Bicycles are traditionally a good workout for your legs. But what if you want to give your back, arms, and abs some exercise? Well, you get a Rowbike, of course. I first saw the Rowbike on the same show that featured the Aquaskipper, and I’ve since seen someone using it out on the Burke Gilman Trail here in Seattle. It looks pretty fun, and it’s a good way to get a rowing workout without signing up for a crew team or buying a rowing machine for your basement gym. Hey, it’s always more fun working out in the fresh air (as long as it isn’t raining) than in the gym, right?
If you bike at night, you know how important it is for motorists to see you. Bicycle lights are more effective than reflectors, but most of them are battery operated, and it can be a pain keeping charged batteries in them. That’s where the Pedalite comes in. These pedal-based, flashing LED bicycle lights are powered with each rotation of the pedals. They hold a charge for up to 12 minutes, so it’s no problem if you reach a downhill stretch.
I know, I know… mowing the lawn is never “fun,” but cruising around the yard on a bicycle mower could be more exciting than just walking behind and pushing. Maybe you could even get the kids to do the chore, without twisting their arms (or bribing them with money). If you’re interested, you’ll have to build your own, though, as this is someone’s personal project. There aren’t any available on the open market… at least as far as I know.
I always take a water bottle along on my bike rides, but by the time I get to the trail and I’ve ridden a while, the ice cubes have all melted and the water isn’t cold any more. If you’re out for a while in the sun, it’ll even get hot. Yucky. So, how do you keep your water cold? With an Evap-A-Wrappa cooling sleeve, of course. To use it, you simply fill your water bottle (or buy a cold beverage), wet the sleeve, wrap it around your drink, then strap it all onto your bike where it’s in an air stream. The drink holder comes with two anchoring loops and is available in three sizes: small (20 oz./ .6L), medium (34 oz./1L), and large (50 oz./1.5L). It’ll cost you $14.
You’re not biking down those mountains without any protection on your hands are you? That may be okay if you’re 18, but if you want to keep that hobby when you’re older, you need to protect your body. Human beings don’t come with shock absorbers, you know. Muscles and joints can take a real beating when you’re riding down bumpy slopes. The Spenco MTB Heat Wave, a special glove for mountain bikers, is supposed to absorb impact and protect nerves and joints with its precisely placed gel pads. The cost? $28.