bicycles

Cycling Linked to Numbness, Irritation and More

Scientists discover tight clothes and lousy seats can be a recipe for disaster, down there

Injury in the Making?: Photo by Via Cambria Bike
To some men, bicycles may look like the key to good health and a prosperous sex life—riding around all day keeps you fit and attractive; you can save that $4.50 a gallon of gas money for your date/girlfriend/boyfriend/house party; and you get to wear really, really tight clothes. But there’s a downside. Cycling can also cause genital numbness, erection problems and skin irritations in the groin area, a new report in the urology journal BJU International confirms, citing several medical studies over the last few years.

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The Score

A Better Fit for a Better Bike

Professional and amateur cyclists alike get an instant fix with the world's most high-tech fitting system

You may never forget how to ride a bike, but remembering how it should fit is another story. For competitive cyclists, even minute adjustments to the frame can have a major impact on comfort and performance. Despite this, bike fitting has long been a black art with each technician employing her own method and metrics (plumb bob, video, rulers, etc.). Most methods have been inaccurate, tough to reproduce and based on the static position of the rider (not pedaling). Meanwhile, opposing views on the right fit have been difficult to reconcile without a standardized measurement method. Now Retul has introduced a motion-tracking system that may put those issues to rest.

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D.C. Bikeshare

The nation's capitol follows France's lead with a promising public bike program

While the news that Mayor Bloomberg's plan for NYC congestion pricing was defeated is something of a low point for urban cyclists, that coming out of Washington, D.C., is much more encouraging. Next month D.C. will become the first U.S. city to launch a public bike sharing venture like the wildly popular Vélib (short for vélo liberté) program in Paris. One hundred and twenty bicycles will be available at 10 central locations for an annual membership cost of $40.

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