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Home→OUTDOORS→Bicycling→2011 Fall Gear Review – Bicycles – Reinventing The Wheel

2011 Fall Gear Review – Bicycles – Reinventing The Wheel

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Go Green With an eBike.

 

 

The Wireless Shadow Bike.

 

Bicycles were invented during the Victorian age and the first chain-driven models that appeared about 1885 had changed little since then, until now.

Although improved bike performance is evident with modern, light weight materials and computer aided designs, it took the Toronto, Canada company Daymak Inc. to invent the first wireless electric bicycle, called the Shadow EBike.

The invention of the first bicycles impacted other early industries, most notably the first automobiles which siphoned off the ideas of bicycle builders’ usage of ball bearings, pneumatic tires and tubes, chain-driven sprockets, and spoke-tensioned wheels.  But Daymak’s new Shadow EBike, literally reinvents the wheel.

Daymak presently has two proprietary products: the world’s first wireless power-assisted electric bicycle (Shadow EBike), and the Daymak Drive Controller. Yeg Baiocchi, CEO of Daymak Inc., was named one of the top 100 Women Entrepreneurs in Canada by Profit Magazine because of the innovative designs.

The Daymak futuristically designed bicycle truly has reinvented the wheel because it completely houses a 250w or 350w motor, 36v 10AH lithium battery, a USB port (hey can I plug in my laptop?), the unique and innovative wireless Daymak Drive Controller, and charging port and LED battery power display.  To accommodate the wheel there is a custom designed fork and frame assembly that gives the bike a simple, aesthetic look to go along with its wireless features.

Billions of people still ride Victorian era designed bicycles and billions more should be riding the new Shadow EBike.  Even the Chinese government is encouraging its population to revert back to bike riding to cut down on inner city congestion and pollution.

The new Shadow has no brake cables, no gear cables, and no electric wires from the motor to the batteries to the controller to throttle. What the Shadow has:

  • Wireless Power ‘On/Off’ switch
  • Wireless Magnetic Regenerative Brakes
  • Wireless Throttle, and
  • Wireless Pedal Assist

 

Daymak Inc. Canada
130 Oakdale Rd.
Toronto, Ont. M3N 1V9
Canada
Tel: 416.749.2324
Fax: 416.749.3424

email: info@daymak.com

www.daymak.com

 

Blundstone 550 Boots

 

 

Blundstone 550 boots first made their appearance also during the Victorian era, but in Australia in 1870.  The hard rock gold miners, bull-wackers, and ranchers carving out huge ranches in the outback needed a rugged and dependable boot that stood up to extremes for years on end.  Boots were not only a necessity, they were a rare commodity.  No online sales back then, and the nearest emporium was weeks away

 

Since 1870
The Blundstone 550.

 

For a boot company to survive this long means only one thing: innovation.  The early Blundstone SPS (Shock Protection System) was improved upon over the years, while keeping its original smooth leather breathability and superior support as it evolved into the Blundstone SPS-X-Tra.  The X-Tra is for the additional heel shock support. The new Blundstone-X-Tra is a trademarked SPA dual density polyurethane Nitrile rubber sole made actually of Thermo Urethane & Polyurethane.
Blundstone has once again revolutionized comfort in footwear while reducing workplace fatigue and orthopedic problems in the lower back, legs, and feet. Dynamic tests indicate that the X-Tra produces an average reduction in shock transmitted to the leg by 33% at a brisk walking pace. Technical data sheets are available giving results from physical tests conducted by CSIRO Division of Chemical & Polymers, computer (finite element) analysis conducted by Integra Tooling Systems Pty Ltd.  Static and dynamic testing by La Trobe University School of Human Biosciences and the National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics indicated that Blundstone-X-Tra is a superior boot for reducing foot and leg stress.

The low calf boots are so supple, and with the front and back pull loops, easy to get on and easier to kick off.  Most boots require 2-3 weeks to break-in, but my pair of Blundstone 550’s was instantly ready for the goldfields of the Black Hills the first time I wore them. I clambered over river rocks and the packet of Nikwax that came with them made them exceptionally waterproof. Blundstone’s SPS X-Tra are enhanced with the use of PORON, the world’s most advanced microcellular shock absorbing material. SPS-X-Tra includes an extra PORON strike pad that adds another level of shock protection where it is most needed, in the heel strike zone. Other features include:

  • One-piece dress leather upper, lined with 3/4- goatskin and drylex. This combination literally moulds to the shape of your foot. It’s no wonder why they are so comfortable.
  • Rugged (new) TPU sole that is injection molded to the upper. There is no stitching or gluing to attach the sole to the upper. The two are fused. That’s why they wear so well.
  • Blundstone round toe with elastic sides is the classic Blundstone look; great for the office or outdoor adventure.

My Blundstone 550’s also came with separate multi-fit inner soles. Some people need less space for one foot but more for the other; and the thickness of the socks you wear also make a difference.  So if you are one of these people Blundstone includes a pair of inner soles that fit loose in the boot.  Just remove the blue footpads from the inside of the boots and place the inner soles in and then put the foot beds back in over the top.   The boots retail for about $160 USD or so, so excuse me while I hunt down some gold nuggets with my MineLab metal detector, also made in Australia.

In the USA  www.sugarriveroutfitters.com  and www.blundstoneusa.comsell more 550’s than anyone else. Their staff has visited the Blundstone factory and they’re experts on fitting and helping answer all your Blundstone questions; they specialize in the Blundstone brand. Call toll free 888/310-1116.

BackTrack D Tour.

 

 

When out in the wilds metal detecting the precious gold I often become absent minded about my location.  Not anymore, because now with my simple to use BackTrack D Tour GPS from Bushnell I can record and track my way back to my base camp. With the BackTrack I can mark up to five waypoints, more than enough for me because I don’t move around that much when sweeping the knick-knick bushes for ore below their roots.

I can even upload and access my trip online on my laptop PC (or Mac) computer. Hah – I wish the old timer prospectors like Potato Creek Johnny could see this new fangled technology.  The Bushnell will log up to 24 hours of trip data and even overlay the route on Google Maps automatically.  Hikers, runners, and Shadow EBikers will never get lost with this location finder because it records time, temperature, altitude, and length and speed of my trip, and it is even a digital compass.

 

 

Sheex.

 

 

Although the Black Hills are officially considered part of the Rocky Mountains, the peaks around my goldfield camp only rise to about 5,780 feet, but there are rugged gulches that snake and switch back through the mineralized geology and the gulches tend to appear the same.

When the hot lava dome pushed up through the earth it left behind fluted pegmatite pipes that cooled on the top of the gulches, this is where to look for the rarified inert gold squeezed along the cracks. I don’t camp in a tent much anymore unless I am wrangling horses in the Big Horns; I have moved on up to a 19-foot camper that has every convenience of home. I brought along my techno wonderful Sheex pillow cases because their high performance is unrivaled for getting a great night’s rest.  I don’t even hear the howling coyotes, but I did awake one night when a mountain lion made a meal of one of the whimpering canines.  I don’t think even Sheex makes a product for that.

Tests prove that there is a link between sleep quality and over-all health, wellness, and even athletic performance.  Sheex are made with the finest and softest performance fabrics featuring exclusive Sleep-Fit Technology for superior comfort and performance, including:

  • Temperature Control —< Sheex transfers body heat 2x better than traditional bedding for cooler deeper rest
  • Moisture Transport — Sheex wicking properties keeps you dry and comfortable
  • Breathability  —tica,  Sheex breaths
  • Precision Fit — Sheex flexible microfibers offer optimum fit on all mattress types
  • Superior Feel — Sheex is soft and luxurious to the touch, better and smoother than silk in my opinion, and easier to clean, just hand wash them
  • Durability — Sheex  has advanced fade, wrinkle, and shrink resistance

The ideal ambient sleeping temperature for most people is between 65-70 degrees, but in the high country’s cool night air I cool off too much, but Sheex seems to regulate my body temperature under the sheets to the ideal degree range. The body sees a slight drop in temperature just before falling asleep and traditional sheets trap heat and disrupt the ideal ambient sleep pattern. Testing at the North Carolina State University Center for Research on Textile Protection and Comfort demonstrated that Sheex performance bedding holds a proven advantage over cotton for enabling and maintaining optimum thermal conditions for sleep. But even with Sheex you never should exercise or eat three hours prior to sleeping.

Sheex was founded by nationally recognized coaches/athletes Susan Walvius and Michelle Marciniak after witnessing first-hand the evolution and benefits of performance fabrics in athletics. NFL players, triathlon ironmen, and celebrities use Sheex to increase their performance. Although Sheex is basically a nautical line for boaters, I found them perfect for the home or camper.

 

 

Mizuno Running Shoes.

 

 

The US Forest Service has been closing off logging and arterial roads in the Black Hills to vehicular traffic, and I am all for it in most cases because it brings us back closer to nature without annoying ATV fumes, jeeps, and boisterous gas engines.  There are thousands of deer and elk trails weaving through the Hills like braided ropes.  These trails are great for running because they are gentle in pitch but I can still get a heart pounding work out.  I carry my new Nikon 500P Coolpix camera when I run.  I often get the best game photos before they catch wind of me.

 



Wave Cabrakan 3 Trail
Running Shoes by Mizuno. 

 

Mizuno has been making running and light weight outer gear for quite some time, but when I received a pair of their light weight Wave Cabrakan 3 Trail Running Shoes I knew how to put them to use.  The shoes are so light, only about 12 ounces, that I can actually sneak up on the game — dare I call them “sneakers”?

Although the Mizuno warranty is only for sports running, I think the cluster of hen turkeys I spooked up when I came over a rise in the trail would consider me a sports runner.  They looked at me goggle-eyed but I did get their portrait before they rustled off through the fallen oak leaves.  The Wave Cabrakan 3 Trail Running Shoes come in the color of Turkish Sea or Cyber Yellow-Anthracite.  They have a water reinforced AIRmesh, a reinforced vamp, and a full-length Wave plate; the Wave Cabrakan 3 provides protection without sacrificing fit or flexibility.  Check out the handy Mizuno’s Precision Fit system to help you find the running shoe that works best in harmony with your body by visiting www.MyPrecisionFit.com  and for other Mizuno products worldwide visit www.Mizuno.com

I don’t know how the company keeps the shoes so light, it was like lifting air, but now they have an even lighter line of shoes than the Wave Cabrakan 3 Trail Running Shoes, called the Wave Universe 4.  These must be the shoes that the mythical god Mercury wore — with wings on the heels.

 

 

— Feature by Kriss Hammond, Editor, Jetsetters Magazine.

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