Roll Up Generator Stand

The Roll Up offers similar performance to our Generator Wheels, but weighs and costs less, and doesn’t require you to change out your rear wheel. It uses the same power generating elements found in our Generator Wheels but in an external roller, not inside the hub. It boasts a very large roller with a gritty composite surface that simulates riding on the road better than small rollers found in competing products, which waste energy as heat and cause more tire wear. The large contact patch formed between the 6” roller and your tire means less force is required (roller pressure). You won’t see any deformation of the tire. More of your good clean Pedal Power goes into the device you’re powering. Plus, the large roller functions as a flywheel to  smooth out your pedal stroke and make pedal power feel pleasant. And it’s quiet!

Roll Ups in use at UCLA’s Ecochella concert.

The unit is simple and compact to store. It’s a great way to involve local team members and volunteers who will supply working bicycles on the day of an event.

Features:

-Fits almost any bike. No need to change any part of the bike.

-Attaches & detaches in minutes. You roll right up!

-Highest power capacity tire rolling dynamo on the market

-Standard model fits 24”, 26”, 29” and 700c wheels

-Small model fits 20” wheels (many kid’s bikes and folding bikes)

-Internal LED lighting tells you it’s working and attracts attention

-Internals (magnets, coils and wiring) are visible through clear case – teaching tool

-The included stand elevates the rear wheel, allowing you to do other pedal powered activities in the future, such as blending and spin-art

– User Manual.

Specs:

• Generates 0 – 30v DC  Anderson connector output. Using a 21-speed bicycle or higher will give you the greatest range of output voltages.
• Capable of generating 300W continuous output without getting warm. 300W sustained output is very challenging for most pedalers to sustain!
• Weight: 20lbs

RTB Electrical Activities guide to “guide” you…

(click the image to enlarge)

Compatibility & Ideal Bikes

(click the image to enlarge)

• ~ Knob style QR skewers or axle nuts (stand not compatible with internally geared hubs with thru axle shifting)
• ~ Tires with smooth center tread
• ~ Geared bikes increase pedaling comfort – allow rider to find the ideal cadence

• How many people will it take to power my laptop and projector, or pedalboard (or any device)?

  Okay, so you have a device or set of devices in mind (like a laptop and projector), and you want to know whether it’s possible to power them with people on bike generators. Here are the steps to figure it out: First, you need to measure the power consumption of the device you want to [...]

• Basic questions to consider when crafting your Pedal Powered Stage

  The technical needs of a Pedal Powered event vary greatly depending on audience size, venue, and power needs of musician’s devices. The questions in this post will help you to know what features are most important for you, and how much power you’ll really need. Please answer these questions and email us using the contact [...]

• What are the elements of a Pedal Powered Stage?

  What follows is an explanation of the key elements of a Pedal Powered Stage. If you are ready to buy individual components, please see the Pedal Powered Stage products section of our online store. If you’d like a custom quote for a Pedal Powered Stage, please start by emailing us with the answers to our [...]

• Coming to a Spin Class Near You

  Rock the Bike has rocked events around the Bay Area with our message of pedal-powered revolution. We’re ramping it up – for the first time, people who take their daily spin class will wire back the energy generated by their workout into their electrical grid, helping to power their work place as they get inspired to bike towards a lower carbon footprint.

  (more…)

• York Catholic School Board remixes Toaster Challenge at energy awareness assembly

  

  Sitting on the stool on the right side of this photo is an unassuming white form, but push the lever on it and you have a beast of a challenge — match the energy needs of an electric toaster by pedaling your hardest on an efficient bicycle generator. (more…)

• What can I power with Rock The Bike Generators?

  What can I power with a Generator Pro or Electric Fender Blender Pro?

  Most common uses:

  AC Power — Use our Pedal Power Utility Box or create your own 24V Pedal Power system with a battery and inverter. Our Pedal Power Utility Box is a complete system that features:

  • Ultracapacitor (absorbs every last Watt of effort)
  • Smart LED pedalometer (shows up to 5 people how hard to pedal. Bigger groups can plug in our Tube Pedalometer).
  • 1000W Pure Sine Inverter.
  • Protected wiring

  USB Only: Our Cell Recharge Circuit and Cell Phone Recharge Desk both are capable of charging up to 8 devices at once.

  LEDs (dumb): This low-cost activity is also fun and beautiful when done artfully. Wire 12V flexible LEDs in 24V series, 36V series, or 48V series or any combination of the above. When used in combination, the lower voltage lights turn on first, and the higher voltage LEDs will light only when you pedal fast enough. To prevent overvoltage conditions from damaging the lights, you have to use enough of them that the pedalers are sufficiently tired out trying to keep them on. The rule of thumb is that these lights consume about 1W per foot. Depending on the age group of your event / school / setting, your pedalers may be able to create up to 200-400W of power. If you want to challenge them and keep your LEDs cool, you may have to use that many feet of LED. If you choose 36 or 48V series wiring, this is less of a concern. Measure with a voltmeter and try to keep the LEDs under 150% of their rated voltage, especially for extended periods of time (more than a few seconds). You can also reduce the voltage spikes that the LEDs see by pairing them with a capacitor.

  Ask about our LED kits!

  LEDs (smart) : sLEDgehammer

  Sound :   1 Bike / 1 Speaker

  In terms of the above list, what’s the difference between a Roll Up, Generator Wheel, Electric Fender Blender Pro and Generator Pro?

  The main difference is the Roll Up and Generator Wheel are capable of working well with 12v systems. The Electric Fender Blender Pro and the Generator Pro can technically be used with 12v systems, but the gearing will likely feel too hard. The Electric Fender Blender Pro and the Generator Pro are best suited to 24V systems.

  More on Pedal-Powering LEDs:

  The Svelte or Sledgehammer generator wheel or DC Roll up stand produce variable DC voltage. The faster you pedal the higher the voltage. We try to optimise the gear ratio and electrical activity to be around 24volts when pedaling at a comfortable speed.  The Load or wattage of your activity (LEDs) will determine the difficulty.

  The variable DC voltage of these generators is a good match for custom interactive LED activities and is fun and beautiful when done artfully.

  Strips of 12V LEDs can be put in 24V series, 36V series, or 48V series or a combination of these. When used in combination, the lower voltage lights turn on first, and then the higher voltage LEDs.  Brightness of the LEDs will increase with voltage. To prevent overvoltage from damaging the lights, you have to use enough that pedalers are sufficiently tired out by trying to keep them on.  Keep in mind the age and ability of your pedalers. Rolls of flexible LEDs often consume about 1W per foot. Pedalers may be able to create up to 200-400W of power. If you want to challenge them and keep your LEDs cool, you may have to use that many feet of LED.  If you choose 36 or 48V series wiring, this is less of a concern. Measure with a voltmeter and try to keep the LEDs under 150% of their rated voltage, especially for extended periods of time (more than a few seconds). You can also reduce the voltage spikes by pairing them with a capacitor.

  The “Off The Wall” generator wheel and Roll Up stand produce a higher variable voltage, closer to that of wall power. LEDs will need a switching power supply, usually with an input of 100 to 240volts, an output that matches the voltage of the LEDs (12v), and sufficient current for the number of LEDs. The interactivity of the LEDs is slightly less because they simply turn on and will not change in brightness, but will stay on over a wide range of pedal speed. Incandescent bulbs can be directly plugged into the Off The Wall and used as a comparison to the LEDs. They require much more energy and are usually less bright, but will glow brighter the faster you pedal. Make sure to match the wattage of the bulbs to your pedalers ability… bulbs can burn out!

  Warning:  Power supplies and other equipment can be over-voltaged and damaged when load / resistance is not enough and a pedaler is able to pedal really fast, producing a high voltage for an extended amount of time. We are developing a safety circuit that reduces the voltage if it gets over 240volts which may help in some situations.

• Generators available from Rock The Bike

  

  

  We sell three types of complete Generator Bikes:

  Not sure which one is right for you? Think about which activies you want to be able to power.

  – sLEDge Generator Pro (our custom frame with wide size range and great branding possibilities – works with all of our attachments, mechanical and “electrical”) 
  
  – Svelte Generator Pro (our custom frame with wide size range and great branding possibilities – most efficient choice for all of our “electrical” except the sLEDgehammer tower)

  *What’s the difference between the sLEDge and Svelte Generator Pro? It is the type of Generator wheel that it comes with. The Svelte is a lighter more compact generator wheel and is easier to install. It won’t work with the sLEDgehammer tower.

  – Electric Fender Blender Pro (same but includes a bike blender so you can do two activities – Please let us know which Generator Wheel you’d like it to have)

  And we sell a more cost effective solution for turning any bike in to a generator:

  – the Roll Up Generator Stand
  
  

   

  Generator Pro

  sLEDge Generator WheelSvelte Generator Wheel

  When you do events with Pedal Power, especially with groups of pedalers, it’s good to have a simple, comfortable bike that looks inviting and leaves no option but to get on and pedal. The Generator Pro is that bike.

  It has no gears, no brakes — only the seat to adjust. The handlebars don’t even turn. Nothing rubs the tire, nothing gets hot and no parts wear out when people pedal continuously for hours at events.
  

  What it does have is a large and effective brushless generator wheel. The size of it creates a flywheel effect that smoothes out people’s pedal strokes. The magnets and coils inside the generator never touch each other, and there’s nothing rubbing on the tire, meaning that all the pedal energy goes into electricity instead of heat. The power comes through a cable at the center of the wheel.
  

  The hub is rated for more power than even the strongest Tour de France riders can summon.
  

  The frame of the bike has a very wide size range. You’ll see 7-year-olds high-fiving adults as they pedal alongside each other. All you have to do is make sure the seat is adjusted for each rider. The ease, comfort, and fun of people pedaling in groups are what this bike was designed for.
  

  This generator is for customers who want the best, like the way it looks in a group, and want the benefits of its simplicity
  

  The lack of unnecessary features in this high-performance generator allows your staff to direct its attention to other things at your events, like people!
  

  

  Above: The Generator Pro

  Key features
  

  • Compatible with any Rock The Bike electrical activity, such as the Recharge Station, the sLEDgehammer, or live sound.*
  • Consistent performance.
  • Cruisy looking and comfy.
  • Looks great in a group at events.
  • Powerful gear ratio.
  • Uses the same frame as our bike blenders — you can add a blender later or get both now in the same package.
  • Can be branded — see our examples.
  • The Generator Pro is not a complete activity by itself. Pedaled on its own, it will have no resistance and the wheel will just spin faster and faster. You have to match it to one of our compatible Electrical Activities.

   

  Electric Fender Blender Pro

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  

  It has all the features of the Generator Pro, plus you can blend smoothies! For more info, please go here.

   

  Roll Up Generator Stand

  

  Rock The Bike’s low cost, high-performance, smooth rolling generator.

  Roll your bike on up to this sturdy stand, engage the generator, and voila! — you are immediately ready to create some serious pedal power!

  Designed for continuous all-day use at events, this DC power generator stand is an efficient yet affordable way to get the Rock the Bike level of performance for one or many riders. Get several stands to involve local team members and volunteers who can bring their own bikes to an event.

  Our child-sized version makes a good choice for teachers who want to do a demonstration of alternative energy in the classroom. Unique among every available bike generator, the Roll Up features a clear window where you can see magnets on the moving part spin past coils on the fixed part.That’s where muscle effort converts to electricity, and you can show it to your students!

  The ride is easy on your bike, and easy on your body. While other bike generators shred tires, whine with inefficiency and aren’t nearly as fun to pedal, we engineered the Roll-Up with a four-times-bigger roller that both positively grabs your tire and creates a flywheel effect to smooth out generation.

  

  The large contact patch formed between the 6” roller and your tire means less roller pressure is required to maintain contact. You won’t see any deformation of the tire. More of your good clean Pedal Power goes into the device you’re powering.

  We make our rollers out of our own gritty composite similar to the concrete that tires were designed to roll on—producing a smooth, quiet, efficient ride.

  Key Features

  • Clear, built-in indicators show when you’re using it correctly: LEDs inside the DC generator glow at 12-24 volts.
  • The generator is designed to accept more power than humans can generate, so the Roll Up never gets hot.
  • Highest power capacity tire-rolling dynamo on the market.
  • Almost any kind of bike works, see the requirements here.
  • Standard model fits 24”, 26”, 29” and 700c wheels; small model fits 20” wheels.
  • Use your bike gears to adjust level of challenge.
  • For group events, pair your Roll Ups with a range of bike sizes to fit a variety of riders. [photo from Alabama]
  • Generates 0 – 30v DC  Anderson connector output.
  • Using a 21-speed bicycle or higher will give you the greatest range of output voltages.

  The Roll Up is not a complete activity — you’ll still need something to power.

• Pedal Powered Stage Gear

  This is the gear we use at our own Pedal Powered Stage events, including the San Francisco Bicycle Music Festival.
  

   

  A Pedal Powered Stage is a system that must include ALL of the following:

  • Generator(s)
  • Loudspeaker(s) and
  • Audio Gear (microphones, cords, stands, etc)
  • Pedal Power Utility Box
  • Wiring and interconnects
  • Pedalometer

  The following elements are optional:

  • staging
  • lighting

  Creating a system yourself can be a great team-building experience but has a serious learning curve. Working with Rock The Bike will get you up and running much more quickly and with higher quality components. You’ll be able to put your focus on organizing events much sooner.

  Let our experience work for you. We’ve been Pedal Powering music events since 2007.  This will translate to less frustration and more empowering moments when you use our gear at your events.

  We would be happy to assist you in customizing a quote for your Pedal Powered Stage. Please note that the items in this category are often made to order. Please help us help you by giving us enough time to do our best work.

  If you aren’t sure if you want to purchase or rent, you can check out purchasing prices with the “BUY” button below, or you can contact us for rental quotes HERE, or email info@rockthebike.com

• 1.7 Million Views! CNN Covers Rock The Bike's Roll-Up Generator at Standing Rock

  CNN sent journalist Sara Sidner to Standing Rock in North Dakota, though they don’t identify which camp they visited: Oceti Sakowin Camp, Rosebud Camp, or Sacred Stone Camp.

  While walking around, Sara found a Roll-Up, our portable pedal-powered generator, brought to Standing Rock by friend/collaborator/co-conspirator Mike Cobb, and gave it a spin. Check out the video below: