More than one company has decided to develop compatible accessories for a bicycle handlebar, but very few have managed to create products with complete integration. The team behind smrtGRiPS aims to be the exception to the rule with a new series of grips that incorporate GPS support through vibrations, avoiding the classic pauses to check the screen of our smartphone.
I should start riding my bike again… with a heavy emphasis on “should”. Doctors are quick to recommend diets and physical activity, but when you have to invest a significant number of hours in front of a computer… let's just say that when I finish work, the last thing I want to do is pedal. Still, nobody can deny the benefits of cycling, both personal and general. Now the market seems convinced that it is necessary to modernize the bicycle, whether with direct components or accessories managed via smartphone. A natural option is to integrate GPS support, and for that you only need a smartphone. However, the minds behind smrtGRiPS believe it's possible to offer a more natural solution.
A More Natural Way to Navigate
smrtGRiPS consists of two grips (or handle covers, if you prefer) that occupy their traditional place on the handlebar. The user sets their destination through the main app on their smartphone, and instead of having to check a screen every 20 seconds, smrtGRiPS makes the handlebar vibrate to indicate the direction to turn. The grips also serve to locate the bike if it was parked in a place crowded with many bikes, or if someone decided to take it as a souvenir. The problem with this anti-theft component is that it works as an indirect GPS. Only when another smrtGRiPS user passes within 100 meters or less of your bike will it be possible to determine its location. The connectivity of the grips is via Bluetooth, and each weighs less than 100 grams. The need to recharge the grips is there, but the developers promise up to three months of battery life per charge.
Funding and Availability
The Indiegogo campaign for the smrtGRiPS system started last January 11, and although it has adopted the so-called “flexible financing”, it needs $50,000 to enter its production phase. The pair of smrtGRiPS accompanied by a charger currently has a price of $59, but you need to add another $25 for international shipping. There are also options compatible with BMX bikes, and the video itself shows that they can be installed on vehicles other than bicycles. First deliveries are expected in August.
