Our Town: Clear Rear View

Greenville resident Evan Solida’s collision with a car ended fifteen years of accident-free cycling for the road-race enthusiast, but gave birth to a much-lauded invention—the world’s first bicycle computer with a digital rearview camera.

An industrial designer who has created everything from bicycles and kayaks to medical devices, Solida was able to combine experience and cycling passion to envision not only a slick, new gadget for clocking distance, speed, and heart rate, but also a potential life-saving device.

Cyclists clip the 3.5-inch screen onto the handlebars and the combination camera and LED taillight onto the seat post. The screen shows the rider what’s going on behind, preventing risky head turns. The screen features electronic ink technology (think Amazon’s Kindle) allowing it to be visible in direct sunlight. And should an accident occur, Cerevellum also has an accident detector and recorder, providing cyclist’s information for law enforcement and emergency personnel. The loaded model offers GPS mapping and a heart-rate monitor.

“I really wish I had this when I was cycling. It makes you really feel more comfortable on the road. And if it gets more people out and exercising, that’s great,” says Solida.

Cerevellum’s prototype has caught the attention of various cycling enthusiasts and reviewers. It has been featured in the U.K.’s CyclingPlus magazine as a “most-wanted new product” in February 2010—in addition to mentions in PC Magazine and on Bicycle Design, Gizmodo, and Ecogadget Web sites. Following a grant from S.C. Launch, Solida is currently gathering backing for software and hardware development, tooling, and production costs.

Solida says his innovative product will be ready for Upstate stores by mid-2011, and in a town known for its love of cycling, not to mention hosting the U.S.A. Cycling Professional Championships, his hometown invention may just be a case of perfect product placement.

Spinning Wheel
Cerevellum
(864) 724-9315
www.cerevellum.com