Oh! Gizmo

By Chris Scott Barr

When I was a teenager, I used to ride my bike everywhere. Sure, that changed once I got a car, but for a couple of years that bike got me everywhere. Since I rode it at night, I had a little light on the front which was powered by a small generator. I’ve often wondered why we don’t use our bikes to power other things. After all, you don’t need to power a light during the day. I’m apparently not the only one who wonders about these things, as evidenced by the latest gadget from Dahon.

The BioLogic FreeCharge is a nifty little device that hooks up to a bike equipped with a dyno hub, and allows you to charge USB devices. The FreeCharge is built around a small battery, which is used to regulate the power output of the dyno hub (which would otherwise damage sensitive electronics). A single USB port allows you to hook up any number of devices, and charge it while you’re peddling down the street. This $99 gadget probably wouldn’t be good for the occasional rider, but if you spend a couple of hours a day on your bike, it would be a worthwhile investment. Look for it on sale sometime next March

[ Dahon ] VIA [ BikeHugger ]