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Chenman's Great Wall fashion photography

Chenman is not a man. She's a Beijing-born twenty-something woman who has become one of the most well-known fashion photographers in China. She does a lot of high profile work, like covers for Chinese Vogue and ads for Adidas and Sony Ericsson, but I love her personal stuff the best. Here's a shot of unlikely supermodel Lv Yan rocking out on the Great Wall. (The last fashion photography I saw at this location was by Tyra Banks for ANTM. Not quite as stunning.) Chenman's web site via NotCot( Lisa Katayama is a guest blogger.)...

Gallery: High-End Cycling Gear Juices Your Ride

: Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com The dog days of summer are upon us and if you're anything like the crew here at Wired.com, you still haven't logged as many miles as you had hoped. Well, there's no better motivator than new gear to get you back on track. After all, isn't that why you're a cyclist, not some sad-sack runner pounding the pavement in a pair of worn Adidas? You need something shiny and new to put you in the mood for a few late summer spins. Look no further: We tested out a handful of trick toys to help you crank your way into fall. Capoforma Signature Series Diavolo Jersey Grunting up Kings Mountain Road in Woodside under the hot California sun, the top-end Capoforma Signature Series Diavolo jersey from Upland Sports Group kept me comfortable and dry. Pity it didn't do anything for my climbing. Costing a cool $150, you'd think it should. The Capoforma is a snazzy piece of sport kit made from Capoforma Carbon, which, according to the company, is a dual-knit microfiber with a thread of carbon woven through it. Upland says the microfiber is quick drying, while the carbon thread makes it static resistant -- unlike many polyester jerseys. The Capoforma fits well, with three roomy pockets in back. And the wicking worked, keeping me mostly dry even on the longest, hottest rides. Best of all, it looks the bomb. The Caporforma makes you feel like Mario Cipollini -- even if you look more like a fat sausage. The first day I wore it, a hottie commented on what a nifty jersey it was -- and at my age, that's worth $150 right there. -- Leander Kahney : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comChris King ISO Singlespeed Wheels The first thing you notice about Chris King ISO Singlespeed disk wheels are how unbelievably beautiful they are. The workmanship is flawless. Available in a vast range of colors, the metalwork is stunning, even in punky pink and black. While other wheelsmiths keep trotting out new improvements like aero spokes and ceramic bearings, this cult company keeps things functional, not faddish. This $800 wheelset retains tradition wheel design, with regular rims, regular spokes. Once they're mounted on your bike, you'll notice their noise: The hub has 72 teeth on the drive ring instead of the standard 24, making the rear wheel sound like a swarm of angry bees. There's nothing like riding up behind an unsuspecting biking partner and unleashing the bees -- it makes them nearly jump out of their shorts. Being a big man, I also appreciated these wheels' bomb-proof construction. I'm confident these babies are not going to buckle under my 230-pound bulk, while making everyone around me jealous of my tricked-out ride. -- Jim Merithew : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comSidi Dragon 2 SRS Shoes Who knew I needed a Heel Security System on my mountain bike shoes? For that matter, what is a Heel Security System? Turns out it's an adjustable cinch that locks your heel firmly into the shoe. Result: no more floppy heel. Trouble is, this is an expensive breakthrough in shoe-cinching technology. The Sidi Dragons that sport this feature cost $500, and who's going to pay such a premium to keep their heels snug? After riding these -- that would be me. Heel security is a feature I never knew I needed. I had no idea that my heels were flopping around so much until they weren't flopping around any longer. Now, I don't know how I'll live without it. I've always been crazy for Sidi's Euro aesthetic and vibe. I think Sidi consistently makes some of the hottest kicks on the market. The Dragon is no exception. My feet were as happy at the end of the ride as they were at the start. And that $500 is actually a long-term investment: Almost every part on the shoe that can wear out is replaceable, from the stiff carbon inserts to the rubbery treads and optional toe spikes. The only niggle is with the newly designed buckle, which is tougher to tighten while riding than my other mountain-bike shoes -- a pair of Sidi Dominators. -- Jim Merithew : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comCrank Bros. Acid 2 Pedals If you're ready to break free from the big S's grip on your bicycle components, Crank Bros.' Acid 2 pedals are a good place to start. Crank Bros. calls them enduro/gravity pedals, but since my days of "lift up, rocket down" are over, I just took them out for a couple of laps around Camp Tamarancho, in Marin, California. Coming from Shimano's SPDs, there's a bit of a learning curve to use the cinching mechanism. The snap-in, snap-out is not as obvious as with SPDs. I found myself squirming around trying to determine whether I was firmly snapped into place or not. But the more miles I put in, the more confident I became with the ins and outs of this platform. Also, despite being made of carbon fiber, these pedals are still a bit too heavy for the weight-obsessed, and their white-plastic trim is completely out of place on a mountain bike pedal. The other problem is that, at $240, these pedals are total overkill for the type of riding I do (slow and labored), but the hipster factor cannot be overlooked. They are cooooool. -- Jim Merithew : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com Ergon GX1 Grips Keeping your hands happy is key to keeping your steed under control. With aging mitts like mine, it'd seem that keeping them happy would mean more padding. But beware: As is often the case with super-padded saddles, more padding sometimes means more chafing. Ergon's GX1s are ergonomic grips designed for mountain-bike racing, and though there's little padding, these grips stay comfortable all day. The grips have a distinctive wing that is designed to relieve stress on your wrists. Though some people don't like the design of ergonomic grips, they certainly work for me. Costing about $40, the Ergon GX1s are simple to install and clamp securely onto your bars, which is where they are staying on my bike. And they look pretty sweet, too. -- Jim Merithew : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comFizik Tundra Saddle Your bike can have all the high-end tech wares you can afford, but if the ol' tuckus isn't happy your cycling experience is going to rub you the wrong way. Though my racing days are far behind me, I recently laid my hands -- er, buttocks -- on the new race-ready Fizik Tundra in bright white. While I didn't love the Tundra, it's a pretty sharp design. It has a nice long nose with just enough padding to make hammering out a cross-country race a little more pleasant. Plus, it's light enough to make a weight weenie grin. If you're looking to crush the competition at your next XC race and you want to look trick doing it, give the Tundra a go. But if you're looking to beat up on your buddies during your weekly run to the woods and keep your hiney happy doing it, you might want something a little less racy. -- Jim Merithew : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comMirrycle Woodpecker Mountain bikers get a bad rap by almost everyone on multiuse trails. Flying down the trails, big smiles on our faces, we can be a pretty discourteous bunch. We often scare the crap out of hikers, horseback riders and just about everyone we come in contact with, including other mountain bikers. The addition of a little noisemaker to your rig can go a long way to making friends on the trail. Just give a little tinkle when you come up behind -- or as you fly into a blind single-track corner. My new personal favorite is the $18 Mirrycle Woodpecker (top left in this photo). Made from a bell-shaped piece of wood, the Woodpecker makes a pleasant clunk, clunk sound instead of the harsh ring-a-ding-ding of most bells. -- Jim Merithew : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comPolar CS600 HR with Power Output Pro bike racers know that the biggest mistake made by newbie riders is that they're never going hard enough when they think they're going full-out -- and that they're going too hard when they should be taking it easy. One of the easiest ways to fix this is to become more in tune with your body via a heart-rate monitor. A good HRM will tell you when you need to go harder, and when to slow it down. For years, veteran HRM-maker Polar has been helping athletes tune their bodies. The $420 Polar CS600 is their current top-of-the-line model. For those who aren't fluent in their own body language, this little fella will translate. The CS600 gives you the usual bike computer functions -- speed, distance and time -- but also throws in dozens of functions, from an altimeter, barometer and compass to your BMI index, training programs, and enough heart data to give you palpitations. Throw in the optional Power Output Sensor (for another $290), and the CS600 will measure the power output of your legs -- and it is sensitive enough to tell you which leg is doing most of the work. I found the CS600 to be too much computer for me. Turns out I wasn't all that interested in defining my training zones. But if you're a gadget fiend who wants to track every conceivable data point of a workout regime, this computer will do it for you. -- Jim Merithew

Because Gold Can't Be Seized without Pain. Or Something.

To supplement its "Impossible is Nothing" spots for the Beijing Olympics, Adidas busts out with a slightly retro set of prints titled "Gold is Not a Given."

Gallery: Gadgets Boost Olympic Performance -- Legally

: Photo: Associated Press/Kathy Willens Technology has helped push the boundaries of athletic achievement since the first time a caveman selected a lightweight birch branch for his spear instead of the usual heavy oaken staff. This year's Olympic Games will be no different, with swimmers, cyclists and even gymnasts making the most of tech -- and legal -- performance enhancements. While many of the items on this list will be limited to Olympic athletes only, many others will be available for purchase by anyone, even if you don't have the cutting-edge training of Dara Torres. Just as NASA's space program led to Tang and other wonders, the innovations created for these Olympics may eventually end up somewhere in your house. Left: Humans are too flawed for perfect swimming (not even Michael Phelps could beat a Great White in a sprint), but Speedo's LZR suit is the closest we'll get to swimming like the fishes. Designed in conjunction with NASA scientists, the suit uses ultrasonically bonded seams (instead of stitches), low-drag panels and a mix of polyurethane layers to create the fastest suit ever, reaching previously unattainable levels of buoyancy and slipperiness. But according to the top U.S. swimmers, the key lies in the groin. It has a rigid, girdle-style structure that positions the swimmer's body in an optimal position. That means no more hip/leg misalignments and less lower-body fatigue. It's estimated to give its wearers a two to five percent advantage, more than enough to make the difference between a bronze medal and a gold one. Rival suit companies protested the LZR's innovations, but they couldn't come up with an adequate replacement. Even Nike is allowing its sponsored swimmers to wear it in Beijing. : Photo: Lee Vaccaro Jennie Longo is the French equivalent of Lance Armstrong -- and at 49 years old, she is still smoking the competition. Now she has two new aces in the hole: the ultra-light 8-spoke wheel (the previous lowest number of spokes was 10) and a disc wheel called the Disc Cranked Arrow. Designed by Paul Lew Racing for ultimate flight, the 8-spoke wheel is not the most durable of wheels. It?s only designed to last the length of the course, just like Michael Johnson?s famous Nikes in the 1996 Games. The Disc Cranked Arrow features a rim with carbon/boron fairing, and it is the world's most aerodynamic bicycle wheel, as well as the lightest, at 730 grams. : Photo: Respro Smog levels are rising in Beijing, but athletes won?t let that stand in their way. Many are planning on using air-filtering masks throughout their stay, and some are expected to use them in the events themselves. One of the masks we'll see is the Respro Sportsta, which allows high volumes of clean air to move through the openings, and includes HEPA-type filtration (like that found in your vacuum cleaner) to strip out Beijing air's high levels of particulates, including exhaust emissions. It also comes with Powa valves (for improved airflow). Undoubtedly, though, the best thing about it is that it will make everyone look like Sub Zero from Mortal Kombat. Fight! : Photo: Hypoxico Hypoxic tents like Altitude Training's CAT-150 push low-oxygen (hypoxic) air into the tent while an athlete rests, displacing more oxygen-rich air as well as the CO2 he or she exhales. In so doing, it stimulates the athlete's body to increase red blood cell production and pump up the delivery of oxygen to muscles. Some have compared the feeling of running after a hypoxic session to being unleashed physically, like a controlled human helium balloon. Although they?ve been used in previous Olympics, the poor air quality of the city will likely inspire many more athletes to use these tents. Some consider hypoxic tents to be a form of doping, primarily because not every athlete has access to them. But until the IOC disallows them -- an unlikely eventuality -- we'll continue to see athletes legally improve their blood cell counts by spending time inside tents like this one. During these Olympics, expect top cyclists David Zabriske, Mike Friedman and Kashi Leuchs to use the CAT-150 between their races. : Photo: Nike Nike's MaxSight contact lenses filter out reflections caused by the sun and enhance contrast -- details appear a bit clearer and colors pop more. Their red tint relaxes the eyes and lets them focus for longer periods of time. The British women's field hockey team is expected to wear the lenses in order to see the field better. Because this tint is especially made for fast-moving sports with variable light conditions, the field hockey players will also pick up the rotation of a ball with greater accuracy. Also, the intimidating look that a pair of demonic pupils has on the opposition is hard to overlook. Sadly for non-Olympians, the manufacturers recently discontinued these lenses. : Photo: Edis Jurcys It's gotta be the shoes. Or at least that?s what Nike and Adidas want you to believe. Still, the tech used in these kicks is serious business. Nike?s 3.19-ounce Flywire Zoom Victory Spikes use a lightweight thread called Vectran, a substance used in the balloons that helped the Lunar Rover land safely. This thread, which is tougher than Kevlar, allowed the designers to design the whole shoe without the extra padding normally needed to keep it from breaking down in a run. Since the tough Vectran ensured reliable durability all by itself, Nike removed materials that were used previously to prevent ruptures, like the inner sock liner, enabling them to make the shoe lighter. The Flywire also sports a hole in the heel, which grips the runner's heel tightly, preventing movement. The Adidas Lone Stars are also as light as a breeze, but with a twist: They're "bent" at an angle to take care of the long-sprint curves of the 400-meter event. The shoes, designed with input from runner Jeremy Wariner, are the first to be made with asymmetrical carbon nanotube plates and progressive-compression spikes. They're asymmetrical because in a sprint around a circular track, the left foot is used more to stabilize the body, and the right is used more for propulsion. The carbon nanotube construction is key because it allowed Adidas to create a single-piece shoe, getting rid of the regular three-piece seams and leading to a lighter weight -- 50 percent lighter than any other shoe. : Photo: Nike These are not bulletproof vests, but if you're an athlete looking for the smallest edge, they might save your life. As an athlete warms up to loosen the muscles, his or her core temperature also goes up. This leads to the possible danger of overheating, especially given the high temperatures expected in Beijing in August. The answer: Lightweight vests that help keep athletes cool. They are so effective that doctors have used them for long surgery sessions, and U.S. marathoner Deena Kastor credits Nike's vest with keeping her cool in the '04 Games and helping her land a medal. Its principle is simple: Fill with water, freeze, then put it on. The new Precool vest not only improves on the 2004 model by covering a larger surface area, it also has a flexible aluminum coating that deflects the sun's rays. The Game Ready Active Cooling Vest works a little differently, but cools down the body just the same. After it's filled with water, a cooling unit is connected into the vest, which regulates the pressure level, temperature and treatment time settings of the vest. It combines this cold water circulation with low-level compression for a specific temperature fit. : Photo: Mizuno Bat innovations are nothing new, but it seems that they're always on the verge of causing a controversy. Maple bats were the recent rage in the Major Leagues, but their thin handles caused them to break easily and fly dangerously into the stands. The Mizuno softball bat is not causing a controversy yet, but it has reached a new standard of lightness that's destined to hurt the opposition. The Black Onyx carbon fiber RB500 has a larger-than-usual sweet spot that dominates the barrel (very nice), but it's the redesigned coiled end cap that makes it special. It allows for a lighter weight without sacrificing control and balance, helping a batter swing harder and make better last minute wrist-snapping adjustments on the ball. Since this is expected to be the last year of softball competition in the Olympics, expect players using this bat to make an explosive statement on the field to try and bring their sport back by 2016. : Photo: Nike Dainty, yet aggressive. Minimalist, but full of technological innovations. The Nike Pidima gymnastic shoes are a contradiction in many ways, but by the end of the games, everyone will agree that that they're the next step in high-performance technology. Why are we so high on this shoe? First consider the size. It's the smallest and lightest shoe ever at 0.35 ounces. When an athlete is sprinting into the horse (on the front part of the foot, Kerri Strug-style) that lightness will allow for better traction, faster speed and bigger jumps. Then look at the thin aesthetic appearance and the grippy sole. The rubber is the color of flesh, so it won't stand out. That's more than a mere style point, because scoring in gymnastics is based on the way the foot is positioned relative to the body. Call attention to your foot, and you run the risk of the judges taking points away. Also, the casing of the sole helps with pliability between the first and second metatarsals (where the foot impacts the floor), making it more comfortable than ever. Finally, the spike patterns on the sole are multidirectional so that an athlete can switch the positions of the leg quickly while maintaining ground contact. : Photo: Newgy The Robo-Pong 2040 will play at any skill level you desire. It will play at any time you feel the need for a game. And while it cannot qualify for the Olympics, at least until organizers permit robotic contestants, it can be a valuable training partner. This training robot is used by some of the top players to improve their games and technique, but it's also helpful for up-and-coming players. A few Chinese table tennis pros have been known to use the 2040 when they can't get to the famous Sun Park in Beijing. Trainers can adjust the difficulty level and the speed of the ball, as well the amount of oscillation and spin that the robot puts on the ball. It even has a remote control so coaches can torture their players from afar. : Photo: Mikasa The Mikasa's designers abandoned the standard 18-panel volleyball design in favor of eight panels arranged in a petal-like formation. When combined with the new double-layered construction (of polyurethane foam and a woven inner layer made of soft micro-fiber), this new design will give players improved control by limiting the amount of sweat that seeps into the ball from their palms. That's gross, yes, but useful. The embossing process is also supposed to lower the amount of air disturbance around the ball for a more aerodynamic trajectory. This should lead to the hardest balls ever hit this summer, though the sound may be disappointing: A few players who tested the ball complained that the Mikasa doesn't have the same satisfying pop as a traditional volleyball. : Photo: Courtesy Inition In order to make perfect strokes during training, the U.S. crew team members watch their progress on a VR-style goggle set that receives a live feed of their movements as they row. With this feed, they are able to see instantly if their torsos are misaligned. By evaluating themselves in real time, the rowers learn to perfect their form. Once the race starts, however, they'll ditch the glasses. Originally the invention of an Australian crew team, the instantaneous video analysis system is also used to build statistical databases. The next versions will wirelessly transmit rowers' previous performances straight into their sightlines, enabling them to virtually travel into the past and race against themselves.

Adidas Joins the Free-Music-Giveaway Club

For its back-to-school campaign "New School of Thought," Adidas Originals went all hipster and whatnot.

Problematic logo design from Adidas and Au

My pal Terre Thaemlitz in Tokyo sent me this ad for a cross-promotional offering from the mobile phone operator "au" (????) and Adidas. As Terre says, "How super-fucked is this logo?"...

Firms see gold in US sprinter

Tyson Gay has yet to make an Olympic team, but the 25-year-old sprinter has already lined up more than $2 million in endorsements from the likes of adidas, Omega, and Sega , which are betting big on the track star.

Sixth British Columbia stray foot a hoax

'Reprehensible and disrespectful' The sixth "foot" discovered wearing an Adidas trainer on the shores of British Columbia earlier this week was not human, but rather "a skeletonised animal paw ... inserted into the shoe with a sock and packed with dried seaweed", the BC Coroners Service (BCCS) reports (pdf).?

British Columbia stray foot tally hits six

Latest find size 10, wearing Adidas The British Columbia stray foot tally yesterday reached a round half dozen with the discovery of a size 10 right foot wearing a black Adidias trainer which turned up on a beach in Vancouver Island.?

6th severed foot found in B.C.?

Karen says: "I work for a newspaper in Campbell River, B.C. on Vancouver Island. Another foot was found here this morning at Tyee Spit (the second this week!). I don't know if it's hit the web yet. I just wanted to give you a heads up, since you've been reporting them on the website." UPDATE: National Post is running a story about the sixth foot. It's a right foot in a black Adidas shoe. The woman who found it, while picking rocks along the water, said two bones were sticking out of the shoe, and they looked like they'd been cut. Previously on Boing Boing: ? 5th foot found washed up in B.C....