- Specialized partners with Stanford to understand exercise effects on cognition – With support from the Specialized Foundation, Stanford research is working to better understand how cycling and general exercise can build a better foundation for kids learning with ADHD. Ongoing research has suggested that exercise has an effect on brain function and especially the ability to understand and process learning in children with ADHD. Specialized’s own Mike Sinyard has struggled with ADHD since childhood, and discovered that his mood and ability to concentrate improved after time spent on the bike. With that in mind, last year Sinyard launched the Specialized Foundation, dedicated to funding research and cycling programs to improve the lives of children. Stanford researcher Allan Reiss, MD connected with the foundation and is expanding work on brain development and disorders that affect children, using neural imaging to identify how genetics, environment, the brain, and behavior all interact in children, and how to develop interventions to help them live to their fullest potential. Really interesting work that begs to be looked at even more…
Where & How to Ride
- Register now for Summer Gravity Camps at Whistler – Registration has just opened up for Summer Gravity Camps hosted at the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. Those looking to progress their skills in the park have the opportunity to be taught by industry leading pros, including Brandon Semenuk, Graham Agassiz and Brett Rheeder. Youth (18 & under) camps run July 2-9, 9-16 & 16-23. Adult (19+) camps are July 23-30, July 30-Aug 6. There is even an Adult Enduro camp from July 30-Aug 6 as well. Registration and info at: SummerGravityCamps.com
- Travel with Trek and float the Danube or Rhine while you aren’t pedaling – Trek Travel has teamed up with luxury river cruise company Scenic to offer two new bike and river cruise trips in 2017. The trips combine a bicycling and river cruise on the Danube with stops in Nuremberg, Germany and Budapest, Hungary or a separate bike and cruise itinerary from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, Netherlands on the Rhine River. They aren’t cheap but offer all-inclusive support to ride and relax as you travel across Europe. TrekTravel.com
- Enjoy the Ride: Pedal Your Way Through Minnesota – Minnesota is putting itself on the map as a top biking destination in the US. Thanks to 18 officially designated Bicycle Friendly Communities and 73 Bicycle Friendly Businesses, the League of American Bicyclists ranks Minnesota the No. 2 bike-friendly state in the country. In recent years, the state’s also been recognized as the “Best Trails State” by American Trails, and Minneapolis is regularly ranked as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country. With more than 4,000 miles of paved trails encompassing a variety of terrain, including scenic lake loops, leisurely city rides, peaceful trails along country roads, shaded routes on paved paths, journeys near rivers and through the woods, and invigorating white-knuckle mountain biking, Minnesota offers excellent options for all types of cyclists. ExploreMinnesota.com
Gear
- Borealis fat bikes teams up with K9 Outdoor Sports for new Canada sales outlook – The partnership was formed to help sales that fell due to unfavorable exchange rates. With K9 they get a better network, less overhead, and a more direct reach to customers. The new deal effectively drops consumer pricing by about 20% immediately, and existing dealers can go direct to Borealis or K9. BorealisBikes.ca
- Mega online e-tailer Monoprice gets into consumer-direct cycling sales – Coming from undercutting the electronics industry, Monoprice is getting into Outdoor Goods and Cycling to try to go up against local bike and outdoor stores. We all know that those “big margins” at your local bike shop aren’t so big and go to a level of service that will never be matched from online shopping. But is you are hunting discount carbon, maybe it is worth looking at the Rancho Cucamonga, CA based company. They tell us they do their own safety and performance testing and back parts with a 30-day money back guarantee and a 1 year replacement warranty. Monoprice.com
