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Mend Your Fuelish Ways!

http://350.org/en/about/science

They say cars are not the really big source of green house gasses, and that electric cars are not going to solve the problem.

Burning coal for electricity production is the really big problem. I live off the grid with solar voltaic panels. I have learned to reduce my use of electricity drastically. No refrigerator, no fan, no power tools. I bought a car stereo that uses only 3 to 5 watts, and $500 worth of 12 volt LED lights. Even an electric bicycle would be hard to charge in the darkest part of winter.

It amazes me how people keep them self’s in ignorance; this denial is a sign of collective insanity.

If the news media was not owned by the money oligarchy, the truth might get out, and the majority of people would learn to change their fuelish ways.

You can start by going to 350.org and watch their movie. I’m not asking you to read a book on it, just do something!
Do The Math: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IsIfokifwSo

By the year 2045 there will be 9 billion people on this small planet, that’s 2 billion more than there is now.

America is in debt for $17 trillion. People are not going to be able to maintain the status quo, cycling will become as big in America as it is in China. The suburbs will become small farming communities just to survive the expense of transportation.

Retro Direct Drive

Two gears and no shifting; perfect for people that can't think about shifting gears. In fact I have a hard time remembering which way to shift down sometimes because I have two bikes with friction shifters; both in opposite directions.

 Retro-direct was developed by French inventor Paul de Martin de Viviés
(1833–1911).     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retro-direct I think it was ment for a 60degree seat tube.



Building a Retro-Direct Drive Bicycle
 http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/search?q=retro+direct

                                           http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/retro-direct/
Sram has a two speed hub that you have to shift. But I would never give up my MTB gears for anything less that a belt drive with Nuvinci hub.



more odd drives:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_drivetrain_systems

Shaft Drive
This one would be good if it works right, but unless it is in an oil bath, dirt will distroy it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft-driven_bicycle

http://www.beixo.eu/en/_cardanas

A day in the park?

BBQ Tofu?

https://www.facebook.com/cycletrucks?ref=stream&hc_location=stream

Stainless Steel Bolts!

The only way to keep a bicycle from rusting up is to use stainless steel bolts! I had a bicycle ruined by a single rusted bolt long ago. These Mirrycle mirrors are tooo expensive to have them rust like this! Why can't the bicycle industry just use stainless steel bolts?

I changed the metric bolts to american 8-32, 3/4 inch and 1 inch. The long bolt that goes inside the handle bars didn't need to be changed because the bars face down on my bike (no rain gets in).


And these mirors are designed to break! Two of them have broken off my bike in the last 3 months.

Nuvinci gear hub with belt drive

I am sick and tired of dealing with chain drives! Testing special chain lube, replacing the chain every three months or so.


But this has got to have it's problems also. Like the belt has to be too tight, and the bearings wearing out fast. and the dirt wearing out the cogs. Gates has a CenterTrack variant that supposedly runs at lower tension than their original style.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/882144-Belt-Drive-bicycles

This needs more spokes for cargo bikes. Maybe I can use 12 guage spokes? And a new frame!

http://fat-bike.com/2012/06/nuvinci-n360-gates-carbon-belt-drive-fatbike/

HD tires for cargo:

http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?40366-Moped-tires&p=360495&posted=1#post360495

Pedal Electric Hybrids

It’s about time that someone by passed the muscle powered drive chain. But I don't see how you can bypass the batteries and still climb hill with cargo. So what are the advantages of pedal electric? Charge the battery a little while you ride? It makes more sense to put all your money into the latest battery technology.

I am able to generate only about 40watts with my bad knee, and a heavy fly wheel. Most atheliets would not be able to maintain better than 100 watts continuously.

The best way to avoid using a fly wheel would be to use a rotor crank:

Use a high voltage motor to generate power at a reasonable pedaling speed, then use a hub motor that uses very little electricity to move.

Like this solar car motor:
http://www.csiro.au/en/Outcomes/Energy/Powering-Transport/In-wheel-motor-for-solar-powered-electric-vehicles-technical-details.aspx