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Slow your cycling

2011-09-19 16:13:01.669911+00 by Dan Lyke 9 comments

Shadow pointed me to this bicycle bizarreness: $1,200 PowerWheel’s Sole Function Is to Slow Down Your Bike:

The resistance depends upon your speed, not cutting in until you have gotten started, and switching off again once you hit 30mph (the assumption is that at these speeds you are descending a hill and won’t appreciate being slowed down.

It's totally strange, but it did get me pondering: I think the Arai drum brake is now out of production. Wonder if anyone's built a magnetic drag brake for tandems? Couple of magnets on the left side, or even on the spokes, coupled with a set of coils with a resistor and heat fins?

[ related topics: Interactive Drama Music Theater & Plays Work, productivity and environment Mathematics Pedal Power Bicycling Bicycling - Tandem ]

comments in descending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment Re: made: 2011-09-20 02:51:25.802546+00 by: meuon

Sorry, right, it was NCAR. Awesome spot.

I like the "concrete frame" bike idea.. Masochistic.

#Comment Re: made: 2011-09-19 23:25:30.55491+00 by: ebradway

meuon: by "observatory", do you mean NCAR? Did you notice how far UP the mountains you could still look? Next time you're in town, take the bus up to Nederland and ride back down. Much more fun!

And yeah, I can easily trim 2-3 Tour de France bikes off my waist. ;)

#Comment Re: made: 2011-09-19 18:53:14.496341+00 by: Dan Lyke

A friend of mine has recounted some TV show which had Laird Hamilton's workout regime on it. Apparently he buys garage sale mountain bikes, fills the frames with concrete, and then rides them 'til they die.

Seems like that's a way better mechanism for getting a hard to pedal bicycle than dropping $1200 on some silly gadget.

#Comment Re: made: 2011-09-19 18:29:10.495869+00 by: meuon

Which, acting like I was an active cyclist.... I would only be worrying about the weight of the bike when I was unable to effectively and healthfully lose a few more pounds. Dan's in that realm, most of us are not.

#Comment Re: made: 2011-09-19 18:12:47.791073+00 by: Larry Burton

And if you are going to add a battery make it a lead acid car battery to enhance the resistive effect with the weight.

(Pay an extra thousand for the bike to get it eighteen grams lighter and then add one of these doo-hickeys to give more resistance for another $1200.)

#Comment Re: made: 2011-09-19 17:43:37.322294+00 by: meuon

In Boulder, just ride up to the observatory. It's a good uphill ride. (Done it, sure noted the altitude)

And I am sure there are much MUCH harder.

#Comment Re: made: 2011-09-19 17:29:52.043289+00 by: TheSHAD0W [edit history]

Forget the resistor, add a battery!

And lots and lots of blinkenlights...

#Comment Re: made: 2011-09-19 17:01:36.860741+00 by: ebradway

I'm sure these things are flying off the shelves in Boulder. I can't begin to describe the kind of paraphernalia Boulder bicyclists use for training.

#Comment Re: made: 2011-09-19 16:52:25.843838+00 by: meuon

I thought if you wanted more of a work-out, you just pedaled harder/faster. Maybe up-shifted. Silly me, I did not recognize the RCO (Revenue Creation Opportunity).