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DIY Bicycle Rigged to Charge USB Devices While Riders Cruise

by Caleb Johnson on July 14, 2010 at 06:20 PM

Bicycle powers USB devices.
With so many geeks riding bicycles, it was only a matter of time until the two-wheeled mode of transportation would get wired. An Instructables.com user recently posted a set of DIY instructions that demonstrates how to rig a bike to power USB devices. The user took a regular USB car adapter, and connected it to a voltage regulator, which leads to a stepper motor mounted near the bike's rear wheel. When the rider pedals, the motor delivers a steady 5-volts of electricity to the adapter, which -- with a 70-percent rate of efficiency -- can power or charge an iPod or any other device with a USB port.

While this invention gets kudos for being environmentally friendly, the eco-benefits may be outweighed by the distractions it creates. After all, bikers are notorious for darting in front of traffic and scraping past pedestrians. We shudder to think of the mayhem created when he or she frantically pedals in an effort to keep a device charged. [From: Instructables, via: PSFK]

Tags: bicycle, bike, BikeRiding, diy, electricity, Energy, green, greentech, KineticEnergy, top, transportation, usb

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