Geek-a-Cycle(tm) Support

Support

Support for the Geek-a-Cycle is available at:

1. E-mail inquires will be answered within 24 hours.

E-mail to geeksupport_@_slimgeek.com.

(In the above, please delete the two underscores "_" before and after the @ symbol. This inconvenience is necessary to thwart spammers)

Frequently asked questions

Does the exercise bike power the computer?

A normal human cannot generate enough electricity to power a computer for a sustained length of time. PCs require over 100 Watts of electricity to operate. Laptops require less. Although the human body does consume and generate energy, the problem is converting that internal body energy into useful energy available for outside-the-body work. The issue is discussed at http://www.space.com where the topic is of interest in space travel. The article states

Large muscular groups (especially legs) can generate electricity by simple motions against gravity and small direct current permanent magnet motors. But the center cautions, "there is little or no efforts within the scientific community to design efficient small generators of the type needed for harvesting of human energy."

So converting your pedaling to electrical power is not a practical matter.

Another consideration is: Do you want your computer to shut down when you stop pedaling? Probably not.

So, for now, the pedaling is simply to give yourself exercise, improve blood flow, help the old ticker stay healthy, etc.

Do I have to pedal when I type?

No.

I find that the amount of time I spend typing is often small relative to the time I am reading a webpage or what I am working on. During the time I am actively typing I rarely pedal. However, the time you are reading or thinking (most of the time) is the most convenient time for pedaling.

The young lady in the videos provided on this website had no trouble pedaling and typing simultaneously. Some folks are multi-talented - others, like me, are not.

Can I use the Geek-a-Cycle with a laptop?

Yes.

We have provided some photos of a laptop in use. We recommend placing the laptop computer on the desktop and using an auxiliary keyboard on the Geek-a-Cycle's keyboard support. Generally a laptop's keyboard is not very ergonomically designed. Your wrists bend considerably while typing. An ergonomic keyboard keeps your wrists straight and helps prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. (See the section on Ergonomic design).

If your laptop has a relatively small screen it can be supplemented with an additional monitor simply by plugging the monitor into the monitor connector on the laptop.

How is the keyboard attached to the Geek-a-Cycle?

The keyboard "hangs" on the keyboard support using the keyboard's feet. Simply flip the keyboard's feed (under the keyboard) down and let them hang down on the top edge of the keyboard support.

What type of mouse is recommended?

We recommend a track-ball type of mouse. In particular, the Logitech TrackMan^TM (recommended) or Marble Mouse^TM work very well. I have used the TrackMan for a couple of years and like it a lot.