A bicycle as compact as this version promises to be would definitely be appealing—especially when gas prices are as high as they are right now. However, the plans call for plastics to be used in the frame instead of metal to keep the weight down. With all of the technology going into bike frames these days, you would think that a more advanced material could be used in the frame to add strength and drop weight. By the looks of things, this bike could be deadly to someone weighing over 150 pounds. [The Design Blog via Tech Digest]

Phil Bridge, who is studying Industrial Design, came up with the idea as he was researching reasons why people don't use pedal power to get around town. "A typical round town bike can cost several hundred pounds," says Mr Bridge. "That's a large investment for people who aren't sure whether they will use it. The idea of cardboard is to completely devalue the bike".

The bike is still at prototype stage, and Mr Bridge says he still needs to finalize the design. "The prototype does work but it is still quite limited and there are a few problems," he says. Rain, however, is not one of them, he claims.

[Design 21]

Mike placed the SunSPOT on the base of the handlebar, then connected it to the other sensors. On the top, next to the handles, you can see two sticks connected to potentiometers, which are used to control the bike's ailerons. If you turn the handlebar left or right, you simulate the rudder control. When you move it back and forth, it simulates how the yoke works, pitching the bike down or—if men in black with guns appear—up and away. For throttle, there's a photosensor on the mountain bike's back wheel, which can sense the rotation speed.

All this information gets transmitted to the SunSPOT, which has a custom Java program that talks to Google Earth on your computer, allowing you to fly across the sky looking for UFO landing sites. [Google Earth Blog]

Robert's engines run on kerosene, and he apparently builds the largest pulse jets in the world. Strapping even a small one of these roaring monsters to a bicycle sounds like madness, or at least an early start on an application for a Darwin award. At least he gets to be one of the few people in the world who could sing "Bicycle, Bicycle... I want to ride my (jet-engined) bicycle" and mean it. [Autoblog Green via Gizmo Watch]

Ad Dugdale celebrates that there's finally a bike to give the Bitchcruiser a proper ass-kicking. We celebrate the sweet, awkward video of someone riding the thing after the jump.

Yeah, we'd rather walk. I mean, walk walk, not bike walk or whatever. [arkitip via newlaunches]

Bid for your own bitchcruiser on eBay. You have until March 16th to open the auction for $2,303.81...you know, if your fantasy is riding around on the most tacky bicycles ever invented before being pulled to the ground and kicked in the testicles, repeatedly.
[ebay via randomgoodstuff]

While the design is innovative, and avoids all the bumpy ride and gyroscopic effects of traditional small wheels, to get it to be as light and strong as possible it needs a carbon-fiber structure. This, says Fitzsimmons, is one of the difficulties ahead as he tries to find a manufacturing partner. His ultimate goal is to make a really "high end city bike or courier bike that can fold up into a package like a golf bag, which could go into an overhead rack on a train or go into a plane locker." With folding carbon-fiber wheels, don't expect it to be cheap, though. [Bike Radar via OhGizmo]

Its digital rearview mirror feeds video onto its screen from a tiny camera mounted on the bike's handlebar plug or on the seat post under your butt. We were about to order one of these right away until we discovered this is just in the prototype stage thus far.

But wait. They've figured out the pricing, which ain't cheap. A fully tricked out system will cost you as much as a laptop, with the main unit costing a hefty $300, a speedometer/odometer (cyclometer) module is $60, $200 for GPS and then it's $800 for that power meter. Ouch.

But still, we really like that rear-view function. We're thinking by the time its designers find a manufacturer, perhaps they'll consider using wireless USB. [Cerevellum, via Wired]

The front and rear signal indicators each run on two AA batteries, but we're thinking it's too bad those batteries can't be charged up with a generator from your bicycle's wheel. Anyway, sure, simple forward and rear-facing lights might do the trick, anything that increases visibility couldn't hurt, and if Bicygnals save your life, they might prove themselves well worth their $83 price. [Bicygnals , via The Uber Review and Sci Fi Tech]

Let's get this straight: In its stock form, this is not exactly a racing bike—its top speed using just its nickel hydride batteries powering its 750-watt electric motor is only 20 mph, and it weighs about the same as an anvil, a hefty 58 pounds without your butt gracing its seat. But it's efficient, working like a hybrid car with its flywheel that charges up the battery when you apply the bike's brakes. We're also hearing you can hop up the thing with some aftermarket modifications, goosing its top speed up to 46 mph. No word on how long the batteries will last at that hasty clip.

Now the bad news: You'll drop $7,500 for the Electrobike Pi, and extra batteries, each good for 200 charge cycles, are $750. To be available at Design Within Reach studios in the United States, there will be just 500 of these electric bikes sold. Could be the first batch of many. Sure beats a Segway. [LA Times, via Born Rich]

The motor is powered by a lithium-ion battery, which is rechargeable. On high-power turbo mode, one charge will keep you freewheeling for up to 31 miles. There are two modes: standard and economy, which gives you up to 56 miles of aided biking before you're on your own again.

The iZip has also got a 27-speed Shimano drive-train and RockShox forks but, as yet, no price tag. [Gizmag]

Made of carbon composite, the handlebars, stem and fork are all one piece, with the ergonomic seat post and saddle integrated into the frame. Handlebars connect to frame via a pivot, and the seat even has a hole in it in case you get taken short while cycling to keep you cool while you work the pedals.

The Y-frame shape means that the Oryx is shock-proof and keeps you in contact with the road at all time, and there is a one-sided fork and chain-stay. The crank is designed like a ring and mounted inside the frame on a couple of ball bearings, and the wheels detach from the bike at the push of a button, a useful time-saver for competitions.

[Yanko]

By putting it under your desk, the stationary pedal machine allows you to work out your legs while you're working (or playing Warcraft), which gives you many times the exercise you'd normally get while just sitting there. However, it does have a weight limit of 250lbs, so you turbo fatties need to slim down a bit before grabbing one of these. – Jason Chen

Product Page [SitinComfort via Lifehacker]

Folding helmet [Coolest-Gadgets]

Seriously, we'd love to see these installed in cities over here. – Jason Chen

Thanks Per!

The entire idea is so brilliant that we're now demanding that it be installed all over San Francisco in order to ease congestion (took us nearly an hour to get from one part to another thanks to the Cherry Blossom Festival). Check out the gallery to see all 130 meters of it in action. – Jason Chen

Bicycle Lift [Fresh99 - Thanks Tomhut]

No details forthcoming. You'll know when we know. –Brian Lam

The lights point forward, back and to the side, and that's a good thing, too, because at night, the side is a bicycle's blind spot, proven to be the direction from which 75% of bike collisions occur. Stop at a traffic light and the things keep on flashing for five minutes. It's instant high visibility with no effort required.

Even though a good set of reflectors on your wheels and pedals might do the same thing as these blinkinlights, this $80 pair of pedals might give you somewhat higher visibility, perhaps saving your ass in a situation where some dolt is driving at night without his headlights on. And visibility, as we bloggers know, is a very good thing. – Charlie White

Product Page [Pedalite Ltd]

How it works: the rear extends out from the bumper far enough for you to mount your ride, which afterwards neatly folds back up and into the body so no one's the wiser. You technically have to have two license plates in your car in order to show when the rack is out, but it's much more elegant than mounting the bikes on top of your car. Not to mention easier. – Jason Chen

Opel Antara Flexes That Ass: Saturn's New Vue-To-Be Sports Techie Bike Rack Goodness [Jalopnik]