Automatic Transmission?
 

Any of you guys ever had a bike with an automatic transmission? I had one on my paper bike some 35 years ago. I guess it wasn't exactly an automatic. It was a back pedal or coaster brake... but backpedalling would cause a shift to the other gear. It was a 2 speed. Pretty good rig for a paper bike. Any of you guys ever deliver papers from bike? All you ever see these days is adults delivering from cars. When I was a kid I had some strong legs from that paper route. Yup, if I'd a known there was gonna be a TDF ... why heck, I woulda ...

dog

dogbro, I still have two Schwinn's with the automatic rear hub. Rock the pedals halfway back to the brake and the bike shifts to the next gear. One is a fat tire cruiser and the other is a thin tire racer type. Both purchased new in the early 60's. My brother and I used to ride them all over Bound Brook, NJ.

Delivering newpapers is an adult job today because of the danger involved. I remember there was a time when kids used to deliver newspapers but not anymore. It's a sad statement about society.

Oh yeah. I had one of those 2-speed kickback Schwinns. I never really liked it. The two gears weren't very far apart, which was just as well because I was always in the wrong gear taking off. I never had a paper route of my own, but a few friends did. It was afternoon delivery, and I'd sometimes help them so they could get done sooner and then be free to play.

Shimano is making an automatic transmission but I haven't seen one yet.


*The Nexus Auto-D System

The Nexus 4-speed Auto-D and 3-speed Auto Inter-3 shifting systems provide completely automatic shifting of their internally geared rear hubs. Both systems use a speed sensor, control unit, shift motor and CPU to shift the hub automatically according to riding speed. Electronically activated manual shifting is also possible at the touch of a button (Auto-D Inter-4). Designed for simplicity, Auto D Inter-3 version installs easily to various types of bicycles.


Automatic shifting program assures easy pedaling by giving you the most efficient gear in relation to speed.
Coaster brake is available for easy pedal-activated braking.
Nexus automatic hubs are also available with a cable-activated Roller Brake.





*

http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/

theres another bike with an auto-shift system. I always see their info-mercials on TV. Forgot what the bike was called though. The landcruiser? Something like that.

That POS is EVIL. Do a forum search for "Landrider". I dare you.

yeah I saw the thread on them lol.

"Landrider" that was it.

Dog,

I too used a 1965 Schwinn Racer with the two speed automatic hub to deliver news papers when I was a kid. As you well know there were not any bikes that gave you any gear options that did not require a hand shift. At lease I had a low gear while using my hands to throw papers. I actually used my christmas tips one year to buy the bike.
For the past two years I have been riding 4,000+ miles a year and am quite interested in bikes and would love to find that gold Schwinn racer to add to my collection.

Its good to know that someone else shared the same bike experience.

Jeff

Never speak that name or "Auto-bike" in my physical presence. The result will not be pretty.
http://img75.exs.cx/img75/1081/puke14gy.gif

I know a woman who has owned an Automatic Schwinn since her teen years in the early fifties. Only this one has a 3 speed transmission built into the bottom bracket area, integrated into the frame. Shifting is controlled by pedal pressure. Push harder on the pedals and it shifts to a lower gear. The thing works perfectly but weighs as much as an M1A1 tank. Has anyone else seen one of these?

Al

OMG....I swear I remember my Mom had one of those. Back when I was just a BMX grommet, my brother and I puzzled over that bike. As I recall, we put more miles on the "goofy bike" than she did.
I found this thread through a search for an Auto-D thread. I just bought a 4-speed hub kit, and am planning to build it into a dream cruiser. One of the issues is the roller brake. I'd like to convert it to a disc brake, but haven't found an easy solution, such as a ready-made adapter. I am also looking into whether the electric shifting unit would be compatable with a Nexus-8 hub. The interface for the shifter looks the same, and Shimano did release an 8-speed automatic shifting gruppo in Europe for the Smover bikes, namely the Di2 group. It has a lot of extra features I don't need, such as automatic suspension adjustment, and an interface that doesn't meet my "artistic" needs. I'm willing to hack into it if necessary, but if anyone else has tried this, I'd appreciate the input and would be more than willing to share my research.
As a bike shop employee, I have seen how intimidated a lot of folks are by shifting. If someone does nail the shifting issue, we will see a lot more folks hopping onto bikes. I see that as a good thing, no matter how you slice it.

Wordbiker

When I was a kid, I used to buy old bikes and fix them up. One of them was a Schwinn kick back two speed. I thought it was cool because the other kids didn't know I had another gear...it was like having a bike with a STEALTH mode! <grin>

Still, though, it wasn't as cool as the Stingray with the gear shift knob! Now THAT was cool....until...of course....you crashed and slid forward off the seat and OUCH!!!!

http://www.vintagepros.com/images/ex...nnstingray.jpg

There are many different types and brands of bikes that have automatic transmissions some electrically operated, or that don't need to be shifted. I think the only one that has consistently been popular over the long haul, and is trouble free, efficent,and does not need to be shifted is..........

fixed gear.

Society isn't any more dangerous, parents just got more paranoid.

Bendix 2-speed kickback hub.

I had one a long time ago. I would love to have one on my single speed coaster brake bike that looks like a track bike. No cables etc. Nothing exposed to the weather. I have not seen one in decades.