Here at Commute by Bike, we get a lot of emails from folks launching projects on Kickstarter asking us to help promote their campaigns. A number of the projects look awesome, inventive, and definitely worthy of some attention. While we can’t write individual articles about all of them, I decided to start a semi-regular feature on Commute by Bike highlighting some of the commuter-specific projects on Kickstarter that have recently caught our attention.
The first project is the Shelfie, a simple and aesthetically lovely bike shelf for your home that allows you to turn bike storage into artful design. It’s a great solution for commuters who may not have a garage and looks like it’s easy to mount, easy to use, and versatile enough for all different types of bikes. It’s got a little cubby for your helmet, gloves, etc., which makes getting out the door convenient and quick. The Shelfie has been a great success on Kickstarter, nearly doubling its original funding goal! We’re looking forward to seeing this product in the marketplace.
Next is a project that successfully funded in April, The Allo, an all in one bike mount/speaker system for your phone. There are a number of phone mounts on the market right now, but the great thing about the Allo is that it has the built in speaker. You can use the Allo for phone calls, list
ening to music, and utilizing your phone’s GPS Navigation system using turn-by-turn directions. We think this system is excellent for bike safety, getting cyclists out of their earbuds and eliminating the awkward fumbling/juggling act of retrieving your phone from your pocket while on the bike. The only disadvantage at this point it that the Allo is only available for iPhone 5/5s, so Andriod users are out of luck for the time being. Perhaps Allo 2.0 will offer options for other types of phones?
We love this next product, which successfully funded a few days ago. Fietsklik is a project out of the Netherlands (of course) that features lockable cases for the back of your bike. Inspired by a bike beer run gone wrong, it’s a travel system centered around the Klik, an adapter that attaches and locks to your rear rack. You can then add a little crate that clicks and locks onto the back of your bike, like a little cooler. But wait, there’s more! The crate detaches and transforms into a little rolling cart, so you can roll it right into the grocery store. The Fietsklik also has a selection of bags that work with the system as well, and they are working on a child seat, which is currently still in the prototype phase. We are particularly excited about this product line because it supports the J.O.Y.B.A.G (Jump On Your Bike And Go) movement, and offers commuters a way to integrate cycling into every aspect of their daily lives. Congratulations on the successful funding and we hope to see more products like this in the future!
Finally – the latest creation from Green Guru, a company out of Boulder, Colorado, that makes upcycled cycling bags in all shapes, sizes, and styles. We’re already big fans of Green Guru products, and their latest project is just strengthening our crush. The FreeRider is a pannier that allows you to use your favorite backpack or bag by sliding it into the sling-like design of the bag. It’s ridiculously versatile in that it fits every rack and almost every type of bag. Of course, bags aren’t all it carries. You can toss in your full grocery bags, flower bouquets, watermelons, beer; virtually anything you would want to haul on your bike. (Probably not your dog or your kids though…there are other options for that). Their project has already funded, but you can check out the campaign to read more about it or order your own FreeRider.
We’ll be featuring more Kickstarter commuter-specific projects in the future as we come across more interesting and inspiring projects. Stay tuned!