DIY
OUTDOORS
SOLAR-POWERED BIKE GPS
Green handlebar navigation from recycled
parts. By Brian Nadel
I’ve spent much of my adult life dealing with either
computers or bicycles. Writing about computer
technology has put food on my family’s table and a
roof over our heads, while riding helps me unwind,
clearing my head of the jargon that accumulates
throughout the workday.
During the summer, I’ll disappear for hours on
long rides to nowhere and back. But I have to admit
on some rides I’ve gotten so lost I have trouble
finding my way home. Happily, I was able to build
a solar-powered GPS mapping machine, mostly
from old computer parts and software I had sitting
around my office. I’ve seen motorcycle-mounted
GPS navigation screens, but have never come
across one on a bicycle, even though it seems
like a natural mix of appropriate and functional
technology.
134 Make: Volume 10
The navigational screen I made not only shows
me where I am, but also reminds me when it’s time
to head home, and leads me along the quickest
route if I’m in a hurry. It even speaks directions to
me, and will also play music. Here’s how I put it
together.
Cheap to Keep
Car GPS units can cost $1,000, but my bike GPS
cost me next to nothing because I had most of the
parts on hand already. (To my wife’s chagrin, I keep
bins of old, working parts for possible future DIY
projects. To me, this is the essence of recycling!)
If you don’t have the parts, you can probably find
them for about $150 total by combing through eBay
and closeout retailers. It’s all out there, and probably cheaper than you think.
Photography by Brian Nadel
