New electric bike wheel - "Copenhagen wheel"
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/sc...th/15bike.html
The Senseable City Laboratory at M.I.T. has designed a wheel that captures the kinetic energy released when a rider brakes and saves it for when the rider needs a boost. While technically sound, the wheel’s true challenge may be in winning over cyclists. For centuries, bikes have been beloved for their simplicity, not their bells and whistles. But, said Carlo Ratti, the laboratory’s director, “biking can become even more effective than what it was.” What the lab is working on, he said, is “Biking 2.0.” The new wheel uses a kinetic energy recovery system, the same technology used by hybrid cars, like the Toyota Prius, to harvest otherwise wasted energy when a cyclist brakes or speeds down a hill. With that energy, it charges up a battery inside the wheel’s hub. The sleek red hub, called the Copenhagen Wheel, was to be unveiled Tuesday morning in Copenhagen. It can be retrofitted to any bike’s rear wheel, and it includes sensors that track air quality, a meter that logs miles and a GPS unit to track routes. All that data can be sent via Bluetooth to a rider’s smartphone and shared with others. |
so... how much does it cost?
one of the biggest problems with the prius, even with all its technology, is that it is so heavy, that it doesn't really get any better mileage than a comparable diesel that's much cheaper. now, since all this is applied to the bike wheel... just how heavy is it? sounds better if they just called it a 'light electric scooter' :innocent: |
Originally Posted by AEO
(Post 10147289)
so... how much does it cost?
one of the biggest problems with the prius, even with all its technology, is that it is so heavy, that it doesn't really get any better mileage than a comparable diesel that's much cheaper. now, since all this is applied to the bike wheel... just how heavy is it? sounds better if they just called it a 'light electric scooter' :innocent: Just like everything else in the bike marketing world, eventually the cost will be inversley proportional to the weight. :( It does sound interesting though, therfore I'll put it on my Christmas wish list. :D |
Pretty scary, I was just thinking of this very type of setup while riding my bike yesterday. Lo and behold, in the papers the very next day.
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The Bionx already does this so I don't know why these people claim it is such a new innovation.
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Originally Posted by akohekohe
(Post 10147791)
The Bionx already does this so I don't know why these people claim it is such a new innovation.
-The battery is integrated with the hub motor/generator -Gear shifting and changing the power assist configurations are done from a smart phone via bluetooth :rolleyes: Here's a picture... why do I get the sense that there's not a lot of participation in this project from bike enthusiasts? (hint: look closely at where the chain meets the hub) http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/p...hagenwheel.jpg The website, apart from that picture, seems pretty well done-up. http://senseable.mit.edu/copenhagenwheel/index.html |
Originally Posted by jefferee
(Post 10153620)
-Gear shifting and changing the power assist configurations are done from a smart phone via bluetooth :rolleyes:
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Originally Posted by jefferee
(Post 10153620)
The major differences are:
-The battery is integrated with the hub motor/generator -Gear shifting and changing the power assist configurations are done from a smart phone via bluetooth :rolleyes: Here's a picture... why do I get the sense that there's not a lot of participation in this project from bike enthusiasts? (hint: look closely at where the chain meets the hub) http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/p...hagenwheel.jpg The website, apart from that picture, seems pretty well done-up. http://senseable.mit.edu/copenhagenwheel/index.html |
Originally Posted by akohekohe
(Post 10147791)
The Bionx already does this so I don't know why these people claim it is such a new innovation.
Mein gott, I so love cruisers. |
I'm not sure this will ever make it to market, despite the hype. I believe it will be hard for them to compete with lower-priced hub and non-hub motors that have good torque. They might get excited in the flat lands of Denmark, but if you have any hills, you know that you need torque, which requires power.
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