'More utter b*ll*cks'

[mrcharly-YHT]

The thread for useless 'inventions' and ridiculous claims about vaguely-cycling-related products.
I open the list with the mando footloose
https://www.mandofootloose.com/en/products/products.jsp
The website states this is the world's first chainless bicycle. Now I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that most pennies don't have chains, and I bet someone did a shaft drive back in the Victoria era.

[trekker12]

To be honest it doesn't appear to be a bad product. It's just it's an E-bike with additional marketing b*ll*cks

I particularly like the description of the Human Machine Interface (controller)

"Human Machine Interface (HMI) works as a key that can be detached from the handle. Once detached, your Mando Footloose will be securely locked. On HMI display, riding speed, acceleration and pedal feeling, automatic gear change, and battery status will appear"

Presumably removing this doesn't prevent the bike being picked up and carried away if you are a bit careless, or does it automatically electro-magnetise itself to the nearest lamp post?

Oh and by removing the chain you have removed any back-up in the event the battery dies away from home!

[PaulF]

Just until the battery runs out

[Cudzoziemiec]

Pope's Columbia brand, as used for Presidential guard duties in USA, had a shaft drive.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Pope's Columbia brand, as used for Presidential guard duties in USA, had a shaft drive.

Shaft! Can you dig it?

[Kim]

So, an electric transmission.  A lovely idea for all sorts of reasons (eg. gearing becomes a matter of software, hills can be averaged out), if it weren't hopelessly inefficient.

But it's an e-bike, so it'll be topping up with battery power.  In which case fair enough really.  As long as the alternator's decent, then you've eliminated a lot of the dirty, high-maintenance mechanical stuff.  You're only going to use this sort of bike within the range of the battery, anyway.

[frankly frankie]

Pope's Columbia brand, as used for Presidential guard duties in USA, had a shaft drive.

Plenty of belt drive bikes around, too.

[sojournermike]

So, an electric transmission.  A lovely idea for all sorts of reasons (eg. gearing becomes a matter of software, hills can be averaged out), if it weren't hopelessly inefficient.

But it's an e-bike, so it'll be topping up with battery power.  In which case fair enough really.  As long as the alternator's decent, then you've eliminated a lot of the dirty, high-maintenance mechanical stuff.  You're only going to use this sort of bike within the range of the battery, anyway.

I seem to recall that the electric bits of diesel electric locomotives are actually quite impressively efficient at c.90%. Obviously not as good as a well ,maintained chain drive, but better than the 30% or so of the oily bit and the up to 25% or so of a human cyclist (interesting side note -  a human runner can manage more like 42% efficiency).

However, I suspect in this case that you're correct on both counts and I just enjoyed the recollection of yet another bit if trivia from a misspent, if interesting, past.

Mike

[Vince]

This could give an interesting alternative to track standing at the traffic lights. Pedalling whilst stationary to charge the battery. It could also be the end of the turbo trainer as we know it!

[simonp]

AIUI, small electric motors and generators are much less efficient. So I'd hazard that 90% would would be very optimistic.