Finally, we have a bike generator that allows customers to simply plug in regular devices with no intermediate box or circuit. You pedal, the device turns on. Direct, immediate, simple.
But not all devices are compatible. The Off the Wall Generator will only power devices that have a switching power supply.
How do I tell if my device has a switching power supply? If you look at the back it will read “INPUT: 100 – 240V” on the back of the device, as seen below. If the device reads anything differently it will not be compatible.
Once you’ve figured out if your device is compatible with the Off the Wall Generator. Here are some next steps to follow:
1. Once you’re set up and ready to pedal, DON’T plug in any device that is irreplaceable. A perfect example would be a vintage guitar amplifier. Why risk it?
2. DO plug-in devices with a Switching Power supply. You will know if your device has a Switching Power supply if you see “Input 100-240V” written on the power supply. Examples include most newer chargers and power cords for laptops, cell phones, tablets, and many other devices.
3. Pedal Power should be an attended activity. We do not recommend leaving your Off The Wall unattended for several reasons. 1) People could plug in the wrong kind of devices, ruining them and possibly risking electrical fire. 2) Any time people get on and off a bike there’s a chance your help will be needed to make that safe and easy. 3) Any time a bike is unattended there’s a higher chance people will get on and pedal really fast, which can cause damage to some devices. See #5 below.
4. Gearing matters. DO choose a bike with gears. Do put the bike in a medium-hard gear, probably not the hardest gear on the bike. If your bike has 3 speeds in the front, you probably want to be in the middle group, and then choose the hardest or 2nd hardest gear in the back. Once you determine what the best gear is for pedaling, DO NOT let your pedalers change the gear. You may want to tape the shifter or use the limit screws of the derailleur to lock the gear. You will know you need to be in a harder gear if your device turns off even when you are consistently pedaling. You will know you need to be in an easier gear if it feels too hard! You will know you are in the right gear IF, when you plug in a 60 Watt device, such as a laptop computer, pedaling feels like biking around town. You can use a watt meter of voltage tester (see below) to help with this test. Keep in mind a laptop that is fully charged already will consume no power. Best to allow your laptop to drop to 50% charge or lower before trying the test.
5. This product has no over-voltage protection. Some devices can be damaged by pedaling really fast, and this is more likely to happen if the bike is in too hard of a gear. In our experience, pedaling too fast is not something you will ever do by accident. It only happens when a pedaler gets on and wants to see what happens when they pedal like crazy. So as long as you don’t allow that to happen you will not have to worry.
6.DO use a watt meter or voltage tester rated for more than 240v or more. The a watt meter is a power measuring device intended for homeowners. We sell one and you can also buy it at hardware stores. When set to Voltage mode, it helps you set your gear. Voltage range should be around 120-200. When set to Wattage mode it shows you exactly how much power you are providing. Highly educational!
Given all these warnings, you may be wondering what an ideal usage is. Here are some examples:
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When ordering new wheel covers OR an Icycleta Ice Cream Bike Attachment it’s important for us to know what style wheel you have. Not sure how to tell? Let us help you find out.
“What wheel cover style is compatible with my wheel?”
Ordering new wheel covers? We need to know which wheel you have so we make sure to send you the compatible wheel cover. Take a look at your wheel hub and see which image below matches your wheel.
“Do I need a new wheel for my Icycleta attachment?”
Ordering the Icycleta Ice Cream Bike Attachment? If you have the new wheel style you can attach the Icycleta pulley on the same wheel without requiring anything additional. If you have the older wheel style we will send a whole new wheel to attach the Icycleta to the Pro.
Please let us know in the COMMENTS section when placing your order.
New style wheel :
Old Style wheel :
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Q: What kind of devices can I charge with my Recharge Station?
A: Anything that can be connected by a USB cable can be charged by the Recharge Station. However, our Recharge Desks don’t support the newer “Smart Charge” technology.
Read MoreQ: Why is it hard to pedal the recharge station at first?
A: It’s important to note that our generator bikes have some initial resistance when a person begins to pedal. Riders may feel that it’s tough to pedal or requires some effort. The resistance will then subside and pedaling will become easier (ie less resistant).
A person needs to pedal for a couple rotations, maybe 10 seconds, to get power flowing through the system. Then the phone will be charging from that point on.
There is a small capacitor in the system, so if you stop pedaling the phone will keep charging until the capacitor’s battery is drained. This can be anywhere between 1-5 minutes, depending on how much power you put into the system.
Read MoreQ: Do I need multiple people pedaling to charge a device?
A: No! One person can easily generate the power to charge up to 8 USB devices using our Pedal Powered Recharge Station. Great for conventions, meetings, music festivals, and all-day events where people need power for their mobile devices but might not have easy access to electrical outlets.
The best way to activate the Recharge Station is by placing it prominently where people are gathered. The bright glow of the green LED and the activity of the pedaler attract participants to share the desk socially, charging their devices and taking turns pedaling.
Rock The Bike’s Recharge Station is based on a Generator Pro or Electric Fender Blender Pro, which can accommodate a wide range of riders: men, women, and most kids.
When pedaled the Recharge Station enclosure glows green for clean energy! The glow is visible from across the room, or in daylight, generating curiosity and interest at your events. The top of the desk has an illuminated gauge which changes from red to blue as the circuit fills up with power providing feedback to the pedalers.
Don’t limit your possibilities to cell phones. Power an iPad or other USB devices and let the pedaler choose videos and web content to share with a small group.
Technical specs
A pedaler generates:
60 watts for an effort equivalent to casual biking on flat road.
100 to 160 watts for an athletic cyclist.
300+ watts for an athletic pedaler during vigorous sprints under 30 seconds.
Excess generated power is stored in the Recharge Station circuit to continue charging devices and light the green LED. A typical pedaler will fill it up in about 3-5 minutes of pedaling. A full station will continue charging devices until empty, usually for another 8-12 minutes depending on devices attached.
Each NORMAL USB device (like a phone or tablet) consumes 5-8 watts. That is a limitation of the USB standard.
We offer a CUSTOM OPTION to install QuickCharge USB ports compatible with newer devices that support rapid charging at up to 18 watts. Many newer tablets and phones support QC3. Check your device to see if it’s compatible.
Charging a device takes the same time as it would ordinarily take, whether at normal or rapid speed, due to the limitation of USB. Adding Quick Charge allows a pedaler to get a 20% to 30% charge in 10 – 15 minutes, which requires only 5 – 7 minutes.
Q: How does the Recharge Desk work?
A: The pedaler generates about 60-80 watts continuously at an easy pace. When the Arbduino computer detects incoming power it starts charging the ultra capacitors which are like batteries, except they’re high current (quick charge and discharge) and can be charge cycled many thousands of times.
The Arbduino computer also turns on the USB chargers, lights the LED charge gauge in the desktop window, and lights the green glowing LED to light the bottom of the desk. As the capacitors fill up with power, the LED gauge in the window will light up from red (low) to blue (filling) to white (almost full) to blinking white (full). If the pedaling continues when the circuit is full then the desk will stop accepting power as a protection feature.
Each device being charged consumes about 5 Watts. Some devices May consume up to 12 Watts. The ratio of pedaling time to charging time is usually about 5 minutes to 1 device. It varies because the lights and the computer in the desk also consume power. The funnest way to use the desk is pedaling continuously, especially with a group it becomes a healthy and practical social activity
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