Most everyone has watched The Jetsons at one point or another. One of the most iconic moments of the show was the opening where George’s space vehicle folds into a briefcase when he gets to work (those 9-hour work weeks were murder). While we don’t yet have flying cars that can fold into luggage, we will have a smartbike that can fold down to a compact 3ft X 2ft size for easy portability. Tech startup Gi has designed an electric-assisted inner-city bicycle that sports some innovative features such as its ability to be folded and unfolded in a mere 3-seconds for compact storage.
To gain more mileage than the typical out of shape person is capable of from peddling alone, Gi has outfitted the bike with an ‘electric-assistance’ drive, which allows the bike to travel 40+ miles at 15mph on a single charge. Speaking of charge, the GiBike is equipped with a USB port that charges your mobile devices through pedal power, allowing users to take those all-important ‘selfies’ while grinding-out the tricks at the local skate park.
Social networking while riding probably isn’t a good idea, especially on a collapsible bike, however the integration of mobile devices like smartphones has an alternative function when paired with the bike- anti-theft protection. The GiBike features a built-in anti-theft lock housed inside the rear axle that is controlled using a corresponding app, which also sends notifications if the bike is being tampered with. For the safety-conscious or tech fashionistas, the bike features built-in LEDs on both the front and back wheels for riding in low light, alerting drivers of your presence or to easily take aim. Gi also states that their bike’s carbon-drive belt will reduce maintenance cycles, help prevent grease stains from marring rider’s clothing and save a small fortune on replacement shoelaces. The bike is currently still in the prototype stage, however the company is getting their Kickstarter page together in an effort to get funding for the GiBike, which should be up in the next few weeks.
(Image via Gi Bike)
