Our latest rummage around Kickstarter turns up some indoor bicycle storage, aero wheel fairings and key shaped Allen keys.
Clug indoor bicycle storage
Kickstarter is awash with indoor bicycle racks and the latest is Clug, which the inventors describe as “cycle storage that’s like a hug for your bike.”
Clug is simplicity defined, a small bracket that the bicycle wheel clicks into. It’s compatible with tyre sizes between 23mm and 28mm. They’re aiming to produce a wider range of Clugs to fit mountain biking and hybrid bicycles if they get enough funding.
The Clug comprises just two parts. The clipper is attached to the wall, and the gripper snaps into the bracket. If you can’t or don’t want to drill a hole in the wall, the back of the Clug can be stuck to a wall with a 3M sticky pad. Because the force is transmitted through the wheels to the floor, they appear confident this small stick patch will hold it securely.
The inventors have already reached their $32,000 target but there are 24 days to go so you can still back them if you like the look of the product. It’ll cost just $9 to get your hands on your very own Clug [that just sounds wrong – Ed].
More info at www.kickstarter.com/projects/834664305/clug-cycle-storage-thats-like-a-hug-for-your-bike
D-Key, key shaped Allen keys
Ever wondered why Allen keys aren't shaped like normal keys? No, neither did we but Daniel Neale did, and so he set out to develop just such a product. Neale’s solution is a key-shaped Allen key that he reckons is more comfortable to hold than the usual design and a more convenient size.
If you’re always using, and losing, a certain size Allen key (probably a 4mm or 5mm, those are the most common on a road bike, right?) and like the idea of having an Allen key attached to your bundle of house keys, this is the product for you. If it’s with your house keys you’re probably never going to lose it.
He’s now on Kickstarter aiming for £9,554 funding and with 15 days to go there’s still time to get involved. It’ll cost £24 to pledge your support in return for three sizes.
More at www.kickstarter.com/projects/d-key/d-key-think-outside-the-tool-box
Upper Wheel Fairings
You get some strange stuff on Kickstarter, and then you get products like the Upper Wheel Fairings, which boldly claims to “reinvent the bicycle wheel to minimize overall vehicle drag, increasing headwind penetration speeds.” Yes, right.
The invention hails from the US and is designed to shield the upper wheel surface from headwinds. The fairings are made from ‘aircraft’ aluminium which fixes to the fork and seat stays with bolt-on brackets. A ‘stiffener bar’ is fastened to the inside surface of the fairing to curve it gently. Apparently, it only takes several hours to install.
Is there a market for such a product? It’s obviously not race legal, but there’s nothing to stop you using them for the ride to work or in a sportive.
“We are confident that our product will eventually find widespread use in the cycling world, simply because it works,” says its creators.
Do they offer any aero claims? Why, yes they do. They claim “riders have achieved speed gains ranging between three to over 20 percent,” which sounds promising. In a way these wheel fairings are just a crude attempt to do a similiar task to that of deep section rims and disc wheels do, but the weight isn't rotational.
Ambitiously, they’re seeking $120,000 funding but with 23 days to go they only have 9 backers to the tune of $1,013. If you want to find out more it’s worth checking out the very detailed Kickstarter page.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/777589323/upper-wheel-fairings-reinvent-the-bicycle-wheel
14 thoughts on “Kickstarter roundup: Clug, D-Key and Upper Wheel Fairings”
The guys behind the fairing
The guys behind the fairing are about to learn a lesson the car industry has dealt with for a long time. There are all kinds of things you can do to make something more efficient, if only the customer didn’t want the things they own to be pretty.
Those nullwinds are a bit odd
Those nullwinds are a bit odd – presumably they have no side-winds over there. Obviously, I have never ridden with them, but the fork seems to have most of the faring in front of the fork. I fancy that a good gust from the side would create a lot of turning force.
Nullwinds No thank you I’m
Nullwinds No thank you I’m out 8}
I’m pretty sure those
I’m pretty sure those “aero-fairings” used to be called skirt or dress guards.
The guys with the hex key
The guys with the hex key must not have seen the micro multi tools that….as it happens, fit nicely on a key ring all for about £10
Clug – Great idea and
Clug – Great idea and sensibly priced
Allen Key – Solution to a problem that doesn’t matter to most
Fairings – You are having a laugh….right??
Agreed about the nullwinds
Agreed about the nullwinds being ugly, they also seem like an odd design only covering the upper part of the wheel, if it was more of a complete wheel cover with perhaps some kind of venting design to reduce side wind effects it would work a little more. as it would always be facing the same way into the wind the vents could be angled in a more extreme way than on something that has to rotate, and would maybe relieve pressure from the inside of it too.
The principle of covering
The principle of covering only the upper part of the wheel is sound since the upper most point of the wheel is in effect travelling at twice the velocity of the bike whilst the tyre contact patch is effectively at zero.
The execution could use some work though.
Please tell me Nullwinds is a
Please tell me Nullwinds is a spoof. Not even the Yanks can be that stupid….Oh! They really can be! Sorry, my mistake. 😀
The Allen Key thingy (I can’t be bothered to scroll up to check its real name) is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. ~X(
The Clug? Now that is interesting. Particularly like the fact that it can be 3D printed. Small, neat and unobtrusive. A very competitive market but I think this will go well. Certainly until the copies start flooding the market. =D> 👿
I am one of the 1800 or so
I am one of the 1800 or so backers for the CLUG. It is innovatie, unobtrusive and incredibly simple. I paid $37 and will get 4 CLUG’s in September as the initial funding has now reached the $32,000 target.
I’m here in the UK and am looking forward to being one of the first to own these. I have 3 road bikes and my wife has hybrid road bike. Never will our garage look much tidier until September this year. No more ceiling hooks for us. Simple, stylish, effective. I was sold on this immediately. Hey I’m Scottish and don’t part with cash unless I believe in something that is going to give value for money and the CLUG does just that.
Forget about the Clug, I want
Forget about the Clug, I want a cushion with “merde” written on it.
Clug are also providing the
Clug are also providing the 3d data file so you print it yourself if you a access to a 3d printer.
The Clug looks nice and is
The Clug looks nice and is unobtrusive, I can see that doing well. I’m not convinced that it would be all that easy to use though.
I like the D-Key. It’s not revolutionary but as a convenient way to carry a 4mm key at all times it works and it’s a bit different. It’s a bit of an Etsy product though.
The fairing, yeah… I’m out.
Just to chip in on the D-Key,
Just to chip in on the D-Key, it was designed as a BMX product and it does make a lot more sense in this context. I’m still not totally sold on it but having an allen key in a handy size in your pocket along with your keys could be handy and the design allows you to apply more force than is possible with a multi-tool which is necesary for wheel removal etc.
If I’m honest I’m more taken with the socket seatposts and seats with built in storage that have started to appear in the BMX world.