Bicycle Tech In High Gear October 13, 2005

Read more PDA , Peripherals , Software

Seriously high tech cycling gear was on display in Las Vegas at the Interbike International Bike Expo. There were lots of carbon-fiber frames—this is the material that helped Lance Armstrong win the Tour, but it’s finally available to consumers in the sub-£600 price range. In the electronics category, manufacturers are now shifting away from devices that measure speed/distance/heart rate in favor of ones that measure “power output.” The Ergomo, for instance, measures:

torsion in the bottom bracket—the central spindle around which the cranks turn. As a rider pedals, the bottom bracket axle twists almost imperceptibly; the Ergomo measures this through an optical system and reports the data to its own handlebar-mounted computer.

Finally, there were some virtual race units (read: videogames) on display. The show itself took place late last month, but this show report is definitely worth a look.

High Tech Bicycle Toys at Interbike [ExtremeTech]