'E-Rockit' hits German fast lane

[dipsydoodle]

Getta load of this ! : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8147104.stm?ls

Not cheap but no carbon , up to 50mph and it helps keep you fit.

[Nihil]

1. K & R & info

The OP leads to a video article but the following is the
text from that page:

> A Berlin inventor has come up with an electric bike which you
> power by pedalling that can reach speeds of 50 mph.
>
> Stefan Gulas has developed a system that amplifies the effort
> you put in by a factor of 50, meaning you can accelerate quickly
> and maintain high speeds with very little effort.

It really looks neat (though expensive at the moment).

[madokie]

2. I wonder what the rest of the story is

meaning it seems as how he may be getting something for nothing.

[IDemo]

3. Not something for nothing

He says "the way you control the speed of the motor is by pedalling."

"amplifies the effort you put in by a factor of 50" means he has built the bike to detect pedalling effort and use it as a control signal to the motor controller. He has either placed pressure transducers in the pedals or something in the sprocket assembly to do so. No way in hell should the thing cost $40k, though. I'm thinking I could design and build something similar for around $10k.

[madokie]

4. People have been looking for a 50 to 1 return on energy expended for eons

I call bullshit on this.

He says the way you control the speed is by pedaling does not say that all the energy it takes to make this bike do what he is saying is coming from that pedaling. The energy to move that bike has to come from somewhere and it ain't coming from his legs. This is nothing but another scam

[IDemo]

5. I guess I should have included "battery" above

But so should have the inventor and the reporter on the story. This is nothing more than an electric bike with a set of pedals to function as the throttle control. There is also a motorcycle throttle control plainly visible on the handlebars, for "lazy mode" I guess. I don't think they are pushing this as a "free energy" scam, but they could have explained the nature of the design a little better.

[madokie]

6. Whew

for a minute there I thought you were on something, or was that on to something :-)

I think the guy is so stupid as to believe he has really done something. I'll go have a look see at the video once again because I think he was implying getting something for nothing but like I said I'll check it out again to see.

no harm done

Add: After another look see I'll leave it at what I said when I typed the stupid comment.

[The Croquist]

7. Nihil and the BBC mentioned that it was an electric bike.

50 MPH is fast enough that the rider / driver should be wearing protective clothing.