does it recharge while you pedal?

[cwah]

I'm starting to be annoyed to always hear the same questions, and so many mockery / sneaky questions I have from other cyclists...

Now my philosophie is "YES" to all cyclists asking me sneaky or dumbs questions:
- does it recharge while you pedal?
> yes, the faster I pedal, the faster it charges.

- does it travel through time?
> Yes, very often

- can you go to mars with it?
> yes, I can

How fast does it go? (Sneaky question spotted)
> 15mph, but I pedal fast

Just say yes to these sneaky questions, and they'll be disappointed not being able to make fun of you, and end this conversation!

 

[Cyclezee]

Of course all of the above answers are correct

 

[Arbol]

Yes!

 

[wurly]

Put a wind turbine on it and tell them it's to generate charge as you go along.
I know someone who is convinced it'll work. He works in the aerospace industry.

 

[jackhandy]

Put a { kids' windmill-onna-stick} on it and tell them it's to generate charge as you go along.
I know someone who is convinced it'll work. He works in the aerospace industry.

 

[Tredegar]

It produces Kenetic Enery via the "special" rubber in the wheels. Excess energy is held in the battery and can be plugged back into the main when I get home. In fact, I have not paid any electric bills for the last 3 years, and what is even more amazing I earn approx £28,000 per year from supplying electric via my bike back to the grid from using my electric bike for just 3 miles a week ! (and thats TAX free!)

 

[bonerp]

but we have the last laugh when we go sailing past the lycra clad boys...

 

[los monty]

It produces Kenetic Enery via the "special" rubber in the wheels. Excess energy is held in the battery and can be plugged back into the main when I get home. In fact, I have not paid any electric bills for the last 3 years, and what is even more amazing I earn approx £28,000 per year from supplying electric via my bike back to the grid from using my electric bike for just 3 miles a week ! (and thats TAX free!)

To avoid confusion I will just inform them it uses a KERS system similar to the one used in Formula1.
Sadly it is restricted to 15mph to comply with the law.

 

[Sheffmax]

I also have solar panels fitted on my saddle so when I raise myself up I recharge the battery. Only when facing south, of course.

 

[flecc]

- does it recharge while you pedal?

Yes. When I pedal as well it goes further than when I don't pedal, so it must be recharging.

 

[cwah]

It's funny because once I was really going into what they told me.

I was like "yes, when I finished my bike journey the batterie is fully charged".

I've seen the eye of the guy a bit guilty to ask such question. Or maybe because of the answer does sound as dumb as his question

 

[neptune]

Re the wind turbine idea. Whilst it seems ridiculous, there are some reasons to believe that it might work to some degree. Whilst accepting that generators and motors are less than 100% efficient, I ask you to consider two things.

First, wind powered vehicles have been demonstrated that can travel down wind, at a speed of up to three times the speed of the wind.

Wind powered land vehicles and also boats have been demonstrated that can travel headwind, only powered by an onboard wind turbine, and a mechanical transmission. I built a working model of such a vehicle when I was still at school.

Both these ideas seem counter intuitive, but are still a fact. I believe that a wind turbine on a bike would have a tiny but measurable gain, and that this gain might actually be greater when travelling headwind.

 

[trex]

wind power... nice idea but you would need a sail and a robot to control the sail.

 

[Arbol]

Why then cars do not use turbines? If "this gain might actually be greater when travelling headwind", cars should be getting a huge energy out of driving.

 

[neptune]

I did not say I knew the answers, I just asked you to think about it . Why don`t cars use turbines? Probably because no one tried it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbird_(land_yacht)

Also, more efficient than a sail is a solid aerofoil, like an airplane wing. Mechanical systems have been built to automatically adjust the angle of attack to the optimum. Such an aerofoil can provide the same thrust as a sail SIX TIMES its size.

http://www.sailwings.net/article.html

 

[flecc]

Wind powered land vehicles and also boats have been demonstrated that can travel headwind, only powered by an onboard wind turbine, and a mechanical transmission. I built a working model of such a vehicle when I was still at school.

Indeed, working models of ships have apparently demonstrated the same, using vertical column wind turbines to travel against headwinds.

 

[Gubbins]

All this is very interesting.. But will it fit in the cycle lane?

 

[neptune]

We are definitely going to need wider cycle lanes.

http://www.treehugger.com/cars/six-or-seven-ways-to-power-a-vehicle-by-wind.html

 

[Julian in Frimley]

How about a RadioisotopeThermoelectric powerpack- would last 20 years and keep your legs warm in winter. Suppose it's not very green though.

 

[grldtnr]

I also have solar panels fitted on my saddle so when I raise myself up I recharge the battery. Only when facing south, of course.

.ahhh a case of where the sunshines out of your.......