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Cycle Bus

Like a mobile gym, with a big flywheel.
  (+8, -7)
(+8, -7)
  [vote for,
against]

Like a bus - but instead of the engine a flywheel, and seats with pedals which connect to a drive-shaft, which (via a clutch mechanism) drives the fly wheel.

The bus driver would control another clutch which would engage and disengage the drive-wheels as needed.

monojohnny, Jul 03 2006

QRN in Bretzelburg http://van.wessem.net/qrn.jpg
Pedal powered bus in comic book "QRN in Bretzelburg" by Franquin, 1966 [jmvw, Jul 06 2006]

Fietscafe (cycling bar) http://www.fietscafe.nl/engels/index.html
Even better than mere transport: beer included! [Forthur, Jul 06 2006]

Cycle Van http://www.conferencebike.com/
[kinemojo, Dec 18 2006]

Pedalbus http://www.doodoo.r...ile=article&sid=413
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 21 2006]


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Annotation:







       Consider the power available, and the resulting "performance" of the bus.
Texticle, Jul 03 2006
  

       so everyone on the bus is pedalling? would work well at peak hour, but what a pain if you were the last off on a long ride home.
benfrost, Jul 05 2006
  

       Keep a conventional engine as a backup, and I'd be in favour... or a battery, or something.
pertinax, Jul 05 2006
  

       Next stop Mr. Rubble.   

       There was a pedal powered bus in the comic book "QRN in Bretzelburg" by Franquin, from 1966. See the link.   

       In the depressed country that the story is about, there is no money for fuel. The bus has a drummer to "motivate" the passengers and there's a elderly lady who is upset that our young hero the amateur radio operator, who doesn't yet know the bus is pedal powered, does not take her seat from her.   

       This bus has normal gearing and the passengers have to work very hard so they can shift up.
jmvw, Jul 06 2006
  

       So, damn. It's kinda baked. But I like the idea. Aww, frog it. [+]
daseva, Jul 06 2006
  

       Damn, [jmvw], that's great. Did you google for that or read it when it was new? I'm impressed.
normzone, Jul 06 2006
  

       It's baked in reality too, and in a way that's way better than mere transportation: the cycling bar (see link). I've seen it in operation a few times, and can say it seems very fun. And you don't have to worry you're the only one on the vehicle either...
Forthur, Jul 06 2006
  

       normzone: no googling was involved. I have that one from when I was a child. Franquin's books are cool, lots of inventions.
jmvw, Jul 06 2006
  

       "Hey, this guy isn't peddling! He's just pretending too and letting us do all the work!!"
James Newton, Jul 06 2006
  

       fun +. utopian +++.
pigtails_and_ponies, Jul 06 2006
  

       I wouldn't pedal.
goatfaceKilla, Jul 08 2006
  

       I knew there had to be one, I just had to search the right word.   

       [link]   


 

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