billvon 3,030 #1 January 25, 2005 So I bike to work pretty often (I only live about 5 miles away) but sometimes I'll be sore from the tunnel or will have somewhere to go after work or have errands to run during lunch or whatever. So I drive. But then I feel like an idiot because I'm using gas to get to work, I go a lot slower than I go on my bike (traffic is pretty bad around here) and there's not much parking. A while back I saw the solution to the problem, and last week I picked it up. Picture is below. It's a hybrid electric/human powered bicycle. What really attracted me to it is the motor - the motor makes no contact with the wheel, and thus there's no friction when you're pedaling. You can ride it like a regular mountain bike (well, a 60 pound mountain bike, that is) or use the motor or both. The motor is a 1kW DC brushless motor that will get the bike up to about 30mph. Since it's still basically a bicycle I can use the always-deserted sidewalks around here to detour around traffic. Range is around 6 miles (going flat out, 25-30mph) to 30 miles (going 12mph.) It has a cruise control that's great as a range extender - you set the cruise control, pedal along with the thing, and your cadence always stays exactly the same. It will also do regen braking, so you can recharge the battery on downhills. So far it's been easier than a car to use around here, since you can 'park' it almost anywhere and it tends to beat traffic during rush hour and lunchtimes. I'll have to hack together a solar recharger so I can recharge it while it's parked, to extend its range a bit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #2 January 25, 2005 That's pretty cool.....---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #3 January 25, 2005 Pretty cool. Sounds like it's JUST the thing for your travel situation. Wouldn't do me much good on a 30 mile commute though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #4 January 25, 2005 Very nice. Bring me one next visit.May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blind_Jumper 0 #5 January 25, 2005 QuotePretty cool. Sounds like it's JUST the thing for your travel situation. Wouldn't do me much good on a 30 mile commute though. Great for someone that lives in the middle of nowhere and close to work...I still think the desert was a bad place to come... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #6 January 25, 2005 QuoteI still think the desert was a bad place to come... Duhhhhhh! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #7 January 25, 2005 Nice moped. If I was only going 5 miles and wanted a bicycle, I think I would have just gone with a lightweight MTB with road tires wrapped up on the rims. Something fairly nice like a Specialized A1FS Comp. But then again, my throught process would have said "I could get a 125cc Honda XR and have a shitload of fun running the sidewalks on the way to work...--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildblue 7 #8 January 25, 2005 QuoteI'll have to hack together a solar recharger so I can recharge it while it's parked, to extend its range a bit. Why don't you just slap a fuel cell on there, Bill? Cool bike - how much $$?it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kinney29 0 #9 January 25, 2005 New toy (transportation) Thanks for clearing that up for us. I thought mabey it could have been a new GI Joe or something from that store, you know the one on the corner with blacked out windows ... Yeah that one! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhino 0 #10 January 25, 2005 Cool... Just lock it up so it doesn't drive itself away YEPPIEEEEEE as he rides through the countryside.> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
QuickDraw 0 #11 January 25, 2005 Do you have a link for that please Bill ? -- Hope you don't die. -- I'm fucking winning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChasingBlueSky 0 #12 January 25, 2005 Look cool. I'm surprised you didn't build one of these: http://groups.msn.com/BioMod/theminivee.msnw It was featrured in Wired this month.Costs abotu $1300 to build and the plans are free on their website with pics. It does 21mph and they claim to have traveled 170 miles in one day in the hills of Montreal with a one hour stop for lunch and a recharge. They claim it is made with 216 lithium-ion cell phone batteries, off-the-shelf solar panels and a 500-watt magneteic hub._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlueEyedMonster 0 #13 January 25, 2005 Bill, looks cool, but since it has a motor, it becomes a motorized vehicle. Doesn't that require licensing and forbid you from riding it on sidewalks? I'd check with the DMV on this if I were you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gmanpilot 0 #14 January 25, 2005 QuoteRange is around 6 miles (going flat out, 25-30mph) I'll bet your range/speed would increase using road bike gearing, wheels and tires instead of those nubby ones?? I ride a hybrid bicycle that is essentially a big mountain bike with a set of road bike wheels and tires on it, and it is much easier and faster on pavement than regular mountain bikes._________________________________________ -There's always free cheese in a mouse trap. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesNahikian 0 #15 January 25, 2005 QuoteDo you have a link for that please ... http://www.greenspeed.us/ D. James Nahikian CHICAGO Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
QuickDraw 0 #16 January 25, 2005 Thanks James. -- Hope you don't die. -- I'm fucking winning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,030 #17 January 25, 2005 >I'll bet your range/speed would increase using road bike gearing . . . No gearing. Motor is direct drive. >wheels and tires instead of those nubby ones?? They're flat-center hybrid tires, and I keep them at around 70psi. Wouldn't get much advantage with narrower tires, but would increase the likelihood of a blowout (since it's a really heavy bike.) >I ride a hybrid bicycle that is essentially a big mountain bike with a set of > road bike wheels and tires on it . . . I've found that how a bike fits me makes all the difference. I had a touring bike that I used for commuting for a while that didn't fit me all that well. Then I tried a mountain bike that _did_ fit me and my times improved significantly without any additional effort. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,030 #18 January 25, 2005 >I'm surprised you didn't build one of these: Hideously ugly! If I was going to do a solar trike I'd do it this way: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,030 #19 January 25, 2005 > Bill, looks cool, but since it has a motor, it becomes a motorized vehicle. California allows unlicensed operation as long as power is limited to 1kW and speed to 20mph. Speed is normally limited by a governor to 20mph unless you press a button. One can only imagine the sort of irresponsible scofflaw who would press the button while riding. (The law also requires use of a helmet etc.) In real world operation, to anyone who sees it, it's a bicycle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #20 January 25, 2005 QuoteIn real world operation, to anyone who sees it, it's a bicycle. Sort of like what a lot of people would say if they saw some of the original Indian and HD bikes.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,030 #21 January 25, 2005 >Sort of like what a lot of people would say if they saw some of the >original Indian and HD bikes. If they saw them, yes - but not if they heard them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #22 January 25, 2005 QuoteIf they saw them, yes - but not if they heard them. Loud pipes save lives damnit.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,030 #23 January 25, 2005 >Loud pipes save lives damnit. Yeah, but think of the conversation with the cop. "It's a bicycle! I can ride it on the sidewalk." "What?" "IT'S A BICYCLE! I CAN RIDE IT ON THE SIDEWALK!" "SHUT OFF YOUR MOTORCYCLE SO I CAN HEAR YOU!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #24 January 25, 2005 QuoteYeah, but think of the conversation with the cop. "It's a bicycle! I can ride it on the sidewalk." "What?" "IT'S A BICYCLE! I CAN RIDE IT ON THE SIDEWALK!" "SHUT OFF YOUR MOTORCYCLE SO I CAN HEAR YOU!" Hehehe. That would be kinda funny to see. Especailly you in full on biker gear.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rjackson 0 #25 January 26, 2005 QuoteSo I bike to work pretty often (I only live about 5 miles away) but sometimes I'll be sore from the tunnel or will have somewhere to go after work or have errands to run during lunch or whatever. So I drive. But then I feel like an idiot because I'm using gas to get to work, I go a lot slower than I go on my bike (traffic is pretty bad around here) and there's not much parking. A while back I saw the solution to the problem, and last week I picked it up. Picture is below. It's a hybrid electric/human powered bicycle. What really attracted me to it is the motor - the motor makes no contact with the wheel, and thus there's no friction when you're pedaling. You can ride it like a regular mountain bike (well, a 60 pound mountain bike, that is) or use the motor or both. The motor is a 1kW DC brushless motor that will get the bike up to about 30mph. Since it's still basically a bicycle I can use the always-deserted sidewalks around here to detour around traffic. Range is around 6 miles (going flat out, 25-30mph) to 30 miles (going 12mph.) It has a cruise control that's great as a range extender - you set the cruise control, pedal along with the thing, and your cadence always stays exactly the same. It will also do regen braking, so you can recharge the battery on downhills. So far it's been easier than a car to use around here, since you can 'park' it almost anywhere and it tends to beat traffic during rush hour and lunchtimes. I'll have to hack together a solar recharger so I can recharge it while it's parked, to extend its range a bit. Where did you get that?????--------------------------------------------- Randy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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