Gruber Assist - sneaky!

[philip]

http://dvice.com/archives/2009/05/gruber-assist-e.php

[AUbicycles]

Yes - reported here and here for procycling. If you watch the video you will notice that it is a bit noisy.

In terms of ebike design - pretty good ebike frame structures tend to have a longer rear triangle (batery behind seat tube) or are back heavy (mounted on or into the rack). This means an improved weight distribution though the size means that it is a weaker alternative - though an alternative that may not be for the hard core ebikers - rather the average rider after the occasional slight boost.

[trailgumby]

I had a flatbar with one of those fitted fly past me uphill from Spit Bridge last week.

It had white Velocity Deep V's or similar rims, had elegantly racey styling and looked identical to a normal bike except for the really obvious transmission noise coming from the crown-and-pinion drive on the bottom bracket. The guy was pedalling but without any obvious effort. It didn't have the usual frisbee-sized motor in either wheelhub and a casual observer would have been forgiven for asking "what motor?"

The noise was the giveaway, though. Clearly audible above the sound of the wind. There is no way you could use it in an event and not be picked up for cheating.

The rider was clearly 10 years younger than I and did not look like he needed the help - he looked fitter than me, in fact, although I admit he did pass me rather quickly.

So what's the point of these things again?

[m@]

So what's the point of these things again?

Going by the cranks and pedals in the CGI image, I guess it's for riding up downhill tracks!

[Joeblake]

So what's the point of these things again?

To take the world's press' collective minds off chemical doping in the Tour de France?




Joe