A tale of two Smart Wheels, the transport revolution edition [w/video]
 

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, On Two Wheels, USA, Videos

http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/stor...mart_wheel.jpg

It was the smartest of wheels, it was also the smartest of wheels. There's a revolution brewing in the world of two-wheel transport and first couple of volleys have just been fired. The smart wheel, as envisioned by FlyKly and Superpedestrian, appears to have come of age.

http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/stor...omasinelli.jpgWe first heard about the smart wheel concept in early 2009. Originally called the GreenWheel, it emanated from MIT's SENSEable City Lab and eventually morphed into the Copenhagen wheel. A simple, low cost way to turn a bicycle into a smart device that helps you pedal with a lot less effort than a regular bike. It involves no wires, no throttle, no bulky battery pack, no sweat. After years of silence, we thought it had been lost to the sands of time.

Then, a couple weeks back, an outfit called FlyKly appeared on Kickstarter looking to raise an ambitious $100,000 for its own smart wheel project. Despite the awkward way its name trips off the tongue, it's racked up more than double its original goal and has taken orders for hundreds of its hoops. Starting at $550, it activates by sensing chain movement, then helps you pedal up to an app-preset speed. It tops out at 20 miles per hour and is said to be good for 30 miles at a go, while weighing a svelte nine pounds. It plugs into a regular wall socket, charges back up in two-to-three hours and comes in a variety of colors.Continue reading A tale of two Smart Wheels, the transport revolution edition [w/video]

A tale of two Smart Wheels, the transport revolution edition [w/video] originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



Permalink | Email this | Comments

More...