BobbyG

Saw this this morning:
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/is-...leurs-forever/

I don't know if it "changes derailers forever", or even at all...but it's interesting.

nomadmax 

They'll wind up doing what SRAM did, quit trying and pimp 1 X.

pdlamb

Interesting... pretty well describes it.

1. Electrical power to come from e-bike battery, so I guess there's no concern about charging the battery.

2. The illustration is a front derailer. Given two wires, I guess it's going to be limited to a double?

3. Not sure I want something near the temperature of boiling water that close to MY ankle, insulated or not.

Wonder how many other bicycle patents are sitting in the archives, unused in production bikes?

Bald Paul

100 degrees C - what could go wrong?
Hey, didn't Ford produce the Pinto with the exploding fuel tanks?

mstateglfr 

This is really fascinating.

- A wire that can heat up and cool down almost instantaneously? Thats fascinating!
- How does the wire know what position it should expand or contract to each time? Also fascinating!
- How fast are the shifts really?
- How many shifts before the wire breaks due to use? Is it a consumable that last 1000mi or something that is able to just continue to change shape without fatigue?

And the biggest question...
- Will cranksets need to be reversed where the big ring is on the inside? Thats create all sorts of clearance issues with chain ring size and tire size. See Ford's drawing below.

SkinGriz

Gotta love it.
That rear engined car is dangerous. Pay no attention to our exploding gas tanks.
Corporate hypocrisy is hilarious.
I bet Boeing lobbied for the strict rules on airplane models and designations back in the 707-747 days for a moat/regulatory capture type move. Then complained 50 years later about the cost to abandon the 737 model designation.

SkinGriz

Wires heating up instantaneously is old news.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/jalopni...1793380845/amp

indyfabz

POTD.

I find this particularly amusing thanks to an article in Adventure Cycling's magazine many years ago, when 1x was starting to infiltrate the touring world. A representative from SRAM quoted extensively in the article informed us of how bad triples are for touring, mentioning how the middle ring is pretty much useless. I often smile when I am riding in my middle ring and think of that article. Who knew we have been doing it all wrong for decades?

John Valuk

If anyone wants to look at the entire patent, the patent number for this is 11,124,269.

RH Clark

Just another way to overcomplicate a simple and effective system for profit. In 20 years or less a bicycle will be so complicated and expensive that you will be forced to take it to a dealer for repairs.

Troul 

E-Bicycles are transforming into those things with two wheels & a motor.... IIRC a "motorcycle"

Too much tech for something that once was just viewed as a toy for kids.

trailangel

It's auto shift as well...... it'll go the way of the other auto shift bikes.... in a big pile of scrape metal.
Fix
Or
Repair
Daily

Troul 

Most might be Found On Roadways Dead.

Litespud

So presumably you have to maintain the current to maintain the FD in a given position, and it reverts to the default position once the current is removed. So keeping the FD in one specific non-default position is potentially a significant drain on the battery. Sounds like a solution in search of a problem

CrimsonEclipse

Maybe they'll finally perfect rim brakes too.
(electrically actuated or some nonsense)

Troul 

The way I read it is that the material isolates its position from a cooling off period after each electrical command.

Troul 

Organic braking using two strategically placed hamsters in each of there own horizontal running wheels that rotate in the opposite direction of the bicycle's wheel. When petted for braking, the hamsters aggressively run on there running wheel. This running force is applied against the wheel's rim, causing the wheel to slow/stop based on the amount of petting.

cyclezen

just... LOL! maybe even ROTFLMAO !

shelbyfv

I find the idea of putting current to a piece of metal and having it assume a predetermined shape pretty amazing. I'm thankful that there are folks out there so much smarter than the rest of us! A bike part seems an odd fit for Ford. I wonder if they may have chosen it in order to patent some concept they actually plan to use in an auto application. Lock up the technology w/o giving away what they hope to do with it.

Troul 

likely a CVT related concept. Test the theory out on us careless spending cyclists & see if it'll meet a reality need?

kahn

I really think you are a RUBE!!!

Troul 

takes a bumpkin to know a bumpkin!

Phil_gretz

I'm already filling out the patent application on this, if you'd like to be a co-inventor. How will we feed the hamsters and how frequently do they need to be changed for reduction to practice?

Wildwood 

Ford has no real interest in bicycles. But lots of engineers. Pursuing patents for engineers is retention enhancement. And patents have value.

I worked with piezo electric crystals 4 decades ago. In the developing world of ink jet printers.

Print head from the World’s first commercially available desktop ink jet printer. Silonics Inc. Squirt ink not derailleurs!




I like reliable, simple cables. And mechanical activation of my components. If that is retro grouchy - just call me Mr. Simple Best Solution.

Troul 

operator will fill a rear facing pocket & shake premium pellets from the pocket on to each hamster per 200 watts the operator burns. Hamsters are to be replaced in pairs every 2-3 years or when they've kicked the bucket & no longer turn the run wheel.