniers that are pretty reasonably priced if you find them somewhere else.

I was digging through the articles bin for something to write about when I saw an article that had been kind of left by the wayside. So for the coast of some duct tape, some cardboard, and a few clamps you yourself and have your own panniers.

HowTo: Make Duct Tape Panniers

Written by Chris Belsole

As I said yesterday I love to let other people do the leg work for me, not to say if a company wanted me to test out a product for them I would turn them down, but when it comes to bike security I’ll take any advice I can get lest some wannabe bike thief make off with my main mode of transportation. So in this spirit of combined laziness and safety here is an article from Commute by Bike that talks about the best of the best bike locks.

The Very Best Bike Locks

Written by Chris Belsole

I like to take a step back form bicycles every once in a while and explore my other car-free-lifestyle options. In doing this I discovered something extremely beautiful, the velomobile.

You might be wondering, “Chris, you epitome of masculinity, what is a velomobile?” “Well,” I would say while flexing,” A velomobile is ‘A velomobile or bicycle car is a human-powered vehicle, enclosed for aerodynamic advantage and protection from weather and collisions. They are virtually always single-passenger vehicles. They are derived from recumbent bicycles and tricycles, with the addition of a full fairing (aerodynamic shell). There are few manufacturers of velomobiles; some are homebuilt.'”

So basically it is an enclosed recumbent tricycle, but come on! You never have to worry about rain again. It is basically a car that you peddle a la the Flintstones. The only downside is since it weighs so much it would probably not be good for Albany because of the hills. With current battery technology I can see someone attaching a motor to help with this issue in the future.

So decide for yourself. Is it the future or just a nice little toy? What do you think?

Written by Chris Belsole