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Welcome to Velo Vision, the practical cycling magazine.Print edition: Subscribe and/or order sample copies, back issues, PDFs, T-shirts etc...here! Digital edition: details or subscribe! The current issue is Issue 38. The next issue is out in late Sept 2010.
Search website story archive: Search full text of all magazine issues via the digital edition: Try the digital edition! 
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Industry news galoreA round up of news snippets from the industry and academia... Sue Archer writes: A kitty Catbike BigCat HPV's Catrike range was joined recently by the Musashi Catbike, and initial reaction is that it's very fast and very stable. We hope to have a review in due course. Now BigCat have announced a small frame version, reported here on Recumbent Journal. The short version will have a 5" shorter wheelbase, and fit riders with an inseam measurement of 39" to 44". For a comparison photo, and some more details, see the Catrike discussion board. Green Oil upgrade their distribution Green Oil, whose ecological chain lube we reviewed in Issue 30, have agreed a deal with UK distributors Upgrade Bikes. Upgrade, the distributor behind the DMR, Kinesis and Lezyne brands, hope to get the Green Oil range, which includes lubrication and cleaning products, into 75% of UK bike shops by the end of the year. Read the Strida thesis Mark Saunders, designer of the distinctive Strida folding bike, has celebrated the 25th anniversary of his design by publishing his original Masters Thesis on Issuu. It's a fascinating glimpse of the process of design and development, and of the folding bike competition of the time. You can also see Mark's Business Plan, for the bike. A number of Stridas also took part in the recent Smithfield Nocturne folding bike race. Five of the team of eleven Stridas made it to the final, including one apparently ridden by a superhero - spot him among the pictures from British Cycling on flickr... Balancing risk and benefits For anyone interested in promoting the health benefits of cycling, especially on a regular basis such as a commute, a recent Belgian study may be of interest. The "Systematic analysis of health risks and physical activity associated with cycling policies" seeks to measure the apparent risks of cycling, such as injuries in collisions and weigh them against the benefits, not only in personal fitness, but in areas such as improved air quality. The full report can be downloaded from the Belgian Science Policy website and a summary of the project seen here. I can see clearly now... We mentioned the Duosystem cycling spectacle system in our Spezi 2010 report, but their website was being re-worked at the time. If you're interested, and not afraid to tackle some German, you can now order glasses from this page on their website (or click on the heading 'Bestellen' from the Duosystem home page). The various colour options are shown here (click on 'Duosport' from the hompage). Get set for London 2012 Sportswear makers Adidas are official partners of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games, and to celebrate they are launching a range of sport specific clothing, featuring the Olympic logos. The '26' cycling range (after the 26 sports of the summer games) includes includes a waterproof jacket (£80), a cycling jersey (£36) and loose fit T-shirts (£24) - the latter bearing the official 'cycling' pictogram: The gear will be available from high street stores and adidas.com. A pivotal advantage The BMX fans among you may know about the Pivotal saddle concept, in which the saddle body bolts directly to the seatpin, instead of via a rail attachment. The advantages are claimed to be a more secure join, easy adjustability and reduced weight. What it lacked however was fore and aft adjustment, something that is addressed by a new model from Alienation, spotted on Bikebiz. Could it be a lightweight system with advantages for other sorts of bike, too? A bike of many colours We all know that there are important choices to be made when having a bicycle built up: size, components, accessories... If colour coordination is high on your list, have a look at MyVelo. Choose a women's or men's style, and then pick colours for frame, saddle, grips, wheel rims and mudguards. MyVelo will build up your choice, and deliver it in around a week. Or if you can't wait, they offer a one hour service at their showroom! The basic bike is £375, with mudguards extra. Sizes are currently limited, especially for the women's frame, but perhaps that will improve with time. If you're anything like me, you'll enjoy playing with the build your bike page - although I did try to aim for the most garish combination I could find! If you prefer to rely on the good taste of others, there are a number of 'ready-mixed' options. Just make sure your cycling clothes match! It's behind you! Cyclists always need to know what's behind them, and spotted on the Bicycle Design website is the latest aid to rear viewing, the Cerevellum cycle computer with rearview camera. With the aid of a lens attached to your seatpost, or plugged into the end of a drop handlebar, the computer provides you with a constant rearview onscreen, along with the normal speed and time data. A GPS facility is expected to be added in the next year or so. The price tag is a fairly hefty $499. As some of the comments on Bicycle Design suggest, the rear view camera is providing what a good mirror, or frequent glances back provide. Its big advantage perhaps is that it records in 30 second loops, and in the event of an accident (sensed by an accelerometer) it will save the immediately previous data, possibly providing vital evidence. Posted on 9 August 2010
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