A Danish design company is working on a new personal transportation device that combines the high-intensity workout offered by a step machine with the zip of a bicycle. It's called the Me-Mover, and it should be available next year.
The Me-Mover joins the ranks of other devices such as the ElliptiGo 3C and the StairCycle, both of which also utilize a stepping motion for forward momemtum. Its designers looked to skiing and running to come up with a low-impact cardio exercise that they claim beats traditional cycling by 40 percent, in terms of intensity. This is reportedly due to the fact that the stepping motion works the legs, gluteal muscles and hip flexors. Additionally, the carving motion emulates downhill skiing, providing core muscle strengthening as well as balance improvement.
Besides moving through traffic and pedestrians, Me-Mover can be folded so the user can easily carry it on a bus, train or even in the car. The designers say it takes a couple of seconds to fold and roll it, so it can be carried around like a trolley.
The aluminum-framed Me-Mover weighs 20 kg (44 pounds), and measures 95 cm (37.4 in) in height, 115 cm (45.2 in) in length and 43 cm (16.9 in) in width. The wheels have a diameter of 30.5 cm (12 in). The designers have developed their own transmission system with variable gearing, with a patent currently pending.
The company will be showing the Me-Mover at Eurobike, which takes place between August 28-31 in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Visitors will be able to test it both outdoors and indoors. The trike is scheduled for a 2014 release with a price tag of €1,200 (US$1,606).
The video below shows the Me-Mover in action, in bike-friendly Denmark.
Source: Me-Mover
Marilyn
main problem is this design has a particularly high center of gravity making it extremely dangerous because when (not if ) you get into an accident you are going to hit the ground or seomthing else very hard. a high center of gravity makes accidents more likely , and damage from a given accident far worse than from accidnets on lower cog vehicles. stand up vehicles are bad enough, but this stand up trike puts the riders elliptical motion well above the frame itself. DANGEROUS.
Speed and effort is comparable to a mtb / traditional womens / gentlemans bike (dame cykel / herrecykel in danish NOT race bike) up to around 20km/h where, due to the upright position, theair resistance is growing fast . As a comparison i drove the 8km home last week with an average of 24km/h and a topspeed of 36 km/h (and yes I was sweaty when I got home :)
People are surprised on the speed you achieve despite the small wheels, this is due to a very efficient transmission and that the human body can output ca 20% higher effect on a stepping motion compared to the rotational movement of a fulcrum.
And it is great fun!
In all, we do not want people to stop biking, we just want to make people move MORE, that is why we are offering a new and exciting way of moving actively i the city.
/j