The Vibram FiveFingers Speed ($100) will definitely turn a few heads. This unique footwear is built on their popular Bikila platform but has the look and feel of a vintage running shoe. The Bikila was Vibram’s first model created to try and mimic a more natural running experience through a more efficient forefoot strike. The Speed offers a breathable nylon/poly mesh upper, 3M Scotchlite reflective trim, and a traditional lacing system.
The XTERRA XR-1.0 ($95) is an all-purpose trail running shoe. Featuring a blazing orange design, the XR-1.0 offers support and stability in a lightweight frame. It’s made to handle the roughness of trails yet versatile enough to handle road running too. The shoe features WILDTred technology and XHale mesh.
We were looking for the ultimate headphones for running and we think we might have found them in the Sennheiser PMX 680 Sports Earbud Headphones ($80). These sport headphones are a joint effort from adidas and Sennheiser. They aim to provide top quality sound, a great fit, and resistance to sweat, grime, hold, and water.
The headphones offer two earbuds with optional foam earpads. They fit comfortably on your ear without having the buds stuck inside the ear canal. The rest of the headphones is placed over each ear with the neckband clear behind the head. They have a snug yet comfortable fit thanks to slight inner tension of the flexible band. It’s not too tight nor too loose. The headphones are made to universally fit any size and shaped head. Read the rest of this post »
It was only a matter of time but the first touchscreen GPS bike computer is here. The Garmin Edge 800 GPS Bike Computer Bundle ($650) offers it all — touchscreen bike computer, turn-by-turn navigation, heart rate monitor, and cadence sensor kit.
The Edge 800 comes with built-in maps, the ability to use routes recorded by other cyclists, and is compatible with microSD cards for even more flexibility. You can track distance, speed, location, and ascent/descent statistics. The touchscreen is sensitive enough to respond to a gloved hand and the unit is waterproof to IPX7 standards.
An oldie but a goodie. The North Face is bringing back the past with the Men’s TNF Vintage Patch Tee ($25). With a retro design, this Vintage Patch Tee offers a graphic from The North Face past. The shirt is super soft sueded cotton and comes in three cool colors (deep water blue, graphite grey, and scottish moss green).
New to the GPS trainer market is the Timex Ironman Global Trainer GPS Sport Watch with Heart Rate Monitor ($325). This multi-function watch measures your location, tracks altitude ascents and descents, and calculates distances and speed rates. It  features SiRFstar III GPS technology and records up to 100 GPS waypoints.
Also included is a heart rate chest strap that sends continuous readings to your watch which you can use during your workouts.
Once your workout is done, all the data can be downloaded and analyzed via online training software.
The best part of the watch is its 4 window split screen. You can now get easy access to quick information at one glance versus fiddling around with multiple buttons.
For some reason, we’re still a bit partial to Lance Armstrong’s US Postal Service Pro Cycling Jersey. His latest jersey for Team Radio Shack ($150) lacks some luster of the Red, White, and Blue but will still be a winner this 2010 racing season.
The official jersey offers a large Radio Shack logo in the middle, Trek and Nike logos across the chest, and of course the Yellow LIVESTRONG band on the left cuff.
The majority of the jersey is made of Mircron, a 100% polyester fabric that offers quick moisture evaporation. It also has a honeycomb-textured knit for breathability.
For those who don’t commute to work in spandex tights and bike jerseys will appreciate the KEEN Austin Pedal Shoes ($120). The Austin Pedal is a stylish waterproof leather shoe that has a great urban look. It’s classic Oxford design masks the fact that it is also SPD compatible. This means you can have the convenience of clipping into your bike without looking like you’re going out to ride a century.
