Daymak Shadow Ebike: The First Wirelessly-Controlled Electric Bicycle

While last year I was planning to retrofit my mountain bike into an electric version, this year I’m seeing a more advanced technology that distances what I wanted to do then to this like the difference between an iPad and a 5 year-old barcode reader. Meet the future wireless electric bike from Daymak…

No brake cables, to gear cables, nothing at all, except for some 2.4 GHz emitters and receivers, a gadgetized front wheel and regenerative braking. You all know what that is, I presume… it’s recharging the batteries when you brake, by switching the DC motor’s function to reverse.

A central Daymak Drive controller mounted inside the front wheel sends proper commands to the brakes and the motor. The 360W Li-Ion batteries are also placed inside the wheel’s cover to power the 250 to 350 W motor.

The wireless transmission system uses frequency hopping, so there can’t be any interference with any other wireless devices, and the vehicle has its own unique code, recognized by its own software, in case of an eventual intrusion/interference. It even has a USB port for charging your various devices and a LED indicator for the battery. They’ll even include smartphone and PC communication features in the future (some cameras, automatic running programs and a GPS would be nice to have).

You will be able to recharge your electric Daymak bicycle in 4 to 5 hours, and that will last for about 25 to 30 miles. The range can be extended, though, if you help the batteries by hitting the pedals yourself and making some move (that’s the idea behind driving a bike after all, isn’t it?)

Oh, and one more thing… it’s been called “the Shadow Ebike“. I wonder why they called it that way, since in my opinion it’s cleaner and quieter to get from point A to point B only by your muscles alone. The only case where such a bike would be truly useful would be when you really exchange it for a car, as a cheaper version… if the price tag of $1,999 is what you consider cheap.

Now, as a geek-born creature, I’m beginning to think how I could patch my old bike with such technology… hmm… The only thing I wonder is when you brake, what kind of feedback do you have from the system?

Otherwise, the Shadow Ebike from Daymak is ultra-nice. You’ll be able to get it starting April 30.

[via gizmodo]