The notion of a multi-seat tandem with driving boards is an interesting notion. Sounds almost like a hybrid of more familiar tandem riding and crew.
Originally Posted by
Dan Burkhart
Just about any type of drive mechanism you can conceive has been tried, at least once, and probably prior to the year 1900.
By the turn of the 20th century, it is said, half of all patents on file in the USA were bicycle related.
I've seen pictures and drawings of everything from treadle drives, to intermediate cogs, and yes, reciprocating linkages.
There is a guy on another cycling group that keeps finding and posting all these old oddities. I find them fascinating, but I always come away thinking the best solution won out in the end. That is of course, the good old roller chain.
I sort of figured that this would be the bottom line. But, if one is willing to make the compromises involved w/a shaft drive for the reasons mentioned above (or in the commuting thread I linked) might this kind of linkage be able to attain greater efficiency?