Ultra Cool Gadgets

ork, so you’ll be prepared to tackle any urban jungle. In order to keep your tires where you want them, Schwinn has equipped the Laguna with an alloy drop bar and adjustable rise alloy stem. This bike is also equipped to rocket through its gears with the Shimano 24-speed drive train with Shimano 2200 shifters, and you can rest assured that you’ll stop on a dime with the Pro Max caliper brakes. Ready for the steepest hills, Schwinn built the Laguna with a TruVativ Iso-Flow Road crankset and aero alloy rims with quick-release alloy hubs and stainless steel spokes. A Selle San Marko saddle offers Italian styling and all-day comfort.

Specifications:

Frame: Schwinn N’Litened welded aluminum frame with Schwinn Race geometry, standard 1-1/8″ head tube, forged dropouts
Fork: Schwinn N’Gauged Cr-mo w/1-1/8″ steerer and canti-bosses
Drivetrain System: Shimano 24-speed 2200 shifters, Shimano 2200 front and rear derailleur
Brakes: ProMax caliper with toe in pads
Crankset: TruVativ Iso-Flow Road 52-42-30 Cr-Mo chainrings
Wheels: Weinmann DA-16 32 hole alloy rims with quick release alloy hubs and stainless steel spokes
Handlebar/Stem Extras: Alloy drop bar/adjustable rise alloy stem and alloy seat post
BB: TruVativ Cartridge square taper 68 x 113
Pedals: Nylon w/clip and strap
Front Derailleur: Shimano FD-2203 31.8 down-pull
Rear Derailleur: Shimano RD-2200
Shifters: Shimano ST-2203
Freewheel: Shimano CS HG-50 12-25 8sp
Chain: KMC Z-72
Tires: Schwalbe Blizzard Sport 700 x 23
Front and Rear Hub: Joy Tech sealed mech 32 hole
Spokes: Stainless Steel ED Black
Brake Levers: Shimano ST-2203
Stem: Melt forged alloy 25 degree rise
Grips: Schwinn gel tape with embossed logo

Customer feedback:

1. The components are a good entry to mid level quality. The assembly was fairly easy. The assembly and fine tuning everything (except gearing) took about 45 minutes. You will need the adapter for the small valve stems before you ride, it is not the standard size and the tires come with no air. For the average price of a department store bike (~ $200) you don’t get much. For $100 more on this bike you get a better frame, double wall rims, better components, you get an entry level bike shop quality bike. I give this 5 stars due to the quality you get for the price. I test rode Scott, Specialized, and Trek before I bought this. They were $600 to $720 for entry level and slightly better bikes, but not that much better. Mine required fine tuning the dérailleurs. If you are unable to so, $30 to $50 at your local bike shop should get it. You will then have a smooth riding machine. The shifters on this bike are integrated into the brakes and cost about $100 if purchased separately. You push the brake lever sideways to shift one way and a thumb button shifts the other way. This decreases clutter and is more ergonomic.

2. In my opinion this is the best value for a road/sport bike. The light weight, the Shimano gear system, and overall quality are outstanding and have provided impressive performance. The assembly was very easy although basic knowledge is required due to limited instructions. Gears and breaks are already hooked up. The assembly only consisted of putting on the handlebars, front tire, seat, pedals, and adjusting the breaks.

The Schwinn Prelude Men’s Road Bike offers Schwinn quality and performance at an affordable price. With comfortable and responsive 700c wheels, a lightweight and durable Schwinn men’s aluminum road bike frame, and Schwinn road bend bar and stem, the Prelude handles well and is fun to ride. The Prelude has seven-speed Shimano A050 shifters for adjustability so you can maintain your speed as you ride up and down hills. The Promax dual-pivot caliper brakes offer sure stopping power. Aero 36-spoke alloy wheels maintain balance and alignment, and radial-laced front toe clips and straps keep you comfortable and moving on the road.

Specifications:

Aluminum road frame and fork
Schwinn road bend bar and stem
Shimano A050 seven-speed shifters
Promax dual-pivot caliper brakes
Alloy road crank
Aero 36 spoke alloy wheels
Radial-laced front toe clips and straps
Assembly required

Customer feedback:

1. The Schwinn Prelude is a lot of bike for $199. The wheel hubs are aluminum (not stamped steel) so the bearings will stay tight and roll smooth with little or no maintenance. The cranks are aluminum, with replaceable chainrings. The rims are aluminum, in the international standard 700c size (not the old 27″ size). The frame is aluminum, just like more expensive road bikes. Aluminum parts are lightweight, do not rust and should provide many years of trouble-free service. Those are all “must have” features. The 14-speed (7 x 2) thumb shifters are simple to operate while keeping your hands on the bars. The Shimano Tourney derailleurs should provide years of trouble-free service.

2. At just under 28 pounds it is 10 pounds heavier than a $4000 bike. Of course it is only a pound or 2 heavier than a $500 bike. And I argue that anyone riding an entry level bike has that on their own midsection anyway. If you are new to cycling you can get this and ride for a year before investing the big bucks while you decide if you like cycling and what you like and don’t like about a bike. I have put 300 HARD miles on it. I bought it to train for my come back into triathlons (My last tri was in ’87) but I have wound up using it as my daily driver pulling my 2 daughters in the bike trailer 280 of the 300 miles. I store it the garage but it has been aloud to get wet frequently on rides. The dérailleurs have begun to rust as a result of wet conditions.

The active-play phenomenon started by Wii Sports now spreads to your whole body thanks to Wii Fit and the pressure-sensitive Wii Balance Board, which comes bundled with it. Used together players will experience an extensive array of fun, dynamic and surprisingly challenging activities, including aerobics, yoga, muscle stretches and balance oriented games. The focus of these activities is towards providing a “core” workout, a popular exercise method that emphasizes slower, controlled motions, but it’s the fun approach to fitness of Wii Fit that will keep players hooked on fitness for years to come.

Product Features :
* Wii Fit comes with the Wii Balance Board and requires a Wii console to play. Wii console sold separately.
* Wii Fit combines fitness with fun and is designed for everyone, young and old. Wii Fit players work towards personal fitness goals and they block soccer balls, swivel hips to power hoop twirls, and go big on ski jumps to get themselves there.
* Check your daily progress, set goals, check your Wii Fit Age, and even enter exercise time you’ve done outside of Wii Fit.
* Wii Fit Age is measured by factoring the user’s BMI reading, testing the user’s center of gravity and conducting quick balance tests.
* Training is at the core of Wii Fit. You can spend as much (or as little) time as you want trying out all of the 40+ activities Wii Fit offers.

KEY FEATURES :
- The Wii Fit Balance Board :
The primary tenet of Wii Fit is balance. Your center of balance, the point between your left and right sides when you stand upright, has a lot to do with your health. Those without an even center of balance will be unnaturally compensating for this imbalance, which causes their posture to become misaligned, increasing the possibility of putting unnecessary strain on their bodies.

- Getting Started: Create a Profile
Before you jump into doing exercises and activities, you’ll start by creating a profile. This is done easily and intuitively by simply choosing a Mii, entering your height and age information, and doing a few quick tests that will serve as a baseline for your new Wii fitness regimen. These tests are:
* BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) Check.
* Wii Fit Age: After you’ve checked your BMI, you’ll do a basic balance test and find out your current Wii Fit Age. This basic balance test measures how well you can control your left and right balance. Based on the results, you’ll be assigned a Wii Fit Age.
- Four Categories of Fun :
Wii Fit features four main categories of exercises to choose from: Strength Training, Aerobics, Yoga and Balance Games. Wii Fit will guide you through the first three with the help of your own virtual personal trainer, while the balance games offer variety and fun to help keep you engaged and excited about your fitness goals. In addition, as you spend time exercising, you’ll earn Fit Credits that unlock additional exercises and activities within your favorite categories that will allow you to continue to push yourself.
- Keep Track of Your Progress :
* Keep tabs on your daily progress with easy-to-understand graphs and charts. Using your personal profile, you can set goals, view a graph of your BMI results over time, see how many Fit Credits you’ve earned, check your Wii Fit Age and even enter exercise time you’ve done outside of Wii Fit. It’s all about coming back and exercising a little every day, and the personal profile makes tracking your daily progress simple and easy.
* Quickly check your Wii Fit Age and BMI without even putting the game in the console by going directly to the Wii Fit Channel.
* Allow up to eight family members can create their own profiles in Wii Fit. On the profile-selection screen, everyone in the family can see each other’s recent BMI progress and Fit Credit total. This will allow families to have a friendly competition to exercise and get fit.

FEEDBACK :
- Addictive. Hard. Rewarding. Fun. Tiring. Frustrating. Amazing.
- Brilliant motion- sensitive control interface.
- Sheer populist accessibility.

The active-play phenomenon started by Wii Sports now spreads to your whole body thanks to Wii Fit and the pressure-sensitive Wii Balance Board, which comes bundled with it. Used together players will experience an extensive array of fun, dynamic and surprisingly challenging activities, including aerobics, yoga, muscle stretches and balance oriented games. The focus of these activities is towards providing a “core” workout, a popular exercise method that emphasizes slower, controlled motions, but it’s the fun approach to fitness of Wii Fit that will keep players hooked on fitness for years to come.
Similar in appearance to a step aerobics board, the Wii Balance Board is much, much more. Easily capable of supporting weights up to a maximum of 300 pounds, it is sturdy and precise, able to measure weight and register pressure accurately when placed on a variety of flat surfaces. This advanced level of sensitivity allows for both the wide range of activities found in the Wii Fit software as well as the board’s amazing ability recognize individual players by their weight alone.

Product Features:
- Wii Fit comes with the Wii Balance Board and requires a Wii console to play. Wii console sold separately.
- Wii Fit combines fitness with fun and is designed for everyone, young and old. Wii – Fit players work towards personal fitness goals and they block soccer balls, swivel hips to power hoop twirls, and go big on ski jumps to get themselves there.
- Check your daily progress, set goals, check your Wii Fit Age, and even enter exercise time you’ve done outside of Wii Fit.
- Wii Fit Age is measured by factoring the user’s BMI reading, testing the user’s center of gravity and conducting quick balance tests.
- Training is at the core of Wii Fit. You can spend as much (or as little) time as you want trying out all of the 40+ activities Wii Fit offers.

Customer feedback:

1. I own the Wii Fit since last week. I’m 32, 1.76m, ~82-84kg (fluctuates) and with my wedding coming up in a few months I wanted to lose some weight. I work all day and have little time in the evenings so the preparation and driving to and from the gym was too much. I wanted to use that 30-40 min to exercise, not prepare for exercise. I own a Wii since Xmas and decided to try this out after reading various reviews on the internet. Is this as good as going to the gym? No it does not replicate a gym. Will it get the job done? Will it keep you fit and help you lose weight? YES YES YES! I love it and highly recommend it. I get a great work out in 45 min. I feel great about myself, and have already lost a kilo. (note I have not changed my diet). Notice I get my work out in as much time as it takes to commute and prepare for gym. I also have more fun than going to the gym on my own. Perhaps going to a gym with a friend would be more fun. Depends. Anyway I love the Wii Fit! Note it takes a few times to get used to it and figure out how best to use it. Why? Well there is no prepared program for you. You have to decide on your own what you want to do and in what sequence. I start off by doing the aerobics (jogging, holla hoop) and then vary. Basically, the Wii Fit breaks its exercises into Muscle, Balance, Aerobics, and Yoga. I mainly doing the Aerobics and mix in some muscle and yoga. The muscle and yoga can be really tough. You wouldn’t believe how much. You can really feel the muscles working. I do the balance exercises when I’m tired and want to relax a bit in between exercises.

2. I was impressed when we bought a Wii for our daughter last Christmas. Now I’m thrilled. Finally, a video “game” that seems tailor made for me! I’ve only had my copy of Wii Fit for a few days now, but already I can tell that if any piece of home equipment is ever going to help me get back in shape, this is it. Setting it up is hardly tougher than slipping in a DVD, and, unlike the Total Gym I once had, it makes you feel young just using it.
The first thing you do is weigh yourself by standing on the included wireless “Balance Board.” After that, everything seems more like a game than a workout, but after 30 minutes with this thing I was sweating just as much as I do at the gym. There are four types of exercises: aerobics, balance, strength training, and yoga. Lasting from a minute to 10 minutes each, specific virtual activities include boxing, hula-hooping, jogging, push-ups, some very fun snowboarding action and this funky tilting game where you push balls into virtual holes.
Back to that balance board. You’ll hate what it tells you about yourself, but love that it told you. Besides your weight, you learn your Wii Fit Age, a figure that combines your weight, body mass index and sense of balance. As you exercise, the program tracks your progress, or lack of it.