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Or have I become cynical?

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/superwheel-revolutionary-power-assistance-system#/
4KG!!!
What kind of feeling is it to drive the SuperWheel?
Our feedback from the pubic testing was that it was effortless and comfortable.
With a patent application and Uni funding, you'd hope there is some benefit to it.
Perpetual motions has been invented – again.
Was expecting a Picolax thread.
With it looking that gopping, you'd hope there was some merit to it.
Is it energy recovery from braking?
Edit - just read it. Unless they're using smoke and mirrors to divert from it being that, it's absolutely a perpetual motion machine. Gathering energy from your weight as the springs compress at some point around the wheel's motion, apparently :S
I would get in touch with the universities to determine any actual involvement before parting with your money. And maybe I wouldn't bother even doing that.
I'm really not sure whether it's a joke (or a bizarre scam) or they're just completely clueless about basic physics.
It's a bit like those roads that were designed to generate electricity as you drove over them. Free electric for the road, continuous inefficient uphill for the car. Gravity will never give back 100%, more energy will be used pushing your body back up than it ever got pulling you down.
Ahm oot.
"SuperWheel provides additional turning power when you pedal."
No it doesn't, you lying shysters.
"A lot less energy is required when using SuperWheel."
No it isn't, you lying shysters.
"It is 100% human powered."
Correct. So even you know you're lying shysters.
Animals efficient at running (and hopping), store energy in tendons and ligaments when the foot lands and recover some of it on the next stride. This reduces inefficiency.
This seems to be an attempt to harness this effect in rotational motion. But unless there is wasted vertical motion in existing bikes it won't work.
Aren't pedal cycles something like 98% efficient anyway? So they've either found that extra 2%, or have made them >100% efficient, which would be, er, impressive.
store energy…and recover some of it. This reduces inefficiency.
Could we just stop and think about that for a moment?
Could we just stop
Nope, perpetual motion innit.