Re:FlyKly Smart Wheel
by egonschiele on Thursday October 17, 2013 @12:43AM
(#6563719)
It also seems to be four times the price? That's what's listed here[1]. Either way, could you describe your experience? What do you use it for, and is it worth the expense? I'm wary of electric bikes because they are expensive, heavy, and let you exercise less.
Point (b), since the connection is via bluetooth, it doesn't have to sit on the handle bar, you could just put it in your pocket. I think it is just for ease of access and view. The mount does have straps it says, to buckle it down in rougher terrain.
[0] http://www.bionxinternational.com/bionx-international-north-...
Edit: the big differences would be (a) this has the battery integral to the hub, where the BionX uses a separate battery pack; and (b) that this communicates to its controller -- your phone -- wirelessly, where the BionX console[1] connects with a wire.
IMO as owner of a BionX-equipped bike, I'm dubious about whether either difference is a positive one. For (a), the in-hub battery is clearly size-limited, can't be removed from the bike for charging indoors, and would be harder to replace.
As for (b), is it really a good idea to require a smartphone to be attached to your handlebars whenever you ride? That's not an easy environment, it has a lot of vibration as well as exposure to water, dust, and sweat. A minor point, the BionX dedicated controller has an optional thumb operated throttle lever for proportional control when you don't want to pedal, and it's hard to see how that could work with a smartphone.
[1]http://www.bionxinternational.com/bionx-international-north-...