It's an interesting design – and patented. If WBR really wants to have a big impact in the global South, they should release design with open, inclusive licensing so that entrepreneurs in the global South can manufacture it locally, without relying on imported hubs.
I don't mean to brag, but I read the article. All the comments talking about chain breaking are missing the actual point. The original bike was a fixed gear. Having two chains allows this model to have 2 gears to aid with hills or carrying cargo.
Why 2 chains you ask? Imagine you wanted to have a two gear bike with as few moving parts as possible. Chain repair is also relatively easy with a simple tool.
Apparently they avoid even the cables.
the rider simply backpedals half a revolution to activate the switchable freewheel from high to low and vice versa
I have doubts about how that behaves going down a slope, I would like to see it in action.
(Edit: Reword)
Ok, that's pretty cool. Why not a gearbox though? Weight, maybe?
The problem is controlling the gearbox. In order to do that you need lots of parts from steel cables to crimps (that go on the ends of said cables) to derailleurs to levers and shifters and lots of other things to route the cables.
By only having two gears--and a simple mechanism to switch between them--this bike is able to avoid all that complexity. Not to mention the tools needed to repair said complexity.
A chain link remover is a tiny little thing that can be strapped (or taped) in a pouch and kept on the bike along with extra (tiny) chain links.
The thing they really need to work on next is the tubes. When I was really big into mountain biking I never had to repair my chain but I always carried two extra tubes (and a pump!) when riding because I had two flats on long rides more than once.
These bikes sacrifice weight for other priorities at every oportunity
Now you get to deal with chain stretch on two separate chains without a way to properly tension the longer one.
It's a tradeoff. Worry about a derailleur in rural Africa, or maybe have a chain issue.
But from what I understand, it runs like a single speed bike, so chain wear would be at 1%, possibility after thousands of KM.
I think it's a better system than what's currently available to riders in those areas.
When I was using my fixed gear bike for my daily commute (30km+) it took a long time for my chain to stretch by a little and it took much more constraints than a single speed gear, I wouldn't be really concerned about this
And the chain has to be quite loose on a single speed for it to fall compared to bikes with derailleur
These bikes are awesome, I kind of don't get this as a reliability plus but it must work because from what I've seen these bikes are unstoppable
Use a belt drive instead. They are super strong and dont get elongated over time. Otherwise use a shaft driven axle with oil submerged gears. That shit never breaks.
sounds expensive
A bit up front yes, but you can drive over ~~10.000~~ 15.000 - 30.000km on a belt set with very little to no maintenance. And the price for belt drive is still coming down and is really price competitive already. I have belt drive on my bike and have done nothing to it at all for 3000 km and it still runs smoothly.
Never seen a shaft driven axle used in those conditions, I've only seen it in a city where the roads are smooth
Belts don't break. Even when you need them to. Chains go through the rear triangle by breaking and rejoining. Belt drive requires a special frame with a set of compromises that might not be suitable.
Sounds like a bad idea? They can buy normal bike chains, yes. Normally it would make more sense to use rough ~~MTB~~ BMX chains or so.
But I doubt that the 2 chains will use up evenly
MTB chains are finer as they are made for multiple gear systems.
BMX chains are stronger immo which is the type of chain you usually use on single speed
Oh I meant BMX chains.
But I doubt that the 2 chains will use up evenly
so?
showed this to a friend and he mentioned that this could be good for mid-drive ebikes too, it seems really cool and burly. But it's patented, really??
Unfortunately, if they don't patent it, someone else will and charge royalties.
That mistake has been made with life saving vaccines and other treatments before.
aspects of it are patented, but not the idea of using two chains
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