bits and bikes

A second water bottle cage opens up a slew of new possibilities. The iPod speaker is but only one option. There are all sorts of other creative uses for this space, ranging from home-brew lighting upgrades to a repair kit to the “Gadget Bottle” to other fully patented inventions. What I like about these various designs is the creative use of the fixed space. This reminds me of the large number of creative uses of Altoids tins in electronics projects, ranging from the MintyBoost to hundreds of Altoids tin projects posted on Instructables. So what’s the right bottle to house your next DIY bike project?

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I’ve been thoroughly occupied writing my dissertation, and will continue to be for the next few weeks. Until I have time to write, I’ll stick to quick-links. Here’s a few…

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An assortment of pointers that may be of interest to the multi-modal commuter, including the CharlieCard Mitten for transit smart cards, the upcoming pay-as-you-go car insurance from Milemeter, a thought on new directions for Zipcar, a Dahon folding bicycle that is now backed by the REI Guarantee, and a bit of solace to those waiting for a late bus.

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I’ve seen several web-based tools for cyclists to keep track of their rides, but rarely see one designed specifically for commuting. A recent post by Noah at Commute by Bike described the spreadsheet that he uses to keep track of his bicycle commuting. … Add a bit of code, and your spreadsheet can email you when it’s time to recharge the batteries in your lights and sound system.

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The Innovate or Die pedal-powered machine contest was

designed to inspire innovation and environmental change by highlighting the benefits of cycling in an unprecedented way. The challenge is to invent and build machines that transform zero-emission human energy into new and useful purposes, one pedal stroke at a time

… Pedal-powered supercomputers aside, I was most excited about the projects that involved bicycles that move. Stationary is not my style. Of the entrants focused on bicycles as vehicles for transportation, my favorites were…

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In a new twist on Human Computation, a team of 10 MIT cyclists pedal-powered an energy-efficient SiCortex SC648 supercomputer for 20 minutes.

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The dual topics of interest here on Bits and Bikes — bicycle commuting and daily computing — seem to be on the rise in India, according to a BBC News article published today: India’s techies take to cycling.

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I want my bicycle commute to be as safe, practical, and as enjoyable as possible. This is, and will continue to be, the underlying theme of the bikes portion of Bits and Bikes. And this is also the criteria I use when deciding what to bring along while commuting. If the result weighs 70 lbs, so be it.

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I think you’ll agree that the best driving route from Point A to Point B is not necessarily the best biking route. But when it comes down to characterizing just how good a particular road is for bicycling, things get complicated. … I’m very interested in leveraging technology to make bicycle commuting more approachable, safe, and enjoyable. A (cycle-specific) mapping and routing system affects all three, so it’s definitely on my radar.

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I’ve been using this speaker for about a month of commuting, and am happy to report that it has been a fantastic addition to my day. Music plays loud and clear, the handlebar-mounted controls are easy to use (even with gloves on!), and the attention to design is clear. Including batteries and my 4G thick iPod, the whole setup weighs just over 2 lbs. But these are definitely the most fun 2 pounds that I’ve added to my commute, so the weight has been fully justified. [Full review]

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