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Cyclotron: a hubless, spokeless bike getting funded on Kickstarter

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Cyclotron_hubless-spokeless-smart-bike-Kickstarter_overall

OK, now if we would have looked at this a month before it started its crowdfunding campaign, like many people I might have just dismissed it. I mean come on, are we really ready for a Tron-looking bike built around hubless wheels? Or is it even ready for us? The answer to that is apparently, yes. More than enough people have put their money where their mouths are to more than double the funding the Cyclotron bike team needed to get their project out of technology and design development, and off the ground towards production. Take a closer look with us at what could be one of the most technology-integrated bikes rolling around town, with it built-in electronic shifting gearbox, sensors, lighting, and much more…

The Cyclotron could be the coolest way to get around town. The bike starts with the pretty innovative hubless design idea and adds a carbon frame, completely internalized drivetrain, and a good bit of electronic tech. While it isn’t the first hubless bike we’ve seen, it certainly is the closest we’ve seen one making it into serial production. I mean, they’ve pre-sold over 100 of them already.

The Cyclotron makes bold claims about being the future of cycling. While it may be innovative and cool looking, I wouldn’t worry about Tron bike replacing your trusted spoked wheels and double-diamond frame too soon. That said the introduction and integration of electronic shifting, data & performance collection sensors, and mobile connectivity certainly look like they are taking a firm foothold in the bike industry. Even the integration of smart activated, automatica lighting and the option for a motor-assist function seem to be common trends.

Watching the prototype bike ride around in the daytime gives a bit better sense of what we are really looking at from a bike perspective. The Cyclotron is a fairly long stretched out affair with a narrow aero bull horn handlebar (although that appears to be able to be flipped up for a more upright riding position.)  There is no talk of geometry and seeing it ridden, it seems like it isn’t the most stable bike in a straight line that I’ve ever seen. Here’s hoping that is sorted out in the production process.

Cyclotron_hubless-spokeless-smart-bike-Kickstarter_features

The bike has a almost completely enclosed design for claimed improvements of aerodynamics and protection from the elements. It uses a specially developed rim brake caliper that is neatly hidden inside the frame, but accessible via a small access port. The outer profile of the rim we see is a full-coverage wheel cover that only opens up a bit at the bottom to reveal the solid polymer, airless tire. That likely will limit the bike’s use to some degree as it won’t be able to handle a very irregular riding surface (or curbs if you aren’t super careful) and wouldn’t be likely to have a very smooth ride.

The drivetrain is all internal as well. Three options seem to be available as part of the Kickstarter pledges. A mechanical shifting 12 speed sequential gearbox will run 1200€ and a mechanical 18 speed version for 1400€ with the remains of an early-bird backer special. If you bump all the way up to 2700€, you get a electronically shifting 18 speed gear box, all still handled internally. Complete bike weights are claimed to start around 11.5kg/25.35lb, with three frame sizes on offer.

Cyclotron_hubless-spokeless-smart-bike-Kickstarter_featured-data

The bike is the latest in the Smart Bike category, with its sensors controlled by a co-developed Cyclo-App. It has an onboard Li-Ion battery to power its light and sensors, and even includes a dynamo generator that can be engaged when battery power is low to recharge on the go. Through the app you get connection to the BTLE sensors, paired navigation, and the option for a training plan. The app also powers an autonomous emergency reporting protocol and theft protection function. With various levels of service contracts, you can get advanced training & tracking, or even a full free replacement in case of theft.

Even though it might look like a futuristic racer, it was developed with usability in mind and will have optional utility add-ons that fit inside the open wheel platform to either haul things like groceries or to attach a child-carrying sidecar. After hitting their highest crowdfunding stretch goal, they’ve even added an e-bike motor that simply will fit inside of the rear wheel for a bit of pedal-assist.

Cyclotron_hubless-spokeless-smart-bike-Kickstarter_timeline

The team is said to have secured enough funding to complete all of the design and development up to this point, with patents in process for several elements of the Cyclotron. The Kickstarter is then exclusively to pay to build this first round of production bikes. With that set the Kickstarter will run for just 3 more days, before production begins this fall. Product demos will happen in spring 2017, along with final testing, with a delivery date expected one year from now in July 2017.

CyclotronBike.com

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41 Comments
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morenos1
morenos1
7 years ago

The handling look awful ….

myke2241
myke2241
7 years ago
Reply to  morenos1

That’s what I thought. Also those boat anchor wheels look pretty sluggish at best!

But hey it’s carbon!

professorbienlein
7 years ago

looks like the basset among the bikes

Dan
Dan
7 years ago

…still doesn’t look fun or comfortable to ride. This video actually makes it look worse than the last; this guy looks genuinely frightened. One pot hole will destroy that wheel fairing. Are they funding smooth roads to ride this on as well?

Jason Miles
7 years ago
Noah Behnke
7 years ago

Certainly this will be beloved by all retro-grouches

Ty
Ty
7 years ago

Form over function at its finest.

Mark W
Mark W
7 years ago

2nd that morenos1

Marc
Marc
7 years ago

“…it certainly is the closest we’ve seen one making it into serial production. I mean, they’ve pre-sold over 100 of them already.”

There’s a big difference between pre-selling something and successfully building it. Their ambition (hubris?) is impressive, but there are a lot of anticipated leaps here, both at the $1,100 entry point and at the $3,000 high end. If they can develop and deliver the frame, electronics, brakes, and gearbox in the promised timeframe it will be very, very impressive.

Ted
Ted
7 years ago

This is so complex I highly doubt they will meet the timeline scheduled.
I wish them well; it is a cool looking bike for sure, but that bar is so stupid low, any non triathlete will spread the word that it is horrible to ride.
Hopefully they will have a normal mtb bar for the majority of the population.

aeroB
aeroB
7 years ago

It’s painful to watch these guys pedal. So awkward. Couldn’t find someone who rides regularly who can pedal without twitching the bike around and stopping for half a second after every pedal stroke?

kbark
kbark
7 years ago

Interesting to say the least. Reminds me of an Apple designed product. Very minimalist on the outside.

yard dog
yard dog
7 years ago
Reply to  kbark

dumbest thing ever is the solid airless tires. Worst. Ride. Ever.

Flatbiller
Flatbiller
7 years ago
Reply to  yard dog

Depends on the customer. For you, maybe; for your grandpa, priceless.

Chris Trunek
7 years ago

god I hate hubless wheels, dumbest thing ever. Thing looks like it was made from paper mache

Drew Diller
7 years ago

Some things I find off putting about the ride video:

– low speed
– very inconsistent pedaling cadence

My point is that I’m wondering if the prototype is a rolling chassis that isn’t being pedaled forward. It would be impossible to say for sure just from video, as there are no visible moving transmission parts. Show us a hill climb. Jam it into a curb.

Not trying to piss in their cornflakes, it is very difficult to bring a concept this far and they’ve put obvious effort into it. But it’ll need to go a lot further. There’s also some language in the campaign literature (such “self charging batteries”) that is concerning in the sense that, if it were true, the technology would have broad implications for other vehicles.

Also, the downshift under load claim is a false statement. Only the NuVinci does that, and even then it is a “kind of” situation.

Good luck to them, but they’ll need to answer a lot of questions.

David Tollefson
7 years ago
Reply to  Drew Diller

“My point is that I’m wondering if the prototype is a rolling chassis that isn’t being pedaled forward. ”

I suspect this is what’s going on.

Mike D
7 years ago

From the video, I wondered if the bike didn’t just have a battery propelling it–something seemed very disjointed about the pedaling motion-to-movement of the bike.

Side note, Dave Tollefson was one of my favorite on the Giants defense. Nice name!

Greg
Greg
7 years ago
Reply to  Mike D

Nice. You win

Justin
Justin
7 years ago

(deleted)

yard dog
yard dog
7 years ago

Hi tech bikes should have full suspension?

nightfend
nightfend
7 years ago

This looks so terrible. I’m not sure what that protype is made of, but it is all lumpy and poorly molded. Did they use black house paint? Looks like a joke. But I am sure some one will be foolish enough to contribute to this kickstarter.

MIrwin
MIrwin
7 years ago

Man, people have a brutal hate-on for this thing without even riding it. Not my kind of bike, but SB and start-ups are where it’s at, in terms of job creation. I wonder what kind of friction those hubless rims generate, which are powering the sensor power req’s end of things, obviously. Proprietary parts from a replacement end of things keeps me away from it, specifically.

the biz
the biz
7 years ago
Reply to  MIrwin

startups are definitely where it’s at for job creation and job deletion rolled up into one convenient package.

Beat_the_trail
Beat_the_trail
7 years ago

I’m all for innovation, but solid tires are dumb, the super long wheelbase will make it ride better, but without pneumatics… Dumb. Seems like a problem that didn’t need solving. Plus if you can a rim, wtf do you do? I guess full replacement, but you’re not truing it out. Plus it looks like it weighs a metric ton.
Dumb.

Mercianrider
Mercianrider
7 years ago

People trying yet again to improve on a design that was pretty much perfected a century ago. Just stop.

Jörg Löhken
Jörg Löhken
7 years ago

fairy dust

Corbitt
Corbitt
7 years ago

Can it turn?

ginsu
ginsu
7 years ago

Wow. As a mechanical engineer I won’t even start with the criticisms, the list is too long. Man, KS is pumping out some big crap these days.

the biz
the biz
7 years ago
Reply to  ginsu

as a ______ engineer = bad opinion incoming

Charles
Charles
7 years ago
Reply to  the biz

Yeah, never mind that engineers design basically everything you use and do on a daily basis. “the biz” hating on engineers from his burger flipping station.

Johnny
Johnny
7 years ago

I love how the handlebar flexes when this guy gets on the bike, like it’s made of cardboard and staples. And then he starts pedalling wondering if the bike.will disintegrate under him any second.
Nor trying to be rude or anything but would seriously recommend backers of this project to check their head.

jlg
jlg
7 years ago

They started a Kickstarter AND a Indiegogo campaign… that’s crazy.
While the project is promising, i feel they have way too much technical difficulties to overcome. I hope i’m wrong but it feel insanely risky to fund them.

davidg2p
davidg2p
7 years ago

Fraudulent video. This bike has no working drivetrain. That guy on the bike (hopelessly) tries to spin the pedals uniformly as if he was actually impelling the bike — which he is not. He is just coasting downhill. And this is it: as the bike has no working drivetrain today, let alone a “600% 18 speed gearbox”, there will be none in the future because it simply will not work, particularly not with >97% efficiency as is required with a bike.

Citing the equally hopeless GeoOrbital wheel, which also will never work for more than a couple of days, in the Cyclotron Kickstarter FAQ only shows that the Cyclotron guys are similarly clueless as the GeoOrbital guys who proudly say of themselves that they have “zero Engineering knowledge”.

This project will fail massively.

Allan
Allan
7 years ago

“they’ve already pre sold 100 of these to people willing to throw their money away”

I just don’t see this becoming a full on production “bike” or the company even being around very long. These 2 videos were supposed to highlight the thing and it made it look extremely terrifying to ride! Not to mention uncomfortable. If you’ve got 1000+ to throw at a novelty, them go for it, but please…let’s not pretend this thing is going to be ridden.

Sassafras
Sassafras
7 years ago

Somewhere in a room of monitors Ashton Kutcher is laughing.

Allan
Allan
7 years ago

(deleted)

LEON
LEON
7 years ago

SOMETHING HERE FEEL REALLY STRANGE TO ME

Carter
Carter
7 years ago

So I’m not the ONLY one that saw the Flaws in the video. Like a lot have expressed, I do have Interest, but I also have A LOT of Questions, with this investment. Regardless as to what it is that is going on in the video, it doesn’t look NORMAL, At All, to say the least. Before I invest, I am going to have to see more than some Polished Editing to convince me that this is Too Quality Craftsmanship. Right now it looks like “Work in Progress”. Not like a Finished Product that’s ready for the market. Best of with the PROJECT. I’ll look for your video and added updates on the FINISHED PRODUCT when it goes into PRODUCTION…

testingwle display name
testingwle display name
5 years ago

scam, it’s two years later. and no bike. just bogus contests and ‘giveaways’ on the site.

testingwle display name
testingwle display name
5 years ago

so where is it?

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