Bike Now Considered Abandonware Due to Clever Hack Reviving Unused Lights
Increasing popularity of electric bicycles has raised concerns about predatory manufacturers who undermine the traditional repairability of these machines by intentionally making them hard to service except by the manufacturer themselves. This issue becomes more problematic when the manufacturer goes out of business, rendering the bike inoperable, as [Francisco] discovered with his former employer's creation.
The bike in question, believed to be a VanMoof, incorporates cloud-based technology for crucial features, like a light integrated into the front of the bike's frame, which can only be activated via the now-defunct company’s app.
To rectify the issue, the bike's electronics panel was removed, and a simple USB-C Li-Po charger and small cell were installed, with a switch and suitable resistor for activating the front light. The altered components were hidden beneath a new 3D printed panel, making the modifications virtually undetectable apart from the unusual filament color.
As hardware reliance on apps and cloud services might lead to loss of functionality if the app or service ceases to exist, we encourage consumers to steer clear of such products. Many readers of our website likely share our apprehensions, but advocacy for a cycling manifesto – parallel to our automotive one – may be warranted.
We are grateful to [cheetah_henry] for the insightful tip.
While there isn't currently a cohesive "cycling manifesto" advocating for hardware independence from cloud and app services in the mainstream cycling or tech communities, there is a growing consensus about the potential risks associated with over-relying on app-based or cloud-dependent technologies, applicable to any hardware system, such as bicycles. The ethos of self-reliance, open standards, and user control, found in open-source and digital rights movements, can be considered the foundation for such an advocacy.
The spirit of open-source and digital rights communities seeks decentralized, open, and standards-based solutions that prioritize user control over their data and equipment. These principles may well be the framework for a cycling hardware manifesto, should one emerge in the future.
- The growing consensus, paralleling open-source and digital rights movements, advocates for bicycle hardware independence from cloud and app services, given the potential risks of over-relying on app-based or cloud-dependent technologies.
- In the light of increasing smart-home devices, gadgets, and electronics reliance on apps and cloud services that could lead to loss of functionality, it is prudent for consumers to avoid such products, and a cycling manifesto, echoing the ethos of self-reliance and user control, could be a promising avenue for advocacy.
