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Building a Better Motorized Bicycle

Posted by michael on from the room-for-improvement dept.

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."

8 of 359 comments (clear)

  1. Good Vibrations... by malakai · · Score: 3, Funny

    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

    --
    -Malakai
    A Dragon Lives in my Garage
  2. Old tech... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    We have motorized bikes here in England.

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

  3. finally! by cfscript · · Score: 4, Funny

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

    --
    Are you MORE than your SPINAL COLUMN?
  4. Mmmm.. fat people.. by MrCawfee · · Score: 4, Funny

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

  5. Re:Great idea by Mr.Happy3050 · · Score: 3, Funny

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

    --
    "All great truths begin as blasphemies." -George Bernard Shaw
  6. The Human-Powered Bicycle by Metallic+Matty · · Score: 4, Funny

    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.)

  7. R/C Engine by morcheeba · · Score: 4, Funny

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

    --
    HIV Crosses Species Barrier... into Muppets
  8. Hybrind Segway! by peacefinder · · Score: 4, Funny

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

    --
    With reasonable men I will reason; with humane men I will plead; but to tyrants I will give no quarter. -- William Lloyd