No crankset? No chain?

Stephanos
Stephanos Posts: 21
edited September 2010 in Workshop
First of all I apologise because the link I'll post here is in Greek. Basically what it says is that chains could be replaced by them two cables, as per the photo. Anyone knows antyhing more?

http://tiny.cc/aux83

Comments

  • lae
    lae Posts: 555
    I guess the pedal changes cyclic motion into reciprocating motion, so the cable moves backwards and forwards over the rear hub. When it moves forwards the hub clutch locks and turns the wheel, when it moves backwards the clutch unlocks and it freewheels. Just a guess.


    EDIT - Popped it into Google Translator and found the company name

    This link explains it a bit better and had a video

    It's an interesting idea. If you could run the cables through the frame then it'd be great for low-maintenance town bikes. And I suppose it could possibly be lighter (especially if you replaced the roundy-roundy complicated pedals with simple up-down treadle type pedals). And I suppose you could have a rear derailler operating in a similar sort of fashion to a conventional one. I wonder how much grip the cable has on the rear hub and how easy it is to make it slip...

    It'd be good for folding bikes too because you can just fold up the drivetrain. A cable can bend in any direction, but a chain can only fold in one plane.

    Also there's no reason why the pedals have to be synchronised or pedalled at the same time or same speed (unless you put a solid axle between them of course). If you were disabled, for example, and had one bad leg it could be helpful to unlock the pedals and just cycle on one leg for a bit. I dunno, it's just an idea...

    BUT that pedal linkage looks complicated and heavy, and the pedal follows a weird path which your legs might not like. It's just a concept though.

    If you like stuff like this, Bicycling Science has lots of interesting transmission ideas, if you can find it in your library.

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