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Joules the robot cyclist no threat to Lance Armstrong
The skinny little rider you see perched atop the back seat of this tandem is Joules, robot cyclist extraordinaire. He's the creation of a guy called Chris who, challenged by his son to create an electric tandem that worked via pedal power, more than satisfied the brief.
The nuts-and-bolts robot is powered by a PMG-132 electric motor and, unlike most lazy-assed back-end tandem riders, does all the work himself. Not sure whether I could live with that — I'd probably get so fat from lack of exercise that the tandem would crumple when I got on, and Joules would never forgive me. Catch a video of Joules and Chris after the jump.
Endless-Sphere.com Via Gizmodo
By maran at 4:34 PM ON 09/18/09
Uhm, why not just connect the motor straight to the axle? You'll go a lot faster that way and you don't look like a geek without a friend to ride on your tandem.
FAIL!
By Anon at 10:04 PM ON 09/18/09
Cause that wasn't the point of what the father asked his son to do. He was challenging him to build an electric bike that moved via PEDAL power.
By rockthepojo2003 at 2:03 AM ON 09/21/09
Wow. I diffidently wont be buying one of those bikes. For one, why not hook up the motor straight to axel. Secondly, Look at the size its way bigger than a standard bike plus I bet that ways close to 150 pounds. Just imagine carrying that up stairs or hanging it up for the winter. Finally, who would dare get caught riding this bike. Unless you have no friends to go riding with.
By goose at 1:53 PM ON 11/27/09
YOu fools soooo miss the point..
pull you head out and see what is happening here...
get off you liner thinking..this about out of the box thinking,
innovation and art...
any fool can install a hub motor..no brainer..
but this is a true piece of engineering..
and you have clue the time and effort required to actually pull this off.
I'm a builder..I know first hand how difficult this this.
A+ to the builder !! and "F" to the lame critiques ,
they were probably raised by their mothers in a "safe"
environment .
on your cellphone!
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goose:
YOu fools soooo miss the point.. pull you head out and see what is happening here... get off you liner thinking..th...More »