CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts startup islaunching a new device that transforms almost
any bicycle into anelectric-hybrid vehicle using an app on a smartphone.The device,called the Copenhagen
Wheel, is installed as part of a rear hub of abike wheel and is packed with a proprietary computer,
batteries andsensors that monitor how hard a rider is pedaling and activate anonboard motor whenever support
is needed. The device uses wirelessconnectivity to communicate with the biker’s smartphone to trackdistance
traveled, elevation gained, share with friends the number ofcalories burned and lock the wheel remotely as
soon as the owner walksaway from the bike."The motor integrates itself with the rider’smotion very,
very seamlessly," said Assaf Biderman, who co-invented thedevice at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology’s SENSEable CityLab, where he is associate director. "It’s almost like having a
ridingcompanion riding together with you, making the ride easier, simpler."Thecombination of power from
the Copenhagen Wheel and the cyclist’s energycan make an average biker move "almost like a
Tour-de-France-levelathlete in your daily commute," said Biderman, who founded Cambridge,Mass.-based
Superpedestrian Inc. that secured an exclusive license forthe technology from MIT.The Copenhagen Wheel packs
sufficientpower to propel a rider as fast as 60 kph (37.28 mph), but developershave put speed limits in
software to meet local speed limits,effectively turning off the motor once the speed reaches 20 mph in
theU.S. and 25 kilometers in Europe.The concept was inspired by a simple question: "How can we get more
people to cycle?" said Biderman.Theproject received funding from the Italian ministry of the
environmentand office of the mayor of Copenhagen, a Danish city known as one of themost bicycle-friendly
locations in the world and whose tourism websitesays 55 percent of its residents bike 1.2 million kilometers
(750,000miles) every day.The initial 1,000 units of the Copenhagen Wheelbecame available for pre-order
through the Superpedestrian websiteearlier this month. Two weeks later, at least 810 had been sold for
$699each, the majority of them to customers in the U.S. Other orders wentto Europe, Australia, Kenya,
Madagascar and elsewhere. Shipping isscheduled for next spring.The Copenhagen Wheel does not replace
acyclist’s existing bicycle. Consumers get the stylish hubcap-sizeddevice already installed on a new rear
wheel that fits their currentbicycle. They remove the current wheel from their bike and install thesouped-up
unit and they are ready to go. The batteries are rechargeable.The Copenhagen Wheel seeks to tap into a
lucrative and highly competitive market for electric bikes, also known as e-bikes.Ina recent report,
clean-technology consulting company Navigant Researchestimated that worldwide revenue from electric bicycles
will grow from$8.4 billion this year to $10.8 billion in 2020, fueled in part bydesire for a viable
alternative to increasingly congested city roadsthat makes crawling in car traffic less palatable.In the
U.S.,the trend is reflected in Census Bureau data showing the number ofbicycle commuters rose 60 percent in
the decade ending in 2010."Overthe past few years we’ve seen a cycling renaissance throughout
theworld," Biderman said. "People are looking for alternatives."___Rodrique Ngowi can be
reached at www.twitter.com/ngowi___More on the Copenhagen Wheel: www.superpedestrian.comCopyright 2013 The
Associated Press. All rightsreserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten
orredistributed.