Hi MIKE.

30-Aug-03 10:06:28, MIKE ROSS wrote to WILLIAM KITCHEN

 MR> However, I hadn't considered regenerative braking, and this I find
 MR> certainly an awesome source of power! There's a lot of power in
 MR> 200 lbs moving at 20 mph!!! If this could be easily harnessed from
 MR> the braking and then stored it would be just the thing.
 MR> Unfortunately, it also probably means adding a lot of weight in
 MR> the system that recovers the energy and stores it. It is a great
 MR> idea but seem almost impossible to execute. Too bad, I really like
 MR> that kind of thinking!

ISTM tyhat the worst part of the lighting system is the friction drive
if there was a better way to drive the generator that'd help.

 MR> On the other hand, perhaps recovering energy from braking might
 MR> not be such a bad idea for another purpose, for example as an
 MR> assist in starting the bike from a stop. One idea would be adding
 MR> a flywheel system to store the braking energy and then using it as
 MR> an assist to start up again. Pedaling could then be much easier
 MR> after a stop. But here too the system seems quite "pie in the sky"
 MR> to actually make.

there exist electric assist bicycles.(saw an article in "Wired" they aren't
affordale.)

 MR> Electric motors are good at supplying power to a load as it
 MR> demands.

as long a you don't stall them, yeah.

 -=> Bye <=-

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