Electric vehicles are all the rage, with people queuing up and begging for their chance to get a Tesla, be it their sporty Model S or the low-cost Model 3. With companies even looking at giving people their own electric planes, what else could you give electric power to instead of petrol? If you wanted to save on your energy and not petrol you could always look at an electric bike. If you are one of the many who already owns a bike but love the idea, you might want to check out the GeoOrbital wheel, an idea that’s on Kickstarter that could turn any bike into an electric bike in just a few moments.
The Kickstarter has 35 days left to go but has already smashed its goal of $75,000, with a grand support (at the time of writing) of $639,000. So why are people interested in the idea? Well unlike traditional wheels for electric bikes, GeoOrbital looks to draw inspiration from a very unlikely source, the wheels on Tron Motorcycles.
With two sizes to help cover thousands of bike models, the GeoOrbital looks to replace users front wheels with a 500W motor-powered wheel that can get you to 20 miles per hour in 6 seconds, meaning you will no longer have to pedal your legs crazy to get anywhere fast. With a pedal assisted range of 50 miles per battery charge (30 miles if you use the smaller 26-inch wheel), or just 20 miles without pedaling, that little extra effort can really get you going.
At $699 to get a wheel, you need to be prepared to pay for your part in the Kickstarter which is estimated for delivery in November this year. With so many people backing the project, there certainly seems to be a future for converting your old bike into something with a small electrical boost.
