Imlach's Sweaty Hippie Funk Collection, adventure bikes, rusty rats, cruisers and other alt bastardisations of bicyclery

I asked a well-known online AI resource what the challenges were to building shaft-drive bicycles. It told me that not only are they heavier, harder to engineer, harder to maintain and limited in gear ratio choice, they are less efficient than chain systems. All well and good, but wouldn't it also be quite easy to strip the gears if you suddenly pedalled really, really hard?
 
I asked a well-known online AI resource what the challenges were to building shaft-drive bicycles. It told me that not only are they heavier, harder to engineer, harder to maintain and limited in gear ratio choice, they are less efficient than chain systems. All well and good, but wouldn't it also be quite easy to strip the gears if you suddenly pedalled really, really hard?
ever stripped the gears out of an angle grinder? no, me either, but that's basically what's at either end.



I looked at that and thought "oh, that could be an interesting engineering challenge". I need my head read. :)
 
ever stripped the gears out of an angle grinder? no, me either, but that's basically what's at either end.

Well there you have me sir -- neither have I.
 
I asked a well-known online AI resource what the challenges were to building shaft-drive bicycles. It told me that not only are they heavier, harder to engineer, harder to maintain and limited in gear ratio choice, they are less efficient than chain systems. All well and good, but wouldn't it also be quite easy to strip the gears if you suddenly pedalled really, really hard?
E stay + shaft drive = very handy for those living in flat lands that are permanently under several inches of water and who prefer to wear impractical shoes while riding to work. A tad niche perhaps, but who are we to judge?
 
I asked a well-known online AI resource what the challenges were to building shaft-drive bicycles. It told me that not only are they heavier, harder to engineer, harder to maintain and limited in gear ratio choice, they are less efficient than chain systems. All well and good, but wouldn't it also be quite easy to strip the gears if you suddenly pedalled really, really hard?
I had a Biomega Copenhagen roughly bought in 2005 and used as urban bike for a few years.
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I loved the design, and clean style, also the fluorescent lacquer, but I start to hate the shaft drive.

I only have dismounted the rear wheel once, it was a major challenge and took me 2hours and a lot of sweat and tears. From now on I have only used patches for flat tires and applied them without dismounting the wheel!
Also the shaft doesn't allow wider tires and produced a bit of noise.
It was indeed also not my fastest bike, but this could be partly also caused by using an integrated gear hub.
 
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