News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on After Misjudging Market, Bike Maker Vanhawks (YC W16) Has Been Resurrected. Parent comment

Re:After Misjudging Market, Bike Maker Vanhawks (YC W16) Has... by davidvanhawks on Friday May 26, 2017 @02:41PM (#14426229)
David from Vanhawks here - why do you need a connected bike? Maybe you don't. But, I sure like riding one. We are aiming to make commuting safer and more comfortable for riders. A big part of that approach is to remove distractions to the greatest extent that we can. Unlike strapping a device on to the handle bars, you can simply open the app, lock your phone and put it away. The ride recording starts and stops automatically and, your turn by turn directions are given through easy to follow light signals from the handle bar. Basically, we want you to keep your eyes on the road and not on your device.

The Valour also records a much more rich set of data that we will be using to inform cycling directions in the future. Most apps or devices record speed, time, distance, etc. We're recording much more.

I get what you are saying though - I have a Garmin that I use with multiple road bikes on country roads during the weekend. There, it is much easier to glance down to see how many watts I'm producing or switch screens to check my vertical metres per hour. However, when I'm riding across town to the office, I have a very different set of concerns.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:After Misjudging Market, Bike Maker Vanhawks (YC W16) Has... by thom_nic on Friday May 26, 2017 @03:26PM (#14426527)
Seems what you describe could be done through a BLE accessory that straps to the handlebar or at most an aftermarket handlebar with LEDs/sensors integrated, which talks to a phone app.

I'm part of the "athlete" market segment who is happy spending $2k on a "dumb" road bike and I also commuted on that dumb bike every day through the city.

The same applies to a power meter - if I want to know my watts I'd rather buy a PowerTap hub or crank and put it on the bike I want rather than having to buy a whole bike with it permanently integrated.

I wonder if, instead of building the whole bicycle you couldn't do great things by building awesome aftermarket components (e.g. try to be Anker, not Apple.)

That said, I know it's easy to be a naysayer, and I wish anyone who's working to innovate the cycling industry all the best! (Lots of <3 to Strava, Garmin & Di2)

[ Parent | on HN ]