Writing a blog is really a personal experience and so I often write about things, events and people that I interact with. This past weekend, I rode in the BP MS 150 (a bike ride from Houston to Austin that helps raise money for MS research) and had lots of time to think about things as I cycled through the Texas hill country. A recurring theme for this ride, my sixth trip for this great cause, was technology and how riders are finding ways to implement it into their cycling. Cell phones, GPS devices, ipods, stereo speakers, etc. It seemed that the majority of riders had found some way to enhance their 150+ mile ride with a bit of cycling tech.
As with any technology, one thing is required for any extended period of time…. power! Most riders carry extra batteries and I even saw some who attempted to use small solar panels to power their devices. Unfortunately, each of these solutions has their own set of problems, including a mostly-overcast ride this year. One possible solution that I have kept my eye on for some time was the use of “pedal power” for our gadgets and devices. Why not use the power of our own legs to generate the juice needed for our devices? Thankfully, the folks of Dahon were working on an answer to the same question. Their answer, released just a few months ago, was the BioLogic ReeCharge.
