Anyone have a truly freewheeling bike here?

[5-7HEAVEN]

... your max speed tops out at the fastest speed of either engine or pedal chains. With the NuVinci, you can still pedal to (maybe past?) 30mph and still actually be able to feel resistance (work) from the pedals.

My maximum speed tops out at the fastest speed of BOTH engine and pedal chains. The last 3mph of my 37 mph is from pedalling.

As stated before, Staton chain drive provides freewheeling from the hub and/or gearbox output shaft.

Besides Dimension Edge kits, you can DIY Staton or weedwhacker/chainsaw friction drives for disengagement on the fly.

It's not hard to do.

 

[sparky]

Yea, I dunno about top pedaling speed with other bikes as I only have a 20" BMX. If I pedal much faster than 20mph, I'm just wasting energy when the engine's already pushing me that fast. Very hard to explain the cadence issue.. but even tho you can feel resistance to 37mph, your efficiency/acceleration could be better if the combined speeds of your engine & pedal chains were put thru a CVP internal hub, like NuVinci

 

[Large Filipino]

My Buggy Bike is a true freewheel. Check here:

http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=15946

It wasn't freewheel at first until post #14. Then it evolved into a 3 speed.

It's frustrating for I've been needing to take care of my host home guy this weekend and tomorrow is too much running around with errands to take my trike so I haven't made any video's lately but soon I'll make one with me shooting down a huge hill with the freewheel that's gonna be scary then back up the other side also a huge hill with my low gearing it's gonna rule. And I weigh 275 and the bike has got to be close to 100 pounds if not more so were talking heavy here.
Hopefully I'll have it this week.

Cost is absolutely minimal with an old school 3 speed freewheel is just built in also has a coaster brake but I haven't figured out how to use that yet.

 

[skyl4rk]

Large, I saw that before but never figured out that you had modified the Titan to put the jackshaft output sprocket on the other side of the bike.

This opens up a lot of opportunities, for example, an internally geared hub!

Thank you for coming up with this!

Do you know if the current Titan has the capability to slide the jackshaft output sprocket to the other side?

 

[SirJakesus]

I wouldn't want to pedal my NuVinci any great distance... It's a tank. It will definitely freewheel for you while coasting downhill or pedaling. I don't notice any drag from the engine chain spinning but I DO notice the fact that the staton/nuvinci --seems-- almost as heavy as the bike itself. Pedaling on flats or downhill is easy but I would not want to climb any long or steep hills with it without the engine. You will notice the center of gravity while pedaling, it takes more effort to balance the bike so it is also a factor.

You could always just modify your riding style and ride like I do. Pedal most of the time while cruising and accelerating using the throttle lightly as a maintenance push. This saves a TON of gas (I've done 174mpg with the NuVinci/TLE43) and gives you the feel of riding a bicycle with as little or as much assist as you please. This also keeps the engine running VERY quiet.

 

[TWalker]

I wouldn't want to pedal my NuVinci any great distance... It's a tank.

ya that is my concern. My Titan is a tank and its noisy too, its not a pedal bike.

Also according to this thread the Nuvinci eats up 1/3 of your power anyway: http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5845&p=92409&hilit=NuVinci#p92409

A bicycle by itself is the single most efficient form of human transportation including walking. My goal is to keep that efficiency with motor assist. Maintaining balance, reducing drag, weight and maintaining drivetrain efficiency are crucial. The Nuvinci fails on weight and drivetrain efficiency. Staton performs except for the weight issue of the gear box. What is the weight BTW? anyone know?

You could always just modify your riding style and ride like I do. Pedal most of the time while cruising and accelerating using the throttle lightly as a maintenance push.

That may be where I'm headed. But Im still going for the lighest most freewheeling system I can find. I think the Staton Subarau 33c is the closest right now.

 

[TWalker]

Yes, Staton chain drive with Robin is what I have with free wheel hub. Meets all your specs.
-Mike

Whats the total weight on these? how much does the gear box itself weigh?

 

[sparky]

But Im still going for the lighest most freewheeling system I can find

What's wrong with BMXs again??

I pedal faster with 20" wheels than 95% of the people around here with 26" wheels and derailers... and I'm hauling all kindsa extra stuff. They spend too much time shifting thru 28 different gearing ratios. 44t/16t with 20" wheels is pretty good. I rarely need to stand up unless I have to haul booty, but of course, I'm on flat ground and am able bodied. A 36t/16t gearing on a 26" bike would mostly offer you the same overall cadence.

I just don't see what's wrong with the bicycle-engines.com freewheel once you get the gearing tweaked the way you want it. Even if you will need to go uphill, that's what the motor's for. :helmet:

 

[SirJakesus]

Once you get into the hills or off-road the pedal gears are a necessary evil on larger bikes. 20in would be just fine for most people for on-road use but generally the frames don't seem large enough to make me and many others comfortable at higher speeds. A BMX MB made for off-roading and high torque could very well be an exciting ride. *****ideas****

 

[HybriPed]

Ive built many bikes of different kinds and I have yet to have one truly freewheel. By that I mean:

You use it as a bicycle and pedal around but the engine chain doesn't move and or make noise.

1. You coast freely down hills and no chains are moving.....quiet! and smooth. The only resistance is tire on ground,wind and the miniscule resitance of the insides of your freewheels, bearings in wheels etc.

2. No motor drive chains,clutches, PTO's or transmissions are turning while you use it as a bicycle. Each drive is truly independant; manpower drive, engine power drive and gravity powered drive.

3. Lastly; this is easy we all do it: You motor around without pedaling and your bike pedals are stationary.

It should pedal and coast so easily it could be mistaken for motorless bike except for the added weight.

Thanks and if you have done this tell us how.

PS: I own an HT with shifter kit and this doesn't qualify for me..
Nor does getting off the bike and disconnecting anything like a friction drive.

Take a look at the HybriPed website, then go and ask one of the distributors about the HybriPed Sprocket.