A new product to charge your mobile device while biking

[biker2010]

Dear all,

When you want to go on a bike ride and bring your iPod or mobile phone with you, but it has no power... do you reluctantly leave your device at home or do you delay your bike ride? Do you commute to work on your bike and want to charge a mobile device while you ride?


We (a few students at Columbia University) are developing a new product (tentatively called "iCharge") that attaches to your bike to harness the energy of wheel rotation to charge your mobile devices. We would appreciate if you can go to https://columbia.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cDaH8aJeiMzWJG4 and fill a 2-minute survey to share your preference on product development. Thanks a lot in advance!

The options we would like you to consider for the iCharge are:

A) Number of mobile devices (i.e. iPod, mobile phone, GPS) that can be charged at the same time: 1 or 2

B) Color: Black or Matches color of bike

C) Conventional cycling device such as front and back light, speedometer, odometer, rpm, cycling time

D) Weight: 1lb, 1.5lb, or 2lb

E) Price: $100, $150, or $200

 

[Klaus]

Good idea but it's already reality.
Maybe it's worth looking at E-Werk sold by Rose?

http://roseversand.c...0&detail2=25828

 

[dellzeqq]

weight approx 53g Blinkin' 'eck, Klaus, that's fantastic!

 

[Norm]

The options we would like you to consider for the iCharge are:

A) Number of mobile devices (i.e. iPod, mobile phone, GPS) that can be charged at the same time: 1 or 2

B) Color: Black or Matches color of bike

C) Conventional cycling device such as front and back light, speedometer, odometer, rpm, cycling time

D) Weight: 1lb, 1.5lb, or 2lb

E) Price: $100, $150, or $200

I'm sure there's an easier way of representing that than the current format. Sorry, my nose started bleeding after the fourth combination, so I didn't complete it. There seems to be little or no logic behind the order of the alternatives.

Why even mention the Speedometer, odometer, lights, etc if they are not included in any of them? How about bread-makers and drive thru burger joints, are they included?

 

[Hacienda71]

I got a mobile usb charger from poundland takes 3 AAA batteries of which I have few from my lights, so any solution would have to be pretty cheap to compete.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Solar powered chargers exist.
Dynohub chargers exist.
Battery powered chargers exist.

There are still options left for coal, oil, bio-fuel, sustainable-wood, hydro, wind, geo-thermal and nuclear powered chargers.

 

[Davidc]

Get bored with these low grade student ideas - normally don't care about charging because I go for day rides and anything I want is charged already. Last tour I did I modified a radio control battery pack to charge off the hub dynamo. Cost 10p - consisted of 2 diodes - and used a car 12v socket and the car chargers for the phone, a GPS, and a couple of other things.

Now there are loads of commercial options for doing this - see above.

 

[RedBike]

I've just spent a few weeks designing a circuit to charge 'usb' / phones from a dynamo hub. If you'd like a copy of the circuit or any of my research regarding the dynamos power output then please feel free to ask. I think you'll struggle to charge two devices, that is if you actually want the device to charge at a realistic rate.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

there are still options left for coal, oil, bio-fuel, sustainable-wood, hydro, wind, geo-thermal and nuclear powered chargers.

Perhaps incorporating the flux capacitor? But I'm not sure how easy it would be to get to 88mph