Tech & Gadget Stream

It sure seems that money gives you many options, and a Hong Kong biker who recently picked up a £1m Bugatti Veyron has commissioned Waltz Hardcore Cycles to come up with a bike that would match said supercar. The Veyron China 1 has taken 18 months to become a reality, and is based on the limited Iceman chassis (which was developed for F1 driver Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari chopper. There isn’t any specification information on this bike, but we’re fairly sure it’s going to be fast!

Love cycling but hate those long stretches of uphills that seem to make your calves burn with fire? The Gruber Assist is here to help, as this electric motor can be hidden within the bike's tube seat so that your shame will not be proclaimed to the rest of the world. Of course, you will need a minimal diameter of 31.6mm to install the Gruber Assist, where it can be retrofitted to virtually any bike as long as the size is right. If you want some electric-assisted boost the next time you head outdoors, the Gruber Assist won't come cheap - it has an asking price of around $2,400.

You may not like it now, but you would be thankful for that big butt of yours if you ever got a chance to ride a bike fitted with designer Deco Goodman's "Commuter Cyclist's Sustainable Energy Source." The device attaches underneath the seat and collects power generated by the compression of the seat springs, braking, pedaling etc. As a result, the electricity could be used to power headlights/taillights and any portable gadgets you bring with you on the road. As you might have guessed, it is only a concept at the moment, but at least it doesn't sound completely far-fetched.

We all have our own ways to listen to music. Some of you probably love your ear buds, while others invoke a hipsters' throwback to when it was cool to carry that boom box and play it loud and proud for all to hear. On long bike rides, I do find that my ear buds slip out of my ears and their cords get in my way. On busy roads it's also hard to hear the traffic and other warning noises, but I really love my music. In search of a solution that didn't involve me mounting a boom box on my bike, I came across iHome's iH85B. This sleek-but-rugged water and impact-resistant polycarbonate case clips to your bike frame across from where you store your water bottle. Simply dock your iPod inside the case and get moving. Control your tunes by using the wireless RF remote control conveniently mounted on your handlebars, which helps you keep focus on the road. The passive speakers provide for a full, rich sound. Whatever your destination (beach, park, pool), unclamp the case and bring...

What have your lithium-ion batteries done for you lately? Forget powering those handheld gadgets, the king of lithium-ion batteries is sitting in the heart of the Zero X electric motorcycle . Named for its lack of emissions and noise, the 120-pound Zero X still pumps out 20 horsepower and tops out at around 50 miles per hour. A single charge of the battery will take you 40 miles, but the battery packs can be hotswapped in mere seconds and fully recharge in about three hours. Though the engine is roughly equivalent to that of a 250cc gasoline-powered bike, the lightweight electric motor makes the Zero X accelerate much faster. If it's too fast for you, plug the bike's brain into your PC via the USB port to access the bike's virtual control panel. The ZBrain computer opens up a host of customizatin options for the electric bike, including the ability to create multiple riding profiles for different users. You can blaze to work at full throttle all week, then tone down the acc...

Viewed from the wrong angle, this Oryx bike could look like something from the perv-o-licious Sex Museum in Amsterdam. Designed by a guy called Harald Cramer, it's a custom-made time-trial cycle with all sorts of weird and wonderful innovations. Made of carbon composite, the handlebars, stem and fork are all one piece, with the ergonomic seat post and saddle integrated into the frame. Handlebars connect to frame via a pivot, and the seat even has a hole in it to keep you cool while you work the pedals. The Y-frame shape means that the Oryx is shock-proof and keeps you in contact with the road at all time, and there is a one-sided fork and chain-stay. The crank is designed like a ring and mounted inside the frame on a couple of ball bearings, and the wheels detach from the bike at the push of a button, a useful time-saver for competitions.