Morning Bike Ride in Shanghai

Exploring the mega city while most people are still asleep is a good way to experience many aspects of Shanghai. 

Here is a map of this particular bike ride

Shanghai, bike, ride

A ride through the streets of Shanghai

Check the video here 

 

More on Bike Sharing – More on Developments in the US

More on Bike Sharing (continued)

I just wrote a posting about Bike Sharing and immediately have an update…Just when I thought that the Chinese companies have provided a stimulus to the startups in the US, my friends pointed out that these same Chinese companies that have driven a kind of innovation revolution here, have now expanded not just in Italy, France….but also in the USA.

OFO, Bike Sharing OFO, Bike Sharing OFO, Bike Sharing

So now, if you have the APP for OFO in China – well, you can rent a bike in Seattle in the US and you can be on your marry way …

What do you think?   Drop me a line.  I promise to give you a view of how things are developing in the world of Bike Sharing applications…

 

 

Bike Sharing Coming to the US – Finally!

Bike Sharing

Bike sharing is good!  This could be the beginning and the end of this posting…Oh, well, let me elaborate some.  I have lived in China for a number of years.  Over that period of time, me and countless others in the country as well as visitors, have observed an incredible growth of its economy, but more importantly – the growth of innovation.  Yes, Innovation in China! 

China, BeijingMany years ago, both in the US and in other countries, the various city governments started developing Bike Sharing programs.  They relied on a very cumbersome system where you had to rent as well as return, the bike at a predefined station around the city.  That system has been nothing but trouble.  The stations were few, the programs to implement those stations and bikes – very expensive!

As a result (in my opinion) those Bike Sharing programs were doomed and I doubt many still exist today.  I wrote about some of these programs on this blog…

China, Beijing, BIke Sharing

Street in Beijing – Mobike and Ofo bikes…

Then Chinese entrepreneurs innovated!  Companies like Mobike and Ofo emerged (and several other newcomers followed).

The innovation these companies developed allowed the users to scan a QR code, receive a code via messaging on their smart phones and unlock the bike for use.   The bicycle then remains in your possession, and you are paying for it, until you lock it.   The convenience factor is huge!  Why?  You can pickup / unlock and start using a bicycle pretty much anywhere on the street in a Chinese city, and similarly, drop off the bike on the sidewalk after you reach your destination.  

The result – a great service for the users as well as low cost for the local governments – no longer do they have to fund the construction and maintenance of expensive bike stations.

Finally, in the US, local companies have noticed and together with some city governments are implementing similar system.   Way to go China!   The US is borrowing from your playbook!

Now, I am expecting another wave of innovation – the bikes are becoming a perfect platform for adding new services and capabilities.  I fully imagine a wide range of sensors to be integrated in the next generation bikes to enable new services for us the users and new streams of revenue for the bike sharing operators.

China, Shanghai

 

US companies like SPIN and LimeBike are getting funding to start operating what appears to be a proxy of the vary successful (from my, user experience) model of the Chinese companies.   Hope they succeed.  The US, with the lack of public transportation is a good ground for such services…!

Gifts for Bike Enhusiasts

Gifts for Bike Enthusiasts

The holidays are approaching fast and with that the great time of shopping for gifts for the bike enthusiasts in your circle of friends.  Shopping can be fun – when you have a clear idea of what you want to find – i.e. what your friends and family would like.  Sometimes, though it is pretty stressful to come up with the right ideas so I decided to attempt a quick help list – with ideas that may resonate with you.

The list I have in mind is comprised of tools, bike gloves, bike helmet, bike bottle and bottle cages, may be even some shoes and apparel…and if you really know the person you want to buy the gift for – may be even some bike suggestions.

How did I come up with the ideas – mostly through my personal experience of what I would like to get and use when on the bike trail…. Your desires may be different, hence ignore my list if it does not match your expectations.   Please give me some feedback via the comments page – I would like to hear what are your ideas…

Here we go with the list:

  1. Bottle cage:  This is always useful on those long bike rides.  I often ignore the water bottle and always feel that I made a mistake when I do that.  So having a good lightweight, easy to get the bottle in and out cage is a good addition to your bike.  Here are some links to products you can find easily on Amazon….  and here is a link to an interesting product from King Cage
  2. Tools for quick access to adjustments on your bike.   I always carry some patches for my inner tubes and it is good to have also some allen wrenches and quick bike tools.  Here are some options – again easy to purchase&nbsp and another one  The Fix It Sticks are a very versatile toolset that is both very helpful on the trail as well as one that stores and mounts easily on your bike.  The tool attaches in a mount that fits under the bottle cage on your bike so it is conveniently located and out of the way during your ride.  The tool is comprised of two lightweight sticks that combine into a T-handle Tool for ease of use and leverage. There are six variations of the Original Fix It Sticks: Standard Set A, Standard Set B, Roadie Set A, Roadie Set B, Mountain Set, and SRAM Set. Each set comes with four permanently installed bits.  Check out the FixItSticks Web site for more info
  3. Bike Helmet – Yes! you do need one.  Speaking from personal experience, having taken a spill multiple times over the years of riding, the helmet is absolutely important.  It could save you a lot of headaches – literally!   You could spend a lot or less but by all means you must have a helmet.  Here are some options to consider – starting with the tried and true Giro and then going into a platform –  Lazersport which actually offers a helmet that can be integrated with a bunch of different accessories:  

                                   Enjoy your shopping!

 

Even Argus Has Issues Though

Argus Has Issues

I have been using and reporting on various biking software / Smart Phone Apps to record my exercise and measure various vital statistics while riding my mountain bike.

My bike itself has been outfitted with several brackets / attachment modules so I can install both specific sets of iPhone cases with my iPhone 6 Plus as well as more generic ones.

On top of the iPhone then I run different apps to track my activity.  Argus is one of them I just reviewed and was pretty happy with as a exercise tracking aspect of it but now have discovered a bit of annoying feature / capabilities.

Argus mountain bike and other exercise traker

The Annoying Feature…! I just exercised and am being reminded nevertheless

The image above shows the front screen of my iPhone (not the only time you see the notifications) – and according to it I need to go workout – e.g. ride my bike.  One problem though – I just returned from a bike ride using the Argus SW for tracking my bike ride….So you would think that the Application designer would consider that and update the clock being used for the reminders….Go figure!!!

iPhone 6/6S Plus Mounting on a Bike

iPhone 6/6S Plus

iPhone 6 6S Plus Mountcase with Armor Guard TigraiPhone 6/6S Plus options for mounting on a bicycle…

I have been using my iPhones with a mountain bike ever since my iPhone 4.  Needless to say I value two key factors in figuring out options for how to mount the phone on my bicycle:

  • How sturdy, protective and safe is the mount for the phone
  • How easy is it to operate the phone – to attach it to the bike when you are ready for a ride and using the phone while riding

With those in mind, I have tried several options over the years.  You can read about those in previous postings. For the last year or so I have been using the Tigra MountCase Magnum   – the setup on my mountain bike is seen in the photo below – my iPhone 6/6S Plus.

Mountain Bike iPhone 6/6S Plus Case and Mounting Bracket

One specific item that made it a preferred choice for me (at least) is the ease of attaching the iPhone once you are ready to go biking..The phone has a good solid back in its mounting case due to the metal frame — see below

iPhone 6 6S Plus Mountcase with Armor guard Tigra

When the phone is assembled you are ready to just clip it into the bike mount.  The bike mount is actually installed in the stem of your bike so is very solid and provides a good stable attachment for your phone.   The whole setup is shown in the image below.

iPhone 6 6S Plus Mountcase with Armor Guard TigraNow, I have noticed some small quirks with the Tigra mount case – the one that you may to try for yourself is how your headphones attach to the headphone jack on the iPhone once it is in the Tigra case.  I have some headphones which are no problem, but others with shorter jacks have a looser connection which tends to disconnect from the iPhone if you are going on a rough trail.

Overall the setup of the Tigra MountCase Magnum is good – I like the convenience of how quickly you can attach and disconnect the phone from the mounting point.

Next posting I will review the Tigra with Rubberized Rain Guard that also attaches in the same setup on your bike…

Bontrager Mustang 29 Tubeless Wheels

Bontrager Mustang 29

Trek Bontrager Mustang Mountain Bike 29-inch Tubeless WheelsWhat is the issue with Bontrager Tubeless Mountain bike wheels?

I have been riding on my Trek X-Caliber 29er mountain bike for a couple of years now (I bought the bike in July 2014).  I have a review of the bike in a couple of postings here.  Since then I have had some interesting (not so pleasant) experience with the wheels and inner tubes on the bike.

After one year of riding, I started getting flats / tube punctures on a regular basis.  I even reached a point at time when I was getting one per week (mostly weekend riding).  That was rather unusual, but I decided that I need to learn to patch tubes fast as I would discover the flat as the Murphy Law goes, always right before a bike ride on a Saturday morning….

So after several months, both my front a rear tubes were a like a quilt 🙂 – not a happy situation for real.  Then things escalated.  A month ago, I reached a point where on a Saturday morning I patched both the front and rear tubes of my bike, and assembled the wheels.  I was really displeased when the front wheel started losing air before I even put it back on the bike.

Trek Bontrager Mustang Mountain Bike 29-inch Tubeless WheelsThat was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back – I knew something was wrong with the rims as after I carefully inspected the insides of the tires, I could not find any sharp object that may have act as something that would puncture the tires.

At that point in time, I jumped in my SUV with the wheels of the Trek bike in my trunk and drove off to the Bike Shop.

To give credit where it is due, the maintenance person at the Austin Bicycle Sport Shop immediately identified the problem – the spokes of the wheels were sticking too much into the rim of the wheels.  Based on his assessment the wheels needed some additional tape to cover the ends of the spokes so they do not poke on the inner tube.



Lessons learned:  If you are buying tubeless ready wheels, and you are planning to use inner tubes, make sure you have enough coverage over the spoke ends on the rims to make sure they are not going to be puncturing the inner tubes…!

Beat Jet-lag – Shanghai to Bike Trail in 24 Hours

Beat Jet-lag

How to beat jet-lag?  Well folks I firmly believe that biking is a cure to it all – yes, to JET-LAG…at least…Last night I flew into Austin (landed at ABIA around 9:40pm) after a 10-day trip to China.  Mind you air travel has become easier over the years – a trip that used to take me 27-30 hours leaving home in Austin and getting to my destination in one of the major metro areas in China or doing the reverse, is now taking about 7-8 hours less.  The reasons for that are many – one of them are the increase in direct flights between various points in the US and China leveraging the new fuel efficient Boeing 787-Dreamliner.

Dallas-Boeing-Dreamliner-B787 The plane is able to move a large number of passengers very efficiently and with relatively good comfort even in the dreaded “Economy” class…

As a result, I left Shanghai Pudong airport on a late afternoon flight bound for DFW and by 4:30pm on that same Saturday (Oh, the wonders of time zones — I left Shanghai and landed in Dallas what it seems only a few minutes later vs. the actual 14 hour flight).   Even after American airlines managed to screw up my connecting flight to Austin due to the lack of a 3rd flight attendant, I was able to switch to another Austin bound flight at a later time and finally by 9:40pm landed in Austin.

My first action upon landing was to promise myself that Sunday morning will be taken by a bike ride on my Trek X-Caliber – the intent to beat jet lag as quickly as possible.

Barton-Creek-West-TrailAnd that is what I did – I was on the bike on the trail by 8am – probably should have come out earlier given the heat and humidity of Texas at this time of the year but better late then never I guess;   The trail seemed tougher than usual – why?  because after 10-days of hopping from city to city, business meetings and all, I was out of shape!

Nevertheless I huffed and I puffed but I made the 11-mile trek in 1-hour and 15 minutes and along the way as usual, saw tons of interesting blooming flowers and the countless number of cactus…. The trek is tiring but the beauty of Texas nature is well worth the effort.  After the urban jungle of Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Suzhou – the Texas single track trail is a welcome escape…. Here are some more photos from the ride this morning…

Beat Jet-Lag Texas-Biking-TrailsBeat Jet-Lag Texas-Trails-Flowers

 

 

CES 2016 Bicycle Products

This year I was able to spend 3 days at CES (the Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas.  This event is usually crazy – tons of exhibitors and hordes of people all over the place, hence my hesitation to attend, but my the projects I have been working on in the last 12 months and those that will be on my plate in 2016, required me to attend.   So, I jumped on the plane and joined the throngs of people at the show.

While I had to spend a lot of time with customers and partners, I was able to allocate some time for visiting various exhibits.  The show was heavily dedicated to automotive products – but there were some interesting new products for bicycle enthusiasts as well.  The product that caught my attention was the Garmin Varia Vision Headset – the headset has some very interesting capabilities

  1. It allows you to view statistics about the ride – ride in your field of vision – i.e. without have to look down (to the stem or handlebars mounted smart phone with Bike Applications);   The display provides the essential stats right in front of your eyes  – thus acting also as a much safer way to show you informationGarmin Varia Vision

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) When paired with Varia Rear View Radar it provides you with the necessary information on approaching traffic.  The display can show you approaching traffic and warn you of potential issues on the road;
Varia plus Rear view radar   Overall a very clever contraption and in my opinion useful application all around.   The device warns you of approaching traffic as far as 140-meters away (per Garmin.com)

 

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The headset is also integreatable with your smart phone.  Garmin will provide you with the compatibility list.    I have not tested that feature – eventhough I hat my phone with me on the tradeshow floor – I did not test the ability of the feature;

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Ultimately, safety is a huge factor for most of us cyclists and to this effect these new products appear to address it in a fun and cheerful way.

Please let me know with your thoughts on these new gadgets – I think they are a great steps forward on safety!

Bicycle Helmet – Resources for Learning How to Buy One

Bicycle Helmet

I have posted a number of articles about bicycle helmets.  Having taken a spill more than twice while riding, I have stated before and will repeat now, am a true believer in their utility.  You may not like how they feel, or how they fit, or their shape, or…(gasp) the fact that they may mess up your hair….but even after all that – they are truly useful.


Now, if your helmet does not feel good on your head, chances are you need a different, better fitting one.  Here are some key items to check out about your helmet and additional resources to use while selecting one:

  • Start with checking the box in the store.  Why?  It needs to clearly state that the helmet meets the requirements of the Consumer Products Safety Commision – the link here will bring you to the specific page with their guidance; Another valid certification is the Snell’s B-95
  • Size assessment – ask your local bike store or another sports or outdoors store with a good biking department for help on that.  They can measure you…The helmet needs to fit snugly or you have the danger of actually hurting yourself.
  • Personal preferences – here you can go wild; there are many bike helmet options…in terms of ventilation, shades, style and colors.  Up to you on this one.

The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute has tons of additional information on the topic – check them out.   In the meantime, please remember – you need a bike helmet!