Tag: #cycling

Canyon Launches Jacky SW-69 Smartwatch for the Irish Market

Canyon has announced the availability of the Canyon Smart Watch Jacky SW-69 White & Blue, a stylish and feature-packed wearable designed to support everyday wellness, fitness tracking and smart connectivity for Irish consumers.
Blending a modern aesthetic with practical functionality, the Jacky SW-69 features a vibrant 1.3-inch LTPS touchscreen display with a sharp 360 × 360 resolution, delivering clear visuals for both indoor and outdoor use. Its white and blue colourway offers a fresh, contemporary look suited to work, workouts and leisure.
Health & Fitness at Your Fingertips
Designed to support an active lifestyle, the Jacky SW-69 provides continuous monitoring of heart rate, blood oxygen levels and body temperature, helping users stay informed about their wellbeing throughout the day. With 25 built-in sport modes, including walking, running, cycling, yoga and swimming, the smartwatch enables personalised activity tracking with detailed insights into steps, calories burned and distance covered.
The device also includes sleep tracking, stress monitoring and guided breathing exercises, promoting a more balanced approach to health and wellness.
Smart Features for Everyday Life
The Jacky SW-69 keeps users connected with smart notifications for calls, messages and app alerts, delivered directly to the wrist. Additional features include music and camera control, weather updates, hydration reminders, calculator, stopwatch and a virtual business card, making it a practical companion for daily routines.
The smartwatch is compatible with Android and iOS devices, ensuring a seamless pairing experience across platforms.
Durable Design with Long Battery Life
Built to handle daily wear, the Jacky SW-69 is IP68 water-resistant, offering protection against water splashes, rain and sweat. Its long-lasting battery delivers up to 9 days of typical use and up to 15 days on standby, minimising downtime between charges.
Availability
The Canyon Smart Watch Jacky SW-69 White & Blue is available now in Ireland from Vodafone Friends & Family online.
RRP 59.00 EURO – BUY
We will have a review soon so stay tuned

Ezdore Smart Bluetooth Sunglasses with Audio – Blue Lenses Review

The Ezdore Smart Bluetooth Sunglasses with Audio – Blue Lenses  are an affordable pair of smart bluetooth sunglasses with speakers on board to listen to your music with one device and not a separate pair of earbuds on the go at the beach travelling or even in your home or backgarden in the sun.

They are a typical pair of holdiday sunglasses and look fine and not too geeky and reasonable fashionable in todays world they do not look smart they block the sun and the sound is decent enough for the price you will pay in fairness.

There is two controls on the Ezdore smart sunglasses and basically all the fucntions you would have on traditional earbuds with skip and reverse tracks volume control and of course access to your voice assistant which you can see all working in the vide review down below.

The arms are thicker than regualr sunglasses which of course houses the tech inside and the sound is decent enough and act like open-ear buds which are now a thing in the earbuds market.

There is some sound leakage when turned up to the max and this is to be expected from such tech, the volume is loud enough but on full volume if someone is sitting beside you on a bus or train expect a tap on the shoulder but at home or in private it is best to have them turned up to the max for a decent listening experience.

One benefit of such open ear here is you can har what is going on around you which is great also now with a glare on the road this time of year and a low lying sun these could work well for cyclists and joggers and so one where they can listen to their tunes and be also awar with what is going on around the, so overall not a bad product with a decent battery life and also decent call quality and protecting your eyes at the same time,check the video below for more.

 

Who are these for

  • Athletes & Runners
    • Music without blocking safety sounds
  • Outdoor Workers
    • Protection + communication
  • Tech Professionals
    • Blue light protection during screen time
  • Cyclists
    • Safe audio while staying alert

Features and Spec 

  • Bluetooth 5.0
    • 33ft range, instant pairing with all devices
  • 12-Hour Battery
    • Longest in smart eyewear category
  • Open-Ear HD Audio
    • Rich sound while staying aware of surroundings
  • Noise-Canceling Microphone
    • Crystal-clear calls even in wind
  • UV400 + Blue Light Protection
    • Blocks 100% harmful rays

BUY

Other Smart Glasses Review

Video Review

Dublin City Council to roll out BikeBunkers

Dublin City Council is pleased to announce the BikeBunkers service to provide secure bicycle storage units for residents. The service is designed to make cycling more convenient and help address one of the biggest challenges for urban cyclists, the lack of secure and accessible bike storage close to home.

This milestone follows the success of a pilot project, where 12 bike bunkers were installed in selected residential areas to test demand and gather feedback. The results were overwhelmingly positive; every unit was fully subscribed, and residents strongly supported expanding the programme.

Building on this success, Dublin City Council has developed a comprehensive framework to deliver up to 300 BikeBunkers across the city. The framework will run for 10 years, with an initial 4-year service contract. Following a competitive procurement process, Bleeper has been appointed as the operator to commission, deliver, install, maintain, and service the BikeBunkers. This will be a budget-friendly, subsidised service supported by Dublin City Council, making secure bike parking more accessible to residents across the city.

Visit BikeBunkers.ie to explore the service in detail and find out how to register.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Councillor Ray McAdam said, “I’m delighted to see BikeBunkers rolling out across Dublin. This is a real win for communities, tackling one of the biggest barriers to cycling by giving people safe, secure bike storage close to home. 

BikeBunkers will make cycling easier and safer for Dubliners, giving people the confidence to use their bikes every day without worrying about theft or storage. Rolling out BikeBunkers across the city is a real boost for communities and a practical step in making Dublin a truly cycle-friendly capital”

Jennifer McGrath Head of Road Safety and Micromobility Unit, Dublin City Council said. “This service is about giving people practical support to cycle more in their daily lives. By providing secure, affordable bike storage in residential areas, Dublin City Council is helping communities embrace cycling as a convenient, reliable, and sustainable way to get around.”

“Bleeper has been meeting the needs of Dublin’s cycling community since our shared bikes launched in 2018, and we’re delighted to bring that wealth of expertise to the BikeBunkers service” says Hugh Cooney, CEO of Bleeper. “We understand how important it is to have secure cycle parking, and we’re excited to be working with Dublin City Council to bring BikeBunkers to neighbourhoods across the city.” 

New BikeBunkers will begin to arrive in neighbourhoods across Dublin by the end of 2025, and residents can register their interest in using a Bike Bunker by completing a short form on the website BikeBunkers.ie.

This project marks a significant step forward in creating a more sustainable and cycle-friendly Dublin.

***See Image attached: L-R Jennifer McGrath, DCC Head of Road Safety and Micromobility Unit, Richard Greene, CEO Bleeper, Olatomiwa Bammeke, DCC Road Safety and Micromobility Unit, Lord Mayor of Dublin Councillor Ray McAdam and Zewar Zyada, DCC Road Safety and Micromobility Unit”””

Microsoft Ireland pedals past €1 million milestone for LauraLynn in decade-long cycling challenge

Microsoft Ireland employees celebrated a key milestone in their decade-long fundraising challenge for LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, as they pedalled past the €1million fundraising milestone this month. In total, Microsoft’s annual employee charity cycle has raised over €1,134,000 for LauraLynn, which includes more than €291,000 that was raised by way of its most recent cycle earlier this month.

The annual fundraising challenge has seen Microsoft Ireland employees cycle in excess of 4,000 kilometres since 2014, raising vital funds to support LauraLynn’s work in providing palliative care and support to children with life-limiting conditions and their families. This includes therapies such as music therapy, play therapy and bereavement support, as well as vital short stays at the hospice for families in need of respite or crisis care.

This year’s charity cycle took place along the Wild Atlantic Way. Over the course of three days in September, a group of 100 Microsoft Ireland cyclists and support crew travelled 400km along the western seaboard from Clifden, Co. Galway, to Ballina, Co. Mayo.

James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Lead and Vice President for Microsoft Global Operations Service Center, said: “We are incredibly proud of all the Microsoft Ireland team who have gone the extra mile for LauraLynn this year, helping to raise a staggering €291,000 by way of the annual cycle and, in doing so, breaking the €1 million fundraising milestone for the charity over the past decade. It is testament to the dedication and commitment of our employees and supporters that we have been able to achieve this.

“Since the first cycle back in 2014, our teams have been inspired by LauraLynn and the vital care they provide on a daily basis to children with life-limiting conditions and their families. Through the additional €291,000 raised this year, LauraLynn will continue to support increasing numbers of children across the country who are most in need of their help.”

Ray Snowdon, a member of the cycling team and Director of Microsoft Business Operations Fusion Development said: “Having grown from just 10 cyclists in 2014 to a team of over 100 this year, the charity cycle in aid of LauraLynn has brought the Microsoft community together and helped to generate much needed funds for Ireland’s only children’s hospice. We’re incredibly proud of breaking the €1m fundraising milestone this year, something we could not have achieved without the generosity of our families and supporters who have helped to propel us on the road to a million. Our collective efforts are helping LauraLynn to meet the vital needs of children in their care.”

Kerry McLaverty, CEO of LauraLynn, said: “This is an extraordinary achievement by Microsoft Ireland and its employees who have become long-term partners of LauraLynn. It is the tenth year that the team have come out in force to fundraise for LauraLynn and each year they have raised the fundraising bar to new heights. The generosity shown by the Microsoft Ireland team has made a real difference to the lives of children with life-limiting conditions and their families who rely on the care and support of LauraLynn. Partners like Microsoft are vital for us to continue to grow and provide our services. LauraLynn are now supporting more children and families than ever before, alongside our Hospice in Leopardstown the community team operating from Mallow since last year provide care to Cork, Kerry and Limerick families. We have also recently announced our community team expansion brining care into the homes of children and families in the Midlands, West & Northwest of the country.”

The Microsoft Ireland fundraising cycle is just one of the ways in which the company supports LauraLynn. Microsoft has also donated software and provided training to the charity, and Microsoft employees regularly volunteer their time to help at LauraLynn House.

To find out more about the LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, please visit https://lauralynn.ie/.

Tech Review – See.Sense ICON3 bike light.

ICON3, the third generation of the popular ICON bike light series, has now been released after a successful campaign on crowdfunding platform Indiegogo in 2021. The campaign smashed its original funding goal, with over £95,000 raised from over 1,200 backers. ICON3 backers and pre-order customers will now be able to get their hands on the light, and experience the increased brightness and smarter features that enable cyclists to attract attention faster than ever on the road. 

ICON3 is 20% brighter than its predecessor. 350 lumen LEDs in the rear and 575 lumen LEDs in the front ensure you can be seen up to 3km away. A combination of CoB (chip on board) and two quality-focused LEDs give you 270° of side visibility, and shine brightly in both daylight and at night-time.

ICON3 is also smarter than ever.  In addition to sensing and reacting to moments of risk on the roads, such as at roundabouts and junctions, ICON3 also comes equipped with a ‘Get me Home Mode’ and ‘Brake Mode’.  It has also further enhanced visibility by automatically adapting to be brighter in the day with our Adaptive Light Sensing Mode and by using randomised flash patterns to help attract attention in our Super Visibility Mode. 

Here is what to expect in the app below but do check the video review for more on that and what the light looks like. The app is simple to navigate and easy to use and has some great features like My Stats etcs and there is an option to share information within a community.

Once setup in the app you are good to go it is a simple process and takes little time to do get connected but be sure to fully charge the light first as it will not connect this happened to me so you need a full charge which is advised in the instructions.

You get all the mounting equipment in the box and literally takes two minutes to attach to your bike however once finished remove it as it can be easily stolen if your bike is not and perhaps a more permanent set up might be an idea going forward but having said that it is fine as is in one way whereby you could share it or if you have more than one bike etc.

With dark nights now in at 4.30pm and dark mornings it is important to light up and be seen however this does not sink in with all cyclists especially food delivery people and the same can be said for those on e-scooters and this could also be used on one of those which is great, you could even attach to your coat or jacket with a bit of thought.

Features

LUMENS REAR: 350, LUMENS FRONT: 575
RUNTIME: 15hrs on Reactive Flash
WATER SEALED: IP67 Rated
CHARGING: USB-C
MOUNTING: Quarter-Turn Mount
COMPATABILITY: iOS & Android
WEIGHT: 50g
MADE IN THE UK 

BUY

Video Review

 

Google is making sustainable travel an easier choice this summer as cycling increases by 40% worldwide

Climate change is a global issue as well as local and personal. As people are looking to travel to their holiday destinations, questions like “How to travel sustainably” are on everybody’s minds.

Google committed to empower 1 billion people through our products, to make the sustainable choice an easier choice. At the individual level, these choices may seem small, but when people have the tools to make them at scale, they equal big improvements.

Here’s how Google products help you get from A to B more sustainably this summer

 

  1. Getting to your holiday destination – The first step towards more sustainable holidays, is more sustainable planning. If you are going to a destination you can only reach by flying, Google Search helps you understand the CO2 emissions associated with each potential trip directly in Google Flights. A green badge next to the emissions number to help you sift through your options more easily, and you can filter all flights by “CO2 emissions” to easily find and book the flight with the lowest footprint.
    To produce these estimates, we’re combining data from the European Environmental Agency with the flight-specific information we get from airlines and other providers such as aircraft type, trip distance and the number of seats in each seating class. In collaboration with the Travalyst coalition, we are helping to develop an open model for calculating carbon emissions from air travel and promote standardisation across the travel industry using this framework.

 

  1. Sleeping sustainably – Google Search helps you find hotels that have made significant commitments to green practices. This includes hotels that are certified for meeting high standards of sustainability from certain independent organisations, like Green Key or EarthCheck, will have an eco-certified badge next to their name. This helps you understand their eco-friendly practices, from waste reduction to energy efficiency or water conservation measures.

 

  1. Hop on your bike – Over the past few months, cycling has increased by more than 40% worldwide – which is no surprise given that the warmer weather and high petrol prices have people opting for more sustainable transportation choices. Google Maps has provided cycling directions for over 12 years thanks to AI paired with data from cities, trusted cartographic partners and feedback from the Google Maps community. Now, with our new cycling route information, you can easily compare bike routes and see even more granular details (when this data is available) to prepare for the ride ahead.

 

Just get cycling directions to any destination. In addition to seeing the elevation along your route, you’ll also know if you’ll encounter heavy car traffic, stairs or steep hills. You’ll also be able to get a highly detailed breakdown of the route itself so you can know at a glance what type of road you’ll be biking on – like a major road vs. a local street. Gone are the days of unknowingly pedaling up a strenuous hill or on a route with more car traffic than you’re comfortable with.

 

  1. Charge your EV easily – If you have an electric vehicle, Google Maps can help put your range anxiety at ease. Just search for “ev charging station” to see all of the stations nearby, along with helpful details, like the business where the station is located, port types and charging speeds. And for some stations, you can even see if a charger is available in real-time – helping you avoid the line and save valuable time. With cars with Google built in, Maps will even help you take that EV road trip, automatically helping you find stations along your route.

 

  1. Transit information – By tapping on the transit tab in Directions on Google Maps, you get directions to any place by bus, train, subway, and even ferry. When available, you can see real time arrival and departure times, transfer points, and any upcoming service delays. And, Google Maps gives you all the information you need to be prepared for your ride. Not only can you see how crowded your transit ride will be – so you can know if you’re likely to get a seat – but you can see helpful information, like whether there’s security on board, what the temperature is like, and if there are wheelchair accessible routes available

Review – Blincc – The First Self Blinking Super Bright Reflector

Most of will be aware of the constant Road Safety Authority aims of the ‘National Be Safe, Be Seen’ is to remind people of the importance of wearing high visibility material when out walking, cycling or motorcycling. The Blincclip is a step in the right direction with its self-blinking super-bright reflector. This can be fitted indoors or outdoors with dual colours: Red (night) +fluorescent yellow (day). The material itself is designed for outdoor use

The kit came with a 3M Diamond Grade micro prismatic reflector ( Size: 88×66 mm  ) and a variety of Stipes that can be fitted to surfaces or tied on with the supplied string or attached to a bike saddlebag. The manufacturers quote the Blincclip reflects nearly 58% of the headlight beam.

A set of custom 3M 360 and dynamic reflectors that you install on your rims and frame. The Blincc Hex is enhanced with a crystal clear protective layer for extra durability and tear resistant. 

blincc techbuzzireland

Installation:

The installation is of a personal choice in terms of what to fit the Blincclip to and where to fit it If used on a bike the various strips are pulled of and can be fitted to the wheel frame, personal choice can be made in terms of the approach taken in the various length that can be used. The custom 3M 360 reflectors can be  installed on the  rims or bike frame This is ideal for the younger generation that often feels “ uncool” to have the extra safety equipment fitted, This option allows the tailoring of the locations, design placing of the strips while maintaining safe visibility during the dark nights.

Warranty :

This is excellent to see on the warranty side “BLINCC product comes with a no-hassle, no-rhetoric lifetime guarantee”

Overall

This is a simple effective way to improve safety,  from a Singapore cycling brand that won’t break the bank whether used on bike or attached to outdoor gear.

Buy

Blincc Cycling introduces Blincc clip and Blincc Hex #Blincc #Kickstarter #Cycling

Are you confident that your tiny lights are catching enough attention? What will happen when your rear cycling light suddenly dies mid-ride? We all know how dangerous this can be – you are suddenly invisible to drivers on the road.

Frustrated with dead bicycle lights, two avid cyclists Francis and David from Singapore have developed a simple super reflector called Blincc Hex and Blincclip. To enhance road safety, the clever reflector attracts more driver’s attention because it ‘blinks’ as you ride your bicycle.

Francis and David founders of Blincc

Here’s how!

Blincc Hex: True 360 Degree and Dynamic Reflector.

Blincc Hex is a 360 degree and dynamic reflective decal that installs on virtually any bicycle. Blincc Hex will always be there blinking and reflecting headlights from wherever they approach. It gets you noticed while still being sleek! But... isn’t reflective decals already in used? So why Blincc Hex?

5 Reasons why:

Super durable with enhanced protective layer.

Thin, light and flexible to allow fitting on complex profiles and edges.

Made of high-quality 3M brightness performance.

Modular design, it will appear different just by pasting it slightly differently.

Simple to install / uninstall and can be applied almost everywhere.

Blincc Hex will appear spinning swiftly when you apply it on your bicycle pedals. It creates dynamic rotational movement when pasted on the rim of the wheels. Additional Hex can be pasted on the seat stay and the front fork of the bike to ensure 360-degree visibility.

Each Blincc Hex pack includes 12 small Hex (0.3 grams each) and 4 long Hex (0.6 grams each). They don’t add much weight nor any air drag to your cycling experience while providing significant visibility at night.

 

 

Blincclip: The First Self Blinking Super Bright Reflector.

     

Successfully funded over 450% on Kickstarter in December 2019, Blincclip hangs freely on the saddle rails (or saddlebags). It swivels back and forth following the movement of your pedalling which creates the blinking effect. It blinks lightly during your normal ride and blinks rapidly when you accelerate, plus, it will go static when you brake. It acts like the high-tech rear light that you bought last summer for more than a hundred bucks, except that it lasts forever and needs no charging.

Apart from clipping it on the saddle rail, Blincclip can be hanged to bags and helmet with the included string. At 1mm thin and 3 grams light, you can unclip it and store it in your wallet, if you wish. Blincclip is two sided with red on one side (for night) and fluorescent yellow on the other (for day).

Blincclip Kickstarter Campaign (Successfully Funded, on 2nd Run)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/blincclip/blincclip-the-super-bicycle-reflector

The Concept

Both Blincc Hexand Blincclip are using the ‘free’ movement power to get the reflector to appear blinking. Moving or blinking objects will be much more attention grabbing than the static ones as our exceptional primal vision is built to notice “change”. Both of these paper-thin technologies may save your life at times when you need it most.

Pricing

We always solve problems with the simplest solution and we practice price fairness across our product as we believe cycling safety is NOT a luxury.

Kickstarter campaign for Blincc Hex starts at SGD $11 (USD $8) a pack and goes as low as SGD $9 (USD $7) for multiple packs.

Blincc Hex and Blincclipbundle packs starts at only SGD $23 (US $17) a pack.

Recommended Retail Price for Blincclip and Blincc Hex will be at SGD $15 (USD $11) each.

Reviews soon on techbuzzireland.com Support the guys over here on kickstarter

 

 

Two leaders in the bicycle world are joining forces to offer an application that allows communities to better understand the practice of cycling in the city and thus improve the experience of cyclists.

On the occasion of the Velocity international trade show, Eco-Counter, the world leader in bicycle/pedestrian counting solutions and GéoVélo, the French leader in the development of location and navigation applications for bicycles, have joined forces to create the first solution that allows local authorities to gather data on the counting and location of cyclists.

To increase safety and encourage cycling, communities need good traffic data. And while the data provided by automatic counters give an overview of the evolution of bicycle traffic at strategic points in the city, cities now want a more detailed picture of what is happening throughout their territory: origin/destination, average speed & average distance, etc.

To do this, cities need to combine existing data (bike counts) with GPS traces, and more specifically, extrapolate traces with bike counts. That is how Eco-Counter and GeoVelo have decided to join their forces.

Several projects have already been carried out with this ambition through various applications, but the user sample is often biased or not large enough. This new solution allows communities to benefit from a complete view on bicycle traffic, with meaningful data.

Ronan BOUQUET, Managing Director of Géovélo, explains how the application addresses this need: “The Geovelo application brings together a wide variety of users. It is sufficiently engaging to have a representative and qualitative sample. The data extrapolation made through bicycle counts can then be done with a good level of confidence and provides unique information to urban planners.”

Enrico Durbano, CEO of Eco-Counter adds: “This partnership will allow us to offer our customers geolocated and anonymized user data, scaled with count data from our counters. The power of this solution will allow our customers new possibilities to exploit data and improve user experience.”

 

About Eco-Counter

Eco-Counter is an international company with a passion for data to understand pedestrian and cyclist traffic. Eco-Counter’s data are essential tools for planners to make good decisions.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the company has been analyzing bicycle traffic in 13 countries around the world. The trends show a real “cycling boom” in all the countries studied, with +8% of ridership observed in Europe between 2019 and 2020, and +16% in North America, despite the successive lockdowns.

 

  • Location: Lannion, Brittany, France.
  • Experts in pedestrian and bicycle counting since 2000
  • 90 employees in Lannion, 15 in Montreal
  • 9 different nationalities
  • Over 20,000 counters installed in 55 countries
  • 2020 revenues: €14.8M, 13% growth
  • Deloitte Fast 50 Award (from 2010 to 2014)
  • Bpifrance National and Regional Award in 2013
  • Average annual organic growth > 30% over the last 5 years
  • Member of the OSEO Excellence community and the BPI France incubator
  • 15% of annual sales invested in R&D
  • Strategic Partnership on Vision with CEA lab
  • Ranked in 2017 and 2019 among the 50 best companies to work for (Great Place to Work Ranking)