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Sport: Exercise: Equipment: Cycle
Reverse Gear Bicycle   (+5, -2)  [vote for, against]
bicycle gear to enable alternate pedaling between forwards and backwards

In the gym, many of the bicycle type exercise machines facilitate backward pedalling for a variety of exercise balance reasons.

Reverse Gear Bicycle takes this exact same idea unto the road on a real bike. In reverse mode, the bike does not travel backwards. You simply flick a gear lever then begin reverse pedalling and continue with your forward motion.

This means you have to work just as hard, maintaining forward momentum, only you will be placing emphasis on the use of a different configuration of leg muscles.
-- xenzag, Feb 04 2020

Schadenfreude https://en.wikipedi.../wiki/Schadenfreude
Katzenschadenfreude is even more joyous. [8th of 7, Feb 04 2020]

The idea would be a perfect adaption to this idea ! Grasshopper_20cycle
Okay, maybe 'perfect' is an overstatement ... [normzone, Feb 04 2020]

Backwards Bike
[xaviergisz, Feb 04 2020]

This could cause severe confusion in onlookers and induce an abrupt perceptual disconnect, resulting in all sorts of unexpected outcomes, including accidents leading to painful injury or even death.

Excellent. [+]
-- 8th of 7, Feb 04 2020


I doubt that there would be any injuries, but whatever makes you happy....
-- xenzag, Feb 04 2020


<link>
-- 8th of 7, Feb 04 2020


Ah yes. Schaden. Little brother of Sigmund and Clement.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 04 2020


Just get a fixie and sit on the handlebars
-- pocmloc, Feb 04 2020


Interestingly, a bike modified to operate with rear-wheel steering has proved extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the great majority of humans to ride.
-- 8th of 7, Feb 04 2020


//Baked (link)// Certainly is! Will delete tomorrow, unless anyone wants to keep for links etc...?
-- xenzag, Feb 04 2020


//reverse STEERING bike// Just cross your arms and put your hands at the opposite ends of the handlebars than usual. It only takes a minute or two of intense concentration to learn how to balance.

You have to unlearn as well after a while of course
-- pocmloc, Feb 04 2020


<Egon>

"Don't cross your arms. It would be bad... "

<Egon/>
-- 8th of 7, Feb 05 2020


I think the idea is sufficiently different from "Backwards Bike" that it can stay. "Backwards Bike" only has the reverse pedalling whereas this idea can switch between forward and reverse pedalling.

The easiest way that I can think of to achieve the switching gear idea is to use a hub gear system.
-- xaviergisz, Feb 05 2020


In the "Backward pedaling bike" link that shows the pedal hub turning the front sprocket forward regardless of the direction of pedaling, it looks like it might be possible to arrange it to have a different gear ratio for forward vs. reverse pedaling. I'm not sure why, but it seems like there could be some use for that.
-- scad mientist, Feb 05 2020


Decouple the cranks, have one forward and one reverse.

Or have a differential gearbox in the centre of the bottom bracket
-- pocmloc, Feb 05 2020


The BiXe is the bus. It's even better than what I had proposed as there is no gear change lever involved - idea only remaining for discussion and interest etc
-- xenzag, Feb 05 2020


// that thing would kill me //

... for a mere 450 Euro ? That's what we call value !

Where would you like yours shipped to ?

Will there be YouTube video of your untimely demise ?
-- 8th of 7, Feb 06 2020


Not generous, in the usual sense of the word; more of an investment in entertainment.

// I think I've pushed my luck far enough //

We disagree - remember, "If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space". Now, just shuffle very slightly to your left ... bit more .... bit more ... fine. Now you're on the edge. Just give us a moment while we fetch the long-handled floor brush, and start the video cameras.

You might want to close your eyes for the next bit,
-- 8th of 7, Feb 06 2020


Perhaps more interesting would be a bicycle with the freewheel mounted back-to-front so that it would only run backwards? Would deter casual thieves.
-- pocmloc, Feb 12 2020



random, halfbakery