Fit Matters May 17 2015, 0 Comments

Fit is important for proper functioning of Wind-Blox.  

First, attach the blox

• Open the velcro attachment
• Place Blox on the strap that will be in front of your ear
• Close the velcro so that the flap will face backwards

Second, check your helmet straps:

• The side straps should form a Y just below your earlobe
• The chin strap should be snug against the chin so that when you open your mouth very wide you feel the helmet pull down a little bit

With the helmet in position on your head, adjust the length of the rear straps, then the length of the front straps, to locate the Y fitting where the straps come together just under your ear

Third, adjust your Blox:

Art and Biking May 10 2015, 0 Comments

Open up Pinterest and you can find almost anything...some of our favorite searches include bicycle art.  We've enjoyed it so much that we developed a pin board devoted to bike art http://www.pinterest.com/WindBloxSports/bike-art/ 

On of our favorite artists has got to be Mark Fairhurst!  He makes art deco style posters as well as other incredible pieces.  

Another favorite, with an entirely different genre is Bikeyface.  She's got a great sense of humor and it really shows in her work.

There are also some fun retro and vintage photographs available--nice Audrey Hepburn portraits, many penny farthing pictures and some really cool bike+surfing shots.

Kickstarter Review April 28 2015, 0 Comments

We kickstarted back in the fall of 2013 and had a blast!  While we set it up to be in the US alone, we quickly found a large amount of international interest.  Wind-Blox was also able to test styles to see what people were looking for.  Many people had recommended animal patterns, for example, so we made those but found that Black Blox were much more popular.  It was a quick run of 30 days and we enjoyed every minute!  

Now as we continue building our brand, we wonder if we'll kickstart again...it was a wonderful wild ride and we had results that were even better than we expected.  Stay tuned!!

Can You Hear Me Now? April 25 2015, 0 Comments

Annoying wind noise is enough to keep some people off their bikes.  One of our early customers wrote us shortly after receiving his order of Wind-Blox to let us know how helpful the Blox had been for his tinnitus.  He stated that quieting the wind-noise helped calm the tinnitus, adding less noise made a huge difference for him.  Since that time we have heard this from many customers.

Hyperacusis is another hearing problem that is aided with use of our wind blocking devices.  With hyperacusis there is a heightened awareness of sound, and those with hyperacusis sometimes choose to limit their activities to those which produce little sound.  This often excludes the joy of biking, due to wind noise.  Now customers are able to rejoin their love of bike riding and often send their friends our way, too.

Shipping to Andorra, Australia and Your Home Town April 21 2015, 0 Comments

We've updated shipping worldwide and we're pretty excited about the value this will offer customers outside the United States!  Hit us up for safety and fun in bike riding, whether you're in Andorra or Australia we've got your back (or at least your ears)!

Training with Wind-Blox April 19 2015, 0 Comments

Bike racers aim to be as sleek as possible, they're known for wearing skin skinsuits, aerodynamic helmets and shaving their legs.  Yet they often train with wind-Blox.  Wind-Blox allow racers to train with less annoyance from wind noise and also add enjoyment since the riders have an improved awareness of their surroundings.  

Wind-Blox History April 18 2015, 0 Comments

Here's where we came from:

• First prototype October 2011

• Presentations at Toastmasters April 2012 

• Facebook company page May 2012

• Wordpress product presentation (as "Windblockers") July 2012

• Initial provisional patent submitted July 2012

• LLC formed July 2012

• Product testing September 2012

• Manufacturer iterations September 2012 - August 2013

• Patent application submitted (U.S. Serial No. 29/465,865) July 2013

• Kickstarter September 2013

• Trademark search and registration August 2013, May 2014

Safer Lanes for Safer Cities April 18 2015, 0 Comments

Safe urban commuting requires riders and drivers to be aware of one another.  When a good friend of ours was hit and out of commission for a long while, we began wondering what cities other than ours do to keep their bike commuters safe. 

For years our regular bike commute involved a tricky intersection that we flat-out avoided during peak hours.  A bridge off-ramp, cars preparing to merge with a large busy road, and a poorly marked bike lane added to the complexity of this area--the only provision for safety was a line of installed 'candlesticks'.  While we appreciated the city for installing these, we were willing to ride well out of our way in order to skip the dangerous dance with four-wheeled vehicles.

A favorite option that provides a cheaper, more attractive option is to add a row of flower boxes on the edge of the bike lane.  The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition made a 'pop up bike lane' for only $600. This brought a new interest in bike safety, made the ride more enjoyable, and beautified the city.

(The Green Lane Project is part of the People For Bikes program, of which Wind-Blox is a part)

Freezing Weather Continues...Here's Some Gear November 20 2014, 0 Comments

Our favorite wind-fighting product is Wind-Blox, it goes without saying, but what other wind products are valuable?

We like Pearl Izumi's cycling gloves, but also realize that in really cold weather something like a lobster glove may be more what a person is looking for.

If riders are dealing with rain, another vital layer would be booties (and of course our favorite is our local brand Showers Pass which is now available at Nordstrom).  Beyond the need for booties, a great pair of cycling shoes is going to be helpful and SIDI has a really warm pair.

Knickers or knee warmers will make a big difference when it comes to keeping your ligaments happy, and fleece lined tights and bibs are great options too.

Balaclavas stop important sounds (like CARS) and so do earmuffs, so Wind-Blox should stay on your helmet straps year round, but adding a warm layer like Bern's knit liner will be very helpful.

CycleLove Manifesto November 19 2014, 0 Comments

find it here

Incentivizing Bike Commuting August 14 2014, 0 Comments

Throughout the European Union, countries are incentivizing bike commuting realizing health, environment and joy benefits.  Our friends at CycleScheme have a really nice breakdown of what is available in the UK.  They also have a savings and calorie calculator that could be useful no matter where you ride.

If you're not enjoying these kinds of options, send a link to your government representative or HR rep!

The Vee August 05 2014, 0 Comments

This past weekend some of the Wind-Blox team were out of town and borrowed bikes and helmets.  When they donned the headgear it was surprising to see how others before them had worn these helmets.  The straps were very loose and the 'vee' where the front and back strap from each side met to create the chin strap was actually near the chin of each rider.  Obviously these helmets needed adjustments if they were to be useful for promoting safety!

As the Blox team adjusted their borrowed helmets, they realized that the 'vee' could be something that customers might not consider when attaching Blox to their helmets.  For best use of Blox, the 'vee' should be close to the rider's earlobe and the chin strap should be snug.

Happy riding!