U.K. | Evolving Consumer

Ride Where the Pros Were

While the Tour de France is notable that most of it takes place in France, there have been several stages across the English Channel in the U.K. Now Ordance Survey has has produced an app to enable cyclists to ride every single meter of road that the Tour de France has covered since it first visited the U.K. in 1974.

This iOS app details the historic U.K. Tour stages from 1974, 1994 and 2007 as well as the routes for the three stages to take place in Yorkshire and South East England this July.

OS Ride Ordnance Survey Limited at the Apple App Store
[Via BikeRadar: Ordnance Survey launch free Tour de France app]

Endless Winter Chronicles British Surf Scene

The “classic” movie about surfing easily remains The Endless Summer but what do you do if summer in your part of the world feels like a warm winter day at best? You don the best wetsuit you can and hit the waves anyway.

That’s the ideas that directors Matt Crocker and James Dean had as they traveled through the United Kingdom collecting stories about the British surfers. So instead of The Endless Summer, the pair has fittingly chronicled The Endless Winter. The story actually begins about 100+ years ago when a Hawaiian Princess allegedly hit the waves by Brighton Pier, but really picks up following World War II when American and Australian surf culture made it to England, and so began the quest for surfing in The Endless Winter. For those who want to experience it from the warmth of their couch, the DVD will arrive later this month.

[Via Sabotage Times: Endless Winter: The History Of The British Surfing Scene]

Outdoor Gym Generates People Powered Electricity

We’ve seen a few examples where health clubs and gyms are getting some juice from people power. So as users hit the machines they can help power the lights and actually supply power back to the grid. But now Great Outdoor Gym Company in the U.K. has taken this concept to outdoor gyms. There are more than 250 open air exercise areas across the country, but a pilot project in Hull could be the first to create a high-tech outdoor gym.

This features weather-proof gyms feature cross trainers and hand bikes, as well as fitness and recumbent bicycles, while the TGO Green Heart center allow users to check weight and determine BMI. All the equipment in these gyms is designed to comply with the European playground standard EN1176 to make the areas safe for the users. Video after the jump