Gas motorized bicycle...200mpg ?
Woland99
http://austin.craigslist.org/bik/768008792.html
Does anybody know anything about that system?
Japanese Subaru 35cc 4 stroke engine.
I have seen somebody on such bike recently - it was regular road
bike - I was riding 20+ mph and that dude just flew by me.
(PeteCresswell)
How was the noise level?
Chain saw?
Motor scooter?
Imperceptible?
Long time ago, things like that for the front wheel were sold.
I went to a bike show in NYC once and some guys had started a
brand called "Chicken Power". Front wheel, friction drive, power
output = 1 ChickenPower.
--
PeteCresswell
bob prohaska's usenet account
> I am posting it out of curiosity - I am not related to seller:
> http://austin.craigslist.org/bik/768008792.html
>
> Does anybody know anything about that system?
Have a look at http://www.staton-inc.com/ for a few more ideas.
The two problems I'm aware of are legal (licensing is somewhat
grey with gas power, less so with electric) and technical: Friction
drives are hell on tires and don't allow the engine to make use
of the bike's gears.
If somebody could come up with a gas-driven version of the
Ecospeed mid-drive assist motor, I think you might have a
practical device. Given the geometry of a standard bicycle,
it's not going to be easy.
Good luck,
bob prohaska
Woland99
No - not a chainsaw. More like motor scooter. I barely had
time to take a look - that bike was just flying at 40mph.
I think that perhaps for commuting that may be a safe option -
you spend less time in traffic and you move with similar speed.
Although I think I would try it on a bike with disc brakes.
Something like Bianchi Roger may be a good platform for that.
Tosspot
I thought this was a very old idea, the French Velowotsits have been in
production for years. Anyhow, I goggled for interest, blimey,
http://www.travelizmo.com/archives/000748.html
Then this
http://www.alibaba.com/product-tp/100215828/80cc_Motor_Bicycle_Motorized_Bike_Gas.html
Which is proof of the non existence of dog. And last, but not least,
for those worried about gears, traction units wearing out tyres, weight,
noise issues and the rest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxLn_EHggMQ&feature=related
Ok, noise *is* an issue, but I say if you have to make a noise, make the
right kind of noise.
And for those that need a folder and a short life expectancy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6SyOLg9gyk&feature=related
Every day I find a small corner of the human race I can't believe has
survived this long...
Tom Sherman
> Woland99 wrote:
>> I am posting it out of curiosity - I am not related to seller:
>> http://austin.craigslist.org/bik/768008792.html
>>
>> Does anybody know anything about that system?
>> Japanese Subaru 35cc 4 stroke engine.
>> I have seen somebody on such bike recently - it was regular road
>> bike - I was riding 20+ mph and that dude just flew by me.
>
> I thought this was a very old idea, the French Velowotsits have been in
> production for years. Anyhow, I goggled for interest, blimey,
>
> http://www.travelizmo.com/archives/000748.html
>
Imagine riding off road with that unit. ;)
> Then this
>
> http://www.alibaba.com/product-tp/100215828/80cc_Motor_Bicycle_Motorized_Bike_Gas.html
>
Looks like WW1 era motorcycle technology.
>
> Which is proof of the non existence of dog. And last, but not least,
> for those worried about gears, traction units wearing out tyres, weight,
> noise issues and the rest
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxLn_EHggMQ&feature=related
>
> Ok, noise *is* an issue, but I say if you have to make a noise, make the
> right kind of noise.
>
Those look like the jet engines developed for model aircraft.
>
> And for those that need a folder and a short life expectancy
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6SyOLg9gyk&feature=related
>
> Every day I find a small corner of the human race I can't believe has
> survived this long...
Cool!
--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"People who had no mercy will find none." - Anon.
Dan...@gmail.com
> And last, but not least,
> for those worried about gears, traction units wearing out tyres, weight,
> noise issues and the rest
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxLn_EHggMQ&feature=related
>
> Ok, noise *is* an issue, but I say if you have to make a noise, make the
> right kind of noise.
Holy crap that's cool!! I wonder what the cost on a project like that
is, both build and fuel wise.
Peter Cole
Sounds like the Subaru Robin: http://cyclehappy.com/pro495659.html
I believe Honda got its start making this kind of motor right after
WWII. The new ones seem much better than earlier versions -- 4 stroke,
for one thing.
Eric Vey
>
> I thought this was a very old idea, the French Velowotsits have been in
> production for years. Anyhow, I goggled for interest, blimey,
I don't think you know how old . . .
I remember seeing ads for things just like this back in the 1960's.
The ads were in Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazines, right
next to the ads for the Benson Gyrocopter kits in which you used a
lawnmower engine to build a tiny helicopter.
http://www.vortechonline.com/bensen/
Tosspot
> Tosspot aka Frank Leake wrote:
<snip>
>> Which is proof of the non existence of dog. And last, but not least,
>> for those worried about gears, traction units wearing out tyres,
>> weight, noise issues and the rest
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxLn_EHggMQ&feature=related
>>
>> Ok, noise *is* an issue, but I say if you have to make a noise, make
>> the right kind of noise.
>>
> Those look like the jet engines developed for model aircraft.
They are, should you want one;
Woland99
> Woland99 wrote:
> > I am posting it out of curiosity - I am not related to seller:
> >http://austin.craigslist.org/bik/768008792.html
>
> > Does anybody know anything about that system?
> > Japanese Subaru 35cc 4 stroke engine.
> > I have seen somebody on such bike recently - it was regular road
> > bike - I was riding 20+ mph and that dude just flew by me.
>
> Sounds like the Subaru Robin:http://cyclehappy.com/pro495659.html
Thanks for the link.
Yes that looks exactly like the engine I saw on the road.
Seems that it would be a murder for real tire...
Also - if you want to go grocery shopping with it how do you
make sure nobody unbolts it from your bike?
It seems that it is fairly simple to disengage the drive - there
is a quick release on the bracket - and you just lift it.
But you have to stop for that - better system would allow to
disengage drive while riding.
> I believe Honda got its start making this kind of motor right after
> WWII. The new ones seem much better than earlier versions -- 4 stroke,
> for one thing.
As somebody said before - "everything old is new again".
A cheap bike with disc brakes, gas motor and large trailer
can fulfill large percentage of transportation needs for many people.
The website that you sent has also chain-based solution. Maybe
it is time for Ford and GM to jump on the wagon - start making
bike engines and trailers.
Peter Cole
> On Jul 25, 7:38 am, Peter Cole <peter_c...@verizon.net> wrote:
>> I believe Honda got its start making this kind of motor right after
>> WWII. The new ones seem much better than earlier versions -- 4 stroke,
>> for one thing.
>
> As somebody said before - "everything old is new again".
> A cheap bike with disc brakes, gas motor and large trailer
> can fulfill large percentage of transportation needs for many people.
That's one way of looking at it. Another is that scooters, mopeds and
motorized bikes are the way that much of the third world gets around. In
some ways, this is just globalization at work. After all, what seems to
be driving all of this is fuel prices, and most of the recent increase
seems to have come from additional third world demand.
carl...@comcast.net
Dear W,
These quiet, overweight 4-strokes have 4-speed dual-range automatic
transmissions, do 40-45 mph, get ~100 mpg city and ~200 mpg cruising,
and were reliable enough for the Australian Post Service (they ought
to be after more than 40 years of development):
http://reviews.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-CT110-CT90-Buyers-Guide_W0QQugidZ10000000006291926
http://www.postiebikes.com/faq.htm
I don't know if they're still in use in Australia--that site is a few
years old.
Mine was a 1968. You can still buy them used in the US.
Cheers,
Carl Fogel
(PeteCresswell)
>
>If somebody could come up with a gas-driven version of the
>Ecospeed mid-drive assist motor, I think you might have a
>practical device. Given the geometry of a standard bicycle,
>it's not going to be easy.
About a year ago I read about an electric system that worked with
the rider's pedaling effort. Sounded like the rider had to be
moving the pedals to get power.
Also, somebody has a front wheel that is a self-contained drive
system - electric motor(?) is embedded in a monster hub.
--
PeteCresswell
DougC
I have one, but not that same setup. I have the same engine on a Golden
Eagle kit. 200 mpg is typical, mine is getting around 180 mpg and it's
not really broken in yet.
The friction-drive setups mount easily but have other serious drawbacks,
as they limit your tire choices and don't work when the tire is wet. The
other two alternatives are chain drive and belt-drive.
Mine will go about 27 mph on level ground with no wind, maybe as fast as
31 or so with a gearing change. It'll go about 30 miles on one tank,
which is about 1/6 of a gallon.
I started out wanting something that was more practical, and ended up
quite a ways from that--but my ideal concept is a vehicle that works
equally well with motor use or pedaling. A moped fails that
qualification because a moped can't really be pedaled very far if the
engine quits. The cranks of mopeds is usually about 1:1 with the rear
wheel, and is often only used for push-starting the engine.
The electric bicycle motor kits have better "usability" but lack the
range that the gas engines can go. The first test-ride I took on the
gas-engine kit I have was 2 hours at ~25 mph, and the first long ride
was about 150 miles total. I carry a gas can but it will go about 30
miles on the engine's small 1/6-gal tank, so if you are staying near
civilization you can just stop and buy gas wherever you need to. MSR
fuel bottles can be used to carry some spare fuel in a water bottle holder.
The main question I had before buying was "how long could such a little
engine last like this?" but the answer turns out to be--quite a long
time. The specs for the Robin engine don't make a guarantee (it's sold
as an industrial engine) but suggests a minimum lifetime of 1200 hours,
and in practice can be several times that. At 25 mph, 1200 hours works
out to 30,000 miles. At ~200 mpg and a new engine cost of about $300,
the potential for savings is fairly easy to work out.
So far I haven't really used mine much, and I don't get ANY exercise on
it--but that wasn't the point. Getting around the area at ~30 mph and
200 mpg was, when I didn't have time or feel like pedaling a regular bike.
------
www.motoredbikes.com is a good forum for gas engine kits.
Laws on motorized bikes in the US go all different ways, so it's
important to verify that they're legal before spending any money on one.
I tend to suspect that the lack of nationwide (US) laws allowing them is
part of what's holding back improvements.
~
Tom Sherman
Notice all these places are tropical or sub-tropical? Even a puny human
has enough power to break loose the rear tire under power while riding
on snow covered streets - imagine a crowd of 50cc scooter riders in
similar conditions.
A Muzi
For the spastic, infirm or merely inattentive, 'pedal before power'
means the thing is less likely to get away from the rider when starting
from a stop. It's a common feature on 2-wheel electric things.
--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
Chalo
>
> PeteCresswell wrote:
> >
> > About a year ago I read about an electric system that worked with
> > the rider's pedaling effort. Sounded like the rider had to be
> > moving the pedals to get power.
> >
> > Also, somebody has a front wheel that is a self-contained drive
> > system - electric motor(?) is embedded in a monster hub.
>
> For the spastic, infirm or merely inattentive, 'pedal before power'
> means the thing is less likely to get away from the rider when starting
> from a stop. It's a common feature on 2-wheel electric things.
It's common for another reason-- brushless electric motors must be
turning for the controller to know which coils to energize, or else
they need multiple internal proximity sensors and the means to
interpret their signals. "Pedal first" systems can use simpler,
cheaper controllers and more robust motor cables than "power on
demand" systems.
Chalo