Gizmag: Urban Transport

The Pedal-A-Watt Stationary Bike Power Generator: create energy and get fit

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:10:42 -0600

As people the world over continue to search for renewable energy sources, innovative and interesting ideas for generating power are constantly being devised. Those interested in keeping fit and producing power at the same time might be interested in this unique product – the Pedal-A-Watt. It converts your bicycle into a stationary bike and uses your pedal power to generate energy that can be stored in a power pack. An average rider can produce up to 200 watts – ride for an hour and you'll generate enough to power a 25 watt fluorescent light bulb for eight hours. ..

Tags: Bicycle, Bike, Electricity, Exercise, Generator, Pedaling, Renewable Energy

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GRACE e-bike boasts F1 technology

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:41:28 -0600

Combining jet fighter technology with Formula 1 grade parts and German build quality, the GRACE street legal electric two-wheeler will start to be shipped in limited numbers next year. As well as offering a couple of city travel options, GRACE is also available in an off-road version too. The company has even manufactured a demonstration-only racy model capable of speeds up to 70kmh (44mph)...

Tags: Aerodynamics, Aluminum, Bike, City, Electric, Lithium-ion, Off-road, Vehicle, Water resistant

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Narrow track vehicles - the convergence of the car and the motorcycle

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:22:38 -0600

Since Nicholas Negroponte first came up with his landmark teething ring visualization of the coming together of communication, computing and content, the term convergence has become the uber buzzword. Now there’s convergence going on in the personal transport industry, with the car and the motorcycle morphing as car makers attempt to downsize their vehicles to make them better suited to the world’s increasingly crowded roads. This article begins with Nissan’s tandem two-seat, half width tilting car, the Landglider, and examines all the other work being done around the world as narrow track vehicles seriously begin to make their case...

Tags: Automotive, Benelli, BMW, Concept Cars, Convergence, Eporo, Frankfurt Motor Show, Gilera, Hybrid, Land Glider, Motorcycle, Motorcycles, MP3, Nissan, Peugeot, Piaggio, Pivo, Renault, Scooter, Tokyo Motor Show, Tokyo Motor Show 2009, U3-X, Volkswagen, Yamaha

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XOR's folding electric scooters: a new relationship with your wheels

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:07:38 -0600

One of the fun things we've got to look forward to as electric vehicles become more and more common is a changing of the relationship we have with our wheels. The XO2 electric scooter is a fine example - it'll behave fairly similarly to a regular electric scooter on the road, but when you get where you're going, instead of parking it on the sidewalk where it's exposed to rain, thieves and vandals, you can fold it up and bring it into your apartment or office, and plug it in to charge. We talk a lot about the coming population explosion here on Gizmag, with billions more people to be crammed into our urban centers in the next 50 years. Devices like these seem tailor-made for the type of living we're inevitably moving towards...

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Peugeot previews another hybrid three wheeler - the Hybrid3 Evolution

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:10:17 -0600

Peugeot looks to be getting serious about its 3WD hybrid design which we first saw last year at the 2008 Paris Motorcycle Show with the HYbrid3 compressor. Debuting at the Milan Motorcycle Show will be a roofless version named the HYbrid3 Evolution which replaces the 21bhp 125 cm3 supercharged motor with a 41bhp 300 cm3 supercharged engine giving it a total of 49bhp when combined with the two 3 kW (4.1bhp) front wheel motors. The Evolution comes with stop-start engine technology and returns 2.0 liters/100 km (117 U.S. mpg or 141 Imperial mpg) and just 48 g/km of CO2! ..

Tags: Hybrid, Hybrid3, Milan, Motorcycle, Peugeot, stop-start, Three Wheel

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Dosun J-1 LED safety pedal for bicycles

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:25:22 -0500

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 00:23:10 -0500

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

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:40:39 -0500

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

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:48:07 -0500

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 00:04:18 -0500

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

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:04:53 -0500

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

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:45:58 -0500

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 08:32:51 -0500

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 00:05:49 -0500

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 06:22:32 -0500

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

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:15:38 -0500

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 02:08:37 -0500

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

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:47:47 -0500

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

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:10:38 -0500

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

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:55:36 -0500

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

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:36:21 -0500

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 05:29:33 -0500

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

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:07:05 -0500

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 00:20:16 -0500

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 00:20:01 -0500

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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