Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Bike of the future

It will count calories as you pedal, play music and use a solar-powered motor when you get tired - welcome to the commuter bike of the future.
Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman was today unveiling a design that he believes will be an everyday product within 20 years. The 40-year-old said the technology was already available, it just needed the will to put it all together.
The new bike includes an inbuilt computer system incorporating an 'unbreakable' locking device that allows only the owner to open it via fingerprint recognition
A mini computer on the handlebars counts the calories the cyclist is burning by monitoring each turn of the pedals.
Spoke-less wheels make the bike more aerodynamic while the tires will be puncture-proof with self-inflating tires.
Owners of the bike, which is still being designed, won't even always have to pedal - a battery-assisted motor run by solar panels takes over if they get tired.
Plus the frame is made of carbon fiber, making the bike strong and lightweight.
Boardman, who led a research team for British Cycling in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics, said the bike would not be 'financially feasible' for 20 years.
However, the 1992 Olympic gold medalist for the four-kilometer pursuit added: 'It could be built now if there was a will. All the technologies are already there, it's just that nobody's put them all together before.'
Tom Bogdanowicz, campaign manager at London Cycling Campaign, said: 'Some of the ideas behind this bike are clearly things cyclists want. But it really needs to be affordable.'
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