Technology is driving today’s world, and the biking industry is also in on the action!
“There are various interesting technological innovations applied to the latest brands of bikes that are shaping the future of biking.”
In this post, we consider 10 ways in which technology is transforming cycling!
Foldable Bikes
Nowadays, manufacturers are designing bikes that take your morning commutes to the next level. These bikes are not only lightweight but can be collapsed to a small size, enabling you to carry them into your office building or the metro.
They are even fitted with an ergonomic handle to enable carrying them with one hand like a briefcase.
Electronic Assistance
Hills are one of the biggest obstacles preventing potential riders from getting on a bike. But with electronic assistance offered by an e-bike’s motor, clearing hills and climbing slopes is now a walk in the park.
The throttle allows you to get to the summit of the hill without lifting a muscle, ensuring that injured, obese, and even lazy individuals can ride get on quietkat bikes and cruise up a hill without worry.
Adjustable Lighting
Lighting on bikes has come a long way since the days of dynamos. Nowadays, you get bikes with smart lights that assess the environment you’re in and automatically adjust accordingly.
They can tell whether you are riding in a foggy area, through a dark tunnel, or in the middle of the city. This is thanks to a programmable microcontroller that’s been integrated.
Unusual Protective Gear
Innovators are now coming up with alternative head safety gear that is more endearing to buyers than the boring traditional helmets. The Closca is an interesting invention from Sweden- a collapsible helmet that you can stow away inside your bag.
This comes with a trendy design that looks like a giant collar when you wear it but pops out like an airbag when you get involved in an accident.
Anti-theft Mechanisms
It’s possible to keep an eye on your bike all the time, even when it is miles away from you! This is possible because of smart gadgets BikeSpike, a tiny device that keeps track of your bike via GPS.
It will send you a notification when your bike falls, jostles, or even moves an inch. In case you get involved in an accident while riding, it will send notifications to your emergency contacts for immediate help.
Physical Gear Navigation
Forget about using apps and GPS to find your way around a new neighbourhood that you’re riding in. Nowadays, you get physical tools to guide your journey without distracting you from the road.
The Hammerhead and CycleNav are tiny devices that affix to the handlebar and provide LED signals for directions.
Biking Safety
Your safety while riding is enhanced by innovative LED lights that not only light the path ahead but also your body like a hologram, making you more visible to other road users at night.
Revolights are a good example of smart lights that offer a unique forward light, as well as a practical brake light that flickers when you adjust your speed.
Wearable Health Monitors
Wearable technology is on the rise across various industries, and this includes the world of biking. You can find several brands of heart monitors and alternative activity trackers offered by the market.
One of the latest offerings is the LifeBEAM smart helmet. Aside from securing your head, this special helmet monitors vital indices like your calories, heart rate, as well as overall performance.
Smart Bikes
You may not be in a position to see this technological upgrade, but it has greatly transformed the application of bikes. Smart bikes are fitted with minute monitoring devices on the frame that wirelessly transmits performance and physiological data such as power output, heart rate speed, frame behaviour, pedal pressure, etc.
This is achieved through printing the small devices with graphene then implanting them in plastic matrices.
Pedals That Make Cycling More Efficient
A company based in Slovenia called Cycle-Science is designing pedals that can assess how effective your pedalling is on an e-bike. These are lined with sensors to measure the total force applied when you pedal, and how much of it is relayed to the cranks.
Through this, you get to know how much wattage you waste as you pedal, helping you to adjust for better efficiency.
Final Thought
There is no limit to the kind of innovations you can find in the current crop of bicycles. Designers and innovators are working day and night to enhance your biking experience and make it more practical.
The above innovations paint a slight picture of what you can expect from bikes of the future!