Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - a better bike! maybe?

"Today at the COP 15 Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, M.I.T. students introduced the technologically advanced Copenhagen Wheel. In addition to including various sensors and Bluetooth capability, the tire stores kinetic energy from braking for a later burst of speed.

The makers of the Copenhagen Wheel from M.I.T.'s SENSEable City Laboratory claim that the new features mark the advent of "Biking 2.0," a new era based on smarter bikes and easier rides. The wheel is certainly a step in that direction; it includes sensors for detecting distance, speed, direction, all of which are beamed via Bluetooth to the rider's iPhone. The wheel also includes a built-in lock that sends the rider a text if tampered with." Gizmodo

http://gizmodo.com/5427252/mit-ushers-in-biking-20-with-copenhagen-wheel


http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2009/12/500x_cph_wheel049.jpg

But I ride fixed because I want my bike to be primitive and inefficient.

I can drive when I want to be lazy.

Looks tarck as *******!!!

They're coming!!
http://rlv.zcache.com/flying_saucer_fleet_poster-p228665954993097184qzz0_400.jpg

Looks tarck as *******!!!

Needs aerospok?

Looks like something from IKEA

Looks like something from IKEA

Why do you post here if you hate it so much?

Bored at work?

Bored at work?

Is that a question or an answer?

It's whatever you want it to be.

I can't image how expensive it will be.

Why do you post here if you hate it so much?

He just thinks that he's being really creative by pretending to be the opposite of everyone else on here. What he probably doesn't realize is that by pretending to hate everything, he's actually blending in perfectly with everyone else who pretends to hate everything that's posted on here.

I believe he's expressing teen angst, delayed to early adulthood. ;)

Well, it's pretty.

What are the resource requirements to build this, the iphone, and the bluetooth needed to maximize it's benefit ?

Not if it has riser bars, it isn't.

"Hey! Here's a simple, easily-repaired, somewhat dignified, economical form of transportation. Why don't we make it not that?"

I bet it is just a coaster type brake and when you back pedal to brake it engages a spring type thing compresses it to release later. this is kind of a "duh" concept. surprised it hasn't been done before.

EDIT: yeah i looked it up. it's just regenerative braking. i assumed it would be something simpler. way to innovate mit...

^no, that's not it. Cars have been using regenerative breaking for quite a few years now. And electric bikes have had that option for a while. Some bike lights started using the idea a few years ago too.

"Hey! Here's a simple, easily-repaired, somewhat dignified, economical form of transportation. Why don't we make it not that?"

That sounds like government-talk.

Takes the Dork Disk to a whole new level.

Devices like this have been around, sans Bluetooth. Get yourself a Stoke Monkey. Googled it already (http://tinyurl.com/yl3ctqm)

Or even better, a Trunk Monkey. Using Bing just because (ttp://tinyurl.com/yagfweq)

I fully expect a forward-thinking, cutting-edge car company like GM to jump on this opportunity to offer transportation alternatives.

dead weight is lost energy - jay adams

But where will the spoke cards go?

I fully expect a forward-thinking, cutting-edge car company like GM to jump on this opportunity to offer transportation alternatives.

Hahahaha! Good one!

dead weight is lost energy - jay adams

My brother skated with Jay about a million years ago.

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2009/12/500x_cph_wheel049.jpg

why you should not ride a white bike when you are having your period.

Here is a new thread addressing this issue. Please keep snide remarks and fighting at the door. We need bike-mechanics input to launch this. I am NOT a board member of MIT - this is about your grandchildren:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?612992-The-Copenhagen-Wheel&p=10227135#post10227135

Tom - please keep an eye. If MIT can bust Las Vegas - I'd hate to see what they'd do to GM.