Interesting chainring idea

Cool man. You could use that as like a CVT trasmission and have virtually an infinite range of gears!

I presume his lecturers don't have a copy of Bicycling Science to hand then...

Looks like it was designed by the hex-head cap-screw industry!

HamfisT said:

Looks like it was designed by the hex-head cap-screw industry!

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Ha! Seriously!
I was thinking that same thing.

By removing the rear derailleur and cassette, the mass is relocated between the riders feet and away from the suspension, which gives much better small bump response, as well as increased grip and cornering ability," Holloway explains.

While interesting, there was no mention of it actually being tested on a bike. That, combined with the above quote, make me more than a little dubious. :skep:

I don't think from reading that a prototype has even been made.

Gasp4Air said:

By removing the rear derailleur and cassette, the mass is relocated between the riders feet and away from the suspension, which gives much better small bump response, as well as increased grip and cornering ability," Holloway explains.

While interesting, there was no mention of it actually being tested on a bike. That, combined with the above quote, make me more than a little dubious. :skep:

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I remember that having my daughter sit on a child seat on the top tube of my suspension bike made the suspension work better. Didn't mean it was a good thing.

Presumably some form of chain tensioner is still needed though.

how is it going to change size with a chain that doesn't stretch wrapped around it? It looks like all of those toothed segments move in unison and that wouldn't happen with a chain wrapped around 3/4 of it.

I imagine the segments would move independently as the chain comes off.

collideous said:

Same principle as the Hettlage Drive, just on the front.

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Gah! My eyes!

Add dirt.

D.F.L. said:

Add dirt.

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I think that would be bad!

HamfisT said:

I imagine the segments would move independently as the chain comes off.

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well that is what needs to happen but... look at how the chainring segments are linked together and try and make that happen one at a time.

for that amount of weight and setup time, you could just carry a selection of chainrings in your pack and switch them manually as desired, unless of course it is adjustable on the fly... interesting idea, but I'd go with the Hammerschmidt over that any day.

I love engineers who figure out what's possible, rather than always limiting themselves to what's merely practical.

schnee said:

I love engineers who figure out what's possible, rather than always limiting themselves to what's merely practical.

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Yes, I didn't mean to bash too hard on the impractical. Many paradigm shifts in technology (horse to bike, horse to car, flight, space travel, computers) were not at first practical, but somebody saw the potential, ignored the naysayers, and developed it anyway. I'd love to play with the above adjustable chainring, but at present do not see it being adventageous. That doesn't mean that the idea can't be pursued further, to bring it to the point where it is practical. It also may currently be practical for his purposes but not for mine. Innovation sometimes looks ridiculous for the first 100 or 1000 iterations before it begins really working well.
But, for every good idea, there are a bunch more ideas that didn't work out well in the prototype museum.
Happy tinkering.

schnee said:

I love engineers who figure out what's possible, rather than always limiting themselves to what's merely practical.

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the mind is a dangerous thing....

collideous said:

Same principle as the Hettlage Drive, just on the front.

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my brain hurts just looking at that