searchspell:bicyclecorrected for electric bicycle
A motorized bicycle is a bicycle with an attached motor used to assist with pedaling. Generally considered as a vehicle, sometimes as a motor vehicle or a class of hybrid vehicle, motorized bicycles are usually powered by electric motors or small internal combustion engines. Some can be propelled by the motor alone if the rider chooses not to pedal, while in others the motor will only run if the the rider pedals. Different regulatory authorities use a variety of names and classifications[1]. Early motorized bicycles were powered by internal combustion (IC) engines. As electric motors have become lighter and battery storage density higher, the electric motor has recently seen an increase in popularity. Motorized bicycles are distinguished from motorcycles by being capable of being powered by pedals alone if required. Many motorized bicycles are based on standard bicycle frame designs and technologies, although the modifications to the design to support motorisation may be extensive. In countries where there is a strong bicycle culture (notably in Asia), the motorised bicycle is particularly popular.
History
The origins of the motorized bicycle can be traced back to the latter part of the 19th Century when experimenters began attaching steam engines to stock tricycles and quadracycles. This moved into attempts to fit the newly-invented internal combusiton engine to the bicycle form. Development diverged into two distinct streams: motorcycles, which are powered solely by their engines, and motorized bicycles as defined above. The closeness of the two forms in early years is demonstrated by Félix Millet's machines of 1892/93 and on. These had both pedals and an ingenious fixed crankshaft rotary engine built into the back wheel. Within a few years motorized bicycles and motorcycles were recognisably divergent, with for example the early Harley-Davidson motorcycles of 1901 being longer, heavier and with a markedly different riding position from that of a contemporary pedal cycle. Later, development forked again with the advent of mopeds, small motorcycles fitted with pedals that can be used as a starting aid but which cannot, practically, be ridden under pedal power alone. This development appears to have been largely in order to exploit ambiguities between the regulatory framework for bicycles, powered bicycles and motorcycles - in jurisdictions where pedals were not required to meet the legal framework they were often simply omitted on otherwise identical models. In the case of motorized bicycles, too, there were soon two parallel streams of development: motor assistance as an addition to existing machines, and purpose-built motor-assisted bicycles like the Derny and VeloSoleX, with stronger frames and sometimes with only token ability to be wholly human powered. In these cases some assert that the product is more formally a motorcycle or moped than a motorized bicycle, and some jurisdictions also take this view. Modern motorized bicycles follow both trends, with conversions being applied by hobbyists as well as commercial manufacturers. Hub motors in particular facilitate aftermarket conversion, being built into the wheel and not requiring modifications to the drivetrain or frame, as well as having a low centre of gravity. Aftermarket conversions often use conversion kits such as the Bionx electric kit or the Revopower IC kit. Converting bicycles or tricycles has proven useful for some people with physical disabilities such as arthritis. The strength of tricycles is that they will balance even while stationary, but some people find it harder to drive a tricycle and claim it lacks agility. Portability is also compromised compared to bicycles. The modern electric bicycle is true to the concept of a pedal bicycle with assisting propulsion, being rideable without power. Batteries have finite capacity, which means that the hybrid human / electric power mix is much more likely to be emphasised than is the case with an internal combustion (IC) engine. Electric bicycles are gaining acceptance, especially in Europe and Asia, in response to increasing traffic congestion, an aging population and concern about the environment. Electric vehicle conversion – converting conventionally-powered vehicles to electric or hybrid vehicles – is also increasingly common. Motorized bicycles' popularity has waxed and waned largely in response to local regulatory requirements. For example, the French "vélomoteur" could be ridden by young riders without need for a license, making it very popular during the 1960s and 1970s. Autocycle manufacturers were well established in countries such as Britain and Australia before the second world war, but the hiatus of the war appears to have set the market back, although the American bolt-on Whizzer continued until 1962. The motorized bicycle saw a resurgence of popularity in Britain during the 1950s and such bolt-on motors as the Cyclaid and the Cyclemaster motor wheel saw brief periods of immense popularity. Elsewhere in Europe the motorized bicycle continued to be popular. The Italian, Vincenti Piatti had designed a 50cc engine for driving portable lathes and this was also used to in the form of the Mini Motore to power bicycles. Piatti later licensed the design to Trojan for production in Britain as the Trojan Minimotor. Production of The French VéloSoleX began in 1946 and continued until 1988. After French production ceased, the VéloSoleX continued to be produced in Hungary. Power sourcesThe Whizzer motorized bicycle, a popular aftermarket conversion, here fitted to a Schwinn. A Giant LaFree electric bike; note that the frame is near-standard, and the motor drives via the normal drivetrain. A Powabyke electric bike; note the heavily modified frame style and hub motor.Historically internal combustion (IC) engines dominated the motorized bicycle market, but most current models use electric motors. A few still use small two stroke or four stroke IC engines, most notably the Derny still used for pacing of bicycle races. Power can be applied in a number of ways:
Internal CombustionThe 1900 Singer Motor Wheel was a wheel incorporating a small IC engine that could be substituted for the front wheel of a bicycle, while the 1914 Smith Motor Wheel was attached to the rear of a bicycle by means of an outrigger arm, a design later taken up by Briggs & Stratton. The VeloSoleX, probably the last large-scale IC-powered motorized bicycle, used friction drive to the front wheel. The last volume manufactured in-wheel IC engine was used on the Honda P50 moped which ceased production around 1968. Tanaka bolt-on bike motors (branded Bike Bug, Aqua Bug, Tas Spitz, Sears Free Spirit, and Little Devil) were popular through the 1960s and 1970s, and are gaining a renewed following thanks to some rediscovered kits. ElectricThere are many possible types of electric motorized bicycles with several technologies available for electric motors, varying in cost and complexity; direct-drive and geared motor units are both used. An electric power-assist system may be added to almost any pedal cycle. Chain drive and hub motors are both common, friction drive less so. Electric bicycles are generally powered by rechargeable batteries. These are normally charged from the utility supply (mains), with perhaps the option of using the motor to effect regenerative braking or charging while being pedalled or rolling downhill. There are also experiments with recharging via solar panels and, to a lesser extent, other alternative energy sources such as fuel cells. Most modern electric bikes use technologies such as rare earth magnets, pulse width modulated power electronic control and regenerative braking to improve efficiency. Batteries are usually either lead-acid, NiCd or (exceptionally) NiMH. Electric motorized bicycles are either power-on-demand, where the motor is activated by a handlebar mounted throttle, or pedelec (from pedal electric), where the electric motor is regulated by pedalling. These may have a mechanism such as a crank sensor to detect when the user is pedalling, or a more sophisticated torque sensor. The degree of assistance can usually be controlled to optimise battery life. Range is a key consideration with electric bikes, and is affected by factors such as motor efficiency, battery capacity, efficiency of the driving electronics, aerodynamics, hills and rider weight. The range of an electric bike is usually stated as somewhere between 7km (uphill on electric power only) to 70km (minimum assistance). In a parallel hybrid motorized bicycle man and machine are mechanically coupled either in the bottom bracket, the rear or the front wheel, whereas in Series Hybrid Cycles the user propels a generator using the pedals. In series hybrid cycles human power is converted into electricity and is fed directly into the motor. Other power sources
Individuals have built bicycles powered by steam and air engines, and there is at least one example of a jet propelled bicycle. No large-scale manufacture of any of these is known. Some experiments have also been undertaken with super capacitors to supplement or replace batteries. Naming and Legal status
The legal definition and status of motorized bicycles varies by jurisdiction. Legal terms for motorized bicycles include "power-assisted bicycle" (Canada), "limited speed motorcycle" (Canada and Ontario), "motor assisted bicycle" (moped) (Ontario), "Power assisted cycle" (United Kingdom), or (commonly) "electric bicycle". Generally they are considered vehicles (like motorcycles and pedal cycles), so are subject to the same rules of the road. In a few jurisdictions, motorized bicycles must be licensed and display vehicle registration plates. Regulations may define maxmum power output and for electric bikes may or may not require an interlock to prevent use of power when the rider is not pedalling. In some cases regulatory requirements have been complicated by lobbying in respect of the Segway HT. Environmental effectsThe environmental effects of motorized bicycles varies according to the power source. Two stroke engines, common in those powered by internal combustion engines, often emit more pollution than automobiles due to partial combustion of the upper cylinder lubricant necessarily included in the fuel. One Swedish study found that running a 2-stroke lawnmower for half an hour pollutes as much as a 150 km trip in an average car [2]. Most electric bicycles can be classified as zero-emissions vehicles, as they emit no combustion byproducts. A holistic approach demands that account is also taken of the environmental effects of electricity generation and power distribution, and of manufacturing and disposing of (limited life) high storage density batteries. Even taking this into account electric bicycles will have significantly lower environmental impact than conventional automobiles, and on balance are generally seen as environmentally desirable in the urban context. The environmental credentials of electric bikes, and electric / human powered hybrids generally, have led some municipal authorities to use them, such as Little Rock, Arkansas with their Wavecrest electric power-assisted bicycles[3] or Cloverdale Police with Zap electric bicycles [4]. Bibliography
See also
External links
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