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E-HUB wheelset

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W

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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Helo everybody

I am from Slovenia. Two mounth ago I bought E-HUB 50mm carbon wheelset.So far I have done 500km.
E-HUB is new inovation - to overcome backlashes of paddeling. At first I was confused, the weight is little higher (1730g/wheelset) but at the end I found:

-pedaling is smoothier
-have more power in my knees (dead angle, rotation
-noticeable differences especially while climbing, while pedal rotation is considerably more constant while standing
-i can conclude that it is obvious that the E-hub wheel (rim) gives me more power

I would reccomend E-HUB to everybody who havent try it yet!
 
F

· naranjito
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785 Posts
#4 ·
I hadn't heard of it, so I just googled it. I found one page, which is full of things that don't make sense. That a hub will enable a cyclist to push with more power is totally absurd. A given cyclist can only produce so much power. To add more power to a bike/rider system, you would need another energy/power source, such as an electric battery and motor. From what I can see, the hub has no motor included, so where does the extra power come from?

As for 'pedal backlash', what is that? AFAIK, the pedals don't suddenly turn in the opposite direction against my pedalling action at any point.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but physics are physics...
 
W

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Discussion Starter · #9 ·
E-hub is hub without engine or electric help. Inside it has a spring mechanism witch helps you to overcame dead points ( you have two-upper and lower). In this points your force is particularly 0. With E-hub you have constant pressure on rear gears and because of this-pedaling is smoother, you do not lose your energy in dead points,.....the rest is on ehub.si

You have 6 different models of E-hub (1....6) - difference is on spring mechanism
I found that E-hub wheel sets model 3 is perfect for me. I can also see a difference on my power meter (Ergomo). E-hub/classic hub = app. 60 watt +

Physic is physic but you never know when is going to surprise you :)
 
U

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#10 · (Edited)
I bet this thing will work great with my bio pace rings on my rotor cranks with power pedals.

Whatever makes you happy on a bike...

Seriously. No really seriously, lets take a walk through the concept. If I read this right you are loading a spring on the down stroke as you mash the pedals (Am I correct so far?). Then when your crank hits TDC and you can not produce much power due to your pedaling style, the spring unloads and pushes the wheel forward?

How does this unloading of the spring not simply push the crank backward (since you are at TDC and can not produce much power relative to what you stored in the spring)? Some sort of double ratchet system in the hub? I guess without such a system there *would* be a pronounced "backlash".

Assuming that this works in the manner I am speculating...how can that possibly result in MORE power measured at the crank (or BB)?

If I am understanding correctly you are loading a spring on the down stroke (mash) and therefore diverting some energy away from propelling yourself forward. Some of this energy is converted to heat and not returned as the spring unloads. = Fail
 
R

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#11 ·
wildriver said:
With E-hub you have constant pressure on rear gears and because of this-pedaling is smoother, you do not lose your energy in dead points,
Click to expand...
You will only lose "energy" (a very little bit) if you ratchet the freehub during a revolution. I don't and I doubt many cyclists do.

The E-Hub may work... but only if there is a physiological benefit to storing energy in a spring during the power phase of the stroke. It will feel (and function?) the same as having a flexy bike when climbing. Most cyclist don't like flexy bikes, and feel they are slower on them.

For a fixed power input, the output will be *lower* with the EHub because there are losses in it... this is basic physics. So the only way it can result in an improvement is because it somehow increases the ability of your legs to produce power.

You have 6 different models of E-hub (1....6) - difference is on spring mechanism
I found that E-hub wheel sets model 3 is perfect for me. I can also see a difference on my power meter (Ergomo). E-hub/classic hub = app. 60 watt +
Click to expand...
TdF here I come!
 
R

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#12 ·
One other thing... the torque on a hub varies inversely proportional to the gear ratio. There is no possible way you could set this up to give good results when climbing and on the flat. IOW, when climbing your gear ratio will be 2-3 times as small and combining that with a slower cadence makes it even worse. The ideal climbing spring would be ~3-4 times stiffer than the ideal spring for riding on the flat.

If the concept actually works, the best place for it would be in the crank.
 
ergott

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#13 ·
rruff said:
One other thing... the torque on a hub varies inversely proportional to the gear ratio. There is no possible way you could set this up to give good results when climbing and on the flat. IOW, when climbing your gear ratio will be 2-3 times as small and combining that with a slower cadence makes it even worse. The ideal climbing spring would be ~3-4 times stiffer than the ideal spring for riding on the flat.

If the concept actually works, the best place for it would be in the crank.
Click to expand...
It must be winter, you're thinking too much about this "innovation";-)

-Eric
 
K

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#16 ·
Excuse my skepticism

wildriver said:
Physic is physic but you never know when is going to surprise you.
Click to expand...
Actually, if you understand physics, you seldom get surprised. Further, you seldom fall for gimmicks like this one. People have been trying stuff like this in bicycles for over 100 years. Each and every one is a "true miracle," and yet somehow, each an every one ends up in the dust bin of history.

A few months back we were treated to spring loaded weights on the spokes, with similar outlandish claims. Five minutes with a calculator showed that concept to be completely bogus. This one is similarly flawed. The only way you can get more power by using something like this is to get more power out of a human. Despite many claims to the contrary, no one has been able to demonstrate that yet.
 
R

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#17 ·
Kerry Irons said:
The only way you can get more power by using something like this is to get more power out of a human. Despite many claims to the contrary, no one has been able to demonstrate that yet.
Click to expand...
Waddaya mean? They have their own test results, and plenty of testimonials...:p

Unlike the sliding-weights wheels, I think this one has a chance of actually providing a benefit. It all depends on whether or not it is physiologically beneficial to load a spring during the power phase of the stroke... by a great enough amount to offset the higher losses. I think it would work by reducing the peak force in the power stroke and extending the duration. I can imagine the possibility that this would be a more "efficient"... allowing your legs to produce more power... maybe. I'll wait for some independant tests, though.
 
W

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Discussion Starter · #19 ·
Excellent. I see I have a lot of you guys to talk with. Some of you know physics, some of you know Cycling world. E-hub works like it suppose to! So, another thing: when you buy E-hub you get UCI certificate, so you can go on the race too. Talking about races you can probably recognize the outfit of this biker and his club colours (check out the URL at the bottom). The red thing in the centre of his rear wheel is E-HUB Believe me there is also another big shots in cycling world riding E-hub, but at the moment I can’t talk about this. Pay attention to the next season.
https://www.ehub.si/temp/ehub_astana.jpg
 
F

· naranjito
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785 Posts
#20 ·
I just still can't see how it works. I can see how it might be able to smooth out the power supplied from the rider to the rear wheel, but that's about it. There's absolutely no way it can give a cyclist more power. Use the power he has in a different way - possibly. But that isn't going to make him faster. For a given power output, the only way to make a rider/bike system faster is to reduce friction (and weight if climbing is involved).

As for a badly pixelated photo of what appears to be a pro rider, well there are many red hubs on the market and that photo is just nowhere near clear enough to be certain which hub it is. And there is always photoshop...

Some of the quotes on the webpage are also great:

"When I first tried the E-hub I immediately noticed the difference in power. When cycling uphill, the E-hub reduces the sense of resistance and consequently muscle strain is reduced"

"I noticed the biggest difference when cycling uphill where the suspension mechanism, with its rigidity, helps to gain higher speed without extra force"

"The sense of resistance is much lower"

"Why not use the extra 8-10% of energy saved for a longer cycling tour"

and the best one of all - "I believe that E-hub’s biggest added value is minor knee pain after long and demanding tours"
 
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