BikeEverest Without Biking Mount Everest
Based on an ESP32, altimeter, and ePaper display, this unit allows you to simulate cycling up the world's highest mountain.
While literally “biking up” Mount Everest would mean carrying a bicycle on your back, you could simulate this kind of elevation change – 29,029 feet – on normal, more reasonable elevation rides. The challenge would be adding up just how much you’ve climbed, which is solved rather nicely with this altitude tracking device by creator “rabbitcreek.”
The project straps onto your bike’s handlebars, and uses an Adafruit BMP388 precision altimeter to sense elevation changes. These readings are shown on a 2.13” FeatherWing ePaper display, controlled via a HUZZAH32 ESP32 Feather board. Using all Adafruit parts makes wiring fairly easy, and the modules along with a 600mAh battery are stuffed into a simple 3D-printed case for attachment.
In use, the device first checks the initial pressure, then rechecks it three minutes later after a bit an ESP32 nap. If there’s been a decrease in pressure, the corresponding increase in altitude is recorded and added on to your climbing total. This refresh rate can be varied, however, if you go too low your ePaper board may begin to malfunction, so it would likely be better for sustained climbs than rolling hills. Heights are stored in EEPROM to allow it remember stats when turned off, and with the intermittent sleep mode and ePaper screen, the battery lasts for quite some time!
When you finally do reach “the top,” the ePaper display reveals a picture of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on their 1953 Everest climb. It then resets back to zero after five minutes to let you start your next adventure!