Doomsday Bicycle Tour Lets You Ride To The End Of The World

by Melanie Renzulli on

What do you want to be doing when the world ends in December? If your answer is exploring Mayan temples ruins, gazing upon volcanoes and waterfalls, and basking in Central America‘s warm autumn sun all from the seat of your mountain bike, then Tour d’Afrique has a pretty epic tour for you to consider.

Tour d’Afrique’s Doomsday Ride is a 2,300-kilometer (1,429-mile) transcontinental bike expedition along the “Ruta Maya” timed to coincide with the end of the world according to the Mayan Calendar. The trek begins in San Jose, Costa Rica, on November 17, 2012, and follows a winding, but well-scouted, route through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Belize. It concludes at the Lamani Mayan Temple outside of Belize City, Belize, on December 21, 2012 – the supposed date of the apocalypse.

Along the way, participants will get to check out Mayan ruins at Tikal and Copan; the great colonial architecture in the city of Granada, Nicaragua’s erstwhile capital; and villages, markets, rainforests, volcanoes, crater lakes and many other slices of life and nature off of the tourist track. If you can’t take off for the full five weeks of the expedition, Tour d’Afrique offers three shorter sections that average between 10 days and two weeks.

To learn more about the tour, the route, rates and schedules, check out Tour d’Afrique’s La Ruta Maya – the Doomsday Ride Blog.

71-Year-Old Grandmother To Bike From Russia To France

by Melanie Renzulli on

After having traversed Russia no fewer than 16 times by bike, what’s next? For 71-year-old grandmother Yulia Mikhailyuk, the next step is a bicycle journey from the western Russian city of Tver to Paris, France.

According to Russia Today, Ms. Mikhailyuk, a former physical education teacher, took up biking only after her 50th birthday as something to do after retirement. Since then, she has cycled her way across the largest country in the world 16 times, riding from dusk until dawn, stopping only for half-hour meal breaks and to sleep in a tent along the roadside.

The trip to Paris is a new challenge for the senior cyclist, who is making the trek to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Russian victory over France in the Napoleonic War of 1812. Ms. Mikhailyuk expects the 2,867-kilometer (1,781-mile) Tver to Paris bike trip to take approximately two months to complete.


New Bike Club In China Allows You To Cycle On The Roof

by Jessica Festa on

While rooftop lounges, bars and pools are common, have you ever heard of a rooftop bike club? Holland-based NL Architects is bringing Dutch bike culture to southern China with a new concept in cycling.

The rooftop velodrome is actually part of a resort in Sanya in the Hainan province, and will feature a pagoda roof with curves and inclines to increase cyclists’ speed and velocity. Moreover, underneath the track are restrooms, a glass-enclosed cafe and a bike rental area. To get downstairs, a large staircase sits in the center of the track, which appears to float in the air.

Completion of the rooftop bike club is set for the end of 2012.

[photo via nl architects]

The Next Must-Have Adventure Gear? The ‘Invisible’ Bike Helmet

by Melanie Renzulli on



Hate traveling with a bulky, plastic bike helmet? Say hello to the Hövding Bike Helmet, an ingenious invention out of Sweden that takes up only a sliver of space in your luggage and activates only upon impact, much like a car’s airbag.

Reminiscent of the zippered collar of an athletic jacket, the scarf-like Hövding contains a folded-up “invisible” nylon hood whose trigger mechanisms are controlled by sensors that pick up on the abnormal movements of the bike rider wearing it. The sensors are charged via USB port.Admittedly, the inflated hood does look a bit dorky, despite the lovely Swedish model wearing it. Then again, helmet head could become a thing of the past once the Hövding takes off. Another stylish aspect of this space-saving design is that its shell is interchangeable, allowing bikers to match the collar with their outfits.

I would run out and get a Hövding immediately, but there are two problems. One: it’s sold only in Sweden and the United Kingdom. Two: it currently retails for around $560.




Once the price comes down for the Hövding, do you think you’d buy it to augment or replace your travel gear? Tell us in the comments!

Love Camping And Biking? Try Kamp-Rite’s Midget Bushtrekka

by Jessica Festa on

For those interested in ecotourism as well as the great outdoors, here is a piece of gear that is perfect for you. Kamp-Rite has introduced a unique kind of bike trailer that allows campers to set up a special Kamp-Rite Oversize Tentcot tent on top of the trailer. While this may sound like you’d be sleeping on unsteady ground, the company insists that the product’s fully adjustable leveling jacks ensure a comfortably horizontal sleep on any terrain.

The Midget Bushtrekka also features a pivoting wheel set, which the website explains makes it excellent for off-roading.

“By utilizing two wheels under each side of the trailer, harnessed to a pivoting rocker frame, the trailer can easily absorb most of the uneven terrain in its environment,” says the Kamp-Rite website.

These “midget” contraptions are actually quite large, weighing 56 pounds with 41 gallons of storage capability. The tent itself is comfortable for one person, and a tight-squeeze for two, at 90 inches in length, 32 inches in width and 40 inches in height. While at $899.99 the product is pricey, though it does include the tent.

For a better idea of this innovative product, check out the gallery below.

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