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The Copenhagen Wheel [video]

33 points by bagosm 13y ago

jotm 13y ago
So it's a brake replacement? Pretty cool, but too expensive even if it generates more power than a simple dynamo...
- stan_rogers 13y ago
  No, it's a pedal-assist motor/control system (with regenerative braking).
aric 13y ago
For any Weeds fans: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665013/how-weeds-became-a-marketing-high-for-mits-hybrid-bike-wheel http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665013/how-weeds-became-a-marke...
- jsmeaton 13y ago
  I seen someone on Facebook post about the Copenhagen Wheel yesterday and knew I'd heard about it before. Good old Andy.
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
bazzargh 13y ago
The Copenhagen wheel was announced 4 years ago, and since then we've had copycats like the FlyKly back in October(http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flykly/flykly-smart-wheel http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flykly/flykly-smart-whee...). In case, like me, you wondered why this was news - it's because they're actually putting it on sale. I'm curious as to what they mean by a battery life of 1000 cycles, when there's regenerative braking and I'd hit more than 3 hills a day on my commute[1], so is that 1 year? [1]ok to be fair I work from home now, so my 20 mile each way commute is now a morning jaunt on the bike to wake me up.
- skdoo 13y ago
  One cycle usually means one full charge and discharge cycle. So if you discharge from 100% to 50% and then charge it, that's 0.5 cycles.
- towski 13y ago
  If it's anything like my electric bicycle, the regenerative braking doesn't really count for much
Brakenshire 13y ago
It's a good idea to even out uphill and downhill sections of cycling, so that you can cycle around, in places which are not completely flat, without arriving where you want to go covered in sweat. And the concept of the casing staying static, while only internal sections spin with the wheel, sounds interesting. The problem for mass adoption is cost.
neona 13y ago
It's too bad it's too expensive to be relevant for people who rely on bike transportation for financial reasons (at least, in much of america) :( I'd love one, but it seems silly to spend that much on my bike.
- bryan_rasmussen 13y ago
  I think in Denmark or any country with lots of support for cycling and expensive cars it would be reasonable.
- tehwebguy 13y ago
  You got downvoted but I think this is a pretty valid point, at least in the US
- towski 13y ago
  Well, this is basically the price of an iphone. The market said it could bear that price.
- brownbat 13y ago
  Top assisted speed of 20 mph and a range of only 30 miles for $700? Ouch. [1] You could get some powerbocks for half that price, and no need to buy a bike. Those supposedly provide a running speed of 20 mph with no range limit, just the possible downside of making you look ridiculous. [2] [1] http://www.gizmag.com/superpedestrian-mit-copenhagen-wheel/29994/ http://www.gizmag.com/superpedestrian-mit-copenhagen-wheel/2... [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powerbocking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powerbocking
tocomment 13y ago
Would t be possible to design something similar for a car wheel?
- willvarfar 13y ago
  Regenerative braking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regenerative_brake http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regenerative_brake is a mainstay of modern electric cars. They all do this.
  - tocomment 13y ago
    Yes but does the equivalent of a Copenhagen wheel exist for a car? That sir is my question.
    - toomuchtodo 13y ago
      You'd need a hub motor in each wheel, which causes the vehicle to have an excess of unsprung weight. So, not at the moment. If electric motors were to drastically come down in weight, possibly.
    - seniorsassycat 13y ago
      Do you mean an electric motor, battery, and regenerative system built into each of a cars wheels? I think that a system like that would not be practical when scaled up to the size and energy demands of cars.
    - dredmorbius 13y ago
      For automobiles, incorporating the energy storage into the wheel itself would be a poor allocation of weight (and size). So most solutions revolve around (pardon the pun) batteries or flywheels housed within the chassis.
- mcgroob 13y ago
  Like this? http://mtsunews.com/wheel-hub-retrofit-update/ http://mtsunews.com/wheel-hub-retrofit-update/
willvarfar 13y ago
E-bikes seem to be everywhere these days (in western europe). Even grandparents I know have been talking about getting them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle
enko 13y ago
For my money I'd rather a proper integrated system like the Panasonic range: http://cycle.panasonic.jp/products/electric/ http://cycle.panasonic.jp/products/electric/ I've ridden a number of electric-assist bicycles and the panasonic system worked brilliantly - seamless and intuitive boosting exactly when needed, so hills just seem to disappear. They seem a lot more convenient, too, with the battery integrated into the lights system. Yamaha's pedelec system is also worth a look, though I didn't find it quite as intuitive as the panasonic: http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/pas/lineup/ http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/pas/lineup/

33 points by bagosm 13y ago

jotm 13y ago

So it's a brake replacement? Pretty cool, but too expensive even if it generates more power than a simple dynamo...

stan_rogers 13y ago
No, it's a pedal-assist motor/control system (with regenerative braking).

aric 13y ago

For any Weeds fans: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665013/how-weeds-became-a-marketing-high-for-mits-hybrid-bike-wheel http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665013/how-weeds-became-a-marke...

jsmeaton 13y ago
I seen someone on Facebook post about the Copenhagen Wheel yesterday and knew I'd heard about it before. Good old Andy.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]

bazzargh 13y ago

The Copenhagen wheel was announced 4 years ago, and since then we've had copycats like the FlyKly back in October(http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flykly/flykly-smart-wheel http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flykly/flykly-smart-whee...). In case, like me, you wondered why this was news - it's because they're actually putting it on sale. I'm curious as to what they mean by a battery life of 1000 cycles, when there's regenerative braking and I'd hit more than 3 hills a day on my commute[1], so is that 1 year? [1]ok to be fair I work from home now, so my 20 mile each way commute is now a morning jaunt on the bike to wake me up.

skdoo 13y ago
One cycle usually means one full charge and discharge cycle. So if you discharge from 100% to 50% and then charge it, that's 0.5 cycles.
towski 13y ago
If it's anything like my electric bicycle, the regenerative braking doesn't really count for much

Brakenshire 13y ago

It's a good idea to even out uphill and downhill sections of cycling, so that you can cycle around, in places which are not completely flat, without arriving where you want to go covered in sweat. And the concept of the casing staying static, while only internal sections spin with the wheel, sounds interesting. The problem for mass adoption is cost.

neona 13y ago

It's too bad it's too expensive to be relevant for people who rely on bike transportation for financial reasons (at least, in much of america) :( I'd love one, but it seems silly to spend that much on my bike.

bryan_rasmussen 13y ago
I think in Denmark or any country with lots of support for cycling and expensive cars it would be reasonable.
tehwebguy 13y ago
You got downvoted but I think this is a pretty valid point, at least in the US
towski 13y ago
Well, this is basically the price of an iphone. The market said it could bear that price.
brownbat 13y ago
Top assisted speed of 20 mph and a range of only 30 miles for $700? Ouch. [1] You could get some powerbocks for half that price, and no need to buy a bike. Those supposedly provide a running speed of 20 mph with no range limit, just the possible downside of making you look ridiculous. [2] [1] http://www.gizmag.com/superpedestrian-mit-copenhagen-wheel/29994/ http://www.gizmag.com/superpedestrian-mit-copenhagen-wheel/2... [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powerbocking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powerbocking

tocomment 13y ago

Would t be possible to design something similar for a car wheel?

willvarfar 13y ago
Regenerative braking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regenerative_brake http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regenerative_brake is a mainstay of modern electric cars. They all do this.
- tocomment 13y ago
  Yes but does the equivalent of a Copenhagen wheel exist for a car? That sir is my question.
  - toomuchtodo 13y ago
    You'd need a hub motor in each wheel, which causes the vehicle to have an excess of unsprung weight. So, not at the moment. If electric motors were to drastically come down in weight, possibly.
  - seniorsassycat 13y ago
    Do you mean an electric motor, battery, and regenerative system built into each of a cars wheels? I think that a system like that would not be practical when scaled up to the size and energy demands of cars.
  - dredmorbius 13y ago
    For automobiles, incorporating the energy storage into the wheel itself would be a poor allocation of weight (and size). So most solutions revolve around (pardon the pun) batteries or flywheels housed within the chassis.
mcgroob 13y ago
Like this? http://mtsunews.com/wheel-hub-retrofit-update/ http://mtsunews.com/wheel-hub-retrofit-update/

willvarfar 13y ago

E-bikes seem to be everywhere these days (in western europe). Even grandparents I know have been talking about getting them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle

enko 13y ago

For my money I'd rather a proper integrated system like the Panasonic range: http://cycle.panasonic.jp/products/electric/ http://cycle.panasonic.jp/products/electric/ I've ridden a number of electric-assist bicycles and the panasonic system worked brilliantly - seamless and intuitive boosting exactly when needed, so hills just seem to disappear. They seem a lot more convenient, too, with the battery integrated into the lights system. Yamaha's pedelec system is also worth a look, though I didn't find it quite as intuitive as the panasonic: http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/pas/lineup/ http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/pas/lineup/