Bike commuters are like cabbies: they travel in a pre-Waze, pre鈥揋oogle Maps world.

Most start out taking well-known thoroughfares鈥擬assachusetts Avenue in Boston, Broadway in Manhattan, Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Soon traffic or curiosity sends them down smaller streets, feeling out how certain routes are better at certain times of the day. Eventu颅ally, reading the mood of the city becomes second nature.

Consider jacket ($275)听a tip of the cycling chapeau to these two-wheeled warriors. The pattern is a mashup of street maps from 11 great cycling cities, including Portland, Paris, and Washington, D.C. When headlights hit the waterproof fabric, the maps illuminate. Thanks to a brushed lining, the Atlas is comfortable next to the skin.

Tech? 罢丑别谤别鈥檚 plenty, such as long core vents, adjustable cuffs for temperature control, and a zip-off, helmet-颅compatible hood. 罢丑别谤别鈥檚 even a chest pocket with an audio port, in case you want to listen听to Google Maps鈥� biking directions, just for giggles.听

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Peter Godlewski, inventor of the 听($3,299), has gotten used to the befuddled grins he gets from other riders when he rolls up on his ridiculous-looking e-trike, with its massive鈥攄are we say goofy?鈥�4.8-inch front tires. 鈥淭his is not a bicycle,鈥� he tells them. 鈥淭his is an ATV.鈥�

Our testing backs that up. Designed for rumbling over sand and snow, the 90-pound beast had us charging up steep hills like we were red-lining a monster truck. Cruis颅ing fire roads full of rocks and pumice in Mammoth Lakes, Califor颅nia, was pure fun. Those double fatties up front offer a trifecta of performance advantages, providing float on gravel and in powdery glades, making crashing almost impossible, and enabling enormous GS turns on Mammoth鈥檚 Main Street. On dry pavement, leaning into a 90-degree turn meant flying one front wheel off the ground.

We also had a blast cruising the boulevards of Los Angeles, where the 2,100-watt pedal-assist motor let us cruise at up to 28 miles per hour, making it easier to stay abreast of traffic. Ridiculous? Yes. Ridiculously entertaining? Hell yes.听

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In late winter, skiers and snowboarders will descend on Wyoming鈥檚 to compete in the ninth annual , in which teams of four slide mugs of Pabst Blue Ribbon down a ten-foot slab of melamine, catch them midair, and slam them while spilling as little as possible.

Legend has it that the activity, locally referred to as 鈥渜uaffing,鈥� dates back to 1986, when a storm closed the tram and a handful of locals were knocking back beers at a now defunct bar that slid suds-filled mugs to patrons. (The 鈥淕elande鈥� part is derived from the German word for ski jumping.) When one almost got away, a skier grabbed it midair and drained it. Thirty years on, the contest, formalized in 2008, has become the epitome of apr猫s. 鈥淕elande quaffing鈥攖here is none more awesome,鈥� says Benny Wilson, cofounder of the Jackson Hole Air Force, a group of brazen hometown heroes who led the charge to open up Jackson鈥檚 lift-served backcountry in 1999. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the greatest drinking game on earth.鈥�

Teams of four (you must qualify at a regional event) rotate around the table in an attempt to drink as much as is humanly possible in 60 seconds. Drinkers must stand two feet beyond the table. One point is awarded for nabbing the stein and downing it, two for doing so via the handle; the team with the most points at the end of the round advances. As the competition continues, increasingly advanced moves are required. The final round is two minutes long, and teams must complete a handle catch, a spin catch, and an under-the-leg catch. A freestyle catch (see below) is worth up to five points, awarded at the judges鈥� discretion.

Last year鈥檚 winners, Quaffstafari, a Boulder, Colorado, team of four dudes in red, gold, and green tracksuits, went so far as to enlist a coach. Jade Lascelles, a former dancer and choreographer, measured which combinations of pitcher and catcher were most effective. Then she had them consume more than a keg of beer over two five-hour practices each week, during which they developed double-black-diamond tolerance. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important that the whole team can handle their beers, both in terms of intoxication and volume,鈥� says Lascelles.

But it was their freestyle ability that really set the Quaffstafarians apart. 鈥淲e developed a choreographed trick round that allowed us to use props and equipment in a time-efficient way,鈥� says Lascelles.

So You Think You Can Quaff?

A taxonomic guide to the kinds of maneuvers witnessed in the freestyle round

The Bromance:听鈥═wo teammates catch one beer 鈥╡ach, lock arms, 鈥╝nd drink.

The Helping Hand: 鈥═he catcher pokes his arm through his fly, nabs the beer, and pours it into a teammate鈥檚 mouth.

The Smokestack: 鈥–ontestants take 鈥╝ hit from a suds-鈥╢illed bong, chug 鈥╰he beer, and blow 鈥╫ut the smoke.

The Magnum Opus鈥�:听Three beers are slid. Instead of drinking them, quaffers spit them into a jug and slide it back for the pitcher to chug.

听

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Many traffic lights don鈥檛 recognize cyclists. They rely on inductive loops鈥攂asically giant metal detectors鈥攂uried underground that are set to detect multiton hunks of metal and trigger the signals from red to green.

While some cities are adjusting the settings of inductive loops so the units detect cyclists, a growing number of cities around the world are testing entirely new tech to ensure cyclists always trigger stoplights.

Take London, where a slated to launch in the near future will utilize radar and thermal cameras to sense cyclists at an intersection. Once green, lights will accommodate cyclists, extending the duration of the green if cyclists are still riding through the intersection.

Then there鈥檚 Austin, which outfitted about 24 traffic lights with . The signals detect riders who have downloaded and are running the app, which launched in beta last week.

Currently, the Texas pilot program is available only to a select group of city workers. The $250,000 trial will run until next year, at which time city planners will evaluate its effect, says , assistant director of traffic management at the Austin Transportation Department.

鈥淲ith this app, we鈥檙e not looking for it to replace loops in the roadway. We鈥檙e seeing it as another tool to address the needs of detecting cyclists at intersections and to make it safer for them,鈥� says Dale.

In Denver, seven intersections have either infrared or thermal cameras mounted on traffic lights to detect riders. A green bike symbol painted on the roadway indicates which intersections have the tech. The pilot will run through October, at which time the city will determine which camera is more effective and decide how to proceed.

The Mile-High City is also installing 19 miles of bike lanes and seven miles of sharrows, delivering two more protected bike lanes to downtown Denver, opening a new pedestrian and bike bridge, creating the city鈥檚 first neighborhood bikeway, implementing a new bike parking program, updating Denver鈥檚 bike map, and launching .

These programs will address a steady increase of cycling in the city as well as increase the efficiency of multimodal transport (using more than one form of transit during your trip), according to , director of transportation for Denver Public Works.

鈥淲e鈥檙e growing so quickly, and there is some frustration about traffic and congestion. What is challenging for folks is the way we鈥檝e improved our听transportation system in the past is not the way we鈥檒l be able to improve our transportation in the future, because it鈥檚 a finite system in terms of the footprint,鈥� she says.

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You get an initial blast of freedom and fear when you open the throttle on a motorcycle with a sidecar. For one, the bike doesn鈥檛 track straight. When you accelerate, you鈥檙e pulled in the direction of the one-wheeled unit. When you slow down, you track away from it. And when you turn right, it feels like the sidecar is about to become airborne.

This all may sound scary. And it is. Scary fun.

All those factors鈥攑lus the fact that you steer these beasts like an auto instead of a motorcycle鈥攊s why the majority of states require separate training to drive a moto with a sidecar.

California, the state that issued my motorcycle license, is not one of those places. During a long weekend, we took the off-roading at Washington’s Snoqualmie Pass, on the highway, and into Seattle. We both agreed that if we had an extra $15,400 lying around, we鈥檇 definitely opt for the Ural.

The Patrol is the only bike in the world with on-demand sidecar drive, which helps in both the dirt and the snow. (Yeah, you can ride these Siberian-built, three-wheeled bad boys year round.) The 2014 Ural Patrol also features new disc brakes on each wheel and electronic fuel injection to increase torque, boost fuel efficiency, and keep the engine running smoothly.

For some, it鈥檚 the ultimate adventure tool. Customers buy Urals for camping, getting into the backcountry or for big, intercontinental adventures. The extra passenger seat and relatively roomy trunk make it perfect for long-distance travel. 罢丑别谤别鈥檚 also plenty of room for a four-legged companion. Actor and moto adventurer of Long Way Round fame, .

One caveat: prepare to talk about the bike with curious passerby. Questions are so common that owners call this fun tariff on your time the UDF, short for Ural Delay Factor.

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For law-abiding cyclists, there are few things as frustrating as a traffic light that ignores you. You wait and wait, watching cars and trucks get their greens, while you, on your environmentally awesome steed, get nothing but one long red light.

This two-wheeled version of Waiting for Godot could come to an end thanks to a new Kickstarter project called the Veloloop that .听

Here’s how it works. Many traffic lights use inductive loop sensors, an electromagnetic detection system听buried under the asphalt that detects vechicles and triggers the signal from red to green. It’s essentially a giant metal detector designed to sense large metal objects like cars and trucks鈥攏ot bikes. But by harnessing magnetic signals, the Veloloop tricks the inductive loop into registering your 20-pound steed as a multi-ton vechicle. 听 听

“The Veloloop mimics the presence of a large metal body,” says Veloloop Co-Creator听, who holds two engineering degrees from Boston University and has more than 15 years of experience in the semiconductor industry.听

The Veloloop founders have already secured two patents for their invention. Slightly larger than an iPad mini and described in the video as a “box of electronics with an anodized听aluminum antenna,” the 7-inch-square Veloloop weighs less than four ounces (batteries included), and attaches to your non-driveside chainstay. A small magnet attaches to a spoke on your rear wheel. When you come to a stop, the magnet turns on the Veloloop, which then scans for different frequencies. A red light on top of the unit turns solid red when it finds the right frequency (usually the matter of about a second).

Now, if you live in a city where lights are only triggered by traffic cameras, the Veloloop won’t help you. It also won’t help if you live in a city like Portland, Orgeon, where traffic lights are programed to recognize bikes. Other cities like Redmond, Washington, paint an X or stenciled bike on the road to indicate where cyclists need to stand to trip a sensor, usually a few feet from the curb and about three feet short of the white stop line. (There’s even showing you where to stop.)听

But if you live in a less bike-conscientious city that uses inductive loop sensors to “see” traffic, check out the company’s Kickstarter campaign, which started on October 7 and runs through November 7. For $99, you’ll get a Veloloop in anodized red set to ship this December.

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In February 2013, delivered a TedX talk that changed his world. Just 13 years old at the time, Logan鈥檚 speech, 鈥淗ackschooling Makes Me Happy,鈥� explored his homeschooling experience, focusing on the importance of happiness during the learning process. Now, for a variety of reasons, he’s decided to go back to high school.听

For the uninitiated, hackschooling鈥攁 term Logan coined because he didn鈥檛 like the reactions he got when he told people he was homeschooled鈥攊s a dynamic student-centric learning mindset. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 use any one particular curriculum, and I鈥檓 not dedicated to any one particular approach. I hack my education,鈥� Logan says in the talk.

It was just a school project that Logan thought might get 1,000 views tops鈥攁nd he dressed accordingly, with untied high tops, a hoodie, and a beanie covering his shoulder-length locks.

If he had the prescience to know that the video would go viral (with almost 7 million views as of this writing), Logan says he would鈥檝e cut his hair.

: Funny, earnest, and self-aware. It might have you asking, as many online commenters have: Is this kid wiser than his years or did his marketing-professional father do some heavy lifting behind the scenes?

But speak with the now 15-year-old听for 20 minutes and you鈥檒l see a blend of humility, confidence, and an impressive amount of maturity.听Hackschooling seems to have worked well for Logan.

He鈥檚 been busy since that TedX talk: grown nine inches, been sidelined from competitive skiing due to multiple shoulder injuries, put on 35 pounds, and had his voice drop an octave. He鈥檚 been featured in a couple of forthcoming documentaries鈥攊ncluding Universal Studios鈥� 鈥淎 Search for Freedom鈥濃�攍earned how to build skis while interning with听, honed his sewing and design skills while interning with custom baseball hat company, , and published articles on as well as .

He also continues to speak across the country, for which he receives both money and school credits. In August, he delivered a keynote at the听,听ultimately focusing on what it鈥檚 like to be a member of Generation Z: those born after 1994 who are growing up distracted, stressed out, and unhealthy.

鈥淭he thing is, it鈥檚 such an obvious topic,鈥� says Logan. 鈥淲ho doesn鈥檛 want to make being happy and healthy a priority in their life and education? I鈥檓 just an early voice for my generation, so youth had a lot to do with it. Many people have said this message before. It was really the right time, right place, right moment.鈥�

Logan鈥檚 speech comes at a time when the nation is obsessed with happiness, and that’s trickled into mainstream ideas of schooling, too. We鈥檙e actively questioning the country鈥檚 education system as we look for ways to boost our kids’ happiness in and out of the classroom. Homeschooling is growing at a steady rate, according to the National Home Education Research Institute. And it’s telling that the most popular TED talk of all time, with well over 28 million views, is听听a radical rethink of contemporary education.

鈥淭he idea of personalizing your own education is always an interesting discussion,” says education reform advocate and editor of听听RiShawn Biddle.听“There are two key realities: American public education is in a state of mediocrity, and there are certain things your kids may want to learn that the schools are not going to be able [to teach them].”听

For Logan, that includes: getting sponsorships; collecting speaking fees; lifestyle modeling; and work to offset the significant expense of competitive skiing.听Many of Logan’s detractors write him off as rich kid鈥攁 criticism he gracefully deflects. 鈥淚鈥檓 not,鈥� said Logan. 鈥淚鈥檓 just lucky enough to have an amazing community and my parents are very smart and want me to learn life skills.鈥�

But even such an idyllic homeschooling situation has its limits, and last August Logan started attending Forest Charter School in Truckee where schedules are flexible, more like a college than a high school. Attendance isn鈥檛 mandatory and a lot of work can be completed online.

Logan and his family decided he should go back to school for a few reasons: girls, friends, an atmosphere designed to identify strengths and weaknesses, and college prep. 听The teenage brain “makes a big move to social learning, whereby learning with friends can be powerful and motivational,鈥� says Logan鈥檚 dad, David. 鈥淎s the self authoring mind takes over and the need to create an identity separate of the family tribe takes over, the desire to try new things moves to the forefront.鈥�

Forest Charter School is popular with many of Tahoe鈥檚 action sport athletes who travel a lot, including , a teen who鈥檚 already being billed as 鈥渢he next Shaun White.鈥� Logan鈥檚 fall and winter schedules will include a mix of traditional classes, independent study projects, skiing four or five days a week, and schoolwork.

Ultimately, it doesn鈥檛 matter what school you go to, says Logan. 鈥淚 get bummed at all the people that have turned my talk into a fight about homeschooling. They missed the point. It鈥檚 the mindset and what you make priority. So for Generation Z, let鈥檚 make learning the skills and practices of being happy and healthy just as important as learning science.鈥�

Logan urges his peers to join 鈥淭.E.A.M.S.H.H.,鈥� an acronym for Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math, Science, Health, and Happiness. Like a good brand, the group has a strong tagline, 鈥淟ess Talk, More Walk.鈥�

That鈥檚 a good distillation of Logan鈥檚 thinking: get out there and do stuff. Follow your own path and passions when possible. Fail. Succeed. And apply what you鈥檝e learned in the past to future endeavors. The teen鈥檚 future? He鈥檚 toying around with the idea of graduating a year early so he can travel before going to college for design or film. And he cut his hair, just in case another talk goes viral.

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罢丑别谤别鈥檚 420-friendly yoga. 罢丑别谤别鈥檚 co-ed naked yoga. 罢丑别谤别鈥檚 yoga California Chrome could love. 罢丑别谤别鈥檚 even . No matter which you choose, you鈥檙e likely to need some gear to practice.

We looked high and low for the latest and greatest in yoga mats, bags, and outerwear (for you prudes who don鈥檛 go au naturel). Here are our findings:

Lululemon Metal Vent Tech Tee ($64)

Similar to the now sold-out Assert Tech Short Sleeve Tee we raved about in a recent review of听Lululemon products, the is one of our favorite T-shirts by virtue of the cut alone, which is athletic while not being skin-tight. Put simply, it’s damn flattering. And that goes for body types ranging from Cat 2 to Clydesdale. Thanks to anti-stink technology that inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria, the only funk that flows from you will be from your earbuds.

Manduka LiveOn Mat ($58)

New to yoga? Released on June 4, the is the perfect first mat because it鈥檚 lightweight, and at 5mm, it鈥檚 relatively听thick (your knees will thank you for this in poses like cat/cow and dolphin). Plus, that joint-saving foam is 100 percent reclaimable and recyclable. Looking for something a bit thinner? A 3mm version is slated to go on sale this September.

The North Face Be Calm Tank for Women ($38)

More affordable than most, from The North Face is a poly-blend built from recycled fabric that wicks. And it鈥檚 cut long enough to reach the top of even the lowest of low-riding yoga pants.

yogitoes We Are One Collection Skidless Yoga Towel ($64)

Whether you鈥檙e down with hot yoga or you just sweat a lot, will save you from a saturated and, therefore, slippery mat. Silicon nubs help with grippiness, which you鈥檒l appreciate in trikonasana and warrior poses when you’re squeezing your inner thigh muscles and pushing down on your feet.

Much more absorbent than regular towels, it also dries quickly in the sun. Pro tip: the little nibs go face down. Keeping them face-up is the yoga version of wearing a bike helmet backward.

Yoga Sak ($50)

Minimalist and multi-modal? Check out . The fourth generation of this bag stows your mat vertically and is complete with a retractable pouch to make sure heavier mats (like the ) don鈥檛 slide out the bottom.听

And for hot-yoga-inclined people, the company also offers a wet bag ($10) for any sweat-drenched clothes. One drawback? The cell phone pocket is too small for an iPhone 5, Nexus 5, or Galaxy S4, an issue the company says will be addressed in the fifth generation of this bag, which is slated for release in early 2015.

Prana Sutra Pant ($70)

Although most running and climbing shorts translate well to yoga, the is our favorite full-length pant. Available in three lengths (30鈥�, 32鈥�, 34鈥�), they鈥檙e built from a blend of hemp, polyester, and lycra. With an inseam gusset, front pockets, drawstring waist, and relaxed fit, the Sutra is the Levi鈥檚 501 of yoga鈥攁 classic.

Manduka GO Free Backpack ($120)

Pedaling to yoga is the best. You get a warm-up and another excuse to ride your bike. But carrying a mat can be tricky: if you put it into a traditional backpack, it鈥檒l hit the back of your helmet, testing even the most enlightened yogi鈥檚 equanimity.

Save your sanity with the that secures your mat with quick-release buckles and is big enough to haul a laptop (in a padded sleeve), a few bike locks, and change of clothes. There are also internal pockets for pens, tools, and a pad of paper, plus several large external pockets.

Lululemon For The People Short ($68)

Although you can practice yoga wearing an old Radiohead T-shirt, shorts are different. Go with a pair without four-way stretch and you鈥檒l be able to blame your clothing for keeping you out of half-pigeon. Go too baggy, on the other hand, and you鈥檒l show too much when you鈥檙e upside down.

The tapered were designed for yoga and are sweat-wicking, breathable, and knee-length. Plus, the breathable fabric feels good on your skin.

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Endurance racers are the gear-annihilating guinea pigs of the outdoor world. When you鈥檙e living with products non-stop for days at a time, even minor annoyances can snowball into deal-breakers. Ergo, smart designers listen closely to these PETA-approved testers.

If the new Rev series is any indication, Osprey鈥檚 design crew has both listening skills and problem-solving abilities. Designed for trail runners and endurance racers, the mid-size听听is almost perfect. 听听

Available in S/M and M/L, I found the fit to be spot on thanks to a form-fitting cut and two chest straps that can be adjusted vertically. At 6’2″, I went with the M/L size鈥攖he pack fits so well it feels even lighter than its 26 ounces. Plus, the lean Biostretch harness and belt are lighter than most, making the Rev 12 feel practically tailored.

This pack thrives in motion because you can access important storage without stopping. The strap-mounted water bottle pocket doubles as a great place to stow sunglasses. The strap-mounted media pocket keeps your smart phone secure and is ear-bud friendly.听

Capacity-wise, it’s an honest 12 liters. During a trip to Napa and the Clif Family Winery, I discovered the pack comfortably accommodated 2.5 liters of water in the reservoir, as well as听three bottles of wine, a mid-layer, vest, and shell.听

All Rev packs include Osprey鈥檚 new reservoir, which is about 50 percent lighter than its predecessor. It also has a detachable hose for easy filling and two baffles to prevent the liquid from sloshing around while you run.听

With plenty of utilitarian bells and whistles in a lightweight package, the Rev will make you feel like a dromedary on a diet. And maybe even a gear-crushing guinea pig.

$110, 听

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Before you try on the , one thing stands out鈥攖he price. The fingerless model costs $100. Even by , they鈥檙e spendy, and Assos sells a $520 bib.

Take a quick look at the CPC鈥檚 palms, though, and you鈥檒l see where the money is going: countless tiny, upright cylinders that vary in size and are built from elastic polymer. Diameters range from the size of a pin tip to a pinhead and they鈥檙e about as deep as a dime is thick. Dubbed (CPC), the cylinders all but completely remove road buzz transmitted from crappy tarmac. And the no-slip keeps your digits right where you want them, even when you have sweaty palms.

Cadillac-plush with Carrera-performance, it鈥檚 no surprise some F1 drivers also use a version of CPC technology, which has a pretty cool backstory. The tech was first developed for soldiers who rappelled out of helicopters and needed to be able to stop in a hurry.

The summer-weight gloves are cool enough for the hottest rides, but this lightweight fabric may adversely affect durability. And all those cylinders on the palm make you think twice about rubbing a tire after going through debris that could cause a flat.

Those imperfections aside, it鈥檚 tough not to come to the same conclusion as I did after six weeks of testing: Prologo CPC gloves may well be the most comfortable cycling gloves on the planet. 听

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