Fixed gear bikes have been back in the spotlight for awhile now, made popular by hardcore bikers like city messengers. Their attraction lies in their simplicity. Fixed/single speed bikes are essentially track bikes, the type that are designed to be ridden on banked ovals, they have one speed and the rider to road connection is uncanny, something that you can’t quite explain until you’ve tried one. They are simple to maintain, since they only have one speed they have no gears to adjust and keep in order, and along with this they need little to no brakes as fixed gear means just that, no freewheeling here. They are easy to transport and secure since they are lighter than most bikes and have less “stuff” hanging off of them.

When most people get into the fixed gear game they usually choose to buy an old frame, fix it up, bolt on some nice anodized parts and splash on some paint. The T1 represents Treks aluminum track bike, which along with being a reasonably priced purchase, also comes spec’d with some descent parts such as a nice carbon fork and parts from Bontrager. This would be a great bike to get into the sport with, a city bike which is hassle free as well as looking very clean. Check out the Trek T1 here.

Together with Swiss watchmaker Jaegar-LeCoultre and after 18 months of arduous research and development, Aston Martin has released the AMVOX2 Rapide Transponder, the first mechanical watch developed with the ability to control access into a luxury sports car. Clearly, a step towards futuristic utopia.

The engineering on this timepiece is stunning: a miniature transmitter system integrated within the watch, serving to lock and unlock either the Aston Martin Rapide or the Aston Martin DBS, while maintaining the functions of a pushpiece-free chronograph. When approaching the car, the driver simply has to touch the OPEN position on the watch glass, between 8 and 9 o’clock, to activate the door-opening system, or press CLOSE positioned between 3 and 4 o’clock to lock. Simultaneously pressing both activates the“find me” function: the headlamps light up for several seconds, without unlocking the car, so as to enable the owner to find the car at a glance. Technological advancements aside, this watch is an absolute beauty. The two-tone casing is entirely made of satin-brushed 18-carat pink gold and brushed grade 5 titanium, which contrasts brilliantly with the black face and leather strap. It is masculine yet elegant, and perfectly captures the awe-inspiring feeling of driving an Aston-Martin. To sum up in three words: we want one. The AMVOX2 Rapide Transponder is issued exclusively for Aston Martin owners.

Take a closer look at Aston Martin’s new Rapide Luxury Sports Car after the jump.

Established as the premier handcrafted saddle manufacturer for almost 150 yrs, Brooks Saddles are revered for both their quality and their style. While simple, the process in making a Brooks Saddle is very time-consuming and meticulous. There’s a reason why the brand has been around and stayed successful for such a long time; the dedication devoted to the manufacturing process. Wired Gadget Lab recently was invited to tour the factory in West Midlands, UK and witness the work that goes into each and every saddle. Take a look at the entire process after the jump.

Griffin has been killing it for almost 20 years in the business of mixing fashion and sportswear. The upcoming Spring/Summer 2010 collection is on point with cycling-focused pieces featuring Dry Wax Canvas Cottons, lightweight corduroys, and classic Italian camouflage linens. What’s piqued our interest even more than the upcoming collection is Griffin’s first ever bike collaboration. Teaming together with popular UK urban cycling brand Charge, the fixed gear in cyan blue and white features Charge’s signature minimalist Plug frame with Griffin’s distinctive design detailing, complete with new Griffin camouflage on the seat.

What do you get when you cross a Ferrari with a Dune-Buggy? The Ariel Atom. In fact, in Top Gear’s fastest lap challenge, the Atom had the exact same laptime as a Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 and was described as “one of the most beautiful cars in the world”. While it may not be for everyone, and by everyone I mean anyone who wants a street-legal car, the previous models of the Atom have been priced a little too high to warrant any serious attention (and were only available in the UK). Not anymore though, as Ariel has just announced its entry-level Atom 3, coming in at around $50,000. What you’ll get is a body-less machine capable of doing 0-60mph in 2.9 seconds powered by a 219 horsepower engine made by Honda. The hand-built cars are extremely limited and built to the owner’s exact specifications. How can you not appreciate the raw beauty of seeing the insides of your vehicle in action as you speed around a track at blazing speeds, the wind flattening your exposed face and the rush of adrenaline pumping through your veins. Watch Top Gear’s review of the original Ariel Atom after the jump.

The Toyota Prius has become an icon for anyone wanting to be green; from Activist-Hippies to the Hollywood elite. While it’s no surprise that the market for environmentally-friendly automobiles is growing rapidly, Toyota is banking on the evolution of this technology to drive its profits for the future. Unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, a new concept for the Prius line; the FT-CH. Apart for looking incredibly stunning, the FT-CH is designed to target a lower price point than the Prius, is more lightweight and compact, all while maximizing passenger comfort and interior space. Designed in Nice, France, the sporty compact has a European flair that was actually inspired by 8-bit video games of the 80s.

READ MORE for detailed pics or visit Toyota’s Sustainable Mobility website for information.

You know we’re up on the fixed-gear tip, but we also realize that a lot of you want the most you can get from a bike without going the fixed wheel route. One of our favorite brands, Bianchi, an Italian high-performance bike manufacturer that needs no introduction, produces the Camaleonte series which is a perfect hybrid bike, an answer for all eventualities. “Camaleonte” is Italian for chameleon, and these bikes are equally at home on the road as off of it.  The lineup has been in production for several years now and, at the moment, comes in four basic models: I, II, IV, and V (shown above).  The main differences being color, the Shimano V-brake and carbon frame on the IV and V, along with other upgrades for the higher class bikes in both the mechanical (shifters, sprockets, etc.) and trim (tires, handlebars, etc.) departments.  Prices range all the way from $599 for the I to $1449 for the V.

More pics after the jump.

In the past, we’ve brought you much news of fixed-gear and new-fangled fold-up bikes, but here’s something quite different.  The Pashley Guv’nor is all retro.  It’s modeled after the Path Racer, which the company first designed nearly 80 years ago.  The Guv’nor’s frame is built using Reynolds 531 steel tubing, which was the carbon fiber of its day, but hasn’t truly been popular since the 1930’s.  Pashley asked Reynolds for a special order of the steel and then handmade the diamond frames.  It also sports rather heavy 28-inch, gold-lined black alloy rims.  Other luxury features include North Road drop handlebars with handmade leather grips and a Brooks brown leather saddle with titanium rails.  It adds up to a solid, but heavy machine, which is probably more adept at leisurely rides down to the store or your local pub than it is at blazing climbs or trails.  That said, you’ll sure look cool getting there.  The Guv’nor comes in a single or three speed model, and the good peeps at Pashley will even throw in a bag of Guv’nor’s blend tea for you.  Available here.

More pics after the jump.

We recently had the opportunity to go to Seattle and check out the latest iteration of the Volkswagen Golf TDI, a car with a rich history and doing it’s part to stay relevant to modern consumers.

The Golf first appeared in 1974 and very quickly became a car that found roots as both an economical city car and as a vehicle which removes a lot of the frivolities in lieu of simplistic elegance. It quickly found it’s way into drivers hearts, drivers who appreciated a connection with their vehicles and also enjoyed the ability to personalize and tweak. This point made it especially popular to the weekend racer, the person who would take their daily driver to the track on the weekends for some friendly competition.

Read more after the jump.

We get a first look at Lance Armstrong’s custom Trek District following up on Project STAGES that featured an impressive line up of custom Madone frames for Armstrong for the Tour de France with the likes of Damien Hirst, KAWS, Shepard Fairey, Marc Newson, and Yoshimoto Nara. This collaboration came about when both parties realized Armstrong didn’t have a great bike to just get out, ride and have fun with. We like to picture him going out to get milk with it. Known simply as the Lance District, it features Trek’s new carbon fibre District frame, carbon fiber composite yellow belt drive system and a few flashes of yellow on an otherwise stock frame. The word from Trek is that Lance is a huge fan, but having a hard time finding enough time away from training to actually be on a bike for fun as the team has started training camp this week. Sadly, this is just a one-off, but you can get a stock version here.

READ MORE for detailed shots.

In a rare collaboration, rock/rap group BlakRoc has hooked up with Chevrolet to put out the BlakRoc Camaro. It has all the specs of the already-fresh 2010 model but with custom upgrades, including custom logo design, embroidered Center Console and Headrests, tinted windows, smoked taillights, 22” Lexani LX15 wheels and, my personal favorite, an upgraded Boston Acoustic 500 Watt Amp with subwoofer – perfect for bumping BlakRoc’s signature bass-heavy sound. The BlakRoc Chevy Camaro is available now; the group’s self-titled debut album drops November 27^th. More pictures, courtesy of D&F’s Ted Domohowski, after the jump.

Trek Bicycle and Wired Magazine have partnered up to produce a limited edition Project One Trek Madone, which will be featured exclusively at the Wired Pop-Up store in NYC. Project One is Trek’s version of NIKEiD, a service that allows riders to customize thousands of color, component, and paint options to build their dream ride. Designed by Mike Pfaltzgraff, his influence and style shines through the detailing on the ”B sides”; the inner of the legs, below the tubes, even the nuts. The fit with Wired Magazine is visually evident through the graphics and iconography throughout this standout bike. The Trek x Wired Project One Madone can be seen at the Wired Pop-UP shop at 415 West 13th Street in Manhattan’s Meatpacking/Highline District and will be open to the public from November 21, 2009 through December 27, 2009.