Re wooden bike

Halcyon said:

It has been here before (I think), but another view is warranted
http://www.news.com/2300-1008_3-6202540-1.html?tag=ne.gall.pg

I made wooden bike once, but it wooden work.

So I made a steel bike, and it steel wooden work.

Ok, I'll be quiet now.
--
Linux Registered User # 302622
<http://counter.li.org>

Halcyon said:

Same with the next link also
http://www.news.com/2300-1008_3-6167611-1.html

I rode an auto-shifting 4-speed bike that was in stock at my LBS about
9 years ago.

The intended application was pretty clear - it was a step-through
frame with a basket mounted on the handlebars. A bike for somebody who
doesn't "get" the whole gears thing and couldn't be bothered with it.
As such, it worked really well. Just get on the bike and ride. Easy to
start, and the faster I rode the faster it would let me ride. If a
hill slowed me down, it would select a lower gear for me.

I assume it worked by measured wheel speed - knowing what drive ratios
it had, it chose a gear to give appropriate cadence range. High-tech
stuff that would be within the capabilities of most digital watches :-
D . A little battery-powered box pulled cable to engage the
appropriate gear.

It was a pretty new concept back then, and I'm surprised it never
seemed to take off.

I'm even more surprised to see it reported as "news" in 2007.

tim

tim said:

Halcyon said:

Same with the next link also
http://www.news.com/2300-1008_3-6167611-1.html

I rode an auto-shifting 4-speed bike that was in stock at my LBS about
9 years ago.

The intended application was pretty clear - it was a step-through
frame with a basket mounted on the handlebars. A bike for somebody who
doesn't "get" the whole gears thing and couldn't be bothered with it.
As such, it worked really well. Just get on the bike and ride. Easy to
start, and the faster I rode the faster it would let me ride. If a
hill slowed me down, it would select a lower gear for me.

I assume it worked by measured wheel speed - knowing what drive ratios
it had, it chose a gear to give appropriate cadence range. High-tech
stuff that would be within the capabilities of most digital watches :-
D . A little battery-powered box pulled cable to engage the
appropriate gear.

It was a pretty new concept back then, and I'm surprised it never
seemed to take off.

I'm even more surprised to see it reported as "news" in 2007.

tim

Maybe they don't sell because they are for people who are not 'into'
cycling.

tim said:

I assume it worked by measured wheel speed - knowing what drive ratios
it had, it chose a gear to give appropriate cadence range. High-tech
stuff that would be within the capabilities of most digital watches :-
D . A little battery-powered box pulled cable to engage the
appropriate gear.

The one I heard about was based on spring loaded weights attached to the
spokes that slid up and down the spoke according to how fast the wheel was
going. There were three weights, one for each corresponding gear. As far as
the guy described it to me, it appeared to be a purely mechanical setup, and
the gear change was around the bottom bracket, not the rear as would be the norm.

Quoted message said:

It was a pretty new concept back then, and I'm surprised it never
seemed to take off.

Next one I heard of was the Shimano Airlines, that used pressurised air and
pneumatics to do the shifting.

Quoted message said:

I'm even more surprised to see it reported as "news" in 2007.

To the masses, automatic shifting on bicycles does not, and has never
existed, so it's all news depending on who you sell it to.

--
Linux Registered User # 302622
<http://counter.li.org>

Quoted message said:

The one I heard about was based on spring loaded weights attached to the
spokes that slid up and down the spoke according to how fast the wheel was
going. There were three weights, one for each corresponding gear.

What!!!! Extra weights on the bike!!!! Well you'll never win over the
carbon bling crowd with that kind of setup! ;-)

PS the smiley is now 25. How old is the winky? (assuming that's what
it is called) ;-)