Is this the most innovative/weird turbo trainer setup you’ve ever seen? Plus the rest of the week’s high tech news

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It might be Christmas but we’ve got a lot of cool new bike stuff to show you this week, including Bing bar end plugs and a bell with a hidden Apple Airtag unit, but we’re starting with a spinning bike/turbo trainer hybrid that we can safely say is special…

Is this the most innovative/weird turbo trainer setup you’ve ever seen?

We’ve seen some pretty amazing Pain Cave events over the years, but we’ve never seen anything quite like the Frankenturboterraner put together by Wayne Overbeck.


Wahoo Cyclops Trainer 1 - Wayne Overbeck

When I saw a used Kicker Core for $315, I got tired of riding around on a full suspension mountain bike on the Kick Snap. [about £260] I started looking on Craigslist and looking for a cool bike to go with it,” Wayne said. “I knew it had to be a solid fork hardtail or road bike, but it wasn’t just going to be good looking.

“Then I had an idea: Why not put a kick on a bike instead of a bike on a kicker? Okay, let’s look at spin bikes. Long story short, I fell in love with the quality, adjustability, stiffness and looks of the CycloOps Pro 300E series frame, $300. [about £250] Again on Craigslist.


Indoor Coach Wayne Overbeck - 4

“I removed the flywheel/power counter, cut the suspension and lower chainstays, and laid out the head unit. guess what? This will work, you just need to remove that swivel leg and shorten the rest on the kicker.


Indoor Coach Wayne Overbeck - 2

“Then I put in a new dropout to accommodate 12mm to the axle and (for now) a 9-speed rear wheel. I don’t think you even need chains with those huge seats, but I made one for the driver anyway.

“While I was at it, I modified the front handle bar to accept a standard 31.8mm (1.25 inch) handlebar. In the future, I’ll add more bindings to things as needed.

What do you think of Wayne’s efforts? If anyone has any home training innovations of their own, we’d love to see them.

Airbell starts with a hidden part of Apple AirTag

Apple Airtags aren’t bike-specific, so they don’t come with a mount designed for that task, but they’re an effective way to track your bike and discreetly add an element of security.


2022 Erbel bicycle bell with air compartment

So Erbel has created what looks like a regular doorbell but hides the Apple AirTag. Erbel says it’s practically impossible to tell if there’s an Air Tag hidden inside (unless you know the pattern, of course).

> Check out the best bike bells 2022

The bell works like any other bell, and the AirTag underneath can be configured to track your bike. It has a universal design meaning it fits any standard bicycle handlebar with a diameter of 22mm.

It costs £24.96 and is available to buy on Amazon.

Learn more here

Continental adds invisible markings to confirm the tire’s origin

To make the “highly complex” processes in their supply chain more transparent, Continental has piloted marker technology that verifies the geographic origin of raw materials throughout the entire tire production process.


2022 Continental invisible marking technology

With the help of this innovative technology, Continental plans to use 100% sustainably produced materials in its tires.

Marking substances allow natural rubber to be invisibly marked using “immutable chemical barcodes”. This means responsibly sourced natural rubber and its provenance can be verified at every stage of the supply chain.

> See the best winter tires 2022

Continental claims that the appearance and performance of a bicycle tire with the invisible mark will remain unchanged.

“We see great potential in marker technology. It will help us to grow and fully responsibly source the natural rubber we use in our tires in the future,” says Klaus Petchick, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tyres.

Learn more here

Muc-Off releases Bling Bar End Plugs

Muc-Off’s new Disco Bar End Plugs are designed to “add bling to the bars”, complementing other launches from the British brand of hardware and components.


2022 mucoff disc bar end plug orange

They’re compatible with most open-end MTB, road and gravel handlebar sizes, and Muc-off says they’re lightweight, strong and extremely reliable.

> Check out the best bar tapes 2022

The Disco Bar End Plugs are available in five colors – black, red, blue, pink and orange – to match the other elements you have.


2022 Muc-Off Disco Bar end pink plug

These bar end plugs are claimed to be 13g per side (26g total) and retail for £19.99.

Learn more here

Zefal presents a “waterproof and compact” handbag

“Thanks to its double strap attachment system, it quickly finds its place on any handlebar and is ideal for road, mountain bike or gravel trips,” Zefal says of the Z Adventure F2 Handlebar Bag.


2022 Zefal Z Adventure F2 handlebar bag

It has a capacity of 2.5 liters and is said to weigh 135 grams. The PVC-free nylon material Zefal claims is water and abrasion resistant, and the front zipper opens for “easy access” while riding.

The Z Adventure F2 carry bag retails for €39.95 (around £35).

Learn more here

Wot van Aert’s Tour de France bike sells for €31,001 at auction

Jumbo-Visma auctioned Cervello team bikes and signed jerseys, raising a total of €226,797 (around £200,000) to help develop new cycling talent.


Jumbo-Visma Tour de France Jonas Wingegaard Wut van Aert Sepp Cous Thiège Benoît Christophe Laporte (ASO / Pauline Ballet)

Wout van Aert’s Tour de France 2022 Cervélo S5 (green fork) sold in the winning bid for €31,001 (around £27,000), while second highest was his Cervélo S5 in jumbo-visma colors for €22,250 (around £19,600).

> Tour de France winning bike! Jonas Vingegard’s Cervelo S5

Marianne Voss’s Tour de France Femmes 2022 Cervélo S5 is up for sale, selling for €19,500 (around £17,100).

Learn more here

Speaking of auctions…

Remember what we told you about a few weeks ago about the 2023 Giro d’Italia Maglia Rosa NFT (Non-Failure Token) Auction? At the moment, the highest bid price is $600, and it’s not wowing the world.


2023 Pink Jersey NFT - 1

The package includes four physical Giro d’Italia race leader’s jerseys, a day pass for the final stage of the 2023 race, a car ride following the action, hospitality and more.

Learn more here

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