What: Peterboro Picnic-Time/Tote Bicycle Basket

Where: Peterboro – $55

Why We Love It: There’s nothing like an autumn bike outing. Nothing but you, your bike, and your picnic blanket. And your keys, wallet, cell phone and water bottle. Oh wait, wait…don’t forget your lunch, a book, and your camera. Right. Ready. Now, where to put all this, you ask?

Fortunately we’ve come across the Peterboro Basket Company, which has been making all manner of beautiful White Ash baskets for more than 150 years. All of the baskets are made from wood harvested in New England, and are manufactured at the company’s home base in New Hampshire. The picnic bike basket measures 14.25 X 9 X 6.75 inches and comes in 3 colors: natural, honey or cherry (we love ‘em all, but especially the cherry). The baskets run $65, but the site often has promotions that bring the price down to $55.

Happy picnicking!!!

Biking is our ‘car-free’ transportation of choice, but here in Massachusetts, where we are celebrating our own Car-Free Week, it’s dark and frosty in the morning making it all the harder to jump on the ol’ bike. But fear not, whether you are a daily commuter or a hard-core cycler, riding in cooler temps can be quite pleasant as long as you are prepared. So, we’ve got you covered from your head to your toes with the fall essentials for comfy (and safe) cycling:

	BERN MUSE EPS & WATT AUDIO HELMETS This is the ultimate all season helmet. They can be outfitted with a variety of removable liners from summer to winter so you can layer in the warmth when temperatures drop. And because it meets the safety standards for snow, ski, bike and skate, this cross-sport helmet can go straight from the road to the slopes. Very ‘eco.’ Also features a goggle clip intended for downhill, but great for hard-core bikers who aren’t afraid of a little powder on the road. Ladies: $69.56-$109.95 @ Amazon.com; Men’s: $43.99-$129.95 @ Altrec.com
	NEW BALANCE NBx 2.0 WINDBLOCKER JACKET New Balance has master performance workout wear blending fit, comfort and safety. This is one of the best purchases we ever made – perfect for biking especially in shifty weather; it’s waterproof, breathable and blocks the wind. It features front and back reflective tape and fluorescent thumbholes for enhanced visibility and added warmth day or night. Ladies: $58.50 – $130.00 @ Amazon.com; Men’s: $130 @ Amazon.com
	IBEX STRETCH MERINO GLOVE LINER When the thumbhole sleeve isn’t quite enough to keep your mitts warm, upgrade to these super soft gloves. Made from 95% New Zealand Merino wool, these gloves naturally regulate temperature, repel moisture and are odor free so your hands stay comfortable and dry and smelling like roses. $24.95 @Altrec.com
	PATAGONIA ADDIE RIDER BOOTS Every girl on the go needs a pair of rugged, no-slip, no-stick, no-snag riding boots for the morning commute — and this pair from Patagonia is top on our list. Beautiful detailing combined with eco-conscious leathers, a stitched outsole, and a 70 percent recycled foot bed, makes for a look that can go from the bike straight to work for a lighter commute — no need to stash an extra pair of ‘work’ shoes in your bag — and a lighter ‘footprint.’ $220 @ PlanetShoes.com
	BLACKBURN FLEA USB + SOLAR BICYCLE HEADLIGHT With shorter days, it’s critical to have bike lights, not necessarily to see, but rather to be seen. The more visible you are to oncoming traffic the better! And as soon as the sun rises, the solar panel charger will kick in and you’ll be able to charge your lights while you ride. It’s best for slow speed commuting, so if you are into late night trail racing, this light may not be the one for you.$29.77 @ Amazon.com (See all Bike Headlights)

Happy riding!

What: Joe-2-Go XL Drink Holder

Where: Amazon.com – $13.26 (available in Standard or XL)

Why We Love It: Discovered this little gem at our local bike shop and were so excited! No more spilled drinks in our bike basket, no more discarded beverages, no more near falls…

It’s a must-have for the serious beach cruiser – an attached cup holder to tote your iced beverage along the strip. So very necessary, so you can keep your frosty treat right at your finger tips, and definitely makes for a safer ride (have yet to master the one-handed ride without cycling at a snail’s pace).

And it’s in a cool bronze that’s pretty sharp.

The PUBLIC C3 by PUBLIC Bikes in powder blue, white or orange $650 (Click to see how to get $50 off!)

The Nevis by Puma in white, black or multi $725

Strida LT Folding Bike by STRiDA in neon green, silver, black or red $599

Cargo Bike by Madsen in powder blue, cream, or black $1,485

Breukelen Bike by Bowery Lane hand-crafted in NYC, sustainable cork grips $645

City Bike 700C by Biria handcrafted in Somerville, MA $500

Roadster Sport by Linus Bikes in green, black or cream $395

Allant by Trek in olive $569.99

Escape City W by Giant in black or light blue $420-$560

Network 7 Hybrid Bike by Schwinn in maroon $269.99

Simple 8 City Bikeby Gary Fisher for Trek or the Escape City W $969.99 or $420-$560

Loring I-Motion 9 Speed by Civia Cycles in green or black $875-$1395

Another cool one from Monocle, the Skeppshult V-Bike £ 750.00. The unisex design also includes a detachable shopping basket, Abus lock, and bell. Available in army green.

1. Giro Surface Multi-Sport Helmet – $59.95 at Amazon; 2. Yakkay Helmet in Herringbone – $175 at the Bicycle Muse; 3. Sawako Furuno Helmets – $115 at icargobike; 4. Bern Berkeley Summer Helmet – $34.95-$74.95 at Altrec; 5. Nutcase Drippy Bike Helmet – $60 at Amazon.

What: YogaForce A-line Yoga Mat

Where: YogaForce – $79

Why We Love It: We are yoga fanatics, we love love love it! And are constantly encouraging friends and husbands (hint, hint) to try it. Often the feedback is that people are too afraid of doing it wrong or don’t think it’s a good enough workout (go ahead and tell that to our aching shoulders…) Well, the Yoga Force A-line mat can certainly help with the former (the latter will be resolved once you try your first class!). The A-line mat has built-in alignment guides to make sure your positioning is on track. This is great for novice and veteran yogis as always good to have a gentle reminder.

It also has a built-in, adjustable shoulder strap and a removable wallet to stash the must-have phone, keys & wallet. And best yet it’s eco-friendly, long lasting, recyclable and latex-free, so you can breath easy during your practice.

Want to compare eco-friendly yoga mats? Here are some other options.

What: Grain Surfboard Kits

Where: Grain Surfboards – $520-$820, 9 models available in DIY kits

Why We Love ‘Em: Hurricane Earl is on his way, and you know what that means? Surf is up! Great time to get out there (okay, not if you are directly in the eye of the storm and you know how to circumvent a rip tide – just take a breath relax and swim parallel to shore…) and hit the waves. The waves up in York have been awesome and what better way to catch some waves than with a more eco-friendly surfboard.

It seems contradictory that a sport with such a reverence for nature, uses so many materials that are not that kind to the environment. Most boards are made from non-renewable foam core boards, but local board maker Mike LaVecchia, founder of Grain Surfboards set out to change that by creating a greener alternative, wood. They do still use some volatile organic compounds, non-renewable resources and components sourced from all over the country but they rely on more classic board building techniques to create a surfboard that is more in line with a surfers eco-sensibilities.

The board is composed mostly of air trapped between layers of sustainably managed cedar wood locally sourced from family-owned mills in Maine. The wood provides a sturdier base than traditional foam boards that are susceptible to dings and scratches (ours suffered a few over the weekend…). Take away the zero-voc epoxy resin (which is pretty awesome, by the way) that coats the board and the board is 99% biodegradable.

In addition to incorporating more eco-friendly alternatives, they also running a pretty eco-friendly manufacturing process reusing materials as often as possible, hiring locally, and reusing the wood scraps for fuel, compost and wood shavings for local horse barns.

The result is a board that balances design, beauty and longevity for a sweet, sweet ride…

For more ways on how to ‘green’ your surf routine check out this episode of the Lazy Environmentalist where he takes a look at how to green the sport of surfing.

What: Nevis Commuter Bike

Where: PUMA – $649; See also the Pico

Why We Love ‘Em: Fall is our favorite season for biking and as always nice to have a little extra storage along in case you happen upon an apple orchard, fresh baked goods or a flea market gem. And now you can do it in complete ‘hipster’ style with this uber hip bike from PUMA, the result of a power collaboration between PUMA and legendary Denmark bike innovators, Biomega.

The PUMA Bike line is designed for urban mobility, durability, drivability and visibility. Where typical front loading carriers throw off the balance of the frame the lightweight integrated front carrier maintains maneuverability thanks to premium design and a lightweight aluminum frame. It is designed so that you can ride in a laid-back style with a reclined seat and cruiser style handling.

And it’s got the looks too. Splashed with bright hyacinth, violet and wild lime as an ode to the vibrant culture of Modern day Africa.

Stay tuned for spring 2011 when PUMA & Biomega releases their latest collaboration – the Mopion Commuter Bike with an extended frame for a super-sized front load cargo hold for serious grocery carting with out the drag. Available in in white, black and a color combination of magenta/blue/lime.

What: Vanmoof No. 3

Where: econscious market – $600 with $24 donated to the charity of your choice.

Why We Love It: This slick bike by Areaware & Vammoof would be the answer to one of our biggest frustrastions – losing our bike lights (literally just replaced my front light for the second time and the rear light for the third, and thinking I’ll give up on it all together before I buy a fourth!) some to the universe and others, unfortunately, to ‘sticky fingers’…. The Vanmoof Bike has a solar powered LED light system built right into the frame which can be charged by sunlight or for cloudier climes, with a micro USB cable used with phone. How cool is that???

Designers and brothers, Taco and Ties Carlier, designed this bike ‘urban-proof,’ designed to withstand weather, daily-use, potholes and to withstand the occasional attempt at vandalism. The result is this single gear low-maintenance coaster bike (it’s only got one gear) with a rust-proof aluminum frame and thick wide tires that can handle the cities toughest weather and roughest potholes. It’s rugged but light so it won’t weigh you down. Function aside, it’s got a great streamlined look with a sleek silver frame so you’ll look good while cruising past bumper to bumper traffic. And protective wheel flaps and chain covers ensure you’ll look clean too!

The Vanmoof No. 5 comes with a high quality X-plus cylinder chain lock from ABUS integrated into the frame, just pull it out and lock it up. And coming in October, a Vanmoof bike designed specifically for ladies. The Vanmoof No. 6.

When you purchase items from the ECOnscious Market, they will donate a portion of the sale to your choice of 34 different charities including The Nature Conservancy, The Jane Goodall Institute and The Hunger Project. For each item they list the cost of the item and next to that the dollar amount of each purchase that will be donated to charity. In this case of the $600 purchase price, $24 will be donated to share. It’s a great way to shop with a conscience.

Who:

What: Zen Wagon

Where: Kaiku – $319 w/free shipping

Why We Love It: The little red wagon gets a modern update with this hip design by husband and wife designers Scot and Amy Herbst. The updated design features ergonomically designed seats with a dip in the base for feet making rides to the market and to the playground more enjoyable and making the wagon a viable alternative to a stroller. Just chuck kids and gear in the wagon and you are ready to go. Ideal for beach trips!

This sleek ride is hand-built from formaldehyde-free Baltic birch bent plywood, natural rubber tires, weather and corrosion resistant hardware, and safe water-based, non-toxic finishes. And it’s built to last.  Also checkout the handy attachable accessories like the Lightship Basket – come on, how precious is that? A wagon with a basket….

Awards include a 2010 Red Dot Design Honourable Mention and a 2010 International Design Excellence Award.