Soliciting advice, and candid comments on practicality. My overlong videos and explanation of my bikee e2 with a GX35 and a Nuvinci Developers kit are linked.
The bike has been great, taking my wife and I all over south St. Louis this summer. It's fun squeezing thru traffic at crowded summer outdoor events and parking close to the action. What I would like, in addition to the hill climbing ability and automatic transmission is an overdrive and underdrive. Even though the bike is heavy (well over 100#) and poorly powered (GX35 thru a Staton trihybrid gearbox and Nuvinci hub), it has very little drag or wind resistance. So, even with 2 aboard, on level roads we rev out at ~19 m/h and the tiny engine spins freely. I think if I had the 33% overdrive of, say, a Sturmey Archer 3 speed IGH, acting as a jackshaft, we would be safe at ~25 m/h. I could also winch up ~24% grades, up from ~18% grades now, with 2 aboard, in the "underdrive" low range. I have a great IGH mounting point on my heavy outboard motor mounts (visible in videos), and the Nuvinci hub freewheels, so no problems there.
I would like forum input on;
* What would be the best IGH? The SA seems strong, especially if I transmit the power at a higher r/m. But the Shimano 3 speed has an available electric shift, and I have a constant 12 volt power source.
* Does the 90-95" distance from my left hand grip (preferable shift point) to the IGH mounting point make the installation impractical?
* Are there any kits or other cheats a non welder could employ to install the second sprocket?
* Post mortem assessments from anyone who has tried this, on any MB.
Not that worried about $. I have about the same brains/money ratio as Jay Leno, if at a much, much, lower level.
Thanks, and don't hold back if it's a really stupid idea.
http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?39332-Powered-BikeE2-Recumbent-Tandem-Long-Description-and-Video
The bike has been great, taking my wife and I all over south St. Louis this summer. It's fun squeezing thru traffic at crowded summer outdoor events and parking close to the action. What I would like, in addition to the hill climbing ability and automatic transmission is an overdrive and underdrive. Even though the bike is heavy (well over 100#) and poorly powered (GX35 thru a Staton trihybrid gearbox and Nuvinci hub), it has very little drag or wind resistance. So, even with 2 aboard, on level roads we rev out at ~19 m/h and the tiny engine spins freely. I think if I had the 33% overdrive of, say, a Sturmey Archer 3 speed IGH, acting as a jackshaft, we would be safe at ~25 m/h. I could also winch up ~24% grades, up from ~18% grades now, with 2 aboard, in the "underdrive" low range. I have a great IGH mounting point on my heavy outboard motor mounts (visible in videos), and the Nuvinci hub freewheels, so no problems there.
I would like forum input on;
* What would be the best IGH? The SA seems strong, especially if I transmit the power at a higher r/m. But the Shimano 3 speed has an available electric shift, and I have a constant 12 volt power source.
* Does the 90-95" distance from my left hand grip (preferable shift point) to the IGH mounting point make the installation impractical?
* Are there any kits or other cheats a non welder could employ to install the second sprocket?
* Post mortem assessments from anyone who has tried this, on any MB.
Not that worried about $. I have about the same brains/money ratio as Jay Leno, if at a much, much, lower level.
Thanks, and don't hold back if it's a really stupid idea.
http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?39332-Powered-BikeE2-Recumbent-Tandem-Long-Description-and-Video