Glow-in-the-Dark Bike Backpack

Here’s a pretty cool backpack I found while cruising the internet, that’s great for day and night riding, especially in the city. This would be the perfect gift for a bike messenger or courier, except that I don’t think it’s being produced (yet).

It was designed by Vanessa Marie Design but not much information is available about where you can buy one.

According to her website, 

a *safety chic* backpack with (hidden) versatility. the flaps have magnets inside of them with 3M Scotchlite material on the underside. during the day the flaps are held in place magnetically and at night – before jumping on your bike – you flip them up to become super visible.

Pretty neat! If you’re looking for bike backpacks (even the highly sought-after Ogio Backpack) check em out here.

French Foreign Bike Legion?

Danish company Yakkay have come up with a quite interesting (yet annoyingly named) concept in “Brainwear”. See I told you the name was dumb. They produce a line a bike helmets that look like normal everyday hats. No more looking like a berk on your morning commute. I predict these will be HUGE in the states by next summer. Remember, you heard it here first!

Hats, in general, have been enjoying a resurgence in the U.S. for reasons unknown to me. It was probably that Justin Timberlake character who “brought it back”. So wearing a hat-like helmet won’t come as such a shock to the easily upset American public.

I already own a pair of bike shorts that don’t make me look like I just stepped out an 80′s Jazzercise class. So it’s about time somebody did something about the dorky bike helmet. I quite like the idea, but won’t be buying one myself any time soon, unless they come out with one with pink bunny ears. Now THAT would be progress.

"Cool" Europeans with their Yakka helmets