ECA says:

Weeeee…
50mph on the Flats, and still not pushing hard.

Matrixghost1286 says:

45K for a power assisted petal bike? While that does look interesting, but the price tag is a bit high considering you do have to still petal.
Or you could modify the bike. Replace the petal part with a handle throttle and modify the wheels to act like an alternator to recharge battery.

Necessity might be the mother of invention, but laziness motivates the improvement of the invention.

soundwash says:

No worries if this taking mainstream hold in the U.S. i doubt it will go that fast once we get through accessorizing it with a remote satellite/cable TV system and other idiot lights, not to mention that overall, we’re to fat to care and have programmed to think otherwise)

As for the technicals..they’re probably using the a portion of new magnetics/electrics that have been “blacklisted” here in the states along with some extra gearing.. -no mystery.

I think by next summer the latest they may make an appearance here.. we only need a “hiccup” in our energy grid for an extended time for them to show up en-mass…if the Universe doesn’t supply the hiccup via magnetic anomalies, i’m sure our government will provide one for us. (though i don’t think the new electrics will be the goal of the interruption..just a product of the fallout)

-as for the motorcycle/bicycle argument..makes no difference..what matters is, should this vehicle be produced en-mass, will the governing (oil-based) body allow it to use state roads “fee-free”

-here in the states it will only be seen as road hazard..it will take one, maybe two
“good-accidents” involving the ever popular “innocent children” (exploited to no end by the MSM) for it to be legislated into obscurity with licensing, registration, safety checks, and of course, the big ticket item, -insurance.

-s

ECA says:

I would also add a Internal Wheel charger/motor..
When you are coasting it generates power..

You just just peddle and generate power and NOT use it tell later.

Whaap says:

It takes about 5 horse power to reach and maintain 50MPH.

I’ll stick to my old school in line 4 internal combustion machine and burn gasoline.

Let’s see this POS hit 150+mph and do 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds, THEN I might stop laughing and take it seriously.

I have the need for speed and out grew 5hp a long time ago.

soundwash says:

#6 ECA: good description..coupled with more efficient generation, it’s easy.

pessimist view: no doubt, the price tag involves an invisible [huge] fee to be payed to offset the losses incurred to Energy suppliers because you don’t “plug it in”

optimist view: they are entrepreneurs and need to charge a large sum because it won’t take long to figure out the actual simplicity of the design and have cheap labour produce it en-mass for $500-$1500 retail. (not to mention the garage entities)

plus, the high price tag is always an easy sell to those who compete to “wear” big ticket (read: overpriced) items as part of their big ticket status. -i’m sure some hollywood types would snap these up like candy.

and…if they could get Oprah to be seen riding one of these it would become an instant success/fad.

omg..I almost forgot.. the “Green Factor”

-all technology (currently) that appears to be “green” must have an exorbitant/absurd cost because in part, you MUST pay a lot to “offset” your guilt of being CO2 breather/user/producer. (which of course, is a fallacy in itself)

any technology that can be “green” must be a “a new miracle of science” and therefore expensive…even though the roots of this technology was invented centuries ago and honed to perfection in the late eighteen and early nineteen hundreds. (speaking mainly of magnetics and electrics)

-s

cakes says:

So it’s lighter than a motorcycle and more expensive (than most)… wonder if it’d even be possible to insure.

Jägermeister says:

He’s an Innovator, not and Inventor. It’s essentially a pedal moped married with a electric bike.

#9 – Ah_Yea – He should go to China and have it made for $500.
THEN it would sell!

It would just take one Chinese person to buy this and then there would be a Chinese copy a month later.

ECA says:

12,
ask any insurer about doing 50mph on a bike..
Dont think you want to afford THIN TIRES on a HOT road.

POP, BANG..

faxon says:

You can buy a real car and PLENTY of gas for $44,000.00. AND, you won’t necessarily get killed in an accident, or wet in the rain. And, you can piss off the idiot greenies by driving EVERYWHERE.

shannon says:

Wow you can put in a little energy and AMPLIFY it to get great results? Why not make it go 40 and have the other 10 mph go back into the battery so you only have to pedal to get going. Wait forget that even, just plug it in for 5 minutes before you leave the house. Well wait if you rode it the day before the battery is still charged, just get on and go.

If you can amplify electricity you can split the output and use part for power and part for recharging.

Wow, guess all those physicists have been lying to us that zero point energy is not possible. They have to be smart enough to know that this would work.

Pullys, gears, alternators, coils, magnets, small wind turbines, there are hundreds of ways you can get something for nothing.

And what is that principle with computers? Technology doubles every year and a half.

Next few years, 80mph, no pedaling and self charging. Two years after that, bigger powerplant & installed in cars. Then no more fuel needed, ever for anyone.

The point is there is only one reason we are still paying for fuel, because we will.

daav0 says:

The story does not say that the person generates all of the power, it says that the pedaling “helps” to charge the battery. I am assuming that you plug this in to recharge it.

shannon says:

But regardless of all that, this is an awesome product. Give it a few years for the price to come down. Christmas 2012, I’ll buy it as is. The price should be down to about 4000.00 USD (assuming the USD is still alive then) I can use the exercise, and 50 mph and a little pedal power will work out just perfectly to get around locally and get things done.

Floyd says:

ECA#17: you might be surprised how strong and durable quality bicycle tires can be. In my 20s, I had a very good Fuji bicycle with an Avocet speedometer. A friend (who also had a good bike) and I once found ourselves on a straight rural road, freshly paved and headed downhill for about 4 miles. We got our bicycles up to 45 MPH. It was an amazing rush. No I wouldn’t do that on a rough road.

ECA says:

Another law is about Pedal power and horse power.
If you keep it under a certain HP, you are good. Except that MOST current lawn mowers have to large of an engine. They lowered the HP, in the last 10 years. The law about pedal power is a HUMAN POWERED vehicle. as long as that is there, you can do almost anything.