Bike helmets save lives, but they have two strikes against them: They can be cumbersome and difficult to carry when you aren’t wearing them, and let’s face it, they often look pretty dorky. Closca, a Valencia, Spain-based helmet maker, seeks to solve both of those problems with a new helmet that looks cool and can fold up for easy storage between rides.

Read the rest of Closca Unveils Stylish Urban Bike Helmet That Folds Up for Easy Storage

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Post tags: bicycles, bike helmet, biking, Closca, Closca helmet, foldable bike helmet, folding bike helmet, urban bike helmets, urban biking

Technology has brought bike accessories way past the classic bell-and-handlebar-streamer setup. Monkey Light Pro enables you download and display your own LED animations. The kit consists of four pieces for each wheel that can be bolted to the spokes. The waterproof, full-color display is already loaded with artwork and is able to be customized with personal playlists via Bluetooth. Good for eight hours of run time, the built-in lithium-ion battery is able to be recharged via USB cable. The lights are stabilized for speeds ranging from 10-40mph and are double-sided so that everyone has the chance to see you ride in style.

Read the rest of Monkey Light Pro Lets You Download and Animate Your Own Bike Wheel Display

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Post tags: animation, bicycle, bluetooth, California, cycloscreen, fukushima wheel project, interbike, kickstarter, LED, maker faire, monkey light pro, monkeylectric, old bond, rohs compliant, siggraph, sxsw, university of brisbane

A UK company called Jelly Products just unveiled the Loopwheel – a safe, beautiful bike wheel with a built-in suspension system that could revolutionize the compact bicycle industry. The Loopwheel is compatible with just about any small-frame bicycle and has already busted through its Kickstarter goal – so it may be headed to a bike shop near you very soon.

Read the rest of Loopwheel Reinvents the Bike Wheel With a Suspension System Built Into the Rims

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Post tags: alternative transportation, bike commuting, bike design, bikes, compact bikes, folding bikes, Loopwheels, tires, UK, wheels

The 4StrikeBike features handlebars that double as an extra set of pedals! Designed by Dutch firm TSG Essempio, the bike is a real treat for passionate cyclists, people with back problems and compulsive multi-taskers. The hand pedals can be fixed upright when navigating city traffic or engaged to provide extra power when crossing longer distances at higher speeds. Retired Dutch surgeon Lex van Stekelenburg came up with the idea after developing back problems. The bike works therapeutically by distributing body weight more naturally than a conventional bicycle.

Read the rest of 4StrikeBike Can Be Pedalled With Hands and Feet at the Same Time

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Post tags: 4StrikeBike, bicycle design, bicycling, bike design, bike designs, cycling, dutch design, flexible bike design, flexible design, green bicycle design, green transportation, therapeutic cycling, transformable design, TSG Essempio

A new bike-powered generator can help cyclists power their lives, “one pedal at a time”. The Siva Cycle Atom clips directly to your bike and harnesses your pedal-pushing energy, storing it in a rechargeable battery. Urban bikers can easily power their devices on the go by connecting them to a usb cord. Cyclists can nab their Atom by supporting the creators’ Kickstarter campaign.


Read the rest of Siva Cycle’s Atom Generator Charges Your Gadgets While You Ride

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Post tags: bicycle generator, bike powered generator, eco design, green design, kinetic energy, lithium batteries, rechargeable kinetic generator, Siva Cycle Atom, sustainable design

Carrera’s foldable bicycle helmet is a stylish piece of safety gear that neatly folds up to fit in your bag! The innovative helmets are made up of adjustable strips that provide a custom fit, making it more likely that the helmet will stay securely fastened should an accident occur.

Read the rest of Carrera Foldable Bike Helmets Conform to Your Noggin and Can be Stashed in Your Bag

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Post tags: bike helmets, bike safety, Carrera foldable bicycle helmet, eco design, green design, green transportation, sustainable design

Switzerland-based Stromer just launched their new ST1 pedal-assisted electric bike for the US market. These superbly engineered e-bikes feature a seamlessly integrated battery located inside the frame and an onboard interface the size of an iPod Nano which shows an abundance of information including battery charge, energy consumption rates, average speed, as well as the distance and duration of rides.

Read the rest of Stromer’s New ST1 Electric Bike is a Battery-Powered City Cruiser

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Post tags: "clean energy", battery-powered bikes, bicycle design, bicycling, bike charger, e-bikes, electric bike design, green transportation, iPod Nano bike, Stromer Electric Bike, Stromer ST1 bike

Uon Lights are rechargeable bicycle lights that increase the visibility of cyclists at night and allow them to signal their intentions to turn. Designed by Singapore-based Tan Yong Kuan and Malvina Fransisca Wijaya, the lights are designed to encourage cycling as an eco-friendly mode of transportion and reduce the ecological footprint of using disposable batteries. Uon Lights just launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to support the project – check it out here and donate today!

+ Uon Lights

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Post tags: battery-free bike light, bicycling, bike, bike lights, bike turn signals, cycling, cycling safety, green design, green gadgets, led light, rechargeable bike lights, safe biking, sustainable design, uon lights

Last week, we showcased the Bicycle Library, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, and it was so unusual that we had to get in touch with its founder and pick his brain. We needed to know what makes a person wake up one morning and want to start a library where people take out bikes instead of books – and in a revamped double decker bus, no less?! So we caught up with Karta Healy, the driving (or should we say cycling?) force behind this mobile resource, and found out the answers to those questions and more – read on to see what he said.

Read the rest of INTERVIEW: We Talk to Bicycle Library Founder Karta Healy

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Post tags: bicycle library, bike library, bike rental, Eco Architecture, eco design, green architecture, green design, inhabitat interview, INTERVIEW: We Talk to Bicycle Library Founder Karta Healy, karta healy, recycled double decker bus, rent a bike, repurposed double decker bus, sustainable design, the bicycle library

Ridekick International, a Colorado-based group whose mission is to encourage people to replace short car trips with bicycle rides has come up with a handy solution for parents who might be hesitant to pedal off on errands with the kids in tow. The Ridekick Electric Child Trailer is a motorized carrier that slots onto the back of your bicycle, and with a DC hub motor and a lithium-ion battery can push a bike on a single charge for up to 15 miles.

READ MORE >

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Post tags: Child Trailer, Children Bike, e-bike, electric bike, Electric Bike Trailer, Kid Trailer, Motorized Bike Trailer, Ridekick Trailer

The City of Brotherly Love is set to become the next city to join bike-share craze. Last year, the Mayor’s Office of Transportation & Utilities joined forces with the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council to issue a RFP for a strategic bike sharing plan.  This week Toole Design Group was chosen to roll out the city’s first bike share!

Read the rest of Toole Design Chosen to Launch Philadelphia Bike Share Program

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Post tags: Bicycle COalition of Philadelphia, bike share program, eco design, green design, Mayor's Office of Transportation & Utilities, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Philadelphia Bike Share, sustainable design, Toole Design Group

We’ve seen iPhone amplifiers made from bamboo cane, transformed vinyl records and sculptural ceramic. Now Eco-made has produced the Eco-amp – an affordable, pocket-sized speaker made from recycled FSC-certified cardboard!

Read the rest of The Eco-Amp is a Low-Cost iPhone Speaker Made from Recycled Materials

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Post tags: Biodegradable, Eco-amp, Eco-made, green gadgets, green products, iPhone Amplifier, recyclable, recycled cardboard, Recycled Materials, recycling / compost

This futuristic bike from nCycle combines a stripped-down and streamlined frame with a powerful electric motor to offer a speedy alternative to automotive transportation. The fold-up bicycle has built-in brakes and lights, yet the frame remains thin and lightweight.

Read the rest of Innovative Folding nCycle Speeds Towards Futuristic E-Bike Design

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Post tags: e-bike, futuristic bicycle, green design, green transportation, innovative electric bike, nCycle, skyrill, sustainable bicycles, sustainable design

Los Angeles is hoping to rid its reputation of grid-locked traffic by launching the country’s second largest bike share next spring. Come April, Bike Nation will transform the car-laden city into a green transportation hub with a bike share program that will bring 4,000 bikes, complete with solar-powered bike stations, to downtown LA. The $16 million project will provide bikes to the public for $6 a day, or $75 for a full year.


Read the rest of Nation’s Second Largest Bike Share Program Coming to Los Angeles This Spring

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Post tags: Bike Nation, bike share Los Angeles, downtown LA bike program, eco design, green design, green transportation, second largest bike share USA, sustainable design

Guys can be notoriously hard to shop for, but fear not – our 2012 Green Holiday Gift Guide is here to take all the guesswork out of giving presents to fathers, brothers, sons, and friends. From a set of classic sunglasses made from reclaimed wood to a stylish bamboo wristwatch and a dashing tweed blazer perfectly suited to riding a bike, read on for our top green gifts for him!

GREEN GIFTS FOR HIM >

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Post tags: All Stripe Organic Sock Box, Alternative Apparel, Baxter / Base Camp x Straight Razor, Baxter of California, Berke Polo, Best Made Co., Best Made Co. Lumberlander Camp Blanket, Clean Spirited, Couch Guitar Straps, Deadstock Lambswool Hopsacking Tie, eco christmas, eco friendly gifts for guys, eco friendly gifts for men, eco friendly presents, eco friendly presents for guys, eco holiday, eco xmas, eco-friendly gifts, environmentally friendly gifts, environmentally friendly presents, etsy, Filson, General Knot and Co., gifts for guys, gifts for him, gifts for men, green christmas, green gift guide, green gifts, green gifts for guys, green gifts for him, green holiday, green holiday gift guide, green presents, green xmas, juniper ridge, Lands End, Lands End Canvas, Lands End Canvas Madison Bike Blazer, Levis, Levis x Filson Oil Finish Trucker Jacket, Lumberlander Camp Blanket, made in the USA gifts, Mail + Geotz Shaving Cream and Face Wash, Malin + Goetz, Malin and Goetz, men, Mike Bicycle, Oil Finish Trucker Jacket, Oswald Wood Sunglasses, pact, Pact All Stripe Organic Sock Box, Park and Bond, Phillips Head Screw Cufflinks, presents for guys, presents for men, pure fix cycles, Red Label Navy Duffle Bag, Schwood, Schwood sunglasses, Seed Organic Wood Phloem Watch, Seed Watches, Vegan Recycled Sear Belt Guitar Strap, Wildcrafted Soap Gift Pack

Those of you who own an iPad will be familiar with one very annoying flaw: the less-than-optimal back-facing speaker. In order to bring the volume up without resorting to external speakers or headphones, Nonlinear Studio created Amplifiear. This clever, low-tech accessory is made from recyclable ABS plastic and can be clipped to the corner of any iPad model, boosting your favorite tunes while keeping it streamlined and stylish.

Read the rest of Nonlinear Studio’s Amplifiear Pumps Up the Volume on Your iPad Electricity and Cord Free

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Post tags: "energy efficiency", ABS, Amplifiear, amplifier, clean tech, Evan Clabots, green gadgets, green products, low tech, Nonlinear Studio, recyclable plastic, recycling / compost, sound booster

While America struggles to accommodate the tide of vehicles on the roads, the Dutch have a different problem entirely. Rather than worrying about road rage, they are worrying about lane rage as they deal with too many bicycles on the streets. While it sounds like a nice problem to have, it does raise real questions about how to accommodate bike traffic in a country where the number of bikes outnumbers the number of people.

Read the rest of With Millions of Bikes on the Road, Dutch Cyclists Deal with Gridlock, Scarce Bike Parking and “Bike Rage”

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Post tags: Amsterdam bicycle parking, Belgium bike lane use, bicycle travel, commuting by bicycle, Dutch bicycle commute, Dutch lane rage, green transportation, Netherlands bicycle overcrowding

Read the rest of Top 8 Green Gadgets Worthy of James Bond

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Post tags: 007, daniel craig, electric vehicles, green gadgets, James Bond, james bond gadgets, MI-6, q james bond, secret agent, skyfall, skyfall gadgets, solar-powered vehicles, spy gear

Inhabitat’s Green Halloween Costume Contest received hundreds of incredibly crafted costumes – and after an intense bout of online voting we’re thrilled to announce our winners! From a ghastly Two-Face covered in gore to a life-size LEGO minifig and a hilarious bucket of cheese balls, our winners wowed us with their creativity and DIY skill. Hit the jump for the grand prize winner of a Kilo Glow bike from Pure Fix Cycles, our editors’ choice Nokero Solar Light Bulb winners, and our runners-up – all of whom scored organic cotton Inhabitat t-shirts!

Read the rest of ANNOUNCING: Inhabitat’s 2012 Green Halloween Costume Contest Winners!

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Post tags: barrel of cheese balls halloween costume, costume contest, diy costume, diy costume ideas, eco-friendly costume, green halloween, green halloween 2012, green halloween diy costume contest, halloween, halloween costume, halloween costume ideas, handmade halloween costumes, homemade halloween costume, Inhabitat Green Halloween Costume Contest, inhabitat halloween costume contest winners, photobooth halloween costume, sustainable costume, working camera halloween costume, zombie lego minifig halloween costume

This is your last chance to vote for your favorite Green Halloween Costume Contest finalists!

Hey Inhabireaders! Today is the last day to vote in our annual Green Halloween Costume Contest. We received hundreds of incredible DIY Halloween costumes from readers across the globe, but only 34 have made it into the final cut. It’s now up to YOU, dear readers, to select a grand prize winner to receive fame, fortune, and a glow-in-the-dark Kilo Glow bike (worth $399) from Pure Fix Cycles! From a Zombie LEGO minifig to an incredibly creative and crafty Photobooth Costume, a real, working camera cardboard costume and a hilarious barrel of cheese balls, there is no shortage of awesome costumes - so check out all of our finalists and vote for your favorite! The polls close TONIGHT at 11:59 PM EST — get on it!

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE DIY COSTUME >

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Post tags: costume contest, diy costume, diy costume ideas, eco-friendly costume, green halloween, green halloween 2012, green halloween diy costume contest, halloween, halloween costume, halloween costume ideas, handmade halloween costumes, homemade halloween costume, Inhabitat Green Halloween Costume Contest, inhabitat halloween costume contest finalists, sustainable costume