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Sleeping while Driving
Jailed for snoozing behind the wheel? According to a recent study at Stanford
University, driving while sleepy can be worse than driving drunk. The study
found that reflex speed among rest-deprived people with mild to moderate sleep
apnea was as slow as those with a blood alcohol level of .04–.08—the legal limit
for driving under the influence in the state of California. The roughly
200-person study found no substantial difference in reflex times between
men and women. Participants took a 10-minute test of reaction speed, pushing
a button to turn off a randomly-lit light. One hundred thirteen of the
participants were known to suffer from sleep apnea. The rest drank 80-proof
alcohol periodically throughout the testing. Experts estimate between 12
and 25 million Americans, or as much as 9% of our population suffers from
sleep apnea, a condition where breathing stops several times an hour while
sleeping. Drive carefully.
A Swim In The Toilet?
Crystal clear sea water swells over bleached sand and crashes against your
legs as you stroll along the beach in the sweltering heat. Palm trees dot
the horizon, and you look down to see...human feces? No Joke. I’m describing
Key West’s George Smathers Beach where antiquated sewage lines are leaking
into the shallows and have prevented vacationers from enjoying the tranquil
waters all summer. Posted signs warn of potentially deadly bacteria, and
Florida state officials say the contaminated waters are prime risk areas
for the deadly E. coli virus. But the situation has had little effect on
the tourism industry as visitors usually don’t learn of the problem until
they arrive. Civic crews are hurriedly tearing up streets and replacing
the old piping with sturdier stuff, a lengthy process that the state has
ordered completed by 2002.
The Ultimate Weight Loss Pill
Having recently discovered a “fat thermostat” in the brain that controls
appetite and metabolism signals, scientists say medication to manipulate
these impulses might be the next trend in weight management. By Attaching
electrodes to a rat’s brain, scientists at Oregon Health Sciences University
have zeroed in on the particular brain cells stimulated by dietary regulating
hormones. According to the study recently published in the medical trade
journal Neuron, the adipostat (fat thermostat) reacts to two hormones:
neuropeptide Y and melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH). When the former is
injected into the adipostat area, rats’ metabolisms slow down, and they
store more fat; when MSH is injected, the rats grow thinner.
Through ongoing studies, experts hope to decipher the reasons why dieters
often re-gain lost weight. And the real potential? If pharmaceutical companies
can duplicate these hormones in the form of a diet pill, they’ll have found
a key to the Fort Knox of dietary product development.
And They Get Faster, and Faster, and...Richer
Tegla Loroupe broke her own record for the fastest ever marathon time by a
female runner Sunday, September 26, in Berlin. The Kenyan sprinted through
the 26.2-mile course in two hours, 20 minutes, and 43 seconds, just four
seconds faster than her finish in Rotterdam, Netherlands on April 18, 1998.
Laroupe was 30 seconds off her Rotterdam pace after 21 miles, but pulled
out a fast finish on the downhill section of the course. For her efforts
Laroupe earned $28,000 for the victory and $100,000 for setting
the record.
The Berlin marathon is now the site of world record runs for both men and
women—Brazil’s Ronaldo da Costa ran a 2:06.05 for the men’s record last
year. In Sunday’s race another Kenyan, Josephat Kiprono, won the mens’ with
the third fastest time in world history: 2:06.57.
Gear
Air Force
“I’ll be ready to ride in a sec—just gotta pump up my derailleur.”
Don’t laugh. Maybe we’ll all be saying this someday if a new air-powered
shifting system catches on. Developed by Shimano (the world’s dominant
bike-component maker), the Airlines system features pneumatic shifting
powered by a waterbottle-sized air tank, as opposed to cables. The
advantage? No wire cables to fray, rust, break or get fouled with dirt.
And no unintentional shifting when you hit a bump while jamming off-road.
Plus, it’s said to deliver a lighter shifting touch than conventional
methods. You get up to 400 shifts per tank, which you can fill with a
floor pump. For now, Airlines, which only comes in a seven-speed configuration,
is targeted to downhill mountain-bike racing. Note, however, that air is not
free. The system, available in a limited-production version, costs about
$1,500.
Skort Story
For every woman who loves to ride but hates to look like a bike geek in
sausage-skin cycling shorts, there’s a new garment called the SportSkort.
Developed by Terry Precision (which specializes in women’s cycling products),
the skort is a conventional Lycra bike short underneath a Supplex mid-thigh
wrap skirt. Who says fashion and bike riding are mutually exclusive? Goes
for $75. Two models: the Racer and the Commuter (which is slightly longer).
Trick Tire Trend
We probably won’t see this technology on production bicycles any time soon but
tire makers are starting to figure out how to bring automobile technology to
bicycles in the form of tubeless bicycle tires. Why should you care? Tubeless
tires offer advantages, particularly for the mountain biker. One of the greatest
is the limination of pinch flats, those nasty punctures caused by hitting a
stone or hole, which pushes the tire against the rim slicing the tube. Because
there’s no tube inside the tire, there’s nothing for the impact to puncture.
Which also means that tubeless tires can be run with lower air pressures than
regular treads. And running lower tire pressures means a more comfortable ride
and more control and traction thanks to a larger treadprint touching the
trail.
Continental debuted such a tire last year. It worked nicely, but the system used
a special rim and rim strip (to create an airtight fit to the tire). These
features complicated assembly and added weight making the tires feel sluggish
on climbs and slow handling otherwise.
Well, for 2000, none other than tire titan Michelin enters the field. They worked with French rim maker
Mavic to perfect a tubeless system and will soon introduce the Wildgripper Comp
S Tubeless ($75). The knobby comes in a 26 x 1.95 size and is compatible with
Mavic’s U.S.T. tubeless rim. The weight is now only four grams heavier than
a compatible rim, tube and tire combination. A special valve fits the rim
allowing inflation, and Michelin says the tire can easily be inflated with a
hand pump. Besides pinch flat protection, the tire is said to hold up better
to thorns and tacks, etc., as well, because the air cannot escape quickly
around the object. We’re looking forward to trying these tires because less
pressure plus fewer flats equals more fun.
Less is More
Want to fly on your next tri? Consider a pair of Continental’s new Supersonic
slicks. These featherweight folding tires weigh just 140 grams in a 700 x 20C
size (160 grams for 23Cs; 650s will be available soon) yet are built with Conti’s
tough Polyamide casing and ASC Silica tread compound. And get this: Recommended
inflation is 170 psi! (Be sure to use the port-a-potty before departing.) Cost
is about $50 per tire. Available at shops soon.
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