super wheel

[jags]

lads what do you reckon on this.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS2Zne3-pg4&feature=player_embedded



anto.

[John Saxby]

Interesting stuff, Anto.  Might consider such a thing for my city bike.  What's the weight of the wheel, I wonder? Or its price?

I was impressed to see that County Down offers traffic-free country roads

In a sorta-related vein, we recently saw the documentary "Equus: The Story of the Horse", and the first episode (of 3) explained the compression/expansion of the creature's legs and innards, hence its speed.

[David Simpson]

I don't understand how it is supposed to help the bike move faster.

Here is the (rather vague) explanation, which I have copied from the on-screen text in the video:

The SUPER WHEEL is powered by assist and powered by the weight of the user

The action & re-action force caused by the weight of the user
is stored in the upper section of the spring mechanism during rotations

In a way, the mechanism is compressing the rim sections through the spring
Using the centre as the pivot

This additional energy will reduce the frictional force in the opposite direction of the wheel
and will therefore facilitate rotations

I can see how the weight of the rider could give assistance for one time, such as when starting. But I fail to see how it could assist throughout an entire ride.

If the springs in the wheel are compressed at one point during the wheel's rotation, at what point in the rotation would they be uncompressed? How would that stored energy be used to propel the bike?

- DaveS

[mickeg]

Does it come in a Rohloff version?

[jags]

no idea how these things work or even if they do but if it does work save a fella a lot of money on batteries 
long way to go before they get it looking good 

john there's plenty cycle  greenways here but there not that long sure it's only a tiny country.

anto.

[rualexander]

Cobblers.
There is nothing to transfer the rider's weight to the wheel mechanism.
This is just normal pedalling of a bike with some kind of springy mechanism between the drive and the rim which can only result in energy losses.

[lewis noble]

Is this another take on a perpetual motion machine? Energy has to come from somewhere, surely . . .

[lewis noble]

If SJSC start stocking it, I'd consider it . . . but I  reckon Andy and Robin will take a lot of convincing!

[Andre Jute]

This is a perpetual motion machine that will work for exactly one cycle (sorry!) of the pedal axle (or some part of it around 50%, half a revolution) and then be deadweight to be hauled along by your legs.

I'll believe its claims when I see documentary proof that it was invented by an Irish Leprechaun; clever little buggers, those. Or a video of a unicorn giving a credible explanation of where the power is stored...

[jags]

i cancelled me order looks a bit dodgy to me
besides those leprechauns are not to be trusted little feckers. .


anto.

[Andre Jute]

i cancelled me order looks a bit dodgy to me
besides those leprechauns are not to be trusted little feckers. .

You said it, Anto. When I catch the $%^&*()_ leprechaun who reverse-rigged my measuring apparatus to give me an electric shock...

[jags]

i cancelled me order looks a bit dodgy to me
besides those leprechauns are not to be trusted little feckers. .

You said it, Anto. When I catch the $%^&*()_ leprechaun who reverse-rigged my measuring apparatus to give me an electric shock...

[mickeg]

i cancelled me order looks a bit dodgy to me
besides those leprechauns are not to be trusted little feckers. .


anto.

If you are looking for the magic solution to effortless pedaling, get a wheel with an e-bike motor in it, and a dynohub in the other wheel.  That solves the lack of a battery conundrum.

Just joking of course.

[jags]

love to get a custom electric  front wheel for my audax, never happen mind you way to much money.