Biking 2.0 is here. The Copenhagen Wheel — a sleek red disc that snaps into a bike’s rear wheel, transforming it into a hybrid — is now available to biking enthusiasts looking to boost their pedal power. Superpedestrian, Inc, the company behind the Wheel, is now taking pre-orders and plans to ship the first 1,000 in spring of 2014.
According to Superpedestrian founder and associate director of MIT’s SENSEable City Laboratory, Assaf Biderman ’05, “For the millions of city residents who are tired of sitting in traffic jams or long waits for the bus or train, the Copenhagen Wheel provides an easier, more environmentally friendly way to get around using the bike that’s already sitting in their garage or front hall.”
Superpedestrian believes its smart wheel will ultimately transform quality of living in cities, by enabling more seamless mobility through them.
More about the Copenhagen Wheel at Superpedestrian.com.
“MIT-Designed Smart Wheel to Boost Bike Commuting”
Short video: Reinventing the Wheel
________________________________________
Previously on Continuum:
October 24, 2013
Photo by Max Tomasinelli www.maxtomasinelli.com
Bicycles are the most common form of transportation in the world. Used for both recreation and commuting purposes, cycling is an environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and healthy way to get around town.
Yet, cycling has some limitations. Traversing hilly terrain requires a lot of pedal power, and they aren’t ideal for long distance trips. Now, a team from MIT’s SENSEable City Lab aims to change that.
The Copenhagen Wheel transforms regular bicycles into hybrid e-bikes. Controlled by a smartphone app, the wheel promises to “flatten hills” and “shrink distances”.