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COBI: A New Way to Cycle

slide0Today’s world is full of cycling accessories that help add to your riding experience. We have LED flashlights, accelerometers, smartphone mounts, bells… just about anything you might want or need on a bike. But square footage on your handlebars is a limited commodity, and having too many accessories is going to take up a lot of space. And besides, who can keep up with the odd dozen different tools you might keep up front?

COBI is the worlds smartest integrated biking system, streamlining your handlebar accessories and providing seamless integration of all your cycling needs. The founder of COBI, Andreas Gahlert, is a passionate biker who was tired of the clutter on his handlebar and decided to do something about it, creating the COBI. Check out just a few of the features that you can find on this unique system:


Smartphone Compatible
– COBI is smartphone compatible, connecting you to over 100 different cycling apps, your music library, the ability to call your friends, and more. You also have access to a GPS system featuring popular routing, bike lanes, turn-by-turn directions, and even a “buddy radar” showing you the location of all your COBI friends.

Illumination – COBI provides a dynamic lighting system, including a stylish front light that responds to atmospheric illumination, and a back light that signifies sharp deceleration and changes in direction. That’s right, you get a turn signal!

Security – With the COBI hub securely attached, you get to decide who rides your bike, and sets off the motion-sensitive Theft Alarm for others with its light and sound alert. COBI only unlocks for you.

Fitness Finesse – COBI keeps track of calories burned, heart-rate, cadence, and other real-time statistics during your time on the road.  As your bike improves, so should its rider.

Ease of Use – Rather than fiddle with the touchscreen while riding, COBI features an intuitive interface that displays the information you need. When navigating through apps, COBI sports an elegant ergonomic thumb controller that can be used with a single finger, meaning you get t0 keep your hands on the handlebars and your eyes on the road.

Based in Germany, Cobi started a kickstarter campaign to raise 100,000 US dollars. In less than four days, COBI reached their goal with over 800 backers. As of the date of this blog, COBI has raised 167,000 dollars, becoming one of the most successful German Kickstarters ever. Today, it is a Kickstarter Staff Pick and has won “The Kickstarter’s Choice” reward.

The Kickstarter for COBI has already reached their goal, but you can still contribute by visiting their Kickstarter page and helping them reach their stretch goal of $200,000. Be sure to sign up for this fantastic device before it’s too late!

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Nossa Familia Brazilian Coffee is looking to settle down in the Pearl. Wanna Help?

There are two things that we feel flow through the veins of all Portlanders, and Northwesterners for that matter. Can you guess what they are? If one of your guesses was beer, then you are certainly on the same page as we are. Can you guess the other one? We’ll give you a hint, some people like it the way they like their partners… (black and strong)

Okay, bad references and jokes aside, we’re talking coffee people! Many of us here in the Northwest live and breathe the stuff and, if you’re like us, you can’t function before noon without it. This would explain why the Northwest, and Portland in particular, is building a bit of a reputation for quality coffee, the glorification of barista artistry and frothy masterpieces (like a foam pikachus).

So for you coffee connoisseurs of Portland, you may have heard of your favorite delivery company’s (one of the best for food delivery Portland can offer) newest buds and addition to the Portland Pedal Power friends list, Nossa Familia. If you have heard of them, then you’ve likely heard of them as one of Portland’s top coffee wholesalers since 2005. Nossa Familia is owned and operated by Augosto Carneiro, who sells his family grown coffee from Brazil to local area businesses and grocery stores. Just a few months ago, they moved from beans to roasters when they switched locations back in December to NW 13th and Johnson where they began roasting using the sustainable, only one of its kind in Portland, Loring Roaster.

Now, to bring the chain around full circle and complete the full coffee cycle, Nossa Familia is looking to open their first retail location in the Pearl District. In order to open up this Brazilian espresso bar in the heart of the Pearl district, Augusto has begun a kickstarter account for his business, with which he hopes to raise $15,000, the final amount needed to open his little slice of Brazil. Currently the account stands at $12,425 with 5 days left to donate. With your help, there’s no doubt in our minds that he can reach and even exceed his goals.

Want the whole story? Want to know what makes this story different than other coffee companies? (more…)