World's First Hubless Smart Bicycle - Electronic E-Gear Box - Fully Integrated - Space Grade Carbon Fiber - iPhone & Android App
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110
backers
€134,206
pledged of €50,000 goal
This project will be funded on .
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World's First Hubless Smart Bicycle - Electronic E-Gear Box - Fully Integrated - Space Grade Carbon Fiber - iPhone & Android App
About this project
STOP! - Please take your time and read through all the features of this groundbreaking vehicle. We know there are a lot, please ask if you don't understand. Also take a look at the FAQ & Updates for the project.
THE CYCLOTRON BIKE - MEDIA FEATURES
The Cyclotron - The Future of Cycling
You won't see anything similar to this from another manufacturer on this planet. After more than 3 years of extensive & highly confidential development and testing, the Cyclotron is the next big step in bicycle evolution. From this point on, regular bicycles will appear like nostalgic collector's items, we believe the Cyclotron is: "The Future of Cycling".
All areas of our life are progressing and evolving very fast, new inventions appear literally every day, outdating the ones from yesterday. But looking at bicycles, they haven't evolved with nearly comparable speed within the last decades.
That's why we've created the world's most advanced and versatile Smart Bike. The Cyclotron is fully connected, packed with tons of innovative features and controlled by the powerful Cyclo-App.
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The Features - Revolutionary Design & Unmatched Functionality
We believe a bicycle as a "utility" that should enable you to reach your goals. Wheather it is to get your groceries, taking your kids to the playground or simply having fun riding it.
To handle these different "tasks" we made the Cyclotron the most versatile and technically advanced bike available today. During the last years working on the Cyclotron project, we've developed a great number of ideas and solutions that make this bike truly unique. We're currently closer checking on more than 15 patents that we'll plan to file for. The Cyclotron is innovative power at it's best.
Spokeless Wheels & Utility Slots
The Cyclotron is equipped with two spokeless wheels, it is the world's first commercially available bike using this technology.
- Space for "Utility Slots" within both wheels
- Improved aerodynamics (fully integrated brakes)
- Airless tires (solid polymer, last +6,000 mi)
- Integrated mud guards
Internal E-Gear Box & Encapsulated Drive Train
- Super fast shifts in < 0.2 seconds
- Up & Downshifts under load and while standing still
- E-Gear Box model with full electronic shifting (like a mouse click)
Integrated Smart Lights & Li-Ion Battery
All lights of the Cyclotron Bike are toggled by the Automatic Light Sensor, that switches them on/off according to the current daylight situation. This tremendously enhances your visibility when riding in traffic or on roads with no public street lighting.
The Self charging Li-Ion Battery Pack powers the Cyclotrons lights for more than 8 hours without engaging the internal dynamo. The Cyclo-App notifies you when battery is low, so you'll never run out of power.
The Battery is located inside the seatpost and can easily be removed for additional charging with the optional Cyclo-Charger at any wall socket.
Powerful Cyclotron App & Sensors
- Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) Sensors
- Real-time cycling data for every ride
- In-App Navigation
- Track & Train with Cyclo-Coach (*)
- Autonomous accident & emergency reporting service (**)
- Theft Prevention & GPS Bike Finder (**)
( * = free 1 year subscription with every cyclotron // later regular price: 10€/month, 25€/3months, 80€/year)
( ** = optional service: 3€/month, 8€/3months, 25€/year)
The Mission - World's most advanced and versatile Smart Bike
The Cyclotron Bike is it's own small universe, where technology and creative minded people can form a unique experience for every rider. It's an open source Smart Bike Platform, that everybody can connect and contribute to, to improve the Cyclotron Universe with each day.
In order to create the foundation for the "Cyclo-Verse" we had to overcome the boundaries of conventional bikes and tear down some walls.
This is were we started our work more than 3 years ago. We quickly noticed that the possibilities for improvement were quite limited, when sticking with the "regular" bicycle platform. We questioned every aspect of the "Motion on two wheels" and investigated the latest high-tech materials and production methods from many other kinds of vehicles, by sea, land & air.
Materials and production methods have rapidly evolved within the last decade. Whenever speed & performance is an relevant issue, we always encountered the extensive use of carbon fiber in these constructions.
The Frame - Space Grade Carbon Fiber Monocoque Construction
The Cyclotron Bike is made of Space Grade Carbon Fiber Composite, wich makes it rigid, stiff & ultra lightweight at the same time.
While sorting out the optimal production process for the Cyclotron Monocoque Frame, we did a lot of testing on material properties and identified that we could achieve the stiffest most lightweight and durable construction with a "Carbon Fiber Sandwich".
To achieve a true Space Grade Composite Construction we combined two layers of carbon fiber with an ultra lightweight core structure. This way we can use fewer layers of carbon fiber and less resin, without impairing stability.
Advanced aerodynamic frame shape
But we didn't stop with a light construction. To minimize air resistance, drag & turbulences, we use aerodynamic wing-shaped tube profiles. They literally "slice" through the air like a knife, when you go fast.
The tube shapes of the Cyclotron frame are a combination of Ultralight Glider Planes with the edgy lines of Stealth Jets. Paired with the advanced carbon fiber frame construction, the Cyclotron is lightyears ahead of any conventional bicycle available today.
Frame Sizes
The Cyclotron is available in three different frame sizes: S, M, L for you to chose from.
When you're right in between two sizes, you can choose weather you like a more agile or comfort oriented bike, by chosing the smaller or larger frame size.
Fully Integrated - No Cables, No Wires, No External Components
The Cyclotron is the world's first fully integrated bike. Yes, many other manufacturers claim their bicycles also to be fully integrated, but they can't manage to integrate the drivetrain components, like the chain and derailleur into the frame.
With the groundbreaking construction of the Cyclotron we managed to integrate literally everything. All wires and cables run inside the frame, which also results in tremendous enhanced aerodynamics, no more dirt exposure and a clean and uncluttered overall look.
NO brake cables, No shifting cables, No light cables.
We even managed to integrate the modified caliper brakes to be completely concealed within the hubless wheel housing, but still being accessible for ease of maintenance.
One Bike - Two Riding Styles
The Cyclotron Bike features two different riding styles. SPORT - A very streamlined and low-profile one for optimal speed and performance. COMFORT - A more relaxed and upright one for cruising and better comfort.
This gives you the choice of two different bicycles to pick from at any time. Just two small adjustments change the entire seating geometry of your Cyclotron bike. Just flip the bars and lower the seating height! It's really that easy.
THE USM's - Utility Slot Modules
One of the big advantages of the Cyclotron's hubless wheels is the usable space that they offer. Instead of having just "swirled air" between your wheels, you can add different USM's (Utility Slot Modules) to your bike. The USM's are tool-less attached to the inside of your front or back wheel within seconds.
The Utility Modules can securely be locked inside the hubless wheel, when not needed, you can easily store them away, so you're not riding around with some unnecessary weight on your Cyclotron.
From the launch you can choose from four USM's. Within our Stretch Goals three more modules can be unlocked. You can order multiple modules together with your Cyclotron Bike by simply adding the amount to your pledge.
These USM's (Utility Slot Modules) are available for the Kickstarter launch:
The Polygon Basket - The simplest way to add stowage (+ 49 €)
The polygon basket is made from composite fiber and is both: lightweight and durable. The dimensions are perfectly balanced, so you'll have a maximum space for stowage without getting too heavy when fully loaded.
Within one Polygon Basket you'll get enough space so stow two large grocery bags or two 6-packs of water. If you mount them in both wheels it equals 24(!) bottles of water, and you still have some space left in between.
The Butterfly Basket - The most elegant stowage that can fold away (+ 89 €)
Like the Polygon basket the Butterfly Basket is also light and durable. The amazing feature is, that it can be completely folded away, to a slim disk of just 2cm thickness when not needed.
Please Note: The front and back end of the Butterfly basket will be closed by a flexible mesh, that doesn't interfere with the folding mechanism and keeps your belongings inside the basket.
The Wingman - Innovative child seat system (+ 399 €)
The Wingman is a groundbreaking child seat system that is fixed to the back wheel of the Cyclotron. You can choose weather you like to mount it on the left, the right or even on both sides of the Bike.
When your children are still too young to pedal for themselves, it has always been a problem taking them with you for a ride. As most of the Cyclotron team has kids, they encounter this problem, too.
The "easy-to-attach-quickly-removed" solutions are often insecure & sketchy and don't give you the confidence of having your child safely secured. On the other hand, safe and properly attached seats require a lot of time to mount and can't be removed easily when not needed. In most cases they're also quite heavy, bulky and hard to stow away when space is limited.
The Wingman Seat will come with independent safety test certificate, comparable to European "GS" and "TÜV", to ensure it meets the highest safety standards.
The seat is adjustable so it can fit your child from the age of 2-8 years. Underneath the seat there is a large additional stowage space, that compensates for not being able to put any Basket USM inside the back wheel, while having the Wingman attached to your Bike.
There there are many more modules to come after we shipped your Kickstarter orders. We've already gathered tons of ideas for a lot of cool & practical USM's, and we hope that also the Cyclotron Community will come up with amazing ideas themselves.
The USM Maker Store - Create your groundbreaking Utility Modules
The USM Maker Store is a place where you let your ideas for revolutionary USM's come true. Everything is possible, from 3D printed wind power generators to salmon leather messenger bags. You decide wheather to manufacture & ship by yourself, or hand the business to us.
We believe, that riders know best what riders need. So we'd like to encourage the whole community to develop their own "Utility Slot Modules" to make the Cyclotron Bike a continuously evolving organism that perfectly adapts to your lifestyle.
If you have a truly great, but yet unfinished concept of your USM, you also could team up with other makers to finish the remaining work together. These small groups can sell their USM's as a "Maker-Group" and share the earnings. This is another way, to get your idea in front of the community, too.
The Decals - Individual Vinyl Art Pieces for your Cyclotron Bike
We believe the Cyclotron not just to be a technical revolution of gears and bolts, but also a platform for visual art & creativity. (Decal Sets starting at 49€)
The Decals for your Cyclotron Bike are printed on ultra durable outdoor vinyl, so they'll last for years. They're self-adhessive, very easy to apply and removable without any residues. We use the same quality of vinyl, that is used in professional car-wraping and facade advertising.
We'll launch The Decal Creator Store, so everybody can create their very own and individual look for the Cyclotron. You can easily choose an existing design, or create your own throughout the online editor. Just upload your artwork and we'll print & ship your quality vinyl decals in no time.
If you like to share your design with the community, you can even sell it within the Creator Store, and make other riders happy. With a few easy steps you can turn your bike into a "Rolling Art Piece" that reflects your personal style and is highly individual.
The Gear Box - We unchained the Bicycle
One of the biggest problems of regular bicycles we solved, is the exposed and vulnerable power transmission from the pedals to the rear wheel via a metal bike chain and gears.
The oily chain and gears are mandatory "collecting" dust & dirt from the road, which reduces the efficiency of power transmission with every ride.
Also the shifting components of a regular Bike, like the derailleur and transmission cables are easy prey for dirt and damage. On a regular bicycle, they have to be serviced, greased & re-adjusted frequently.
We choose to equip the Cyclotron with a Sequential Gear Box, that is the latest development for bicycle power transmission available on the market today.
That results in NO MORE exposed mechanical components and VERY LITTLE need for maintenance. We recommend changing gear oil only every 10.000km / 6300mi or at least once a year. You don't need to be a bike technician, there are just two screws that need to be removed.
We offer the Cyclotron Bike with tree different Gear Box Setups:
In this video you can see how easy shifting is with the 18-Speed electronic E-Gear Box. The shifting process is accomplished by a high precision step motor in less than 0.2 seconds. The paddle shifters operate with the ease of a simple mouse click.
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The Cyclotrons gear box offers up to 18 "Real Gears", wich means that they could be used without reducing efficiency. A classic 3x10 derailleur system offers, due to chain skew and overlap, only up to 15 gears.
The Cyclo App - Take Control
The Cyclotron App syncs seamless with all integrated on-board sensors of your Bike. The data for each ride is displayed in real-time and is automatically being saved to your Cyclo-Log.
But we don't want the Cyclotron App to be "just a nice display" on your handle bars, this is why we made it really smart. It continually learns from your habits and adjusts accordingly.
The App analyzes your rides and after a short learning phase it assists you with:
- Suggestions for optimal Gear Selection (Mechanical Gear Box)
- Fully Automatic Up- & Downshifts (only with E-Gear)
- Smart Battery Charging & Dynamo automatic engage/disengage
The Sensors - Track your rides in real time
Your Cyclotron is loaded with more than 10 Sensors that operate on Bluetooth Smart / LE standard. All relevant cycling data is displayed within the Cyclo-App while you ride, and will automatically be saved for later reviewing or sharing.
While other people need to spend hundreds of Dollars for aftermarket Sensors, that have to be installed with lots of wires & mounts on the exterior of the bike's frame, the Cyclotron comes with pre-installed & fully integrated Sensors.
The Smart Cyclo-Coach - Get the most out of every ride
Every Backer on Kickstarter receives a 1 year Cyclo Smart Coach subscription for free with th Cyclotron bike.
If you like to challenge yourself and take your riding abilities to a whole new level, then there is no better way to train than with the Cyclo Smart Coach. Track your rides with the App and master the challenges the coach throws at you.
The smart coach analyzes your riding abilities and adapts the training to your individual fitness level. At the end of each week you can give the coach a feedback weather the number of workouts and intensity was manageable.
The Quality - Warranty & Returns
We believe in the quality of the Cyclotron, so we're offering our customers an extensive warranty.
- 3 year Warranty
- Lifetime Frame Warranty
- Free replacement in case of theft (*) (**)
- 10 days return (*)
( * = costs for shipping not included)
( ** = mandatory subscription "Theft Prevention & GPS Bike Finder")
The Demo Days - Test-ride the Cyclotron
To further ensure that our backers don't need to buy "a pig in a poke", we'll host the Cyclotron Demo Days for everyone that likes to test-ride the bike prior to deciding about the frame size, color or wich USM to order.
We understand, that the Cyclotron is a highly innovative bike and can't be compared to anything currently available on the market.
You'll be able to modify your initial order right on the spot, to make sure you'll be happy with your Cyclotron Bike.
If your test ride will not 100% convince you, we'll refund you on the same day. With no questions asked! (via Kickstarter or Paypal)
Why Kickstarter - We want you!
By concepting the Cyclotron as an "Open Source Smart Cycle Platform", we believe that riders know best what riders need. We like the community to evolve together with the bike and on the other hand, help evolving the Bike with their ideas and creativity.
We've already secured more than 1.5 million Euros in funding, plus our own funds we've put up. This money is for taking on the last technical tweaks on the Bike and the App/Web development. The pledges we collect on Kickstarter are solely used for production of the final Cyclotron Bikes.
The Cyclotron Platform should work like a perfect "Cycle", where the inspiration from riders, makers and digital creatives merge and create a better experience for everyone. We're also looking forward on hopefully a whole bunch of feedback & inspiration from our backers during and after the campaign. This is why crowdfunding our project on Kickstarter is the perfect way to start.
The Stretch Goals - Let's go for it
The stretch goals marked as "Free" will be added free of charge to the Cyclotron Bike, the "Unlocked" goals are optional for you to chose and require additional payment (increase of pledge amount).
LET'S GO FOR IT!
Unlocked Goals:
- 55,000€: Free RGB LED Halo Lights: Programmable RGB Halo Rim Lights, choose any color you like and adjust the brightness via the Cyclo-App. LED Light color can also be linked to: Speed, cadence or power.
- 60,000€: Charge your bikes battery with the Solaris USM. This drop-in solar panel charges your battery in no time, even when you don't ride and just hang out on a sunny day in the park.
- 70,000€: A FREE Set of Vinyl Decals ships with every Cyclotron Bike.
- 75,000€: The Messenger USM is a slim and sleek to carry your laptop, tablets when heading to the office.
- 80,000€: Every Cyclotron bike ships with a FREE aero bottle cage + aero bottle.
- 85,000€: Tandem Mount feature integration FREE for the every Cyclotron Bike. The front fork can be attached to the back wheel of a second Cyclotron to get an articulated tandem bike.
- 90,000€: Turn Signals feature for FREE. Use your Halo Lights to indicate where you're heading and increase your safety in road traffic.
- 100,000€: Drop-in E-Motor USM unlocked. (for technical specifications please see FAQ)
The Timeline - What's next
We set up a realistic time frame for the Cyclotron project, so we could handle even unforeseen events without running late with the fulfillment to our backers.
The Team - The Creators
Idea / Design - Sina Deuker (France)
She created the initial concept / idea of the Cyclotron Bike and the Utility Modules. As a former triathlete Sina truly appreciates innovations in cycling & sports. Inspired by the many concept cycles encountered on design blogs, she decided to gather a team to bring the bike of the future to life.
Engineering - Patrick Herrmann (Germany)
A carbon fiber expert that has a strong love for lightweight & fast vehicles. As a student at RWTH Aachen he already helped build an ultralight glider plane with his classmates. The past years he has worked with an automotive concept design team on an electric car. He is supervising the design and development of the advanced CFC Frame & E-Gearbox of the Cyclotron.
App Dev - Javid "Jows" Ahmadi (Germany)
Former Fin-Tech developer, these days IT-Consultant for German Commerzbank. At Cyclotron he'll lead the development of the UI and the SaaS components. He recently took a sabbatical with his family in Central & South America.
Web Dev - Jost Dekker (Netherlands)
He is the guy supervising the setup of the storefronts and e-commerce sections of the Cyclo Stores. Jost gained most of his experience from working for furniture manufacturer Ikea, where he helped developing the web shop and kitchen editor.
Sourcing - Richard Frings (China)
Richard worked several years within the automotive industry at Toyota Motor Corporation and Tata Motors. Eight years ago he co-founded a sourcing agency to match manufacturers from Europe and suppliers from Asia. After he retired he joined the Cyclotron Team with his impressive knowledge and experience.
QC - Huan Xiong (China)
Huan has been working at Richards agency as Head of Quality Control for three years. She has extensive knowledge of a wide range of trustworthy suppliers all over Asia and is currently a sourcing agent in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Special thanks go to Zack Hemsey (Creator of "Mind Heist") for the amazing soundtrack of our campaign video.
Please help us and spread the word about the Cyclotron project!
Please share the Cyclotron Project with all of your friends and make sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Risks and challenges
The Cyclotron Team has successfully been working together for more than three years now and everyone is truly dedicated to the project. We've carefully picked our partners, always looking for the most reliable and long term collaboration and not just the cheapest quote.
Our partners for production and fulfillment have decades of experience and can adapt to small and large order quantities.
In any case we'll keep our backers informed & updated with all the latest infos & developments of the project. Our commitment is to deliver in time and exceed your expectations with the quality and performance of the Cyclotron.
FAQ
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No, they work out well.
There are multiple examples of hubless / spokeless wheels, in many different applications, available already. Please check out:- The GeoOrbital bicycle electric wheel (recently funded on Kickstarter)
- The SkateCycle (hubless skateboard)
- The AirWheel (e-bike monowheel)
- Black Hole Wear & Tear (hubless bicycle front wheel/fork)
- ...The companies mentioned above will be amused that they use "impossible" technical solutions on their products.
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No, definitely not. The Cyclotron Bike shown within the campaign is not the final quality of what you'll get for your pledge. It will be much more refined and will have a perfect surface finish. So if you see any dents or unrefined surfaces, they will not appear like this on the final bikes.
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No, as you perhaps might know Kickstarter does not allow any photorealistic Renderings within the campaign. We've recently added daylight photos without any editing, please check them out.
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Yes and No, we did not equip the bike with an internal e-motor. BUT there will be a tool-less "drop-in" USM E-Motor, that can be mounted inside the wheels.
So you could not just decide if you like to ride an E-Bike or not, but also if you like to power the front, rear or both wheels. -
This is easy: EVERYTHING but the brake pads and the tires. Plus, you got the Cyclotron frame covered by our Lifetime Frame Warranty.
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Yes, If you're not 100% satisfied with your Cyclotron bike you can return it, no questions asked.
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No, absolutely not. We've done the math before putting the Cyclotron on Kickstarter.
As already mentioned within the campaign, we already have additional funding for the hard- & software development, neccessary. We've secured over 1.5 millions in funding.
The pledges collected here on Kickstarter are SOLELY for covering the manufacturing costs for the bikes. -
This will be announced shortly after the campaign has ended. We want to reach out to as many of our backers as possible, to test ride the Cyclotron. So we'll host the Demo Days within the areas where most of our backers live.
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The pledges will NOT BE USED for any development, as this will be covered by the additional funding we've already secured. All pledges stay untouched until we're ready for final production.
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Yes, on the final bikes we'll deliver to our backers, there will be a fully integrated kickstand that snaps flush into the frame.
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E-Motor technical specifications:
- 36V 10Ah Li-ion battery (we'll offer batteries with higher capacity as upgrade)
- 36V 500W brushless DC motor
- 2h recharge time
- Speed without pedaling: 20 miles/hour
- Range without pedaling: 30 miles
- Weight: 13 pounds
- Installation is completely toolless ("drop-in" like the baskets) in less than 20 seconds.- Price: 399€ / motor
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Yes, we'll offer a range of accessories for the Cyclotron through our online shop, ranging from backpacks to bike bells. You can also order spares like tires or braking pads there.
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Yes, of course you can and it is no more complicated than on any regular bicycle.
There are just 4 screws that need to be removed, then you can access the rim/tire.
Replacing one tire takes about 20 minutes.
Spare tires will be available for order through our website for 89€ / set.