Gizmag: Urban Transport

Dosun J-1 LED safety pedal for bicycles

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:25:22 +1100

Taiwan's Dosun Solar Technology has added a flashing LED bike pedal to its range of safety lighting gadgets. As well as sporting the familiar orange reflective plastic strips on the front and back, each outer corner of the J-1 Pedal Light holds four bright LEDs which start to flash when the rider begins to pedal...

Tags: Bike, Cycling, LED, Lighting, Pedaling, Road Safety, Safety, Traffic

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Nissan joins personal mobility field with ‘Segway-skis’

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:23:10 +1100

The fact that the streets aren’t exactly swarming with Segways seven years after they went on sale hasn’t stopped some major players taking tentative steps (or wheels) into the personal mobility arena with their own device prototypes. As we’ve seen previously Toyota is working on the Winglet, while Honda recently displayed its U3-X experimental vehicle at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. Now Nissan is getting in on the act with its own prototype developed in partnership with Japan’s National Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (AIST). ..

Tags: Experimental, Mobility, Nissan, Personal, Prototype, Segway, U3-X, Vehicle

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At long last - a bicycle simulator

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:40:39 +1100

Simulators are a great, safe way to teach people how to do things properly before they actually have to do them. The first simulators were for airplanes and they cost a lot of money when they appeared 80 years ago. Although simulating an aircraft cockpit and behavior was a difficult and costly business, it had a very effective ROI in terms of planes and pilots. Nowadays, you can simulate almost any environment thanks to the computer - there are low cost safety simulators available for planes, boats, cars, motorcycles, and even the inside of a person’s mouth - but until now, not bicycles. Honda is rectifying that with a bicycle simulator that has been developed for the purpose of traffic safety education...

Tags: Bicycle, Bike, Education, Honda, Safety, Simulator

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Lexus HB Concept 2WD pedal-assist, carbon-fiber racing bike

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:48:07 +1000

Designed totally inside Lexus by Lexus designers, this sleek electric pedal assist bicycle is among the many hidden gems to be unearthed at the 41st Tokyo motor show. Sporting carbon fiber everything – including the battery cover – the Lexus HB Concept has a 2WD system that uses a smaller electric motor on the front wheel and a larger pedal assist motor at the crank. Head on through to the video to learn more...

Tags: 2WD, Battery, Bicycle, Carbon fiber, Concept, Lexus, Tokyo Motor Show, Tokyo Motor Show 2009

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Carbon fiber seat post provides greater cycling comfort

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:04:18 +1000

Carbon fiber composite materials (CFRP’s – or carbon fiber reinforced plastics) permeate society in many objects we now take for granted. Vehicles, airplanes and protective equipment all benefit from the material’s light weight and strength. Recently, bicycles have been taking advantage of CFRP technology where reducing weight can mean the difference between winning and losing – even a tiny reduction can be a big deal when Olympic gold medals are at stake. Fraunhofer researchers in Germany will present a spring-loaded bicycle seat post made of CFRP’s at the Composites Europe trade show in Stuttgart on October 27-29. However, for some cyclists, winning isn't everything. It's comfort that comes in at number one...

Tags: Bicycle, Carbon fiber, Comfort, Cycling, Fraunhofer

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Ultra Motor dumps pedals for new A2B Excel electric scooter

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 03:04:53 +1000

Ultra Motor, known for its A2B electric assist bicycles has thrown out the pedals and replaced them with footrest platforms in its latest offering - the A2B Excel electric scooter. Weighing in at 90lb (41kg), the Excel uses an 800W hub motor at the rear wheel to achieve a range of around 28 miles (45km) and a top speed of 28mph (45kmh)...

Tags: alternative, Bicycle, Bike, Electric, Electric vehicle, Hybrid, Lithium-ion, Pedal-assisted, Scooter

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Bicycle bling at London Cycle Show

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:45:58 +1000

Amongst the sea of carbon fiber and Lycra pants at last week's Cycle Show in London, two products really shone - not for any particular innovation or cutting edge technology... they just shone. Exhibit A is a very stylish custom Ben Wilson Low-rider that's been swathed in over 100,000 Swarovski crystals. Sunglasses were also required when wandering past the iLoveMyBike.co.uk stand where a Brompton S2L folding bike had been given the 24ct gold treatment...

Tags: Bicycle, Bike, Swarovski

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State of the art back protection for cyclists

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:32:51 +1000

Helmets are the obvious form of protection for cyclists, and many parts of the world have laws in place making the wearing of them while riding a bike mandatory. But with cyclists being such vulnerable targets on the roads, other protective gear is undoubtedly a good idea - and almost essential for offroaders traversing rugged terrain. The Spine Ergo Flow is a lightweight armor for your spine that is designed to decrease the likelihood of sustaining a serious spinal injury in the event of an accident...

Tags: Adjustable, Armor, Cycling, Cyclist, Flexible, POC, Protection, Spine Ergo Flow

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The Cruzbike Silvio - form and function in a front wheel drive

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:05:49 +1000

For many, the words “recumbent bicycle” conjure the image of a strange-looking vehicle with the rider set low to the ground achieving less than remarkable speeds. That perception could well become a thing of the past with the Cruzbike Silvio, the world’s only recumbent racing bike that is not only fully compatible with road bike components, but aims to eliminate many health problems associated with standard cycling. ..

Tags: Aerodynamics, Bicycle, Bike, Carbon fiber, Cruzbike, Cycling, Design, Ergonomic, Health, Racing, recumbent, Ride, Silvio

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Honda develops new personal mobility device – the U3-X experimental vehicle

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:22:32 +1000

A self-balancing unicycle experimental vehicle from Honda to be shown at the Tokyo Motor Show next month might just be history in the making. Weighing less than 10kg, the 24 by 12 by 6-inch U3-X experimental vehicle runs for an hour, is small enough to be carried onto an airplane as hand luggage, has a wheel which spins in two planes and is set to challenge, perhaps even change, society’s concept of personal mobility...

Tags: ASIMO, Eco-friendly, Embrio, exoskeleton, Experimental, Honda, Hydrogen, Mobility, Mobility Aid, Pedestrian, Public Transport, Robot, Segway, Tokyo Motor Show, Tokyo Motor Show 2009, Toyota, U3-X, unicycle

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Mosquito Electric Bike by Toto Design

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:15:38 +1000

With a very sturdy folded steel frame and elegant simple design, the Mosquito or Mücke electric bike is one good-looking machine. Its 48V lithium batteries only cost a few (European) cents to charge up and will give a range of about 60km (37 miles). The 0.8kW motor produces a top speed of around 50km/h (31mph) and the bike also has a removable center pole for instant accessibility...

Tags: Bike, Carbon fiber, Design, Electric, Mosquito, Prototype, Steel, Toto design, Wood

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PortiloBox - changes from bike rack to extra boot in seconds

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:08:37 +1000

Westfalia-Automotive has created a towbar-mounted bicycle rack that, in a matter of seconds, converts into an extra boot by attaching a cleverly-designed waterproof lid. Portilo – the bike rack – is built to hold two bicycles in stands, rather than hang them from the frame (which is becoming increasingly difficult these days, given the variation in frame sizes between brands). The PortiloBox fits the Portilo easily with no tools needed to secure it. It’s only small but, if you just need that little bit of extra space, it’s ideal...

Tags: Automotive, Bicycle, Bikes, Boot, Portilo, Portilobox, Rack, Removable, Storage, Westfalia

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The slim-line, funked-up Bullitt cargo-bike

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:47:47 +1000

Danish duo Larry vs Harry have taken the obviously functional but visually uninspiring cargo-bike and given it a funky makeover. Notable for a streamlined design that's not much wider than your average bicycle and weighing as little as 22kg, the Bullitt range sports jumbo-sized hardened aluminum tubing, top quality gears, hydraulic braking and puncture-proof tires with an added dash of iconic branding. Cue the 1970s soundtrack!..

Tags: Bike, Cargo, Design, Sports, Visual

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Old meets new in the form of the YikeBike

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:10:38 +1000

So what do you do when you challenge yourself to come up with a design to make traveling around busy, congested cities as easy and stress-free as possible? According to the folks behind the YikeBike - which was officially launched at Eurobike 2009 trade fair in Friedrichshafen Germany this month - you start with a blank sheet of paper, throw a good-sized front wheel in for stability, swap pedals for a brushless electric motor and abandon the familiar forward-leaning riding position of the bicycle altogether...

Tags: City, Electric, Folding, Light, Portable, Smart, Traffic, Transport, Urban

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Train hard with Garmin's new Edge 500 GPS navigator

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:55:36 +1000

If you're a professional distance cyclist or even a dedicated off-road pleasure rider and you need an edge over your competitors or friends, then Garmin's new GPS navigator for cyclists could be just up your street. Weighing just 2oz, the low profile Edge 500 has an easy-fit bike mount and can assist with training by tracking a rider's distance, speed, location, elevation and can even wirelessly monitor pedal strokes per minute and heart rate...

Tags: Cyclist, Distance, Elevation, Garmin, GPS, Heart Rate Monitor, Speed, Sports, Time, Training aid

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The eniCycle is an electric unicycle that balances fun and utility

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:36:21 +1000

The eniCycle is the latest entry in the increasingly crowded self-stabilizing electric unicycle market. Developed by Slovenian inventor Aleksander Polutnik, the eniCycle has Segway-like balancing capabilities but only a single wheel. With its three-hour battery and lean-to-go controls, this diminutive one-wheeler prototype brings Jetsons-type technology one step closer to reality...

Tags: Electric, eniCycle, Inventor, Polutnik, Segway, unicycle

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GoPet scooter - 25 miles on 10c of electricity

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:29:33 +1000

If a Segway isn’t really your style and a bicycle’s too hard going, a four-wheel scooter is a little too pedestrian and jogging is out of the question, then perhaps the GoPet Personal Electric Transportation scooter from MyGoPet Inc will meet your needs. GoPet is a three-wheeled electric vehicle that's easy to ride and eco-friendly. It has a top speed of 16mph and can travel 25 miles on 10 cents worth of electricity courtesy of its 48V, 350W front hub direct drive motor, say the manufacturers...

Tags: Eco-friendly, Electric, Electric vehicle, Gopet, Personal, Scooter, Transport, Vehicles

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Renovo Hardwood Bikes provide the smoothest ride - the looks are a bonus

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:07:05 +1000

Back in the 1700s before strong, lightweight metals were available, the first bicycles were made almost completely of wood. Crude wooden bikes are still used in many developing countries today, built from whatever recycled timber can be found. And as interest in sustainability and renewable energy grows, not only are more people (re)turning to pedal power, there is renewed interest in wooden frame bicycles. Renovo Hardwood Bicyles combine "high-tech magic and fine craftsmanship" to create a range of bikes from hollow wood and laminated bamboo, and are confident their bikes are “the smoothest bike you'll ever ride, stealth quiet, light and responsive, stiff as you want.” ..

Tags: Bamboo, Bicycle, Bike, Renovo, Sustainable, Wooden

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Spooklight signals your cycling intentions with a wireless indicator and brake light

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:20:16 +1000

City cycling is an activity fraught with danger but cyclists’ safety can be enhanced by increasing their visibility and also by signaling their movements to fellow road-users. Options such as the Safe Turn Indicator help in that department but now there’s a new product called the Spooklight that could achieve the same feat without the need to strap LED lights to your wrists...

Tags: Bicycle, Bike, Cycling, LED, Light, Road Safety, Safety, Signal, Traffic, USB, Wireless

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Contortionist: cleverly designed full-size folding bike

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:20:01 +1000

Folding bikes make a lot of sense for the urban commuter, and at Gizmag we've been busy keeping up with a steady flow of impressive designs that look to marry the convenience of a small folded footprint with the usability of a full-size bike. Some of our favorites include the Switch Commuter Bike, Airnimal, Mercedes-Benz folding bike, IF MODE and Onyerbike, and we can add the Contortionist prototype from 24-year-old UK inventor Dominic Hargreaves to this list of ‘shrinking’ bikes...

Tags: Bike, Contortionist, Folding, Prototype, Public Transport, Ride

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PedalPower+ charges cyclists' phones, GPS, iPods

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:52:06 +1000

In bygone days, a bicycle dynamo struggled to generate enough energy to power a weak headlight for the lonely cyclist riding home on a dark night. Back then it was the only electronic application that a cyclist needed because dynamos were first invented when riders still made calls from public telephone booths or stopped to read a map for directions. But a new bicycle dynamo system called PedalPower+ can help recharge the arsenal of battery-powered accessories modern cyclists’ rely on for communications, navigation and entertainment - on the fly. ..

Tags: Batteries, Bicycle, Bike, Charging, Digital Cameras, Dynamo, Energy, GPS, iPhone, iPod, Mobile Phone, Pedal, Pedalpower, Recharge, Riding

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Exclusive: Cranklock technical drawings

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:57:23 +1000

The Cranklock is a brilliantly simple idea that offers speed, safety and security benefits to cyclists by allowing the rider to lock the pedals at will - and our article and podcast on the subject has generated lots of interest over the past week. So we know what it does, but how does it do it? The company's engineering team has left no stone unturned in finding the right solution and many patent applications have been filed covering different versions of the mechanism. While exact details on the final production model are still under wraps, Cranklock inventor Chris Toal has given us a peek at early technical drawings from a couple of the patent applications to provide an insight into how the Cranklock will operate... plus the first pics of a new downhill prototype...

Tags: Bike, Engineering, Prototype

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Caravan overhaul: Rob Millington's retro take on trailer design

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:10:51 +1000

If the mere mention of the word caravan gives you terrifying visions of formica fold-out tables, thermos flasks full of weak tea or being forced to play bridge with a bunch of sensible beige trouser-wearing accountants then fear not, there are those who are trying to leave such stale, cliched images behind and inject some modern thinking into the world of mobile holidaying. One person trying to bring some much needed cool to the world of the caravan is Rob Millington, who sought to create "something that had quality to rival that of a luxury yacht" with this gorgeous concept design...

Tags: Caravan, Concept, Design, Designer, Luxury, Prototype, Retro, Solar, Technology, Trailer, Travel

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Piaggio's stupidly named but very compelling MP3 Hybrid three-wheeler

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:37:59 +1000

The Piaggio Group's claim that its new MP3 Hybrid is “destined to revolutionize urban mobility” would normally be classified as a somewhat overreaching PR claim. Though a highly optimistic viewpoint in view of the machine's US$12,500 price tag, a 33% premium over the 250cc version, the MP3 Hybrid is a landmark vehicle in that it is the first hybrid motorcycle at the same time as offering a number of significant safety features that make the miserly 60 km/l (140+ mpg) three-wheeler a compelling choice for commuters. We've spent some time on the 250cc version of the MP3 and can vouch that it is just as manoeuvrable and enjoyable as a motorcycle yet much safer and surefooted. While the stupidly named MP3 doesn't actually play music, we believe it will make an impact when it goes on sale in Europe next month. Expect to see the hybrid on U.S. Roads next year...

Tags: Electric vehicle, Hybrid, Motorcycle, MP3, Piaggio, Plug-in

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The bike lane that travels with you

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:17:40 +1000

The first automobile crash in the United States is said to have occurred in 1896, in New York City, when a car crashed into - surprise, surprise - a bicyclist. Even today, despite the introduction of reflective gear, helmets and lights, cyclists are still very vulnerable, particularly at night. Enter LightLane – a clever concept that uses lasers to project a virtual bike lane on the ground behind and around the cyclist...

Tags: Bicycle, Bike, Riding, Road Safety, Safety

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