Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - did anyone see this thing...?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=98084&item=7168112138&rd=1
...what is going on with that thing?

It's weird, but it's marginally more efficient (and mechanically more complicated). It's also not a track bike, I'm pretty sure it's got an internally geared hub. //

What the ****?

That doesn't look like a 49cm frame.

Nice to see it has petals. You all think it comes with a pistil, stamen and leaves, too?

It's not an internal geared bike. It's a lever system with ratchets and all. It was supposed to be more efficient.

It's not an internal geared bike. It's a lever system with ratchets and all. It was supposed to be more efficient.

But it can't be more efficient simply because you're not applying power with both legs all the time like you would be with traditional cranks, right?

I just checked with the horse of course. Bicycling Science discusses it some starting on page 93. In practice, it's been substantially less efficient than rotational cranking though its defenders claim that's really just a question of poor implementation. In theory it's about as efficient as rotating cranks.

49cm frame with a standover height of 34"??????

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=98084&item=7168112138&rd=1
...what is going on with that thing?

I was talking with someone the other day and he convinced me that it was a poor design.

But I can't remember what he said.

Krap.

When I remember I'll post it back here.

Alanex.

The guy went into production and had dealers and one add in Bicycling.

BTW, that idea has just been revived. Some Spanish old f@rt named Manuel Soriano claims to have invented it, and he is said to have sold it to taiwanese bike makers [edit: to China] . The article in a Hungarian newspaper said the that you can reach 55mph with the thing. I laughed my socks off... I mean, come on! It sure has a huge big gear, but you will never be capable of putting in any serious power with that idiotic leg movement it requires, so it will take a downhill ride to get up to any speed at all. Plus it looks like it has tons of friction(it was some cog sytem around the bb area).

Here ya go: http://www.thinkspain.com/news/noticia.asp?CodNoticia=8679

I really like that bit about wheelchairs. I mean people have to use one in the first place because their legs are not quite up to the job... And of course, if you make these levers hand-operated, you can stuff the high gear. Human arms are only just strong enough to propel the wheelchair at the 1:1 ratio drive by the ring fastened to the wheel, as I found out when I tried one out. Any slight uphill is a problem when you only have your arms to rely on. And, of course, this silly machine seems to have just one gear.

Check out those home built crank arms!

...so basically this is like a stair-master bike... how the is that supposed to be more efficient? it seems like a normal crank with straps or clips would be much more efficient seeing that one can pull as well...? but then again i'm no rocket scientist.

Sometimes the body doesn't work the way you expect it to. Did you know you can generate more power pedaling backwards than forwards?

I think it transforms into an ATAT.

I think it transforms into an ATAT.

I think your avatar is a CI Boy. Geek. :D