Michigan Bicycle Company
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Video of the 80 lb. proof-of-concept prototype
Using arms alone the speed of the bike in the video is 6 or 7 miles per hour, in the
balance of the video speed is 17 to 22 miles per hour.
Throughout the video the rider is putting 15 to 20 watts of power to the ground using upper
body power.
As on production bikes, the powering motions are timed to the rider's
breathing.
The proof-of-concept prototype inputs power only on the inboard movement. Production
bikes will input power on inboard and/or outboard motions, or not at all, at the rider's
discretion. Power will be transferred from the drivebar/handlebar via a lightweight
driveshaft to an internally geared, multi-speed front hub.
A few more notes on the prototype are appropriate.
The fastest it has been ridden is about 25; we haven't had the nerve to go much faster due
to the weight of the test unit. On a stand though, with taller gears the front wheel got
spinning well over 45 mph. with no trouble.
Yes it's an Autobike. It turned up with almost no miles on it at the right time to be the test
mule. And yes, it shifts at too low of speeds. However, the bike shifts smoothly and
consistently, saving us the trouble of making shifting decisions. Adding power to the front
wheel has made the Autobike much more pleasant to ride as the excess pedal pressure
caused by the early shifting is no longer present.
You may need to temporarily defeat a pop-up blocker to allow the Windows Media player to
play the video.
balance of the video speed is 17 to 22 miles per hour.
Throughout the video the rider is putting 15 to 20 watts of power to the ground using upper
body power.
As on production bikes, the powering motions are timed to the rider's
breathing.
The proof-of-concept prototype inputs power only on the inboard movement. Production
bikes will input power on inboard and/or outboard motions, or not at all, at the rider's
discretion. Power will be transferred from the drivebar/handlebar via a lightweight
driveshaft to an internally geared, multi-speed front hub.
A few more notes on the prototype are appropriate.
The fastest it has been ridden is about 25; we haven't had the nerve to go much faster due
to the weight of the test unit. On a stand though, with taller gears the front wheel got
spinning well over 45 mph. with no trouble.
Yes it's an Autobike. It turned up with almost no miles on it at the right time to be the test
mule. And yes, it shifts at too low of speeds. However, the bike shifts smoothly and
consistently, saving us the trouble of making shifting decisions. Adding power to the front
wheel has made the Autobike much more pleasant to ride as the excess pedal pressure
caused by the early shifting is no longer present.
You may need to temporarily defeat a pop-up blocker to allow the Windows Media player to
play the video.