Bontrager has definitely stepped outside of the box with their new Wingtip cycling shoe.  The shoe features laces that are covered by a buckled leather strap, and a nylon reinforced rubber sole.  The Wingtips are SPD compatible, so you aren’t limited to toe-cages.  While I don’t think you will see these strapped to the feet of Lance Armstrong, Bontrager is hoping to find a niche group of cyclists who want to stand out.

Bradley Wiggins, the surprise contender in the 2009 Tour de France, has made the decision to leave Team Garmin, and will join the new British cycling outfit “Team Sky”. Team Sky was announced in February of 2009, and has some lofty goals (more on this later).  Wiggins will definitely be one of the stronger riders on this team.

Taking a queue from the hybrid car designers, MIT has shown off what it views as the future of must-have bike accessories.  The concept, called the Copenhagen Wheel, is a set of intelligent components encased in the rear wheel; a battery, electric motor, bluetooth to communicate speeds to an iPhone, and various other tech.  As you slow down, the sensor detects the speed change, and uses the braking to charge up the battery.  As you speed up, the sensor detects this, and kicks in the motor to help you out …

The folks at the UK Guardian were lucky enough to ride a bamboo bike made by the bike designer and manufacturer  Craig Calfee.  Calfee is known for his high-quality handmade carbon fiber bikes, and his bikes made out of bamboo are nothing short of amazing.  Bamboo is an incredible material that is mostly environmentally friendly (according to the Guardian, Calfee uses responsibly grown bamboo too).
After reading the following quote, I’d love to try one of Calfee’s £3,000 (~$4,900) bamboo bikes:
When I first sprint off, nothing happens for a split second, …

The cyclist site has a quick post about the state of steel bikes, including some popular models, and a discussion on the resurgence in steel frames.  We’ve only reviewed one steel road bike on RoadCycler.com, the popular Bianchi Brava (a great bike!), but there are many more out there; many of them from artisan framebuilders.

According to the organizers of the Giro d’Italia, Astana’s Lance Armstrong will be participating in the race on May 9th.  Surprisingly, the twittering phenom hasn’t raced the Giro in his career, so this could be an interesting showing.  It’s doubtful he’ll actually go for the win, but it will could help with training for the Tour de France.
The big question is if the organizers of the Tour de France will let Armstrong race.  According to the Agence Française de Lutte contre le Dopage (AFLD), Armstrong took a shower prior to taking a …

Lance Armstrong’s comeback is starting to dim as he is dealt a blow from a broken collarbone in a crash.  The crash occurred near the end of the first stage of the Vuelta Ciclista Castilla y Leon race, around 16 kilometers from the finish.  Armstrong mentioned it was the first of this type of injury in his career.
“I’m miserable,” said the record seven-time Tour de France champion. “I just need to relax a couple of days and then make a plan.”