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Gears
I am in the design stage of a multi person "bicycle" and am looking
for information on gearing systems. Basically I need a system that allows the different cyclist to pedal at different speeds and therefore supply different levels of power. And for as much of this differential power to be transfered to the drive train. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Does anyone know of any good resources? |
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#2
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Gears
Basically I need a system that
allows the different cyclist to pedal at different speeds and therefore supply different levels of power. And for as much of this differential power to be transfered to the drive train. DaVinci does this as well as the Opus Counterpoint now made by Bilenkey. Phil Brown |
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Gears
George wrote:
I am in the design stage of a multi person "bicycle" and am looking for information on gearing systems. Basically I need a system that allows the different cyclist to pedal at different speeds and therefore supply different levels of power. And for as much of this differential power to be transfered to the drive train. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Does anyone know of any good resources? A conventional tandem forces the same cadence for both riders, but not the same power. Each rider can pedal as hard or easy as he/she desires. I've seen a tandem with ratchets in the cranksets which lets either or both riders coast independently of the other. I think these were Shimano cranks, not sure, and don't know if they are still made. The pedals are not forced to stay in phase. Differentials would allow each rider to choose the cadence, but force the same torque from each rider, or at least a fixed ratio of torques. Good luck finding any differentials light and strong enough for bicycles. I don't know the configuration of your vehicle, but it might be possible to provide each rider with an independent complete conventional drivetrain, driving a common axle. Each rider could choose gears and coast as desired. You could probably machine adapters for old-style freewheels to fit on a common axle. Good luck. Dave Lehnen |
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Gears
Dave Lehnen wrote in message ...
George wrote: I am in the design stage of a multi person "bicycle" and am looking for information on gearing systems. Basically I need a system that allows the different cyclist to pedal at different speeds and therefore supply different levels of power. And for as much of this differential power to be transfered to the drive train. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Does anyone know of any good resources? Others have pointed out that there are tandems that allow independant *coasting* (the DaVinci and Vision recumbent types). The Bilenky/Counterpoint Opus tandem features somewhat-independant gearing for each rider driving the rear wheel. There are a couple custom recumbent builders that build tandems with elaborate drivetrains that allow independant gearing for each rider. One of these is Lightfoot Cycles: http://www.lightfootcycles.com/HTML/tandembikes.htm Some recumbent tandems have completely independant drivetrains: the captain powers the front wheel, the stoker powers the rear wheel. ZOX makes one like this: http://www.zoxbikes.com/index_e.html Interestingly, at last May's HPV races in Portland, only one of the five multi-rider entries had a "normal" tandem drivetrain. The rest had independant drivetrains for each rider: http://www.ohpv.org/pir2003/theracer...s/calvin18.htm http://www.ohpv.org/pir2003/theracers/pages/don008.htm http://www.ohpv.org/pir2003/theracers/pages/don080.htm http://www.ohpv.org/pir2003/roadrace/pages/neils106.htm Jeff |
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