modernjess

This gee whiz "ultimate connected commuter" has gotten over $230K in kickstarter money so far which I find unfathomable but, hey good for them I guess.

Carbon fiber smart bike warns when cars come too close | Springwise

There is so much wrong going on here I don't even know where to begin. I'm speechless, so I'll let you all do it.

J.C. Koto

I don't want a bike that has its own operating system. I wonder if the people who design these things or the people who gush over the design of these things even ride a bike on a regular basis.

no1mad 

The following is a copy and paste off my 2 cents from a thread in SSFG that was started 5 days ago:

I like tech, but I'm also a tightwad, so here's my take on this design:

- The bike has sensors built-in to the frame itself or well concealed bolt-ons? If inside the frame, how do you replace them when they go on the fritz? If bolted on, that is just that much more stuff I gotta worry about walking away while locked up.

- Power: How are you supposed to recharge the sensors? And the sync'ing to your smartphone will just drain the phone battery that much quicker. Of course, this goes on the assumption that one has a smartphone to begin with...

- Data charges: All of those traffic alerts is gonna incur data charges/require data plan of some kind.

-Their tracking after it gets stolen is predicated on a network of others that have the same bike, and if nobody passes it or you are the only person to own one, that feature is worthless.

- They are marketing to commuters, right? Aside from the rack/fender issues, it is a 16 pound CF which is gonna take at least half of that weight in hardened steel locks to protect it and those locks could damage the frame over time...

- Those 'blind spot' sensors are a gimmick, IMO.

... and I don't like the color of the wheels.

alan s 

No way to attach a rack and fenders, no gears, doomed to the virtual trash heap of failed ideas.

TransitBiker

Agree, it's a rich person's toy without those basic expandability points.

- Andy

Leisesturm

I will eat a certain body part on my webcam (without hot sauce or beverage) if that bike has anything in it more advanced than a threadless headset. I have watched an increasingly more elaborate parade of vaporware infomercials strut their stuff on crowdfunding websites. How long before there is a backlash? I mean... THE Christopher Lloyd is, as we speak, pitching authentic Zero Gravity Skateboards like those in Back To The Future. When established celebrities lend their names and images to these charlatans, whose only goal is to make a buck, the general public had better run for cover. The amounts of money some of these startups are pulling in is jaw-dropping. How did we get electronic shifting derailleurs without Kickstarter? How did we even get carbon fiber frames and forks without crowdfunding? Somehow we managed. And when the last of these entities has been driven out of cyberspace with pitchforks, tar and feathers... ... well... some new scam will arise with the set goal of getting whats in your wallet into someone elses without them having to cook, weave, weld, or otherwise work in any way shape or form, for it.

H

DogBoy

Perhaps the concept is flawed, but perhaps something valuable will come out of it that we will appreciate. I can see using a seat-tube as a storage point for the electronics/batteries etc. Charge it through a SON Hub or replace the batteries, or have a plug-in somewhere to charge while at home. For me, its more a question of: Once the alert goes off, do I have any time to react or do I just know I'm about to get pummeled or near missed? I think it would be a fine line between being so conservative as to just warn of every passing car and hence be useless, and notifying too late to do any good. I won't be buying one.

MMACH 5

How did you miss the fact that the hoverboard commercial was made for Will Ferrel's Funny or Die channel? It was a joke.

Leisesturm

Maybe because that isn't where I saw it? Nevertheless, my point remains. A LOT of unproduceable gear is being 'sold' on crowdfund sites and people are parting with real cash to become early adopters. There is no way on earth some of this stuff is ever going to become reality in our lifetimes. Like the bike above. I hope you haven't authorized any Paypal transfers to them.

H

lasauge 

I don't see the point - if a car was coming is fast enough that they can't avoid steering into the bicyclist, a sensor might detect it, but even assuming there was a place for the bike to go, could a rider react fast enough to get out of the way of danger?

caloso

Speaking of headsets, what the hell is going on with that huge gap between the fork crown and bottom of the head tube?

MMACH 5

No debate from me that scads of these crowdfunding projects are merely 21st century snake oil. We are on the same page there.

Presenting a parody video as an example of fraud does weaken the argument, though.

Carry on.

alan s 

Wouldn't it make more sense to warn the car they are about to hit the bike? At least there's a chance the driver could take corrective action. My bike lights and clothes currently serve that function, but I guess an additional warning system could help. However, no need to incorporate into a whole bike...just make it a stand alone accessory. Much larger potential market, I would think.

TransitBiker

You don't need to build a whole entire useless over-expensive bike to develop a proximity sensor for a bike.

Also, mocking & berating a way for potentially game changing & life improving concepts to become a reality.... really? If YOU arent into it, don't be into it, but don't armchair expert others about something you have no experience with, even if some of the projects being funded are stupid.

- Andy

MMACH 5

Mocking and berating? The crowdfunding concept came on the scene with such promise. Unfortunately, it has been exploited and abused to the point of becoming a punchline. Many have come to put it in the same boat as the Nigerian prince emails.

The Hansenator

I don't think I need the bike to warn me when a car comes too close, I'll probably figure that out on my own.

There's some cool stuff mentioned but, like other have said, what kind of commuter doesn't have mounts for rack and fenders? I can see its usefulness as a concept bike for exploring different ideas but it doesn't seem appropriate for the commuter market as is.

cooker

^^I agree - if you think of it as a concept bike it's a lot less ridiculous than if you think of commuting on it.

gunner65

I like the GPS signaling turn feedback in the handlebars. As a concept bike we have to throw away what the bike itself looks like and look at its actual functions. Like you could incorporate the smart handlebars into any bike. I think the creators were just using the single speed carbon bike for showing off the electronics. Imagine having a garmin on your handlebars and the left side of your bar vibrated indicating you need to turn at the next left. Sounds cool to me. The other sensors and bells and whistles could be incorparated elsewhere. How about people who make a living riding bikes? I like it as a concept and could easily see some of the ideas coming to life.

contango 

Hard to see the point of this. Lots of sensors when a Garmin Edge will do most of it for you, and you can unclip the Edge and take it away with you when you park the bike.

Not sure what the haptic feedback through the handlebars is supposed to achieve. So I know someone is bearing down on me, dangerously close, and what am I supposed to do with this information? Unless the road is such that I can prepare to steer into the ditch it's no help at all.

fietsbob

High tech and a Fixie ,, Googleaires get out them fat wallets .. that IT money needs to circulate in the economy .

no1mad 

You must've missed out on this discussion- https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/...will-work.html. Different product, similar concept (as far as a navigational aid goes).

caloso

My handlebars are already configured to give me haptic feedback regarding road conditions.

Worknomore

One of the biggest reasons I spend so much time on my bike is to escape crap like this.

wolfchild

I wish I could get my hands on this gimmick, just so I can throw it into a dumpster.

TransitBiker

Haha. I see what you did there!

- Andy