Smart Wheel Could Change Everything About Commuting

[G_j]

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4247102?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

Smart Wheel By FlyKly Could Change Everything About Commuting

Gabriela AounThe Huffington PostNov 09, 2013

The phrase “This changes everything” gets thrown around a lot, but in the sustainable commuting sphere, an invention out of New York by a group of bike enthusiasts just might actually change everything.

The Smart Wheel by FlyKly Bikes is a motorized bike wheel that can fit on almost any bike, instantly turning a regular bike into an electric one, opening up the options of who can bike commute, where, how far and in what terrain.

Bike commuting in urban areas has the potential to combat an enormous number of problems: traffic congestion, air pollution, gas consumption, and commuting affordability. But would-be bikers are often limited by various constraints, including weather, physical condition, cost and time.

In most of the American cities with the worst traffic, such as Los Angeles, Houston, Honolulu or the Bay Area, commuters are constrained by hills, heat and sprawling distances.

..more..

[snooper2]

1. looks pretty cool, I'll stick to my motorcycle though

Some of the comments at the link crack me up- I guess these would be the same folks that fall for perpetual motion energy machines



Big Bill hayward

1

Super User · 47 Fans
I have been wondering for years why not have the wheels on electric cars re charge the battery?

[aristocles]

2. Bike commuting in urban areas...Hmmm

Last edited Wed Nov 13, 2013, 11:46 AM - Edit history (1)

Try Chicago, Cleveland, or Pittsburgh during the winter. What about Columbus, any time of the year? Columbus was planned and developed for highway commuting at highway speeds.

Powered bicycle wheels, gasoline and electric, were available in the 50's, but never caught on.

Remember the Segway? It too was supposed to revolutionize commuting. Now it's just a tourist's curiosity.

There are few urban areas in this country that are suited to commuting by bicycle, despite what Mayor Bloomberg thinks.

Added to my original text above: My thirty-year-old son lives in Chicago in the Wrigleyville area and commutes daily to his office building on Randolph on the Chicago River using a "fixie", even during the winter. I shake my head in amazement.

[Bennyboy]

6. This is amazing IMO

I posted it the other day. Couple of companies making them. And if you live in an urban center, these are PERFECT. SF would be a god send because they can go on BART (either stealthy or open, not sure on the ruling on that) In Sacramento, if you live and work in or around the grid, Land Park, Curtis Park or even up to Sac State would be ideal as all heck. And in New Orleans? Oh yeah. PERFECT for that city. Love that you can find it if it gets stolen.

BTW< the car companies killed the Segway. The auto dealers bought the rights to sell them and did not. Protecting their business model. Go try to buy a Segway and see how they treat that product. it is a perfect urban vehicle, that is why police departments use them (or a like model) and tourists love them because of that. But the auto companies put them on the bottom shelf next to the toxic waste and sludge, so that nobody would even think of a Segway.

In SF< I love the old golf cart utility vehicle thing that is really happeneing. Those things can park anywhere, perpendicular, between cars that are already parked) They use no gas, only go 30 miles an hour (try going faster than that on the surface streets in SF) and are all adorned crazily with lights and paint and all that.

leave you gas car for long trips......

[Fumesucker]

3. The range and speed estimates are deceptive, you aren't going to get both at the same time

You could probably get 20 mph out of it and you could probably get 30 miles range out of it but it's not going to go 30 miles at 20 mph.

There simply isn't enough room for batteries in the unit to do that.

I would guess 30 miles at 12 mph or so and 20 mph for 15 miles would be a more accurate estimate.

[lame54]

4. just like the segway

[Fumesucker]

5. Despite my post above I think this is a far more practical device than a Segway

I have about 3,500 miles on an electric assisted bicycle at the moment and it's a much different experience from cycling without the assist, moderate hills disappear and even steep hills aren't the lung and leg burners they are without assist.