Alpha bike concept

[Pubert]

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http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/29/alpha-bike-concept-free-wheeling-fixie
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The Alpha Bike, designed by a group of engineering students, contains an entirely internal drivetrain that allows riders to switch between fixed-gear and multi-gear setups. The simple switch is enabled by an electronically controlled clutch, part of the Switchable Integrated Free-Fixed Transmission (SWIFT), discreetly hidden in the bike's frame. Populating the front hub are a drum break and a dynamo, which juices the bike's electronics -- the back hub contains a three-speed gear set, put in motion by a simple push-pull cable. When the front wheel starts rolling, an LED screen mounted in the carbon fiber handlebars is illuminated, displaying time, caddence, and speed, among other things -- this data and more is stored on an accessible SD card. As of now, the bike is still a prototype, but if you start saving now, you might actually have enough scratch to buy one when it comes to fruition.

 

[mark barker]

Looks pretty, but seems to be solving a problem that isn't there... The fixie riders I know ride them because they're simple, and this seems far from that!

 

[gaz]

Mark hit the nail on the head. You ride FG/SS because of the basics. Little to go wrong so easy to maintain.

 

[PpPete]

And it proves that engineering students can't spell ?

 

[fossyant]

Can't see the drive being that efficient like a chain?

 

[Gareth]

I like the look of that: but not with all that electrickery.

It's not the first shaft drive fixie that I've seen though. That honour goes to a bike in a collection on display that I saw at the Rural Pastimes Show 2 or 3 years ago. That bike was original built 1n 1906 or 1908, and so was over 100 years old.

It just so happens that I have a Sussex bicycle shaft drive kit tucked away on the shelves somewhere, along with a Sturmey Archer 3 speed fixie hub, and I just happen to have a a hankering to build myself a fixie.