[geeks] Electric bike?

[Mike Hebel]

On Jul 18, 2006, at 5:41 PM, wa2egp at att.net wrote:

>> Based on my different tests, I've come to be really interested in the
>> power thru the chain type of drive.
>>
>> One guy has an interesting solution with an intermediary shaft, but it
>> requires some pretty intrusive modifications :)
>>
>> http://www.jstraubel.com/ebike/ebike.htm
>>
>> I've just been trying to figure a mechanical way to drive through the
>> regular chain. Hmmm... maybe an electrical interface would work:
>> replace the bottom bracket by a generator and power the motor that is
>> driving the chain :)
>
> I was following this thread for a while and I wonder if there could be
> some kind of setup with the front gear to the pedals similar to the 
> rear
> hub.  In other words, the motor would drive the chain but the pedals
> could slip (not move).  When you used the pedals, they would drive the
> chain and the motor could slip.  I guess I'm talking about the 
> mechanical
> equivalent of an OR gate.  Some sort of ratcheted gear on the pedals
> and the motor.    Just a thought.

Actually I was wondering why some enterprising frame builder couldn't 
substitute the motor for the central pedal system and have a switch to 
change it to "charge mode" when pedaling in addition to the standard 
electric motor function.  With the right motor it could also act as the 
brake and do a little "downhill regenerative".

Somebody want to poke holes in that one for me? I'm not talking unity-1 
or anything but I think it would do well in places like CA.us where 
there are a lot of hills.

Mike Hebel
----
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