SivaCycle

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  • Siva Cycle Atom bike-powered battery charger eyes-on (video)

    by 
    Brian Heater
    Brian Heater
    05.01.2013

    It was just about a week ago that we first told you about Siva Cycle's Atom, a pedal-powered battery charger that's currently taking Kickstarter by storm, healthily surpassing its $85,000 goal, with 21 days to spare. Lo and behold, the kinetic peripheral popped up on the Hardware Alley floor at TechCrunch Disrupt, here in NYC. Actually trying the thing out is a bit much to ask in the crowded Manhattan Center, but the company was nice enough to demo the device with a little good old-fashioned hand power. The system is pretty minimally invasive, from the looks of it. The removable battery pack sits next to the rear wheel axle, and there's also a USB port just below the seat for charging devices more directly. Get in early, and you'll be able to pick the system up for $85. Not convinced? Check out the company's plea in a video just after the break.%Gallery-187326%

  • Siva Cycle Atom charges USB devices with a pedal-powered battery pack (video)

    by 
    Jon Fingas
    Jon Fingas
    04.24.2013

    Bicycle-powered generators aren't new concepts by any stretch, but they frequently generate AC power and sometimes can't charge at all when the pedaling stops. Siva Cycle doesn't think either limitation is very helpful for powering a smartphone during the daily commute, so it's launching the Atom generator to keep the energy flowing smoothly. The rear-wheel unit puts out power regulated to match its USB port, and it includes a detachable 1,300mAh lithium polymer battery that can follow riders long after they've parked. Moreover, the Atom is unintrusive -- it slips on after releasing the rear wheel, and it's diminutive enough to minimize drag. As is often the case these days, the catch is getting the product to market. Siva Cycle wants to crowdfund $85,000 to make the Atom's November release target, and supporters will need to plunk down at least $85 to receive a generator, if its fundraising goes smoothly. When the company plans to donate one Atom to the needy for every ten it sells, however, the pledge is for a good cause -- and it might be the key to having a usable device charge after a bike ride home.