The Copenhagen Wheel



Loopwheels



Designed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and unveiled in 2009, the Copenhagen Wheel is a fully functional wheel with a hub housed within it that collects the energy from braking and pedaling for use as a speed assist whenever the rider needs a boost. The innovative wheel, which is operated by smartphone, also tracks rider data, traffic congestion, and even air pollution. As a bonus, the wheel can fit on virtually any bike, allowing riders to keep their own steel horse instead of retiring it for an e-bike if they ever switch to future models. The team has recently received over $2 million in funding to start major production of the wheel.A complete reimagining not only of spokes but of the wheel itself, the loopwheel offers riders a mini-wheel with a lot of capabilities. Housed inside the small wheels are three spring-like bands, which contract and bounce like simplified shocks, completely eliminating spokes and making riding over curbs or potholes a breeze. Although these cool wheels are only available for the custom loopwheel bike at this time, the designer has plans for 26-inch wheels in the near future. But either way, as the video below shows, the loopwheel has a lot of promise for its potential comfort and rideability.--Photo by iStockphoto/AaronAmatis an editorial intern at Sierra. He graduated from Western Washington University's Huxley College of the Environment, where he studied a combination of environmental studies and journalism. While at Western, he was the editor in chief of The Planet magazine, and he has written for Conservation Northwest Quarterly Public Eye Northwest , and The Western Front