GeoOrbital

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Seen here (re Cambridge, USA startup of ebike conversion kits):
http://betaboston.com/innovation-economy/2014/11/18/first-look-test-riding-a-prototype-electric-bike-wheel-from-geoorbital/

"GeoOrbital’s sub-$500 wheel". My guess, battery not included.
 
First comment re GeoOrb prod (seen elsewhere):
"I saw that and thought WTF. All that weight on the front wheel will affect steering and stability. Split off the battery at least so you can update it instead of the proprietary one you will undoubtedly need."
 
These dudes were working on this at the community work shop that I operate out of (artisans asylum) so I got a chance to see this first person. I mean, it's cool and all and more power to them but it seemed kinda janky and I don't understand the need to reinvent the wheel. It's pretty much a geared hub motor driving a roller on the rim with a water bottle mount battery in there. It's definitely a prototype and I'm sure they plan on tidying it up, but it just seems like to complex a setup just to have everything in the front wheel. I prefer a more balanced rear drive anyways, I just don't like the way front drive handles.

Cool concept engineering wise, but I don't really see it taking off.
 
Eight miles per hour! :lol: Twice as heavy as my DD front hubmotor. :lol: Not a curb jumper, probably do a reverse wheelie if you hit a pothole. :lol: And I thought my bike was ugly; dirty and black, covered with bungee cords, plastic bags, and road kill feflectors, mine looks better than that! :lol:
 
I'ts a little cleaner looking than Neodymics:
http://www.neodymics.com/
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1332
which has two versions on their page (from 2007 or earlier, I think; I found them wehn i was just starting to work out a DIY ebike).

I don't know that it ever saw production, though this topic
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2436&p=32922
indicates that it's because of ES that they added teh shroud/fairing in the pic below. :)
 

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Its always good to see different ideas fleshed out in order to learn what works and why.
 
Amberwolf wrote:
indicates that it's because of ES that they added teh shroud/fairing in the pic below. :)
A clear, non-frosted version of that fairing would be great to attach to my front basket. That would protect Oliver from the wind also. 8)
They probably frosted it to hide that hideous contraption. Looks like a sump pump that you could drop down a well. :lol:
 
I'd not heard of http://betaboston.com/ before, a startup company oriented site of Boston Globe, so perused some of their coverage. I've long thought we were in deep trouble and this confirms it. I mean if this is what the smartest grads of the smartest schools in one of the smartest cities are working on? Eaarth has some real problems needing talent. But hey, let's just go for the money, huh? Or just how how clever we are?
 
Hehe... Still best (?) negative I've seen "All that weight on the front wheel will affect steering and stability."

Currently playing with recumbent trike:
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=57408

... with rider weight "too far aft". Front wheel can be spin on grass/slippery anything, so looking to install BLDC as friction drive plus Li batt, etc ALL in front, to add MORE front end weight, but still overall weight more like 50%-50%. Plus some sort of directional stability to back wheels at speed (two back tires already lost much treads from high speed "donuts") . That physics stuff is such a "bitch" eh?
 
You are comparing apples and oranges. The front wheel of your tricycle is providing traction and steering.The front wheel of a bicycle however, provides steering and balance, together with the weight of the rider. If the rider overbalances to the left, you turn the front wheel to the left, and if overbalances to the right, you turn the front wheel to the right. You of course do these minor course correction unconsciously. If the front wheel has too much mass, the front wheel would have too much inertia and these minor course corrections would be delayed with possible consequences. The front wheel does not just turn for the purposed of turning, but as I said is required for balance, but at what added mass to the front wheel does it start to interfere? Baskets and panniers are not unheard of attached to the front wheel, but are rather uncommon. I still feel purposely designing a front wheel on a bicycle to be heavy is a bad design.

With regards to your tricycle, increasing the weight to the front to increase traction will compromise stability. A tricycle is stable because more of the weight is balanced on the back wheels, moving it forward will increase the chances of pitching forward into a spill.
 
Hehe... Now he's a Mechanical Engineer. (Guy follows me around, desperate for attention.)
 
LOL LOL LOL It's got to be the worst elc bike kit I have ever seen , that's the stupidest ugliest worst handling elc kit ever how in the hell who in the hell would use it let alone pay money for it .
 
Ha i remember that dymics front wheel battery setup! GeoOrbital- i dont trust inventors in heavy coats inside.
 
This is what happens when Engineers with no practical experience and sometimes no comma sense , I bet these guys have never ridden a motorcycle of any kind which is ok if that's what you want to do with your time and money . But the design is so unsafe and awkward it should not be sold to the pubic , I am sorry to say this but you really should get out of the E bike design until you understand E bikes better .
 
So is this basically a friction drive on the inside of the rim?
It still looks like it's in the prototype stage, certainly not as well finished aesthetically as the Hycore Centinel wheel.
 
jateureka said:
... certainly not as well finished aesthetically as the Hycore Centinel wheel.

Had to look that up...
[youtube]x5zD1LE30yg[/youtube]

Looks like from these folks:
http://hycore.com/aboutus


Looking VERY elegant. GeoOrbital better look around. Or hope nobuddy else does... hehe
 
I backed the GeoOrbital Kickstarter. I'll be sure to write a review here once I've had a chance to try out my wheel in November. Here's hoping it's not vaporware...
 
lava said:
I backed the GeoOrbital Kickstarter. I'll be sure to write a review here once I've had a chance to try out my wheel in November. Here's hoping it's not vaporware...

I did as well. And all the stretch goal were made so it will come with some cool extras.
Still betting it comes before our Copenhagen Wheel. We've been waiting since August 2013.
 
GeoOrbital Electric Bicycle Wheel Install/Review:
[youtube]M4t4SxTAeBk[/youtube]

EDIT: Dad tries to put the thingees and doodads together... somehow... w/out reading those silly instructions.
 
Looks cool, but how do we true the wheel if it gets croocked ?
Also whats the specs of the motor and lithium pack ?
 
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