A solution to what? This is not solving a problem, it's just another alternative. And as you said yourself, chains are cheap and effective. This will not stick.
This is the dumbest idea I've seen in a while. Converting mechanical energy from the pedals into electrical energy, and then converting that electrical energy back into mechanical energy at the motor, is dumb. A normal bicycle would outperform one of these, in every scenario, every time.
excellent research and data to support the facts . one area that would be good to research is how different fork materials / design shape curve of the fork, head tube angle ect , can effect the ride comfort of a bicycle .
My early 90s MTB was a Touringbike, a Mountainbike, a Gravelbike, an Adventurebike and a Commuter. We didn’t need labels then. It was just a good bike.
I noticed that lowest gear on enviolo is not enough and also when I go uphill I have issues with turning/gear changing. I think it’s perfect for older people and casual driving on flat terrains. I need different HUB!
well I sure knew my family is odd, but based on the numbers from this video even more so. as in, with me high altitude generally doesn't really have a negative, effect. sometimes it even makes it more easy for me, just feels better, also often on the flat I can't even get my heartrate up to a proper level as it stays relaxed. as for hills those numbers of around 3.6W*kg are very low, those percentages one can ride relaxed as well, as that is actually worse than how I drove my bike as a kid when I started to bike(litterally first time going up a big mountain(also passed many adults and didn't get passed by other bikers despite being a kid of around 6 to 8 years old and on one of those heavy and cheap iron kid bikes), also important to note is that back then I actually was handicapped(physically) which prevented me from outputting much power since that would just cause a lot of pain. right now 40% to 50% is relaxed, my father can go much steeper while relaxed. also the main factor why I didn't name a higher number is because my frontwheel used to be bigger than my backwheel, so when it got much steeper like over 100%(for those unaware of what % means in slopes, 100% is 100meters up per 100 meters foreward so 45degrees, % means meaters up per 100 meters foreward) then it gets really hard to keep my front wheel on the road, as I kind of have to hang before my steer in order to keep it on the ground, especially when accelerating. didn't try yet with a smaller from wheel however. as for my father he can go easily pass 100% steep hills with ease while driving relaxed. in his case he can even drive up hills of around 20% in the most heavy gear of a racebike(note those really steep hills above 40% and above 100% are on a mountainbike and are not normal roads meant for cars or bikes or such) while remaining relaxed, even though his bike doesn't like that, but one time his shifting mechanism broke since he drove on one of those modern electrically shifted bikes, had to replace his chain and such afterward however. and next to that even in normal situations we both have had many cases where chains would break or gears would break, and many other parts. while my father is the most clear exception of a person being insanely powerfull, and after that I also get there, my brother also kind of has it, and many others in my family also to some extend. also important to note that we in general do not really train a lot, especially me. I can just step onto a bike for the first time in the year and easily drive off allmost all those people who constantly train by a big amount. well that is when in the hills, or mountains actually, as they need to be very big long "difficult climbs" for me to really beat them by far, since on the flat I don't do well, small hills also not always, but the big or much more difficult stuff actually is much more easy for me.
Similar to Japanese cars I would prefer Japanese bicycle components (Shimano) because of better reliability and longevity. German products are often expensive and can not keep up technically with Japanese quality.
I've owned a Rohloff hub for about 18 years, and in all that time, I've never had to adjust a cable. This single feature already makes it far superior to the Shimano hub. Consider the alternatives: trigger shifters, cable tension adjustments, or even electric shifters to mitigate cable stretch issues. I much prefer a system that eliminates reliance on cable tension entirely. Did I mention that I have never once adjusted my cable tension in 18 years? The $1,000 price difference shouldn't be a deterrent for anyone in a first-world country. I can assure you, I don't miss the extra $1,000 I spent nearly two decades ago. This isn't about sounding elitist; it's about making a long-term investment. The Rohloff hub is designed to last a lifetime, even if you're young now. Lastly, regardless of the system you choose, I recommend opting for a smaller chainring. I've geared my Rohloff so low that it technically violates their warranty, but it enabled me to haul a washer and dryer up a hill during a move. My Rohloff and I have certainly had some adventures!
Cycling in Europe, I would still favor a Nexus 8 over an Alfine 8, mainly for practical reasons. Any bike shop will have experience and probably be able to supply parts within a day or two. The Alfines are still quite rare, and I know of repair shops (well, one) that flat out refuse to service them because of fear they'll f•ck them up. Moreover, having cycled on both over hilly terrain (not mountains) there is very little in it between them.
It's all about geometry. Get as far back on your saddle as possible and extend your legs to the max - making thus use of a kind of folding knife technique. Waaaay less strain and exhaust.
Does the designer have any idea what it takes to construct a motor and generator? Riders of this bike would be at 13% of his normal efficiency at best.
SOOO complicated. SOOO much energy is lost within the complicated pulling, rubbing, rolling, sliding. Imagine when it needs maintenance...... I would not get one of these even if it were free.
I soured on enviolo after it failed on our Urban Arrow after only 3800 miles. They replaced it under warranty but it took quite a while to turn around.
This video totally made me want to go there. It looks sketchy as hell going down "the ladder" with the bikes though... I might just opt for the out and back route if you still get to see all that beauty. Did you happen to record a track of the route?
13:50 I just completed a 1000km section of the Via Francigena in Italy with an Alfine 8 speed and a belt drive. Unfortunately the gearing is not sufficiently low enough for climbs of 8% and above. I would simply stall. It was partly weight of touring bags and water. I learned a lesson! I should have listened to your advice at 14:08!
