Innovation of the week

Sweat is the bane of every bike commuter, so wouldn’t it be nice if your ride required less pedal power?

Sweat is the bane of every bike commuter, so wouldn’t it be nice if your ride required less pedal power? Enter the Kickstarter-backed Smart Wheel, an attachable electric motor that transforms any bicycle into an easy-riding machine. The lightweight device “fits snugly around the spokes of the wheel,” said Dara Kerr in CNET.com, and helps users reach speeds up to 20 mph. The batteries automatically recharge when going downhill. By aiding uphill climbs, said inventor Niko Klansek of New York City–based FlyKly bikes, the Smart Wheel makes it possible to commute by bike—without breaking a sweat. “We want to make our cities more livable,’’ he says.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up