I just figured you and some others here might find it interesting.
It has a dual chain drive setup & I think they said the drive wheel is
free-wheeling. One chain is driven by pedal power and the other is
driven by an electric motor mounted on the frame under the seat. I don't
think they have any kind of regenerative braking, but they may be
working on that for the future.
The FAQ says the solar panel will recharge the standard battery from 0
to 100% in approximately 8 hours, but it also includes a plug in charger
that will do the job in about 2.5 hours.
They offer 26" studded tires as an accessory for anyone who wants to
ride this thing in ice & snow. But I didn't see any kind of doors or
side protection from the weather offered among the accessories.
Company website: http://organictransit.com/
On 11/13/2015 6:43 AM, knarf wrote:
My preference is a normal bicycle. But then I'm a cyclist.
These guys obviously want to appeal to non-cycists. They wanted it to
look like a little car. If they really wanted aerodynamics they could
have done it cheaper and more aerodynamically:
http://www.hpvelotechnik.com/produkte/streamer/
I agree with Malcolm, that thin fiberglass or composite shell will
give a false sense of security. They even used the word "protection"
in the video when referring to the shell. Protection from the
elements perhaps, but not crash protection.
The large-ish, bright shell will help with visibility in traffic (a
huge problem with recumbents). But I'm not convinced that the weight
penalty would be offset by aerodynamic gains.
One thing they didn't mention much in the first part of the video
(before I got bored and turned it off) is the electric assist motor
(hub assist motors are common in cargo bikes, BTW). I noticed a solar
panel array on the roof; perhaps that's the reason for the large cab?
I'm guessing the motor is powered by a combination of solar panel
electricity and captured momentum energy while coasting or slowing
down. That electric assist is probably a huge part of its higher top
speed.
I think this is interesting but only really useful in warmer weather
areas without a lot of rain (or snow!). I'm not sold on recumbents
for a number of reasons I need not get into now.
I think I'd prefer a regular, upright, bicycle. But I'd like to give
one of those things a spin, just for fun.
Cheers,
frank
On November 13, 2015 6:15:51 AM EST, Malcolm Smith
<[email protected]> wrote:
Larry Colen wrote:
Bob W-PDML wrote:
Can't see the point of pedalling all that unnecessary weight
round.
Just ride a bike.
I suspect that on flat ground, the improved aerodynamics would
make
up
for the excess weight. Plus it might be more comfortable in the
rain. The problem isn't so much the extra forty pounds in weight,
as much
as
the extra four thousand pounds in cost.
I am a bit perturbed that they make it difficult to find out
many details of it, such as weight.
These things give you a false sense of security, in something that
offers no real protection at all and gives you loads of blind
spots. It might be substantially heavier than a normal cycle, but
it offers a lot of surface area to throw you sideways into traffic
in a crosswind. Buy a normal cycle.
Malcolm
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Religion - Answers we must never question.
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