[sustran] Re: Micro Motors on Electric Bicycles

[Cowherd at MIT.edu]

Those interested in the state of the art in bicycle technology, I was 
impressed by the collection of vehicles at a corner bike shop in Amsterdam
during a research trip there last summer. Some of these were of the owner's
design but mostly they were pulled together from other builders around
Europe.

Some of my favorites were: a tandem in which the front rider is a small
child (the front wheel is steered from the rear seat), several versions of
an extra long wheelbase bicycle for carrying two children or a big cargo
bin, bicycles with internal hub gear mechanisms (like the classic British
three speeds) up to 21 speeds (non-overlapping, unlike deraileur systems), a
tricycle (two wheels in front with a basket) with a three speed electric
motor assist, and my personal favorite, a bicycle bus for carrying 6
toddlers under a canopy in front of the driver. I believe that several
models were available with integral or add-on electric assist motors.

I was amazed both by how suddenly obvious it was that the history of the art
of bicycle design still remains largely in its infancy, and that the
innovators of the North American bicycle world had been left so completely
in the dust by what I saw.

The owner of the shop, Jan Willem Deymann, mentioned he was working on a web
site but my search came up with nothing. He also insists on staying away
from the business of exporting given the hassles, so those of you beyond
bicycling distance to Amsterdam, don't get your hopes up too much. Maybe he
can be persuaded to put out a catalog. Here's the info:

'tMannetje Transport Rijwielen
Office and postal address:
Quellijnstraat 48
1072 XT Amsterdam NL
tel: +31 20 471 52 36
fax: +31 20 471 52 17

Shop and workplace:
Frans Halsstraat 26A
NL 1072 BR Amsterdam
tel: +31 20 679 21 39

Robert Cowherd
MIT PhD Candidate
Bandung, Indonesia

> I have been thinking much along the lines you suggest concerning the
> introduction of clean micro motors to assist uphill cycling on safe,
> efficient surfaces.  Please see http://www.biketrack.com/visions.htm for
> more information.
>
> We are taking our first steps toward this vision with the introduction of
> our EcoTrack modular bicycle path system.  Please see
> http://www.biketrack.com/bikepath.htm
>
> I think the EcoTrack systems can work quite nicely as precursors to and
> feeder systems for Milnor Senior's Transglide 2000 air assisted bikeways for
> mass transportation in urban areas.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Gerry Hawkes
> Bike Track, Inc.
> Woodstock, Vermont
>
> www.biketrack.com
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Institute for Global Futures Research (IGFR) <igfr at igfr.org>
> To: sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
> Date: Monday, April 03, 2000 8:58 AM
> Subject: [sustran] Re: Reducing number of cars on the road
>
>
>>Milnor H. Senior, III responded (thankyou)
>>
>>>     Light weight vehicles which can travel at high speeds already exist.
>>They
>>>are called bicycles and they are the most efficient form of transportation
>>>known.  What is holding back the transportation potential of bicycles is
>>the lack
>>>of bicycle specific infrastructure.
>>
>>After pedestrian-based urban re-development, one might expect the cycling
>>to be the next layer of transport infrastructure, (followed by public
>>transit,
>>essential motor vehicle services and good delivery - with private motor
>>vehicle now the least necessary).
>>
>>I wonder if anyone has any solid statistics on injury and death from
>>bicycle accidents (eg per million kms), both for those involving motor
>>vehicles
>>and those where motor vehicles were not involved, as well as a comparison
>>with motor vehicle accidents (per million kms).
>>
>>As bicycle intensity rises, non-motor vehicle bicycle accidents would also
>>presumably rise.  Bicycle-motor vehicle accidents would also rise
>>depending on the degree of shared roadway, bicycle lanes or completely
>>separate bicycle paths.
>>
>>It seems to me that micro-motors to assist uphill cycling, bicycle
> trailers,
>>and tricycles could be developed much more to make cycling attractive
>>to a broader cross-section of the community.
>>
>>Geoff Holland.
>>
>