The cophenhagen wheel
 

Does anyone have any more information on this wheel than what is on the website ?
http://senseable.mit.edu/copenhagenwheel/index.html

Heard a bit on the radio (NPR all things considered) but not much detail. How heavy, how much does it charge? Seems interesting but no details.

LOVE IT!! but this looks more like a prototype i would love to buy one ....

renovated dynohub on steroids

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...penhagen-wheel
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/sc...bike.html?_r=1

Sounds cool. I liked the features. Especially locking your bike with your iPhone and the built in pollution monitor.

But why did they make it look like a ghost bike?

hmm interesting. wonder how much the prototypes weigh.

I have to wonder about the effect of a flywheel turning inside the back wheel of my bike, especially when I'm going through a turn at speed, or coming to an emergency stop.

+1

Also,

Because texting car drivers aren't bad enough. Sorry, but I think this will remained confined to gimmickdom.

I like the idea that people are looking at ways to make biking practical for a wider range of people. I guess I question how well it would work in practice. If the idea is to store energy in the flywheel to help you up that hill, what happens if the hill is in the first part of your ride? Then instead of getting a boost, you're just lugging the extra weight.

I agree, but I'm a bit afraid at the same time. With the increasing popularity of electric mopeds and scooters, I see more and more of them in bike lanes and on MUPs. Since a lot of these people are new to cycling (if you can call it that), or returning after many years without riding any kind of two wheel vehicle, their skill set may not be up to the task of handling a bike when they encounter an emergency situation at 20+mph. At least on a non power assist bicycle, most people have to log some pretty good mileage before they can propel a bike at those speeds for prolonged periods of time. And, since my son is not far from being old enough to be out on these MUPs with his bike, my mind can cook up some pretty bad scenarios if suddenly large numbers of people are zipping around on these "powered" vehicles which to date don't seem to fall under any powered vehicle statutes. I also doubt that most towns and cities will keep up with adding the necessary infrastructure to accomodate the additional traffic needs. I realize there are boneheads on bicycles out there as well, but for now that seems manageable.

I am not really interested in buying an iPhone just so I can ride a bike.




Sounds more like an answer in search of a problem.

This seems more useful.
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/02/24/...cle-electrics/

I thought 150 years of bicycle evolution created several great human powered solutions to transportation. Why now are we saying we need electric bikes to solve our pollution problems? Human power works pretty darn well.

Just because we've become a fat and lazy society doesn't mean we need to cultivate our fatness and laziness. Ride a regular bike and lose a few pounds. We've got a culture of "looks is important" but combined with "exert as little effort as possible".
I guess you could get an electric bike and a lap-band and call it a day.

I swear, we'll all end up like the movie Wall-e

I scoff at those poor, polluting citizens who need a SHIFT lever to change gears, I can just use my smart phone!

Doesn't the Trek Ride + already do this? It has electric assist and regen braking all controlled from a console on the handebars:

Trek Ride+

Looks like they got the capital and will start taking orders next month. It seems this wheel will turn any single speed bike into an electrically assisted bike. Should be interesting to see how popular it proves to be, or not.

there are no emergency stops, at least in CPH.

because you'll discharge the battery in the grid and make the dial go backwards (just like with solar.)

It won't. Most of my colleagues in CPH ride beat up 5-10 year old city bikes and just scrap them when they need a tune. The also share and have no qualms about taking a non-ring locked bike if they're in a rush.

I'm guessing no license, registration, and insurance have something to do with it. I saw a Youtube video a while back where the guy put two 10 kW motors on his bike which is about 25HP, about the same as 250cc motorcycle.

+1 to my younger self.

thought something like that was a Prop on the Showtime Serialized show "Weeds" ..

I liked the show, and all the various interpretations of Malvina Reynold's classic "Little Boxes" as the theme song.

I'm waiting for an E-bike designed for experienced cyclists who only want to flatten some hills, or get some extra help in stop and go conditions. So far most of the offerings are designed around riders who really depend on them, and so the battery is too large and heavy negating the benefit.

A unit that could provide an electric afterburner for hill climbs or a bit more speed on long grades could be built around short run times, and possibly some regeneration on descents could use a much smaller battery and motor keeping the overall weight closer to that of a normal bike.

Only 15 miles per trip:
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/1...bicycle-wheel/

From the article "You can use your phone to unlock and
lock your bike, change gears and select how much the motor assists you."

I need a phone to shift gears?