Solar Bicycles: Easy on the Pocket, Friendly with the Environment
Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Feb 21: People who want to use clean renewable energy for their rides, have another option now. Unlike solar cars which are costly to use and maintain, the solar bicycles, aptly titled ‘Sun Cycles’ by its developors Subhadra Industries, are cheap and easy to maintain. What is more, the bicycles people are already using can also be transformed into solar bicycles.
These bicycles come with a 40 volts battery and two solar panels specially designed for the bicycles, a motor, and push buttons at the handle bars to regulate the acceleration, a controller, and a meter which gives reading of the speed of the bicycle.
Battery, controller, and solar panels, are fitted to the carrier of the bicycle. The panels absorb sun rays and transfer heat to the controller, from which it goes to batteries before getting retransmitted as solar power. From the controller, the power gets shifted to motor, which is fitted to the front wheel. The wheel rotates depending on the acceleration. As the hub of the front wheel is fitted with planetary gear system, it facilitates rotation of wheels by five times, enabling the bicycle to cover more distance.
Once the battery is fully charged, the bicycle can cover a distance of 25 km. The battery has to be replaced once every three years. It comes with a two-year guarantee. These bicycles can take a total weight of 90 kg.
The intending buyers have option of using either the big battery or the small one. The battery can also be charged with electricity in the absence of sun rays. These batteries can easily be dismantled or refitted. If the battery gets exhausted, the rider has the provision to use pedals to move forward. He also has the option of pedaling alongside motor, so that the rider does not feel the fatigue. He can totally depend on motor too for the ride, or alternatively, pedal his bicycle forward on his own. As the bicycle comes with normal parts, it can be repaired and its spares can be replaced at any of the bicycle repair shops, Subhadra Industries, which has produced this bicycle after a six-year long effort, claims.