You could blow $650 on a complete track bike, but you know you would end up looking just like all the other hipster dufuses on your street. A custom frame from Clockwork Bikes will cost you about $650, including their Urban Track frame with a lower top tube. The bikes are all built to fit—you can check out the step-by-step process in Clockwork’s building gallery.
The Coleman Adult Love Seat is a 4.5-foot-long inflatable couch for your campsite. You don’t have to hike with it inflated or spend half the night hyperventilating since Coleman makes a hand pump to inflate it. Coleman thoughtfully added cup holders to both armrests since you’d have to be half in the bag to be seen on this thing. Remember not to pull it too close to the fire.
Jackson Hole based Mountain Khakis makes burly canvas pants that fall somewhere between Carhartts and Patagonia Stand-Up Pants. The good news is that Mountain Khakis still look good enough to wear in the city, and people there won’t even think you’re an organic farmer.
Skijoring looks like something I would have improvised when I was about 6 years old, and then been dragged by my dog over busy streets and through rocky ditches on my back. Fortunately for people without enough animals to power their dogsled, skijoring isn’t quite as ad hoc as it looks. You can get setup with a harness for yourself, your dog, and a towrope for about $100.
The Giro Bad Lieutenant Helmet is back this year with a Hell’s Angles Blood Red color and another wrapped in white leather. These, of course, are added to the German WWII Infantry and SWAT Team colors. I’ve yet to see someone over 16 years old with one of these unvented Giro buckets on the hill, but that’s probably because you have to be a little older to appreciate not looking like you’re wearing a cut-in-half bowling ball.
The L1TA Blackmail Jacket’s satin-lined pea coat might make you look a little like you’re posing for the cover of the Sgt. Pepper album, but it’s definitely a hot combo. L1TA gave the Blackmail thumbhole wrist cuffs and a powder skirt for a little on-hill tech. You’ll even be able to ride For the Benefit for Mr. Kite since it comes with an iPod pocket. L1TA just launched their new website today.
The Alpha Micro Tool is a keychain skate tool carved from chrome that lets you tweak or take apart your board. It’s also small enough that it’s unlikely to punch holes in your leg or any arteries when you crash in the skatepark. The Alpha Micro Tool is handy for small adjustments, but trying to assemble a board with this tiny tool would be pretty rough on your fingers. At least you don’t have to take your pants off to adjust your board with the Alpha.
Erik
November 12th, 2006 at 11:10 pm
Actually it’s really easy to set up a board with the Alpha tool. It’s small, but it’s got all the tools in the right spot. The bit can be placed in the middle of the screwdriver, so it’s even more friendly on your fingers than the tiny L-shaped wrench that comes standard on almost every other skate tool out there. The Alpha tool has open-end wrenches so it’ll always get a snug fit on the hardware and kingpin bolts, even with those trucks that are notoriously socket-unfriendly. Oh, and if you don’t carry keys, then it’ll fit than much better in your pocket.
The eGear Lazer Stik waterproof light might work well tied to your dog’s collar while it’s running through the woods, but you know your friends are going to make fun of you for waving it around like a kid at a rave. The Lazer Stik is visible from about 1500 feet away—it’s kind of like sending a signal for someone with a real flashlight to come over and help you find whatever you’re looking for.
Trying to make fanny packs cool is about as futile an endeavor as it gets. Holster calls their product a belt-bag, which is kind of like a lumbar pack but not quite a European carry-all. The leather belt-bags will set you back about $60, while the knit and utility belt styles are about $15. Remember to take it off before you go in the water.
The U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C. opened this week with a manmade river 3700 feet long with simulated rapids up to Class V. The 300 acre facility even has a lift that takes paddlers back to the top of the rapids without getting out of their boats. They offer group classes and do birthday parties, too—send the kids through Class V rapids if they don’t want to play laser tag.
via Get Outdoors via The Denver Post
Bula does hats well and their helmets might protect as well as any out there—it’s too bad they decided to give their lids flame jobs. The only thing that screams “Beater!†louder in the lift line is when some poor bastard wears a bike helmet. At least they’re still offering some sick hats—they’ve also moved into goggles which are mercifully void of any flame graphics.
1. Straight-lining
2. Deer Valley
3. North Legion SMX
4. Airboard
5. Monoskis (you could really put this one on almost any ‘worst of’ list)
Notable mention: Friends, Texans
alta_gal83
November 9th, 2006 at 8:23 am
Holy Chris Binger in that photo!
1,2,3 Repeater
November 9th, 2006 at 7:50 am
Q: Know why it’s called Monoskiing?
A: Because when you get on one no one else will ride with you!
After stumbing across this post, I just had to reply. I’m a former customer of Clockwork Bikes and couldn’t be happier with my road bike (http://www.clockworkbikes.com/orange_big_side.html). The frame was built perfectly to my anatomy and is extremely sturdy. Clockwork’s craftsmanship and expertise in putting together the whole bike, along with the low price, make it hard to beat if you are looking for a custom built bike, IMHO. In fact, I think Clockwork is crazy to charge as little as they do. I really should put in an order for a cycle cross bike before the prices increase.