Skip to main content

This strange new bike can be pedaled in six different ways

At first, a bike that can be pedaled six different ways sounds wacky, but when you think about it, the Caron bicycle (which recently launched on Indiegogo) is actually pretty brilliant. It’s not just a gimmick — different pedaling options open up a range of new possibilities for training, rehabilitation, and recreational biking.

The six different ways of riding relate to the pedaling motion, rather than the configuration of the bike or frame. What this means is rather than the opposite-leg 360 degree rotation of traditional pedaling, there are five other options that all offer a variety on biking’s usual muscle activation.

Recommended Videos

First; you can use the same motion (360 degrees around) but with both feet in sync. It’s like doing crunches while you ride; it burns gut fat faster and builds the great lateral muscle on the back of your thigh.

Second, you can pedal in a 360 degree motion with one foot at a time while leaving the other straight on the pedal. Pro riders have recommended this as a training technique for building strength in the weak leg. People recovering from injuries can either focus on the leg in need of rehab, or leave the bum leg relaxed to avoid strain.

How To Ride A CARON Bicycle - 6 Way Pedaling Technique For Indoor Training & Outdoor Riding, Cycling

The third, fourth and fifth Caron pedaling formations let riders use an up and down pumping motion that’s more like walking. Riders can pump-pedal with alternating feet or with both feet in sync. Pedaling with an up-down motion of both feet together is good for the hamstring, spine erector muscles, and the tibialis anterior (the muscle going from the outside of the knee across the calf and down to the inside of the ankle), as well as the abs and vatus lateralis.

Of course, if you can also pedal with a one-foot pumping motion. In this case, the individual motion builds the vatus literalis and the tibialis anterior up to three times faster than the pedaling we’re all used to.

The different pedaling types all build balance, and each type has specific muscular applications. With Caron’s variety, it’s easier to target specific muscles for training or rehab. It also makes biking easier for people with disabilities who find traditional pedaling too hard.

Independent testing by KISS (Korean Institute of Sport Science) proved that the different pedal strokes make you work just a little harder. Rotating through each type of stroke (M1 – M6) spending 30 seconds on each resulted in an additional 30 calories burned over the same period of traditional pedaling, as well as increased BPM, respiratory exchange, and oxygen consumption.

Uniset is the patented core of the system that makes this flexibility possible. It acts as a chain ring modifier. Using a clutch spider, the cranks and clutch rings can be fixed at 180 degrees for traditional pedaling, or released to allow multiple pedaling motions. Riders switch between modes using a shifter on the handlebars.

Watch how to ride the Caron Bicycle

Before we even take into account the Silent Twin cassette hub, indoor trainer, and the complete adult and kids’ bikes Caron is including in the campaign as perks, the Uniset kit has incredible potential.  Biking has always had certain limitations as far as muscle development and therapy.  This six-way system negates a lot of these by making the rider use different muscle groups. You might still have to do a squat or ten to build up your VMO (vastus medialis oblique, or the second knee that pops out of the mid-thigh on super-cyclists), but the Caron ends up offering a wider range of low impact exercises than traditional biking.

The perks for the Caron campaign include the Caron DIY Kit, which comes with everything you need to have pedaling variety on your own bike, plus a Silent Twin hub and pedals. The Silent Twin Clutch Hi-Tech Cassette Hub is Caron’s creation that promises 100 percent chain efficiency with their clutch bearing design. The hub produces no pawl noise; owners of notoriously noisy Hope hubs understand what we mean. The pedals have a side opening with an inward facing hook making them easy to slip on and off.

Also on offer as perks: Complete bikes. The Hexagon is Caron’s adult hybrid. The company has it set up with a special edition configuration for Indiegogo contributors only, including Alivio 27-speed gearing on a DP 780 (ferrite martensite) frame. Magico is their junior 21-speed bike. Both come with the Caron vari-pedal system included, of course.

The Caron Lite trainer seems like a nice additional touch, since riders can use the control knob rather than the wireless control button to shift, but there are other trainers out there. The star of the show here is the Caron vari-pedaling system. Grab the DIY kit for $190 after shipping, saving more than half off the $350 retail.  A Hexagon will cost no more than $670 if you grab it before Aug 24, while a Magico will run you $375 during the sale period.

People must see Caron’s potential – it’s already nearing its $29,000 funding goal, with a little under a month to go.

Aliya Barnwell
Former Contributor
Aliya Tyus-Barnwell is a writer, cyclist and gamer with an interest in technology. Also a fantasy fan, she's had fiction…
The Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the $7,500 tax credit
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

After a brief and confusing absence, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit — and this time, it's sticking around (at least for now). So, what happened? Let’s unpack the ride.

The Ioniq 5, a sleek and tech-savvy electric crossover, initially made headlines not just for its design, but for being built at Hyundai’s brand-new Metaplant in Georgia. That domestic assembly qualified it for the EV tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which requires vehicles to be made in North America with batteries sourced from trade-friendly countries. But early in 2025, the Ioniq 5 vanished from the list. Why? Likely due to its battery packs, which were then still being sourced from SK On’s Hungarian facility.

Read more
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more