Imagine if you could have a place to repair your bike that’s not a bike shop but also allows you to buy any and all of the tools you need at point of sale?  Well, it exists now in the Uptown Transit Station in Minneapolis, MN, in the form of a kiosk and a free bike stand!

Some ideas are so simple that I am always amazed that they have never been done before when I finally do see them for the first time. I know it is an elegant solution when I hit myself in the forehead with my palm — and so was the case with the Bike Fixtation bike repair kiosk, including adjacent bike stand. Via Urban Velo, Bike Fixtation Self-service Bike Repair Kiosk:

I have not spent a lot of time checking out my RSS feeds but did this AM and stumbled upon this collapsible, reusable, water bottle called the Anti-Bottle by Vapur, via Design Milk

The Vapur Anti-Bottle reusable water bottle just launched in Canada. Vapur will hopefully help the growing issue of disposable plastic water bottles by offering a reusable, eco-friendly option. The biggest difference between the Vapur and traditional reusable bottles is that Vapur is flexible, stands upright when full and can be rolled, folded or flattened when empty, easily fitting into purses, briefcases and even pockets.

Distributed exclusively in Canada by The Tate Group, the innovative design of the Vapur Anti-Bottle maximizes space when empty and can hold up to 16 ounces of liquid when full. The highly durable bottle is freezable, dishwasher safe and BPA-free (Bisphenol A), which means it can be safely reused again and again.

From design and manufacturing, to shipping and distribution, right through to consumer use, the environment is considered throughout each step of the Vapur life cycle. The packaging is made from recycled paperboard and is printed with soy ink, using wind power for the printing process. Manufactured in the United States, Vapur is lightweight and ships flat, providing dual environmental benefits — up to 5 times more bottles per shipment container means fewer trucks on the road, lower fuel consumption and reduced carbon emissions. I gotta get my hands on one of these puppies.

I hunger for a cafe racer from the 60s and 70s but they’re seriously old bikes and are nicer to putter around town as a fair-weather cool-mobile, like any classic; however, it looks like I can have a gorgeous retro-modern club racer in the form of this brand new offering from Moto Guzzi in the form of the V7 Clubman Racer (via Swipelife)

Moto Guzzi V7 Clubman Racer

Everyone loves a throwback. Moto Guzzi’s newest under-the-radar creation made its debut at this year’s Milan Motorcycle show. With revamped cafe racers all the rage, the V7 is a recipe for success. Highlights of the bike include a powerful (and longitudinal) v-twin, unique color scheme, and retro fairings. A funky Arrow Racing exhaust, single-seat saddle, and an adjustable suspension from venerable Italian tuning house Bitubo round out the Moto Guzzi’s eccentricities. The V7 is undoubtedly a great alternative to buying an aging cafe racer and putting in the necessary wrench time, especially for those new to two wheels who are looking for a unique bike. Moto Guzzi’s press release describes the bike as “the epitome of [a] snapshot taken more than 30 years ago, and reworked by adopting the technology and quality standard of today’s manufacturing processes.” Well said.

Source: Asphalt and Rubber