CINEMA

Make energy visible. Bring people together. Film powered by people.

Electric Pedals designs and delivers bicycle-powered cinema experiences for festivals, schools, universities, community programmes and corporate events in the UK and internationally. Our cinemas are 100% human-powered and completely off-grid. Every screening is powered live by people pedalling bicycles, with no batteries, generators or backup power. We arrive with no stored energy and leave nothing behind. The result is a shared, participatory experience that turns a film screening into something active, social and memorable. Audiences don’t just watch the film — they help power it. By generating the electricity themselves, participants gain a direct, physical understanding of how much energy is required to run everyday technologies, encouraging reflection on energy use and sustainability beyond the event.

We offer a range of bicycle-powered cinema formats, from intimate indoor screenings to large-scale outdoor events. The setup you’ll need depends on audience size, location and whether your event is indoors or outdoors.

Choose the cinema scale that’s right for your event.

SMALL BICYCLE CINEMA

Our Small bicycle-powered cinema is designed for intimate screenings in compact spaces.

Powered by a small group of adults or children pedalling bicycles, it delivers a fully off-grid cinema experience for audiences of up to 50 people.

With no need for mains electricity, this format works perfectly in unusual venues, community spaces, classrooms and small outdoor locations.

The focus is on participation, shared effort and making energy visible at a human scale.

MEDIUM BICYCLE CINEMA

A powerful shared cinema experience for medium-sized audiences.

The Medium Bicycle Cinema brings people together to collectively generate the electricity needed to power a full outdoor or indoor film screening. Using energy produced live by people pedalling bicycles, this setup creates a strong sense of shared effort and participation.

Ideal for festivals, public events, community gatherings and cultural programmes, the Medium Cinema balances scale and intimacy.

Audiences can clearly see and feel how their combined energy keeps the film running, turning a screening into an engaging, social experience that makes energy use visible and memorable.

LARGE BICYCLE CINEMA

A flagship, festival-scale cinema powered entirely by people.

Our Large Bicycle Cinema delivers a striking, large-format film experience where dozens of participants generate the electricity live. Designed for major outdoor events and large audiences, this setup transforms film screenings into a collective, human-powered spectacle.

Up to 18 people pedal simultaneously to power the projection, sound and screen in real time. The visible effort behind the energy creates a powerful moment of shared participation, turning audiences from passive viewers into active contributors.

Ideal for festivals, city centre events and large public gatherings, the Large Bicycle Cinema combines scale, impact and sustainability to create a memorable experience that brings people together around a shared goal.

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

SECTION 1: How Bicycle-Powered Cinema Works

Audience members pedal stationary bicycles connected to generators. The electricity they produce is managed live and used to power the projector, sound system and screen. If pedalling slows, power drops, making energy use visible, shared and collective. Our team manages the system throughout the event to ensure a smooth and reliable screening. Furthermore:

  • People pedal to generate electricity which runs the cinema in real time.

  • A 1 metre voltage display provides clear, live feedback and acts as a call to action if power levels drop.

  • We use ultra-capacitors to respond instantly to changes in effort, helping to maintain a stable screening while keeping energy generation visible.

  • Collective effort keeps the film playing.

SECTION 2: Event Support & What We Provide

Our experienced team delivers and manages the complete bicycle-powered cinema system, allowing you to focus on your audience and your event.

We provide

  • Bicycle generators suitable for adults and children, with illuminated wheels

  • Power management system with live energy feedback display

  • Projector, screen and audio matched to audience size

  • Technical support staff

  • Risk assessment and public liability insurance

You provide

  • Film licence and Bluray copy of the film

  • Event marketing and logistics

  • Event marshals if required

  • A suitable indoor or outdoor space

SECTION 3: Practical Considerations

  • Outdoor screenings work best from 30 minutes after sunset.

  • We cannot operate in heavy rain or high wind.

  • We strongly recommend planning a weather contingency.

If you cannot find the answer you are looking for, or would like to request a quote, please get in touch.

We’ll help you choose the right cinema size for your space, audience and budget.