Sourdough bread is one of the most wonderful things you can make with your hands, but it can be fussy and hard to perfect. Now technology takes out most of the pesky guesswork.

Cyclists around the world are obsessed with the beautifully appointed bicycles from Blue Lug in Tokyo. As a bike nerd myself, and with a trip to Japan on my calendar, I had to pay a visit.

This simple gadget is a fun and inexpensive way to tinker.