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Bicycle-Powered!

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Pedal-Propulsion For Perpetual Power

 

As people work to develop sustainable forms of energy, one fun development has been the rise in bicycle-powered generators and appliances.  Drawing on the ready supply of human energy, these devices let the spinning wheels of bike riding produce electricity.

Bicycles have been adapted to power larger batteries, lights, computers, televisions and the number one use for bicycle-power:  the bicycle-powered blender!  With the rising costs for fuel and electricity, pedal power makes more and more sense, so please take a look!

Pedal Power 

Motorola rolls out bicycle-powered cellphone charger at electronics expo
Motorola Inc. will release a new, bicycle-powered cellphone charger aimed at Third World residents who lack regular household power supplies.
MAKE: Blog: Bicycle-powered blueberry winnower
Blueberry rakers merrily pedaling old bicycles that powered even-older machines used to clean the fruit. Like many good ideas, Shana Hanson's bicycle-powered blueberry winnowers had their roots in calamity...
Bicycle Powered Chocolate!
Choco Sol is a chocolate shop for very serious people. Its owners don't want customers who are just seeking hot chocolate, they want to serve people who want to understand where the cocoa beans come from, and minimize the ecological footprint a chunk of candy leaves behind.
Kipahulu bicycle powered smoothie
A little roadside stand in Kipahulu sells fruit and smoothies. There's no electricity here, so the refrigerator runs by propane and the coffee maker by solar. The blender for smoothies is bicycle-powered.
Human Powered Tools for the Fun-Fueled Future
World's finest in bicycle blending. Why a bike blender? Because human beings love human power! Make sustainable smoothies energy saving soups grind coffee and make permaculture peanut butter
The knife-sharpening bicycle
Peter Kahugu of Banana Hill just outside Nairobi makes a living using his bicycle. And no, he is not a professional cyclist.
Handpresso - Produits - Wild
Easily prepare a tasty espresso with a perfect crema... using a bicycle pump!
Saving the World One Tennis Ball at a Time
Created for the Specialized Innovate-or-Die Contest, By Daniel Bauen and Dino Mantri

The Nuts and Bolts of a Bicycle Generator 

These are the major components that let you build your own bicycle generator. There are many links further down this lens to various methods and applications.

The Bicycle-Powered Blender and Beyond! 

check out this fantastic bicycle-powered appliances

There seems to be something special in the relationship between bicycles and blenders. The two seem to go great together and the sight of a bicycled-powered blender is much more common at gatherings and festivals. But you can run much more than a blender with a bicycle. Take a look at amusement park rides, sewing machines and more!

Bicycle-Powered Blender by DenaliAlaska

Goldstream Sports brought a bicycle-powered blender to clucking blossom.

bicycle powered blender by revertebrate

bicycle powered blender by revertebrate

bicycle powered smoothie maker by Nada*

bicycle powered smoothie maker by Nada

Road back from Hana - Bicycle powered blender by Omega Man

Road back from Hana - Bicycle powered blender

Sam Adams-blending by Bike-junkie

How often do you see a politician making smoothies with a bicycle-powered blende...

Team Smoothie by siskiyoulaura

(We don't need no stinkin' electricity.)

A bicycle-powered sewing machine by eakspeasy

A bicycle-powered sewing machine

Bicycle Powered Ride by Ashton Brown

Bicycle Powered Ride

knife sharpener by mantella

bicycle powered sharpening stone.

Jamming with Gabe's setup under human power! by Rock The Bike

We hooked up Gabe's bike to a B3 with Nate's prototype human power briefcase.

Bike-powered billboard by richardmasoner

Bike-powered billboard

Harrison perches on the bicycle-powered raft by everyday_i_live

the bicycle-powered raft

Bicycle-Generator Resources 

bike designs and conversions

Bicycle Powered Generator
Because bikes are made in a range of sizes to match their rider's stature I wanted to build the generator as an accessory which could be driven by any ordinary bicycle.
Bicycle experiment
OTHERPOWER.COM - A resource of information and materials for alternative power sources
Bicycle-Powered Machines
The project that is now called Maya Pedal was started by PEDAL, in Vancouver, who handed most of the responsibility over to local organizations in 2001. They use donated bicycles that are shipped from organizations in the U.S. and add steel, concrete, old tires, used car parts, wood and rope as needed to transform the bicycles into productive, environmentally friendly tools.
Bicycle-Powered Pontoon Boat
Since the vessel will be traveling primarily downstream distances of not more than 25 miles per day, normal propulsion requirements are minimal. A bicycle-powered propulsion system will produce enough headway to provide adequate steerage for the vessel under normal cirucumstances.
open...: Bicycle-Powered GNU/Linux System
I must confess my initial scepticism to the One Laptop Per Child project...[but then I discovered] the Inveneo Communication System. It uses GNU/Linux (of course), and draws as little as 12 Watts of power, which can be supplied by sun, wind or bicycle.
An Ingenious Bicycle-Powered Computer Ends Isolation of Laos Villagers: International Development Research Centre
On February 13th, a remote village in Laos without electricity or telephone lines will be hooked up to the Internet. For the first time ever, a bicycle-powered computer will relay a signal to the Internet via wireless antennae mounted on tree tops, water towers, and roofs. This ingenious new technology is possible thanks to the Jhai Foundation and its partners.
Bicycle Powered Computer
Recharge this battery-run computer on bicycle! News and Information about Bicycle Pedal Power from April 2006.
The Pedal-A-Watt Stationary Bicycle Generator.
Want to charge your Cell Phone, iPod, Blackberry, Garmin GPS, any GPS or any other device that you can plug into your car's cigarette lighter plug?
David Butcher: Pedal Powered Generator - DIY Plans
Curious about Human Power? Need some exercise? Looking to lose weight? Need inspiration? Researching technical information? Expensive gasoline making you nuts? You have come to the right place.

Videos of the Bicycle-Powered Present 

what people are doing with bikes to generate electricity


Bicycle Powered PC

Runtime: 1:19
3661 views
10 Comments:


Bicycle Generator (1)

Runtime: 1:30
5393 views
9 Comments:


Pedal-powered guitar amp

Runtime: 1:51
2970 views
8 Comments:


Fender Blender in Action

Runtime: 1:02
4334 views
9 Comments:


Pedal Power Bicycle Generator on Ellen Degeneres Green

Runtime: 2:05
17965 views
10 Comments:


bike generator in the gallery

Runtime: 7:14
262 views
0 Comments:

Bicycle-Powered Blogs 

Xtracycle says: “bicycle-powered margarita blender, anyone?”
For the elephant who has everything, courtesy our good friends at xtracycle (look for the review in our Autumn issue).
Bicycle powered inter-library loan in Iowa
Quoted in its entirety from Regents University Library News, Iowa Library Association:. ILL Goes Green in an Iowa University Town. The Ames Public Library (APL), IA, and the Iowa State University (ISU) Library are only about two miles ...
Bicycle powered water pumps and filtration systems
Note: this article is part of this week's EcoWorldly cycling series: Cycling and its importance in countries around the world. As a writer on global writer issues, I wasn't quite sure what to do when my writing colleagues at EcoWorldly ...
Design Notes for Low-Cost Bicycle-Powered Devices
The Wheel Deal a bicycle powered water pump * MIT Faculty Newsletter (bicycle powered devices) * Bicycle Ambulance: Details * Bicycle Powered Water Pump * WorldBike.org Bikes that Haul, for All * Freight bicycle - Wikipedia, the free ...

I Get Bicycle With A Little Help From My Friends 

bicycled-powered gear

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Cyclist's Corner 

What gets your wheels spinning?

spirituality

Great idea. I'll be featuring this on my 'the environment lensography'. I love that it combines saving energy with a workout. Can you change the resistance ? ;)

Posted July 01, 2008

triathlontraining

I love human powered propulsion (and other stuff). I'd love to have a way to power my computer at work. Stay in shape and save some money. Nice!

Posted May 21, 2008

poddys

I think this is a great idea. Actually why not combine keeping fit with generating electricity - seems like a good plan.

Posted May 19, 2008

bdkz

You've got my Blessing!

Posted May 18, 2008

ElizabethJeanAllen

I'm not willing to ride bike to work but I have considered hopping the school bus and riding in with the kids.
Great lens.
Lizzy

Posted May 18, 2008

 
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