Ellen Fletcher could neither live independently nor continue to enjoy her passion for cycling without Ridekick International's electric bicycle trailer.

Cycling has been the 83-year-old Palo Alto, Calif., resident's primary means of transportation for decades, but she now has lung cancer and can no longer pedal.

"The bike is my transportation to where I want to and need to go," Fletcher wrote in an email.

Fortunately for Fletcher, Fort Collins-based Ridekick had a solution.

The Rocky Mountain Innosphere tenant has developed technology that attaches to the frame of a bicycle, pushing it to a top speed of 19 miles per hour.

A throttle powering a 500-watt motor gives cyclists variable speed control. There's also a storage case with a combination lock on the trailer, with room for everything from a briefcase to groceries. Ridekick designed the product for stability in turns and for rides of eight to 12 miles before users must recharge it.

Ridekick also saves riders the trouble of fitting their bike with an electric motor. It can be installed on almost any bike in less than 12 minutes, and after that, users can click the Ridekick on or off their bikes in seconds.