Bike flywheel makes hills and stoplights a little easier
Starting and stopping frequently is often one of the most
challenging aspects of urban cycling. A 22-year old inventor has
made it a little easier with a bicycle flywheel. Video from
Science Friday. Maxwell von Stein is a graduate of the Cooper
Union, where he designed a flywheel to use regenerative braking
for a bike. The flywheel, which was originally in a Porsche,
sits on the frame between the rider's legs. When the cyclist
wants to slow down, say at a red light, he or she can shift
gears so that the motion of the cycle is transferred into the
flywheel. When the light turns green, shifting will give a
"kick" of speed to the bike. Von Stein says it's cool to get
your own energy back, that you've already put in, instead of
just wasting it. He actually hopes to use these principles and
apply it to cars. I hope he (or somebody) though will market
this. I wouldn't mind an extra 15 pounds on my bike if it meant
a power boost when getting started. - Bikesha