For a commuter bike only going short distances where we actually want to encourage people to ride this sort of thing is the ticket, especially if it relatively inexpensive and unobtrusive. Somewhere like Sydney is often so hilly that it discourages people from riding to shops, etc. Something like this that takes the edge off those hills would be great......not to mention Cascades.....hmmm.
Note: While an interesting idea...It's still only an idea only at this stage....
Following the laws of physics....you would need need a hub that contains approx. 4-5 kgs of hardware...
a) a heavy flywheel to capture kinetic energy
b) a heavy battery to store the "captured" energy
c) a motor (copper/steel) to convert this stored energy into motion.
Naturally there will be losses (friction, converion) in the system.
Control via smartphone, while fashionable, seems overkill for this purpose (and dangerous).
Still interested in carrying this extra weight around all the time?
Surely that would take all the fun out of riding, half the point of riding is the fitness you glean from riding up hills etc.
... that is surely the case
but for mere civilians in a hilly city like Sydney who may have an interest in commuting by bike, perhaps it is an option.
For a commuter bike only going short distances where we actually want to encourage people to ride this sort of thing is the ticket, especially if it relatively inexpensive and unobtrusive. Somewhere like Sydney is often so hilly that it discourages people from riding to shops, etc. Something like this that takes the edge off those hills would be great......not to mention Cascades.....hmmm.
That is an awesome price for the power meter alone.. I expect they will sell lots of these.
Note: While an interesting idea...It's still only an idea only at this stage....
Following the laws of physics....you would need need a hub that contains approx. 4-5 kgs of hardware...
a) a heavy flywheel to capture kinetic energy
b) a heavy battery to store the "captured" energy
c) a motor (copper/steel) to convert this stored energy into motion.
Naturally there will be losses (friction, converion) in the system.
Control via smartphone, while fashionable, seems overkill for this purpose (and dangerous).
Still interested in carrying this extra weight around all the time?
this week had a new battery charged small tyre pushing/spinning type of motor!, cannot remember much more about it- too many Rum & Cokes!!!