Charge Your Phone with your Bike

Nokia has announced a bike kit that allows users to charge their phones when cycling, according to the mobile phone manufacturer. Install the kit straight out of the packet, then you provide the power, so using your phone will have no environmental impact. You can even listen to music from your phone’s speakers as you cycle.

The kit consists of a charger and a dynamo, as well as a holder to secure the phone to the bike. The dynamo, a small electrical generator, similar to one used to power a bike light, uses the movement of the wheels to charge the handset through a standard 2 millimeter jack, which is found in most Nokia mobile phones, the company said. It starts charging when the bicycle speed is 4 mph or greater. To reach the same efficiency as the electrically powered Compact Charger AC-3, the cyclist has to pedal at 7.5 mph, according the Nokia specification sheet.

By using pedal power to charge mobile phones it allows users who have limited access to electricity the capability to charge their phones, and it also gives everyone the chance to be more environmentally responsible, according to the Nokia spokesperson. The bicycle charger kit will be available by the end of the year, and is expected to cost around $18.