DZR... getting press

(who's that guy in the white shirt in the back creepin ;)

Waterproof 1, Water resistant 0 (unless your intent is for _resistant)

I have worked in the softgoods/footwear industry for roughly a combined 8 years prior to Industrial Design school. It seems as if I was never certain between the water resistant vs waterproof debate. So here it is...

To be truly "waterproof", the garment must be made from a "waterproof" fabric and have sealed, or taped seams so that rain does not leak in through the small perforations made by sewing needles during the construction of the garment. Sealing and taping seams takes special equipment and extra time. As such, it adds substantially to the cost of the garment. If the garment is made from a "water resistant" fabric, that usually means that a coating has been applied to the fabric to help repel water. Water resistant fabrics work very well for light rains, or drizzels, but may get soaked over time and are not considered to be "rain gear". If you are looking for protection from rain, you must look for garments made from "waterproof" fabrics, not "water resistant" fabrics.

–Bicycleapparel.com

The pitfalls of cleated cycling shoes. Pun intended.

Count em... i've fallen over 6x in the two months since i got my spd-sl cycling shoe system because I wasn't fast enough to twist out of my pedal.

The last incident, last night, was right in front of Bob's Donuts on Polk St. Lady inside was nice enough to scream out loud, "are you okay?"

I believe she was sincere. I couldn't help but laugh about it as I walked over.

(Lesson: shit happens all the time, and this shit could be worse. but since it wasn't the worst, you just have to smile and move on (physically, not always)!)

Image is everything, or at least a big part of cycling

link Perceptive barriers to cycling?

A recent study conducted by University of Sydney's Dr. Chris Rissel reveals "popular perceptions of cyclists can make or break our decision to take up the sport."

In other words, the image/perceptions of hardcore cyclists, such as lycra-clad racers and reckless hipsters on brakeless fixies, that many non-cyclists or newbies have may provide enough reason to not get into bicycle riding.

Dr. Rissel summarizes it best (for me and my thesis development in particular) when he says, "Cycling, and especially cycling for transport, is not yet seen as a mainstream activity in Sydney. Encouraging more people to ride bicycles for short trips wearing regular clothes, without the need for specialized clothing or equipment, will improve and normalize the image of cycling."

What do you think reader? Comments always welcome!

Clarks Air Circulation System

Clarks shoes air circulation system

May not be the chic-est, but definitely a technology worth exploring. Maybe I'll get a cross-section up soon of how it works. Check the link in the meantime.

progress wall

A snapshot of my thesis progress wall. More to come...