Sub-$500 battery-powered wheel brings electric capabilities to any bike

GeoOrbital is the first sub USD 500 electric wheel that is compact and battery-powered, and can be attached to any bike.

When it comes to electric bicycles, consumers either have to buy an entirely new bike or some bulky equipment to retrofit their current one, often at great cost. We've already written about the battery-free Copenhagen Wheel, which can be attached to any bike to convert cyclists' pedaling energy into a power boost for uphill climbs. Now GeoOrbital is the first sub USD 500 electric wheel that is compact and battery-powered, and can be attached to any bike.

Coming out of Cambridge, MA, the startup behind the innovation has developed a unique way to provide power to any bike. Rather than creating a device with enough energy to propel an entire wheel, the wheel itself actually remains still when the bike is in motion. Instead, three rollers push the rim and tyre around the machine itself.

GeoOrbital is easily connected via the front wheel forks, with a throttle located on the handlebars so cyclists can control when they get a burst of energy without a smartphone. The current prototype can reach speeds of 8mph and weighs a fairly heavy 35 pounds, although the next version will be both faster and lighter.

Watch the video below for a demonstration of the wheel:

Considering GeoOrbital can be affixed to any existing bike and is set to retail for below USD 500 — a good USD 300 cheaper than the Copenhagen Wheel, for example — it could encourage a fair few more potential cyclists to finally dust off their old two-wheeler. Are there other ways to deliver electric capabilities to push bikes?