Bicycling to work is becoming more common. Bicycling at work is still rather rare. And doing both, well, that requires a Pit In Bicycle Desk.
This is definitely not your parent’s hippie-mobile from the late ’70s. Nor is it your older sister’s girly-mobile from the early 2000s. The newly redesigned 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is more sporty, more sophisticated, more pure car than that. Yet, somehow, the Beetle-ness of the vehicle remains.
On the outside, the new Beetle is longer (by 6 inches) and wider (by 3.3 inches) than it’s predecessor. More importantly: it is sleeker. No longer does a VW Beetle look like a box driving down on the highway.
Inside, the new Beetle sports bucket seats and a GPS/stereo touchscreen. Happily, the ridiculous speedometer in the middle console has been replaced by an excellent behind-the-steering-wheel display that’s similar to other VW vehicles.
As for underneath the hood . . . see more
Most bicycle baskets look powerfully uncool. One vondrous exception: the Bent Basket.
The simple yet ingenious design uses a strong piece of wood topped by nylon straps. The straps are plentiful enough to keep books, folders or other thin objects from sliding out. They are also flexible enough to hold a variety of items in place, including loose vegetables (photo to right) or 6-pack of beer (photo below). Another bonus: the Bent Basket can fit either on the front or back of a bike.
That wind-in-your-hair open road feeling.
That high-above-the-road drive of an SUV.
Now you don’t have to choose between them, that thanks to the 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet. It’s the world’s first all-wheel-drive crossover SUV convertible.
Nissan loosely based the design on its popular Murano. But the CrossCabriolet is not simply a Murano with the top chopped off. Nisssan resigned the exterior to give the CrossCabriolet a sleeker look. The interior is more luxurious too, with leather upholstery, heated seats and a GPS nav system. That and more is included in the base price—in a break from car selling tradition nearly every feature available on the CrossCabriolet is standard.
And the ride? While not peppy, it is smooth and quiet. For more, check out this excellent review of the 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet.
Rarely can a bicycle storage solution be described as “elegant,” yet that adjective perfectly fits the Knife & Saw Bike Shelf. It’s essentially a high quality book shelf with a notch into which the top bar of a bicycle can be fit. What especially vondrous about the Bike Shelf: It doesn’t look out of place when not holding a bicycle. $300 for walnut or $270 for ash
Check out the Clankworks Pinch Stand for another cool bicycle storage item.
Green. No, red. Wait, how about black?
If you are picky about the color of your new bicycle—or are looking for a pedaled ride that stands out—check out the Urban Outfitters Bike Shop online. There you can select your new bicycle frame’s color as well as the color of the front and rear rims, front and rear tires, the housing, the grips, the crank and even the chain! The website estimates the time it will take for Urban Outfitters to construct your custom bike (it’s usually only 2 or 3 days) and suggest color patterns. $399
