Stationary-bike electric generators?

Hello,

I own a recumbent Schwinn stationary bike. I usually ride, at least,
20 miles a day it.

While riding it today, I thought there might be a way to generate
power with it. Have any of you folks done this before?

Thanks,
Cullen
Appleton, WI

On Sep 17, 3:38*pm, " wrote:
Hello,

I own a recumbent Schwinn stationary bike. I usually ride, at least,
20 miles a day it.

While riding it today, I thought there might be a way to generate
power with it. Have any of you folks done this before?

Thanks,
Cullen
Appleton, WI

http://www.econvergence.net/electro.htm
http://www.google.com/search?q=stati...cle+generators

wrote in message
...
Hello,

I own a recumbent Schwinn stationary bike. I usually ride, at least,
20 miles a day it.

While riding it today, I thought there might be a way to generate
power with it. Have any of you folks done this before?

Thanks,
Cullen
Appleton, WI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XHl-...44E&index=5 5

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

On Sep 17, 4:38*pm, " wrote:
Hello,

I own a recumbent Schwinn stationary bike. I usually ride, at least,
20 miles a day it.

While riding it today, I thought there might be a way to generate
power with it. Have any of you folks done this before?

Thanks,
Cullen
Appleton, WI

If you're thinking about this as a way to save energy or help the
environment, it's FAR more effective to just use a real bicycle to get
around. Substituting your bike for your car for 20 miles will save
many dozens of times as much energy as any generator scheme you might
cook up.

Here's a source for that:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/cycling/humanpower1.html

Ride a real bike!

- Frank Krygowski

ccarter wrote:

I own a recumbent Schwinn stationary bike. I usually ride, at least,
20 miles a day it.

While riding it today, I thought there might be a way to generate
power with it. Have any of you folks done this before?

I built one earlier this year. It works fine, but it really makes
clear the amounts of energy we take for granted. My generator bike
makes a steady 250-300W without risk of overheating, which is a huge
amount of work when you include the unavoidable losses in the step-up
gearing, DC brushed motor generator, and AC inverter. Fortunately, my
design uses a large 12V battery as a voltage buffer, and the battery
picks up the load when the cyclist falters. I use an ammeter that
shows battery charging and discharging current to provide feedback to
the rider.

The device I built is mentioned in this news story and briefly shown
in the accompanying video:

http://www.news8austin.com/content/t...p?ArID=238943&

It's the sort of thing I could use to skim off the very small amounts
of available usefulness from teenage boys. Few other folks could
remain interested in this sort of sysiphean task for long.

Chalo

Mike A Schwab wrote:
On Sep 17, 3:38 pm, " wrote:
Hello,

I own a recumbent Schwinn stationary bike. I usually ride, at least,
20 miles a day it.

While riding it today, I thought there might be a way to generate
power with it. Have any of you folks done this before?

Thanks,
Cullen
Appleton, WI

http://www.econvergence.net/electro.htm
http://www.google.com/search?q=stati...cle+generators

My best advice would be to get a *small* alternator and hook it up
through chains or the most low loss coupling possible. Even a standard
35 Amp unit will kill your legs. After all 35 Amps time 15 volts is
still about twice what you can pedal. A motorcycle alternator might be a
better choice if you can find one.

Just an idea.

Bill Baka