The first docking station for the new TFL bicycle hire scheme has been installed in the city. Southwark Street is home to 36 new cycle hire docks before the scheme rolls out on the 31st July.

The site is close to London Bridge tube station, and in walking distance of Borough Market.

Tags: barclays, borough market, cycle hire, Cycle London, docking station, southwark
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Nokia is developing a bicycle powered mobile phone charger for its handsets. The device, consisting of charger unit, handlebar mount, dynamo, and 2mm charger jack, will be priced around €15 and should be available at the of the year.

Nokia says that 10 minutes of pedalling at 6mph (10kph) is enough to power 28 minutes of talk time or 37 hours of standby.

The kit could be useful as a sat nav system for bicycles, using Nokia’s Ovi Maps turn-by-turn directions, without having to worry about running out of battery on longer rides.

Nokia Charger

Tags: Charger, Dynamo, Energy, Navigation, Nokia, Phone
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Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute have created bicycle helmet that stinks when damaged.

Helmet manufacturers state that once the helmet becomes cracked, the integrity of the helmet safety structure is compromised and becomes less effective.

Fraunhofer have come up with a process that injects microcapsules of malodorous oils into the helmet itself, causing it to smell when damaged, thus alerting the user that it’s time to replace it.

Fraunhofer helmet

Tags: Fraunhofer, Helmet, Safety
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“My friend had his wheels stolen. A week later, the guy who looks after the building next to his turns up with his wheels. And my friend finds this on YouTube of the same guy stealing them!”

Tags: daylight, New York, theft, usa, video
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