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"When considering the electric bike of the future, many companies search for a way to decrease travel time \u2014 but pumping a bike frame full of boosting batteries isn\u2019t the only way to change the way people bike. In fact, the folks at Detroit-based electric biking company Autobike are building an electric bike to helps riders bike smarter.\n\u201CAs a person is riding, you can seamlessly move from one gear to another,\u201D says Sean Simpson, co-founder of Autobike. \u201CThe experience is optimized to keep rides smooth, simple and comfortable.\u201D\nMashable spoke with Simpson about the technology behind automatic gear shifting in bikes, and how accessibility is the true way of the future.\nWhat do you think about Autobike? Let us know in the comments.\nHow It Works\n\nThe Autobike is comprised of three important parts: a SRAM front hub dynamo, a NuVinci N360 rear hub transmission, and a computer brain that connects the two. The system is fully contained and requires no batteries \u2014 users can simply hop on and ride, and the dynamo will power the computer system so gears automatically shift.\n\u201CThere\u2019s a cadence that everyone is comfortable with, and most average riders are around 50 or 60 RPMs,\u201D Simpson says. \u201CWe wanted to have adaptability so each individual riding experience can be obtained.\u201D\nAs for the gear change system itself, the Autobike differs from what people expect an automatic transmission to do \u2014 click through different settings until a certain power level is reached. Instead, the Autobike is continuously reacting to the rider\u2019s cadence rather than rapidly clicking through jarring multiple settings. It\u2019s this dynamism that contributes to riders seamlessly moving from one gear to the next without sacrificing momentum or comfort.\n\u201COther bikes didn\u2019t offer an automatic riding experience that people had come to expect,\u201D Simpson says. \u201CSo we started with, \u2018What do people want from this experience?\u2019 And we created from there.\u201D\nSimpson says that the motivation behind the Autobike is more about getting people back on the bike, rather than getting them to their destination. In this way, people who aren\u2019t necessarily knowledgable about using efficiently utilizing bike gears or who cannot easily shift due to age or handicap would be able to have an easier ride. \n\u201CWe ran into people who were struggling with biking and feeling the downside of biking,\u201D Simpson says. \u201CSo we set out to create a bike that offers a fun experience that is accessible to anyone who wants to jump on a bike with zero training. They can just hop on and go.\u201D\nAfter all, it\u2019s all about getting people back on the bike.\nThe Future of Biking\nLogistically, Simpson says that Autobike\u2019s future is clear: to get more people on bikes and feel the difference of automatic shifting. \n\u201CWe know getting people on the bike is a good thing, so we\u2019re constantly trying to do things that help further that cause,\" Simpson says. \"We\u2019re just trying to get bikes in shops.\"\nAs such, the company is currently partnering with bicycle shops all across the country, allowing riders to rent and purchase Autobikes. Rollout has been steady, but there\u2019s more to come from the company.\nAs for electric biking at large, Simpson says that it\u2019s only natural for people to turn to bikes as urban communities become more conducive to cycling. There's a multitude of benefits to getting out and biking, and Simpson explains that the whole reason behind the Autobike is to get more people to experience those benefits without the concern of riding inefficiently.\n\u201CBiking is going to become more and more of an option for people in cities,\u201D Simpson says. \u201CWe think our bike breaks down certain barriers to help people embrace that and spend those two or three miles biking, rather than on public transportation.\n\u201CWe are so focused on the experience of riding,\u201D Simpson says. \u201CThat experience is more important than anything.\u201D\nOf course, the philosophy is clear: Sometimes it\u2019s about the journey and not the destination."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2013/06/05/autobike/>