While the need for a two-legged kickstand on a large tandem is fairly obvious, it’s not as clear why you’d need one for smaller bikes -- until you start riding with children aboard. Whether you’re using a front-mounted Kangaroo WeeRide or a traditional rear-mounted child seat, preventing the bike from falling over when a child is strapped into the seat is a serious safety concern.

I first saw this Pletscher kickstand about seven years ago, when it came on our Bike Friday Family Triple. It’s an aluminum kickstand with two legs; the second pivots via a cam mechanism, so that it stows alongside the first leg. Made in Switzerland, it’s a cool piece of hardware for the folding design alone. Stowed, it looks like a standard Greenfield kickstand, with an extra leg.

The double-legged stand makes a big or heavily loaded bike far more stable when you dismount, and it can also double as a makeshift workstand for back-end fixes, as it lifts the rear wheel off the ground. We now have two bikes outfitted with this kickstand, and with our youngest still 17 months old, we’re considering a third.

Rivendell is a purveyor of cool tools for bicyclists. And a bicyle manufacturer. And a publisher. Rivendell (yes, it is named after that place) is a bicycle industry anomaly, for the diversity of its endeavors as well as its embrace of the tried and true over innovations in marketing and advertising. Think Filson meets Field Notes, and throw in a couple of spoked wheels on a meticulously handcrafted lugged steel frame.

I find the traditionalist approach of Rivendell founder and chief creative force Grant Petersen both enlightening and frustrating. His perspective on how marketing, advertising and professional racing affect what we buy when we walk into our local bike shops reminds me to seek functionality over newness. He promotes riding road bikes on unpaved fire roads, and I couldn't agree more. Yet his aversion to some technological advances that I love (clipless pedals; synthetics such as my stellar Castelli wind vest or Craft base layers) seems simply backward. Overall, though, I value his voice as a wise counterpoint to the mainstream bike business in the U.S.

In addition to enjoying the Rivendell Reader over the years, I've purchased from Rivendell a number of hard-to-find small items for various bike projects. I also discovered, and happily bought, my first and second Brooks saddles, as well as Nitto's excellent Albatross and Moustache handlebars while perusing Rivendell's unique catalog.

I'm sure most roadside bicycle repair multi-tools do their job, but for me the MT-1 is the coolest. Not only does it do the job better than most, its design is so simple, it’s so small and lightweight, so ingenious that it has to qualify as a cool tool.

Park’s MT-1 is made out of nickel-plated investment-cast steel, weighs next to nothing, has no moving parts, and yet has all the functions one needs for most emergency bicycle repairs, from adjusting derailers to tightening crank bolts. Because the shafts are so short and the lever longer, the MT-1 provides superior torque to tools such as the previously reviewed Crank Brothers Multi-19, or a standard folding hex, such as Park's AWS-9. Unlike folding tools such as the Multi-19 or AWS-9, the MT-1 has no retaining bolt that can come loose over time. And because the thin MT-1 has such a low profile, it can fit in tight places, including small saddlebags.

It also offers 8-, 9- and 10mm socket wrenches, which are commonly used on rack and fender hardware, as well as older brake bolts. Overall, the MT-1 is simpler and more usable than the Crank Brothers tool. Though it does have fewer functions, I find the ones the MT-1 does have are all I need for road riding that doesn't involve a long-distance expedition -- and they work better. Perhaps the only thing wrong with it is that it isn’t blaze orange; I forgot mine in the grass the other day after a quick tune-up, which I might not have done if it had been painted an obnoxiously bright hue.

Frame Saver is an aerosol that coats the inside of a steel bicycle frame to prevent rust. Carbon fiber and aluminum frames comprise most of the bicycle market share these days -- have for a while -- but many cyclists still prefer the ride quality of steel frames. Also, the fixed-gear trend has granted a second life to thousands of ’80s-era steel bikes over the past few years.

While the paint on the exterior of the bicycle frame's tubes prevents rust, there's no rust-protection on the inside unless Frame Saver, or something similar (such as Boeshield T-9), has been applied. It's arguable that if you take good care of your bike, pull the seatpost and let the bicycle dry upside down after rain rides, rust won't be a problem, but using Frame Saver is inexpensive insurance for what can be a costly investment. I've applied it and found it solidly in place, with no trace of rust, many years later.

The easiest route is to apply Frame Saver (or have your local shop do it) before your bike is initially built up. A can generally coats two frames, and it can extend the life of your frame/fork indefinitely. If you’re going to use it on a bike that’s already built, it’s best to strip the bike completely before applying; the bottom bracket and headset regions are particularly vulnerable to moisture.

Peter Weigle, the manufacturer, is a highly regarded framebuilder and has posted some beautiful photos of his handmade bikes on Flickr.

Traveling through other countries, we've often noticed child cycling carriers where the child sits forward of the rider -- this allows them better visibility and puts them in reach/view of the rider, unlike seats that mount to a rear rack. My sister even went as far as to bring one back from the UK to use with her kids. We hunted, but couldn't find the same thing in the US until two years ago. Now we use it once or twice a week when weather permits. Aside from being a much safer and secure version of the one my sister has, the WeeRide Kangaroo has some other very clear advantages.

The injection-molded seat mounts to an extremely sturdy bar that clamps to the seat post and steerer tube. This allows the seat to be removed quickly and easily when not in use. This is done by unscrewing a single large bolt. Also, the carrier features a padded "face pad" which 1) keeps your passenger from messing with your handlebars and controls; 2) protects your passenger from smacking his/her face on the handlebars (assuming you left the four-point harness too loose); and 3) gives your passenger a natural place to rest his/her head when sleeping. In addition, the Kangaroo's foot cups are adjustable and flexible, but I've never seen a child get his/her toes anywhere near the front wheel.

A few caveats: The harness probably has six feet more webbing than it really needed, but I was able to clean up ours with a handful of safety pins. The seat is wide enough you have to ride somewhat bow-legged, but you get used to it pretty quickly. The footrests don't go down far enough for larger children. Don't expect to fit a three-year-old kid into it.

Our youngest just turned one, so we have at least another season with it, which we'll relish: We love being able to interact more with our passenger, and I'm sure the kid likes the view a whole lot better.

Here's a video with step-by-step installation instructions:

The Airzound is an air horn that mounts to your bicycle handlebars. You recharge it with an air pump and the reservoir is basically a soda bottle. As a result, the entire assembly is quite lightweight. You can adjust the volume with a small dial. Do watch out that you have it turned back up when refilling the bottle, as it controls flow in and out of the reservoir (one minor design flaw in my opinion).

This air horn was on my shopping list for years though I didn't have any real need for it until recently. An air horn is way overkill for riding on trails. However, one of the eight bicycles in our household is a Green Gear Bike Friday Family Triple -- a bicycle built for three. One thing you don't realize about riding a tandem or triple with kids is how much of a pain it is to start and stop when you have to coordinate balance with other people. As a result, we tend to do very slow, deliberate rolling stops through stop signs whenever the coast is clear. Though the traffic in our neighborhood is light, I've got the horn as an added measure to make sure we're seen.

It's freaking loud!

Most of the time I just give two quick toots to people who are amused to see a bicycle built for three. I've only blasted it once to someone who was backing out of a driveway and clearly hadn't seen me. Again, not for trails or pedestrians, but perfect for riding in traffic where you have to complete with stereos and contend with closed windows.

The makers say you get 50 blasts with the supplied reservoir (16-oz. plastic soda bottle) but I upgraded mine to a 1-liter bottle. Now I can blast all day and not worry about running out of air, and it's always right there affixed to my handle bars.

Big city bike lanes can be a mess. I know the basics of riding safe, using signals, wearing protective gear and blinkers. What I've needed to know is what to do (and remember to do) if the unthinkable happens. In addition to stolen bikes, BUIs and helmet regulations, this guide breaks down hard data on various kinds of accidents, explains how they happen, what sort of people (age/behavior) are involved, and therefore, what you can do to avoid them. The explanations regarding insurance and various scenarios are so clear you could easily consult the book after an accident, instead of relying on your insurance company to lay out all the options or blindly start paying for legal advice. A "cycling attorney," author Bob Mionske is not only a bike rider and a lawyer, but his practice specializes in representing cyclists in personal injury cases, defective gear, and more. The book lives up to his rep.

A folding bike is a compromise between ride quality and foldability. Moulton makes great artisan folding bikes with very unique design. Brompton also makes lovely folding bikes (previously-reviewed), but kind of artisan and pricey. I like the previously-reviewed Strida if all you have to do is ride 1-2 miles to the transit station. It's not much good if you have to ride for more than 15 minutes. Citizen Bikes are awful, but some people who have never ridden a nice bike seem to be able to tolerate it. Dahon is starting to make some pretty damn good folding bikes at reasonable prices.

But my favorite is Bike Friday. It can fold into a suitcase that won't incur over-charges on airplanes. Super light. Rides like a real bike, in some ways better. They have a few different models (even tandems!); I've ridden most of them -- they are all good. I optimized my choice for quality of ride, but you can build them with ease of folding in mind by specifying what you want in terms of tools/no tools. For instance, some models require tools to fold for airline travel, but not for folding to stash on cars/buses. The Tikit models, on the other hand, explicitly requires no tools for folding at all.

These bikes are not cheap. I am a self-admitting bike snob. I value ride quality. Most low-cost folding bikes just feel cheap. The difference is in the custom-fitted frame, and better design details, higher-quality components and etc. (Bike Friday has been doing it for years). But you can get on a good Bike Friday for $1200. If you want, you can spend up to $3000 or even more for extras, but the frame is the same. These guys have great customer service, too.

I love mine. When it was recently stolen, I was heartbroken. Bike theft is like pet death. If you see my yellow Bike Friday (it has my wife's name "Arwen Griffith" on the top tube), throw rotten fruit and stones at the asshole who stole it.

After a week plying a rented aluminum and plastic paddle on a scouting canoe trip, I wondered just how difficult it would be to make my own out of wood. The answer: not too difficult. As this book explains, making a canoe paddle is part woodworking, part sculpture, part whittling and well within the grasp of anyone willing to work patiently. It requires a minimal number of basic tools (consider that Native Americans used very primitive tools to make theirs). Naturally, power tools will speed things up a bit but they aren't required. Ten or fifteen hours of pleasant work will yield a paddle every bit as good as one you can buy.

Canoe Paddles guides the reader through selecting the right material, laying out the pattern and shaping the complex profile of a paddle step by step. Gidmark and Warren explain and illustrate each operation clearly and offer options for using power or hand tools. They include a thorough treatment of the history and function of this deceptively-simple ancient tool to convey to the reader the huge importance of proper paddle geometry. The book also includes twenty pages of patterns and specifications along with advice on selecting the right paddle for different types of paddling.

I bought this book right after using that rented paddle and returned for our annual canoe trip the next year with my own homemade paddle, which is now a veteran of four or five trips. I couldn't be happier with the way it performs. The paddle is a glue-up of ash, cherry and mahogany, but as the book shows, paddles can be made from commonly-available woods found just about anywhere in the world.

In the winter I mountain bike one to two nights a week after dark on fast technical single track trails. I have built my own lights and purchased commercially-available lighting systems upwards of $400. I have tried halogen, HID, and LED lighting systems. Until now they were all a compromise. I am now using the Lupine Tesla 700 LED light, and I have to say it makes everything I have used up to this point seem like a silly toy. Weighing a mere 102g, this light outshines my brightest HID system, is more efficient than my smallest halogen, and has the best construction, controls, and mounting system I have seen in a light.

Lupine Lighting Systems is a German company that has been around for a while, and I have always heard they make the best lights in the industry. Because of the exchange rate, shipping distance, and their base cost, however, I could never afford to even try their products. At the Interbike show in Vegas, I met their new US distributor Gretna Bikes, and got to see their new products priced and supported for the US market. I was really amazed and, after saving up, finally was able to buy one of their lights which I am now riding with. The one I bought, the Tesla 700, is their new "entry level" light which costs $300 just for the head unit or $488 for a complete package with battery, charger, etc. It is worth every cent. This unit puts out an amazing 700 Lumens (more than the previously-reviewed Dinotte) in a pattern and color temperature that is perfect for outdoor sports or caving. This is in stark contrast to most LED-based products I have tried which have a weirdly tinged light that even when bright enough, do not give good definition. Lupine makes larger and brighter lights, but I could not imagine what you would need more light for, short of landing a helicopter.

Since I have a bunch of good batteries and chargers already, I bought just the lamp unit and head-mount. I then used one of my own small (3 oz) 2000Mah LiPoly batteries and made a velcro mount right on my helmet for it. Now I don't even have the usual annoying cord hanging down my back into my pocket, but I still get over eight hours of light on the lowest setting, and more than an hour on the highest before swapping batteries. LED technical lights have truly arrived.

-- Alexander Rose

Lupine & Adventure Lights
Tesla 700
$300
(no charger/battery)
Available from Gretna Bikes

$488
(includes charger/battery)
Also from Gretna Bikes

The "bible" of bicycle mechanics, this 2000-page, four-volume manual is filled with detailed diagrams and repair steps for every aspect of fixing and maintaining a bicycle. Starting with a brief introduction to materials science, lubricants, and basic tool use, this comprehensive manual covers everything -- from tires and tubes to wheel building, drive-train theory and application to frame alignment, brakes, seats and more in explicit detail. If anything can break on a bike, Barnett's Manual tells you how to fix or replace it. The manual is far from cheap, but nothing else comes close to duplicating its value. I spent more than $1500 attending a professional bike repair and overhaul certification class this summer at the Barnett Bicycle Institute in Colorado Springs, CO. While the classes were essential to boosting my skills and understanding of bikes so that I could get a job as a mechanic, this manual is a fantastic resource for everyone, gearhead hobbyists and professionals alike. I've got my electronic version at home and we use a printed version at work.

I have come to realize there are two philosophies of bicycle mechanics: what one might term Pascalian and Cartesian. The late Sheldon Brown believed in a highly-evolved intuitive approach to bicycles. In my opinion, this can only come through time and extensive exposure to the craft. Barnett's, on the other hand, believes in quantifiable mechanics so the approach (and therefore manual) is as close to a science as one can hope for. The thinking is that with the proper set-up one can reliably duplicate any procedure any number of times. So everything in the text is broken down logically, step by step. Personally, I believe a good mechanic must be both willing and able to apply either method as the situation dictates.

While BBI no longer produces a paper version of the four-volume set, one can still purchase older print copies online for less than $125. Or the manual is available as PDF for $140. John Barnett explained to our class that it simply costs too much to make changes to a printed version of such a large manual.

-- Karl Malivuk

Barnett's Manual: Analysis and Procedures for Bicycle Mechanics
$100 - print
Available from Amazon

$140 - digital
Available from Barnett Bicycle Institute

Using the previously-reviewed Kayaks You Can Build book, I built my first Coho, a stich-and-glue plywood sea kayak. Before deciding on the Pygmy kit, I also considered ones offered by Mill Creek, Red Wing, Cheasapeake Light Craft, Dancing Waters, and One Ocean Design. In the end, I settled on Pygmy based on the feedback I got from other builders who touted just how very, very accurate the computer controlled router cut parts are. From the start, I realized I've seen a lot of Cohos out there over the years, which seemed to imply the design would be pretty well nailed down and refined by now. I was right.

The eight panels in the hull of the Coho make it a multi-chine boat, sort of half way between a strip construction and a four-panel hull. The way the deck fits elegantly onto the hull was also a big factor in my decision. I really like the fact that it is such a simple, but effective attachment. Some designs mandate you place screws or nails through the deck to the shear -- to me that just seemed wrong. I also liked the more modern vertical stern, though the bow still very much keeps with a classic Greenland kayak shape. The hull is not too wide, but very stable and the deck's extra two panels create a shape that reduces the knocking of your knuckles when you're paddling. Also, the thinner panels of the hull really allow them to twist and create intriguing transitions that are simply not possible with a four-panel hull.

The staff at Pygmy are very friendly and helpful. My mom lives in Port Townsend, WA where Pygmy is located. I had always thought building a kayak would be neat, even before I discovered their shop near the marina. On one trip they let my son and I paddle a double around the bay. Several years later, I was at Eagle Lake, CA and someone had a Pygmy Arctic Tern. The boat paddled like a dream -- reminded me of the first time I rode a high quality road racing bicycle. I was finally sold. Not long after, I bought my Coho kit from Pygmy.

If you are in Washington, I would really take a test paddle. I have a Perception Dagger which I use on the Sacramento River, a knock-around boat I can drag across the rocks or loan out to anyone without worrying. It does not track at all like the Coho. The response and performance are impeccable.

I took a pretty leisurely approach and probably spent about 300 hours, until it was done. After that, there is always something to consider adding -- a carrying cart, some kind of a sail rig, etc. So I guess it is never really all finished! There really are only two problems with the Coho: 1) though they are very durable, you have so much time in them, you still really want to take care of them, 2) just about every trip I go on I get about six people a day stopping and asking me questions. It can actually delay your leaving the beach!

-- Mark Forwalter

Pygmy Coho
$660 - basic kit
$895 - full kit (includes epoxy, fiberglass tape & manual)
Available from Pygmy Boats

Although I've known about recumbents for years, until recently I had a prejudice against them. Whenever I observed middle-aged riders of two-wheeled recumbents (like the previously-reviewed Cruzbike) obviously just getting started on regular daily exercise, they seemed unstable when starting to pedal from a dead stop. That led me to trying out a three-wheel tadpole trike, which allows you to remain in a stable, ready-to-ride position. After just two minutes riding a trike, I was addicted.

The Greenspeed sits closer to the ground and is much lighter than most delta trikes -- my GT3 weighs 37.5 lbs compared to the 65 lbs. of the previously-reviewed Sun USX. Unlike deltas, the tadpole provides a greater sense of the same freedom, speed and agility that people are used to on good upright bikes. My GT3 is much faster and infinitely more sporty and maneuverable than a delta. If deltas are sedans; tadpoles are the sport coupes. Sitting with one's head upright enables you to enjoy your surroundings much more than on regular cycles. This is true of all recumbents, but for me, there's something especially thrilling about a tadpole. Though all tadpoles whip around like human-powered go-carts, the Greenspeed has 16-inch wheels rather than 20-inch ones on most tadpoles. Thus, it has a much tighter turning radius and even more responsive steering. It's also really fun to move along at a good clip that close to the ground.

It's worth noting that if you're older and/or fairly overweight, the Greenspeed can be harder to get in and out of than other tadpoles (again, it's lower to the ground). However, I started riding my Greenspeed after four months of moderate walking and stretching and did fine with the GT3 even though I had real back problems and was overweight. Still, if you're concerned, Cattrike has a lower-price entry-level tadpole that is higher off the ground with 20 inch wheels and a more upright seat angle. Other than the entry/exit difference, though, tadpole trikes are extremely comfortable -- my GT3 is actually more comfortable than my Ergohuman office chair.

Greenspeeds aren't the cheapest tadpoles. Sun now makes fairly inexpensive tadpoles and that entry-level Cattrike is a real deal. The new Greenspeed GT1 is more affordable than the GT3, but obviously the higher price brings with it better components and a noticeable difference in performance that I value.Since I bought mine used from a guy who was buying a more advanced custom model, I paid a very reasonable $1500. (note: the late great Sheldon Brown's review of his GT3, details of off-roading, and description of the "recumbent grin" are quite compelling).

Throughout my 20's and early 30's I was an avid distance cyclist; indeed, one of the most life-affirming events in my life was touring cross country in 1978. That said, I always had discomfort in my neck, crotch and butt and developed some knee problems. Finally, in my late 30's I started to have back problems that became stenosis and sciatica. I had to quit cycling.

Until I discovered bent rides and the GT3, I thought I'd never ride again. Like many people my age (I'm 54), I have battled my weight. Having a significant gut makes riding traditional bikes that are meant to be quick, not feasible. Since starting to ride my GT3, I've lost 30 lbs and have been able to make good progress on a new routine of sensible eating that suits my body and age better. The machine motivates me greatly. During the summer, I rode nearly every day, ten to thirty miles. I've joined a gym to continue conditioning through the Minnesota winter before I begin bike touring again next year.

-- Curtis Wenzel

Greenspeed Trike
$2750*
Available from Greenspeed

*It's certainly worth first trolling Craigslist and eBay -- SL

Seeing the previously-reviewed DiNotte lights reminded me of the Down Low Glow, a super-bright bicycle running light embedded in a shatterproof tube with reflective mylar coating. Both a safety device and a fashion accessory, the Down Low Glow is possibly the most fun safety light I've ever seen. Even the persistence-of-vision LED spoke lights we have on our tandem don't get as many appreciative comments. Having skater kids comment on how awesome my bike is as I ride past has been particularly fun. I've even had total strangers come up to me and say they saw me the other night on the road. The glow from these things makes you look huge. Cars definitely give me more passing room, and my wife feels better about my evening commute knowing that I'm highly visible from all directions, including the side.

The system comes in single- or dual-tube configurations and in a variety of colors including street-legal amber, blue, red, pink and purple (mine is green). The rechargeable battery is good for at least three hours on a dual-tube system, more on a single-tube (they also sell an "All Nighter" battery that lasts 14 hours on a single-tube, 7 hours on a double-tube). Mounting the lights to your frame is very easy, and requires no tools. There's a plastic clip which straps to your down tube with adjustable rubber bands and retains the larger diameter glowing tube. The smaller tube is held to the chainstay with velcro straps and rubber spacers. The battery pack can be attached with a sturdy velcro strap to virtually any part of the frame, including the seat tube or top tube. However, I keep my battery in a Jandd frame pack, along with a multitool, spare tube, patch kit, Adventure Medical Ultralight & Watertight .9 first aid kit, keys, and cellphone -- i.e. it's not like I bought the bag just for the batteries. Keeping mine in the frame bag also helps protect the battery when it rains, which is a lot here in Seattle (note: I believe the newer generation of battery packs are more waterproof).

Until fairly recently, I was able to park my bike in my office, so I didn't have to worry about people trying to steal them while parked during the day. At night, I am never away from the bike for much longer than it takes to buy groceries, so I haven't been too worried about them then, either (I've been using them since Christmas of 2006 with no issues). Since I don't have secure bicycle parking at my new job, the use of a hose clamp looks like an excellent idea for preventing theft of the tubes. The battery pack removes quite easily, so it'd probably be a good idea to take it with you if you're worried.

-- Josh Larios

Check out this video for some convincing footage. -- SL

Down Low Glow
$115
(single tube, any color)
Available from Rock The Bike

$144
(dual tubes, green)
Available from Amazon

Also available in blue from Amazon

Manufactured by Rock The Bike

I'm of the belief that if cyclists want to be treated as vehicles, they should make every effort to be visible at night. I chose Dinotte because their LED tail lights alone are, by far, brighter than any others I've tried. Although they actually sell a 600L tail light (that's 600 lumens!), the 140L tail light, which I use in combination with a 600L headlight, is bright enough for my purposes. My 19-mile commute is on rural roads that are dark in the fall and winter. More dangerous than dark is dawn and dusk. People can see you if they are looking for you, but a lot of drivers on my route are in a hurry as they rush to and from work, so they cut across the country roads looking for a shortcut, talking on their phones, eating breakfast, etc.

Now that I have my lights, I run them on flash mode when it is dusk -- the bicycle equivalent of daytime running lights. I notice cars pass at a greater distance than bikes with standard blinkers. I have also found I get comments from people. One person actually thought there were police flashers coming from around the bend in the road! The instructions even caution you to mount the tail light to prevent aiming it directly up at the drivers behind you. After years of wondering if the cars coming up behind me actually notice my tail light (and me), I now have confidence they do. With the blinking headlight, I can see speed limit signs 200 meters ahead flashing in the distance.

The big advantage of the 600L over HID and halogen systems is the battery life -- 3.5 hours on high and 7 hours on medium with the rechargeable lithium ion batteries. Since I have two battery packs -- one for the front and one for the rear -- I feel good that should I have any problems in transit, I can always string a cord and tap into the other. Bulb life of an LED is also a big advantage to these lights, obviously. One of the questions I had when ordering the headlight was whether the beam pattern would be wide enough to take a steep downhill S-turn that is part of my route. I considered the wide lens option, but the company's excellent support counseled against it for road use. When I first took that S-turn at 25 mph one night during a new moon, I was impressed. Unless you're a mountain bike rider, the wide lens isn't too necessary.

The biggest downside to these lights is the cost. Cheaper lights are certainly adequate, depending on your situation and usage. I admit these are an awful lot of money, but people spend much more money on cars with power doors, locks, and windows. Add in cruise control and keyless entry. These are all conveniences. By comparison, a reliable and powerful bike light set is very practical. I think of it as insurance. In a few years, these lights will likely come down in price substantially as LED technology improves. If you can wait, you'll be able to save money. I simply didn't want to wait for the market to mature. My lights prevent accidents and they provide a degree of independence, allowing me to bike places I wouldn't otherwise be able to go.

-- Tim Langeman

Dinotte Bike Lights
$145
(rear: 140 lumen - red)
Available from Amazon

$400
(headlight: 600 lumen - white)
Available from REI

Manufactured by Dinotte Lighting

The Kahuna Big Stick is a lightweight wooden shaft with fixed rubber wheels that allows a skater to push and pull while keeping balanced with both feet as opposed to pumping with one foot. On the level, it is way superior to foot-pumping. Even on uphills, I've found if I do a few foot pumps, then follow with a few paddles, it's faster and smoother. On slight downslopes, I can now get a lot more speed by not having to foot pump. It's got me skating a two-block section in town that used to be too slow. Plus, it adds an upper body workout to a sport that, traditionally, challenges your legs mostly. Surfers see me with it and invariably break into a grin; they instantly get it and are charmed. It really is incredible. The day I got my 5' 6" Big Stick, I tried it out in a parking lot while getting gas. Boy! After about five tentative strokes, I started reaching out as far as I could, zooming around. Later that night I decided to skate in the streets (no cars). I got in a bunch of half-mile downhills in an hour. It is insane fun. One disadvantage: you're carrying this stick rather than free skating down hills.

-- Lloyd Kahn

Kahuna Big Stick
$ 90+
(5' - 6')
Available from Kahuna Creations

(image via Stand Up Paddle Surfing Magazine)

My commute is the typical metro mix: walk to train, take train, ride to work (25 min. of walking and 20 min. of train). There had to be a better way and I found it: the Xootr MG scooter. This is no kids scooter. Made from lightweight magnesium, the scooter weighs a mere 9.9 pounds and folds up small enough to take on public transportation and easily store at home/work. Unlike the Razor, the Xootr sports a big front wheel, which makes it less likely to get stuck on a sidewalk lip and pitch you forward -- though you still have to be careful! The wheel is also a hard, smooth, thin black rubber, which tracks in very little dirt (unlike inflatable grooved tires) and loses less energy than skateboards or lesser scooters. I chose the MG model, since its deck is lower and 7.5 inches wide (my feet are size 13). Unlike the previously-reviewed K-2, the Xootr's handlebars are full, two-hand handlebars with agile steering that is the same as a bike. I actually replaced the grips with thicker more absorbent ones from Ergon (I'm a software developer and don't want to screw up my wrists). The Xootr also has a familiar bike-style front brake for when you need to stop in a hurry. You can also push down on the rear fender, but I'm not in the habit of using that method and have read it may wear down the tire more rapidly. The brakes basically don't work in the rain; there's a real loss of friction/stopping power, so I don't recommend riding in those conditions. When it's not raining, though, this scooter makes getting around sans car not a drudgery, but efficient and fun. I've found I can go about 8mph with the Xootr. It's a workout.

-- Jeff Winkler

Xootr
$230
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Xootr

I have built several simple fiberglass canoes and repaired my sailboats, but using this book I was able to build my first "real," high-performance boat, a Pygmy Coho, a stitch and glue plywood construction sea kayak which was also reviewed in Cool Tools. I read a lot of books on kayak construction, stitch and glue type in particular. I also used the Coho building manual from Pygmy some. But I absolutely would not have been as successful with my boat had I not read this book before building and referenced it during building. The detail, sharing of practical experience, the tons of photos, clarity in explanation and the examples of the exact same boat -- the Coho -- made this the only choice. The book lays out everything in terms of what you can expect to accomplish on Day 1, Day 2 and so forth. Even if you don't follow it step by step, the book provides the fundamentals to make good alternative building decisions.

I was able to do all of the following alternatives: Rigged up my own plumbing for a built in bilge pump. Added 4-oz glass to the deck for strength. Added the bulkheads to also gain rear deck strength. Doubled the coaming lip for strength and aesthetics. Added in hardwood keys at the coaming spacer joints for strength. Fiberglassed the entire coaming (probably really not necessary). Made my own jigs with hot glue and pop sickle sticks as prealignment tools for bulkheads, seat braces, deck joint, etc.

Above all else, the book explains how to build a very flat, level, elevated worktable with internal/external stations to hold the boat in position. That aspect alone is reason enough to go with this book. I am currently building a skin-on-frame, Greenland style kayak for my wife, but I would re-read this book before building any other stitch and glue boat. I also recommend the Greenland kayak website, Qajaq USA and Guillemont Kayak's boat-building forum, where there is a wealth of information for the construction and use of stitch and glue, strip building and traditional skin-on-frame (SOF) kayaks.

I don't own a car, so when I go to the store for large quantities of beer or buckets of cat litter I use the CETMA, a lightweight steel rack that's tough as nails. I know a couple messengers that have crashed and the rack took the brunt of the force dishing it out to car doors or whatever obstacle happened to be there, and the rack only absorbed a slight crinkle or bend without compromising anything at all in it's performance. I've been using a CETMArack for a couple years and currently have a 5-rail on my '81 single speed, all-weather utility grocery coffee shop beer bike (a 3-rail is plenty big enough if you only plan an occasional twelve pack or a couple library books; they also offer a 7-rail version!). Keeping the load up front over the front wheel lets you control the weight a bit more and doesn't bog down like a rear rack. You cannot ride like you normally would, hopping curbs or diving into corners when you have 27 pounds of cat litter on the front. But it's good to get a change of pace once in a while; a gravity reminder keeps you humble. I also like CETMAracks because of the guy who makes them. Made by hand in Eugene, OR. No outsourcing. No overseas production. And now they even include home-baked cookies with your order.

-- Mark Pilder

CETMAracks
5-rail
$100 (uncoated - bare metal)
$120 (powder-coated)
Available from CETMAcargo

Also available:

7-rail
$120 (uncoated - bare metal)
$140 (powder-coated)

3-rail
$100 (powder-coated)

The Topeak Turbo Morph is a lightweight frame pump that functions like a floor pump. It has a fold-out anchor for your foot, and the handle also flips sideways into a T-shape. It's also got a hose, so you can easily inflate the tire while it's mounted on the bike. Before getting the Turbo Morph about two years ago, I had a tiny frame pump that was just this side of useless. Most portable bicycle pumps are designed to be used exclusively with your arms/hands. Since they attach directly to the tire, they're cumbersome to use and difficult to get to the full tire pressure. Contrast this to the floor pump in your garage. You anchor it with your feet and use your body weight to power it. Unfortunately, they are also too large to easily carry with you. I tried another "mini foot pump" before the Topeak, but it wouldn't quite work with a Presta adapter. With my other frame pumps, I'd spend more time inflating the tire than I would fixing it, and it would be hard getting the thing past 60 PSI. With this pump, I can get the tire to its full 120 PSI in just a couple of minutes. I have the G model, which has a built-in gauge. More convenient to have a gauge on the pump than to have to carry a separate one. But if you've already got a gauge, then you probably won't want the gauge version. I have puncture-resistant tires, but the key word is "resistant." I still wind up getting a flat a couple times a year. This is well worth carrying.

-- Joe D.

Topeak Turbo Morph Bike Pump
$29
(w/gauge)
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Topeak

I have found that anti-puncture strips are often not wide enough to stop thorns from piercing bike tubes, as the strips are only useful in the middle of the tire. I started using Slime, a green liquid sealant, after talking to a bike-borne cop who had very good results. I now use the stuff in my mountain bike and wheelbarrow tires. Actually, I bought pre-Slimed bike tubes when I got new tires recently. No flats at all for six years, despite rough use. I will confess to having to pump up a few times, though. If the bike is left parked in one position in, say, the winter season, the Slime may run down to the bottom of the tire, thus unsealing some of the sealed holes. As such, you will have to pump the tires and ride a while to reseal everything after a month of non-use. In cold weather, Slime puddled at the bottom of a tire while parked will cause a markedly unbalanced tire for the first few miles. This is most noticeable on dual suspension mountain bikes like mine, but it doesn't seem to affect the operation of the bike.

The last time I changed bike tubes,I found 29 thorn holes Slime had sealed! Slime works in both tubed and tubeless tires, but with a few more caveats: it adds weight to the wheels, which is a disadvantage in racing. For normal road or trail use, you won't notice. Also, Schrader valves are what to use with Slime, as the skinny Presta ones clog too easily. Tubeless tires, which are already heavier, also require special rims or rim treatments to prevent leaks through the spoke holes. I'd appreciate lighter wheels and tires, but my present tubed setup is fine for my use. Tubeless tires are much better than tubed tires at resisting "snakebite" (tire damage from striking a sharp-edged bump or hole at high speeds). However, tubeless tires obviously can be punctured by thorns, etc. -- Slime will dutifully seal such. I have heard Slime itself will not patch "snake-bite" damage, as it is too far up the sidewalls for Slime to be thick enough to work. As I do not race (especially downhill) at 74 years old, tubeless tires do not tempt me. Slime does not last forever either. After a few years, it isn't as runny, and may not seal a thorn hole in time to prevent needing to pump.

Some people say a Slimed tire cannot be patched by the usual means. Don't believe 'em. You just have to wipe off the Slime from the area before patching it in the usual way. They offer incarnations of Slime for cars and motorcycles, too. Personally, I would not use Slime in automobile tires, as the high temperatures and odd balance changes might prove obnoxious. It'd be expensive to find out I was wrong. Bottom line: if you cycle where there are thorns (we call them"goat-heads" or "concho burrs"), Slime will greatly reduce flats. I have had only one flat in the last 10,000 miles -- from running over a broken bottle bottom. Slime couldn't seal the 1.5- inch slit. Neither could my patch kit.

-- J. Baldwin

Tire Slime
$17
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Accessories Marketing Inc.

Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:

NoTubes

Nokian Ice Bike Tires

Schwalbe Marathon Plus Bike Tires

Although it takes a bit to master the ride, the Cruzbike's a blast once you get the hang of it. It's a front-wheel drive bike, so it gives you the comfort and speed of a recumbent without the long, long chain (one of the few negatives of most recumbents). The lack of chain in the rear makes it a perfect complement to the Xtracycle free radical SUB (sport utility bike), which is specifically why I bought the Cruzbike. Now I can, as much as possible, avoid having to drive a car entirely.I have the stock 65 psi tires on mine now (I ride the Freerider model), but I'm thinking of upgrading to new wheels with disc brakes and 100 psi tires to make it even more of a cargo-hauling truck.

I first bought a recumbent in 2000 after testing a bunch of them and, a week later, gave my upright to my father-in-law (I knew I wasn't going back). I've since ridden bikes like the EZ-1 and have four recumbents currently: a Rans Rocket (my first), a Rans tandem, a BikeE (for my wife for quick jaunts around town) and the Cruzbike, which I bought last fall. The Cruzbike's grip-shift handles the same as any other bike, and it takes hills pretty well for a 'bent, albeit with the proviso that no 'bent climbs as well as an upright because you can't stand up on the pedals; small price to pay for being able to ride for hours without feeling any pain and for having a pleasurable touring ride experience. It feels great to glide through the world with your head in a normal, comfortable position, at a comfortable height (no craning to see traffic). I find I'm faster because you are more aerodynamic than on an upright, so it takes less work to maintain the same speed. And the Cruzbike in particular feels amazingly light, even with the Xtracycle.

-- John Gear

Cruzbike Freerider
$925
Available from Cruzbike

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Sun USX Recumbent

A Review of Review Sites: Bentrider

Schwalbe Marathon Plus Bike Tires

I was going to go with Pedalites, a previous Cool Tool, but I didn't want in-pedal generators that add resistance to your effort. These front/rear-mounted strobe lights add very little unsprung weight to both wheels and work via magnetic induction, so there's very little additional weight and no added rolling resistance. The initial ride takes about a mile to bring the front (white) LED up to a full charge, while subsequent rides have me fully lit in about fifty feet of pedaling. The rear (red) LED gets flashing in about half the time and stays flashing longer during any stops (it also flashes more regularly). They both flash for at least two minutes after stopping, which is ideal for early AM rides and for any stopovers where you're basically waiting for traffic.

I put about 400 miles on my SL120s last season. They worked terrific. After storing my bike for four months -- no activity -- they worked perfectly again on our first ride of the 2008 season, a "Midnight Madness" run at midnight, followed by a post-ride trip to the bar. The lights recharged within half a mile (white always takes longer than the red). 6.97 miles, 35 minutes, and the red kept flashing the whole time I was in the bar (15 minutes -- we were tired!).

The caution here is they mount on your axles, so you're not flashing "high" as you might with saddle lights or a headlamp. They do not effectively illuminate the road. These are not overnight travel lights. They're safety lights, a smart pickup for any lowlight rides. A great investment for me: increased safety, no more batteries, and definitely the best "green" investment I've made for training. Short of breaking in a crash, these lights will last me decades. The LEDs are not likely to burn out for at least ten years and you can measure the magnets' lifecycles on a geological scale.

Bonus tip: The instructions stink, so you might be tempted to mount it outside the fork, because it's easier and does not involve removing the wheel (my buddy mounted his incorrectly). Don't be tempted, you cannot move the bracket close enough to the pickup magnets unless it is mounted inside the fork -- wheel has to come off. Not a big deal up front, but could be axle grease messy for the rear. Once it's on, though, you'll be within 3mm of the pickup magnets and generating nearly-free electricity.

-- Christopher Wanko

Reelights
$51
(SL 120)
Available from Chain Reaction Cycles

Manufactured by Reelight Aps

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Tire Sparx

Reflective Yield Symbol

Zipka LED Headlamp

My new year's resolution is to be a better-equipped urban commuter, so I've been assembling a compact, but thorough emergency/repair kit. Aside from safety lights, my Multi-19 tool is the most essential item I now carry with me at all times. It has the same chain tool as the previously-reviewed Multi-17. The two are nearly identical, except the Multi-19 has double the number of screwdrivers (two flat, two phiilips). Plus, in addition to the following hex keys (2, 2.5, 3, 5, 6 and 8), there's also a 4m, which just so happens to be the size needed to adjust my rear derailer's pulley bolts (can't imagine I'll ever need to do that -- let alone on the road -- but it's comforting to know I'm carrying a hex that's pretty much suited to every inch of my bike). The Multi-19 is slightly wider, 7g heavier (still only 175g), and the same length. It comes bundled with an ultra-light "flask" case so it doesn't get snagged on anything in my bag.

-- Steven Leckart

Crank Brothers Multi-19
$20
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Crank Brothers

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Tool Belt

Crank Brothers Speed Lever

Urban Bikers' Tricks & Tips

This folding bike (up in less than 5 seconds in my case) has won both design awards and race awards. I've used it for seven years to traverse New York City to commute an average of 2 miles one way -- in and out of Grand Central, the subways, buses, etc. A lot of folding bikes break down so that they're bulky and awkward. The Strida is long and narrow, and carries like a photographer's tripod (I can fold it while running down the platform at Grand Central). An easy way to visualize it is to picture three tubes in a triangle. Two points are hinged, and the third is a latch. When unlatched, the tubes fall together to look like a group of parallel tubes with a seat and wheels. Assembly is just forming the triangle, then click and go. This design is very clever, yet simple and robust.

The bike is unusual because there isn't much maintenance (tire pressure and brake adjustments only). Unlike the Brompton, the Strida is a single gear with (dry) belt drive, which means no shifter or greasy chain, no tension adjustments and no caught pant legs. Even though there is only one speed, I can still climb reasonable hills. The tires are mini fat tubes, so you can jump curbs and hit potholes without any problems. The bike has a very, very tight turning radius, and while riding, your posture is quite upright - like a boulevard bike, not humped over like a road bike - so you can see traffic while riding in a suit and tie. The construction is solid, not flimsy in the least. I stripped mine down for size: removing the luggage rack and fenders so that it would easily fit in the overhead rack on the train. No one has ever bothered me for a bike pass on the trains or buses. If you buy one, be prepared: people will stop you often to ask what it is. I once had two teenage girls run out of a restaurant (and hang up their cell phones) to stop me and ask what it is. For a brief moment, I actually felt trendy!

-- Bruce Hartleben

Strida Folding Bike
$500
Available from Areaware

Also available on eBay

Manufactured by Strida

For a 7-second folding demonstration, check out this short video -- sl

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Chainless Bicycle

GoPed

Grocery Bag Panniers

I ride single-track trails on a mountain bike in the heart of Colorado's Rocky Mountains and during 20 years of riding I was unable to find a handlebar grip that alleviated numbness and pain in my palms -- until I tried the Ergon GP1 grip. Ergon grips differ from normal grips in that they have a contoured, rubber-coated platform under the outside portion of your palm. This platform provides support in such a way that pressure on the ulnar nerve is reduced or eliminated entirely. (I learned my hand numbness arose from pressure on the ulnar nerve in my palm while holding the handlebars.)

Installation is simple, requiring the use of a 4mm allen wrench. Fine-tuning the fit involves riding your bike for a few miles and then evaluating any pain or numbness. If necessary, loosen the bolts, slightly rotate the grips up or down, and retighten the bolts -- repeat until your pain or numbness disappears. In my case, rotating the rearmost portion of the grip down from horizontal did the trick. I understand people with carpal-tunnel issues typically rotate the grips upwards from horizontal to reduce the flex angle of their wrists.

Ergon grips are mounted on straight handlebars, such as those found on mountain bikes and some touring bikes, but NOT drop bars. They are available in models with or without bar ends and special short models that work with twist shifters, plus slightly smaller and lighter competition models.

Compared with standard rubber slide-on or "lock-on" grips the Ergon grips are more expensive and heavier. However, the price and weight difference for mine (70-100 grams more) pale next to the increased comfort and pleasure while riding. Since installing the grips, I've ridden 244 miles of expert mountain trails with a total 26,500' vertical gain, and experienced no pain and a huge reduction in my chronic numbness -- absolutely no numbness in my right hand and only very minor, infrequent numbness in my left. Everyone I have recommended these to has been pleased, including my chiropractor wife.

-- Graham Ullrich

Ergon Handlebar Grips
$35
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Ergon Bike Ergonomics

The Trikke is a machine you ride and propel by wiggling your body in a way that's Zen training on three wheels. It puts into direct use the conservation of angular momentum -- if you carry a mass through a turn around a center with a radius that decreases while you're turning, then your linear velocity will increase. You move the Trikke by leaning and 'S-turning' your way through a succession of these turns. The Trikke manages to turn all this physics into a fun ride as well as a no-impact aerobic workout (good for aging skeletons).

It was a slow learn for me -- took about a month -- but skiers, rollerbladers, and almost any kid will get it right away. Adults who've forgotten some of the finer points of operating their bodies will take longer, but that's one of the neat things about this no-pedal, definitely-not-a-scooter, tricycle: it will teach your body, all by itself, to make it go. You'll learn faster if, unlike me, you keep your mind out of the process.

When you do finally get into the groove, the feeling is beguiling. You move in a sinuous carving motion gently S-curving your way along city streets or park paths on the flat, downhill, and (eventually) uphill at an average 8 mph. It never (not in 8 months, anyway) gets boring. It requires upward of 350 of your calories per half-hour for propulsion, so it's damn good exercise. It involves 20 or 30 muscles from your neck all the way down to your feet, working in concert, so you don't hurt or feel exhausted after a workout; you just feel the afterglow of a good generalized energy output.

You also look both weirder and cooler on a Trikke than a penguin on skis, so if you don't like the idea of getting double-takes (and questions) from almost everyone you pass, that might be a reason not to ride one of these.

Trikke-Tech makes models with air tires and solid polyurethane wheels. For an adult, in normal city environments, I'd say air is the only way to go because of its natural shock-absorption. I have the sporty T-8 Convertible, the smallest adult-sized Trikke with optional air tires. The $500 T-12 is, apparently, the Cadillac of the line; according to Trikke obsessives, it gives the cushiest ride and is best for long cruises. Nevertheless, I've found the cheaper T-8 to be fast on its "feet" and very responsive, and it folds up into a package that fits into almost any car trunk.

-- Craig Umanoff

Trikke
$500
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Trikke Tech, Inc.

While a standard red rear safety flasher is indispensable for twilight rides, it's both helpful and amusing to make your bike even more luminous, especially in the city. These little lights screw into Schrader valves (Presta adaptors cost a buck) and create a pleasing glow as you ride (they're motion sensitive and turn off after about ten seconds). They're not going to last a lifetime and they're not nearly as fancy or as practical as the Pedalites. They're also not as elaborate as the larger, multi-colored spoke fixtures you can go crazy with (i.e. Hokey Spokes). However, what's great about these is they're inexpensive, quick to install and tiny -- so much so that I now keep a set in the bag I take cycling. It's nice to bring the option along for the ride (I unscrew them and disconnect the battery to keep them from flashing). The bike shop I frequent sells a case of these every year in the weeks leading up to Burning Man, but really, why wait?

-- Steven Leckart

Tire Sparx
$8
Available from Amazon
(green)

Also eBay offers a wider color selection

Manufactured by Buzztronics, Inc.

Serious long-distance thru hikers along the Appalachian and Pacific Coast trails use them. Hip continental trekkers use them. Fanatic "nordic walkers" use them. I use them. Hiking poles give you two more legs. They allow you to use your arms to significantly push yourself uphill, and to relieve your legs on killer descents downhill. Two poles add much needed stability on inclined terrain. Instead of being a precarious biped, ready to tumble or slip, you turn into a graceful four-legged gazelle able to hop over the roughest sections. Using poles has eliminated twisted ankles and rubber knees for me. I've reclaimed trails that I had given up as too gravelly, steep, slippery, and treacherous. Now I scuttle along, poles extended, adding arm power to my legs. With added confidence I can scramble up and down much faster, and much safer. All these benefits are multiplied when you add the weight and higher center of gravity of a backpack.

A good set of poles weigh about one pound, cost about $100, and will telescope closed to fit in a backpack or trunk. Leki makes ones popular with hikers. I found that a tiny bit of instruction in how to use them helped me get going. This instructional DVD did the trick.

-- KK

Poles for Hiking, Trekking & Walking
73 minutes, 2006
DVD
$15 (after shipping)
Available from EverestGear

DVD updates at the creator's website

Leki Trail Classic AirErgo Poles
$115
Available from Amazon

Leki Trail Enzian Poles (Least expensive)
$55
Available from REI

Previously available from Amazon

Manufactured by Leki

An angled grip is more comfortable.

Setting the poles behind your feet you push, not pull, to ease ascents uphill.

I have been using my Pedalites the last couple of years for short-range commuting up and down an unlit, rural county road, and would indeed recommend them, $75 price tag and all. They work just as advertised: pedal for 20 seconds, and the dynamos charge up and power flashing LEDs with a resulting effect similar to marker lights on a truck. The pedal incorporates both a white "front" and red "rear" LED. You never replace batteries. They have held up to rain, though I haven't done an extensive amount of rain riding with them.

I would say they are really best for a city commuter (I recently transplanted them onto my city bike), because the dynamos do add resistance to the system. However, I don't mind having to work a little harder for that extra light. Note: a charged set will flash for over five minutes after you finish pedaling, which means that after you chain and walk away from your bike, it's still there flashing "look at me! look at me! (steal me!)." Of course, "Look at me" is exactly what you DO want while riding. The LEDs don't emit enough light to navigate, so you still need at least a headlamp -- certainly while rural riding -- but their side flashing is especially valuable for urban riding.

-- Ben Goetter

Pedalite Bike Pedals
$75
Available from and manufactured by Pedalite Ltd

What sold me on the Trail-Gator was that I can attach my son's current bicycle to the back of my bike. We can ride together along the main roads, much like the Pathfinder Bike Trailer, however, when we get to our destination, I can easily unhook his bicycle and let him ride around and have fun. (The towbar tucks away nicely next to the rear wheel when not in use.)

I've used conventional bike trailers before, and I can tell no difference in the ride. I had no trouble installing the kit, and it feels very stable when we ride together. My son (5 years old) loves riding his bike, and now we can go exploring together. I also really like the fact I can use the Trail-Gator with multiple bikes. When my daughter (now three years old) is ready for her first bike, we can easily move the receiver hitch over.

-- Jeff Curry

Trail-Gator
$83+
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by S&S Industries Inc.

Whether you're looking to convert your road bike into a fixed gear or want to learn how a derailer functions, this site has all the info you could ever want -- a giant glossary, bits of cycling history and plenty of specific instructions and photos.

I started doing home adjustments to my BMX when I was eight years old. Always got hand-me-downs because I couldn't afford the best parts, and sending my bike to a shop would have been more expensive than the parts. These days I am always working on a bike -- either getting new bikes or always on the search to complete a vintage group of components.

Even with my experience, I've been using Sheldon's site religiously for the last year and half, basically every week. When I purchased my first Italian frame last year, I needed the correct measurement for the bottom bracket, but had no idea where to find a figure I could trust. My friend recommended Sheldon's site. Since then, his site has helped me purchase, repair and build two road bikes (my Gios Torino and a Tom Ritchey built Palo Alto). And I just picked up a Tommasini that will also need a complete overhaul (I am currently on a vintage Italian kick). When I first saw some Gios Torinos on Craigslist, I went to the site to get the lowdown for purchasing. I needed to know what the value is or isn't, if the bike is rare or not and what to look for, and also signs of a knock off.

I've seen, in the process, just how precise Sheldon's attention to detail is. I had no idea that there was English and Italian threading. I learned that Italian is 36 mm X 24 tpi and English is 1.370" X 24 tpi. Sheldon has a chart that gives you the measurements for every BB out there, anything from French to Swiss. And I totally didn't listen to his tip on Italian threaded bottom brackets and paid the price. He notes how Italian BB's tend to work their way out while riding. I experienced that on my commute home from work one day and ended up eating it right in front of a huge crowd. I wound up pulling out my crank and rethreading it with a tiny bit of lock tight, just as he recommends. Since then, no troubles whatsoever.

Even if you have no interest in working on your bike or going deeper than the basics of maintenance, this site can really boost your understanding of how a bike works (it has in my case) and even how to ride. There are great tips for beginners, including articles like "Everything You Wanted To Know About Shifting Your Bicycle's Gears, But Were Afraid To Ask."

-- Benjamin Gaffney

Sheldon Brown's Online Cycling Encyclopedia
Free
Available from Sheldon Brown

[Interesting side note: Sheldon Brown (RIP) wrote a monthly column on maintenance and repairs for Bicycling Magazine in the late '70s and '80s; a number of them have been reprinted on his site -- sl]

I had two punctured tires in three weeks right before I bought these. Since I switched to the Marathon Plus tires a few months ago, I haven't had a single puncture. The Marathon tires come in two grades: normal and Plus, which is the more flat resistant of the two (Schwalbe also makes a model called the Supreme, which I haven't tried). They are truly for everyday commuting, with tread and real heft. Most importantly, they have Schwalbe's SmartGuard, a layer of "highly elastic, special india rubber" to help better protect your tubes from sharp objects.

The Marathon tires aren't cheap -- and it's hard to tell whether it's just been good luck or good engineering -- but I feel confident it's the latter. I ride a lot (28 km, two or three times a week, 10 months or so a year) and I used to get tons of flat tires, sometimes once a week. This month in particular is very bad for debris; it's the thaw here in Toronto, so all sorts of junk gets left behind as the snow banks melt.

I'm sure part of why I was getting so many flats is due to the fact I usually ride an EZ-1 Recumbent. With a 'bent, the front wheel is very lightly loaded and the back wheel is heavily loaded. I sit right on top of it (I'm 6'2" and 240 lbs), so it probably carries 90% of my weight. I think this makes the tire more susceptible to punctures because I'm guaranteeing that anything sharp that doesn't bend or move goes right in. I've ridden on a few other kinds of tires: Continental slicks (nice), cheapo knobbies (garbage), some satisfactory tires that came stock, and Primo Comets (dartboards).

I am riding under the same conditions, circumstances and in the same areas as when I used to get the flats, and haven't had any trouble. Just last week I rode through quite a lot of glass with no problems.

-- Adam Norman

Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tires
$40
(size: 700 x 32C)
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Schwalbe

[For a puncture-proof option you can opt for Stan's NoTubes System. However, they don't offer tires smaller than 26", so if you ride a 'bent with a 16" or 20" front wheel, you'll have to fashion one for yourself using Stan's conversion kit. The Marathon Plus is a simpler, less DIY option. -- sl]

I've renounced chains on bikes now that I've fallen in love with the chainless bicycle. I've been riding a chainless for about 5 years now. Drive shafts for bikes were invented at least a hundred years ago; what's new is their new low cost, clever shifting, and improved efficiency. Since there is no chain, contemporary chainless bikes use a hub transmission on the back wheel instead of a stack of different gears to "shift gears".

A good ol' standard bike chain can be more energy efficient if -- big if -- it is kept well-lubricated, aligned precisely, and fine-tuned with constant attention. Mine never was. But a modern sealed drive shaft beats the efficiency of the average neglected crusty chain (like mine). Getting rid of a chain removes the least stable part of a bike, the item most likely to need adjustment or fail, and the dirtiest component. Shifting is a breeze on these drive shafts; just click into discrete gears. I don't mind tossing the bike into a car (no grease) and I can ride with long pants (no pinched trousers). Removing a rear wheel for repair or a flat *is* more of hassle with a drive shaft, but not unduly so.

There are some high-end custom versions of the chainless bike, but they all use either of two drive shafts. The bike I bought is a slightly clunky Taiwan-made $300 weekend bike outfitted with a Sussex drive shaft -- the most popular type. It connects to a Shimano Nexus non-cog gear hub. I got a 7-speed version. Mine is not a high-performance bike, but it has gotten me everywhere I've wanted to go -- without the hassles of a chain. This bike is no longer manufactured, but the Dekra Chainless is very similar, although it uses a different brand drive shaft (which I have not used).

Dynamic Chainless Bikes (which now owns Sussex) produces more sophisicated, higher quality, and more expensive ($600 plus) chainless bikes. These slick bikes have a lighter second generation Sussex dive shaft, an 8-speed hub, and better components. Dynamic makes chainless mountain bikes, which other Cool Tool readers have recommended, and I am tempted to try.

-- KK

Dekra Chainless Bicycle
$350
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Dekra Bikes

Dynamic Chainless Bikes
$600 and up
Available from Dynamic

Shaft manufactured by
Sussex Enterprises Co., Ltd.

I found these guys a about three years ago while researching small watercraft for fishing lakes/ponds in my area. I was originally looking at flat-bottom boats onto which I would mount a trolling motor, but I read an article about these canoes that described how the owner was trying to build a better fishing canoe that was more stable/comfortable/fishable than a traditional canoe. The result is a pretty tricked-out little watercraft, and at just under 13 feet it's small enough (and light enough) to transport easily on my car-top. They come in various configurations, and are extremely stable; I've even fly-fished standing up in the center of mine.

I went the canoe route as I wanted something that was small (and most importantly thin) so I can get in-and-out of hard-to-navigate places. In the areas where I fish, there are lots of off-shoots and channels through marshes where anything wider than a canoe wouldn't allow you access. And a skiff (in my opinion) is really a lot of wasted space (deeper and wider) that I'd simply being throwing all of my gear into. I also wanted a craft that would take a small trolling motor and be navigable with such under-power (anything larger can be a bear to manage nimbly) and a skiff (or similarly-sized craft) really demands an outboard.

So, while the cost was obviously high for a canoe, this little bugger fit all of my needs -- small, nimble, well-laid-out, and most importantly created with fishing as the primary design principle.

Of all the options available, my personal favorites are the integrated drink-holders, the swivel seats with umbrella mounts, and the fact that all of the wiring for the trolling motor is run through the gunwale with hook-ups along the way. My wife loves this thing as well, which is a bonus as it wasn't cheap. I ended up getting the complete package and the only thing I've found a little less than useful is the solar panel battery charger because it doesn't really provide that much juice. Many of the options they use are available through Cabella's or other outfitters, but I like how they incorporated everything into a single package.

-- John Robinson

River Ridge Sportsman Canoe
$1,800 and up
Available from River Ridge Custom Canoes

PowerGrips give most of the benefits of toeclips or clipless/cleat systems on bicycle pedals, without most of the downsides. The concept is simple: an asymmetrical strap of cloth that attaches securely to most bicycle platform pedals. The strap is attached in such a way that it loosens when you rotate your heel away from the bike, and tightens when you "heel-in". This gives you similar benefits of a clipless/cleat system; greater efficiency in pedalling, because you can pull on the pedals' upstrokes, rather than just being able to push down. They are just as easy (if not easier) to disengage from. The PowerGrips also have a couple of other benefits which fit well with all but the higher-end performance cyclists:

* Can be used with regular shoes or sandals. Almost no lock-in to a particular type of clip/cleat system.
* (Relatively) cheap, at only $20-$25.
* You can get off the bike and walk around without looking like you're doing some sort of odd balancing act, or scratching up whatever floor you're walking on.

Because the PowerGrip strap is directly above the pedal, gravity does tend to flip it upside-down when not in use. Just as with toe-clips I can pedal on the upside-down pedal to get started, then flip it over with my foot when I'm moving and insert my foot into the strap. Since my riding is commuting to/from work, I have a fair amount of stop-go traffic at intersections, and feel less likely to get a foot stuck and fall over sideways when I have to stop. The PowerGrip strap is totally loose enough for me to quickly get my foot out at a stop, and it has the unusual benefit of being as tight as I want it to be (without using my hands), depending on how I adjust the strap, and how far I heel-in to the pedal. So the "float" can be adjusted on the fly, according to my current riding conditions. This takes a little getting used to, but in my opinion, involves a lower learning curve than clipless pedals.

-- Brian
PowerGrips
$24
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by PowerGrips

This kit transforms a regular bike into an SUB (sports utility bike) by extending back the rear wheel and adding a seat and baggage platform. I've had my SUB for two years now. I find it makes owning a car completely unnecessary! I've transported my folding kayak on it. I've taken my girlfriend and her Australian Blue Heeler on it. I've moved furniture. It's crazy how stable it is. In many ways I prefer how it handles to my regular bike! And for giving people tours around NYC people just LOVE it.

You can modify your bike yourself, but I ended up taking it to a bike shop to have it installed.

Back in December we got some wet sloppy snow which mostly got walked on before people got around to trying to shovel. As a result, there was lots of icy, treacherous, packed snow on sidewalks. Now, I'm not a little old lady (yet) but I don't want to fall on ice on my way to the bus stop, either--especially not while carrying my laptop back and forth to work! These things, which fit over shoes or boots, really work well! I can walk almost normally over packed snow, as long as the surface has a bit of texture--and the added confidence has been great! (Smooth ice is still pretty challenging...)

[You can also choose the Yaktrax Pro. Both models are pictured on the manufacturer's web site.]

-- Marie in Toledo

Yaktrax Walker
$20
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Yaktrax

This kit makes tire repair pretty easy and even kind of fun.

I had opportunity to use mine on a ride a summer ago when I came across a rider with a flat rear tire. The kit worked as advertised. You used the serrated tool to clean and roughen up the puncture, and then you goop up the repair material and force it into the hole. Give the goop a few minutes to set, trim the plug flush, and use the CO2 cartridges to inflate the tire enough to get you to the nearest filling station.

-- Roger Los

[The manufacturer's site offers many different packages for bicycles, motorcycles, and motor sports.]

Ultraflate Plus
$25
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Genuine Innovations

The SwiMP3 consists of swim goggles with an MP3 player using headphones that rest flat on the cheek bones, between your ears and your eyes, so that you hear the music through bone conduction rather than through your ears.

Music breaks up the tedium of lap swimming, of course, but even better is the fact that it encourages proper form. It sounds better when your head is in the water, so I keep my head down.

-- Bill Altreuter

SwiMP3
$169
Available from BuyDig

This tool makes removing and replacing a bicycle tire quick, easy and safe -- and it does it much better than conventional bike tire irons.

Ever watch an auto tire shop mechanic mount a tire onto a rim? He's got this big power tool that runs around the bead of the tire and pops it onto the wheel. Shrink that to pocket size, a little over an ounce, and you've got the Crank Brothers Speed Lever for bike tires. It reduces the major hassle of a flat tire to a few seconds' effort. You work the speed lever under the bead of the tire, extend it and clip it to the axle. Pull on the end near the tire and zip the tire off the rim. It can take a bit of pull to get started, but this tool is worlds above conventional tire irons. And I've never pinched a tube using the Speed Lever.

One side of the head looks like a conventional tire iron and is used to remove the tire. The other hooks over the rim to lever the tire back on after you patch it. The long handle portion is actually three telescoping sections that extend to allow snapping one end onto the axle to hold it in place while you rip the other end along the rim.

In more detail, dismounting a tire with old conventional tire levers goes like this:
- Insert one tire lever under the bead, lever it down and hook it on a spoke.
- Insert a second tire lever under the bead a few inches away. Harder this time because the first one has the bead stretched. Lever it down and hook it on a spoke.
- Usually, insert a third tire lever, do the same thing. From that point you can pull the bead over the rim with your hands, being careful not to nick your hands on stray rubber or bead threads.

With the Speed Lever,
- Insert the front side of the Speed Lever head under the bead and lever it down
- Extend the sliding sections and hook the end opposite the rim onto the axle
- Grab the end of the Speed Lever nearest the rim and pull it along the rim. The other end is hooked to the axle, so pulling the rim end moves it along the rim, levering the bead over the rim. Less force required, and it keeps your hands out of the tire.

The key is that one end of the Speed Lever is on the rim, the other is hooked to the AXLE. This allows the user to pull it along the rim to mount or dismount the bead. Remounting goes in reverse, and is just as easy. You insert the back side of the head of the Speed Lever over a portion of the rim where the tire is already in the rim, extend the sliding sections and hook onto the axle. Then grab the end of the Speed Lever nearest the rim and pull it along the rim. The tire is levered back over the rim and seated.

-- Dave Shaw

Crank Brothers Speed Lever
$6
Available from, among others,
Lick Bike

Previously available from Amazon

Manufactured by
Crank Brothers

I love bicycling, but it is tricky with kids 5-10: too old for bike seats, too young for tandems (which are also expensive). For $90 the Pathfinder Bike Trailer provides a way to bring the kids along, give them exercise, and be able to talk with them during the trip. Because I have three kids, we hook a Burley Trailer to the Pathfinder so someone can rest on long trips. Alternately the older one rides on a tandem with me or my wife. This device turns bicycling into a group activity and has instilled a lifetime love of bicycling in my kids.

-- James Tierney

InStep Pathfinder Bike Trailer
$80
Available from
Amazon

When the guy at the bike store first told us about the Flybar, he said "Man, that thing bounces twenty feet!" It doesn't, but I understand why he exaggerated. The Flybar has an amazing Boing Factor. Instead of a standard spring, it uses rubber-like bands which make the bounce feel more like a trampoline and can give you a real workout. It's bulky, but sturdy. You can adjust to handle adult or kid weight. My 13-year-old son saved up for months to buy one and he's never been sorry, because when he takes it to the local park, the little kids stare at him open-mouthed and the big kids try to keep their mouths closed and hide the fact they're staring. It's expensive, but until everyone has one, you will be the most awesome novelty on your block. Yeah, it's dangerous. You should wear a helmet. Pads would be a good idea. But skateboards, mountain bikes, trampolines, and see-saws can be dangerous too. And fun!

-- Jay Allison

Flybar 1200
$300
Available from
Amazon

Manufacturer by
Flybar

Most bicycle panniers work well for touring, but don't meet the needs of people who use their bikes for commuting or shopping everyday. The typical pannier has a main compartment sealed with a zipper or flap, plus a few smaller pockets. The tourist packs it like a hiker would pack a backpack. However, these bags don't easily hold the urban cyclists' cargo of shopping bags, daypacks, and laptop computers. An open-topped pannier that works more like a basket than a backpack provides a better way of carrying this kind of gear. These large bags, usually called grocery bag panniers, or shopping panniers, allow you to carry all kinds of oddly-shaped loads and fold flat when not in use. The key to using shopping bag panniers is to keep your gear in a separate bag that you can drop into the pannier. Day packs or book bags work well. I've used dry bags when it rains, but have found that plastic garbage bags are easier and cheaper. Having an open-topped bag also gives you a quick place to toss your bike lock, and the convenient access makes it easier to shed clothing layers as you warm up.

Several companies make them. The Jandd grocery bag pannier seems to be the sturdiest, but is also the most expensive, at around US$45 for a single pannier. REI sells a similar, but less refined, bag for US$54 per pair. My favorites, which I use everyday, are the Nashbar Townie baskets, which cost US$17 each. Unlike the other grocery bag panniers, they don't use a rectangular metal frame to reinforce the top of the bag. This means that they don't hold their shape quite as well as the others, but it lets the opening at the top adjust to different shaped cargo, like a bulky laptop bag. They're cheap enough that I leave them on the bike all the time, but they remove quickly enough that I can conveniently take one with me to carry stuff while the bike is parked.

For the true urban bike guerilla, Cobbworks takes used 4-gallon food service containers and turns them into hard-shell, waterproof panniers. I rode with one of these before I got the Nashbar Townies. I prefer the Townies because they fold, and because they're less bulky off the bike, but I miss being able to use the Cobbworks bucket as a stool when I have to fix a flat.

-- Tom Sackett

Jandd Grocery Bag Panniers
$53
Available from Jandd

REI Novara 'Round Town panniers
$55/pair
Available from REI

Nashbar Townie Basket (folded)
$30
Available from Nashbar

Cobbworks Oyster Bucket Panniers
$80/pair
Available from Cobbworks

Float over snow. Go slow, steady. Be thrifty. One of the least expensive pair of snowshoes you can get is the best. Unfashionably molded of single piece of unbreakable bomb-proof plastic these Denali are idiot-proof easy to get on and off, very lightweight, and small enough to fit into your carry-on luggage! Try that with fancy ones. A classic model by now, any bugs in the near-solid-state Denalis have long been worked out, so these economical shoes have a huge following. I find them far more comfortable than other snowshoes I've used for casual excursions. They have optional extenders for heavier weight or snow conditions.

-- KK

MSR Denali Classic Snowshoes
$100
Available from, among others, Amazon

Manufactured by MSR

For a dog repeller on bike rides I've had great success using an air horn. They are REALLY loud, dogs back off, and owners often respond by calling their dogs. The one I got is by EcoBlast. It is rechargeable using a bike pump, so I pump mine up whenever I do my tires.

-- Christine Thona

There are two versions. One is a single unit like the photo above, which is also handy for boating and sports games. The other has the horn and trigger separated from the plastic bottle air container via a long plastic tube so that the trigger can sit on your bike handle bars without the clutter of the bottle. However I use the single unit version. It is very light and can sit on my handlebar bag, at the ready.

-- KK

EcoBlast Horn
$52 (two-pack)
Amazon

Most days I ride my bike to work, and about twice a week I do a several-hour trail ride. On average I was getting a flat a week (mostly rear pinch flats on downhill trail rides). My friend told me about Stan's NoTubes system. The next time I sat in the dark cursing yet another flat, I decided to convert.

In the NoTubes system you remove your inner tube from your tire. No tubes! You add a rim strip that seals your spoke holes. Since there is no tube you need a filling stem to put air into the tire.....this is built into the NoTubes rim strip. Then you add some white liquid inside the tire that seals it airtight. It's one of those things that seems like it would never work, but it works amazingly well. The white liquid sloshes around inside the tire and immediately reseals any punctures as they occur without any air loss. If you still need convincing, watch this amazing video.

I have not had a flat since switching, and I can run at much lower pressures when needed for technical downhill without the danger of pinch flats. The system even saves some weight (and un-sprung rotational weight at that). Installing the system is pretty easy, especially if you use lots of soapy water while installing the rim strip and tire. The only maintenance is that you have to keep adding a bit of the liquid every few months or so. The site also has preferred tires that work the best, and other good installation tips worth looking at before committing. I will never go back to tubes.

-- Alexander Rose

Stan's NoTubes System
$57 basic

Electronics and water don't mix well. Keeping digital gear dry around water is a tricky job made perfect by an Otterbox. Bright yellow, tough as concrete, lightweight, watertight as a submarine, and padded inside, an Otterbox will keep cameras, cell phones, Palms, navigation equipment, or wallets safe and dry through rapids, splashes, or 100 feet of water. They are indestructible.

-- KK

Otterbox
Different sizes
9000 series,
3 x 3.75 x 7.5 inches
$23
Otter Products
970/493-8446
or Amazon ($16)

My new best friend is the Brompton T6, a foldable 6-speed bicycle made by the Brompton company in England. Living in an urban area and having a bike that folds is basically like having wheels for feet; and in the world of folding bikes, Bromptons simply cannot be matched in their compactness and riding quality. They ride beautifully and smoothly thanks to a conical rear shock absorbing block. They take about 10 seconds to go from fully unfolded to fully folded and are compact enough to take inside anywhere -- metro, hotels, restaurants. I, at least, have never had a problem storing it. There are other makes of folding bikes (like Dahon) but time and time again I see people that own Dahons who simply won't bother folding them and chain them up outside because they're so cumbersome. What's the point of owning a folding one? Brompton spare parts are amazingly easy to install yourself (the manual is very comprehensive and detailed in how to upkeep the bike). I bought mine six months ago and it has completely transformed my day to day existence. It's a true lifestyle changer. Check out the front carrier accessories too. Fill that with other cool tools and that's basically all you need.

-- John Root

Brompton T-6
6-speed Folding Bike
$950
Nyce Wheels

Manufactured by Brompton

Kayaks are cool tools all by themselves... small, simple boats that give you access to virtually any waterway, big or small. Simple enough for a novice to enjoy, but with skill and experience, kayaks can also used for thousand-mile expeditions far from support.

Folding kayaks are a special breed among kayaks in general. They typically consist of a wood or aluminum frame inserted into a fabric skin, and assembled boats are reminiscent of the bone-and-hide baidarkas used by Inuit hunters. The obvious advantage to a folding kayak over the far more common plastic or fiberglass boats available is storage. When not in use, a folding kayak can be stored in an apartment or car trunk. But the boats are also serious performers--they are truly in their element when the seas get rough--and they tend to last much longer than rigid boats. Cracks in plastic and fiberglass can retire a rigid boat in 6 to 10 years. Folding kayaks can last for decades, not only due to the materials, but also due to the fact the individual pieces can be replaced.

Klepper of Germany has been in the business the longest, since 1909, and their boats have been around the world, including across the Atlantic, twice. They are also used by Special Forces. They are also expensive, but not quite as expensive as Feathercraft of Canada, a relative newcomer. Feathercraft makes boats using a high-tech approach in materials and design. Their boats pack down smaller, but they also cost more. Folbot is an American-made folding kayak that enjoys good reputation, in part due to their absolute commitment to standing behind their products, pretty much for life. Their boats are highly regarded, and they are significantly cheaper than the competition. They are Ford to Klepper's BMW.

I just took delivery of a newcomer in the folding kayak world, a Longhaul Mark II made by Mark Eckhardt of Colorado. Eckhardt started his business repairing Kleppers and making accessories. He was an official Klepper dealer and service center for time, but has now struck out on his own making his own boats, that are in many respects are identical to Kleppers--a Longhaul frame will actually fit a Klepper skin and vice versa. But Eckhardt has addressed a number of what he sees as design flaws of the Klepper in his new boat.

Folbot Cooper

For an inexpensive folding kayak suitable for a novice, I recommend a new boat just announced by Folbot called the Cooper. Small and light, the Cooper fits into one bag, and has nice profile. And it comes in at a price that is 2/3 the price (or better) of other reputable folding singles, at $1400. As I mentioned, Folbot has been around for decades. A brand new model from them is a boat that has a lot experience behind its design and manufacture. Additionally, Folbot has an unbeatable guarantee... they guarantee that it will be free of manufacturing defects for life, and they'll give you 100% of your money back within 60 days if you don't like the boat and return in "like new" condition. That's a tough deal to beat.

-- Alex Gray

For reading I recommend The Complete Folding Kayaker by Ralph Diaz.

Manufacturers:
Klepper America
Feathercraft
Folbot
Long Haul

A fine enthusiasts website for tracking the latest in folding kayaks is
foldingkayaks.org

Egg Beater S classic

The ability of cleats to significantly increase your efficiency while riding a bike is hard to appreciate until you have tried them. Instead of merely pushing down with your legs, you get to pull up and push forward too. That gives you added power. And since you now use more than one muscle, you also have added endurance. The dual worries of getting your feet off the pedals, and using the pedals without cleats are solved ingeniously by this design: your cleats will pop out of the pedals with an easily controlled bend.

-- KK

Bike pedals have been around forever, and one would assume they would have reached their climax state in sophistication and function. Wrong -- Egg Beaters beat every other cleated bike pedal out there. They lock your feet in securely, but also afford effortless release. My road bike friends like them too, but they excel on mountain bikes, as the design self-clears mud and dirt, and the mechanical advantage of the design guarantees that a stray bit of dust isn't going to lock your feet into the pedal.

And they just keep getting better. I bought my first pair -- the classic egg beaters-- just over two years ago. Then when I purchased my new mountain bike earlier this year, I bought the new Egg Beater Candys --- just like the classic, but with tiny platforms wrapped around the egg beater mechanism. This makes it much easier to ride unclipped for short periods than was possible with the old pedals. I haven't tried the Egg beater Mallets (street shoe ready) yet.

In short, Egg beaters transformed my ride, and I can't imagine riding a bike that didn't have them.

-- Paul Saffo

Egg Beater Candy

Got new pedals for my mountain bike at the recommendation of all the reviewers at MTBR.com. Egg beaters from Crank brothers. Light, work like a charm, and self cleaning. I'm never going back to conventional pedals or other types of clip-ons that get fouled with mud and dirt. I went with the Egg Beater S but they have lighter and pricey-er versions made mostly of titanium.

-- Heath Dieckert

Egg Beater Candy
$108
Amazon

Manufactured by
Crank Brothers

Reviews at mtbr.com

I started riding a bike for the first time as an adult, at age 37. After an onslaught of expensive auto repairs and with the encouragement of my partner who is a bike commuter, I sold my automobile. Overnight, literally, I became a bike commuter. Living in San Francisco and facing a 16 mile daily commute to work was daunting, to say the least. Urban Bikers' has given me the know how and skills to get around the city and and out of town. This book covers everything - maintenance basics, avoiding theft, getting around in traffic, inclement weather - it's there. What's more, the illustrations make me laugh out loud. It is a savvy and wry vote of confidence for the urban cyclist - novice or otherwise.

-- Michele McGinnis

Urban Bikers' Tricks & Tips: Low-Tech & No-Tech Ways to Find, Ride, & Keep A Bicycle
Dave Glowacz
1997, 297 pages
$10
Amazon

I got mine as a free gift by joining the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, but they sell them too
SFBC

Excerpts:

Remember that on a street, you either share the lane (cars pass next to you) or take the lane (you ride in the middle, and cars stay behind you or pass in another lane).

*

In the door zone (the 3 or 4 feet next to parked cars in which you could get hit by an opening door), keep track of what's behind you: If you have to swerve suddenly, you could get hit by traffic. Also, look for stretches where you can ride out of the door zone.

*

The detectors work by sensing the metal in your bike. If you stop over the symbol and it doesn't affect the traffic light, get off of your bike an lay it down on top of the symbol. This gives the detector more metal to detect.

*

Cross locking. When you cross lock your bike, you use two different lock systems at once - such as a U lock and a cable. Cross locking forces thieves to spend more time and use more than one kind of tool. If a thief sees that your bike is cross locked, he might move on to another bike that isn't.

*

Mounting a standard bike in a skirt

I wear a reflective yield symbol pinned to my bike pack. It's arrestingly bright, alarmingly visible. I've been stopped by motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists alike inquiring about or thanking me for wearing it. It can be seen from 3000 feet.

-- Michele McGinnis

Reflective Yield Symbol
$15
Available from Safety Central

Snowboarders who like to make their turns in the backcountry used to have to strap on snowshoes or short skis for the approach and climb with their board on their back, then put the approach gear on their back for the ride down. Snowshoers were likely to get left behind by their ski buddies on the way up, while snowboarders with skis and boots on their backs were ungainly and slow on the descent. In the last couple years, however, technology and demand have coincided to bring to market an affordable, reliable alternative that is both faster and lighter than either snowshoes or skis.

Split snowboards (splitboards) look and feel like regular snowboards, but split apart lengthwise into two skis for plowing through backcountry terrain cross-country style. When you split the board apart, you remove the bindings and reposition them on the splitboard skis as cross-country toe-hinge bindings, then strap or click in as normal with your regular snowboard boots. This plus a pair of three-section collapsible ski poles is all you need for the approach, and you can stow the poles easily in your pack for the ride down.

While the splitboard itself is a bit heavier than a regular snowboard setup, using the same gear for both ascending and descending saves an incredible amount of weight. And since you're skiing the approach, you can cover terrain much faster than anyone on snowshoes or short skis.

Burton and Voile are the main contenders in the splitboard arena. The conventional wisdom is that Burton's splitboards are heavier, but ride better on the way down, while Voile's simple and light conversion system makes up for its only-OK ride quality. As a third option, Voile offers a split kit to convert your regular snowboard into a splitboard at home. I own a Burton SPLT 66 model and love it. The board feels strong and solid, transition time from board to skis and back is quick-although it does take some practice-and best of all, the ride is stiff and the edges hold firm, just like a regular snowboard.

Both companies make extra-wide climbing skins and crampons for the ascent, and many backcountry gear manufacturers make collapsible ski poles short enough to fit in a daypack. Standard backcountry rules apply to all splitboarding excursions, which means be avalanche-aware, always carry an avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel, and know how to use the tools you bring.

-- Chris Coldewey

Burton S-Series Splitboards
$600
Burton

Voile Split Decision Splitboards
$665
Voile

Or, take an old snowboard and do-it-yourself.
Voile Split Kit
$130
Back Country Store
or from Amazon

Think skateboarding on white water. A squirt is a very small kayak, almost a hollowed out surfboard, that skips, spins, jumps, and yes, squirts out of rivers. It is dangerous fun, with a similar underground culture as other x-treme board sports. The funky illustrations tell all.

-- KK

Squirt Boating and Beyond
James E. Snyder
2001, 235 pages
$11
Menasha Ridge Press
Box 43673
Birmingham, Al 35243
Amazon

Excerpt:

"Attaining" is the term I coined in the late 1970s for paddling upstream. This is quite a fine form of fun. There are even attaining races, which are great entertainment. If you want to perfect your attaining skills, for whatever reason, remember a few basic tips. Timing and accuracy are much more important here than in downstream negotiations: plan your lines well in advance and let the river dictate the timing; and pace your energy expenditure so you will have the fierce energy necessary for the tough attainments. Learn to feel the force around you, and you will be able to attain up paper-thin eddies that are hundreds of feet long.

Powerisers are a real trip to use. They're like walking on the moon everywhere you go. I can run/jump faster and higher than ever before. Some of the more ambitious users are out there doing flips and the like. Once I put these on I was up walking around right away. They are a lot more intuitive than you might imagine, but some people that have tried them don't 'get it' right away and fall over. The hardest thing to do is to stand still, but if you keep walking it'll seem intuitive. You can run and take very large strides in them once you get the hang of it. You can also jump very high and long.

The units are probably as light as they can be with their composite springs and aluminum construction, but it will take a little getting used to having some weight strapped to your legs. The biggest design flaw is in the foam pad contacting near the knee. Without additional padding to avoid the point load of the round pad, you will get blisters or chafing probably after the first vigorous workout. I've found Powerisers to be stable, easy to learn, and I haven't had to do anything to 'maintain' them, although I did add padding as described to improve the design. They really are fun and I would recommend them.

-- Kevin Dahlquist

Poweriser
Adult models
$400

The Surfer's Journal is pure surfing. For about 10 years now, Steve and Debbee Pezman have been sharing their love of the ocean and waves with other like-minded water people. A unique feature is the absence of advertising except for 2-3 pages from companies that surfers respect, like Patagopnia and Billabong. (By contrast a recent Collector's Edition of Surfing mag, in listing what it called "The 25 Most Powerful People in Surfing" had almost half its list composed of CEO's of surfboard or surf apparel companies.) The photography is stunning (a lot of credit going to photo editor Jeff Devine), the articles are in-depth, and there are a lot more longboard shots than the more typical punching-through-the-lip shortboard aerials that dominate the other surf mags. There's also a lot of wonderful stuff from the past; it's amazing that after all this time they still come up with unique shots from the 50s and 60s and sometimes earlier, when life was simpler and waves were uncrowded. The soul of surfing, 5 times a year. It's the only magazine where I've saved every copy.

-- Lloyd Kahn

The Surfer's Journal
published 6 times a year.
$56
P.O. Box 40006, San Clemente, CA 92674-8903

"Amazing!" That's the first word my friends say when I hand them my carbon fiber kayak paddle made by Epic Paddles, a company founded by Olympic gold medalist Greg Barton. (Of course, I first make my friends hold a progression of older paddles starting with a wooden one, then moving to a standard aluminum and plastic rental type, then a nice fiberglass one by Werner, and finally to the carbon fiber by Epic Paddles so they really appreciate the dramatic reduction in weight.)

I am only a recreational paddler myself, but even I can appreciate the vast difference between the kind of standard paddle you'll usually get when you rent a kayak, and the carbon fiber paddle I've grown to love. Besides being laughably light weight, the blade itself has a lot of flotation so it pops out of the water by itself. With a feature called length-lock, you can dial your feathering angle (for example, 45 or 60 degrees) and adjust overall paddle length to your liking. A kayak instructor I know calls this the "magic wand" of paddling. I'm such a fan that I insist on taking my paddles with me when I travel to the Caribbean (in a Harmony double paddle travel bag). I'll rent kayaks, but can't downgrade to rental paddles. Like a tennis racket or golf clubs, you want your own good equipment once you get used to it.

Epic has a lot of options for paddle construction. The one I have owned for three years is the Signature Series Full Carbon and I just ordered this same construction but in a wing shape--the Mid Wing. The Full Carbon is about $100 more expensive than the hybrid but gives you the full benefit of carbon fiber technology and the best blade design. The hybrid is a compromise for a lower price. The reinforced version adds some material to the end to protect the blade from damage if you're going to be hitting rocks with it. The ultra apparently is an even more refined full carbon, probably for the competitive racer.

Bottom line: Go for Signature Series Full Carbon and you'll be a very happy paddler!

-- Steve Leveen

Epic Signature Full Carbon Length-Lock Paddles
$480
Epic Paddles

Scandinavian bicycle tire manufacturer Nokian makes carbide-studded "ice" tires for winter riding. Their "lightly-studded" 700c model, the Hakkapeliitta, has made my bicycle commuting season here in Boston last year-round. The carbide studs will give you traction through snow and across frozen trails, iced-over gutters, and unanticipated (and very dangerous) black road ice. I've been able to bike on surfaces that I couldn't even stand on. In the worst of winter weather, it gives me great pleasure to smoothly cruise past entire fleets of cars stuck on the ice. For ultimate winter traction control, mount them on a "fixed-gear" bike with wide tire clearances, such as the Surly Steamroller.

I dream of a day, after weeks and weeks of frigid weather, when I can commute from Cambridge to Waltham on top of a frozen-over Charles River.

--John Rieffel

Icebikers, the crazy lot, swear by Nokian Tires.

Nokian Hakkapeliitta 700c tires for road bikes
$50, Peter White Cycles

Nokian Extreme 296 (296 studs!)
$90

Probably the cheapest way to get onto water. Built from a single piece of 4 by 16-foot marine plywood, plus some epoxy, this canoe will set you back $150. It might take a pro six hours, but most builders are happy to complete it in a 3-day weekend. This is the design that community boat building programs use; thousands have successfully launched theirs.

-- KK

Building the Six-Hour Canoe
Mike O'Brien and Richard Butz
1998, 65 pages
$11
Tiller Publishing
St. Michaels, MD
410-745-3750
Amazon

Dogs for locomotion. Esoteric, but durable dog sledding gear, and apparatus for dog carts.
�KK

Weight Pull Harnesses
These are the harnesses you need for hauling heavy loads or for weight pulling competitions. Sewn with competitive weight pulling in mind, they are strong and durable harnesses designed for a dog's safety and comfort while working. Each harness is made of wide, heavy-duty nylon webbing to better distribute the work load and thick padding for extra comfort. The hardwood spreader bar prevents side straps from pressing against the dog's hind legs. The sturdy 1-1/2 inch stainless steel attachment ring allows for easy hookups. These harnesses meet IWPA, ISDRA and AMCA requirements for weight pull competition. Although built to tough competition standards, these harnesses are also one of the most comfortable and durable harnesses available for recreational use. They are excellent harnesses for all forms of pulling, although the lower point of attachment does not lend itself readily to skijoring.

Icelandic Weight Pull Harness
item #HS62
$35
Black Ice Dog Sledding Equipment
320-485-4825

The original "cool tool" was a multi-tool for the avid bicyclist. I've found the Crank Brothers to produce a superior version. I've used their Multi-17 for many quick repairs. Most often I grab the hex wrench to tighten a loose headset or seat. What distinguishes the Crank version from all other bike tools is its size, compact design and (very importantly) the included chain tool to remove a bent chain link. Few other multitools have a built in chain tool, and unlike so many other repairs, there is no way to 'make due' with another tool when you need to remove a bent chain link. Only a chain tool will do it. I spend many hours many miles from road (and water) mountain biking in the desert. I wouldn't be without this gem of functionality.

--Marc Berg

Crank Brothers Multi-17
$23
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Crank Brothers

I recommend the cheap recumbent, EZ-1, designed by the makers of the classy Tour Easy touring recumbent. I ride a BikeE recumbent myself, but they went out of business. My bro has an EZ-1. They're not the lightest, fastest, or coolest recumbent, but they have the ergonomics of a $1500 bike and are a blast to ride. They start at $500. The EZ-1 is a comfortable workhorse that lets you stay in the saddle for a *long* time.

--Mark Crane

EZ-1 Recumbent
$625
Easy Racers

Rebreathers are underwater life support systems that permit you to stay longer at deeper depths. It�s not hard to make a normal scuba tank last for an hour (or more) very near the surface. At 60 feet, this duration drops to less than half an hour. At a hundred feet, maybe 15-20 minutes. A recreational-grade rebreather, however, will give you several hours at any depth in the 0-100 ft. range. So the deeper you dive, the more advantageous the rebreather becomes. Rebreathers always give you more time, but especially give you more time at greater depths.

You would need hundreds of lbs of conventional scuba tanks to get as much breathing gas supply as you get with a 60 lb. rebreather with a small tank of oxygen. The equivalent of one scuba tank's worth of oxygen could provide as much as 30-40 hours of sport dive time. This extension also plays into the psychology of a dive. A flustered scuba diver might huff and puff when exerting and burn though the contents of a scuba tank in no time. A rebreather diver, however, can huff and puff all he or she wants, but because none of the exhale is wasted, there�ll usually be more oxygen left than they probably have time to use � they�ll get cold or hungry first. A rebreather can be much more relaxing to dive therefore because your margin for error in breathing gas supply is measured in hours, rather than minutes.

How it works: Most scuba divers breathe in air from a pressurized scuba cylinder, through a regulator, then breathe out the exhaled gas into the surrounding water (resulting in a column of bubbles). The gas in those exhaled bubbles includes a significant amount of oxygen; thus, scuba is inherently inefficient. The idea of a rebreather is to recapture some or all of that exhaled gas, process it, and return it back to the diver, with little or no waste. Instead of breathing through a regulator, rebreather divers breathe from a "loop" that directs the exhaled gas into a "counterlung" (a flexible bag that expands to receive the diver's exhaled breath, and collapses when the diver inhales again), through a "scrubber" (a canister containing a granular chemical such as calcium hydroxide, that removes the carbon dioxide from the exhaled gas), and back to the diver to be inhaled again. At some point in the loop, oxygen is added to replenish that which is metabolized by the diver. In short, a diver consumes oxygen and expires carbon dioxide; and a rebreather chemically removes the carbon dioxide, replaces the oxygen that was removed, and returns the gas to the diver. One advantage of these loops: it is much more pleasurable to breathe warm moist gas (recycled) than to inhale cold dry gas.

The three main advantages of rebreathers are: 1) Better gas use efficiency (especially down deep, where they can be more than 100 times more efficient than scuba); 2) Better decompression optimization in the case of fully-closed systems; and 3) Quieter operation (useful for observing or photographing marine life). In short, rebreathers allow for deeper, longer, and quieter diving. The "quieter" part is not just nice; it can be quite important because of the absence of the usual noisy and visually startling exhaust bubbles allows a diver to observe underwater life much less obtrusively.

There are two different kinds of rebreathers: "semi-closed" rebreathers, which are entirely mechanical but waste some gas; and "fully-closed" rebreathers, which use sophisticated electronics to control oxygen levels in the breathing mixture and waste almost no gas.

Thousands of "semi-closed" rebreathers are currently used by recreational divers. They are designed for shallow use (i.e., less than 130 feet deep). These usually cost less than $5,000. If you are mostly interested in doing quieter dives at "normal" scuba depths, for no more than 1 or 2 hours at a time, you're better-off getting one of these. The two most popular are built by Drager: the DragerDolphin and the DragerRay.

Then there are a series of mid-range units, These allow for more dynamic breathing gas mixtures, and incorporate electronic control systems. Most of these are used at shallow water diving as well, but some intrepid divers have modified them in ways to get down several hundred feet. These usually cost in the range of about $8,000-$15,000. The 4 most popular units on the market include:
- The "Inspiration" at Ambient Pressure Diving
- The "Megalodon" at Custom Rebreathers
- The "PRISM Topaz" at Steam Machines
- The "AURA CCR2000" at Rebreather

Another class of semi-closed rebreathers built by Halcyon have been used successfully on some of the world's most extreme deep cave exploration dives. This particular kind of rebreather can be thought of as a "gas extender" for conventional scuba cylinders, and costs around $7,000-$8,000.

At the high-end are models designed with ultra-reliable components and incorporate multiple layers of equipment redundancy, to assure the highest probability of continued function even in extreme circumstances. Only the military and a few members of the lunatic-fringe (like me) are willing to fork over the $15,000-$50,000 for this class of rebreather. The model I use is built by Cis-Lunar Development Laboratories, and is manufactured only in limited batches when sufficient demand warrants it.

There are downsides to rebreathers, which should be stated clearly. Whereas on scuba, the most potentially life-threatening problems are very-much self-evident (can't breathe, hose burst causing bubbles, etc.); on rebreathers the big potentially life-threatening problems are extremely insidious (i.e., too little oxygen, too much oxygen, too much CO2). This means that on scuba, you mostly need to know how to *solve* problems when they arise. On rebreathers, you have to not only know how to solve them, but also you need the discipline and awareness to recognize that you have a problem that needs solving in the first place. When a regulator fails on a scuba diver, it's obvious to the diver that he/she has to go to a backup regulator or borrow air from a buddy. When an oxygen addition system fails on a rebreather diver, he or she can very easily drift off to unconsciousness without ever knowing anything was wrong (I've seen it happen).

But this technology is changing fast. The possibilities for underwater exploration using rebreather technology are amazing. Bill Stone, an engineer who has designed some of the world's most sophisticated closed-circuit rebreathers, famously conducted a 24-hour non-stop dive using one of his early prototype designs. In truth, he used up less than half of the total capacity of the unit, meaning that he could have gone for at *least* another 24 hours, and perhaps as much as an additional 48 hours. Yup, that's 3 days of life support underwater from one self-contained pack.

The web is the best place to start for more info. One of the best sites on the web is here. Mastering Rebreathers is the most comprehensive book on rebreathers, and is also the most recently published (important for a field that is almost as dynamic as the computer industry).
-- Rich Pyle

Mastering Rebreathers
Jeffrey E. Bozanic
2002, 548 pages
$30
Amazon

A German-made 14 speed all-internal gear hub for bikes. Most bike hubs use cogs. In theory you take a bit of an efficiency hit by using gears instead of cogs, but it turns that most bike's chains are not properly maintained nor in perfect alignment - which lowers their efficiency in practice. Thus the all-internal hub which always has perfect chain alignment and only requires a 1 oz. oil change per year in maintenance ends up being more efficient. You can also shift the full rage of gears while standing still or with pressure on the pedals. You also avoid the usual derailment, fragility, and chainsuck issues of a normal transmission (this is why many professional downhill riders are switching to them). It weighs a bit more than all the components it replaces in a traditional bike tranny but gives the bike an overall cleaner look. Also, since normal bike gears overlap their range this hub's 14 speeds is equivalent to 27 or more speeds of the traditional derailleur tranny. I have been riding mine now for a while and would never go back.
�Alexander Rose

SPEEDHUB 500/14 CC
Red powder coated (Item No. 8010)
$890
Harris Cyclery
617-244-9772

Since discovering scooters a few years ago, I seldom walk on my weekly trips into San Francisco. I park my truck and grab the scooter out of the back. It's about 3 times as fast as walking, it's good exercise and IT'S FUN! When I go to a popular neighborhood where it's hard to park, I'll park about 8 blocks away and scooter in. No sweat! When I arrive at my destination I fold it up.

I recently went to NYC and the first thing I did that evening was to set off from my hotel (at the Mayflower, on the southwest corner of Central park) to the Upper West Side, down Amsterdam and Columbus. I had fun, saw the sights and before I knew it I was up to 101st. A few days later on a deserted Sunday morning I rode from the Mayflower three miles down to the Jacob Javits Center on the Hudson, then scootered back uptown that afternoon.

These days I ride this beautifully designed K-2 high-tech-wheel scooter. The two wheels in front give you a lot more stability. It rides over cracks in the pavement where a one-wheeler would dump you. Like other scooters, you depress the rear wheel guard to brake; unlike other scooters, the deck tilts when you turn. The K-2 is hinged ingeniously on the front wheel assembly, where the wheels cant in the direction of the turn. Springs on the front axle pull the scooter back to straight-forward direction after a turn. There's only one wheel in the back because that's all you need. The joy stick (as opposed to handle bars) takes a bit of getting used to; right hand on knob when right foot is forward on the deck, left hand-likewise.

Riding a scooter is a great way to move around in a city, but you have to be careful! People (and cars!) don't expect a human body to be coming along that fast, so you have to be constantly monitoring and alert. Any scooterer's (or cyclist's) nightmare is a parked car's door being opened just as you get there. Oh yes, when you ride long distances you will find that the leg on the deck gets tired (it's holding all your weight), so it pays to get proficient at switching the forward foot every block or so.

�Lloyd Kahn

K2 Kickboard 3-Wheel Folding Kick Scooter
Item #295889
$170
The Sports Authority