Igor Ivanov, a resident of Moscow, suffered a severe back injury about 10 years ago and lost the ability to walk. The man did not despair, but invented his own vehicle, which he enjoys using every day, even on public roads. At the fields of the rehabilitation industry and universal design forum "Hope for Technology", Igor told "First Technical" about the product.
The vehicle is a mixture of a bicycle and a motorcycle with manual control. If desired, you can switch to manual bicycle pedals, but the heart of the bike is an electric motor with a battery.
The evolution of this idea took 10 years. I got injured and ended up in a wheelchair. I loved riding bicycles, and then I found out that there are hand-controlled bicycles for wheelchair users, "handbikes". But they cost unreasonably expensive. As a result, I decided not to buy, but to make it myself. I made it and rode it, but there was a lot of backlash, it's still handmade. A year later, I installed the first electric motor, and over 10 years I built myself a bike.
Ivanov himself calls the invention an alternative mode of transport. The bike accelerates to 80 km/h, the range on a single battery charge in economy mode is up to 200 km, in standard mode - up to 100 km. It charges in 1.5 - 2 hours. If you integrate the battery to the car charger - then only 10-15 minutes.
I made a system so that you can enter turns, the possibility for maneuver has increased. You can still turn your hands, for your own pleasure, to accelerate the blood or warm up. It weighs 160 kg, it is not so easy to turn with your hands. I call it "motbek". You don't need to have skills to control it. The bike feels like a fish in water on the road.
The engineer admitted that at the forum he wants to find people who will be interested in his bike. There is still a lot of work to be done for mass production, including in terms of design.
The main mass falls on the rear axle, when braking it just digs into the ground. Heating comes from the battery, it weighs 35 kg and has enough power. You can drive in winter without any problems, you are as if in an air pocket thanks to the fairing. This vehicle is also suitable for healthy people, you can confidently drive in the stream. I have a license, I drive according to the rules.
In 2025, the National Forum of the Rehabilitation Industry and Universal Design "Hope for Technology" will be held on July 10-11 in the Lomonosov Cluster. "First Technical" is the information partner of the forum.
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