series human electric hybrid recumbent bike
 

Seen at Ottawa's EV Expo last weekend...

https://www.twobikes.ottawa.on.ca/sha...169-1d_thm.jpg
https://www.twobikes.ottawa.on.ca/sha...756-169-1d.htm

https://www.twobikes.ottawa.on.ca/sha...171-1d_thm.jpg
https://www.twobikes.ottawa.on.ca/sha...922-171-1d.htm

From these photos of the front, it isn't obvious, but there's no mechanical drive from the pedals to either wheel.

The builder is quite aware of the losses involved. There are several reasons for him doing it like this... I'm just not sure what they are :).

Some really creative building. Like making his own sprockets for the generator belt from a plywood disk, epoxy, and a second sacrificial belt as a mold surface.

It's simple, no need to mess with gearing, and range is pretty much fixed based on relative speed. Anyone can put out 100W all day long, but having to deal with gearing that will result in a consistent level of optimal human powered assist at the same average speed the bike travels is kind of a pain. Very wide to say the least.

Talk about "driving with load", eh?

If it were a trike and he could pedal while sitting at traffic lights and such, then that would be even better, it seems.

Is he able to do regenerative braking?

Another thing is that bikes/trikes have to be built to withstand the maximum torque that the rider will ever put on the frame, even if it is 5 or 10x the nominal load. With the hybrid, it can be engineered to handle a lower load, making the frame a little lighter, which helps make up for batteries and generators and such.

Regen: yes.

And his forklift motor controller is quite advanced and all its parameters are customizable to the nth degree - regen, voltage/amp limits etc.

Great idea about "idling" while stopped. :D The opposite of FAS?

Yup. I was thinking about the same thing, since I plan on converting my mtb to fixed/ss when the current drivetrain gives up the ghost... conditions go from nice flat asphalt and winds that are always perpendicular to going up a 5% average grade for two miles on loose sand/rocks into a 10-20mph head wind. Sufficed to say I'm gonna need a big difference in gears as well as some deep wheel dishing. Or be able to go all Lance Armstrong... but I think the first is more likely. :p

How about the guy with the wheel grinder bolted to a sprocket on the front wheel and running an inverter to power it - pretty crazy but those motors run pretty fast with just a little power. I run a cheep Harbor Freight grinder off a 21 sub C cell NiMh pack for portible operation and it's great and fast enough.

FNS - Forced Never Stop :-)