And yet another update from Jeff. They are still improving, but the shipping now looks like July at the earliest:
Hello ShareRoller Indiegogo backer:
We promise we truly did set out to write a 'quick' Update many, many days ago, but brevity just doesn't seem to be something we're good at... thus we present the Update below:
1) Delivery Timing Update
2) Wireless Throttle Challenges
3) Wireless Throttle Breakthrough(!)
4) Wireless PAS Reveal
5) SR4+Throttle+PAS Combined
6) Photo/Video Shoots, Website Update, & Pre-Orders:
1) Delivery Timing Update
The finish line is in sight, but unfortunately we've encountered another incremental delay with our battery packs. Our supplier determined that we needed a separate molded rubber cap for our magnetic power connector to ensure a waterproof seal (the cap previously had been molded out of plastic which proved inadequate in testing). And as is the case with anything molded, this necessitated a week or so of design revision and then 3 weeks+ of mold tooling (and of course more expense..).
So instead of shipping us the samples in late April for approval, they now expect to ship them to us sometime next week. This means pack production and UN38.3 testing can't start for at least another two weeks, which means it will be the end of the month before we will have any production packs to start shipping, and probably early July before we get them all.
2) Wireless Throttle Challenges
To add insult to injury, we also discovered last month that our wireless throttle supplier was having issues completing FCC certification of their remotes and would not be able to deliver our certified production order in a timely fashion(!) BUT, this actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as this was the only SR4 component we had not designed completely in-house, and as a result it never had all the functionality we desired OR the form factor that would be ideal...
3) Wireless Throttle Breakthrough(!)
Fortunately, while developing our Wireless PAS sensor earlier this year, we implemented a wireless system architecture that we realized could also be used for a Wireless Throttle system. AND, this wireless system allows TWO-WAY communication (the old throttles could only send data, not receive it) which opens up some very cool functionality adds (see below). So we took the plunge, and in a mad sprint we designed, built, and tested an entirely new and much improved wireless Throttle over literally the past month(!)
Form Factor & Mounting:
One big improvement to the form factor came about because our new Wireless PAS sensor enabled throttle-free SR4 use on bikeshare, meaning we no longer needed the bulky spring clamp to mount the Wireless Throttle to bikeshare handlebars. So without the spring clamp, we were able to make the Wireless Throttle MUCH smaller (about the size of a luxury car key), and much sleeker.
For regular bike and scooter mounting, we chose to use the commonly available CatEye quick-release handlebar mount ecosystem to attach our new Wireless Throttle to the bars. The CatEye mount is a tiny bracket that is highly flexible in mounting location/position, and enables a fast and easy install/remove of the Wireless Throttle. Plus the brackets are quite inexpensive so it's easy to add one to all your bikes and scooters. Take a look at CatEye's 1602194 'Flex-Tight' bracket or the 1602980 'Zip-Tie' handlebar bracket to see what we mean. You can find them at many online retailers for $5-10 and we expect to have them in-stock ourselves soon. And we'll of course include at least one mount with each Throttle.
So the new Wireless Throttle is a lot smaller and very easy to quickly install or remove on any bike or scooter - it literally snaps on or off in about a second. And we'll have an adaptor that lets you use it on bikeshare too for those that really like Throttle control. Now, how about that vastly improved functionality...
Functionality:
First off, instead of a Single-axis joystick, we've upgraded to a Two-axis joystick that enables easier control over PAS/TailWind levels (+/0) and Throttle/Brake application.
Second, we've added more buttons (3 vs 2) to allow enhanced functionality, and the possibility of a quasi-menu system down the road...
AND
(drum roll please)
We've managed to squeeze in a 0.96in 128x64 OLED Display! How's that for an upgrade!?
Now, the SR4 Phone App is certainly awesome, and shows TONS of info while also providing TONS of functionality. It's definitely the most comprehensive and useful 'Dashboard' possible for ShareRoller, outside of a laptop of course (and trust us from early testing, you DO NOT want to use a laptop while riding a bike!). But let's face it, not all of us want to mount a $700 smartphone to our bike or scooter handlebars, or not all the time at least!
But a tiny display in the throttle itself? Perfect. Now of course a 0.96in display is too small to show
everything, so we carefully packed in 6 critical pieces of information that you really want while riding:
1) PAS / TailWind Power Level: If you're not using Throttle control for power, this is the key figure to know how much power ShareRoller is adding to your ride
2) Main Battery Charge %: Probably the single most important piece of info when riding: how much longer do I have before the battery runs out?!
3) Throttle Battery Charge %: We've equipped both of our wireless peripherals with high-capacity batteries, and they should last for many ride sessions on one charge. But you'd probably like to know that you're not about to lose your Throttle controller mid-ride!
4) PAS Battery Charge %: Same as above, and since the PAS Sensor is pretty hard to watch while riding (plus it doesn't have a display and relies on a single RGB LED to communicate status), having this figure on your Throttle display is a big help.
5) Speed: Since the days of the first bike computers, this was always a must-have... and since you'll be riding much FASTER with SR4, it's lots of fun to watch.
6) Distance: And of course you'll be going FURTHER with ShareRoller too. Now you'll always know how much.
And now for some images of this amazing new Wireless Throttle (the two buttons are above and below the joystick, and the third button is the joystick itself, which can be pressed down as well as moved in two axes):
One more thing, it's also reversible for right or left hand operation, or can be used in vertical orientation if desired (plus, the screen rotates automatically!). And rest assured, everything is waterproof, including the exposed USB-Micro port you see above.
We'll send some photos of how this looks on various bikes and scooters soon.
4) Wireless PAS Reveal
Now onto the Wireless PAS that we revealed in the last Update. We've been using it extensively on both regular bikes and bikeshare, and can report that it is pretty magical. Fitting it on the bikeshare bikes presented a real challenge, as there is VERY little clearance between the pedal end of the crank and the bike frame/fairing. So we made the sensor VERY thin and designed it to not protrude past the end of the crank. Here are some nice renders to give you a much clearer idea of how it looks:
The sensor is very light, and the magnetic hold is quite secure on most bikes, but if your crank design (or riding style) requires a bit more security, there are two tabs for easily looping a rubber band around the crank arm.
5) SR4+Throttle+PAS Combined
And now for the best part - both our Wireless PAS and Wireless Throttle fit perfectly in the assembled SR4 for transport (and easily snap in place magnetically). Take a look below:
It's a lot tidier package than with our old throttle / spring-clamp combo, so we're really happy that this last minute change was required. And we really hope you're as pleased with the upgrade as we are!
6) Photo/Video Shoots, Website Update, & Pre-Orders: As you can imagine, the re-design of the Wireless Throttle put our re-launch on hold. But we're marching down that path again, so look for all that to happen in a few more weeks.
We know Summer is here and the desire to have your ShareRollers ASAP is surely off-the-charts. Please understand that we continue to push with the utmost urgency and are doing anything and everything we can. We sincerely hope we don't encounter any more negative surprises and that the next email will be to confirm final accessory orders and shipping addresses.
Thank you again for your patience and support.
Jeff Guida & The ShareRoller Team
