Hugues
1 kW
Hi guys,
i normally post in the e-bike section but i thought this one would better fit here.
Winter is coming (I live in Switzerland) and i would find it very cool to ride in the snow in the hills behind my place.
I first thought about modifying my e-bike but i don't think a bike is a good starting point for what i would like to do, you're sitting too high and the wheels are too narrow.
I would like to ride in packed snow but fresh snow as well, going uphill and downhill. Just for fun, not to commute.
I cannot ride any gas engine powered vehicle, like a snowmobile or the 2moto bike, simply not allowed and too noisy.
But then i had an idea: why not fitting some snowmobile tracks under a sledge ? I'm just bouncing ideas here, would like to get your feed-back. It's hard to invent anything new these days, i searched the internet for electric sledge but did not find anything surprisingly.
I have in mind a Davos type of sledge, fitted with skis instead of thin metal rails. This in order to go downhill on the skis alone. I have in mind a mechanism to lift the tracks when going downhill, to save on power a bit.
I'm thinking of using 2 separate Crystalyte hubs to power the tracks, one for each, high torque rather than speed. So 2 tracks rather than just one, a bit like a tank. This would allow to steer the sledge by playing on the speed of each hub. And why not to spin on the spot by inverting the rotation of one hub ?
I would control hubs with 2 twist throttles, mounted on handlebars, one on the left , one on the right. When you twist both you go straight, if you twist one more than the other, you steer the sledge. (the right throttle would power the left track , that would feel more natural. So twisting the right throttle more than the left one would steer right)
Eventually allow the hub to run in reverse mode in order to get out of deep snow.
So the tracks could be lifted from the ground when going downhill. I imagine you could pull on the handlebar to lower the tracks in the snow, then pushing on the handlebar would lift them. That mechanism could incorporate some suspension to absorb shocks.
Question that comes to mind: would be better to put the hubs at the back or front of the tracks ? I guess probably better at the back, because then the hub would pull on the track in contact with the ground. If hubs are in front, it would push on the lower track i guess. I maybe wrong here. But there is always some slack in tracks.
I would think only the front part of the tracks can go down and up, the back part with the hubs would be fixed, simpler design i guess for the torque arm and power cables.
Could the right handlebar lower the right track, independently of the left ? easier to turn this way ? Not sure here, and probably not needed.
(but then lowering and throttle is not on same bar, because to turn right you twist the right throttle but it spins the left track.
I attach a small drawing below, i know, i'm not very skilled...
Your feed-back is mostly welcomed
i normally post in the e-bike section but i thought this one would better fit here.
Winter is coming (I live in Switzerland) and i would find it very cool to ride in the snow in the hills behind my place.
I first thought about modifying my e-bike but i don't think a bike is a good starting point for what i would like to do, you're sitting too high and the wheels are too narrow.
I would like to ride in packed snow but fresh snow as well, going uphill and downhill. Just for fun, not to commute.
I cannot ride any gas engine powered vehicle, like a snowmobile or the 2moto bike, simply not allowed and too noisy.
But then i had an idea: why not fitting some snowmobile tracks under a sledge ? I'm just bouncing ideas here, would like to get your feed-back. It's hard to invent anything new these days, i searched the internet for electric sledge but did not find anything surprisingly.
I have in mind a Davos type of sledge, fitted with skis instead of thin metal rails. This in order to go downhill on the skis alone. I have in mind a mechanism to lift the tracks when going downhill, to save on power a bit.
I'm thinking of using 2 separate Crystalyte hubs to power the tracks, one for each, high torque rather than speed. So 2 tracks rather than just one, a bit like a tank. This would allow to steer the sledge by playing on the speed of each hub. And why not to spin on the spot by inverting the rotation of one hub ?
I would control hubs with 2 twist throttles, mounted on handlebars, one on the left , one on the right. When you twist both you go straight, if you twist one more than the other, you steer the sledge. (the right throttle would power the left track , that would feel more natural. So twisting the right throttle more than the left one would steer right)
Eventually allow the hub to run in reverse mode in order to get out of deep snow.
So the tracks could be lifted from the ground when going downhill. I imagine you could pull on the handlebar to lower the tracks in the snow, then pushing on the handlebar would lift them. That mechanism could incorporate some suspension to absorb shocks.
Question that comes to mind: would be better to put the hubs at the back or front of the tracks ? I guess probably better at the back, because then the hub would pull on the track in contact with the ground. If hubs are in front, it would push on the lower track i guess. I maybe wrong here. But there is always some slack in tracks.
I would think only the front part of the tracks can go down and up, the back part with the hubs would be fixed, simpler design i guess for the torque arm and power cables.
Could the right handlebar lower the right track, independently of the left ? easier to turn this way ? Not sure here, and probably not needed.
(but then lowering and throttle is not on same bar, because to turn right you twist the right throttle but it spins the left track.
I attach a small drawing below, i know, i'm not very skilled...
Your feed-back is mostly welcomed
