This week we noticed Magpie attacks in Australia, the Polar M400 GPS watch and fitness tracker, a fast Louis Garneau triathlon skin, a gourmet triathlon experience in Tuscany with Dirk Bockel, Timo Bracht's fine Mercedes Benz connection and more.
Magpies attack hard
It has been reported that Magpies are attacking cyclists in Australia and we are not only talking about fairly close encounters but actual scary dangerous pecking ones with blood drawn in some instances. The biggest concern though is that these magpies might cause a cyclist to be distracted and subsequently crash into a car, street signs or a building. Cyclists have tried a variety of tricks to ward of the flying attackers, but none have proven successful from what we hear. Trent Nicholson captured a few of these situation with his GoPro camera and shared it with us.
Polar M400 GPS watch
The Polar M400 GPS watch lets you track your running and cycling workouts and will also work for you as a daily fitness and step tracker. I have had this watch for a few weeks now and like it very well, starting with the appearance of the unit itself. It looks like an actual watch and not so much like a gadget, and you could easily wear it with nice clothes to a dressy event without looking out of place. The M400 retails for $179.95 without the heart rate strap and that is very reasonable considering all the things it does, and also what the the competition offers in that area. It connects via Bluetooth to the phone, but my new iPhone 6 has Bluetooth issues, so I was only able to enjoy that feature while I still had the iPhone 5. But hopefully soon it will work again. You can select running, cycling or other outdoor from the menu, but it is realistically mostly a running watch. But the cycling data it offers is very sufficient in terms of what I like to see on my non power meter equipped bikes. A more detailed review will be coming up.
Louis Garneau M-2 triathlon skin
You may have noticed the new race kit of Rachel Joyce in Kona on the bike and that one appears to have been inspired by the new Louis Garneau M-2 triathlon skin. This new suit according to LG was designed to provide maximum aerodynamic efficiency and optimal performances from start to finish and features a dimpled mesh construction. The M-2 also has two internal pockets that allow you to carry gels or similar without having pockets exposed to the wind. Sleeved suits have proven to be superior aerodynamically and we will likely see more and more of these units. This suit is summer 2015 product that may be available as early as November 2014.
MSRP: $299.99
A Gourmet Triathlon Experience
In late April of 2015 you could be spending a week in Tuscany with Dirk Bockel training for your own triathlon ambitions, but also enjoy the finer things in life with gourmet cooking, private luxury villa accommodations plus non-triathlon activities such as shopping, spa treatments, sightseeing, cooking classes and winery visits. After all, the world does not only evolve around triathlon and training, when it is only your hobby or passion. According to Bockel only a very small group will be accepted for this unique experience and you can learn more when you click on the link in the header.
Date: April 26th - May 1st 2015 (6 days / 5 nights)
Shimano Cycling World
A few days ago Shimano announced the opening of the Shimano Cycling World - an experimental and interactive 650 sqm bicycle center in the Singapore Sports Hub. According to Shimano the goals are enriching and developing local sports culture, and promoting cycling to the Singaporean lifestyle. The Shimano Cycling World will be open year-round and is typically accessible from 10am to 8pm on weekdays, and 10am to 9pm on weekends and holidays.
Mercedes-Benz features Timo Bracht
German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has partnered with the 2014 Datev Challenge Roth champion Timo Bracht and features him in a campaign that promotes a nice transporter, but it mostly promotes the sport of triathlon through the mind of the fast German Pro.
