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DIY Flywheel Hybrid Bike Boosts Without Batteries (video)

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Jo Borras

Jo Borras (31 Posts)

I've been working in motorsports and tuning since 1997, with some the biggest names in the business. In 2008, the work we did on a hybrid/EV concept car attracted the attention of Gas 2 editors, and they invited me to join the team. I couldn't resist!

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Jmsthurber

I wonder if the flywheel couldn’t be fabricated from a lighter material, such as plastic or fiberglass. This could make it a lot more effective.
- Carl Sagan
  
  actually, decreasing the mass of the flywheel will defeat the purpose, as it will also decrease the amount of energy the device can store; making it less effective.
  
  it’s all outlined here:
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flywheel#Physics
Jeremy R

another 2009 flywheel BIKE project, much more pretty too:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/science/earth/15bike.html
- Jo Borras
  
  The Copenhagen wheel was super-promising, but hardly accessible to DIY-ers.
Anonymous

Good idea BUT, it’s a bit half baked.

To get the bike moving from a stand still, as you pedal you are inputting energy into the flywheel. That’s extra load!!

Just use an electric hub motors and a battery. The battery won’t need charging with pedal power before it can be used!
- Jeremy R
  
  The flywheel stores the breaking energy into spinning, and it is harvested when the rider wants to speed up again. In a short number of stops and restarts the weight of the device is offset by the reduction in waste that normally is lost in breaking. However if you never break, flat land and no red lights it is a considerable amount of weight to add to the ride.
  - Jo Borras
    
    Correct. This isn’t for roadies, but bike-messengers (for example) would probably benefit from it.
- Jo Borras
  
  No, not with pedal-power – just with electricity from the coal-fired plant down the road.

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