Category: Mountain Biking

Just How Many E-Bike Companies Are There Anyway? We just Hit 199 – UPDATED

jimmymac

After viewing endless advertisements from obscure e-bike companies I began to wonder: Just how many e-bike companies are there anyway? The answer is shocking. And ever expanding. Folks, the brands just keep coming and I’m not even counting the big guys! You should already know that every major bicycle company (like Specialized, Trek, Giant and Cannondale) offers e-bikes. There is also an ever-increasing number of motorcycle and automobile companies jumping into the e-bike game. I haven’t counted them either (but I probably should). The e-bikes being pitched on crowdfunding sites…

Lessons Learned From The Park & Diamond Bicycle Helmet Debacle

jimmymac

Just checked in on Park & Diamond’s progress in delivering a foldable bicycle helmet and found that, surprise, there is none. The last company update is not from the company, but from Indiegogo, the investment firm who hawked the concept helmet based on little more than a slick public relations blast. That update said, “opps.” The last update from the actual company was back in March of 2022 and provided nothing more than hollow claims of progress. The investor comments on Indiegogo are flooded with requests for refunds. My gut…

The Sad State Of Squaw Flat Road

jimmymac

While living in Fillmore, California, Squaw Flat Road at the end of Goodenough Road was my escape route. Didn’t matter if I was grunting up the climb on a mountain bike (and sometimes a road bike way before gravel bikes were invented) or twisting the throttle of a dual-sport motorcycle, the partly-paved, mostly-dirt road never got old. I rode it hundreds of times. I rode it on birthdays. I rode it solo and with close friends. I rode it at night. I rode it in the pouring rain. I rode…

Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park Founder Expands Into Custom Speakers

jimmymac

Ray Petro, the genius behind Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park in Cleveland, Ohio, has way too much energy. Not happy with setting attendance records at the park last winter, Ray needed another challenge so he founded Blueprint Acoustic, a custom speaker company where you design the speakers best for your listening enjoyment. FORCED INTO THE SPEAKER BUSINESS “I tried to order a set of speakers and was told I’d needed to wait 18 months to get them,” remembers Ray with disbelief in his voice. “That wasn’t going to work. So,…

Specialized Expands E-Bike Recall Due To Fire Concern

jimmymac

We reported last May that Specialized issued a recall for 1st-generation Turbo Levo and Kenevo e-bikes manufactured between 2017 and 2019. This was due to a fire potential created by the bikes’ battery packs (and battery packs sold separately). News on August 30th, 2022 from Specialized reveals this initial recall didn’t correct the problem completely. Specialized is expanding the scope their first recall to include additional batteries and e-bikes. The recall now covers bikes and batteries sold between 2016 to 2021. Specialized and bike shops that sell Specialized bikes will…

Opening Trails To Class-1 E-Bikes Opens Trails To All E-Bikes – UPDATED

jimmymac

E-bike designations (Class 1, 2 and 3) were written by a trade organization to do three things: (1) open previously non-motorized trails to motorized vehicles, (2) evade enforcement, and (3) sell more e-bikes. This class definition is being adopted by state and local legislators who don’t understand that opening a non-motorized trail to any class of e-bike, virtually opens the trail to all e-bikes. Here’s why. THE CLASS DISTINCTION Class-1 and Class-2 electric bicycles have less than 750 watts and cease to provide power when the bike exceeds 20 miles…

Never Spill A Drop With This Bicycle Drink Holder

jimmymac

Not totally stoked the inventor dubbed his product a “beer stabilizer” (I’ve lost friends to drunk drivers), so substitute Drink Stabilizer and you’ve got an ingenious invention. Click here to watch it in action. Don’t drink and ride: The inventor says this accessory is made for use at Burning Man and that explains a lot. Still, I wouldn’t suggest consuming alcohol while riding a bike even in the middle of the desert. Wait until you are done riding. This invention would solve the problem I’ve had riding my motorcycle with…

Reevo Hubless Bike Reveals Over-blown Expectations Of Investors

jimmymac

The Reevo Hubless E-bike concept raised over six and a half million bucks from 2,769 backers on the crowd funding site Indiegogo. Close to three years later, the majority of those backers are still waiting for their Reevo and browsing the recent comment section reveals a growing frustration from those backers. What were they expecting? INVESTING IN A CONCEPT BIKE It is clear from the comments that many considered themselves customers, not investors. These folks were naive (showing a lack of experience, wisdom or judgment) when they plunked down the…