I have been reading messages over the past several months about combinations of derailleur systems, gear hubs, and mountain drives for bents that only their creator could love. They are probably achieving their objectives, but such combinations are not the answer.

I am seeking reactions and responses to a new power train that I have patented and am attempting to convince a major gearbox manufacturer to develop as a new product line. My power train can also be developed as a gear hub, but the gear hub version is more complicated and more difficult to sell at this stage of the game.

My gearbox is a two-stage clutchless gearbox that engages the next gear before disengaging the original gear. It is in two gears at the same time during the shifting sequence without a clutch, without a neutral between gears, and witout locking up. No other gearbox in the world can do this. Instaneous shifting.

The model I am developing for bents is a 25-speed (5x5), all true gears without any redundant gears, with a range of 675%. It can be geared down to 9.9 - 67.1 gear inches with a 20 inch wheel or up to 27.8 - 187.9 with a 28 inch wheel by changing the free wheel sprocket and will handle a pedal load of 400 lbs. and a rider/cargo/bike weight of 350 lbs. It mounts on the frame and will be about 7 inches long, 5 inches high, and 3 inches wide.

A single shifter shifts through all gears in perfect sequence with the shifts between stages seamless to the rider. Increments between gears are nearly uniform from 8.0 to 8.5 percent. The shifter has up/down buttons for single-step shifts, a drop button that downshifts five gears in a single step, and a programmable button that will shift from any gear to a gear pre-selected by the rider. No cables = no adjustments. Gears are enclosed and protected from the elements and road hazards. Mechanical efficiency will be considerably higher than any other power train because it has only two gear meshes in any gear.

What else would you want? Your input would be appreciated.

Al B

Sounds like quite the invention, have you thought about talking to the big drivetrain companys about your product? I can think of a few that may be interested, I would talk to companys who already make a geared hub, nexus/shimano, SRAM/Sachs, Sturmey-Archer, and others... Anyhow, good luck with your system, i think in the future, more bikes will come with geared hubs, or something like you described.

I think your idea is good and would make riding that much easier, relaxing and funner. The only other thing would be to contact some of the bike mfg that are currently using the SRAM gearing system such as BikeE, Vision.

Hi

Sounds great, I use a Shimano Nexus 8, next step up for me would be the Shlumpf 14 [sp] but it's price is pretty rarefied. I would love to have something like you describe.

You don't mention the weight, how does it compare to other hub drive systems?

Sounds good so far. You only need a couple more things:
(1) Must weigh the same as an existing bicycle transmission.
(2) Must work with or without fluid.
(3) Must never fail in normal use. (Must work without batteries.)
(4) Must be mounted on a bicycle that I can test ride.

Keep up the good work!

Very interesting but this thread has been asleep for nine-and-a-half years!

haha! well spotted, that is one amazing Necro!!! I wonder whatever happened to the drive and its owner!

Seems to have had no commercial success. Some pics would have been nice.

Oh, I don't know: https://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/ind...tail&tnid=2651

Well, OK!
Looks as if Al has had some success with his power train. Has SR SunTour had any success with it?
Almost ten pounds heavy, all together.

I don't know. Some Japanese motorcycle company built a bike around it:
https://www.bike-trend.com/honda-rn01-dh-2007-bicycle/

Has a ways to go compared with a mid-drive, such as my Rotator, which has a 7:1 range with 20" wheels (gear ~22-144 +/- haven't calculated after last rebuild of the
mid drive cassette, or compensated for the 12-26 versus 12-27 OEM) Weight about 54oz including extra chain.