Leading up to the Consumer Electronics Show, Falco had been teasing one of the more intriguing concepts. With Zwifting all the rage these days, here was a trainer that was virtual training compatible. Only, it’s a bike too. An eBike. If you can’t stomach paying up to $900 for a trainer that will probably gather dust for part of the year, maybe a smart trainer that’s also an eBike will change your tune…
Sold as either the eDrive eBike Kit, or the eCiti complete eBike, both include a trainer stand – only one that lacks a resistance unit. That’s because the actual resistance is provided by the five phase hub motor. Compatible with ANT+ or Bluetooth, you can mount the bike up on the trainer stand and take full advantage of programs like Zwift where the hub motor will change the resistance to match the conditions in the virtual world. Falco claims the motor will even vibrate in trainer mode to provide more lifelike feel. It’s not clear just how it actually works, but Falco mentions in the video that there is also a regenerative feature that allows normal riding or riding on the trainer to recharge the battery.
Off the trainer stand, the bike becomes a typical eBike with speeds up to 28 mph, depending on the region. Built around a road bike-ish platform with 700c wheels, drop bars, and mechanical disc brakes, the eCiti is only available in a medium or large frame and is currently available for pre-order at $1,995 for the complete kit (expected to ship June 30, 2017). After Jan. 31, the price will go up to $2,595. The eDrive kit on the other hand includes the prebuilt rear wheel with hub motor, battery kit, and trainer stand for the pre-order price of $1,149. Again, the price goes up to $1,649 after Jan. 31st. eDrive kits are available in 20″, 24″, 26″, 650b, and 700c sizes with limited options for hub fitment (multiple speeds, but 135mm spacing only). If adding to an existing bike, expect to add about 18.5 lbs based on the claimed weights of 13lbs for the motor, and 5.5lbs for the battery.
If you’re looking for a new way to get your performance data and your music, the new earpiece from Bodytrak is an interesting product. The device inserts into the ear canal and has a behind the ear clip to hold it in place. It’s then able to provide accurate data for core body temperature, VO2, and things like speed and cadence (running). The small, rechargeable earpiece is Bluetooth and ANT+ compatible so it will communicate with all your gadgets, and it will play back music from your phone or act as a two way communication device with voice activated prompts. Because it blocks the ear canal (one side only) it has a feature built into to allow you to hear ambient noise – it actually records the outside noise and plays it back at a quieter level. The only thing we’re unsure of is what would happen to that piece inserted into your ear canal if you happened to crash and land on the side of your head…
Introduced at CES, the Bodytrak isn’t available yet, but you can join the waiting list on their site.
We’ve seen a lot of competitors pop up to take on the mighty GoPro, but the new YI 4K+ Action Camera looks like the best yet. Not only does the camera pack in almost every feature imaginable including voice activated control, a 2.19″ touch screen, image stabilization, USB 3.0 support, RAW photo mode, and live streaming, but the camera is also the first to offer 4K filming at 60 frames per second. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but historically, YI’s cameras have been less expensive than their GoPro equivalent. And with the addition of their Erida drone, YI is really gunning for the GoPro market share.
