A new approach to assisted biking: the Copenhagen wheel

by
in hardware on (#2TC5)
story imageInteresting new tech if you're into bikes: the Copenhagen Wheel is a disc-shaped module that can be retrofit onto almost any bike. It's:
... an electric pedal-assist motor fully contained in the oversized red hub of an otherwise normal back bicycle wheel. Inside that red hub is a delicately crammed array of computing equipment, sensors, and a three-phase brushless direct current electric motor that can feel the torque of my pedaling and add appropriately scaled assistance.

Replace the back wheel of any bike with the Copenhagen Wheel and it's instantly an electric bike-one that not only assists the rider but senses the surrounding topography and can even collect and share data about environmental, traffic, and road conditions. First developed in 2009, through a partnership between MIT's Senseable City Lab and the City of Copenhagen, the wheel is now in its first stages of commercial production. By the end of 2014, thousands will be shipped out to fulfill pre-orders around the world.
Sometimes you do still have to pedal though.

Re: So it's a moped (Score: 1)

by billshooterofbul@pipedot.org on 2014-10-15 13:15 (#2TCK)

Wow, prices have come down in the last five years since I bought my bike. I would have gone with an electric, if they had been even twice the price. Now they've pretty much reached price equality for the cheaper models. Pedaling is great fun and a good work out, but it would have been nice to have something that could take over on a hot day to prevent needing a shower when I got to work.
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