Are smart bikes the future? LeEco launches two at CES show

Are smart bikes set to be the hottest thing in the cycling market this year? 

Following hot on the heels of the SpeedX Unicorn (which has raised over £325k and counting of funding on Kickstarter) comes the brand new connected bicycle from Chinese company LeEco. Well actually there's two of them, a road bike and a mountain bike.

Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week, the company has announced it will produce a road and mountain bike with integrated 4in touchscreens and a computer running BikeOS, an interface the company has built based on Google’s Android operating system and powered by the latest Snapdragon 410 processor. 

This computer allows a host of functions including turn-by-turn navigation and being able to communicate with other LeEco cyclists. ANT+ allows it to be connected to a wide range of sensors from heart rate to power. 

There’s an app, of course, which connects to the bike to allow you to easily share rides and analyses ride data. 

Also integrated into the bike is a series of automatic lights on the front and sides, along with a horn and security alarm. When the alarm is triggered the bike can automatically alert its owner and track the location via the mobile app.

As for the bike itself, it’s made from T700 carbon fibre with an aerodynamic design and is pictured with a 1x11 SRAM and FSA drivetrain and rim brakes. Claimed weight is 8.4kg (18.5lb). 

“CES is the international stage of innovation, and LeEco is here to showcase our open ecosystem of platforms, devices, software, content and applications that are defining the next-generation experience,” said Richard Ren, President of LeEco North America. “Our disruptive business model is focused on creating a truly connected lifestyle for individuals and new opportunities for our partners.”

The smart bike is only going to be available in the US to start with and there is currently no word on pricing, and availability is vaguely scheduled for the second quarter of the year.

What do you think? Is there a big market for smart bikes like this one or the SpeedX Unicorn we report on yesterday?