I have been browsing some bicycle-related projects on Kickstarter recently and while some of them seem pretty smart, others were just plain amusing. Here is what I found:
(All pictures come from Kickstarter project pages).
(All pictures come from Kickstarter project pages).
What is it?
A lightweight, carbon fiber, kickstand for your road bicycle. Attaches to the rear axle and must be removed for storage.
My opinion
I am not buying it. The idea of a lightweight kickstand made of carbon fiber is nice but I don't like that the Upstand has to be removed from bike, folded and stored somewhere off the bike (like your jersey's pockets) or in your saddle bag. When I put a kickstand on my bike I want it to be there all the time. I don't want to search for it every time I stop. Why not just design a lightweight kickstand that attached to the left chainstay and folds along it for storage? It could be then opened using your foot. No need to take it off before the ride.
What is it?
A lightweight saddle with gigantic cutouts that is supposed to take off any pressure from your pelvis bones while still support you well on the bike.
My opinion
It looks freakish, especially with this huge prong in the center that may stick right into my ass. It may work, but I remain skeptical for now. Maybe because I am perfectly happy with my Selle An-Atomica saddle. Maybe because something tells me that a larger support area is better to distribute the load of my butt than those skinny rails (This must be why my Brooks B67 is likely the most comfortable saddle I ever used). Maybe because it's called a "seat", while I always thought that what is bolted to bike is a "saddle".
What is it?
I actually have no freaking idea (and I watched the video). I guess it is a dude in an orange jumpsuit who sits on the roof of your car and warns you when you approach your driveway.
My opinion
In this lousy, blurry video a Vanilla Ice wannabe "sings" about driving back from his road ride (can't he just leave his car in the garage and ride to his ride?). Apparently he crashes his bike while driving into the garage since he felt "kinda numb, kinda dumb" and forgot about the bicycle strapped to the roof rack. Interestingly, he drives a station wagon so he could have just put the bike in the trunk and spare us his "Ice, Ice, Baby" performance.
What is it?
A recoiling bicycle rear mudguard. In other words - a rear fender that can be folded when not used.
My opinion
I have seen similar things before and I guess there is a good reason why you don't see them on bicycles too often - they don't work. There are two problems with Plume and other mudguards of this type: (1) they are positioned too far from the wheel to offer good anti-splash protection, (2) they are removable, which brings the whole point of having fenders on your bike. If you ride in rain or on wet roads, why not just install proper fenders and leave them on bike full time? What is the benefit of removing the fender for those dry weather rides?
What is it?
Just a bicycle bell.
My opinion
Well, it's just a bell. Not much to say about it. It's looks a bit like these guys are trying to re-invent the wheel, although I have to say that their bell looks good and is nicely designed. I could by one - for $10. But it seems to cost at least $35.
What is it?
Handlebars, integrated with a stem, a headlight, GPS, Bluetooth and a whole kitchen sink.
My opinion
It looks nice and clean with no cables hanging around but having an integrated solution isn't really the best option, I think. What about adjusting the vertical headlight tilt? What about other handlebar types? And why everything today has to link to a smartphone? I don't think I ever want to turn my bike lights from my phone (Seriously, why would I?), but since today's Facebook generation can't live without being online 24/7, I am probably a minority anyway.
Sparse Bicycle Lights
What is it?
A set of bike lights, front and rear. These can apparently be permanently attached to the bike and won't get stolen.
My opinion
These are pretty nicely designed and because they mount under the stem (front one) or clamp over the seatpost (rear one) they should indeed be difficult to steal. So, first I thought that they were pretty smart... until I heard when the video mentions that they come with 6ft charging cable. Wait, what? This means that their biggest advantage of not being easily removable is at the same time their biggest flaw. How am I supposed to charge them? Unlike the hipster inventors, I don't keep my bike in my bedroom and don't have a wall outlet nearby. So in the end, these are flawed, I think. Honestly, if you want to have true fool-proof solution, invest in a hub generator and a decent set of lights.
@cme FlatFree Wheelsets
What is it?
Wheels with airless tires. Meaning - they have no tubes and are not inflatable. They use a spongy material to fill the tires instead.
My opinion
The idea isn't new and this solution may work quite well for most folks. The problem is in the limited choice. These tires come in 35mm width only and are offered exclusively as complete wheelsets for a reason - it is difficult to put them on or take off the rim. You're stuck with whatever type of the wheel they offer. Will it fit your bike?
FUBi
What is it?
A folding bicycle with large wheels.
My opinion
Once upon a time there was a guy living in Finland who decided to visit Stockholm by bike. Unfortunately, his bike got stolen when he was talking to the camera man. Since his apartment was tiny, he thought that a folding bike would work better for him, but he was very embarrassed riding a small-wheeled Brompton. This is how he invented FUBi - a large-wheel bike that folds for storage. In fact, it easily fits in your kitchen cabinet. Well,... almost. The "only" problem with FUBi is that there is no way to fold those large wheels. So while you can compact the whole bicycle into a small hunk of metal, the wheels are going to remain large - no matter what you try. The inventor tried to alleviate this problem by removing the axles from wheels and thus reducing their width. I like how both wheels are identical and how the entire chain drive stays attached to the frame. Nevertheless, the "embarrassment" of walking around with a tennis racket bag and two large bike wheels means that I would prefer to buy a Brompton.
Loud Bicycle
What is it?
It's a bicycle horn.
My opinion
Some people love to use their car's horns and seem not to be able to live without them. I don't like it and I never made it a habit to horn when I drive, even if someone cuts me off. But I can see the point presented in the video - a car horn sound is something drivers subconsciously expect to hear on the road and pay attention to. A bicycle bell sound is not something they usually worry about (Assuming they even hear it). So I guess this approach makes sense. I just wish they made that bike horn look better and be less ugly.
Monkey Light Pro
What is it?
A LED system that attaches to your wheels and displays various graphics.
My opinion
I watched the video and I am trying to figure out what this thing is supposed to be used for. Surely, it displays some cool graphics and makes you more visible on the road. But I think I would rather save my money and spend it elsewhere. Unless you really want to get your bike ready for every occasion, then go ahead - display a Christmas tree in December, red heart on February 14th or an American flag on July 4th. But in the end, it's "kinda numb, kinda dumb", don't you think?
Rubbee
What is it?
An electric kit to convert almost any bike into an e-bike.
My opinion
It looks pretty smart. A bunch of Lithuanian dudes designed this thing to be a fully contained (battery, motor, controller in one box) e-bike kit that attaches to the seatposts and powers the bike by rubbing a small roller against the rear tire (hence the name). I like how it's packaged, I like how it looks and I like how it can be quickly transferred from one bike to another. What I don't like is its limitations. If your bike has a rear fender, like all my bikes - you can't use Rubbee. If it has a rear rack, like my bikes - you can't use Rubbee. And if your bike has some very bulky, knobby tires... well, I don't know how you would use Rubbee with them. So in the end... I don't exactly know what types of bikes this thing is for.
FlyKly Smart Wheel
What is it?
An electric assist system completely contained with the rear wheel.
My opinion
It looks good, it looks simple, and it seems to be pretty smart as well. Installing an electric assist kit usually means running a bunch of wires along the frame of your bicycle and strapping various components all over the place. FlyKly is smarter the way it holds everything in one place. The installation is as easy as replacing the rear wheel. On the other hand all the heavy weight is placed around the rear axle (Fortunately, FlyKly weights only about 4kg) and there are no gears - single speed only. But my main complain is the smartphone throttle. Sorry, but relying on an iPhone to control the throttle will not work for me. I do realize that this way the price can be kept lower, the installation is simpler and there are no wires to run. Still, nothing beats dedicated controls, I think.
A set of bike lights, front and rear. These can apparently be permanently attached to the bike and won't get stolen.
My opinion
These are pretty nicely designed and because they mount under the stem (front one) or clamp over the seatpost (rear one) they should indeed be difficult to steal. So, first I thought that they were pretty smart... until I heard when the video mentions that they come with 6ft charging cable. Wait, what? This means that their biggest advantage of not being easily removable is at the same time their biggest flaw. How am I supposed to charge them? Unlike the hipster inventors, I don't keep my bike in my bedroom and don't have a wall outlet nearby. So in the end, these are flawed, I think. Honestly, if you want to have true fool-proof solution, invest in a hub generator and a decent set of lights.
@cme FlatFree Wheelsets
Wheels with airless tires. Meaning - they have no tubes and are not inflatable. They use a spongy material to fill the tires instead.
My opinion
The idea isn't new and this solution may work quite well for most folks. The problem is in the limited choice. These tires come in 35mm width only and are offered exclusively as complete wheelsets for a reason - it is difficult to put them on or take off the rim. You're stuck with whatever type of the wheel they offer. Will it fit your bike?
FUBi
A folding bicycle with large wheels.
My opinion
Once upon a time there was a guy living in Finland who decided to visit Stockholm by bike. Unfortunately, his bike got stolen when he was talking to the camera man. Since his apartment was tiny, he thought that a folding bike would work better for him, but he was very embarrassed riding a small-wheeled Brompton. This is how he invented FUBi - a large-wheel bike that folds for storage. In fact, it easily fits in your kitchen cabinet. Well,... almost. The "only" problem with FUBi is that there is no way to fold those large wheels. So while you can compact the whole bicycle into a small hunk of metal, the wheels are going to remain large - no matter what you try. The inventor tried to alleviate this problem by removing the axles from wheels and thus reducing their width. I like how both wheels are identical and how the entire chain drive stays attached to the frame. Nevertheless, the "embarrassment" of walking around with a tennis racket bag and two large bike wheels means that I would prefer to buy a Brompton.
Loud Bicycle
It's a bicycle horn.
My opinion
Some people love to use their car's horns and seem not to be able to live without them. I don't like it and I never made it a habit to horn when I drive, even if someone cuts me off. But I can see the point presented in the video - a car horn sound is something drivers subconsciously expect to hear on the road and pay attention to. A bicycle bell sound is not something they usually worry about (Assuming they even hear it). So I guess this approach makes sense. I just wish they made that bike horn look better and be less ugly.
Monkey Light Pro
A LED system that attaches to your wheels and displays various graphics.
My opinion
I watched the video and I am trying to figure out what this thing is supposed to be used for. Surely, it displays some cool graphics and makes you more visible on the road. But I think I would rather save my money and spend it elsewhere. Unless you really want to get your bike ready for every occasion, then go ahead - display a Christmas tree in December, red heart on February 14th or an American flag on July 4th. But in the end, it's "kinda numb, kinda dumb", don't you think?
Rubbee
An electric kit to convert almost any bike into an e-bike.
My opinion
It looks pretty smart. A bunch of Lithuanian dudes designed this thing to be a fully contained (battery, motor, controller in one box) e-bike kit that attaches to the seatposts and powers the bike by rubbing a small roller against the rear tire (hence the name). I like how it's packaged, I like how it looks and I like how it can be quickly transferred from one bike to another. What I don't like is its limitations. If your bike has a rear fender, like all my bikes - you can't use Rubbee. If it has a rear rack, like my bikes - you can't use Rubbee. And if your bike has some very bulky, knobby tires... well, I don't know how you would use Rubbee with them. So in the end... I don't exactly know what types of bikes this thing is for.
FlyKly Smart Wheel
An electric assist system completely contained with the rear wheel.
My opinion
It looks good, it looks simple, and it seems to be pretty smart as well. Installing an electric assist kit usually means running a bunch of wires along the frame of your bicycle and strapping various components all over the place. FlyKly is smarter the way it holds everything in one place. The installation is as easy as replacing the rear wheel. On the other hand all the heavy weight is placed around the rear axle (Fortunately, FlyKly weights only about 4kg) and there are no gears - single speed only. But my main complain is the smartphone throttle. Sorry, but relying on an iPhone to control the throttle will not work for me. I do realize that this way the price can be kept lower, the installation is simpler and there are no wires to run. Still, nothing beats dedicated controls, I think.
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