Folding Bikes - Dutch Shaftdrive Folder

Ad Tummers informed me about the Beixo (http://www.beixo.com/eng/specifications.html) Shaftdrive folder back in September last year, sorry Ad, I forgot to 'add' it until now! :o

Ad Tummers informed me about the Shaftdrive folder back in September last year, sorry Ad, I forgot to 'add' it until now! :o
Yes - I was looking at this bike the other day and I emailed the importer about the gear ratio. I thought this important since it wouldn't be an easy thing to change if it didn't suit. Unfortunately, I can't make head or tail of his reply. The numbers son't make any sense to me. I'll paste in the reply below. One more thing - I think this bike may be manufactured by Neobike who I think also make the Merc. It could be that naughty Neobike have also copied a Dutch manufactured bike. I say 'Dutch' because the sales people are in Holland - I have no clue, but I suspect the Dutch connection is an importer of a Taiwanese made, Neobike machine. Anyway - can anyone enlighten me about the gear ratios of this bike?

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Reply to my question about gearing:


Thank you for your interest in the beixo-compact folding bike.



Hereby the gear ratio



1st gear: 118 inch (3.0 meter)

2nd gear: 161 inch (4.1 meter)

3rd gear: 248 inch versnelling: (6.3 meter)


More questions? Do not hesitate

Best regards,

Ad Tummers



beixo.com
e: info@beixo.com
t: + 31 (0)6 1496 0024
a: Nicolaasweg 88 | 3581VK Utrecht | The Netherlands




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From EvilV to Beixo

I am interested in the 20" wheeled shaft driven beixo. Very important is that I know in advance what gear ratios are available. My current folder has ratios of 79 inches per turn of the pedals, 60 inches and 45.



What are the inches driven per pedal turn on the Biexo please?



Tony
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http://www.beixo.com/eng/index.html

http://www.beixo.com/images/axle-detail.jpg

Very interesting concept

I think that gives gear inches of approx 79", 52", and 38".

I think that gives gear inches of approx 79", 52", and 38".
That's quite a useful range. How did you work that out then? I couldn't make head nor tail of it.

Here's a link to Neobike's range, and the shaft drive model:

http://neobike.com/product.htm

http://neobike.com/product/qa20_3.jpg

Interestingly, they don't seem to be featuring the Merc. The general view I've picked up is that Neobike make it. Maybe they stopped.

Shaft drives are generally inefficient and heavy; the Beixo 20" weighs in at 32 lbs. I'm not sure if or how people normally express the inefficiencies numerically, but I'd assume that 38" on a Beixo will "feel" more like 42" or so, due to the power loss.

You'd have to live in an awfully muddy environment to make the drivetrain inefficiencies and the weight worthwhile....

That's quite a useful range. How did you work that out then? I couldn't make head nor tail of it.


Interestingly, they don't seem to be featuring the Merc. The general view I've picked up is that Neobike make it. Maybe they stopped.

My guess is that the numbers provided in the response were linear distance traveled per crank revolution. So just divide by Pi (3.14159...) to get gear inches (i.e. equivalent wheel diameter)

That's quite a useful range. How did you work that out then? I couldn't make head nor tail of it.

I think the salesman is quoting the "meters of development", which is the distance the bike travels per turn of the pedals, while you are quoting the "gear inches" which is the effective wheel diameter relative to an ungeared bike.

In other words, he is quoting in terms of circumference, while you are quoting in terms of diameter. Divide by pi (~3.14) to get the diameter from the circumference (or the gear inches from the meters of development).

Shaft drives are generally inefficient and heavy; the Beixo 20" weighs in at 32 lbs. I'm not sure if or how people normally express the inefficiencies numerically, but I'd assume that 38" on a Beixo will "feel" more like 42" or so, due to the power loss.

You'd have to live in an awfully muddy environment to make the drivetrain inefficiencies and the weight worthwhile....

I totally agree with you B. I also believe the bicycle is usefull in a flat place like the Netherlands for short distances.

Ah - all is clear now. The wonders of arithmetic.