You're assuming the rides mass is stationary in all of this, which I can very much assure you it's not. Imagine for example the bike had rear suspension, and that you were harvesting the energy from the damper - this would seem to be a close analogy of what this mechanism is doing inside the wheel.
Super wheel converts rider's weight into forward movement!
- Thread starter mickle
- Start date
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ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
As far as I can see the actual energy it gains would be from the movement of the rider's body as it goes along the road
In other words from the roughness of the road surface.
Hence it would be of little use on a perfectly smooth road - or cycle track
but if you are riding along a bumpy track - or any road in Liverpool - then your body bounces up and down ad you go along
normally this all goes into the suspension and/or spokes etc etc - but this system acts as suspension but when it rebounds then it does so in a useful way and produces some forward drive.
SOmeone above mentioned using it on an ebike - presumably with central drive and this seems to make sense
However, I cannot see that it will produces much actual power - and it is even less certain that it will produce enough extra drive to make up for it weighing 6kg!
or, for that matter, enough to make it worth spending that much on it.
If it was cheaper and you could take one for a test ride to try it out then I might have a go - but....
In other words from the roughness of the road surface.
Hence it would be of little use on a perfectly smooth road - or cycle track
but if you are riding along a bumpy track - or any road in Liverpool - then your body bounces up and down ad you go along
normally this all goes into the suspension and/or spokes etc etc - but this system acts as suspension but when it rebounds then it does so in a useful way and produces some forward drive.
SOmeone above mentioned using it on an ebike - presumably with central drive and this seems to make sense
However, I cannot see that it will produces much actual power - and it is even less certain that it will produce enough extra drive to make up for it weighing 6kg!
or, for that matter, enough to make it worth spending that much on it.
If it was cheaper and you could take one for a test ride to try it out then I might have a go - but....
Yes, that makes sense. So the additional energy comes from energy that is normally lost in moving the rider up as the bike 'jiggles' up and down. It would be interesting to see if they've quantified those losses, and how they compare to the extra energy required by the additional weight and the losses in the extra mechanical systems. It should also mean that the system would work better on rough surfaces - have they mentioned that in their literature?
lazybloke
Considering a new username
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
That's neutron shielding, because cold fusion starts when you cycle faster than 88mph.
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
What the feck is pedal assised?
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Have you never heard of the dreadful "Pedal Assizes" presided over by Judge Jeffreys?
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
I won't be on here for a little while; I'm working on my own secret cycle power scheme.
All I can say is that it involves rubber bands, flexible crank arms and a telescopic hydraulic seat post. It's going to be brilliant!
PM me with your funding offers. (Nothing under £1000 please, genius doesn't come cheap).
All I can say is that it involves rubber bands, flexible crank arms and a telescopic hydraulic seat post. It's going to be brilliant!
PM me with your funding offers. (Nothing under £1000 please, genius doesn't come cheap).
deptfordmarmoset
Full time tea drinker
- Location
- Armonmy Way
''The SuperWheel is a revolutionary bicycle wheel...''
I thought we had that bit covered already!
I thought we had that bit covered already!
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
If you’re into the Formula 1, you’ll be aware that Mercedes have a problem with their car known as porpoising, where the car bounces up at down at speed, shaking the driver and affecting the car’s stability.
Here’s your solution Toto Wolff! Stick these bad boys on each corner and watch Lewis and George power to pole position by using their spines as stores of energy.
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
at 6kg per wheel it would also lighten the car
although fitting the supplied tyres may be a challenge!
Christian Horner would probably lodge an appeal.
byegad
Legendary Member
- Location
- NE England
While you may get some energy from the springs as they return to normal length, you are also simultaneously compressing or stretching other springs in the system. At 100% efficiency the net gain = 0. As it won't be 100% efficient..........
