Tom Standage
reports on Sir Clive's launch of the Zeta II
A
clip-on electric motor designed to take the
effort out of cycling was unveiled by British
inventor Sir Clive Sinclair last week.
An
improved version of the original Zeta (Zero
Emission Transport Accessory), the Zeta II costs
£95 and works on almost any bicycle. Compared
with its predecessor it is, says Sinclair,
"much cheaper, much lighter, and miles
easier to fit. We think it's a real
cracker."
The
Zeta II is based on an 0.5kg electric motor,
similar to that found in a domestic power drill,
which drives the front wheel using a patented
belt-drive system.
Powered
by a 2.5kg rechargeable 12V battery that hangs
from the crossbar and activated using a
handlebar-mounted switch, it can carry an average
cyclist a distance of five miles at up to 12.5mph
- and much further with a bit of pedalling. In
fact, its designers intend it to be used only
occasionally, when going uphill or cycling
against a headwind.
"One
of the main reasons people don't cycle to work is
that they know they'll get hot and sweaty, and
they're going to have to take a shower,"
says Alex Kalogroulis, a Sinclair Research
engineer who worked on the Zeta II during its
three-year development. "I think this has
cracked that problem."
The
Zeta II takes about 20 minutes to fit, and is
pushed on and off the tyre via a cunning plastic
switch to reduce drag when not in use.
The
battery can be charged overnight - a full charge
costing around 1p - and a range of optional extra
batteries will be available so that users can,
for example, use one battery for an outward
journey and another on the way back.Bicycles
fitted with the "front-wheel drive" can
be driven by anyone over 14 without the need for
insurance or a licence. It will be manufactured
in Scotland, and is expected to be sold in
Britain, Holland and America. It will be
available in Britain by mail order at the end of
this month.
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