Tricycles are a great way for children to enjoy cycling safely, but don’t always prepare kids for a real bike. The Dreisch Leaning Trike mimics an actual bike with the same kind of necessary leaning for turns, but still has three wheels. With this trike, young ones can ride safe while also developing the necessary skills to learn the fundamentals of bicycle riding. While not completely necessary, the Dreisch Leaning Trike has a noble aim and is a great tool for children, much like the Jyrobike. One Dreisch Trike costs $299 on Kickstarter with estimated delivery in September 2014. This leaning trike hopes to raise $10,000 in two months.
Tag: bicycle
Many people use bicycles as their main mode of transportation. The one thing that bikes seriously lack, however, is the power and cargo space that a car can provide. Introducing the Urban Nomad, a detachable cart for the back of your bike complete with a motor. It provides lots of extra space to cart around groceries and other purchases or cargo. With this extra boost, cyclists can travel up to 25 kph. One of these Belgian products will cost backers living in the EU $900 USD, which isn’t bad for the equivalent of an e-bike conversion kit that comes with a bit of storage. Urban Nomad hopes to raise $20,000 USD on Indiegogo.
The Premise. Bike locks are relatively unrefined. One needs to simply trust in the strength of their lock to protect them from thieves. Given enough time and opportunity, however, thieves can break into the strongest of locks unbeknownst to the owner.
The Product. Skylock is an incredibly sophisticated solar-powered U-lock for your bicycle. It connects to your mobile phone and lets the owner know if their lock is being tampered with. This super-lock provides keyless entry and key sharing for multiple riders via Bluetooth as well as a GPS locator. When a crash or accident occurs, the lock sends a signal to your phone that gives you the option to either say that you’re uninjured or call for help from family, friends and even the authorities. This product is also functional, using a dual-locking mechanism for maximum security. If the bike should run out of battery, it won’t let the user lock the bike until recharged. The lock can also be charged externally by micro USB if sunlight is unavailable.
The Pitch. So far, Skylock has received tons of praise from the press which its campaign features. The video shows the lock in action, displaying how it alerts the rider when the bike is moved, the way it springs into action after an accident has occurred, as well as how easy it is to share access to the bike. Skylock is looking to raise $15,000 in a month-long Indiegogo campaign.
The Perks. Early riders can enjoy the Skylock for $149. It’s base Indiegogo price is set at $159 while its retail price will be $249. Higher tiers offer bundles of locks for bike share programs.
The Potential. Good bike locks can be hard to find. Locks such as the HENCH bike lock offer bank-level security, but aren’t “smart”. The Lock8, a UK smart bike lock, recently ran a successfully Kickstarter campaign. This product offers keyless entry, anti-theft alarms and GPS locating services. The Skylock takes the smart lock to a new level with its bike sharing capabilities and accident panic button. For a product that will protect you and your bike, the Skylock’s price is competitive and is a great investment for any bicycle commuter or enthusiast.
Nevermore will pedestrians and cyclists who must venture out into the dark have to be concerned about being visible to drivers. Beacon offers a Bluetooth-controlled, wearable, LED safety light that is Android and i)S compatible, and can be worn around the waist or like a sash. Beacon wearers can choose a color or even pattern of colors to increase visibility when walking or biking at night. For those who are more concerned about visibility than fashion, we’ve seen other, less-configurable options to help with night apparel. Beacon is available to backers for at least $69, with an expected delivery of October 2014.
Who doesn’t love hitching some bikes to the roof rack and heading out on a trail or an adventure? Well, for those that have scraped the dense, rough pedals against the side of their car’s paint job, they know that a little unforeseen damage can put a damper on any ride. Out of Denver, Colorado comes Pedal Pockets, a simple, polyester-coated foam slip-on that fastens right onto bike pedals with Velcro to keep them from damaging anything they come in contact with. Pedal Pockets take only a few seconds to put on or take off, and are soft enough to reduce most impacts. People pondering pledges to Pedal Pockets can pocket a pair for $15, delivered in June.
Parents dreams of that triumphant moment when their child learns how to ride a bicycle on their own, but sometimes ignore the consequences. By being able to bike themselves, children are now able to travel at faster speeds and in potentially dangerous traffic. The MiniBrake is a small, remote-controlled brake that attaches to a bike’s rear wheel and stops the bicycle when the parent chooses. With a range of 50 meters, parents don’t have to chase after children, and if the bike travels beyond that range, the brake automatically engages, urging the child to return to a safer location. Parents can get a MiniBrake for $80, available in June 2014.
Surly Bikes introduced the 29+ tire size to the world in 2012 and up until now were the only manufacturers of the light, fast, high-grip off-road bikes that used them. Now, Singular Cycles is announcing its own model, the Singular Rooster, designed from the start to handle these new versatile tires. The video introduction is short and sweet and the campaign description will satisfy any cycling junkie’s appetite to learn more. Singular Rooster bicycles will be available in three different sizes, will ship in July, and with a very limited run for backers outside the European Union, they can be had for £450.
The Premise. People choose to ride their bikes or longboards around instead of cars for a multitude of reasons: fresh air, exercise, environmental awareness and frugality to name a few. Those who live in cities are especially prone to seeking alternative forms of transportation more suited to their urban lifestyles.
The Product. Me-Mover is a personal transportation product. The stand-up tricycle has two wheels in the back and one in the front, this product is self-powered by pedals that the rider shifts their weight like an elliptical machine. The Me-Mover features hand brakes and even folds up for extra convenience. Currently, the Mover comes in either black, white, blue or red. This device has fixed gearing with a variable output to make for a smooth ride.
The Pitch. The campaign begins with a short video of the Danish creator talking about his product, along with footage of young Danish folk zipping around Copenhagen on their Me-Movers. The rest discusses the physical benefits of this product and how joggers, cyclists and skiers will all enjoy riding it. Me-Mover hopes to raise $100,000 in its 32-day Kickstarter campaign.
The Perks. Early backers can enjoy the black Me-Mover for only $899 or $999 with their choice of color. Reward tiers go all the way up to $6,000 with expected delivery dates of August and October 2014. For $25 backers can vote on different add-ons they’d like to see with this product. Different levels of stretch goals (which go up to $1.3 million) include developing the most popular voted add-on as well as a luggage rack, custom parts and an Android and IOS exercise app.
The Potential. Me-Mover’s sleekness and versatility will certainly make it a worthy alternative to the bicycle. Other products have tried to come match to the convenience of a bicycle, but rarely get close, much like the Halfbike. Me-Mover’s add-ons, portability and ease-of-use make it a strong contender in the eco-friendly transportation market.
The Premise. Commuters who ride their bikes to work usually opt to wear backpacks, the perfect bag for laptops and files. Unfortunately, exercising and back-wear hardly mix, which can result in the embarrassment of back sweat soaking through one’s apparel.
The Product. The Commuter Rack is a bicycle accessory that allows riders to hang their backpacks from their bikes instead of wearing them. This metal fixture attaches to the front of a bike with one bolt. The backpack hangs from one side and the product’s low center makes up for funky weight distribution, resulting in a stable ride.
The Pitch. While the Commuter Rack video is straightforward to explain, the campaign video is over seven minutes long. It also appears as if there was an editing goof since the last two minutes are just a blank screen. The very, very slow-speaking narrator’s monotone voice is almost impossible to listen to and the dramatization of a sweaty executive arriving at work is bizarrely funny and gross at the same time. Commuter Rack hopes to make $60,000 in its 30-day run on Kickstarter.
The Perks. Backpacking backers who hope to use the Commuter Rack must shell out a whopping $500 for one of these bike accessories. At that price, you could buy your backpack its own bike. But wait, for only $75, backers can receive an *autographed* copy of the creator’s bike journal instead. What the Freight? Estimated delivery is set for July 2014.
The Potential. Bike accessories are all the rage nowadays. This product, however, probably won’t be. While the use of a rack specifically designed for a backpack — popular among cyclists — is certainly unique, most riders will probably either opt to just carry the bag on their backs as it’s intended or to stick it in a front or rear basket. After all, a vigorous ride is going to result in a fair amount of perspiration regardless of backpack placement. Bicycle enthusiasts who travel far with tons of cargo may be interested, but again the huge price tag is utterly ridiculous for all. Perhaps, at a tenth of the price, there’d be more of a market for the Commuter Rack.
As bike safety becomes more and more of a concern for car-haters, the market has become filled with safety lighting devices for riding at night like Revolights. Lumen puts a spin on safety lighting and offers a completely reflective bicycle that glows at night. This retro looking bike offers style, function and safety in one product. For a single-speed Lumen, backers must shell out $1,245 with an estimated delivery date of July 2014. These San Franciscan creators offer multi-speed bikes at higher reward tiers. Lumen hopes to raise $15,000 in its 30-day Kickstarter campaign.