Electric Fender Blender Pro

Electric FBPro

Our quietest, simplest, most powerful and compact human power generator.

bicycle power

It’s the most effective Pedal Power generator we know of. It has all the features of the Generator Pro, plus you can blend smoothies. We use it as one of the key pieces of gear in our Pedal Powered Stage at events such as the San Francisco Bicycle Music Festival.

FBProBoxFULLFINAL copy

The Electric FB Pro combines a Fender Blender Pro with a brushless Generator wheel . The generator wheel offers a flywheel effect that helps smooth out the peaks and valleys of Pedal Power, making Pedal Power feel fun and comfortable. And because there’s nothing rubbing on the tire, there’s no loss of power to friction. The conversion of mechanical energy (i.e. muscle power / burrito power) to electrical potential happens in the center of the wheel. With a committed pedaler, even one of these bikes is capable of powering a music system at very impressive listening levels. One person pedaling can get 50-100 people dancing to high energy DJ music when the Electric FB Pro is paired with efficient loudspeakers.

bike machine

The Electric Fender Blender Pro generates DC power. Many devices you’ll want to use require AC Power. Please see the video below to learn how this generator works in tandem with our Pedal Power Utility Box:

If you’re wondering about whether you can use Pedal Power for a particular device or appliance, start by checking the wattage rating on the label near its cord or in the product manual. A single pedaler on the Electric Fender Blender Pro is capable of producing up to 600 watts of DC power at peak moments. This wattage, of course, is dependent upon how strong your pedaler is! Most adults can produce 50-75 watts when pedaling at a social / around town / cruising pace. The Electric Fender Blender Pro can be use with other generators as part of a team effort. Our Pedal Power Utility Box accepts power from 5-10 bikes.

The Fender Blender Pro frame fits a wide variety of riders, down to a 7 year old kid.

It’s a great Bike Blender, the best in fact. You can use it in either Bike Blending or electricity generating mode. You switch between these modes by rotating the blender’s roller away from the tire. This happens without tools.

 

The Electric Fender Blender Pro is not a functioning transportation bicycle, but can be easily towed behind another bike with the above trailer wheels.

Available in Green, Orange, Blue, Red or in your custom color. Please read more about custom frame colors and branding options.

We also offer the High Performance upgrade on the Electric FB Pro for 2x the volume and 2x the blade size.

Price: $2,125
Rentable: Yes, with Pedal Power Stage

  • Top 10 features & benefits of the Fender Blender Pro (High Performance)

     

     

  • Bike Blender parts now made from recycled milk jugs

    Rock the Bike is excited to announce that the custom plastic components of all the Fender Blenders are being made from 100% recycled or reused plastic. Historically, these parts have been made of virgin HDPE (high density poly ethylene), and now will be made from a recycled source of the same material – recycled milk jugs.

    Rock The Bike has always sought to make products that help individuals tread lightly on the planet. Making sure that our products utilize as much recycled materials in the manufacturing process and contain as many recyclable components as possible is an exciting way to deepen our commitment to being a truly environmentally minded outfit.

  • Fender Blender Pro available for rental

    We rent our best bike blender, the Fender Blender Pro (High Performance), for $250 per event day anywhere in the continental US. Each bike comes with one commercial-grade, NSF-rated 48 oz blender pitcher, the same kind in use at smoothie shops. Extra pitchers can be rented for $20/each. We recommend extras so you can increase the throughput of the activity; please see our helpful guide on estimating how many bike blenders and pitchers you’ll need for your event.

    You will receive the bike a day before your event, and return it the day after your event. If you’d like to receive your bike 2 days prior to your event — rather than the standard 1 day prior — a Practice Day can be added for an additional $100 / bike.

    Our bikes are sure to leave an imprint on your event. In August 2017 one past rental customer emailed, “People have not stopped talking about how fun that bike was since we used it in March of 2015. I’d say you all made quite the impression!”

    Multi-Day Discounts
    Our tier system allows you to save money on an event that lasts 2+ days. Multi-Day Discounts only apply to the cost of rented gear. Discounts are not applicable for packing fees or shipping costs.

    To calculate eligibility:

     Event Days Discount
    2 – 3 10%
    4 – 6 18%
    7+ 25%


    Custom Wheel Branding

    We offer full vinyl custom wheel wraps for rentals, and they are quite eye catching. The fee for printing graphics, installation and post-event removal is $450 per bike. Artwork must be received in print ready format. For an additional $300 fee, Rock the Bike can assist with graphic layout, design and include a rendering proof.

     

    For rentals in the Bay Area, the client is responsible for pickup and return of gear at our Oakland, CA location unless paying for delivery. There is no charge to pick up a day before your event and return the day after. When you pick up your bike we will give you a quick lesson on the bike and help you load your vehicle. For information on what kind of bike rack you’ll need, please see What kind of bike rack should I use?

    We encourage you to try bike towing with your rental. It’s fun, safe, practical and great for the carbon footprint of your event. Any bicycle with a rear rack can tow the Fender Blender Pro. There is no extra rental charge for the trailer wheels and hitch.

    Delivery is possible between 10am – 1pm for those in a 40mi radius from our Oakland location. Further locations will require a crewed smoothie booth, or offer shipping (see below). Delivery fees start at $150, and include a overview of the bike and tips for a successful event. For deliveries in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland, we are likely to get it there by bike as shown above, no trucks or loading docks needed! The bike easily fits through most doorways and elevators at your location. Delivery also possible in the greater Bay Area by vehicle. Delivery is a special service that requires coordination among our team and is harder to arrange last minute. Please give us as much advance notice as possible. Availability of delivery services is not guaranteed, but we have also not said no many times!

    Out of Town Rentals: Ground Shipping

    For out of town rentals, we package and ship the Fender Blenders to you, so they arrive the day before your event, then you ship them back the day after your event. The rental rate is $250 per event day + cost of shipping both ways (usually $150 – $300 per bike in the continental US) and a packaging fee of $85. If this cost is too great for your budget, we recommend purchasing a FB Universale, which starts at $249. Unfortunately, we do not rent the Fender Blender Universale.

    Out of Town Rentals: Pallet Shipping
    Ship your rental on a pallet anywhere in the Continental US and receive your Fender Blender Pro ready to blend, no assembly necessaryContact us today to get an estimate (please provide a destination address). Pallet packaging is $120 for 1 – 2 bike blenders, or $150 for 2 pallets 3+ bike blenders.

    What comes with my rental?

    Rock The Bike sends you the bikes and blenders you ordered, but we do not supply any cups or ingredients for making smoothies. Be prepared to acquire these items before your event! Check our sample shopping lists for guidance on what to get, whether you plan to hand out 100 smoothies in two hours or 500+ smoothies over two days.

    Need ideas for bike blending?Check out our recipes here.

    How many ingredients should you buy? Check out our helpful guide here. We also have a 100 Smoothies Shopping Lists, as well as a 500+ Smoothies Shopping List.

    Rent-To-Own Program

    If you fall in love with your Bike Blender, and we think you will, you may purchase it from us! You must let us know immediately (within 1 day of your event’s end date) that you intend to purchase the bike, and the full cost of your rental will go toward the purchase. The remainder must be received within 5 business days. Failure to pay within that time frame will result in late fees.

    Example Rental Estimate for a one-day event in New York City

    Item Cost
    1 Bike Blender $250
    1 Additional Pitcher (Total: 2) $20
    Packaging Fee $85
    FedEX Ground Round Trip Shipping to NYC $135
    TOTAL $490

    How does the rental process work?

    Email us using the below form to see if we can accommodate your event. If so, we’ll get you a Rental Agreement and request payment in full. Bikes are rented on a first come, first served basis. We recommend contacting us as soon as possible to lock in your rental. Have a credit card handy, as we will need to have one on file to process your order.

      Do you want to brand the wheel? ($450/bike)
      YesNo

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    • Draw people to your event with a Fender Blender

       

      If you’re interacting with the public at events, whether it be a trade show, a performance, a marathon, or a science fair, the Fender Blender can help build excitement at your booth. Kids are magnetically drawn to the simple red frame, and they can pedal their own smoothies, or just turn the pedals for fun. Once people are gathered at your booth, what you do from there is your own choice. But having a natural, fun, guaranteed effective way to bring people in can’t hurt.

    • Brand your Fender Blender with your logos

       

      Your Fender Blender can be tricked out with your custom logos and colors. The large wheel covers are easy to customize with your company’s logos or graphics. Please find out more in our FAQ section: What do you offer for customizing the frame color and printing our design on the wheel and frame of the Fender Blender Pro?

      Please call us at 1-888-354-BIKE to discuss options or get a quote.

    • Custom aluminum chain guard keeps your pants clean

      FBP Pedals 72dpi


      chain-gaurd

      The sleek brushed aluminum chain guard comes standard on all Fender Blender Pros. It keeps pants clean and prevents the chain from ever slipping off the gears of the bike.

    • Non-Proprietary parts, easy to maintain

       

      From the gears, handlebars, and bearings on the blender, to the Oster blender blade and pitcher, you won’t have a problem finding and replacing many of the parts on your Fender Blender. Should your chain wear out (after thousands of smoothies, mind you!) Any bike shop should be able to service your bike blender.

      If you are missing a part, we’re more than happy to get you a new one! Use this link to get replacement parts

       

    • Sized for large and small riders

       FB-Pro-Rider-Scale

      Designed to fit riders from 7 years of age on. Just adjust the seat height for smaller or taller riders and let them loose. Designed for maximum rider participation and superb ease of use. Watch how easy it is below:

    • Shipped nearly ready to ride

      Simply bolt on the lateral feet and cross bar with included hardware, tilt the handlebar into place, pop on the seat and pedals, load your blender pitcher and get to work! Premium product designed for nearly instantaneous customer implementation. Ship to your tradeshow and have it up and running in twenty minutes!

      Don’t have enough time to build it? Ask us about receiving your bike completely assembled!

    • Locally made components are built to last

      The curved steel frame is locally assembled. The machined plastic parts are made of recycled plastic, and are dishwasher safe and virtually unbreakable. The square drive shaft is heat treated and hardened for maximum life. All hardware is stainless steel to avoid rust. Frame is powder coated for long life/outdoor use. The Fender Blender uses a simple friction drive to spin the blender blade fast, while remaining simple and easy to service.

    • What Style Wheel Do I Have?

      When ordering new wheel covers OR an Icycleta Ice Cream Bike Attachment it’s important for us to know what style wheel you have. Not sure how to tell? Let us help you find out. “What wheel cover style is compatible with my wheel?” Ordering new wheel covers?  We need to know which wheel you have so [...]

    • What kind of vehicle should I use to transport the Pro frame?

      Most hatchback style cars can usually fit at least one partially disassembled Pro frame inside. You’ll want to use a car with a large trunk; it’s even better if the back seats fold down to extend the trunk space. A pickup truck can carry 2-4 fully built Pro frames in the bed. Most SUVs can carry a [...]

    • How Loud is the Blender?

      We blended ice and water (the loudest thing you can blend) and found the following measurements: At 2 feet, it peaked at 85db for the first few seconds and fell to 75-80 for the rest of the time. At 5 ft, it peaked at 77 for the first few seconds and fell to 70-73. At [...]

    • How to Care for Your Fender Blender Pro

      Care After Your Event: – Wipe the bike frame and blender with a sponge or cloth using soap and water (we use this spray). Wipe it with a clean rag to dry it. – Wash pitchers thoroughly. This video should help you remove your standard blender’s base flange and get inside the pitcher to clean [...]

    • Is My Vitamix Pitcher Compatible with Your Bike Blender Base?

      We have seen the bike blender work with the Vitamix Creations II 48 oz. 12-in-1 Variable Speed Blender’s pitcher, as well as our own Advance Container. We cannot guarantee every blender pitcher from Vitamix is compatible, but you’re more than welcome to ask Vitamix directly. We use Vitamix’s sound reduction pad (Vitamix 15579) and Drive [...]

    • How many people will it take to power my laptop and projector, or pedalboard (or any device)?

      Okay, so you have a device or set of devices in mind (like a laptop and projector), and you want to know whether it’s possible to power them with people on bike generators. Here are the steps to figure it out: First, you need to measure the power consumption of the device you want to [...]

    • Can I get a replacement Fender Blender Pro manual?

      Above: Rock the Bike’s new frame (February 2013) Click here to view, download, or print the FB Pro Standard Manual (current)   Click here to view, download, or print the FB Pro High Performance Manual (current)   Click here to view, download, or print the FB Pro Manual (Feb 2013 to Dec 2013)   Click here [...]

    • Can I get replacement parts for missing or damaged pieces?

      Yes, you can! Use this photo to identify which replacement parts you need and place your order in our online store here for blender base and pitcher parts: https://oldsite.rockthebike.com/store/fender-blender-pro-accessories/113-fender-blender-replacement-parts.html   Use the video (below) to see how to dissemble and reassemble your blending component.     If you need parts for your Fender Blender or Generator [...]

    • Bike Blending: How many crew? How much ingredients? How many bikes?

      Here’s a copy of a recent receipt from Trader Joe’s for a Bike Blending event that served 100 people. To serve the most people in the least time, here are the factors to consider: – Ingredients. This is the easiest. Ingredients cost $0.60 per 8 oz smoothie. Scale this to meet your crowd needs. – [...]

    • Is my Fender Blender compatible with the Spin Art attachment?

      Pedal Powered Spin Art is compatible with all models of Fender Blenders: Pro, Universale and Xtracycle. If your Fender Blender was purchased before 2011 chances are you will need a new spindle. The photo shows the proper spindle: If your not sure send a picture of your spindle to customerservice@rockthebike.com

    • Basic questions to consider when crafting your Pedal Powered Stage

      The technical needs of a Pedal Powered event vary greatly depending on audience size, venue, and power needs of musician’s devices. The questions in this post will help you to know what features are most important for you, and how much power you’ll really need. Please answer these questions and email us using the contact [...]

    • What are the elements of a Pedal Powered Stage?

      What follows is an explanation of the key elements of a Pedal Powered Stage. If you are ready to buy individual components, please see the Pedal Powered Stage products section of our online store. If you’d like a custom quote for a Pedal Powered Stage, please start by emailing us with the answers to our [...]

    • I love your Fender Blender bike blenders. Do you make one for kids?

      Yes. Rock the Bike offers 2 Fender Blender options for kids. We offer a Fender Blender Universale with a smaller rear rack and a Stationary Stand to reach 20″ wheels for kids approximately 4 – 8 years old. 6-year-olds and up can also blend with the Fender Blender Pro, pictured above. The FB Pro can fit a wide [...]

    • How do I make a thick and tasty smoothie with my Fender Blender?

      NOTE: The directions below are good to follow for the proportions, but not the order. Do not start with ice! The blade needs to get moving and a piece of ice can jam it. Start with something soft like chunks of banana! We’ll be updating this page with up to date photos. First, fill up [...]

    • Are there sponsorships and grants available for my Nonprofit?

      Bike Blending in action at Longfellow Elementary’s Spring Carnival Our Nonprofit Discount Program grants awards of 10% off your purchase and 15-20% off the rental of Rock the Bike gear to a limited number of nonprofit or educational applicants per quarter and has a simple application process. Requirements: – Proof of nonprofit status (501c3) – [...]

    • What branding or customization options do you offer?

      Custom brand your Pedal Powered Activities! We can produce custom logos with our printing partners and install them to our customers’ specification on the various Pro frames we offer, including the Fender Blender Pro, Electric Fender Blender Pro, Generator Pro, Ice Cream Bike Pro, as well as on some activities, like the Spin Art drum and Cell Phone Recharge Desk. We [...]

    • How long does it take to blend a smoothie with the Fender Blender?

      It takes about 15 seconds of firm pedaling to blend a smoothie with a Fender Blender.

    • Can the Fender Blender be adjusted to different resistance levels?

      The Fender Blender Pro has only one gear. The way to make it easier or harder is to change what you put in your blender pitcher. For example, smaller ice cubes are easier to crush than larger ones, and frozen fruit is easier to crush compared to fresh fruit with ice.

    • Smoothie Bike encourages exercise, healthy eating

      Finding a unique way to involve the community in active and healthy living can sometimes be a challenge. This is the challenge that Broken Spokes manager Colin Knab and the community-based initiative, Healthiest Manitowoc County, are tackling with their newly created Smoothie Bike. Taking its cue from similar bikes that have been sweeping the nation, [...]

    • Escambia County Superintendent, Malcolm Thomas, Bike Blends at Ribbon Cutting

      Schools Superintendent, Malcolm Thomas, rides a stationary bike to make a smoothie with Sue Kennedy on Monday after a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Escambia County School District Center for Health and Wellness. Read the whole article here. Malcom Thomas is riding the Fender Blender Pro with High Performance Upgrade.

    • Fender Blender Pro helps Cabot Creamery win Guinness World Record for largest sMOOthie

      We did it, set a new record for making 400lbs of smoothie!!! Thanks for everything, the bike was a huge hit.” Best, Karen Cabot Creamery The ‘Cow Bike’ is a Fender Blender Pro (with High Performance upgrade) customized to look like a cow. Custom wheelcover, saddle, and vinyl spots helped Cabot Creamery brand the bike [...]

    • Nutrition Council Cincinnati...Rockin it Out

      Hi, Friends, Wanted to let you know how much we love our new bike. Sending along a shot from one of its first outings. Thank you for making it possible! We’ll be rockin’ and blendin’….Nutrition Council

    • Travaasa's Events are Going Great with Custom Fender Blender Pro

      The events have been going great.  I was really impressed with the quality of the bike.  Thanks for all of your help. –Adam, Travaasa Travaasa is a interactive resort in Austin, Texas that provides guests with more than just a room. Their activities include guided adventures, cultural encounters, cooking classes, spa treatments, and fitness and [...]

    • St. Joseph Health is Very Pleased with the Quality of the Fender Blender Pro Vitamix

      We are just under two months of owning our new Fender Blender Pro + Vitamix, bicycle blender, and I am excited to say it is a hit!  We already knew that bicycle blenders are a great resource to promote fitness and nutrition at our outreach events, and we are very pleased at the quality of [...]

    • Bike Blended Smoothies give Spinlister the edge in a recent funding conference

      Spinlister, a new framework for borrowing bikes in cities around the country, were headed to a recent Venture Capital funding conference and wanted to grab attention by offering Bike Blended Smoothies. Our favorite mobile chef Slam strapped one Fender Blender Pro and a cooler full of smoothie supplies to her cargo bike and dropped off [...]

    • Whole Foods loves its Fender Blender Pro

      Check out this great tweet from Whole Foods:

    • The lines were never ending to create customized smoothies

      go vibrant is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to make an active, energetic lifestyle irresistible.  Our efforts are focused around amplifying the efforts of other organizations/clubs/etc sharing a similar goal.  We accomplish this in a variety of unique and irresistible ways.    We heard of a stationary bike retro-fitted to include a blender powered [...]

    • Students were really excited to use the blender and drink their creations

      Habits of Wellness The “New England Dairy & Food Council Fuel Up to Play 60” grant helped us purchase a stationary bicycle blender. During our kick off event, we made over 400 fruit yogurts smoothies. Students signed a pledge to eat well and be active on a daily basis. It is great to see students [...]

    • FunFest with SF Giants a Success!

      We would like to thank Rock The Bike for allowing us to rent out smoothie bikes for this year’s FunFest at the SF Giants’ AT&T Park! We managed to serve over 2,200 smoothies and received more thanks and smiles than we could have ever asked for. This was a first for LIFT and you helped [...]

    • Enjoyed our bike blender greatly at the retreat.

      We have been enjoying our bike powered blender greatly. We used it on saturday for a Minnesota Campus Energy Challenge Retreat and it will be used again this Thursday for a end of the semester party for our campus bike coop. -Miwa in Minnesota

    • Mayor of Baltimore cranked out a smoothie on my Mosaic Bike

      "Rock the Bike team met the public at the Maker's Faire in May 2007. The Fender Blender, as always was a great draw and a big smile machine for kids at our booth."

    • Bay Area Venture Capitalist Steve Jurvetson blends a smoothie on Songbird's Fender Blender

      Bay Area Venture Capitalist Steve Jurvetson blends a smoothie on Songbird's Fender Blender

    • Is Your Fender Blender Pro Seat Sliding Too Much?

      This bulletin addresses issues with seat post sliding performance. A correctly functioning seat post should be easy to slide up and down with one hand. If there are positions where it gets stuck, please see the three sections below.

      1. Check which bolt you have: Check if the anti-rotate bolt behind the seat post is a domed button-head type. We’ve found that this design of bolt can cause issues with sliding performance. Even if your seatpost is sliding fine, we’d like to send you the replacement.

      Get a replacement: Contact us and we will send you a replacement that doesn’t scratch the seatpost slot. Contact info below.

      2. Deal with existing scratches: Check for scratching and burrs around the groove on the back of the seat post. You may notice that the seat post gets stuck as it slides into the frame in specific areas where the seat post is heavily marked or scratched.


      Fix: Requires a sanding tool such as emery board, file, or sandpaper. If you would like us to send you one, please contact us, info below.

      • Remove the seat post from the bike. The hex key that comes with the bike will be needed to remove the anti rotate bolt.
      • Sand around and in the groove to remove sharp edges and burrs. Avoid breathing the dust. For the best sliding performance, you must take the rough spots all the way down. If your seatpost is really chewed up and you would prefer a fresh start, contact us for a new post! 
      • Immediately clean up any dust with a wet paper towel and wash your hands after completing the process.
      • Repeat sanding as necessary.

      3. Chatter: Seat Post chatters when sliding down and needs precise manual guidance in order to slide; especially when the seat is extended to a higher number, like 9 or 10.

      Fix: Lubricate the seat post with a silicone-based grease. If you would like us to send you some, please contact us, info below. How to apply the grease

      • Raise the seat post all the way up and clamp in place
      • Apply the lubricant onto the post near the top, middle, and bottom to form 3 rings, about the size of a rubber bands
      • Spread the lubricant over the whole seat post with a small piece of paper towel, napkin or rag (approx the size of a credit card)
      • Slide the seat all the way up and down five times
      • Using a fresh paper towel, wipe off the excess lubricant

      If these or other performance issues are happening to your Fender Blender Pro, please contact us for support: 1-(888) 354-2453 techsupport@rockthebike.com

    • Rentable Pedal Powered Activities

      You can green your event by renting our Pedal Power gear, reducing your carbon footprint and inspiring people at your event. Pedal Power gives your event attendees a unique experience that they will never forget. Check out all our great Pedal Powered activities for rent, and let’s start talking about your upcoming event. (more…)

    • Crewed Recharge Bar

      A Recharge Bar is a combination of a Recharge Station and a DJ Rig. It’s more than just a place to recharge phones; it’s downright groovy! It’s a place to relax, pedal, get your heart going, meet others, and send great music out to a larger space.

      Conferences are all about the sharing of knowledge and connections between people. Lately, both of those things involve mobile technology. People share knowledge and connect to each other with the devices they hold in their hands, and those devices require power. At the Pedal Powered Recharge Bar, each bike has its 8 USB ports capable of charging up to 8 or more phones at once.
      (more…)

    • It's official, the Dual sLEDgehammer is a thing.

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      Now you can host a competitive pedaling challenge at your event with this side-by-side competitive sLEDgehammer. It converts 100% of the riders’ muscle power to light and feels harder as more light stages turn on. The rider who sustains the highest Wattage level for 3 seconds and reaches the victory sequence first is the winner.  We took it out to a party for the semiconductor industry last week and got dozens of people pedaling and competing, breathing and gritting their teeth in an evening-long series of heats to determine the strongest rider in the company.

      Here’s a good view of the gear. The only thing out of view is the power-analyzing circuit that typically sits on a nearby table. The key elements shown are:  2 Generator Pros (bikes), 2 11′-tall sLEDgehammer light towers, cabling.

       

      (more…)

    • Top 10 features & benefits of the Fender Blender Pro (High Performance)

       

       

    • Bike Blended Apple Cider

      bike-blender-apple-cider

      What You Need:

      – 8-10 lbs. fresh apples  (big-flavored, tangy, juicy varieties encouraged. We like Honeycrisp!)
      – water
      – two High Performance pitchers
      – 2 bowls or Cambros, 1 for apple pulp and one for juice.
      – electric kettle or access to stove and pot
      – cheesecloth, or paint straining sack
      – cutting board / knife
      – cinnamon sticks and clove (optional)
      – Fender Blender bike blender (High Performance)

      – Staff of two (1 bike coach and 1 food handler)

      Instructions:

      1. Core the apples and cut them into wedges. Fill the blender pitcher with wedges.

      2. Add up to an inch of water at the bottom of the pitcher. The water is necessary to help the wedges move, and reduce in size at the beginning.
      15949748045_f7e74ea141_z

      3. Blend, blend, blend! You’re done when all the ingredients are circulating in a vortex, but don’t worry you can’t over-blend it.
      Coach, please note: It’s likely that the blade of the blender pitcher will jam at the beginning. You may have to grab the wheel and move it back and forth to help the blade reposition and be ready to power through the apples. You may also want to whack the the side of the pitcher to shake apples down into the forming vortex. Adding more water can make this whacking step unnecessary. If you do the whacking step, do it with two hands where one hand stabilizes the pitcher while the other gives it a whack. That way the pitcher won’t go flying!

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      4. Dump the whole contents into the cheesecloth and then squeeze! Clean hands or gloves are essential for this step and this is why the coach can’t be the chef/food prep person.

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      If you stop here you have pedal powered apple juice, continue on to make apple cider.

      5. Add a stick or 3 of cinnamon and some cloves (to taste), and heat until warm and steaming. Take notes on how long it takes to heat the juice in your electric kettle or stove top and then don’t overheat (and risk scalding your guests). For the nearly quart of juice that’s likely to result from one pitcher full of apple wedges, you probably only have to heat it for 3 minutes or so.

      For those who don’t like to waste any food, the pulp can be used in a streussel topping.

    • New video shows what it takes to do a large, legal bike blended smoothie booth

    • Blueberry Beach Cruiser Smoothie Recipe

      This simple 4-ingredient recipe is perfect for busy events!

      Blueberry-Beach-Cruiser

      Ingredients:

      Frozen Blueberries
      1 Banana
      Yogurt (organic is best)
      Vanilla Soy Milk (organic is best)

      Prep It In Your Pitcher:

      1. Peel your banana and place in the bottom of your blender pitcher

      2. Add 1 cup yogurt

      3. Scoop in 3 cups of frozen blueberries

      4. Pour in 2 cups vanilla soy milk.

      5. Cover with the lid and pop onto your bike blender! Blend until smooth (roughly 15 sec – 1 minute, depending on how hard you pedal.)

      This recipe yields 32 oz, which can be serves in 8 small samples (4oz), 3 – 4 9oz samples, or 2 16 oz beverages.

    • Hummus Recipe

      Foost, our Australian partners, have been using the Fender Blender Pro (High Performance) at all their events. A recent event they participated in promoted Melbourne city workers to get active during their lunch break, and to eat more colorful veggies. To stick with the theme of the event they whipped up some hummus and then served it in shot glasses with veggie sticks. Everyone enjoyed it and they got lots of complements on the hummus, so give it a try! photo 1

       

      Ingredients: 1 15oz can chickpeas, liquid drained
      1 large lemon, juiced
      2 teaspoons crushed garlic
      1 tablespoon olive oil
      1 heaped tablespoon tahini
      1 teaspoon cumin

      1/4 cup water or liquid from chickpeas Pinch salt, optional

      Prep It In Your Pitcher: Blend all ingredients together with your bike blender (we recommend the High Performance option for this). Adjust garlic, lemon juice and tahini to suit your taste buds. Serve with fresh veggies!

      photo 4

      Alternative Ingredients:
      Try making pink hummus by adding raw grated beetroot.
      If you don’t have tahini, use 2 tablespoons of roasted sesame seeds (simply put sesame seeds on a baking tray and roast for 5 minutes).

    • Bike Blended Berry Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

      This smoothie uses more banana to make it thick and should be topped with granola and even fresh fruit to make it a filling healthy breakfast.

      Morning-Breakfast-Smoothie

      Ingredients:

      Frozen Blueberries
      Frozen Mango
      2 Ripe Banana
      Yogurt
      Vanilla Soy Milk (organic is best)
      Granola / Fresh Fruit topping

      Prep It In Your Pitcher:

      1. Peel your bananas and place them in the bottom of your pitcher

      2. Add 1/3 cup yogurt

      3. Scoop in 1/2 cup of frozen mango and 2/3 cup frozen blueberries

      4. Pour in some vanilla soy milk. Roughly 1/2 – 2/3 cup. If too thick after blending, add a little more

      5. Cover with the lid and pop onto your bike blender! Blend until smooth (roughly 30 sec – 1 minute, depending on how hard you pedal.)

      6. Pour and top with granola, fresh fruit, and even a sprig of mint. Enjoy!

    • Shopping List for 2 Day Bike Blending Event for 500+ Smoothies

      This year we hosted a Bike Blended Smoothie Booth at Maker Faire 2014 in San Mateo, CA. Below is some information from the event that can help you plan and shop for your upcoming bike blending event.

      Event Length: 7 – 8 hours / day

      # of Smoothies Served (estimate): 500 16 oz smoothies OR 8,000 oz (2,000 4oz servings / 1,000 8oz servings)

      # of Flavors: 4 – Strawberry Banana, Mango Strawberry, Paradise Punch, and Mixed Berry
         Tip: Have flavors that use the same ingredients. We only needed 4 different kids of frozen fruits to make these 4 flavors.

      Bike Blending at Maker Faire - by Eric Montross

      Photo Credit: Eric Montross

      Shopping List for 2 Days (purchased at Costco):

       2 Almond Milk (case of 3 each)                     $7.29
        3 Vanilla Soy Milk (case of 3 each)               – $21.87

        4 Yogurt, Plain (64 oz each)                           – $17.96
        7 Yogurt, Greek (48 oz each)                         – $32.45

        10 Orange Juice (1 gal each)                          – $69.90
        16 Bananas  (3 lb bag, each)                          – $31.84
        11 Frozen Mango (4 lb each)                          $95.59
        14 Frozen Triple Berry (4 lbs each)             $143.46
        11 Frozen Whole Strawberry (6 lbs each)  – $98.89
        5 Frozen Pineapple (4 lbs each)                    – $32.95

                                                                    TOTAL:          $552.20

      We had some leftovers afterwards. Want a no-leftover shopping list for a 7 – 8 hour bike blending event?

      ‘No-Leftovers’ Shopping List for 1 Day:
      Roughly 225  16 oz smoothies OR 3,600 oz (900 4oz servings / 450 8oz servings)

        1 Almond Milk (case of 3)
        1 Vanilla Soy Milk (case of 3)        

        4 Yogurt, Plain (64 oz each)                                
        4 Orange Juice (1 gal each)                      
        9 Bananas  (3 lb bag, each)                      
        6 Frozen Mango (4 lb each)              
        4 Frozen Triple Berry (4 lbs each)         
        5 Frozen Whole Strawberry (6 lbs each)
        4 Frozen Pineapple (4 lbs each)     

                                      TOTAL:          $254.91

    • Tips for a Successful Bike Blended Smoothie Booth

      First: Check with your local health department on what they require at temporary food/beverage stalls. Requirements vary by county, so if you’re planning to travel, check every place you’ll want to set up.

      Below is a blend of our experience at large crowd events and working with Bay Area health departments.

      (more…)

    • Smoothie Recipe: Paradise Punch

      Paradise Punch is very popular flavor at many of our bike blending events. When someone has their first sip they typically make a statement along the lines of, “Wow, now all I need is a hammock!” It’s probably because the flavor is so refreshing and slightly reminiscent of a Piña Colada that it makes you wanna lay in the sun and enjoy the world around you. Now you can bring more smiles to faces with this refreshing treat.

      Ingredients:

      2/3 cup frozen pineapple
      1 cup frozen mango
      1 ripe banana
      1/2 cup yogurt (Greek or regular)
      orange juice
      ice

      Ingredients for a 48-oz High Performance Pitcher:

      1/2 cup yogurt
      2 bananas
      2 cups mango
      1 cup pineapple
      2 1/2 cups orange juice

      Prep It In Your Pitcher:

      1. Peel your banana/s and place in the bottom of your pitcher

      2. Add yogurt

      3. Scoop in frozen pineapple and mango

      4. Top with roughly 1 cup of ice (you may want to use less).

      5. Fill up the pitcher with OJ until it tops the ice (this is roughly 16-24 oz. of juice).

      6. Cover with the lid and pop onto your bike blender! Blend until smooth (roughly 30-60 seconds depending on how hard you pedal).

      smoothie-bike-blender-vitamix

      Click here to see more Pedal Power recipes
      If you have a recipe you’d like to share with the bike blending community, please send it to customerservice@rockthebike.

    • Generators available from Rock The Bike

      We sell three types of complete Generator Bikes:

      Not sure which one is right for you? Think about which activies you want to be able to power.

      sLEDge Generator Pro (our custom frame with wide size range and great branding possibilities – works with all of our attachments, mechanical and “electrical”) 

      Svelte Generator Pro (our custom frame with wide size range and great branding possibilities – most efficient choice for all of our “electrical” except the sLEDgehammer tower)

      *What’s the difference between the sLEDge and Svelte Generator Pro? It is the type of Generator wheel that it comes with. The Svelte is a lighter more compact generator wheel and is easier to install. It won’t work with the sLEDgehammer tower.

      Electric Fender Blender Pro (same but includes a bike blender so you can do two activities – Please let us know which Generator Wheel you’d like it to have)

      And we sell a more cost effective solution for turning any bike in to a generator:

      – the Roll Up Generator Stand

       

      Generator Pro

      sLEDge Generator WheelSvelte Generator Wheel

      When you do events with Pedal Power, especially with groups of pedalers, it’s good to have a simple, comfortable bike that looks inviting and leaves no option but to get on and pedal. The Generator Pro is that bike.

      It has no gears, no brakes — only the seat to adjust. The handlebars don’t even turn. Nothing rubs the tire, nothing gets hot and no parts wear out when people pedal continuously for hours at events.

      What it does have is a large and effective brushless generator wheel. The size of it creates a flywheel effect that smoothes out people’s pedal strokes. The magnets and coils inside the generator never touch each other, and there’s nothing rubbing on the tire, meaning that all the pedal energy goes into electricity instead of heat. The power comes through a cable at the center of the wheel.

      The hub is rated for more power than even the strongest Tour de France riders can summon.

      The frame of the bike has a very wide size range. You’ll see 7-year-olds high-fiving adults as they pedal alongside each other. All you have to do is make sure the seat is adjusted for each rider. The ease, comfort, and fun of people pedaling in groups are what this bike was designed for.

      This generator is for customers who want the best, like the way it looks in a group, and want the benefits of its simplicity

      The lack of unnecessary features in this high-performance generator allows your staff to direct its attention to other things at your events, like people!

      Above: The Generator Pro

      Key features

      • Compatible with any Rock The Bike electrical activity, such as the Recharge Station, the sLEDgehammer, or live sound.*
      • Consistent performance.
      • Cruisy looking and comfy.
      • Looks great in a group at events.
      • Powerful gear ratio.
      • Uses the same frame as our bike blenders — you can add a blender later or get both now in the same package.
      • Can be branded — see our examples.
      • The Generator Pro is not a complete activity by itself. Pedaled on its own, it will have no resistance and the wheel will just spin faster and faster. You have to match it to one of our compatible Electrical Activities.

       

      Electric Fender Blender Pro

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      human powered bicycle blender

      It has all the features of the Generator Pro, plus you can blend smoothies! For more info, please go here.

       

      Roll Up Generator Stand

      Rock The Bike's low cost, high-performance, smooth rolling generator.

      Rock The Bike’s low cost, high-performance, smooth rolling generator.

      Roll your bike on up to this sturdy stand, engage the generator, and voila! — you are immediately ready to create some serious pedal power!

      Designed for continuous all-day use at events, this DC power generator stand is an efficient yet affordable way to get the Rock the Bike level of performance for one or many riders. Get several stands to involve local team members and volunteers who can bring their own bikes to an event.

      Our child-sized version makes a good choice for teachers who want to do a demonstration of alternative energy in the classroom. Unique among every available bike generator, the Roll Up features a clear window where you can see magnets on the moving part spin past coils on the fixed part.That’s where muscle effort converts to electricity, and you can show it to your students!

      The ride is easy on your bike, and easy on your body. While other bike generators shred tires, whine with inefficiency and aren’t nearly as fun to pedal, we engineered the Roll-Up with a four-times-bigger roller that both positively grabs your tire and creates a flywheel effect to smooth out generation.

      The large contact patch formed between the 6” roller and your tire means less roller pressure is required to maintain contact. You won’t see any deformation of the tire. More of your good clean Pedal Power goes into the device you’re powering.

      We make our rollers out of our own gritty composite similar to the concrete that tires were designed to roll on—producing a smooth, quiet, efficient ride.

      Key Features

      • Clear, built-in indicators show when you’re using it correctly: LEDs inside the DC generator glow at 12-24 volts.
      • The generator is designed to accept more power than humans can generate, so the Roll Up never gets hot.
      • Highest power capacity tire-rolling dynamo on the market.
      • Almost any kind of bike works, see the requirements here.
      • Standard model fits 24”, 26”, 29” and 700c wheels; small model fits 20” wheels.
      • Use your bike gears to adjust level of challenge.
      • For group events, pair your Roll Ups with a range of bike sizes to fit a variety of riders. [photo from Alabama]
      • Generates 0 – 30v DC  Anderson connector output.
      • Using a 21-speed bicycle or higher will give you the greatest range of output voltages.

      The Roll Up is not a complete activity — you’ll still need something to power.

    • Spring Harvest Smoothie Recipe

      Jones Valley Teaching Farm shared this refreshing, seasonal smoothie recipe:

      Harvest spinach and strawberries, if available- figs, blackberries, raspberries and mulberries

      This makes one blender full- about 10 sample cups.

      ¾  cup spinach

      ½  cup strawberries

      ½  cup other berries and figs

      ¾  cup OJ

      ½ cup low fat vanilla yogurt

      ½ banana

      Mix all ingredients together in bike blender and let student pedal. Serve in 3 or 5 oz. paper cups.

      Bike Blending with an FBU at Jones Valley Teaching Farm
      Above: A youngster pedals the Fender Blender Universale at Jones Valley Teaching Farm.

      Click here to read more about the Fender Blender Universale at Jones Valley Teaching Farm.

       

      Click here to see more Pedal Power recipes
      If you have a recipe you’d like to share with the bike blending community, please send it to customerservice@rockthebike.

    • Interactive Pedal Powered Lighting Rigs

      Let us bring our years of experience with Pedal Powered lighting to craft something special for your event. For fun or education (or both), the possibilities are endless!

      The latest example of our interactive lighting: New York Power Authority at the 2019 State Fair:

      Read testimonials from our previous clients.

      The sLEDgehammer

      The sLEDgehammer, an interactive Pedal Powered lighting rig. More LEDs light up when you pedal harder, converting your peak power output on an efficient bicycle generator to beautiful light. Click here to watch the video!

      The sLEDgehammer’s display can be customized for your event, like a one-person powered courtyard installation (above), or as a group-powered display, like the Christmas Tree at Boston Winter below!

      City Hall Plaza - Facebook - Christmas Tree 3

      Powering LEDs with Rock The Bike Generators

      The Svelte or Sledgehammer generator wheels or DC Roll Up stand produce variable DC voltage. The faster you pedal the higher the voltage. We try to optimise the gear ratio and electrical activity to be around 24volts when pedaling at a comfortable speed.  The Load or wattage of your activity (LEDs) will determine the difficulty.

      The variable DC voltage of these generators is a good match for custom interactive LED activities and is fun and beautiful when done artfully.

      Strips of 12V LEDs can be put in 24V series, 36V series, or 48V series or a combination of these. When used in combination, the lower voltage lights turn on first, and then the higher voltage LEDs.  Brightness of the LEDs will increase with voltage. To prevent overvoltage from damaging the lights, you have to use enough that pedalers are sufficiently tired out by trying to keep them on.  Keep in mind the age and ability of your pedalers. Rolls of flexible LEDs often consume about 1W per foot. Pedalers may be able to create up to 200-400W of power. If you want to challenge them and keep your LEDs cool, you may have to use that many feet of LED.  If you choose 36 or 48V series wiring, this is less of a concern. Measure with a voltmeter and try to keep the LEDs under 150% of their rated voltage, especially for extended periods of time (more than a few seconds). You can also reduce the voltage spikes by pairing them with a capacitor.

      The “Off The Wall” generator wheel and Roll Up stand produce a higher variable voltage, closer to that of wall power. LEDs will need a switching power supply, usually with an input of 100 to 240volts, an output that matches the voltage of the LEDs (12v), and sufficient current for the number of LEDs. The interactivity of the LEDs is slightly less because they simply turn on and will not change in brightness, but will stay on over a wide range of pedal speed. Incandescent bulbs can be directly plugged into the Off The Wall and used as a comparison to the LEDs. They require much more energy and are usually less bright, but will glow brighter the faster you pedal. Make sure to match the wattage of the bulbs to your pedalers ability… bulbs can burn out!

      Warning:  Power supplies and other equipment can be over-voltaged and damaged when load / resistance is not enough and a pedaler is able to pedal really fast, producing a high voltage for an extended amount of time. We are developing a safety circuit that reduces the voltage if it gets over 240volts, which may help in some situations.

      More Light Displays

      CAM00047

      Above: Illuminated sign for Tourism Vancouver. Powered by a Generator Pro and the What Watt?! system, which tells you exactly how much energy you are creating as you pedal. (If you are interested in ordering a What Watt?! or finding out more about it, call us!)

      Above: Lines of light come from the generator bike, extending further (up to 300 feet) the harder you pedal.


      Above: More lines of light on our 18′ tall Bamboo Tripod.


      Above: Pedal Powered Stage LED lighting: 1 pedaler per panel.


      Above: The large light-up Wattage Display shows the instantaneous power use of our Pedal Powered Stage. It averages readings to show you the power use over the last 5 seconds.


      Above: the pedaler gets illuminated in this “Dance With Lance” challenge, in which riders go head to head with a powerful sound system. Each rider takes a turn pouring their all into the sound system while a DJ keeps great music going. The crowd roots on the pedalers, who last as long as they can.

      The Light Bike

      http://www1.shadygrove.umd.edu/about/SGIII/green-features/images/energy-bike.jpg
      Above: Sir Richard Branson pedaling the Light Bike comparison station at the Virgin Mobile Festival in Baltimore, 2008.
      Switching back and forth allows the pedaler to feel the energy savings of CCFL bulbs over traditional incandescent bulbs.

      Soul Cycles

      We have integrated Pedal Powered Lighting into several of our custom Soul Cycle rigs, including El Arbol, the Bike Tree:

      The Blue Whale:

      If you’re looking for applications to use Pedal Power, there are two main types: Mechanical and Electrical.

      Mechanical applications generally have the advantage of being simpler, cheaper, and with simpler maintenance. They include Bike Blending and Spin Art.

      Electrical applications are more limitless. The options include, but are not limited to, audio amplifiers, AC Power, and light.

    • Pedal Powered Stage Gear

      This is the gear we use at our own Pedal Powered Stage events, including the San Francisco Bicycle Music Festival.

       

      A Pedal Powered Stage is a system that must include ALL of the following:

      The following elements are optional:

      • staging
      • lighting

      Creating a system yourself can be a great team-building experience but has a serious learning curve. Working with Rock The Bike will get you up and running much more quickly and with higher quality components. You’ll be able to put your focus on organizing events much sooner.

      Let our experience work for you. We’ve been Pedal Powering music events since 2007.  This will translate to less frustration and more empowering moments when you use our gear at your events.

      We would be happy to assist you in customizing a quote for your Pedal Powered Stage. Please note that the items in this category are often made to order. Please help us help you by giving us enough time to do our best work.

      If you aren’t sure if you want to purchase or rent, you can check out purchasing prices with the “BUY” button below, or you can contact us for rental quotes HERE, or email info@rockthebike.com

    • Bike Blender parts now made from recycled milk jugs

      Rock the Bike is excited to announce that the custom plastic components of all the Fender Blenders are being made from 100% recycled or reused plastic. Historically, these parts have been made of virgin HDPE (high density poly ethylene), and now will be made from a recycled source of the same material – recycled milk jugs.

      Rock The Bike has always sought to make products that help individuals tread lightly on the planet. Making sure that our products utilize as much recycled materials in the manufacturing process and contain as many recyclable components as possible is an exciting way to deepen our commitment to being a truly environmentally minded outfit.

    • Fender Blender Pro available for rental

      We rent our best bike blender, the Fender Blender Pro (High Performance), for $250 per event day anywhere in the continental US. Each bike comes with one commercial-grade, NSF-rated 48 oz blender pitcher, the same kind in use at smoothie shops. Extra pitchers can be rented for $20/each. We recommend extras so you can increase the throughput of the activity; please see our helpful guide on estimating how many bike blenders and pitchers you’ll need for your event.

      You will receive the bike a day before your event, and return it the day after your event. If you’d like to receive your bike 2 days prior to your event — rather than the standard 1 day prior — a Practice Day can be added for an additional $100 / bike.

      Our bikes are sure to leave an imprint on your event. In August 2017 one past rental customer emailed, “People have not stopped talking about how fun that bike was since we used it in March of 2015. I’d say you all made quite the impression!”

      Multi-Day Discounts
      Our tier system allows you to save money on an event that lasts 2+ days. Multi-Day Discounts only apply to the cost of rented gear. Discounts are not applicable for packing fees or shipping costs.

      To calculate eligibility:

       Event Days Discount
      2 – 3 10%
      4 – 6 18%
      7+ 25%


      Custom Wheel Branding

      We offer full vinyl custom wheel wraps for rentals, and they are quite eye catching. The fee for printing graphics, installation and post-event removal is $450 per bike. Artwork must be received in print ready format. For an additional $300 fee, Rock the Bike can assist with graphic layout, design and include a rendering proof.

       

      For rentals in the Bay Area, the client is responsible for pickup and return of gear at our Oakland, CA location unless paying for delivery. There is no charge to pick up a day before your event and return the day after. When you pick up your bike we will give you a quick lesson on the bike and help you load your vehicle. For information on what kind of bike rack you’ll need, please see What kind of bike rack should I use?

      We encourage you to try bike towing with your rental. It’s fun, safe, practical and great for the carbon footprint of your event. Any bicycle with a rear rack can tow the Fender Blender Pro. There is no extra rental charge for the trailer wheels and hitch.

      Delivery is possible between 10am – 1pm for those in a 40mi radius from our Oakland location. Further locations will require a crewed smoothie booth, or offer shipping (see below). Delivery fees start at $150, and include a overview of the bike and tips for a successful event. For deliveries in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland, we are likely to get it there by bike as shown above, no trucks or loading docks needed! The bike easily fits through most doorways and elevators at your location. Delivery also possible in the greater Bay Area by vehicle. Delivery is a special service that requires coordination among our team and is harder to arrange last minute. Please give us as much advance notice as possible. Availability of delivery services is not guaranteed, but we have also not said no many times!

      Out of Town Rentals: Ground Shipping

      For out of town rentals, we package and ship the Fender Blenders to you, so they arrive the day before your event, then you ship them back the day after your event. The rental rate is $250 per event day + cost of shipping both ways (usually $150 – $300 per bike in the continental US) and a packaging fee of $85. If this cost is too great for your budget, we recommend purchasing a FB Universale, which starts at $249. Unfortunately, we do not rent the Fender Blender Universale.

      Out of Town Rentals: Pallet Shipping
      Ship your rental on a pallet anywhere in the Continental US and receive your Fender Blender Pro ready to blend, no assembly necessaryContact us today to get an estimate (please provide a destination address). Pallet packaging is $120 for 1 – 2 bike blenders, or $150 for 2 pallets 3+ bike blenders.

      What comes with my rental?

      Rock The Bike sends you the bikes and blenders you ordered, but we do not supply any cups or ingredients for making smoothies. Be prepared to acquire these items before your event! Check our sample shopping lists for guidance on what to get, whether you plan to hand out 100 smoothies in two hours or 500+ smoothies over two days.

      Need ideas for bike blending?Check out our recipes here.

      How many ingredients should you buy? Check out our helpful guide here. We also have a 100 Smoothies Shopping Lists, as well as a 500+ Smoothies Shopping List.

      Rent-To-Own Program

      If you fall in love with your Bike Blender, and we think you will, you may purchase it from us! You must let us know immediately (within 1 day of your event’s end date) that you intend to purchase the bike, and the full cost of your rental will go toward the purchase. The remainder must be received within 5 business days. Failure to pay within that time frame will result in late fees.

      Example Rental Estimate for a one-day event in New York City

      Item Cost
      1 Bike Blender $250
      1 Additional Pitcher (Total: 2) $20
      Packaging Fee $85
      FedEX Ground Round Trip Shipping to NYC $135
      TOTAL $490

      How does the rental process work?

      Email us using the below form to see if we can accommodate your event. If so, we’ll get you a Rental Agreement and request payment in full. Bikes are rented on a first come, first served basis. We recommend contacting us as soon as possible to lock in your rental. Have a credit card handy, as we will need to have one on file to process your order.

        Do you want to brand the wheel? ($450/bike)
        YesNo

        [recaptcha]

      • Draw people to your event with a Fender Blender

         

        If you’re interacting with the public at events, whether it be a trade show, a performance, a marathon, or a science fair, the Fender Blender can help build excitement at your booth. Kids are magnetically drawn to the simple red frame, and they can pedal their own smoothies, or just turn the pedals for fun. Once people are gathered at your booth, what you do from there is your own choice. But having a natural, fun, guaranteed effective way to bring people in can’t hurt.

      • Smoothie Bike encourages exercise, healthy eating

        Finding a unique way to involve the community in active and healthy living can sometimes be a challenge.

        Nancy Randolph, manager at Manitowoc County Human Services, rides the Smoothie Bike at a recent farmers market. (Photo: Submitted by Lindsay Brookshier )

        This is the challenge that Broken Spokes manager Colin Knab and the community-based initiative, Healthiest Manitowoc County, are tackling with their newly created Smoothie Bike. Taking its cue from similar bikes that have been sweeping the nation, this locally owned business and community initiative is bringing the Rock the Bike movement to Manitowoc.

        “It’s just seeing biking in different ways and what biking can do,” said Knab. “It’s all about getting into the culture of biking, it’s just one step to move forward into that.”

        Using an exerciser trainer model, the Smoothie Bike depends entirely on its rider to power the blender. To mix the drink faster, the rider will have to pedal faster because the bike only operates at one speed. But the bike has the capability to make more than just smoothies. The bike can create dips, pesto, milk shakes and even soups.

        The philosophy behind the bike ties into the goals that many organizations within the community, such as Healthiest Manitowoc County and Broken Spokes, have been working on for years. Specifically, they have been supporting initiatives to increase the consumption of locally grown fruits and vegetables and being active 60 minutes a day.

        “The Smoothie Bike is a creative tool for the Activity and Nutrition Coalition to expose, engage and educate youth, parents and community members about the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption,” said Cath Pape, Healthiest Manitowoc County grant coordinator. “We can’t afford to ignore our poor health. Two out of three Wisconsinites are overweight and at risk for heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Our local food movement understands that investing in a strong food system is right for health, business and budget. The bike is a fun, friendly reminder that we have better health when we make better choices about where we live, learn, work and play.

        For members of the community that experienced the Smoothie Bike, creating something delicious using locally grown food and the power of their own body made the bike an exciting concept.

        “I love the ‘Fender Blender’ bike and am amazed at how quickly it becomes the center of attention when someone is pedaling it. I think that using the bike to bring focus to the Healthiest Manitowoc County initiative is a fantastic way to market the ‘buy local and eat fresh’ approach.” said Nancy Randolph, manager at Manitowoc County Human Services who gave the bike a spin at its showcase at the Manitowoc Farmers Market.

        The bike’s success at the Farmers Market is a promising sign of how the community is pedaling its way to a healthy lifestyle through the enjoyment of locally grown food.

         

        This article was posted on July 15, 2014  by HTR NEWS, and written by Lindsay Brookshier. For the full article please go to: http://www.htrnews.com/story/life/2014/07/15/smoothie-bike-encourages-exercise-healthy-eating/12709149/

      • Fender Blender Pro helps Cabot Creamery win Guinness World Record for largest sMOOthie

        Cabot-FBP-Guiness-World-Record

        We did it, set a new record for making 400lbs of smoothie!!! Thanks for everything, the bike was a huge hit.”

        Best,
        Karen
        Cabot Creamery

        The ‘Cow Bike’ is a Fender Blender Pro (with High Performance upgrade) customized to look like a cow. Custom wheelcover, saddle, and vinyl spots helped Cabot Creamery brand the bike to complement their dairy products. The Guiness World Record was achieved May 3, 2013 at the New York Bike Expo. Read Cabot Creamery’s press release here.

        See the official record here: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/set-a-record/record-services-for-corporates/news/2013/5/cabot-creamery-blends-up-a-massive-record-smoothie-50567-53900/

      • Travaasa Austin promotes their event on the news with the FB Pro

      • Fender Blender Pro blends up smoothies and cocktails and can even grind coffee

        The Fender Blender Pro is up to the task of ice crushing and quality blending. Check out all these great videos of it in action!

         

         

      • Jay pedaled! National TV debut of the Fender Blender Universale

        To our delight Jay Leno climbed on a stylish white and orange step-through cruiser with a properly installed Fender Blender Universale bike blender (FBU) and blended what appeared to be a daiquiri, about 15 minutes into his show as part of the Last Minute Gifts segment. He pedaled for about 15 seconds, though to be honest I was too busy celebrating and making rock signs to count accurately. Jay had a medium-slow cadence and seemed very comfortable on the bike, smiling his trademark chinny grin and joking as he went — “for the active alcoholic!” Although his leg extension wasn’t optimized for power output, he had no problem crushing ice. He did not tuck in his pant leg prior to pedaling.

        Watch the segment on Jay’s site: fast forward to 25:00 if you’re in a rush.

        Above: The Fly Stick Van De Graaf effect levitation wand, one of the cooler toys on the segment.

        Of the 13 products he selected, only three — the FBU, the Fly Stick Levitation Wand, and Snow To Go instant snow — fell into the category of positive, educational, or amazing. The others were novelty gags.

        Six of the products were off-color: a stripping, singing Santa, a pole dancing alarm clock, and two products that involved sticking something (a pencil to be sharpened and a beer bottle to be opened) into the backside of an animal.

        Two were personal care products gone awry — a head massager and a facial treatment system.

        At $249 The FBU was the most expensive product on the segment.  The others (apart from the Deer Rump bottle opener) were all in the $30-and-under price bracket. All of the products were available through the internet. Not a single mainstream store such as Target was mentioned.

        When the producer emailed today to say that Jay had selected the FBU for the show, I had to think for a minute where I’d be able to watch it — there hasn’t been a TV in my place for two years. Luckily Adam had one and was willing to host a viewing party. Four of us from the Rock The Bike crew, plus his two housemates, were there to take it in. At the top of the show, we took bets on whether Jay himself would pedal the bike, or an assistant. Heading into the segment, 4 out of 6 in our SF viewing party thought he’d do the deed. But at the last moment Grace changed her bet and it was 3 and 3.


        above: Adam updating Facebook status to “Jay Rocks The Bike” moments after Leno cranked out a frozen cocktail.

        When the show first contacted us a few weeks ago to request an FBU, we offered to send it to them complete and built up on a Jamis city bike. We figured that they’re busy TV people, not bike people, and they’d probably rather have us install it. No thanks, they said, just send hthe boxed FBU. Clearly installation was straightforward for them. The rack was perfectly level and the pitcher sat directly over the rear wheel.


        above: the FBU installed on a classic Stumpjumper with Sweetskinz tires.

        Invented in 2006 by Nate Byerley, the FBU is our most affordable bike blender, and it’s the one that a lot of schools, nonprofits, and summer camps buy. Earlier this year our engineer Leif redesigned the FBU so that it goes on and off a bike without tools (once you install the aluminum rack). When the blender base is removed, you’ve got a strong, light, functional rack you can use to commute, carry groceries or boxes. Every FBU we sell is adding carrying capacity to the bicycle fleet of America!

        Bike blending is the most approachable, affordable way to demonstrate human power at an event or school. It’s a great conversation starter —  literally an awesome ice breaker — and one of the few products that can raise environmental consciousness without a guilt trip. It gets people pedaling at events, which reminds them how awesome bikes are. Kids love it! Check out the awesome testimonials we’ve posted for the product.

        We also recently came out with a human power generator that’s compatible with every Fender Blender we’ve ever sold, so that a school that bought one, say, in 2007 can now add the generator and use their FBU to make power for a music system, lighting display, etc.

        Many thanks to Jay and the producers for helping to spread the cheer and magic of Pedal Power at the holidays.

      • NPR's Jen Sharpe checks out Human Power on All Things Considered

        Seeing human power as a tool for community building, his company: Rock the Bike, sells what might make a good mascot for the human power movement: A pedal-powered bike blender called the Fender Blender.

        NPR’s Jennifer Sharpe interviewed Rock The Bike in August, and also attended the California Academy of Sciences Night Life event the night Rock The Bike brought the Pedal Powered Stage.

        Recording the sounds of a shop for NPR by leifcycle.

        In the shop on the day of her visit we were finishing up a build of a new hybrid Electric Mundo that we used at Nightlife as one of our generators.

         

        david butcher and his pedal-powered prime mover by sharpeworld.

        Sharpe also interviewed David Butcher, a pedal power afficionado based in the Mountain View, who seems to get younger as the years pass.

        lonnie green and his human powered bulldozer by sharpeworld.

        And she visited Lonnie Green in Grass Valley who came up with a Pedal Powered earth mover.

        Transcript excerpt:

        (Soundbite of song, “Sending Out”)

        Mr. FOSSIL FOOL (The Bike Rapper; Founder, Rock the Bike): (Singing) You got to leave your Prius outside the club. You got to leave your Hummer outside the club.

        SHARPE: Pedal-powered bike rapper Fossil Fool, also known as Paul Freedman, is out on the steps of San Francisco’s Academy of Sciences. Seeing human power as a tool for community building, his company: Rock the Bike, sells what might make a good mascot for the human power movement: A pedal-powered bike blender called the Fender Blender.

        Mr. FOSSIL FOOL: Almost everyone that buys it, the first thing that they want to do with it is they want to take it out into their community and share a sweet, thick, bike-blended smoothie.

        (Soundbite of a blender)

      • Habana Outpost profiled on CNBC, owner pedals a Fender Blender

      • Goodlifer profiles Habana Outpost

        Because of its crowd appeal [the Fender Blender Pro] is probably the [eco-friendly feature] that gets the most attention at Habana Outpost.

        Habana Outpost

        This past weekend, Habana Outpost celebrated its season opening with an Earth Day Expo, featuring kids’ activities, outdoor film screenings, an eco fashion show, workshops, local vendor booths and live music. We arrived promptly at noon on Saturday, hoping to beat the crowd (which on this first warm day of the year could be nothing but insane). We did, and were the first to make use of the smoothie “bike blender”, a stationary bike with a blender attached to it — pedal and receive $1 off your smoothie, seems like a deal too good to pass up. Even though it may not be the most efficient eco-feature, because of its crowd appeal it is probably the one that gets the most attention.

        Habana Outpost: bike blender

        Taking the bike blender for a blueberry spin.
         

        Habana Outpost: bike blender

        TV cameras hovering over the coolest eco-feature, the human-powered bike blender

        Sean Meenan opened NoLita’s Cafe Habana and Habana To Go in 1998, with a mission to serve home-style Latin food with unique Cuban and Central Mexican accents. Habana Outpost, located in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn, is the third member of this culinary family. Besides being a fun place to spend a sunny day, Habana Outpost is NYC’s first eco-eatery, aiming to reduce wasteful consumption and promote sustainable solutions by using earth-friendly practices in the design, construction, and day-to-day operations.

      • Sierra Magazine plugs the Fender Blender

        It takes just a minute to whip a morning smoothie or an after-work margarita with a pedal-powered blender from Rock the Bike.

        Fender Blender Universale in Sierra
        Fender Blender Universale in Sierra

        It takes just a minute to whip a morning smoothie or an after-work margarita with a pedal-powered blender from Rock the Bike.

        Sierra Magazine cover
        Sierra Magazine cover

      • Fender Blender appears on Seattle Times cover page

        Starbucks is using a bicycle powered blender to project a hip, green image at outdoor events.
        Seattle Times



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