E-paper – essentially a bendable display screen – has been making some news lately as the maturing technology begins to find its way into mainstream consumer products. While we’ve seen examples of the "paper" used in things like PDAs and portable display screens, a company called Minoura - better known for indoor trainers - is one of the first to work it into a cycling computer. Appropriately named FLEX, the computer wraps around a bike’s handle bar stem using nothing more than a back-strap to hold it in place. While this may look a bit strange, weight conscious riders will probably appreciate the FLEX’s light weight and negligible aerodynamic profile; and those that aren’t weight weenies, can bask in the FLEX’s coolness-factor. The entry level model, available in early summer for about $150, will include dual wireless transmitters that monitor both speed and cadence. Higher end models (planned for later this summer) will offer heart-rate (FLEX-HR), and a power meter (FLEX-HRS). Minoura says that buyers of the basic model will be able to upgrade their unit to the HR or HRS models in the future – though there’ no word on what it will cost at this time.

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