Originally Posted by
79pmooney
Actually running a gear ratio between the hand rim and wheel isn't hard. Instead of clipping the handwheel to the rim, run chainring-like spiders to the hub so the rim acts as a big cog. Incorporate internal gearing and its done. It'd be little different to operate. In a non 1:1 gear, the hand rim and wheel turn at different speeds.
It has been done. But I probably can't find a link to it.