I heard from Mike at Stem Captain yesterday. He was just heading out to see his machinist with the final drawings for their new compass. With any luck, it should be available around Thanksgiving.

With the economy being what it is, a Stem Captain would be a very affordable gift for your favorite cyclist this holiday season. Current models include the clock, thermometer, photo frame, and the upcoming compass. Mike also mentioned that there are a few other possible designs on the table, including an inclinometer and a bottle opener. That last item is perfect for the end of a long, hot mountain bike ride.

I’ll post further updates when I get them, and hopefully have photos of the compass soon.

The Pedal Power Foundation, based in Phoenix, is looking for a few folks able to twist some wrenches on November 7th.

Their mission statement “The mission of The Pedal Power Foundation is to fulfill the childhood dream of owning a NEW bicycle” caught my attention. To that end, they need help assembling the bikes they’ll be giving away this holiday season. If you’re in town, and have the time and basic hand tools, please show up and lend a hand.

More info on the November 7th event can be found here.

I just read another article about the Yike Bike, and I still don’t get it.

It’s an electric barstool. And at 3,500 Euros, it’s not for everyone. At that price, it’s not exactly a vastly less expensive alternative to a car, and certainly no replacement if you have more than a laptop bag to carry. And it’s a huge premium over a commuter bike, or two. So who is their intended audience?

Just wondering. It seems like all the R&D could have gone into something a bit more useful and affordable. And stop calling it a bicycle. You don’t pedal it, and the only exercise it affords the owner is that of lugging it around when it’s not being ridden.

Nytro is giving one lucky cyclist a Cannondale Slice, just like the 2009 Iron Man World Champion  Chrissie Wellington’s.

Enter here.

Good luck!

No photos for the GoGirl article, because I’m just not going to go there.

What had to have been one of the most intriguing products at Interbike was something called the GoGirl. Their catch phrase is “Don’t take life sitting down”, so a female friend of mine assumed they were some sort of women’s empowerment group. Was she ever wrong! Whenever I walked by their booth, I saw plenty of women smiling, some of them even giggling. And more than one guy that got dragged over there ended up blushing.

GoGirl is the great equalizer, because it allows women to pee like men. Yup, you read that right. With GoGirl, they can “go” standing up. I’m sure that next to equal pay and representation, this is every woman’s dream. OK, maybe not. But for any woman that enjoys the outdoors, or ever has to use a gas station bathroom, this may just be a must-have item.

I’m going to relieve myself of the trouble of describing how it works, and just let you click on the link and whiz over to their site to check it out. If you’re not a woman, you probably know one or two. Send them over to the site as well. Or better yet, order up a half dozen GoGirls, and hand them out as Christmas gifts this year. What a perfect stocking stuffer!

And for the record, I did get one. Once my fiance’ has tried it out, we’ll go ahead and share the results. Without photos.