There are many cycling-related apps, but very few ways of recharging smartphones and tablets while on the move.
The £100 Cycle Charger from Convergence Tech looks like a conventional bicycle dynamo, but has been designed to charge any mobile phone, iPod, iPhone, Blackberry, GPS or other similar device.
Cycle Charger specifications:
• Female cigarette lighter socket (just like in a car)
• Runs and charges your device as you ride
• Includes a voltage regulator to ensure that your device is never damaged no matter how fast you are riding your bicycle
• Produces up to 15 watts, which is far more than most devices will ever need
Win a smart phone & tablet charger for your bicycle
The Cycle Charger is not on sale over the counter in Britain, but we are offering you the chance to win one.
To enter the competition, simply leave a comment below and tell us why you would like one.
We’ll pick a winner on Thursday 19 December and will endeavour to have the prize delivered by Christmas.
You’ve upgraded your bike, now insure it
When you insure a bicycle with the ETA, accessories such as the dynamo charger can be covered against accidental damage, vandalism and theft. The policy also includes £5m third party cover and a breakdown service for you and your bike. Find out more about the full list of benefits included as standard.
Princess Joanne Basa
A dynamo charger would be the perfect gift for myself since I spend long hours at work and I cycle to and from it. Being able to charge it along the way will ensure I stay connected to my family and the rest of the world. 🙂
Ben Young
I would like one so that I can always be reached by phone on the go. It’s very annoying to go out for the day and worry about your phone’s declining power levels after a few hours.
Rupert
as hopefully it will be more reliable than the battery pack I was previously using to charge my phone on long rides.
Helena Woodvine Snyder
I love cycle touring but when you are out in the middle of nowhere on a winding road miles away from a town and sleeping in a tent, it’s awfully hard to charge a phone. This would be perfect, using the power of my legs to charge the phone by day and send text message updates and instagrams of the trip by night 🙂
Peter Clark
I can cycle longer than my iPhone battery lasts – I’d really like to be able to track my longer rides on Strava – just to prove I’ve done them!
Bryn Jones
I’d like to give one to my 20 year-old granddaughter who recently completed IronMan Wales.
250 Dig
Oh at last something that will let me find my way home using the sat nav part rather than running out of juice just when I am lost!
Rosie Pearson
As I struggled up the most difficult hills, I would know that my muscles and sweat were their most useful yet, charging my phone as well as getting me up the hill.
And on the easy downhill rides, well, how could anything be more free than wheeling and charging and knowing no dirty volts had to be inserted to make this little gadget come to life?
Jo Bayly
It’s my goal to cycle across continents in places where charging my phone may be challenging. This device will make taking photos and keeping in touch with family and friends so much easier on my bike packing adventures.
Jean Sinclair
Would be very useful for keeping phone charged when volunteering on adventure race and triathlons.
Darren Woodward
Love to win one because the phone call of shame is bad enough but such in the middle of nowhere unable to make it is even worse!
Steven Sadler
I think this is great,never be with out a phone this is what technology is all about.
Andy G
I’d like one to keep my sat nav going on multi-day camping tours!
Andrew Chapman
I am planning a Round Britain ride of 4000+ miles and accommodation will mainly be in a tent. I certainly need something to keep my phone and GPS charged!
David Smith
I would love the energy I use to charge my phone to be as sustainable as my mode of transport!
Dom Reed
That’s a brilliant gadget, would love to have this charger! Often go away camping with the bike and obviously charging phones off grid can be problematic in this less than sunny climate and this would be a great (and very green) solution! I’m guessing if it’s a standard cigarette lighter style socket, you could charge other USB devices like bike lights?! Ingenious!
Peter Salmon
Like so many great ideas this is so obvious when someone else has thought of it. I too can never track a full bike ride (let alone a cycle camping tour), because my iPhone doesn’t last any time when tracking or navigating. I have thought about fitting a little motorcycle battery to the back of the bike with a car power socket adapter attached, but one of these would be much better.
Alan Whalley
I help a local charity delivering leflets on my bike. This would be brill to keep my phone charged when I’m out for tbe day.
Stacie Lowther
Would help me to stop getting lost as I use my phone to find my way around
Keith McRae
I would really like to win this prize, last year I converted to a recumbent trike, bought through social funding, because I had been unwell for many years.
Since then, I have gone from strength to strength. But I still have the issue, I cannot fit a dynamo hub to my trike, because I have two front wheels, I need to keep them both very balanced.
This restricts me from doing long rides, because my lights, phone and other things always need charged. But being disabled, I cannot go exploring the wilds on my own without having a means of contacting someone, just incase anything should happen to me while out cycling.
John
Hi Keith,
I hope you win it,you deserve it far more than anybody else. Hope to see you on the road one day in Yorkshire
Keith McRae
Thanks John, I might be down your way for the Tour coming next year. If you have twitter, look me up. @Gkam84
Samm Fletcher
After a long 12 hour shift every day my phone is always out of juice. This means no music, I contact until I get home. No soul should be forced to cycle with no music. This would allow me to survive the bike ride home 🙂
Grig
Great idea for keeping the Garmin Sat Nav and Mobile phone batteries going on a long ride. I rely on both so this device provides the extra confidence that my gadgets wont fail through lack of power. I am looking at some long Audax routes next year, this looks ideal companion.
Catherine Williams
My husbands phone dies all the time when he’s out on his bike, and it worries me, especially when it’s dark.
PFS UK
I along with five others are going from 8 mile commuters to 118mile day riders to raise money for charity. We want to publish our progress on MapmyRide but my phone dies after 3 hours!
Tanya Vincent
My husband is riding Arch to Arc next year and I’d really like him to be able to phone me and the kids to let us know how he’s getting on… he won’t be able to if his battery is dead!!
John Berry
As I frequently go cycle touring and currently struggle to keep things charged, I do try and stay green by solar charging when ever possible, but unfortunately its not always possible, I would like to go completely self sufficient and keep everything charged without being forced to plug stuff into the mains.
chris palomba
powerdrive, all the way!
chris palomba
powerdrive all the way!
Lukasz
I’d use it to extend my reach in Ingress (AR game from the good folks at Google). I use my bike to move around and capture new portals and defend them from the enemy incursion! Pew Pew! I’d become the king! Give me one and join me in the crusade!
John Carter
If its not for sale over the counter in this country, it looks like I need to win this one 😉
Amy Howard
This is awesome… When do these go on sale?! I work for a mobile phone company, selling the latest gadgets and gizmos to my customers. Some of them would love this idea as much as I do! I’ll be honest, I LOVE my phone and it goes everywhere with me. But that also means my charger has to come as well! These little gadgets use so much juice, being able to go out on long rides and NOT have to worry about being stranded without power on my phone would be amazing. On a more serious note: I commute to work, with it being dark when I leave for work and when I leave to come home, knowing my phone will always have battery would make me feel better, safer in fact. Plus I can use all my cycling apps till my heart’s content without worrying about that dreading battery drain beeping…. Bliss! 🙂
Angie Evans
Be great to keep my phone charged
Jason
I work for a mobile retailer and ths would be a hot selling gadget, I enjoy using my phone to plan, track and monitor my rides but gps is still very battery intensive, I have a solar charger but it isn’t tat great this would be perfect.
Craig
I cycle everyday, all the time. I commute 12 miles to work everyday. I take my daughter everywhere in a trailer. I go shopping with a cargo trailer. Every year i do a cycle toyr for charity. I cycle to pick up takeaways, i cycle to friends, i just live on my bike. If i can create free energy through a charger on the bike then i can save myself money and save some of the environment. I’d love one of these
T Deave
The wind in my face as I cycle over the Severn Bridge might not feel so brutal and the views would be enjoyed that much more knowing that my phone was being charged….for use in case of leg or bike failure!
Clif
Yet another useful product with green credentials brought into the spotlight by ETA – Green, reliable travel service. Thank you.
Peter Chisnall
All that pedalling, aim to fully recharge the phone battery per ride.
Phillipa Millar
A great gadget! I’d like one as not only would it be really useful, it would balance up the bike! I’ll have a dynamo on either side, then! (I already have a dynamo for lights – wouldn’t be without it.)
Adam
Perfect for topping up the GPS and phone whilst touring!
Chris Dunne
I use ‘buddy beacon’ with the ‘view ranger’ app so that if anything happens family members can instantly see where I am online, the downside of this is that it drains my phones battery. I thought about a item such as this about 6 months ago but the cost of the items then was much higher that even this.
John Thomas
Not sure I would like one. Seems very retro, back to dynamos on my bike in the 1970s.
Would be interesting to try though.
Marek
I just love the idea of this cool dynamo on my vintage bike!
ben
What a great idea and simple, for ages been saying they need to invent something like that and there you go they have, would love to win it
Andy Hunter
With one of these chargers I could go on longer wild camping trips without worrying about losing touch with the rest of the world. I do have to keep up with emails! I assume I could also charge my GPS, as well as being able to get out of a tight spot if using the phone for navigating.
rob
Perfect for keeping in touch when touring for weeks at a time.
Ronnie Smith
Great for charging on long journeys.
Geoff Campbell
Would help support my multi-day bike packing trips if I could charge my phone when in the saddle.
Al Reed
Would love one of these to use on daily commute and longer rides with my kids.
Paul Mnich
The cycle charger is a really good idea which is likely to be a ‘must have’ gift for cycling enthusiasts, cycling commuters and busy, cycling travellers who need to have long periods of their journeys away from a regular power supply. It’s looks and price may currently be a bit off-putting – but healthy sales will perhaps help further design refinement and perhaps get make the price more attractive.
Jack march
This would be great to win! No more running out of battery because my gps sucks all the battery from my phone. My brother in law and myself trade he maps the first half of the ride i map the second and we hope the batteries last otherwise we have to wing it at the end! Not to mention the obvious ‘save the planet’ implications of less regularly using the home plug sockets!
Fantastic invention, kudos to the genius that came up with the idea and saw it to fruition.
Jack
Leticia
Who wouldn’t want this? Great bike accessory!
Fleur Woolley
I have looked at a few charging devices this is simple and ready to go straight out of the box, Would love to own one as I hate being without power for my phone, GPS and Kindle when I go cycle camping.
Ross Andrew Gallacher
Looks really interesting to try could be quite a good laugh. Its part of my tactics to get my ride quality up by pushing my legs further!
Anthony Sutton
It would be great to be able to use google maps on my iphone for long journeys.
John Clemens
This would be a great addition to my Audax and long distance touring equipment.
Donald Heinrich
Would love the feelling of generating my own power while I ride! very handy but would not buy it at this price so would love to win one.
Jeremy
I’d like one to see if I could cycle enough to never need to charge my phone another way. Now that’d be a challenge for me!
Hans
I cycle quite a lot to Uni and my phone doesn’t last very long battery wise so it would be helpful for me to not ration my battery life throughout the day.
Brilliant idea, with a huge market as it helps promote cycling and a healthy lifestyle. As an engineering student, why didn’t I think of this idea!?
Ann Marie Wrigley
Always looking to save energy and when I can’t save mine it is, at least, good to double function.
Sue
A charger would be great for my hubby – he’s gradually cycling from Land’s End to John o’Groats with his brother who has MS and it’d be great to be able to keep his Ipad charged while en route….
Jas
I am planning a cycle tour of Eastern Europe and this would be a dream to have as we plan to camp too, so being able to capture the scenery with the smartphone camera would be great, especially with a full charge!
Good luck to the person who gets it.
Andrew Wilcox
Very neat and retro
Paul O’ Brien
I would really like to win this charger as I am a new to cycling and use my phone for way finding a lot, but having read through the other comments I think Sue’s husband and brother in law could really use it, epic journey!
Eddie Collict
If I won the charger it would give me the push to buy a smart phone! Such a phone would be very useful on a bike, but most battery operated devices seem designed to have a battery that fades just when you need it.
David Gray
Free charging whilst freewheeling sounds like a brilliant idea.
Larry
I see on their website that this is also offered with a USB output – much more convenient in my opinion.
Larry
Oops, left out the website address. It is http://www.econvergence.net/category-s/1822.htm
Richard
Fitting this on Christmas day would keep my brother safely away from the family.
Anne Megson
I would love to give one of these to my husband so he could keep in touch while out on his bike. He has given up his job in order to care for my elderly and sick father.It would be a way to thank him for the wonderful care he is giving my father.
Richard
Alternatively, so as not to be sexist, fitting this on Christmas day would keep my sister safely away from the family.
Richard
Alternatively, so as not to be ageist, fitting this on Christmas day would keep my mother safely away from the family (my Dad isn’t very practical).
Richard
I would not want this, I like to escape on my bike, but I know the perfect person to give it too
Anne Megson
I would love to give one of these to my husband so he could keep in touch while out on his bike.He has given up his job in order to care for my elderly and sick father. it would be a way to thank him for the wonderful care he is giving my father.
champaklal lad
great to be dynamically charging while on the move
Jon Salmon
Looks like an original light type dynamo. Would like to get my hands on one to see the reason for the £100 price tag (must be a pretty complicated voltage regulator)!
Barrie
I would love to give a big surprise to my son-in-law with this for Christmas, in order to encourage him to do the long trip to work on his bike.
Hilary Robinson
Would be ideal for my son, who cycles to work every day.
Stephen
I like a good raffle.
Emma
I love playing music on my phone- for the world to be happy and sing together
Evita
I would like one because it looks awesome and I don’t like the thought of all my energy cycling to work every day to be wasted. All bikes should be sold with one of these fitted as standard!
John
I would like to win it so I could give it to Keith McRae who has entered the competition.He is a disabled Tri-cyclist and deserves it more than anybody else and it would allow him to do longer rides.
I do not know Keith but he deserves it more than me!
Drei
To make cycling an even more attractive alternative to driving. And let the world know.
Stuart
I use a black box video & GPS logging app to record my journeys, which is particularly useful when a motorist cut’s you up or worse knocks you off – I then have full video evidence. Trouble is, with the app running my battery only lasts 2 hours so a charger would allow me to capture a whole day’s cycling!
Becca
Oh! I wish I had a dynamo,
To charge my phone whilst on the go,
And then I’d never have to worry,
About getting lost when in a hurry,
Because my battery would never die,
Leaving me stuck high and dry,
Without ‘Cycle streets’ and GPS,
Google maps and all the rest,
I’d have Facebook at my fingertips,
To post funny photos of my trips,
And texts to let my friends all know,
When I’m running late by going slow,
I never knew there was such a thing,
Until ETA told me this morning,
But now I do and now I know,
Oh! I wish I had a dynamo!
matt9511
this would be the ideal gift for my brother as he commutes every day to work and often forgets to charge his phone the night before this often means his boss is calling and leaving messages he never picks up in time.
Jols
Would be great for touring so you don’t run out of battery when using a GPS for route guidance.
Phill
Running my mobile from pedal-power…. I LOVE IT!
Sarah Gilly
I went on a diy grassroots bike tour around Europe this summer and charging phones was a real issue for most people – as we were using our phones for all sorts – taking photos, blogging, gps and mapping as well as keeping in contact with others ahead/behind on the road. Wild-camping meant we often wouldn’t be able to charge for days and the solar powered charger we tried couldn’t keep up! I would donate this charger to the group as this would make such a difference, and everyone gets to benefit from it, especially as the price would be unfortunately out of most people’s grasp on the (yearly) bike tour. The tour is self-funded, runs for around 3 months + and aims to have as little an impact on the environment as possible – so of course a pedal powered charger would fit perfectly as we wouldn’t have to use the resource of grid electricity. Great idea!
Sandy
If I gave one of these to my hubby who commutes by bike, he would no longer have an excuse for his phone’s flat battery! 😉
Anna
My son would love one of these, he is a compsci student at Cambridge and rides to the lab each day, nothing like drawing attention to yourself with the latest gadget!
Rachelle
I’d love to get this for my hubby as he cylces 10 miles a day to work and back and always has a flat battery
Wendy Tanner
I’m always forgetting to charge my phone – with this charging could become a daily habit
Matt Forster
I’d like one because when I’m out riding I tend to use the maps on my phone a lot and also in the bright sunlight have the screen brightness up on full which tends to drain the battery, having it constantly charging would be one less concern of missing an important call!
john webster
this will help after Christmas to help me keep fit while saving the planet who would not want to do that
Kelly Koya
This is an amazing idea! I have an iphone which has the worst battery life EVER! Admittedly it didn’t help when I dropped it down the loo. When I go into London for the day I like to take my bike, it’s the fastest way to get around the city, but my phone battery always dies before I get back home. This would be the perfect solution! No more getting lost when my phone dies!
Milli
My son would love a charger for when he’s charging about!
Carole Smith
This looks like a brilliant idea – great for cycling/camping holidays where you can’t access electricity for charging
glenn hutton
Two reasons…
1) I have a smartphone which barely lasts whilst I am out during the working day &
2) I cycle to/from work daily so with this gadget I will never need to charge it again during the week using electricity. ECO MAN! ;0)
Clint Howat
This looks a great piece of kit.
Victoria
I’d love to have this as when I go on long rides alone I always take a backup phone in case my main one runs out of juice – this’d be perfect 😀
David Paterson
Brilliant idea, all ready and charged by the time I get to work.
Joan
I go on long rides with my family and friends and it would be great to share with anyone whose phone needs recharging.
Rita Davies
I’d really love this for my hubby as his phone often run out of battery when he’s out. I think he looks at maps on his phone ( opefully not while he’s cycling!).
Dyana Rose
I’m always running late in the morning and forgetting to charge up my phone before my train commute. Getting a bit of extra juice on the cycle to the station would be brilliant!
John Dean
I would love to win this because I spend a lot of time on my bike, listening to music and this would be a wonderful asset to me!
Brigitte Leprince
Would love to win this great healthy gadget because I cycle a lot and often find when I get to my destination, my gadgets are flat!
Theresa M
I would like to win one because I am a big sustainability fan (and also a bit of a gadget geekette!)
Liz B
I’d give this to my boyfriend for when we cycle together – his phone battery doesn’t last that long and as I’m such a slow cyclist, this would mean he’d still be able to use his phone at the end of our regular (slow) 30 mile route !
laura hadland
As I cycle to work every day I’d like to win this to harness my power and then take over the world! (Possibly)
Claire Willmer
Would love to win this for my husband as he travels to work everyday on his bike to save us money and it would be great to surprise him and help to ensure he always has a charged phone incase of emergency and his music player on those long rides especially in the winter months, thank you for the opportunity.
Hannah ONeill
This would be ideal as I always seem to run out when I’m out and about!
Louise Smith
I would love this for my husband, he goes out on his bike at night and weekends and always runs out of charge on his phone due to listening to music. If he had one of these, I wouldn’t worry as much if he got stranded down the country lanes or had an accident as I know he could phone me to pick him up in the car
Paula Phillips
So I can always contact my son when he’s on his long bike rides.
georgie pope
this is a good idea!
Fran Farrar
As a new convert to cycle-commuting, I like to be able to listen to some music on my phone, but it drains the battery quickly. This dynamo charger is a brilliant invention, and would allow me to listen longer 🙂
Robyn Logan Clarke
I would love to win this! I’m as “green” as they come and this is right up my street.
Susie M
This would be perfect for our camping season. Our favourite sites don’t have hook ups so unless we want to sit with the car running, which we’re really not comfortable with, we don’t have a charger unless we’re driving somewhere for another reason.
Henry
Before LED lights I remember having one of these dynamos to power the lights on an old bike. Nice to see they have returned but now used to power our electronic devices. This would be really useful on long cycling trips to power my GPS. Even if I have no device to charge, I could use it to charge a power pack and store that energy for later use.
WENDY
I’m a poor student,so i’d gift this to my partner who is a keen mountain biker.
It’d be backup insurance for him when he is out on long excursions – a help to make sure he is always contactable and able to call for help should he come upon trouble.
it’s a great idea – environmentally friendly,and self sufficient. i love it!!
Clair D
This is a fantastic solution!
James
I would like to win so I could say goodbye to my powermonkey in the winter months with a lack of sun.
Jackie ONeill
I cycle on my commute to work so this would be brilliant.
Luisa Lauren
I would really like one as I always think I have plenty of charge whilst out on a ride, but then I get tempted into thinking “well I’ve come this far, I’ll just nip up that hill to see what’s around the other side”…and before I know it I’ve covered more ground than I had anticipated and then the usual panic sets in when I see my dying battery …This would be perfect solution for me.
shane weir
I can cycle longer than my iPhone battery lasts
Fiona Mallard
I would love this, I often go for long bike rides in the peak district, and this would mean I wouldn’t have to worry about being unable to contact people if anything happened.
Sally Lea
Always commute by bike and it’d be a great way to make the most of my energy, might even use up a mince pie or two!
Teresa Jones
To give to a friend who loves to cycle but is never contactable. You never know when an emergency may occur!
Jamie
My phone always seems to be out of battery when I need it; so would be get to always have power 🙂
Holly Boyd
I didn’t even know that something like this existed until clicking on this page. It would be amazing.
stewart w
Help save the planet and still keep on the internet
Victoria Cunniff
My husband has just bought a bike and loves to listen t his music. He’s going to start cycling to work in the new year and its a 40 mile round trip so he would make good use of this charger
Christina Brown
I hate cycling home late at night on days when my phone has ran out of battery so this would be a bit of a life-saver and make me feel a lot safer 🙂
suzanne Sendell
For my daughter who Is a carer and always needs her phone
Jeremy Rance
I cycle to work, and work in a hotel. My manager is so miserable that she wont let me charge my phone at work. This would help
Alisa Moore
I’d love one as it’s such a great idea
Julie Dakin
This would be awesome for those long rides – particularly when in the middle of nowhere; love fact that it is charged by peddle power 🙂
Lucy Hall
We are opening a bike cafe in Norwich in 2014. We’d love to have this charger for our customers to come in and use. We plan to have a few seats hooked up to pedal driven dynamos, so people can pedal while they have a coffee. Up to now we were just thinking of the dynamos lighting up table lamps, but charging a smartphone or tablet would be awesome! Cake-powered phones, how sustainable is that!
Tubaga Romeo G.
It’s very nice in gathering of energy to charge my phone no need of house electric current. It’s very perfect.
john serafini
A perfect match for my hybred bike, my only transpotation.
James Bennett
This device is exactly what we as a family were looking for, my son who is 11 sometimes gets so engrossed with looking up things on the iPad that he misses out on physical activity, we would use the charger on our exercise bike to remind him that if he wants to use the iPad he needs to stay active to get it charged up!