A review of PedalCell, an impressive new rim dynamo

[neil_merseyside]

To be fair, it's absolutely standard practice in magazine reviews and has been since year dot. I used to edit a waterway magazine... we wouldn't have got very far if we had to spend £150,000 on a new narrowboat to review every month!

Whether the reviewer gets to keep the item afterwards generally depends on the value. If it's a £10 book they won't ask for it back, if it's a £150,000 narrowboat they, sadly, do. (Shame, I would have quite liked a free boat.) The PedalCell is somewhere in the middle, but I wouldn't consider it particularly unusual for the reviewer to keep it.

Oh come on a magazine review stuff is bound to be supplied for testing, and why I don't trust magazine reviews that much. On a forum it is a different matter and so this is just seedy back door advertising and with vague numbers.
As a side note I thought US-UK exchange rate covered the difference in markets so $299 becomes £299.

 

[raybo]

So I'm being attacked for writing a review of a new product that several people on this thread didn't know about and appreciation reading? I'm also being attacked for not being "up front" that I got a review copy of the device in order to write the review? I wrote this: "(Disclosure: I was sent one for free after I requested one to review)" in the review. Should I have started the review with this? Put it in bold? I wasn't paid, I have no affiliation with the company. I am a bike tourist who has a website that contains no paid advertising and that makes me no money. In fact, it costs me hundreds of dollars (excuse the use of my national currency) a year. I want to promote bike touring and am trying to help people who want to travel by bicycle.

Do people who extol the virtues of their bicycles or other equipment need to disclose how much (and in which currency) they paid for something before writing about it?

I maintain an archive of bike touring information. I read about a dozen forums everyday, including this one. I rarely post in any of them. Is this a problem?

 

[neil_merseyside]

I'm also being attacked for not being "up front" that I got a review copy of the device in order to write the review?

I wrote this: "(Disclosure: I was sent one for free after I requested one to review)" in the review.

Should I have started the review with this?

Put it in bold?

Picked out 4 bits above
Why not be upfront? you wouldn't have been 'attacked' if you'd been clear.
Disclosure was very buried, and clearly didn't work too well did it?
Yes why not? I didn't realise you had a website to promote as I don't do signatures, so I thought you'd posted a completely independent review for something you'd paid hard earned U$D for. A magazine review would be treated with scepticism by me as they pander to advertisers - seems you operate in a similar way in furnishing reviews of freebies.

Bold, underline or italics might do individually, but all three takes only 3 clicks.

 

[KnittyNorah]

A U.S product sold in the U.S. and they have the cheek to price it in dollars , what's the world coming to?

A product being marketed to a largely-UK-centric group, with a fair sprinkling of other Europeans ... almost all countries where VAT, import taxes and the like reign supreme.
How odd that the price clearly stated on the UK/European distributor's website - which takes account of these important costs, which are not optional extras in any way - is not the price quoted ... hmmmmmmmmmm ...

 

[classic33]

I just finished testing of the PedalCell, a new rim dynamo that is designed to charge USB devices while you ride. I was impressed by how much charge it delivered. If you tour with USB-chargeable devices, this dynamo will keep them in electricity without requiring you to plug them into wall outlets.

Here is a quick summary: Every time I rode with the PedalCell, my iPhone ended up with more power at the end of the ride than when I started, no matter what apps I ran on it or how long I rode. My estimate is that it added 20% charge to my new iPhone 12 per hour of riding.

I written up my findings in a detailed review of the device for those who want more information, including photos and numbers.

Same review, word for word has appeared on a number of sites, often with multiple postings.

Question, Why and is this an actual review?

 

[HobbesOnTour]

So I'm being attacked for writing a review of a new product that several people on this thread didn't know about and appreciation reading?

I don't see anyone attacking you personally, but I do see criticism of your review. On a public forum that is to be expected. Things get discussed.

I'm also being attacked for not being "up front" that I got a review copy of the device in order to write the review? I wrote this: "(Disclosure: I was sent one for free after I requested one to review)" in the review. Should I have started the review with this? Put it in bold? I wasn't paid, I have no affiliation with the company.

In fairness, I think that the disclosure should have had as much highlighting as possible, if for no other reason that you wouldn't be feeling attacked.

Can I ask if you told the guys at PedalCell where and when you were posting your reviews? Is their posting here a happy coincidence?

I am a bike tourist who has a website that contains no paid advertising and that makes me no money. In fact, it costs me hundreds of dollars (excuse the use of my national currency) a year. I want to promote bike touring and am trying to help people who want to travel by bicycle.

In all fairness, Ray, you haven't posted on this forum since 2013. How is anyone supposed to know what you do or what your intentions are?

Do people who extol the virtues of their bicycles or other equipment need to disclose how much (and in which currency) they paid for something before writing about it?

With respect, I'd pay far more attention to a review done by someone who researched what was available, made their choice, with reasons, and paid for the product. Especially on a forum like this.
A magazine review? An "influencer" review? I'll take with a pinch of salt.

I maintain an archive of bike touring information. I read about a dozen forums everyday, including this one. I rarely post in any of them. Is this a problem?

With respect, after an 8 year absence a first post that is a very positive review of a new product is likely to be deemed questionable.
Is it a problem? Only if you take issue with people questioning.

There's a principle at stake here.
This site is a community of people brought together by an interest in bikes. All kinds of bikes. Ideas are shared, advice offered, accepted and rejected.
To my mind it's not a place for commercial entities to be encroaching.
Your review was followed up by posts from the company. Whether by accident or design there are questions to be asked.

I "know" you from other fora and have an idea of what you're about. It's a pity that you feel attacked but for some folk on here you're a stranger who just walked into a bar to tell them of a great bridge for sale. Right behind you comes the guy who owns the bridge.
Had I not been aware of you, I too would have been more robust in my responses.

 

[raybo]

Your review was followed up by posts from the company. Whether by accident or design there are questions to be asked.

When people started asking for information I didn't have, I asked Adam at PedalCell to come over and provide more information. He did that. Once he stepped in, people asked more detailed questions directed at him. The thread moved away from the performance of the device into more contentious topics like pricing problems in the UK, arguments about hubs versus rim dynamos, and other, more personal, comments. I should mention that I didn't participate in those discussions because I had nothing to add.

Again, I'm trying to provide useful information. Asking someone who is more knowledgeable to help seemed reasonable to me. People suggesting that this is some kind of deep commercial conspiracy between me and the company to slyly slip free advertising into this forum is so far from what I have been trying to do since 2007, when I started biketouringtips.com.

I'm sorry that people have been offended and feel the need to school me on "appropriate" behavior on bike touring forums. I can assure you that I will be more careful in any future posts I make here.

Regarding disclosures: I specifically disclosed how I got the device for review. That I didn't call it out to your liking is more an editing and formatting issue than an ethical one. I am not trying to deceive anyone and I stand by all the photos, numbers, opinions, and limitations of the review itself.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I'm sorry that people have been offended and feel the need to school me on "appropriate" behavior on bike touring forums. I can assure you that I will be more careful in any future posts I make
here.

I don't see anyone being offended, except perhaps about the pricing/duty situation. And that's not on you.

And yourself.

I don't see anyone "schooling" you but I do see commentary about transparency.

I wonder what Neil on CGOAB would make of PedalCell joining up to answer questions?
Or the folks on Bike Forums?
Cycleblaze I don't frequent so cannot comment.

I think you're taking this far too personally, as is your right.

Regarding disclosures: I specifically disclosed how I got the device for review. That I didn't call it out to your liking is more an editing and formatting issue than an ethical one. I am not trying to deceive anyone and I stand by all the photos, numbers, opinions, and limitations of the review itself.

In fairness, Ray, you asked the question. I answered it.
I don't believe anyone has commented negatively on the content of the review, just the clarity, or otherwise, of how you came to be in possession of the unit.
On a forum such as this, a community, that is a perfectly valid position to hold in my view.

An important factor for me in assessing a product is value for money. A freebie does not allow for an objective judgement of that.

It's interesting too that out of all the reviews you posted (that I'm aware of) this thread is the most active with the most questions and answers.

In an attempt to introduce some humour, a review of a bike product on a UK based site that hasn't been tested in the rain is deliciously ironic!

 

[rogerzilla]

I remember the B&M S12 bottle dynamo. 2-3x the power (12V 6W nominal, near 9W in practice) of any other dynamo, hub or bottle. It was efficient (60%, with a controlled output voltage*) but wasn't all that popular, probably because 12V lamps were rare and the whole setup was very pricey. A 3W hub dynamo can push 6W anyway if you show it enough load, and the world moved onto hub dynamos since bottles were horrible in so many respects (noise, slippage, difficulty of setup)

*these days, hub dynamos produce fairly wild voltages at high speeds and LED lights are designed to dump the excess power they can't use, but halogen lights mostly didn't: they got a lot brighter with the overvoltage (good), but their life was reduced drastically (bad, at £5 a pop - literally). Overvolting wasn't too bad with bottle dynamos because they saturated above a modest speed.

 

[DiveswithMermaids3311]

Well I have not bought the Pedocell yet!~ but from what I have been reading, looking, the Pedocell sounds like one of the best ones yet, but the cost of $300.00 Plus tax, is making me choke. I live in Calif. and the fact that it is made in the USA, is a big plus. It seems that most is stuff made in China, Most of our tools, Ie, I go to Harbor Frieght, (all made in China) Go to Home Depot, toos all made in China, Go to Ace Hardwear, tools All made in China. And still looking I found a Head light that sounded like a really good light and also made in the USA, but---$400.00 Plus tax & shipping, holy make me crap my pants. $700.00 for the two. I paid only $2000.00 for the bike! That is hard to swallow. I have thought when I buy the Pedocell, I will at least try to hook it up to on of my old Dynomos lights that I used on my bikes in the 1980s. using the old fasion light bulb. Hopelly that would/will work. Maybe I can save my self $400.00.

 

[raybo]

I will at least try to hook it up to on of my old Dynomos lights that I used on my bikes in the 1980s. using the old fasion light bulb. Hopelly that would/will work. Maybe I can save my self $400.00.

I doubt this will work. Lights that work with older dynamos are designed to use the electricity generated directly by that dynamo.

The PedalCell plugs are USB ports. If your lights can accept a USB plug (the same kind of plug used with a cellphone), they will work with the PedalCell. If they can be attached to a battery, the PedalCell can charge the battery (assuming it, too, used USB) and the battery can charge the lights. Otherwise, you are out of luck.

 

[lazytyke]

I decided to splash the cash and buy a Pedalcell for an upcoming tour. I'm always more than a little dubious of the marketing hype, but I'm a sucker for new gadgets and the idea of not having to stress about charging the phone and Garmin etc ( I'm a worrier !) really appealed to me. The Pedalcell arrived from the States in just over a week, even though I didn't pay extra for expedited shipping, it also miraculously managed to avoid any import duty or VAT, which lessened the pain. If there were marks for presentation then it gets 10/10 for the way its' boxed.

It's only had one test run, but based on that I'm very impressed. I didn't notice any noise at all once on the road, I've got the little velogical dynamo as well and that has a pretty annoying whine, but the Pedalcell wasn't really audible over the tyre/road noise. On a quiet country lane it might possibly be, but doubt it would be intrusive. As for charging, my run was an urban start stop affair with average speed just under 11mph. It charged my iPhone at around 1% a min over a 40 min period, I was pretty impressed with that given the type of riding. I'm not sure about drag, it's very subjective. The more you think about it the more you think you can feel ! but given the charging rate, I doubt I'd be using it for more that 2-3 hours a day max so probably easy enough to just use on the flat/downhill sections of the ride. Early days with it, but first impressions are favourable.

 

[Blue Hills]

I decided to splash the cash and buy a Pedalcell for an upcoming tour. I'm always more than a little dubious of the marketing hype, but I'm a sucker for new gadgets and the idea of not having to stress about charging the phone and Garmin etc ( I'm a worrier !) really appealed to me. The Pedalcell arrived from the States in just over a week, even though I didn't pay extra for expedited shipping, it also miraculously managed to avoid any import duty or VAT, which lessened the pain. If there were marks for presentation then it gets 10/10 for the way its' boxed.

It's only had one test run, but based on that I'm very impressed. I didn't notice any noise at all once on the road, I've got the little velogical dynamo as well and that has a pretty annoying whine, but the Pedalcell wasn't really audible over the tyre/road noise. On a quiet country lane it might possibly be, but doubt it would be intrusive. As for charging, my run was an urban start stop affair with average speed just under 11mph. It charged my iPhone at around 1% a min over a 40 min period, I was pretty impressed with that given the type of riding. I'm not sure about drag, it's very subjective. The more you think about it the more you think you can feel ! but given the charging rate, I doubt I'd be using it for more that 2-3 hours a day max so probably easy enough to just use on the flat/downhill sections of the ride. Early days with it, but first impressions are favourable.

thanks for that.

Came across this vid recently which while being a "review" of charging options is also of course a plug for the product - can't really blame them.

I found the discussion interesting/informative and they do seem to have thought things through.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZvkSPwUHmI



Appears to need new rubber washers quite frequently - not sure what that is about.

Apologies if missed something upthread, but can I ask why you went for this rather than a hub Dynamo?

 

[lazytyke]

Apologies if missed something upthread, but can I ask why you went for this rather than a hub Dynamo?

I liked the idea of the dynamo being independent of the wheel. Any issues with the wheel are easier to solve, plus I can easily swap between bikes. I guess the other point is that this is specifically designed around USB charging, so in theory more efficient, although whether that makes a huge amount of difference I don't know. I can't claim to be an expert. Portability between bikes was the main reason, plus liking new gadgets

 

[Blue Hills]

I liked the idea of the dynamo being independent of the wheel. Any issues with the wheel are easier to solve, plus I can easily swap between bikes. I guess the other point is that this is specifically designed around USB charging, so in theory more efficient, although whether that makes a huge amount of difference I don't know. I can't claim to be an expert. Portability between bikes was the main reason, plus liking new gadgets

ta for reply - I may ask to pop round for a look

(my current setup is a cheapo decathlon hub wheel dynamo and an ewerk - which does work)

re shipping from the states and concerns about duties etc I gather from that vid that they now have a UK supplier - i did check that UK supplier's web page and they seemed to list it.