A machine capable of printing small bicycle components has gone on sale for £847. Reminiscent of the ‘replicator’, a machine in the fictional television series Star Trek that was capable of instantly creating almost anything from scratch, the Thing-O-Matic 3-D printer builds up objects using layers of the same plastic used to manufacture Lego.
The German-designed “Blacktrail”:/2010/07/22/electric-bicycle-does-60mph-costs-more-porsche carbon fibre electric bicycle stole headlines last summer with its 60mph top speed and eye-watering £50,000 price tag, but a new design of retro-fit electric motor will give a similar performance for a fraction of the price.
Imaginative cyclists are adapting their bikes for use on icy roads by fitting their bicycle tyres with cables ties. The cable ties take only a few minutes to fit and provide impressive traction on the most slippery of surfaces.
By my own admission I am a fair-weather cyclist; my daily commute has returned to the car as I am not brave enough to attempt my 16-mile ride in England’s winter months. I still use my bikes for the odd short trip, but over all my cycling has stooped to an all time low!
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