Omg

[mflaherty37]

what next?

http://active-spoke.com/

[Louis]

Yet more proof that marketing trumps physics any day of the week.

[Elefantino]

I'm trying to get my arms around this one.

How does adding ~510 grams make you go UPHILL faster?

[Blue Jays]

From their website:

Q: What is the best/worst course to ride an Active-Spoke wheel?

A: As part of the Active-Spoke performance studies, experiments considered slopes of 200 to 600 meters,
varying in slope from 2% to 6% - both up and down hill. As an outcome, here are the basic rules of
thumb - Beneficial routes: deceleration situations (i.e. coming out of a downhill or entering an uphill);
short uphills (i.e. less than 100 meters) where momentum can be maintained. Detrimental routes:
sustained uphills where the added weight of Active-Spoke begins to become significant. For this
reason, we recommend no more than 300g of added weight. All tests and experiments stated in the documentation used 300g or less Active-Spoke weight.

So, in practice, a relatively fast, rolling hill course with gradients of less than 4% would be ideal for an Active-Spoke wheel.
Sustained uphill, steep gradient course would not offer any benefits. In this case we would recommend that Active-Spoke simply be removed from the wheel.

[handsomerob]

From their website:

Q: What is the best/worst course to ride an Active-Spoke wheel?

A: As part of the Active-Spoke performance studies, experiments considered slopes of 200 to 600 meters,
varying in slope from 2% to 6% - both up and down hill. As an outcome, here are the basic rules of
thumb - Beneficial routes: deceleration situations (i.e. coming out of a downhill or entering an uphill);
short uphills (i.e. less than 100 meters) where momentum can be maintained. Detrimental routes:
sustained uphills where the added weight of Active-Spoke begins to become significant. For this
reason, we recommend no more than 300g of added weight. All tests and experiments stated in the documentation used 300g or less Active-Spoke weight.

So, in practice, a relatively fast, rolling hill course with gradients of less than 4% would be ideal for an Active-Spoke wheel.
Sustained uphill, steep gradient course would not offer any benefits. In this case we would recommend that Active-Spoke simply be removed from the wheel.

Well, for them to admit there is an inappropriate type of course for there product gives them a modicum of credibility. At least they aren't saying that this will make you faster no matter what. ;)

I would be curious as to the gyroscopic effects with regard to handling, I wonder if that is enough weight to make its predictability/stability vary.

[A.L.Breguet]

Well, if you rode a motorcycle instead of a bicycle, you wouldn't even break a sweat.
Good grief, just ride lots of hills. You will get faster. ;)

[Michael Maddox]

Or maybe if you just played "Cycling Manager" on your computer at home. Fantasies are always fun.

[gman]

Comparing the idea to other technologies, take a look at automotive engine design - specifically flywheels. There is most definitely a trade off between choosing a heavier flywheel versus a light one. The light one would allow for quick acceleration, and also quicker deceleration (engine braking) whereas the heavier one would allow for sustained higher speeds with less power required to maintain. This is performance tuning 101 for racing and performance cars in general, but there is a trade off, just as in the case of this wheel where it doesn't perform better in all circumstances.

I am not an automotive expert, nor prone to believing everything I read...just an alternate viewpoint.

[WadePatton]

Dynamic "unsprung" weight. hoo boy more moving parts, I'll take a dozen.

NOW _IF_ bicycles were routinely built under legal competitive weight limits and racers HAD to add weight back to the vehicle to make it legal for competition (like motorsports) then this might be a good way to add it.

If you aren't aware, there are hundreds of pound of lead ballast circulating motor racing venues at practically every event.

[chrisroph]

dude will you carry my waterbottles for me it will make you faster downhill!

[A.L.Breguet]

Or maybe if you just played "Cycling Manager" on your computer at home. Fantasies are always fun.
Can you send me a copy? :) I'm tired.

[Ginger]

Nobody claimed this advantage for:

SPOKEY DOKES!


I wonder if these wheels glow in the dark...

[11.4]

Nobody claimed this advantage for:

SPOKEY DOKES!


I wonder if these wheels glow in the dark...

Hokey Spokes?

Spokey Dokes are the guys who ride Hokey Spokes. I think.

[Ginger]

Hokey Spokes?

Spokey Dokes are the guys who ride Hokey Spokes. I think.

Spokey dokes were never prevalent in my part of town.

The only people I knew who rode with them was a couple of rather experienced distance cyclists who would bring their single speed (did they come any other way) Daisy-Daisy tandem with flat pedals on multiday tours and still wind up first people in camp. Their preferred ride fuel: Skittles and M&Ms.

I suppose it had to be rather disheartening to the fast guys to have a couple spin past them on that Daisy Daisy with the spokey dokes...

[Viper]

"O'er lawyer's fingers who straight dreams on fees. Round up all the lawyers and marketing groups, kill em' all."

~Shakespeare or ATMO?