Designers from the Schwinn Csepel Zrt think they've perfected the bicycle by removing that messy chain and replacing it with a hipster. Ha! Sorry, I meant cable. Two, to be precise.
The assembly can be seen in the image above (the taut cable trails off to the left). The rest of the pedal assembly includes unique kidney-shaped eccentric discs, a swinging unit and the transmission.
The kidney discs serve the same function as a traditional circle-shaped gear, although in the Stringbike's case different sized and shaped discs can be installed that change performance (e.g. racing or touring).
Next is the swing unit, which is comprised of "oppositely swinging arms arranged for swinging movement around a pivoted auxiliary axis," reports Hungarian Ambiance.
Finally, the transmission. Much like a traditional 10-speed, this controls speed and low and high gears. Using a controlled slide, the Stringbike can change the height of the two pulleys employed by the system, which results in changed gears. I think.
It seems there actually a few legitimate benefits of such a system, including better maneuverability of winding streets at speed. Also, as I can attest to as a person who enjoys cycling, there is no oil or grease to deal with (i.e. clean clothes and hands after servicing).
By Jack Loftus
From gizmodo.com
1 comments:
The Original Stringbike:
http://zajlada.blogspot.com/2010/09/bicycle-without-chain.html
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