Bike With Pedal-Powered EL Wire

Bikes Fun & Games Technology
Bike With Pedal-Powered EL Wire


This summer I realized that you don’t need a driver to run your el wire if you’re putting it on a bike. I hooked a stepper motor up to a transformer from an old cell phone charger and it ramped up the voltage enough to light up my bike in real-time. It even fades on and off with speed, and changes color with the changing frequency. It was one of my best maker moments – to connect two things I knew – that steppers produce AC and El wire takes AC – and put them together to see if it would actually work in real life and it did!

Pedal Powered EL Wire Bike

22 thoughts on “Bike With Pedal-Powered EL Wire

  1. AllanA says:

    How much for the eGO with the flat tire?

    Oh and nice post! I’m gona try it now.

  2. pete rip says:

    now you just gotta rig the wheels to light up. counterbalance and spin magneto in the hub?

  3. pete rip says:

    now you just gotta rig the wheels to light up. counterbalance and spin magneto in the hub?

    1. Sam Smith says:

      I did eventually get the wheels to light up too. I used an old bearing insulated by e-tape to carry to live current across the wheel to the wire, and used the frame as the return. They then lit up in opposing spirals. That’s gonna be my next instructable.

  4. leather sporran says:

    Good Idea i will try myself. Thanks for sharing.

  5. voucher says:

     Kick stands keep a bicycle upright when parked, while a bike lock will help prevent it from being stolen. Front-mountedbaskets for carrying goods are often used. Luggage carriersand panniers mounted above the rear tire can be used to carry equipment or cargo. Parents sometimes add rear-mounted child seats and/or an auxiliary saddle fitted to the crossbar to transport children.

  6. MAKE | EL Wire Project Sampler says:

    […] As Advanced Materials Month enters its final week, we’re gathering together some of the coolest projects from the dusty archives of MAKE. Next up, projects using electro-luminescent wire! Above, check out this bicycle with pedal-powered EL wire! […]

  7. EL Wire Project Sampler « Friendly Feed says:

    […] As Advanced Materials Month enters its final week, we’re gathering together some of the coolest projects from the dusty archives of MAKE. Next up, projects using electro-luminescent wire! Above, check out this bicycle with pedal-powered EL wire! […]

  8. Ashley Milne says:

    way cool!

  9. EL Wire Project Sampler - Nlyten.com says:

    […] As Advanced Materials Month enters its final week, we’re gathering together some of the coolest projects from the dusty archives of MAKE. Next up, projects using electro-luminescent wire! Above, check out this bicycle with pedal-powered EL wire! […]

  10. Tailsthefox637 says:

    Nniiiiiiicccceeeee…….. I wish I could do this……..

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My interests include writing, electronics, RPGs, scifi, hackers & hackerspaces, 3D printing, building sets & toys. @johnbaichtal nerdage.net

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