4 ms·

Like mopeds and petrol bikes, which were in vogue and then disappeared. The bike was never designed to be powered by motors. Would we design a two-wheeler from

Like mopeds and petrol bikes, which were in vogue and then disappeared. The bike was never designed to be powered by motors. Would we design a two-wheeler from scratch, to be run by electric motors, we would just have a motorcycle again? Ditch the bike chain and traditional propulsion. Make the pedal angle determine the speed of the e-motor and use hands for turning and brake.

capableweb 4y ago
> Make the pedal angle determine the speed of the e-motor Wouldn't this lead to you accelerating right after a bump, as your body first gets "propelled" up and then brought down again with gravity, making you shift your foot position?
- barrysteve 4y ago
  On traditional pedals yes, you can make pedals/levers that would just hold their position until altered by the passenger. The core idea is that the feet should be selecting the speed.
  - capableweb 4y ago
    Yeah no, I get that. But as you hit the bump, your foot would leave the pedal/lever, and when you come back down again, your foot will press against the pedal/lever, increasing the acceleration as you inadvertently pressed it down.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
    - barrysteve 4y ago
      Hmm just had a brain wave, going to see if I can make it and show you guys instead.
hkt 4y ago
> Ditch the bike chain and traditional propulsion I'd like to remind my fellow denizens of HN that pedalling being an option is a strength of ebikes, making them operable once batteries have discharged, and giving riders the opportunity to exercise on their equipment as well. The bike is an excellent piece of design and is going nowhere :)
- barrysteve 4y ago
  I agree it's likely hubris to try to redesign the bike. I am wondering if there is a metaphysical middle ground to e-motorcycles and regular bikes that does not require a bolt-on motor to oldschool bicycles. Old school bicycles are flawless more or less, as a push-bike.
Rebelgecko 4y ago
What's the advantage of pedal angle vs a torque sensor (or even an RPM sensor that some ebikes use)?
- barrysteve 4y ago
  Well the concept for this bike (bike-alike) is to ditch the dual drivetrain and run on purely an electric motor. So your control surfaces no longer push gears and a chain, but instead simply select. No need to RPM sense, or Torque Sense when you have a fresh control design from scratch. It would just be direct from control surface to motor.
  - Rebelgecko 4y ago
    Ah, gotcha. Would there be a backup plan for a dead battery (other than walking)?

capableweb 4y ago

> Make the pedal angle determine the speed of the e-motor Wouldn't this lead to you accelerating right after a bump, as your body first gets "propelled" up and then brought down again with gravity, making you shift your foot position?

barrysteve 4y ago
On traditional pedals yes, you can make pedals/levers that would just hold their position until altered by the passenger. The core idea is that the feet should be selecting the speed.
- capableweb 4y ago
  Yeah no, I get that. But as you hit the bump, your foot would leave the pedal/lever, and when you come back down again, your foot will press against the pedal/lever, increasing the acceleration as you inadvertently pressed it down.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - barrysteve 4y ago
    Hmm just had a brain wave, going to see if I can make it and show you guys instead.

hkt 4y ago

> Ditch the bike chain and traditional propulsion I'd like to remind my fellow denizens of HN that pedalling being an option is a strength of ebikes, making them operable once batteries have discharged, and giving riders the opportunity to exercise on their equipment as well. The bike is an excellent piece of design and is going nowhere :)

barrysteve 4y ago
I agree it's likely hubris to try to redesign the bike. I am wondering if there is a metaphysical middle ground to e-motorcycles and regular bikes that does not require a bolt-on motor to oldschool bicycles. Old school bicycles are flawless more or less, as a push-bike.

Rebelgecko 4y ago

What's the advantage of pedal angle vs a torque sensor (or even an RPM sensor that some ebikes use)?

barrysteve 4y ago
Well the concept for this bike (bike-alike) is to ditch the dual drivetrain and run on purely an electric motor. So your control surfaces no longer push gears and a chain, but instead simply select. No need to RPM sense, or Torque Sense when you have a fresh control design from scratch. It would just be direct from control surface to motor.
- Rebelgecko 4y ago
  Ah, gotcha. Would there be a backup plan for a dead battery (other than walking)?