News

The bicycle lock worn as a belt

March 22, 2011

The idea of wearing a bicycle lock around the waist or across the shoulder is not new; bike couriers have been doing it with heavyweight chain and cable locks for years, but the Hiplok is the world’s first bicycle lock developed specifically to be worn on the body. The principle of carrying a lock independently is sound; there is no need to...

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The £6,000 electric car you don’t need a licence to drive

March 18, 2011

Renault has unveiled a two-seater electric car that at £6,000 would be the cheapest vehicle of its kind on the market. The French car maker can afford to sell the vehicle at such a relatively low price because at less than 400kg, the Twizy is a micro car – officially referred to as a quadricycle. And unlike the approach taken by Nissan with...

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London congestion charge boost for BMW i8

March 18, 2011

BMW believes a change to London congestion charge exemption rules would help secure sales for its BMW i8, the flagship of the company’s forthcoming i sub-brand. Ian Robertson, head of BMW’s global sales and marketing, is reported as saying: “Our sales will strongly depend on legislation. Not only by big markets like the U.S. or China, but...

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Japan turns to bicycles as cars rendered all but useless

March 17, 2011

The world’s largest bicycle manufacturer, Giant, is taking emergency measures to increase the bicycle supply to Japan. Japan is a world-renowned producer of cars, but people are turning to bicycles because petrol shortages and damaged roads have rendered cars all but useless in the area worst-affected by the tsunami. Giant sells...

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The bicycle conjured from nylon powder

March 10, 2011

Aerospace company EADS has built a bicycle from a bag of nylon powder to demonstrate its latest technology for making strong and lightweight components. The Airbike has been made from nylon using a process called Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM), which generates components from a fine powder of metal, nylon or carbon-reinforced plastics....

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Northern Ireland close to compulsory cycle helmet law

March 8, 2011

Cyclists across Britain are being urged to fight plans by the Northern Ireland Assembly to enact a mandatory Cycle Helmet Bill. Cycling organisations have united to oppose the Cycle Helmet Bill, which has passed a second reading and now goes to committee stage. They point out that in Northern Ireland there were no cyclist deaths in 2009 or...

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Ban lorries from cities to protect cyclists

March 8, 2011

Lorries weighing over three-and-a-half tonnes present such a risk to cyclists in urban areas that they should be removed and a more appropriate means of delivery found, according to a recent academic report. The report, Deaths of cyclists in London: Trends from 1992 to 2006, shows that over the space of fourteen years freight vehicles were...

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SUV redefined: Range Rover unveils one-wheel-drive, single-seater

March 3, 2011

Range Rovers are evolving, and in a direction that few would have predicted. Less than a year after the luxury car maker announced plans to introduce a 2WD version of its iconic SUV, it has gone a step further by producing an emissions-free, one-wheel-drive bicycle. And whilst one might expect the maker of heavy four-wheel drive cars to...

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A camera tripod for your bicycle handlebars or helmet

March 3, 2011

Cyclists who film their rides, including those urban commuters who want the reassurance of film evidence in the event of a road traffic collision with a vehicle, are being offered an increasing number of camera and mounting options for their bikes. The £16 Flip Video Action Tripod features adjustable straps to attach it to bicycle...

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Bicycle helmets: A very British obsession

March 2, 2011

If the sight of the first snowdrop signals the arrival of Spring, then the news articles that always appear at this time each year about potholes and calls for bicycle helmets to be made compulsory must herald the forthcoming cycling season. In the news last week the AA claimed £100m is needed to rectify Britain’s roads and this week...

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