How to Turn Your Bike Into a Pokémon Go Car

Posted on by

Pokémon Go is great for adventure on your feet, but just like the original Game Boy games, having a bike makes everything better. You travel faster, you can carry more things, and it’s a lot of fun. This is how I created the perfect PokéBike and how you can create your own.

Last Friday, my group of friends got together to take a walk and collect Pokémon, but one of my friends decided to bring a bike. What a cool idea, I thought. But when I tried to skate and play at the same time, it sucked. I had to hold my phone with one hand while riding the bike, my Pokémon go-bag started to hurt my back (and I was sweating), and the battery I used to charge my phone constantly threatened to fall out. my pocket. However, I was determined to make it work. A few days later and a few Amazon orders, PokéBike was born.

What do you need

The first thing you need is a bike . You can pretty much turn any bike into a PokéBike, but I recommend jumping on the Schwinn Loop 7-Speed . It’s great for all-round riding (I originally bought mine for beach cruises) and it’s not that expensive for a bike. You can order it on Amazon for about $ 200 . Best of all, the entire bike folds to the size of a regular suitcase. This means you can easily throw it in your car and head to new riding areas. You can even fold it down to catch a train, bus, or Uber. In Pokémon Go, the more mobility you have, the better.

And since you will be spending a lot of time cycling, I also recommend that you get a seat designed for long trips. The Sunlite Cloud-9 Cruiser Saddle ($ 24) is very comfortable and offers a smoother ride thanks to its integrated suspension. Your ass will thank you for that.

Once you have your bike part ready, the most important aspect of your PokéBike will be the smartphone mount on the handlebar. This allows you to ride with both hands and still see what is happening on your phone screen. I recommend either the Bestrix Universal Bike Phone Mount ($ 18) or the Ipow Universal Mobile Phone Stand ($ 13) . I chose Bestrix for my iPhone 6s Plus, but both are solid options that will work with smartphones of any size.

Next up is the Pokémon bag that fits onto your bike so you don’t have to carry things like a power bank on your back. The Schwinn Loop has a cute luggage rack on its back, big enough for a bag in the back seat, so I put it to good use. I chose the BicycleStore Mountain Road 7L rear seat bag ($ 17) because it has a lot of space, is waterproof, has room for a water bottle, and has reflective tape on the sides of the bag to make it easier to see me. night. If you’re using a bike that you already own that doesn’t have a rear rack, there are more options for your pokémon go-bag. Bag with a triangular frame, such as the this on the Ibera (US $ 13 US) , is gorgeous, and you can always add a seat bag under the seat, such as it is resistant to weather version of the Social Ride Cycle Co. (US $ 13) . Of course, you can always make your own storage options. You can build a simple bike rack with PVC tube and milk crate, or make bike baskets with cat litter buckets or a couple of tool boxes .

These are expensive items, but there are a few more things you’ll need to complete the setup:

When you have everything you need, it’s time to build your very own PokéBike.

Put it all together and get ready for the ride

Start by setting up your Pokémon Go-bag. It doesn’t matter if you have a rear-seat cargo bag, a saddle bag, or a triangular frame bag – that should be in the first place because this will go in the battery. Most are secured with multiple Velcro straps, so this should be easy enough. If you are worried about him falling over during the trip, there are a few well-placed zip ties to help you. Connect the six-foot USB charging cable to the battery pack and set aside a pocket in your bag that will hold it. Fasten it so that only the wire protrudes outward, but do not route the cable yet.

Now attach the smartphone mount to the steering wheel. It should be positioned as close to the middle as possible – you don’t want it to be difficult to grab the handlebars and brakes in an emergency. It should be slightly to the left or slightly to the right because of the center bar of your bike frame, but it doesn’t matter which path you take. I chose the left one to make it easier to tap the screen with my left hand while my dominant hand is in control. Once your mount is attached, place your phone in it. Adjust everything wherever you want while riding.

Now that the two endpoints are in place, take the USB charging cable and start winding it around the bike frame towards the smartphone mount. Pay attention to where you wrap and stay close to the frame so that nothing can snag on it. By the time the cable reaches the mount, there should be enough slack to easily connect the phone, but not so much that you accidentally yank it out while driving.

After you have these things installed, attach the hazard lights. The headlight is on the steering wheel on the opposite side of the smartphone mount, and the red flashing LED is somewhere in the back. I set mine under the seat. After that, grab the zipper and mesh bag, then attach it to the handlebars. This is a great place to put a few easy-to-find items. I usually have a muesli bar, a few dollars if I want to ride the taco truck, and the key to my apartment there.

Safe Tips for Riding PokéBike

When everything is ready, you are finally ready to pave your way to true Pokémon excellence. However, before you take off, here are some tips for making your ride a little better (and safer):

  • Put on headphones or, well, headphones (and not noise canceling). Since you are driving at different speeds, keeping your head down while looking at the screen is a bad idea. Better to rely on the sounds of the game. Take your headphones, insert only one and turn off the music in the game. Now you can ride until you hear the noise of a wild Pokémon appearing or the familiar ringing of being near PokéStop.
  • It is better to turn off augmented reality while riding. Your phone is installed, which means that when you point the camera at an object, it will have to be turned off every time. Non-augmented reality modes let you do everything without even reaching for your phone.
  • Don’t forget to stop when you’re doing something on your phone. Do not try to catch Pokémon while on the move, collect items on PokéStops, or fight in gyms while on the move. You bump into and either hurt yourself or someone else. Always use vigilance while driving and always follow basic cycling safety guidelines .

The first time I jumped on my PokéBike, I felt the same dizziness I did as a child, pretending to chase imaginary monsters in my area. Hope you get the same joy out of yours.

More…

0
Hacks

Leave a Reply