The Bottom Line
The Solar Motion Bike Sculpture is a cool thing. It features a stainless steel bicyclist who starts to pedal when you put him in a bright source of natural or artificial light. You can use either direct sunlight or the light provided by the sculpture's built-in lamp to make it go. $39.95.
Pros
- Very cool moving sculpture
- Interesting to cyclists and non-cyclists alike
- Ingenious minimalist design
- Great for home or office decor
Cons
- Tinted office windows may not allow sufficient natural light to power sculpture
Description
- Pedaling cyclist powered by sunlight or built in lamp.
- Size (approximately): 10.00in (25.40cm) x 9.25in (23.50cm) x 6.50in (16.51cm)
- Weight: 2 lb 1 oz ( 0.94 kg )
- Recommended for ages 5 and older.
Guide Review - Solar Motion Bike Sculpture
You'll enjoy the Solar Motion Bike Sculpture whether you get it for home or office. Driven by a solar panel, the bicyclist begins to pedal whenever you put it in bright artificial or natural light. If all else fails, you can use the sculpture's own built-in lamp, modified by a translucent screen behind the bike rider into a soft, indirect lighting, to make the cyclist go.
While the sculpture has a lamp for use when lacking sufficient natural light, it felt like cheating a bit to use it. I'll tell you honestly that I was really fascinated by the notion of this being powered solely by the sun. So I tried out the sculpture in several different places, at home and at work, to see if the sunlight was bright enough to make it go. I liked the thought of the sculpture going independently, kicking on when it gets bright enough and then turning itself off again when the daylight wanes.
In terms of my test, the lamp worked well when placed in front of a window at home when it could get direct full sunlight in mornings and through the day into late afternoon. It didn't go so well, however, when I tried to use the sculpture at my work. The double-paned, tinted windows of my corporate-type office building simply didn't allow in enough natural light to make the sculpture go.
If you get this sculpture, you'll doubtless like it. Just make sure you have the right place for it to take advantage of the "solar" part.
