DailyDirt: Zipping Around On Fewer Wheels
from the urls-we-dig-up dept
Personal transportation is getting better and more convenient all the time -- just check out a bit of the history of the bicycle (or velocipedes). An early velocipede was even nicknamed the "boneshaker" for its uncomfortable ride. Here are just a few advances in the field of personal vehicles that look slightly more pleasant to ride.- Common bicycles have messy, noisy, annoying chains to deal with, but the BMC UC01 city bike uses the Gates Carbon Drive system with a tough belt and nearly silent operation. Maybe it's not as hip as a fixie, but if you have $2K to spend on a cool bike, you probably don't care. [url]
- The Solowheel is an electric unicycle that charges up in 1-2 hours with a range of 10-20 miles. It can be ridden hands-free, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful... [url]
- The YikeBike is a compact electric bicycle with anti-skid regenerative brakes that can fold up and be carried in a backpack. Two wheels makes it look a bit safer than the Solowheel, but it's only a matter of time before someone finds out for sure. [url]
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Filed Under: belt, bicycle, boneshaker, solowheel, transportation, unicycle, velocipede, wheel, wheels, yikebike
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chainless ebike too
http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/20/gates-bosch-and-nuvinci-combine-to-make-pedal-assist-e-bi ke-co/
electric mopeds are the future!!!!
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For decades, doctors have been telling people to sit up straight, don't slouch. Then you get on a bicycle and what are you expected to do? Bend way over to grab the low handlebars, which also forces you to look up, causing your neck to get sore.
Sure, it might be an efficient posture for racing cyclists, but it's not required for a trip to the store or riding around town.
I especially hate those bikes with the curved under handlebars, whose only purpose seems to be to make you bend over even farther.
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For someone, like me, who isn't the best rider, those bikes suck. The bent over posture makes it harder for me to balance the bike and the narrow handlebars make it harder for me to properly control the steering. By having your hands closer to the frame, there's less 'throw' in the steering, so smaller movements make larger changes in direction. Great for someone experienced, not good at all for someone who has trouble enough just trying to keep a bike going straight.
As for smacking into mirrors, that's only an issue when there's traffic on the road. If I rode a bike while there was traffic on the road, I probably wouldn't be here to write this. One accidental swerve and I'd be under a car. Or cause a pileup and be in jail. I only ride on back roads or late at night when there's no traffic. Kind of negates half the reason to own a bike though...
And what does bending over have to do with how wide/narrow you are?
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Puzzling
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft-driven_bicycle
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Using a chain and a full chaincase is the most common setup in countries with high bike usage. Chains are easier to replace/repair than belts and a full chaincase makes for very low maintenance on the drive system. You can't use a derailleur system on full chaincases but in-hub gearing systems are more reliable and shock/impact proof anyway.
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