Fledgling component brand NRG has designed a stem with a built in power bank, that can charge your devices with a universal USB port. It’s now crowdfunding on Kickstarter, with a £190,000 target to bring it into full production.
Weighing in at 240g, the NRG stem is made out of heat-treated aluminium, and there’s an LED light indicator on the top to show you how much charge you have remaining. A rubber cap fits over the top of the USB ports when not in use. Using the NRG stem means you can keep your GPS, lights and phone amongst other things topped up on the go without having to carry anything extra and/or worrying about running out of juice. The reach is 103mm with a 5° angle, and the battery capacity of 3500MaH; enough to give an iPhone a full charge. To recharge the stem itself, you plug in the 2 metres long charge cable into the port on the stem. It’s also fully patented, designed and manufactured in the UK.
Although it’s the first time we’ve seen charging via a stem, it’s not the first instance of USB integration on a bike: way back in 2011 we reviewed the Tout Terrain touring bike that had a USB port fitted under its headset via a dynamo adapter, and Dave reviewed the Igaro D1 Mod 5 USB converter for dynamo hubs in December – but on first impressions the NRG stem looks like a wire and hassle-free solution, so we’ll be following its development with interest.
When we first caught news of the stem a year ago we didn’t have pricing info, but a year on NRG have now launched the product on Kickstarter to bring it into full production. They’re looking for a total investment of £190,000, and you can get one with a super-early bird backing of £160 (50 are available at this price). The early bird price is £175, and the RRP will eventually be £210. Check out their website here and the Kickstarter here.
*This article was first published in February 2018
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53 thoughts on “The NRG Stem has a built-in power bank for charging devices on the go, and it’s now crowdfunding on Kickstarter”
Is it just me but for most
Is it just me but for most people the battery indicator won’t be visible as it will be pointing at the floor?
philhubbard wrote:
Are you assuming that most people run stems with a positive angle? I don’t, and most riders I see round here don’t.
What they have done is made a stem that can’t be flipped (otherwise, as you say, the indicator would be on the bottom, and the writing upside down), but I guess that’s more a manufacturing cost issue than anything else as it means they’ll have to make a bigger range of sizes.
joules1975 wrote:
Joules1975,
Thanks for the comment. We are making a bigger range of stems both length and battery in order to address client reuirements. Our Facebook page – facebook.com/nrgstems has an updated video of the latest design.
philhubbard wrote:
Phil thanks for the comment. The battery indicator will be facing the rider. The video is just showing the stem and just finishes at the point where it looks like the indicator is underneath
there must be a minute market
there must be a minute market for this.
Just charge your kit before you go. Now you’ve just introduced the problem of having to have your bike near a socket for a few hours to charge THAT up.
fenix wrote:
Remember all those moaning their camera batteries don’t last long enough…
fenix wrote:
Thanks Fenis for your comment. You have made a valid point. However, this is the reason it has been invented as many users including myself the inventor have run out of charge while riding and training. As a result this gives you the ability to charge any device at any point if you require. Lastly, once the device is charged, the device holds its battery until used. So no recharge required unless you use. There is an indicator guage that tells you the level of battery remaining within the stem. For further information please sign up via our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/nrgstems
Looks like it could be good
Looks like it could be good for using with a dynamo to give a consistent supply, certainly more elegant than the current options from the likes of B & M. I think there’s a rectifier that is integrated in the headset cap which could make a very tidy option. Not something I’d fit to the road bike, but for the tourer I’m interested.
patto583 wrote:
It’s difficult to tell with no technical details at all.
It could be just a simple single cell battery pack embedded in a stem. I’d guess a single 18650 cell as that’s about all that would fit. ie. The kind of emergency “lipstick” sized battery pack you carry to add about half a charge to your phone. There’s no indication it works as a 6v AC to 5v DC USB convertor, which would indeed be quite a nice solution, so you’d still need “the likes of B & M” in the middle to charge it from a hub dyno.
IME, I’d also rather have old fashioned DC jacks than USB connections too. USB connectors are generally bad with water, salt, grit and general touring/commuting abuse. It’s to B&M’s credit they put waterproof inline connectors between the USB ends and their E/USBWerk devices. You can then easily replace the cable ends. It also means you can charge in the rain with a cable running in to a bag with the device in it. You can’t with this stem.
Doesn’t say the capacity.
Doesn’t say the capacity.
Might be easier just to have one of these if your phone gets a bit low
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-PowerCore-Ultra-Compact-Fast-Charging-Technology-Black/dp/B01CU1EC6Y/ref=sr_1_7?s=telephone&ie=UTF8&qid=1518788596&sr=1-7&refinements=p_4%3AAnker
and a bit of velcro.
Also you don’t need to carry your bike with you if you want to charge your phone when out for the day.
hirsute wrote:
Hirsute,
Thanks for the comment. We have communicated previously the output is in the region of 2.9AMP. The stem once charged will indicate when it is required to be recharged (based on use). In order to enable the user not to continually recharge the stem. If you have not already signed up for news when it is coming to market, please sign up via our Facebook page – facebook.com/nrgstems.
Thanks
NRGStems
NRGStems wrote:
But that wasn’t what I asked…
I thought it was going to
I thought it was going to work like a dynamo, but obviously without rotating generator and some alternative technology! I’m sure I saw that there was this technology in development.
So if it is a power pack. It’s a power pack that you can’t take off your bike if you don’t need it. Why not just have a bar bag with a power pack?
tugglesthegreat wrote:
This is what I was talking about:
https://www.quora.com/What-is-triboelectric-generator-How-does-it-work
tugglesthegreat wrote:
Hi tugglesthegreat,
Of course you can have this option. However, the user feedback we have had is that users would like power integrily and safely built into the setup of the bike. A bar bag could come undone, distract a user and could even be stolen if left.
Who has not run out of
Who has not run out of battery on a longer ride? So, on paper it looks like a neat idea…
On the other hand, how many devices can you charge on the go?
* Older Garmins and new EDGE switch off when charging.
* On many cycling computers and navigation devices socket is not accessible when mounted.
* Cameras in the casing (GoPro) do not have access.
* Phone would have to be fixed on handlebars to charge.
* Can’t charge anything when wet.
I mean would you buy one for yourself? To me it would be a tough sell…
rix wrote:
My Edge 1000 doesn’t switch off when its connected to a battery bank just when its connected to the mains or something with data transfer capabilities.
rix wrote:
Rix,
Thanks for the comment. As the inventor and owner I will be the first user of the stem. It will be tested against many devices to confirm that it can work while the user rides and will be based on the model you have.
Thanks
rix wrote:
Ignoring its other faults, my Edge Touring plus does charge on the go. However, you need more capacity than you’d expect, because the backlight stays on. (You can turn the brightness right down duriing the day, but in darkness you need it turned up.)
rix wrote:
Well, I have an Edge Touring Plus, for all of it’s bad points and inconsistencies, the only problem with charging while in use is that the backlight runs continuously. That means that you will use more of the powerbanks capacity while riding.
janusz0 wrote:
Janusz0,
Thanks for the comment. The article you are referring to was written based on information at the time. The anticipated capacity for the smaller model is 2.9AMP and only likey to get better. Please do join us on Facebook where we post regular updates, also sign up for pre-relase information http://www.facebook.com/nrgstems
Thanks
A 30 minute top up at a
A 30 minute top up at a coffee shop may be enough.
I’m not rushing out to buy one, on the other hand I don’t need a new stem…
Who has not run out of
Who has not run out of battery on a longer ride? So, on paper it looks like a neat idea…
On the other hand, how many devices can you charge on the go?
* Older Garmins and new EDGE switch off when charging.
From the ‘Older’ range, the 200 works fine when charging OTG, the 500 doesn’t, although there is a mythical OTG cable supposedly in existence which makes this possible.
The 200 will do 10+ hrs/200km audax time on a single charge, so for most riders, this isn’t an issue
jimc101 wrote:
Just type “mini USB OTG Cable” into anmazon, there are many available – crucially mportant for Everesting or recording other long rides with Garmins of the 500/800 vintage. It has a missing pin which fools the garmin into thinking it’s not plugged in and hence doesnt switch it off. And yes it does work.
number9dream wrote:
This stem is a load of bollocks though
number9dream wrote:
Thanks for the in-depth view!
number9dream wrote:
The Garmin Edge forums used to be stuffed with posts about the devices being plugged into the PC and charging quite happily but not passing data, because users had simply grabbed the Mini-USB cable from their phone charger, back in the day when Mini-USB was the goto connection, and it didn’t have the data pin because it was designed to just be a charger.
Neat idea, for touring,
Neat idea, for touring, bikepacking especially. Needs a bit more work to eithe rmake the stem flippanble or offer a range of sizes but I guess for a first run, they may not wish to offer it up in multiple options.
Most Exposure lights also offer a charge-out facility where you can use the battery of the light to top up a phone/GPS etc.
My Garmin needed a top-up during the Rapha Manchester to London ride, that was 220 miles in one go. I used a small portable powerbank and just gave it a 40 miunute boost it while I was at one of the feed stations (my particular model of Garmin doesn’t turn off when charging). The lights lasted fine. My phone was OK (just) but I had to run it in airplane mode for the majority of the journey just to stop it constantly searching for wifi or trying to sync.
I’ve done the same on the Dunwich Dynamo and light use was more of an issue on that as well.
Sometimes the logistics of charging a whole load of electrics up almost outweighs the actual ride!
crazy-legs wrote:
Hi crazy-legs,
Thanks for the comment. The stems will be offerred as options based on length and power output (AMP) to address user requirements. Please join us on Facebook.com/nrgstems and sign up for pre-release information
Jimc101, if you were to have the NRGStem you would’ve been able to charge your Garmin while on the go and then your phone at your breaks. Win-win 🙂
A power bank with the same
A power bank with the same form factor as the new light from Fabric would be ideal, with a garmin mount top and bottom.
a solution looking for a problem?
So if I had this on my tour bike (or any bike) – I would have to lug the whole bicycle into my hotel room (if the hotel would let me). I think I will stick to my portable power pack thank you.
I suppose if you could link it to a dynamo hub it might have a place?
The stem in the video doesn’t
The stem in the video doesn’t match the verbage or photo with the indicator guage or accessory mount on the faceplate.
I’ve had a powerbank stem on
I’ve had a powerbank stem on my handcycle for a very long time. It’s also a phone holder.
Livall S2 is the one I’ve got. 5000mAh.
i’ve signed up for this as my
i’ve signed up for this as my garmin 520 only lasted for 4.5 hours last weekend. no good for all day rides!
Pre-order NRGstem
Hi FanatikJim,
We are now taking pre-orders for the stem at http://www.nrgstems.com. Reserve your chosen stem today
Thanks
NRGStems
How the idea came about
Found out from our CEO how the idea came about
Pre-order your NRGStem today
We ar enow taking pre-orders for the NRGStem. Available in two lengths. Pre-order today at http://www.nrgstems.com
Short NRG Stem
Price: £195.00
Length: 93mm
Power Output: 2700 MaH
Weight: 240g
(weights may vary)
Long NRG Stem
Price: £210.00
Length: 103mm
Power Output: 3500 MaH
Weight: 265g
(weights may vary)
There is mention of using
There is mention of using this to charge up your Di2 system – would this just require a special cable or would it need the Shimano USB convertor as well?
Does this stem use standard size lithium ion batteries? i.e. when the capacity starts dropping, can you swap in a nice new 18650? This would also allow a super quick charge by swapping a depleted battery with a pre-charged battery.
Does the battery element of
Does the battery element of the stem detach so that it can be taken away from the bike for charging?
srchar wrote:
Doesn’t look like it, which is a shame. I might be interested in a stem that works like a powerbank with replaceable 18650s.
srchar wrote:
Srchar,
The batteries are a permanent fixture within the Stem.
Thanks
NRGStems
Modern times make it a necessity for power
Modern society makes it a necessity to have power on the go. Head over to our YouTube channel to find out how a hobby turned into a real invention
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGSXSfjc63z3rMv3Pp5P5Tg/videos
NRGStems wrote:
So, can you answer whether this features removable batteries or not?
Power output and capacity
Some confusion here:
“The anticipated capacity for the smaller model is 2.9AMP”- surely 2.9AH (AmpereHours)
Elsewhere the smaller stem has “Power Output: 2700 MaH” – 2700 mAh is capacity, not power output.
jaysa wrote:
Jaysa,
Charging output up to 2.1A with a battery capacity of 2700mAh on the short stem and 3500mAh on the long stem.
Thanks
NRGStems
Love the idea of this, as my
Love the idea of this, as my handlebar camera has pitiful battery life.
But I’m afraid the price is way over what I’d be prepared to pay for it.
Should add that it’s also not easily portable between bikes, whereas I can easily swap a power bank and a bit of velcro between any bike in seconds.
LastBoyScout wrote:
LastBoyScout,
Thanks for the comment. Unfortunately the stem has not been designed to be removed as this would fail safety regulations.
Thanks
NRGStems
Just to let you all know, we
Just to let you all know, we have launched a campaign on Kickstarter: https://kck.st/2TlWdks
Please do let us have feedback
Thanks
It’s still a great idea – but
It’s still a great idea – but it’s still far too expensive and limited to a single bike.
I’d be far more interested in something I can easily swap between the commuter hack, the road bike and the mountain bike.
In fact, I’ve just had a fantastic idea for a rival product… 🙂
I may be a miserable ol b
I may be a miserable ol b*stard but why can’t companies just launch shit these days. It’s a bloody powerbank inside a stem manufactured by some children in China. Get 100 made and try and flog them! Kickstarter is a fools paradise!
The price point for this need
The price point for this need to be £50. Any more than that and it will be a failure
My brain hurts. I’d
My brain hurts. I’d forgotten that I’d commented on this a year ago. I’ve just made a new comment, then thought I’d corrected a bizarre error. Now it just looks like I’ve made a double post with 3 minutes between “Save”s! (I edited the year old post, that’s now hopelessly out of sequence.)
Ridiculous – just buy a cheap
Ridiculous – just buy a cheap torch shape powerbank with a reasonable capacity from ASDA, Lidl etc, and a Twofishlockblock torch holder.