developments for 2009?

[Mussels]

I'm envious of anyone who can ride a bike (Having a serious knee flare up due to e-biking earlier in the week just the movement of spinning the pedals has set it off ) Anyone had any experience of crank shorteners/super short cranks (around 100mm)?

I have recently seen a childs crankset for sale that was 100mm, I can't find it now though.
As long as you want both short then it shouldn't be too expensive.

 

[flecc]

Top cycle designer and keen rider and racer Mike Burrows is a fan of very short cranks, as is distance cyclist Rob of West Country Recumbents, both rating them as very efficient.

The following webpage of Highpath Engineering will be of interest for it relates with your problem to some extent:

Recovery aids
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[torrent99]

Top cycle designer and keen rider and racer Mike Burrows is a fan of very short cranks, as is distance cyclist Rob of West Country Recumbents, both rating them as very efficient.

The following webpage of Highpath Engineering will be of interest for it relates with your problem to some extent:

Recovery aids
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Yes I was thinking of those...however at £75 for the shorteners or £400 for the Swing Pedal (the prefered option as you don't need to raise the seat) it aint cheap!

The other thing would be to take the cranks off my old bike and have them shortened by Highpath for £40.

What might be good is to put my cranks both in the same alignment so I push with both legs at the same time and then (using toe clips) raise up the pedals & push again....means I don't have to bend the knees all the way to "cycle" the pedals.

 

[flecc]

Yes, one thing that can be said about Highpath is that they aren't cheap, but they do a good job of crank shortening. I've got a shorter pair of theirs on one of my bikes.

I'm not sure about both pedals together and have never heard of anyone using that, but it's worth a try as it's so simple to set up. Best on a tandem with the rear rider's pair of cranks in the opposite alignment.
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[frank9755]

That's an interesting idea. If you did it I think it could work and you might have invented the electric rowing bike! But you would need high gears and much lower cadence - perhaps 30-40 would be achievable - and it would be harder on the knees than cycling!

The tandem would certainly be fun to watch, but I think they would need to be in phase or the stoker would head-butt the captain at the start of his stroke!

 

[flecc]

The tandem would certainly be fun to watch, but I think they would need to be in phase or the stoker would head-butt the captain at the start of his stroke!

It would probably be best with a backrest supported slight rearwards reclining position and wide high bars to allow pulling on the bars at the same time as thrusting down with both legs. Rider and stoker could then have opposite phase without fear of collision to give the most even drive.

Even more fun would be a "Goodies" triplet version with 120 degree phasing for supersmooth continuous power transmission.
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[torrent99]

It would probably be best with a backrest supported slight rearwards reclining position and wide high bars to allow pulling on the bars at the same time as thrusting down with both legs. Rider and stoker could then have opposite phase without fear of collision to give the most even drive.

Even more fun would be a "Goodies" triplet version with 120 degree phasing for supersmooth continuous power transmission.
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There you go, a truly innovative bike for 2009!

 

[Mussels]

Even more fun would be a "Goodies" triplet version with 120 degree phasing for supersmooth continuous power transmission.
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Maybe Triumph could market it as an Espeed Triple.

 

[Miles]

I'm not sure about both pedals together and have never heard of anyone using that, but it's worth a try as it's so simple to set up. Best on a tandem with the rear rider's pair of cranks in the opposite alignment.
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Something like this?
http://rowingbike.com/uploads/Itemizer/popups/1057.1.jpg

 

[flecc]

Something like this?
http://rowingbike.com/uploads/Itemizer/popups/1057.1.jpg

Yes, those back to back bikes must be great fun to ride, though my idea was crank based rather than cable based rowing. The rowing one is probably more efficient though

 

[Erik]

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i thought the beauty of the agattu system was that it made you do half the work and not be lazy and just use the throttle ?...

The way it works on Swiss Flyer is just to make the bike pull itself up steep ramps while you walk along.

 

[flecc]

The way it works on Swiss Flyer is just to make the bike pull itself up steep ramps while you walk along.

The optional Agattu one will be the same, just operating at walking speed to about 4 mph/6kph.

On the high speed S versions, the throttle operates to about 12 mph/19 kph, so more than a walk-alongside throttle, probably an unintentional result of the higher speed motor gearing.
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[keithhazel]

The optional Agattu one will be the same, just operating at walking speed to about 4 mph/6kph.

On the high speed S versions, the throttle operates to about 12 mph/19 kph, so more than a walk-alongside throttle, probably an unintentional result of the higher speed motor gearing.
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this is excellant to hear that its just for slow assist speed when walking as the option of throttle only for weak willed people like me is too tempting.