ILLUM Cycling Jacket, Protecting Your Banana & More

Hope you all are having a great weekend planned ahead. Meanwhile, over at the Beehive headquarters, I've come across some points I'd like to pollinate. Catch 'em quick!


1. The Ride To Modernity : The Bicycle In Canada (1869-1900) - Read the real story of Canada's encounter with the bicycle in the late nineteenth century, set in the context of the cultural movement known as 'modernity.' Glen Norcliffe covers the bicycle's history from about 1869, when the first bicycle appeared in Canada, until about 1900, a date that marks the end of the era in which bicycles were a recognized symbol of modernity & social status.



2. Fat America - We cyclists are fortunate or maybe unfortunate to be among the healthy, fit and crazy ones, but have you ever wondered what are some of the fattest states in America? Well, if you didn't catch a copy of 2008's F as in Fat Report by the Trust For America's Health organization, you might like to take a look at the PDF here.

So quickly, here are the stats :



I bet the nice greasy southern food down there has a role to play in obesity rates. As to how these states were ranked, you need to check out the pdf file for the whole report.




3. Banana Guards - Everytime I pack my banana in my jersey pocket, and take it out on a ride to munch off it, its not a banana anymore, but a nice squashed banana sauce. Then I know what I'm missing. Yes, a straw for sure!

But there's one more thing though...

A hard case for your banana! Why didn't someone think of this before?

If you're a frustrated riding eater like me, get this banana guard for 7.49 bucks, and shove that banana in it! Click here.

Hey, that shape doesn't suit my banana...! I need custom made guards!

Now Compagnolo needs to think up a full 3k carbon fiber body for it and supply it with their "Super Duper Record 12" accessory kit next year. Then we can all go faster with our protected bananas.




4.
Now in the past, I did mention two "wearable" illuminated cycling jackets for signaling turns and riding intent to motorists at night. One was the Reactive Cycling Jacket and the other was the E-Textile Turn Signal Jacket. Now a similar jacket called Illium, designed by the PDD Product Innovation and Consultation company, has shown its face.

The jacket is a self charging, powered external shell, uses an electroluminiscnet print, activated by a graphical soft switch, that provides 360 degrees of light source.

Photovoltaic solar cells are located on the back of the shoulder, neck and small of the back. The illumination effect of the ILLUM Cycling Jacket is powered by a solar charged thin film battery which activates the lighting by means of a transparent conductive layer. The illumination can be switched with a soft switch on the sleeve.

By far, this is looking to be the coolest illuminated, wearable fabric and it remains to be seen whether it comes out in the market soon for sale. Read more here.




5. Now I have to race early tomorrow morning, so I've got to end the words here. But quickly, whats the funniest video on Youtube right now??

I don't know, there are many....but this one takes my points.

Will the U.S get Rick Rolled after the elections? Drum your fingers...enjoy....