Building a wind-powered generator for a bike: A new solution to flat batteries?

While some cyclists like to stick to good-old-fashioned methods of cycling, navigating by map and basing training off perceived effort, most are now dependent on tech. From electronic shifting and power meters to lights and bike computers, it’s something many of us couldn’t ride without.

There’s only one problem with this: a flat battery. Every cyclist will have experienced that demoralising moment when their lights blink to a halt or, even worse, the gear levers stop responding, leaving a long and laborious ride home in a gear that is much too tough - much to the amusement of those who have stayed loyal to mechanical set-ups.

Of course, it’s easy to avoid any of these mishaps by regularly charging everything, but even the most efficient and organised cyclist is human and will sometimes forget. And if you’re a hardy type who enjoys ultra-endurance rides, a battery may not have enough power to last the ride.

So, what if there was another way?

• Read more: How new technology can help get you the perfect bike fit

It’s a question GCN’s Alex Paton found himself asking one day while working in the GCN tech studio when, suddenly, a solution sprung to mind: a wind-powered generator.

Now, we should admit here that generators for bikes are nothing new and they’ve been around for many years. Typically this has been in the form of Dynamo Hubs but, with the constant development of battery tech, these have become outdated and are now rarely used.

Alex’s idea is a new twist on the generator theme that places a wind-powered generator on the handlebars, which could then connect to any tech on a bike to top up a battery.

Usually wind is a cyclist’s nemesis, but Alex’s idea could transform it into an unlikely ally in our quest to avoid flat batteries - although we will admit, it’s probably not one that will catch on among the aero crowd.

So, was it just a hopeless dream or could Alex bring the idea to life and produce a product that could genuinely be useful for everyday cyclists? Watch the video at the top of this page to see how he got on.

For more tech news, features and pro bikes, head over to the ‘Tech’ section on the GCN website, linked here.

Alex Paton

GCN Tech Presenter

Impressive sprinter - quite possibly the fastest member of the GCN team