Electric BikesNews

Halfords launch e-bike with Alexa

rsscott
Posted onJan 8, 2019 at 5:14 PM
Updated onUpdated on Feb 18, 2019 at 3:58 PM

Halfords is unveiling their Cybic E-Legend, which is connected to Amazon’s voice-controlled digital assistant Alexa, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from today.

Both the electric Cybic model and the unassisted hybrid Cybic Legend are due to go on sale in Halfords this summer.

“We’ve seen innovations in alternative commuting go from strength to strength and after electric bikes we predict that the next big trend for commuters will be smart bikes,” said Halfords’ Andy Whitehall.

“The technology will help cyclists with many things including getting traffic updates, getting turn-by-turn directions, personalised light settings, playing music and much more.”

Product features are listed as:

Access to cycling performance data including speed, time & distance covered
GPS and mapping
Personalised light settings – the bike includes built-in front, rear and handlebar lighting which can be set from the menu
A security lock and an alarm which can be accessed via the bike’s app
Theft tracking
A HD music player
Vodafone sim included (three years free 3G data)
WiFi enabled

David Kumar, Principal Product Manager at Alexa Voice Services said “Adding Alexa functionality expands the notion of ‘Alexa On The Go’, where Alexa is available anywhere where the bike is. The combination of Alexa and Cybic enables riders to enjoy a great range of innovative, integrated bike features without their hands ever having to leave the safety of the handle bars”.

To forum discussion (32 posts)
wheeliepete
Forget the tech....looks like it's fitted with a Bafang M500 mid drive. Interesting choice of motor.....
Nealh
Interesting funky style looking bike but lacking suspension of any kind.
I wonder what the price will be 2k ?
The bafang OEM mid drive seems to have taken along time to appear on a bike for mass sale over here.
E
  • E
    electrifly
  • January 8, 2019
According to this Halfords press release, "Halfords is the exclusive UK and Ireland retailer of the range and it will be available in shops and online at Halfords.com from the summer 2019"
http://www.halfordscompany.com/news/cycling-news/cybic-bike-range-is-a-world-first-at-halfords/
From what I can make out, Cybic is a private company that first registered in Hong Kong a year ago.
wheeliepete
I'm not entirely sure why, but I've been following the uptake of the M series motor since it appeared on the Bafang website many months ago. I think it has great promise as an alternative to Bosch, Yamaha etc. From what I've read on ES, there have been delays with the development of the intergrated battery pack from Bafang, which I think has hindered it's appeal to manufacturers. I think it's a real shame that it's first outing in the UK is going to be powering a piece of consumer electronics marketed by Halfords, rather than a really great range of emtbs. I'm all for things moving forward, but I do hope this will not be a sign of things to come.
flecc
wheeliepete said
I think it's a real shame that it's first outing in the UK is going to be powering a piece of consumer electronics marketed by Halfords, rather than a really great range of emtbs. I'm all for things moving forward, but I do hope this will not be a sign of things to come.
Click to expand...
Suzhou Bafang have always primarily occupied the low end mass market, so it's likely they'll continue that way. I can't see them going up against the likes of Bosch like for like, but this unit will no doubt appear in the mid market as well. So potentially a sound lower price alternative to Bosch etc in quite decent e-bikes.
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Nealh
A couple of years ago at least two members brought the Greenway with Bafang max drive was this an earlier incarnation of the M series ?

Thread link
https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/greenway-cross-city.26736/
S
Call me old fashioned, but I want a connected bike as much as I want my shoes, fridge or bath talking to the world wide web. Talk about complicating things!

I am all for innovation, I am no luddite, and I am sure some people will love it. But ..well....you know.

Is it me?
    G
    I'm with you all the way! The last thing I need is something that needs a smart phone to use. I'm certainly no luddite - I've been involved in high tech professionally all my life but I like to choose what I hitech I buy or use. I love the 'net and I use computerised radio control transmitters but pedal cycles are essentially simple, wonderful devices. An electric motor is a help for we oldies but gear change improvements are the really big plus :)

    Geoff
flecc
Slartibartfast said
Call me old fashioned, but I want a connected bike as much as I want my shoes, fridge or bath talking to the world wide web. Talk about complicating things!

I am all for innovation, I am no luddite, and I am sure some people will love it. But ..well....you know.

Is it me?
Click to expand...
Not just you, I think the concept is barmy. The bicycle, the simplest most efficient human transport ever, is gradually being perverted into something ridiculously complicated.
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soundwave
ibike rrp 25k o_O
soundwave
egroover
However you look at it, Halfords should be applauded on bringing out cutting edge tech like this, this won't be affordable or desirable for most, and it could be seen as gimicky by most on here (we are interested in range and speed, right !) but it creates a buzz around e-bikes in general...I can see the T3 and 'Click' reviews now when it hits the street in the summer.

Right, so with British Cycling discount, Zeek gift cards, Quidco cashback.....;)
Woosh
it's bound to happen. Big corporations want now to own your bike after owning your kitchen, bathroom and control your lighting and heating system.
Honestly, would you want or trust alexa to indicate for you after it tells you to take a right turn?
C
I don’t expect to see thousands of these on the road or trail. It’s a bit of a laugh though and I expect a few people with loads of money to burn will buy one.
Benjahmin
Firm believer in KISS - keep it simple stupid! Alexa on a bike, what is the point? As hinted earlier, I think it's just a way of tying the owner into the brand for servicing etc. What happens if Alexa decides there's something wrong with the bike and turns it off?
Think I'll just stick to my unprogrammable neolithic hub kit, ta.
anotherkiwi
Does it work without a phone? Well thats settled then...
flecc
anotherkiwi said
Does it work without a phone? Well thats settled then...
Click to expand...
Given the patchy mobile phone coverage in the UK, particularly in hilly areas like mine, Alexa on a bike will be practically useless anyway.
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greyfox69
I am 60 Years young, and really in to all things tech, I have a PC I built myself, laptops, Tablets,garmin 820, garmin satnav and a smartphone, however being an avid reader I have just re-read 1984 by George Orwell, ( I read it 40 years ago)first thing I did was make sure alexa, siri and cortana were all switched off !!!!!! scary :(
less is more
Nealh
Reading the rest of the replies and realising this Alexa thing is something to do with the TAX dodging Amazon, as they have to pay Clarkson and his fools my guestimate for a 2k is going to be woeful and only the few who throw money at Apples and I-phones may be tempted. Myself I just like the quirky styling of said bike.
soundwave
alexa is a free app that can be downloaded to any device that runs ios or android.

so a ebike with alexa means nothing it just has a built in smart device same as a light bulb via a phone app lol.
S
In the 1960’s governments were trying figure out how to spy on everyone and spent fortunes bugging everything. Bet it never occurred to them it would be so simple in the future, all they had to do was sell a trendy piece of tech to everyone and then wait for the population to just tell them.
soundwave
Slartibartfast said
In the 1960’s governments were trying figure out how to spy on everyone and spent fortunes bugging everything. Bet it never occurred to them it would be so simple in the future, all they had to do was sell a trendy piece of tech to everyone and then wait for the population to just tell them.
Click to expand...
yet they cant even find a drone over a airport pmsl
S
Nealh said
only the few who throw money at Apples and I-phones.
Click to expand...
not me, but more than just a few ... but they will probably want a Siri enabled ebike for extra unreliability.
Nealh
I trust what you say SW as I don't use apping or smart phones. Generally I have a great mistrust for all things techy and their capabilities.. The only thing I use a lot is this machine I type on.
soundwave
so you buy a alexa speaker you then need a phone and the alexa app installed to talk to the speaker this needs a account to be set up with email and password for a cloud account to talk to each other.

you buy a smart light bulb again you need the app for the light bulb and again email address and password for a cloud account.

you then go to the skills setting in alexa to add a new skill the light bulb app and will ask for the email and password to access to cloud account to connect to the light bulb.

you can now turn off the light via the phone if the app is open and press the talk function or speaker if in range.

also just because it is wifi dont mean it will work with alexa as the app needs to be in the added skills page in alexa app.

and you want the hole house like this good fkn luck setting all that up :rolleyes:
Benjahmin
So it comes down to'
'Alexa, ride the bike for me'. ! ? :confused::p
Jimo
There are a lot of people trying to run my life who don’t pay my bills, do I want any more? NO THANKS.
S
soundwave said
so you buy a alexa speaker you then need a phone and the alexa app installed to talk to the speaker this needs a account to be set up with email and password for a cloud account to talk to each other.

you buy a smart light bulb again you need the app for the light bulb and again email address and password for a cloud account.

you then go to the skills setting in alexa to add a new skill the light bulb app and will ask for the email and password to access to cloud account to connect to the light bulb.

you can now turn off the light via the phone if the app is open and press the talk function or speaker if in range.

also just because it is wifi dont mean it will work with alexa as the app needs to be in the added skills page in alexa app.

and you want the hole house like this good fkn luck setting all that up :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I use what we old people call a 'switch' on the wall. Seems to work well. I keep losing my home phone. It's a cordless one. I am thinking of bringing back a phone that you can use in your house that attaches to a small box on the wall via a curly bit of cable. No dashing around in panic looking for the phone anymore! Genius!
Nealh
Slartibartfast said
I use what we old people call a 'switch' on the wall. Seems to work well. I keep losing my home phone. It's a cordless one. I am thinking of bringing back a phone that you can use in your house that attaches to a small box on the wall via a curly bit of cable. No dashing around in panic looking for the phone anymore! Genius!
Click to expand...
My home phone still has a curly bit and plugs in to a small wall box.
soundwave
View attachment 28503
https://venturebeat.com/2019/01/07/amazon-extends-its-key-delivery-service-to-third-party-smart-locks-and-garage-doors/

I sat on the internet-connected Numi 2.0, which connects to other Kohler devices in your home via Kohler Konnect, and I also got to contemplate the world while sitting on the PureWarmth toilet seat with a heated seat and an integrated nightlight.

“It’s really about cleaning, comfort, and control,” said a Kohler spokesman who showed it to me. “It has integrated lighting, integrated sound, and a lot of great control features.”

It lights up. You can connect via Bluetooth to your music collection, in case you want your time on the commode to be more soothing. It automatically opens when you walk up to it. You can say via Alexa to “Start my shower,” and it can turn on your Kohler shower. You can get on the Internet and do some reading.

And of course, it automatically flushes. The first Numi came out in 2013. Numi 2.0 costs $8,000. Kohler Konnect lets you configure your different bathroom products together, and you can control them via Alexa voice integration.

It’s all part of a suite of products that includes the Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror, the Sensate Touchless kitchen faucet, DTV+ shower system, PerfectFill bath filler, and PureWarmth heated toilet seat.
Jimo
Quite a load of non useable expensive rubbish, just NOT NEEDED!
flecc
Nealh said
My home phone still has a curly bit and plugs in to a small wall box.
Click to expand...
My curly bit must be in my brain, since I always return my DECT phone to its base and never mislay keys etc.

I have a simple home motto:

"A place for everything and everything in its place".

Works well.
.
S
soundwave said
View attachment 28503
https://venturebeat.com/2019/01/07/amazon-extends-its-key-delivery-service-to-third-party-smart-locks-and-garage-doors/

I sat on the internet-connected Numi 2.0, which connects to other Kohler devices in your home via Kohler Konnect, and I also got to contemplate the world while sitting on the PureWarmth toilet seat with a heated seat and an integrated nightlight.

“It’s really about cleaning, comfort, and control,” said a Kohler spokesman who showed it to me. “It has integrated lighting, integrated sound, and a lot of great control features.”

It lights up. You can connect via Bluetooth to your music collection, in case you want your time on the commode to be more soothing. It automatically opens when you walk up to it. You can say via Alexa to “Start my shower,” and it can turn on your Kohler shower. You can get on the Internet and do some reading.

And of course, it automatically flushes. The first Numi came out in 2013. Numi 2.0 costs $8,000. Kohler Konnect lets you configure your different bathroom products together, and you can control them via Alexa voice integration.

It’s all part of a suite of products that includes the Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror, the Sensate Touchless kitchen faucet, DTV+ shower system, PerfectFill bath filler, and PureWarmth heated toilet seat.
Click to expand...
Blimey, that's a bog?
S