Bicycles have been around for well over a century, and while we've seen a multitude of clever connected accessories for them pop up recently, the bike itself hasn't really changed that much. But a new Kickstarter project is now trying to make some big improvements to it by updating the bike for the age of smartphones, GPS, and fitness tracking, effectively building in many of the smartest bike accessories out there. The project is looking for CAD$100,000 (a little over USD$91,000) to fund Valour, a bike that can track your rides, give you directions, and even alert you to passing cars.
Most of the bike's abilities require that it's connected to a smartphone. A paired app stores its riding data and allows cyclists to set up a route so that the bike can display directions. The way it gives directions is simple and clever, lighting up small LEDs on the left or right handlebar when approaching a turn to signal which direction a rider needs to go — much like the Hammerhead clip that launched last year. The bike also senses when cars are getting too close to either side of its rear wheel and will vibrate the corresponding handlebar to make its rider aware. The bike's sensors are apparently all able to stay powered just through energy built up from cycling too.
Vanhawks, the bike's manufacturer, says that multiple bikes will also begin to form a mesh network, allowing them to connect and share information with each other, like pot holes or bumpy roads that they've detected (though, it's unclear why this couldn't be done better by reporting and collecting the information through the cloud, rather than relying on every city having a sizable infrastructure of Valours). Should there be plenty of Valours in an area, the hope is that the mesh network can serve one other important purpose too: automatically detecting bikes that have been reported as missing.
Whether it's a good idea to build so much tech inside of a vehicle that's often in need of repair is something riders may have to contend with, but at the least, Vanhawks says the bike parts themselves should be serviceable at a normal repair shop. And for all the potential trouble, it's likely that Valour's riders will get an early look at features that may well be offered on bicycles more widely in the future.
The Valour is available as a single speed, a fixie, or with a gear hub, with prices ranging from CAD$999 to CAD$1,249. They're only being made available in the US and Canada for now, and Vanhawks is expecting the first bikes to be ready come October — a little late in the season, so buyers may not actually get riding on them until this time next year.
Comments
That’s a crapload of monies for a funny looking single speed.
By DeleteMe3456 on 05.01.14 3:39pm
For a built-up carbon fiber bike fitted with sensors, I actually thought the price was very reasonable.
By siberiankiss on 05.02.14 1:08pm
Well doesn’t a good road bike, and/or mountain bike go for around $700-$1000? This doesn’t seem too far out of that range. Bad thing is; it’s only a single speed.
By Blazingshot147 on 05.05.14 1:41pm
Who cares?
People buy those because they are beautiful pieces of design.
They may make a ride or two, and then they go to the garage, and that’s it.
By rui.nelson on 05.04.14 8:53pm
Awesome but seriously, a fixie? That’s a waste of a nice carbon fibre frame.
By BoxOfSnoo on 05.01.14 3:44pm
This is a very cool concept (although I’d probably prefer to add the “smart tech” to my current ride than buy an altogether new bike).
But c’mon… this is just another Kickstarter concept that’s being reported as though the makers have actually delivered on all of their promises.
I hope they pull it off. But it seems to me that MUCH more skepticism is warranted until a few objective third-parties have road tested these bikes and shown that all of this works as promised…
By stuehler on 05.01.14 3:45pm
well thought I business idea. But poor implementation of the bike. It has only one gear. And biking in a hilly area with one gear is a poor end user experience. I understand the simplicity of design, but 1 gear…really?
By w.evenhuis on 05.01.14 3:51pm
There’s also a model with an internal gear hub!
By _alexchoi_ on 05.01.14 4:02pm
I own a rocky mountain bike with an internal gear gun and it’s the best bike investment I’ve ever made. No popped chain or repairs needed since I bought it 2 years ago
By korbermeister on 05.02.14 3:54pm
It’s preference. Riding a bike with a cheap geared drivetrain is also a poor user experience. You get the option to ride how you like and some people prefer not spending the extra cash on a multi-gear setup despite riding in a hilly environment.
By BRANDiD on 05.01.14 4:11pm
My commuter bike is a single speed and it’s awesome…cuts down on a lot of maintenance and helps me power up hills on my mountain bike better.
By DeleteMe3456 on 05.01.14 5:43pm
single speed makes climbing much easier. I did it all day every day for 8 years, and will do again as soon as I get another.
By Sic Transit on 05.01.14 6:07pm
How is that? Wouldn’t a same size gear on a multi-gear bike give exactly the same power?
By GriffinSauce on 05.02.14 2:46am
On one hand, I wouldn’t mind seeing how well the GPS tracking may help guard against bike theft. On the other hand, it would be the lolz if someone just yank out the SIM from the unit and take the bike.
By calyth on 05.01.14 3:53pm
So my phone, my watch, and now my bike can all tell me and my friends how many miles I went today. How many sensors do we need?
By OneBagTravel on 05.01.14 4:00pm
Ding ding ding ding ding. This is the right answer. I’ll stick with my $15 armband and my $100 Craigslist Cruiser.
By willwillywilson on 05.01.14 4:03pm
No, this is not the “right answer”. It is simply the answer you agree with.
Personally, I want sensors in everything.
By razorflake on 05.01.14 4:07pm
That’s what she said.
By willwillywilson on 05.02.14 10:37am
Good sense sensor, too?
By rui.nelson on 05.04.14 9:14pm
The Craigslist Cruiser sounds like the next serial killer headline.
By icwhatudidthere on 05.02.14 10:00am
.
By razorflake on 05.01.14 4:06pm
Internet of things :)
By dee.norbert on 05.01.14 4:11pm
This is not the Internet of Things.
Internet of Things doesn’t slow you down, like this thing.
By rui.nelson on 05.04.14 9:15pm
Bike thieves will at least be able to find better routes
By DavyDave on 05.01.14 4:03pm
The bike is available with an internal gear hub version (Nuvinci N360) to tackle the hills.
By saybizz on 05.01.14 4:04pm