Post #2251957
2026-04-24 15:09 UTC
2/
• Con: A bit weird—a motorcycle with pedals.
• Con: You lose some power due to the indirection.
• Pro: No gear shift or chain—which helps with maintenance.
• Pro: Regenerative braking saves energy and reduces wear.
• Pro: Can be used as a home trainer and generate energy via pedaling.
• Pro: Has a reverse mode that’s useful for large bikes.
Some PBW bikes even let you directly transfer the power from the pedals to the motor—in case the battery dies.
Replies (1)
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@neverbeaten@mas.to 2026-04-25 12:38
@light_bulbs@mastodon.green Con: you essentially have two electric motors: one for the drive and one as a generator. Each would have its own gear set (internally). Duplication is inefficient use of resources Pro: it could allow creative positioning of things and unique designs that just wouldn’t be feasible with a chain drive. I could see this being useful in velomobile and human powered cargo delivery vehicles. Pro: you can keep pedaling while stopped