Copenhagen Wheel Aims to Make All Cities Bikeable

(Photo Credits: Michael D. Spencer)

A company called Superpedestrian announced on December 3, 2013 the first commercial release of the Copenhagen Wheel, a self­‐contained unit that snaps easily onto the back of any ordinary bicycle and turns it into an electric hybrid. With extra power at the riders’ feet, regenerative braking, and advanced control systems, the wheel promotes cycling so that long distances or steep up-hills are no longer a barrier to a comfortable ride.

With more than 60 percent of the world expected to live in cities by 2020, transportation has an increasing effect on quality of urbanized living. Superpedestrian says it seeks to transform urban mobility by making bicycles even more attractive for commuters and city resident. The Copenhagen Wheel is the original “smart wheel” first conceived the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s SENSEable City Lab. The inventors then joined forces as Superpedestrian, exclusively licensing the technology from MIT and working to perfect a user experience that enables cyclists to ride practically anywhere with simplicity and ease.

The Wheel is ridden like a normal bicycle – users pedal and motor phases in and out automatically.  The Wheel learns about the rider and intuitively recognizes how hard he or she pedals and the topography ahead to determine how much support the rider may need. There aren’t any additional throttles, wires, or buttons, maintaining the pure simplicity of cycling. The Wheel also features an intelligent locking system that locks the bike when the rider walks away and unlocks it upon return. Its rechargeable battery allows riders to easily remove the battery pack and carry it with them wherever they go.

For more on the Copenhagen Wheel check out Superpedestrian.com