If you see anyone advertising on television (or any other media) on patents and how you can make big money, with investors waiting for your call, avoid them like the plague. These are scams and you're wasting your time.

I hate to tell you this but the market place is not too kind regarding new products. Each month, dozens of new products are introduced and most fail or disappear off the shelves in a matter of months or weeks. Unfortunately, it costs money to bring a device like yours into production that no one has ever seen. Most venture capatalist will only invest in your business if you have a proven management team of professionals on your staff that have years of experience in business. It's also quite possible someone already invented a product similar to yours but never went to production. Please find this out because it happens all the time. Always remember, it takes people to sell the product not the other way around and it's especially true when no one has ever heard of your drive-train in the first place.

Someone once said if other companies try to copy your product, you've done REALLY well and should be proud of yourself! I wouldn't worry too much about other people copying the product because if you're successful, they will come and do it anyway! Furthermore, you don't have the money (thousands of dollars) or time to send these copiers to court so stop worrying about patents. An inexpensive filing is all you need at this point. There are far more important issues facing a startup than how your going to handle all the success once you get there. Bottom line. You have to generate interest for anyone to even think about replacing their Dura Ace cranks for yours. Production and Marketing my friend, cost a lot of money.

Actually. You might make a lot more money selling a product that many more people already want and is recognizable. How about a hamburger business? I know a guy a little older than me and is getting ready to retire in a couple of years and only owns a hamburger shop.