M.I.T. researchers (who else, right?) have invented a bicycle wheel that uses the technology from hybrid cars, which is believed by many to be the next big thing in biking…Biking 2.0.
Here’s how it works: “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” (nytimes.com).
The Copenhagen Wheel (image via nytimes.com)
If you’re saying to yourself…”don’t we have electric bikes already?” You’re right, we do. But, unlike previous designs, it can be retrofitted to any bike’s rear wheel. Meaning you don’t have to buy a new bike to get the “boost” an electric bike gives you on those 10-mile rides to work, which also means, you don’t have to arrive at work with a nice little patch of sweat on your back.
You think M.I.T. stopped there? I didn’t think so. The sleek red hub, called the “Copenhagen Wheel,” includes sensors that track air quality, a meter that logs miles and a GPS unit to track routes. Oh, and all that data can be sent via Bluetooth to a rider’s smartphone and shared with others. Look on the bright side, sharing this with your friends isn’t as annoying as the Farmville updates that dominate your Facebook news feed.
According to the lead researcher on this project, ‘the laboratory is trying to eliminate the clunkiness of other electric bikes with heavy batteries and unwieldy wires by placing all the technology into the wheel” (nytimes.com).
As cars become more costly as the economy continues to struggle (gas, insurance, parking, license renewals, etc.), the Copenhagen Wheel will be great for the rapidly-growing urban community that is striving to wean itself from automobiles. As for the critics that say this wheel will face the challenge in winning over cyclists (who have fallen in love with simple, fixed-gear bikes), I’m fairly certain the target audience will not consist of dudes in spandex and Chrono bicycle helmets.
Tags: Biking, Green Technology