Push Instead of Pedal

[MRC01]

What do you think of this bike having long levers instead of pedals:

https://newatlas.com/nubike-lever-drive/58096/
https://www.reden.nl/our-work/reden-makes-sense-nubike-or-the-struggle-to-innovate

They say, "longer levers for more power". This is incorrect. Longer levers produce more torque, not necessarily more power (it may or may not be more power, depending on how the long levers affect rotational speed and are geared). Confusing torque & power is a red flag in a video making claims about engineering. That said, they apparently have a kickstarter campaign going for those who want to try one.

Personally, I think the modern bicycle has been so highly optimized for decades and there isn't much further we can go. That makes me skeptical that this is more efficient or ergonomic. But I'm open to data-based evidence.

 

[tcp71]

A road specific take on the elliptical bike.

https://www.elliptigo.com/

 

[Taildragger]

 

[fsdork]

I think the people who put gears on bicycles already gave us the ability to trade speed for torque.

 

[853okg]

Sometimes I think there really isn’t anything new under the sun. Like shaft drives and elliptical chainrings this has been around in one form or another since nearly the invention of the bicycle. I remember some company actually competed in the 1980 national time trial championships with a similar set up.

 

[AZjeff]

4 speeds isn't enough for road or mtb I don't care who you are. Credit for interesting tech.

 

[dadto2]

Change the pedals to levers. Use only one leg at a time, rather than both legs with a constant full pedal rotation. Sounds like a great way to cut your power and speed right in half!

 

[IndyIan]

Change the pedals to levers. Use only one leg at a time, rather than both legs with a constant full pedal rotation. Sounds like a great way to cut your power and speed right in half!

Their ads are garbage, but I think it not a terrible concept.
I suppose with clipless pedals, you could pull up and push at the same time with the lever system, just like rotational pedals.
I suspect that the more vertical movements of the lever pedals, and that they are closer together(front to back) that they could be more efficient than pedals for peak torque? ie its easier to pull a foot out of the mud with your feet side by side, than one in front of the other like on pedals. I would think peak wattage would be similar to traditional bikes?
Probably the biggest disadvantage for the nu-bike is that the arc the pedals go up and down in is fixed, so either its tuned for sitting or standing positions, or compromised for both.
I don't know about the mechanical efficiency comparison, but I assume the 100+ years of chain drive development would be better at the moment that a go fund me bike. I imagine they are probably theoretically similar though.

 

[vavavroom]

A tandem is the most efficient bike. I suggest sitting in the back to pull that off more easily.

 

[Number_35]

Spotted in September 2014 on the Banff Legacy Trail between Banff and Canmore, Alberta.

 

[vavavroom]

Spotted in September 2014 on the Banff Legacy Trail between Banff and Canmore, Alberta.

View attachment 247555

Should be easier on the knees compared to pedaling.

 

[Greenbeforeblue]

It's been done before

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkpatrick_Macmillan

https://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2012/12/alenax-ultimate-vintage-freak-bike.html

I've ridden an Alenax and it's not even close to being as efficient as a regular multi speed bike.