Automated Gearshift System

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OP
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RenatoLacerda

Regular
Pale Rider said:
We need to be clear what we are talking about.

The standard NuVinci hub is not automatic, it is a constantly variable gear which is changed by the rider using a twist grip.

The electronic version does the changing automatically to enable the rider to maintain a constant cadence without having to manually change gears.

I didn't ride the auto for long enough to form a proper impression.

I've ridden a standard NuVinci hub for a bit longer.

It felt 'draggy' to me.

NuVinci claim friction losses are minimal, but I reckon they are being a bit optimistic about that.

I'm sure drag is one of the reasons why the NuVinci hub has never really caught on.

NuVinci hubs are more commonly fitted to ebikes, where power losses are less important.
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Thanks for your opinion Pale!
 
sidevalve

sidevalve

Über Member
Excellent !! What we really need is lots more highly vulnerable electronics on bicycles. Exposed to the wet and road shocks and salt in winter they are an ideal way to make life more complicated. What next - anti lock brakes, a windscreen ,2 extra wheels ? The bicycle has survived because it is a basically simple bullet proof and highly efficient piece of equipment. It can work [and more importantly be repaired in] the first word from sunny California to Paris or the third from India to Tibet or anywhere in between. Create an electronic gizmo for the gadget freaks [those that get excited by a mobile phone that is all of 1mm thinner than their last one] if you wish but make it an add on. The rest of us will just learn how to ride properly.
Sorry and I wish you well but New tech for it's own sake is not all that much use.
 
Pale Rider

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
sidevalve said:
Excellent !! What we really need is lots more highly vulnerable electronics on bicycles. Exposed to the wet and road shocks and salt in winter they are an ideal way to make life more complicated. What next - anti lock brakes, a windscreen ,2 extra wheels ? The bicycle has survived because it is a basically simple bullet proof and highly efficient piece of equipment. It can work [and more importantly be repaired in] the first word from sunny California to Paris or the third from India to Tibet or anywhere in between. Create an electronic gizmo for the gadget freaks [those that get excited by a mobile phone that is all of 1mm thinner than their last one] if you wish but make it an add on. The rest of us will just learn how to ride properly.
Sorry and I wish you well but New tech for it's own sake is not all that much use.
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Now I see why your are called sidevalve and not overhead camshaft.

There is something in what you say, although the ordinary NuVinci is controlled by a cable and twist shifter, so in that respect it is no different to any other twist shift gear hub.

The auto NuVinci must have some electronics and a solenoid/motor or two.
 
albion

albion

Guru
Location
South Tyneside
LocalLad said:
Funny you should post this. Last proper ride, last weekend, my mind turned to automatic gears on a bike. I figured the best way to cycle is to choose a cadence and power and then the gear to match, so automatically picking a gear seems sensible.
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Is not Shimano Di2 50% of the way there?

Add the brain and it is there.
 
Goofball

Goofball

Active Member
Location
Larne
Done, but something I wouldn't want on my bike.

Cars are bad enough now that you can't repaire stuff yourself on them like you could years ago.
Don't want a bike that I have to leave in to get wired up to find out the problem and it ending up costing a good bit.
 
Drago

Drago

Legendary Member
Location
Suburban Poshshire
Goofball said:
Done, but something I wouldn't want on my bike.

Cars are bad enough now that you can't repaire stuff yourself on them like you could years ago.
Don't want a bike that I have to leave in to get wired up to find out the problem and it ending up costing a good bit.
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cars are getting easier to fix. A computer and a multimeter are a damn sight easier than simply educated guessing of 30 years go. Its nothing ore than a different skill set, one which people don't bother acquiring because they somehow think its difficult.
 
byegad

byegad

Legendary Member
Location
NE England
Not a survey I can answer.
Qu. What is my power output?
Ans. No idea.
Etc.etc.

Seriously the main issue with getting an automatic system to work is that some of us spin at 100rpm, and others at 60rpm. Some of us mash the gears on hills, others sit and spin.

Getting a system that can be tuned to individual preferences is far harder on a bike, where total power is severely limited and reliant of fitness, age, body type, and even time of day, than in a car where the engine in all cars of the same model are roughly identical.

My wife's automatic car often revs faster than I would choose. But sometimes runs the engine far slower than I want. If it only turned out real power in a fairly narrow band of revs, as humans do, and was different on each car of the same model that they built it would be useless.
 
H

h1udd

Active Member
Location
Bristol
I hope it has an override, and you can select gears before you need them .... Ie on the approach to stopping at lights or junctions and require being in a different gear ready for when you start off .... And when racing and want to be In the right gear ready to break away from the other guy/s without spinning the pedals under heavy load and expecting the gears to keep up
 
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