Comments on: Fast Forward powered pedals

By: Unique ebike drive trains | hatszel.hu / ebikeee.com

Unique ebike drive trains | hatszel.hu / ebikeee.com — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:21:52 +0000

[...] “pedal engine” concepts is more than two years old, developed by Stephen Britt. he won with it a 50.000 USD contest too. Unfortunately we didn’t hear about this products [...]

By: Bicycling101

Bicycling101 — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:34:19 +0000

To simulate what these pedals will actually do, imagine placing a pedal wrench on each of the spindles of your bike pedals. On the right pedal spindle, you apply a clockwise torque; on the left pedal spindle, you apply a counterclockwise torque. The net effect is that these torques on the spindles will tighten the spindles in the crank arms’ threads until they cannot tighten anymore, then start to translate torque into rotating the crank arms around the bottom bracket, thereby moving the bike forward.
The concept is correct in terms of applying the correct direction of forces to propel the bike forward.

However, there are at least 2 issues:

1st, normally a rider applies force directly on the crank arm at the spindle point tangent (or perpendicular) to the crank arm. The bearings within the pedal limit the rotational torque applied to the spindle/crank arm threads. This method here intends to place very high torque on the threads, which they are not designed to withstand. The likely result is that if there is actually enough torque generated by these pedal motors to effectively propel the bike, the crank arm threads will likely strip quickly over time.

2nd, the small dimensions of practically-sized pedals (so they do not hit the pavement or extend sideways and hit obstacles) and existing technology of motors and batteries (for at least 5 years out) will likely not provide enough energy for sustained torque in the intended electric assist application.

If we actually see this product successful in the market, I’d be proven wrong.

By: Seltsame Pedale schieben dein Fahrrad den Hügel hinauf | SViethys Blog

Seltsame Pedale schieben dein Fahrrad den Hügel hinauf | SViethys Blog — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:29:15 +0000

[...] Naja, ich bin kein Mechaniker oder Ingenieur. Was meint ihr, funktioniert die Idee? Fast Forward Cycle Pedals [Barclays via Bicycle Design] [...]

By: Flap

Flap — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 06:03:39 +0000

Impossible nonsens.
With 100 Watt on one pedal you get about 15Nm torque on the pedal.
This means about 30 Kg want turn the pedal.
For getting 100 Watt you need about 200 Watt from the battery.
A battery in the shown size has max about 10 Wh.
After 3 minutes the battery is discharged.

By: Impossible-Looking Pedals Push Your Bike Up Hills | Gizmodo Australia

Impossible-Looking Pedals Push Your Bike Up Hills | Gizmodo Australia — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:38:30 +0000

[...] Fast Forward Cycle Pedals [Barclays via Bicycle Design] [...]

By: Fast Forward: pedales eléctricos para que tu bici te conduzca a ti | GadgetManiacos

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:39:44 +0000

[...] [Vía Bicycle Design] [...]

By: Pierre

Pierre — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:11:22 +0000

I totally agree: this looks like yet another costly gadget… like the electric corkscrew. It may lightly assist pedaling, but what is the point? For more efficiency you’d need the pedals to be as long as your foot…
The cost of the item, the risk of damaging it (pedals are one of the most exposed parts of a bicycle), the unecofriendly production of batteries, the extra weight, in my opinion too many things sadly make it a worthless invention.

By: Tridentbiker

Tridentbiker — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 16:45:20 +0000

Not shure how this would work, wouldn’t the pedal just spin around and not propel the bike forward?

Anyway, if it works, this is what I’ve been looking for. I’ve tried to retrofit a tandem tricycle with assisting motors but has not been able to due to the internal gear hub in the back wheel and hub breaks in the front wheels which leaves no room for a motor.

By: Ross Nicholson

Ross Nicholson — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 03:36:43 +0000

This is a great idea. I imagine the inventor started with a small portable electric drill and made modifications from there. This beats the motor-driven roller on tire approach because the benefits of the bicycle’s gearing can be had. Placing the pedal pivot forward might alleviate most back-kick worries while starting new ones. Reducing force on unpushed parts of the crank rotation could be done with irregularly spaced contacts from an on-frame battery–or it could be programmed into the motor as done here apparently.

Flat wire tape should be used to wire pedelects and electric bicycles, since it can disappear under the paint and strengthens tubes. A more sophisticated approach might involve conductive wire mesh that could be baked into carbon fiber, too, for electrical functions on the handle bar, the seat, and the frame. I’m waiting for ‘drive by wire’ to come to bicycles & LEV’s, too. A guy at Stanford may have done this only to be ragged on by everybody.

By: ITM » Archivo » Fast Forward: pedales eléctricos para que tu bici te conduzca a ti

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 22:57:58 +0000

[...] mentalízate de que tal vez necesites una ayudita extra para volver a casa. [Vía Bicycle Design]Read | Permalink | Email [...]