Smart Cycle: How To Attach An AC Adapter

One of the top Smart Cycle consumer complaints is that the stationary plastic tot exercise toy operates on batteries. D. Monty "SkyGator" posted the below "How To Hook Up An AC Adapter To A Smart Cycle" on the Amazon consumer feedback forum.

I bought this product for my 5 year old for Christmas. I also hope my soon to be 3 year old will use it at some point. My son played with it for 3 straight hours when he got it. He preferred it over anything else he got for Christmas. Obviously the 3 major positives are the bike's reasonable price, educational games and its physical fitness benefit.

There is however one major flaw with the bike. The new batteries (Duracell) we used went dead after one day. The following day same story, although he may have left it on when he stop using it. I could foresee this getting expensive, so I decided to hook it up to an A/C adapter.

It is fairly simple to do this. Knowing how to use a drill, a screw driver and basic soldering skill is all that is required.

I went to radio shack for the power adapter (6 volt 800 amps) and size N panel mount DC power jack. I also used a little wire I had around from an old A/C adapter I didn't use any more. This all cost about $26.00 plus tax.

The first thing to do is seperate the two halves of the exterior body.

This includes removing the two base stands. After removing all the screws the body easily comes apart.

Then remove the battery compartment cover and any batteries.

Using a drill create a hole big enough to attach the power jack into the battery compartment cover then another smaller hole in the top of the battery compartment to pass the spare wire through.

Attach the power jack then solder the wire to it and then to the connectors on the outside of the battery compartment.

I connected the positive lead to the tip of the power jack as is my preference, however, since the adapter connector can switch polarity this really doesn't matter.

Just remember whether the power jacks tip is connected to the positve or negative lead.

Then I screwed everything back together and gave it a try.

I didn't realize the bike had to be completely connected to start up, so I was a little concerned that it didn't immediately start when I plugged it into the outlet. However once it was connected to the TV it started right away.

My son has been riding for the last two hours with no problems. I hope this helps.

Nikki Inderlied: Hey GameStop How About Selling Eneloop

Nikki Inderlied, i4U News Entertainment Journalist, chats with David Isola, Senior Product Manager Retail Sanyo Energy Corporation, about Sanyo's new next-generation nickel metal hydride battery the 'eneloop' and then makes a pitch to GameStop to sell them.

Once charged, 'eneloop' batteries can be used repeatedly, and once used completely, they can be recycled. The new rechargeable battery can be used like a dry cell battery - 'immediately after purchase'.

NOTE: This video was published a couple of weeks ago without the GameStop clip.

Nikki Inderlied: Sanyo's Eneloop - New Rechargeable Battery

Nikki Inderlied, i4U News Entertainment Journalist, chats with David Isola, Senior Product Manager Retail Sanyo Energy Corporation, about Sanyo's new next-generation nickel metal hydride battery the ‘eneloop’.

Once charged, ‘eneloop’ batteries can be used repeatedly, and once used completely, they can be recycled. The new rechargeable battery can be used like a dry cell battery - ‘immediately after purchase’.


Batteries have a property to release the stored energy in small amounts (this phenomenon is called ‘self-discharge’). This property is particularly noticeable in rechargeable batteries such as Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries etc. as compared to dry cell batteries, hence disabling rechargeable batteries from becoming batteries that ‘customers can use immediately after purchase’. (Read More)