6 ms·

It's no coincidence that other human-powered transport mechanisms (aircraft, boats, etc.) commonly use pedals for the drivetrain. It's a lightweight way to use

It's no coincidence that other human-powered transport mechanisms (aircraft, boats, etc.) commonly use pedals for the drivetrain. It's a lightweight way to use the body's strongest muscles, especially when high power is critical. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacCready_Gossamer_Condor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacCready_Gossamer_Condor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacCready_Gossamer_Albatross https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacCready_Gossamer_Albatross https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIT_Daedalus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIT_Daedalus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AeroVelo_Atlas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AeroVelo_Atlas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocycle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocycle

midoridensha 4y ago
I wouldn't say it's common at all in boats. The two main human-powered boats are canoes and kayaks, and both use the arms, not the legs. There's also rowboats, which again use the arms. Pedal-powered kayaks do exist, but are rare. It would make more sense to use the legs, but it's a much bigger engineering challenge than making a simple paddle and a boat that floats with no holes in the bottom.
- rstupek 4y ago
  Rowing is not solely an arm mechanism but his actually driven by the legs
  - prodent 4y ago
    As a rower myself I wanted to type the same correction initially, but then realized that the parent comment is probably referring to a rowboat rather than a racing shell. No sliding seat, no leg drive.
  - midoridensha 4y ago
    Rowing in a real rowboat has little to do with the legs: the seat is fixed. It has a lot to do with the back, however. "Rowing machines" have very little to do with real rowboats. Real rowboats don't have sliding seats.
    - cjpearson 4y ago
      Sliding seats are used for competitive rowing. For example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowing_(sport)#Technique https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowing_(sport)#Technique
      - midoridensha 4y ago
        When normal people talk about a "rowboat", this is what they're referring to: https://images.app.goo.gl/UsSUQCWLLNPmkDf39 https://images.app.goo.gl/UsSUQCWLLNPmkDf39
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
- matthewmcg 4y ago
  That's certainly true--oars are by far the most common configuration for human powered boats. I was thinking more about human powered boats that set speed records, e.g. the Decavitator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decavitator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decavitator A lot of this might just be because Mark Drela, who was involved in the design of several of the aircraft and boats on this list, is a cyclist.

midoridensha 4y ago

I wouldn't say it's common at all in boats. The two main human-powered boats are canoes and kayaks, and both use the arms, not the legs. There's also rowboats, which again use the arms. Pedal-powered kayaks do exist, but are rare. It would make more sense to use the legs, but it's a much bigger engineering challenge than making a simple paddle and a boat that floats with no holes in the bottom.

rstupek 4y ago
Rowing is not solely an arm mechanism but his actually driven by the legs
- prodent 4y ago
  As a rower myself I wanted to type the same correction initially, but then realized that the parent comment is probably referring to a rowboat rather than a racing shell. No sliding seat, no leg drive.
- midoridensha 4y ago
  Rowing in a real rowboat has little to do with the legs: the seat is fixed. It has a lot to do with the back, however. "Rowing machines" have very little to do with real rowboats. Real rowboats don't have sliding seats.
  - cjpearson 4y ago
    Sliding seats are used for competitive rowing. For example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowing_(sport)#Technique https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowing_(sport)#Technique
    - midoridensha 4y ago
      When normal people talk about a "rowboat", this is what they're referring to: https://images.app.goo.gl/UsSUQCWLLNPmkDf39 https://images.app.goo.gl/UsSUQCWLLNPmkDf39
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
matthewmcg 4y ago
That's certainly true--oars are by far the most common configuration for human powered boats. I was thinking more about human powered boats that set speed records, e.g. the Decavitator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decavitator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decavitator A lot of this might just be because Mark Drela, who was involved in the design of several of the aircraft and boats on this list, is a cyclist.