Non-motoring > Electric gear changer on a push bike ! Miscellaneous
Thread Author: henry k Replies: 10
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New Sun 26 Aug 12 21:22 
 Electric gear changer on a push bike ! - henry k
My son has just splashed out on a rather nice carbon fibre framed bike with electric gear changers.
My, how things have advanced in recent years. I joined him at the rather fine emporium where I could wander and view all the stuff in comfort.
There appear to be two makes of electric gear changers and I am impressed with clever features involving electronics rather than just shoving a chain from left to right.
For anyone interested :-

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F11SV9115g&feature=related
The basic info.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HdFmgAqv0g&feature=related
The last couple of minutes is about the unit learning.

I would love to give his bike a try but it is all set up for him ( after he was measured - much like for a suit) and in any case I do not have shoes to fit the pedals. Love the engineering but not the price.
The was a Bradley Wiggins up market version at about £10K
www.pinarello.com/eng/dogma2_carbon_612.php and son noticed a Premiership footballer looking at it ( peanuts to him).
Must dust down my steel non asymetric trusty machine and oil my creaking knees .
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New Sun 26 Aug 12 21:45 
 Electric gear changer on a push bike ! - Duncan
>> I would love to give his bike a try but it is all set up for him ( after he was measured - much like for a suit) and in any case I do not have shoes to fit the pedals.
>>

Can't you slide the saddle down (up?) a bit, wear his cycling shoes and just wobble to the end of the road?

If you haven't handled a road bike for some time, you will be amazed how light and responsive they are.
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New Sun 26 Aug 12 22:59 
 Electric gear changer on a push bike ! - bathtub tom
Batteries and motor. I would've thought they'd be more weight than a straight cable linkage.

I don't understand what the advantage is supposed to be.
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New Sun 26 Aug 12 23:58 
 Electric gear changer on a push bike ! - diddy1234
its probably a quicker gear change.
but what happens when the battery is flat ?
your locked in one gear.

however, I can see potential in this system in that some sort of sensor can be added to detect rider strain and then auto change gears.

maybe even some sort of giro added to detect gradient and change gears up hill

what next ecu units for push bikes ?
Last edited by: diddy1234 on Mon 27 Aug 12 at 00:01
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New Mon 27 Aug 12 09:42 
 Electric gear changer on a push bike ! - Ambo
I believe these bikes make heavy pedalling if the battery goes flat.
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New Mon 27 Aug 12 17:57 
 Electric gear changer on a push bike ! - Robin O'Reliant
>> Batteries and motor. I would've thought they'd be more weight than a straight cable linkage.
>>
>> I don't understand what the advantage is supposed to be.
>>
They're actually lighter that cable systems. The advantage is a lightening fast change with zero effort from the rider - not much of one if you only pootle to the shops, but vital if you need a quick change before the sprint at the end of a 180 mile race when your fingers are numb with the cold. Batteries last about six months with a full charge and the front mech will auto trim to avoid chain rub when the chain is running at extreme angles.
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New Mon 27 Aug 12 18:14 
 Electric gear changer on a push bike ! - Haywain
What's more, if you stick a 600cc engine in there, you don't even have to bother pedalling! I think they call that version a motorbike?
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New Mon 27 Aug 12 18:25 
 Electric gear changer on a push bike ! - Iffy
No need to change at all with this clever stepless hub:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NuVinci_Continuously_Variable_Transmission

I don't think it caught on, not least because the hub alone was best part of £1,000.

A bit more here:

tinyurl.com/8qr4p87

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New Mon 27 Aug 12 18:32 
 Electric gear changer on a push bike ! - devonite
Next they`ll be getting on-handlebar ipod and sat-nav mountings, heated saddle and hand-grips!
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New Tue 28 Aug 12 06:29 
 Electric gear changer on a push bike ! - swiss tony
>> Next they`ll be getting on-handlebar ipod

Done - or it will be when the SMART bike finally launches...

www.bikeradar.com/news/article/smart-debut-electric-bike-at-paris-motor-show-27998/
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New Mon 27 Aug 12 19:41 
 Electric gear changer on a push bike ! - bathtub tom
The company does not provide any numbers relating to efficiency of their transmissions, and has declined to do so when requested.

Says it all really.

Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door Ralph Waldo Emerson
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