The String bike
 

Hi,
Saw this reviewed on Wired magazine gadget site.

Looks fascinating.

18 speeds and no chain.

http://vimeo.com/24255947

http://www.wired.com/reviews/2012/02/stringbike/

http://www.stringbike.com/

If it is close in weight, and as efficient as a chain, looks like a good idea. Maybe not conceptually simple as chain and sprockets. But not rocket science once it is worked out.

Cool, but I'll bet my old cotter-cranked Peugeot that the drivetrain efficiency is much lower than a chain-drive.

But that doesn't mean you can't ride it to the coffee shop.

Well,, the part that got me was 'springs in the hub help you pedal uphill'. Umm... last I heard, there ain't no free lunch.

Mike in AR:beer:

I'm bringing scissors to the race!

Specialized is going to sue, it look like the secret new
Specialized Alenax Allez.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/alenax.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av2RHReUcnc

solution looking for a problem

The bicycle meets Rube Goldberg
 

Ah, a design to make Rube Goldberg would be proud. Rotary motion is converted by a cam system into a lever motion, which in turn powers a reciprocating cable and pulley, and the cable is wound around a bobbin to convert it back to rotary motion. Brilliant!

Clearly this the next evolutionary step beyond the Alenax drive.

IMO this is just like a bamboo bike - you get it to be different.

It looks like that bike will make you hip and popular!

I want to know where to get one of those fedora shaped helmets, that's style, BABY! ;)