Building a Better Motorized Bicycle

toyotaboy writes "Saw this in 'design news' magazine. It's a bicycle using an engine that looks like something pulled off of an R/C airplane. He uses a gear reduction system as well as a overrunning clutch to keep the engine running while stopped. Claims to get 20 mile range from its 1/4 gallon gas tank (80mpg). If you figure most engines like that are 30k rpm with 1:100 gear reduction, and an average bike rim is 26", you should get potentially 1,458,000 inches per hour, or 23mph! He goes on to say that similar devices in electric form (segway) fail because of their heavy 80lb weight and limited 10-15 mile range (and where do you recharge?) This thing can be filled back up at any gas station."

Comments

Good Vibrations...

[malakai]

You gotta wonder where the vibrations on a two stroke engine mounted inside the bike frame are going to go....

I'm not against it, i'm just saying, certain female population may find riding bickes are enjoyable as the first victorian females did... for prehaps not so obvious reasons.

-malakai

Old tech...

[Anonymous Coward]

We have motorized bikes here in England.

They're called 'Motorbikes'. We even have mini versions for teenagers called 'mopeds'. Clever, eh?

finally!

[cfscript]

all the freedom of being rained on without the benefit of exercise!

Mmmm.. fat people..

[MrCawfee]

Fat and lazy people will be overjoyed that they do not acually have to push the petals.....

Re:Great idea

[Mr.Happy3050]

So, you use a non-motorized bike so you can listen to cars and trucks rumbling down the street?

Hey!

[essdee]

Some of us are too poor to afford motorized transportation. Eat my Razor-dust, you insensitive clod!

The Human-Powered Bicycle

[Metallic Matty]

It may not have a very high top speed; and needs to recharge overnight; but its very fuel efficent (only needs three full tanks a day) and enviromentally sound (all waste products are completely biosynthesised.)

R/C Engine

[morcheeba]

And for some that actually is powered by something pulled off an R/C plane...

taken care of...

[sickmtbnutcase]

i have a silencer to already take care of those kind of bikes when i see(hear) them out on my fav. mountain bike trails...it mounts nicely on the end of my pistol.

Hybrind Segway!

[peacefinder]

1) Hook the R/C motor to a generator
2) Mount it to a Segway
3) Watch Dean Kamen recoil in horror!

Transportation for the deaf

[jemenake]

If you figure most engines like that are 30k rpm with 1:100 gear reduction..

30,000 rpm, hmmm? So, does that mean that only dogs will hear the piercing wail of the two-stroke engine? You wish!

He goes on to say that similar devices in electric form (segway) fail because of their heavy 80lb weight and limited 10-15 mile range...

Great. So this gets to fail because it's noisy as all hell. I can hear him now... "My failure is better than your failure".

As far as the Segway v. RC-motor bike debate goes, ask yourself these questions:
1 - Which one would give you the best chance of getting laid?
2 - Which one would give you the best chance of getting a wedgie from your high-school's quarterback?

Re: YMMV

[guybarr]

but as always, YMMV

That's the first post I read the acronym actually fits the post ...