Reports from Eurobike 2011

Quite strange...

panurge said:
Last tranche.....
file.php
Click to expand...

These folks:
http://hettlagedrive.de/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWXxiXvfBjg
[youtube]eWXxiXvfBjg[/youtube]
 
Lock said:
Quite strange...
Click to expand...

Hagen infinitely variable chain wheel.
A transmission for bicycles and the like which includes a plurality of radially displaceable sprocket members with means for controlling the radial position of these sprockets members which positioning means includes a pair of plate members having reversed, identically curved paths thereon with the sprocket members mounted at the junction of the paths with means for controlling the relative speed between the two plates whereby the paths will be shifted with respect to one another and their junction point will increase or decrease radially thus moving the sprocket radially inwardly or outwardly.
Click to expand...

Discussed in Bicycling Science Whitt & Wilson 1974 page 147.

No doubt Miles can find a 19th Century example! :)
 
JennyB said:
No doubt Miles can find a 19th Century example! :)
Click to expand...
:)

There was the "Protean" expanding chainwheel of 1894.

Or the "Paradox" by WD Wansbrough, which appeared in 1901. This could be expanded or contracted in one tooth segments, from 20t to 26t (1" chain...).

Wansbrough patent:
 

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  • Wansbrough-chainwheel-gear.jpg
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Looks like lots of knockoffs of the Bosch knockoff of the Aprilia Enjoy there. :p
 
^I wonder if the throttles are available separately. Wow, a Rolhoff hub. $$$$
 
Don't know about the throttle but the LCD display can be found here:
http://www.aliexpress.com/product-gs/387031761-Electric-bike-LCD-computer-electric-bike-control-panel-good-feedback-wholesalers.html
 
Why do I get the feeling you are about to tell me what you think?
 
Well, I'm not sure it matters very much but, TGA in the UK were making bikes and trikes with a BB drive before Aprilia. I should imagine there are other examples, it's a pretty obvious direction.

arc0368b.jpg


I would have thought that it was better to reserve the word "knockoff" for more specific cases, where there is genuine plagiarism? The Bosch and Aprilia examples have little in common, beyond the base concept.
 
I am sure there were others too , but Aprilia were one of the first to design and manufacture a dedicated custom Integrated powered B Bracket drive. to say nothing of a custom bike frame and control system package ( Pedelec, torque sensing, speed sensing, pre set power levels etc)
Few other Ebikes of that period were purpose designed, most were "adapted" conventional bikes ( like the Electrobike which used a "Cyclone" type add on drive)
Considering the Aprilia design was conceived in the mid '90's ( best part of 20 yrs ago !), it was extremely advanced for the time, its major limitations even today being only its Brushed motor system and the Nmh battery technology.
I suspect the bike was a commercial failure for Aprilia ( sales were not huge) but it was a very good design.
Are you aware of any other "integrated" powered BBracket bikes available pre 2000?.. Miles ?
 
Hillhater said:
Are you aware of any other "integrated" powered BBracket bikes available pre 2000?.. Miles ?
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Nothing commercially available comes to mind. I recall several patents, though. Development of the Optibike started in 1998.

Would you say the Bosch was a "knockoff" of the Aprilia? That the Daum et al are "knockoffs" of the Bosch?

[Samd, I realise you were just responding to Lebowski....]
 
Yeah, I was. But I was wondering if you could help yourself or not. I got my answer. :p

Silliness aside, I get frustrated when there are so many media reports lately of expensive over engineered bottom bracket drive bikes. I find the pics from Eurobike inspiring in an engineering sense, but not the product positioning within a society that needs to get out of cars.

(I think) The future existed ten years ago. I just bought yet another Aprilia Enjoy on ebay this week. A quick retrofit of controller and LiPos and I have a good looking, quiet, dependable, reasonably fast 1100W bike for well under a grand. And it invites lots of inquiry. It also has a bit of brand heritage in the Aprilia name.

Plenty of money left over for a solar grid and batteries by recycling an Aprilia, compared to the Bosch offerings.

Being a dutchman I guess I see cycling for the denim wearing masses, not for the carbon fibre and lycra clad niches. Not a dig at anyone in particular - just a social comment.
 
Samd said:
Yeah, I was. But I was wondering if you could help yourself or not. I got my answer. :p
Click to expand...
:mrgreen:

How much would the Enjoy be if it were available now, I wonder?

The Bosch drive unit seems a pretty mundane bit of engineering with a hefty price premium.
I bet buyers will also be encouraged to take out an extended warranty, service contract etc....
 
Miles said:
:mrgreen:

How much would the Enjoy be if it were available now, I wonder?....
Click to expand...

I believe the Aprilia has more "engineering" cost in it than the Optibike !..
... but they were produced on a larger volume basis, so retail cost is tricky to place ?
Actually , you can still sometimes buy new, boxed , Enjoys, from "Alibaba" sources ..?? old stock, "knock off's" ???
http://www.asia.ru/en/ProductInfo/1422840.html
 
Miles said:
The Bosch drive unit seems a pretty mundane bit of engineering with a hefty price premium.
Click to expand...

that's the result of the optibike halo effect why i rail on about it.
take something otherwise ordinary, dress it up with rhinestones & glitter then present as if it's the greatest thing since pneumatic tyres.
the cherry on top is an obscene price tag deliberately crafted to tap into the typical consumer's erroneous thought process of "gee, if it costs that much it just gots to be really good."
this hasn't gone unnoticed by the new ebike players who surely must say to themselves "well ours is waay better than that" and price accordingly to this optibike 'benchmark'.
so now we all get to reap the benefit of paying thru the nose.


oh yeah, don't overlook they also knocked-off aprilias pneu-fangled pneumatic tyres. :roll:
aprilia must have forgot to apply for a patent.
here's the one tru religion original patent-holder for bb drive. :mrgreen:

 
Ah who are we kidding. Keep posting euro photos please, even if we pick em to bits, it's all interesting.
 
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