CES 2015: Connected Cycle Reveals Smart Bike Pedal with Location and Fitness Tracking Features

[MacRumors]

French startup Connected Cycle has introduced its new smart bike pedal at CES 2015, which is able to track a bike's exact location in the event of a theft and a number of distance and fitness statistics during biking activity.

The aluminum pedal works with a companion app on iOS to track where a bike is located, and can send a push notification if the bike has been moved or give a location as to where a bike was last parked. The pedal and the app also automatically record metrics like the speed of a bike, the incline of a given location, routing info and even calories burnt. Connected Cycle notes that the pedal generates its own energy and that installation takes less than two minutes without the need for mechanical skills, although removing the pedal requires a specialized key that comes in the box.

The Connected Cycle comes with two pedals, with one pedal containing smart functionality and the other pedal sporting a similar look for aesthetic purposes. Connected Cycle has yet to announce a price or release date for its smart pedal, but does note that it will come in colors including black, red, green, blue, and orange.

Article Link: CES 2015: Connected Cycle Reveals Smart Bike Pedal with Location and Fitness Tracking Features

 

[fitshaced]

Na, cyclists often invest in their pedals separately such as SPD pedals which these do not cater for. Not quite a fail but not brilliant.

 

[Fiestaman]

Na, cyclists often invest in their pedals separately such as SPD pedals which these do not cater for. Not quite a fail but not brilliant.

Looks geared more towards urban commuters and if taken in that context, I believe it actually is brilliant.

 

[Jeaz]

Na, cyclists often invest in their pedals separately such as SPD pedals which these do not cater for. Not quite a fail but not brilliant.

That's true for exercise users of bikes. For the millions of users that use bikes as their main transportation this is great. For me the best feature was that you could track it, since where I live, stolen bikes is a huge problem.

 

[robbyclark]

Novel idea, but useless as a theft device. Theives will learn quickly and just wrap the pedal in foil. No more tracking! Also how is it communicating its location? It's own SIM card? Wifi? What network will it use when it's ten miles from your phone?

 

[AlecZ]

Glad to see this technology is coming to bikes. I don't care about the health-related stuff in any other context.

 

[fitshaced]

Novel idea, but useless as a theft device. Theives will learn quickly and just wrap the pedal in foil. No more tracking! Also how is it communicating its location? It's own SIM card? Wifi? What network will it use when it's ten miles from your phone?

SPD pedals are more anti theft as they required clip in shoes which typically aren't worn by thiefs as far as I know. These pedals don't offer a visible detterent.

 

[pdaholic]

I would destroy those things.

 

[rickdollar]

Their website says the pedals "prevent theft."
Neat idea, but no pedals prevent theft.

 

[Dionte]

Would be nice if they got their power from the cycling.

 

[krewger]

Grandma's retirement community bike is gonna get some new pedals. She always forgets where she parks it.

 

[fluchtpunkt]

No thanks, I prefer my pedals double sided. I don't want to arrange my pedals correctly before I get on my bike.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Novel idea, but useless as a theft device. Theives will learn quickly and just wrap the pedal in foil. No more tracking! Also how is it communicating its location? It's own SIM card? Wifi? What network will it use when it's ten miles from your phone?

I'd imagine it's using Edge or something like the Kindles with whisper sync. It's sending such a small amount of data over its lifetime, I imagine they worked out a deal with Sprint where Sprint gets paid a bit for each pedal sold. Otherwise, you're right, pretty useless for tracking a stolen bike purposes.

Also, criminals tend to be dumb. Stealing a bike doesn't get you very much money. If you're smart enough to wrap it in foil, you're probably smart enough to get a better paying job than what you'd get stealing bikes.

 

[iPhysicist]

Na, cyclists often invest in their pedals separately such as SPD pedals which these do not cater for. Not quite a fail but not brilliant.

As a cyclist myself I say ...WHAT?! This pedal will sell tenthousandfold! Its not just a fitness tracker but a bike tracker and maybe will secure the bike a little bit more but this depends on the lock mechanism...
The crowd will go crazy to get one. I myself will.

Edit: The Pedal is quite big :-( So if the release a slimmed down version next year I will get one.

 

[fitshaced]

As a cyclist myself I say ...WHAT?! This pedal will sell tenthousandfold! Its not just a fitness tracker but a bike tracker and maybe will secure the bike a little bit more but this depends on the lock mechanism...
The crowd will go crazy to get one. I myself will.

Edit: The Pedal is quite big :-( So if the release a slimmed down version next year I will get one.

Yeah I didn't say it wouldn't sell. My belief is that this could have catered for all cyclists by having different versions of it, instead of primarily the commuter. As I said before, there is no visual deterrent on these pedals but that is built into SPD pedals. Therefore, even though you might be able to track your bike once it's stolen, it's not going to stop it from being stolen. Surely prevention is better?

In this day and age, I think bikes should be built with immobilisers that are in cars. If it could lock in wheels, handlebars, seats and pedals and only unlockable by a unique encrypted key, bike locks wouldn't even be needed, other than for a visual deterrent. They should also come with built in 'find my bike'.

 

[iPhysicist]

Surely prevention is better?

In this day and age, I think bikes should be built with immobilisers that are in cars. If it could lock in wheels, handlebars, seats and pedals and only unlockable by a unique encrypted key, bike locks wouldn't even be needed, other than for a visual deterrent. They should also come with built in 'find my bike'.

Sure! Theft prevention always is better than tracking down stolen bikes. But at least here in Germany stolen bikes don't get sold as is but for parts. I'm on my 4th roadbike now. All got stolen - all where properly locked but if the thefts come with heavy tools and a van your out of luck anyway. My insurance always paid my loss (knock on wood) but it hurt every single time.
I hope the startup finds some strong investor because I was after a similar working GPS and cell tower bound bike tracker but those where for installation into the steering tube of the fork. Since I have a Carbon fork Iam out of luck until one has the time to "invent" something really small and secure for my road bike.

Greetings

 

[thisisdallas]

Their website says the pedals "prevent theft."
Neat idea, but no pedals prevent theft.

I think they mean "prevent theft" in that if the bike is moved, you'll be notified. Maybe also given the location of your bike at all times? Since most thieves probably won't think to look for a smart pedal (since that's literally not a thing that you ever see or hear about), you've definitely got a good chance at preventing a complete theft of your bike. Plus, with a special key to remove it, it's a pretty good security device. I'd feel more confident in having one of these pedals + a good lock, rather than one of the newer "smart lock" ideas that have the location and whatnot. Seems like a better idea to hide the tracking/security features on the bike itself rather than the lock that'll be cut and tossed aside.