Energy from exercise bikes?

[JeremyinCzechRep]

It is incredible to see so many people in gyms lifting weights and pedalling nowhere on exercise bikes. Think how much energy they could be generating. Surely enough to run the electricty in their own building - a large wooden treadmill would probably be best. I am sure it would take a lot of effort to charge up a car battery from which you could run a telly for an hour - which would only cost you a few pennies from powergen, but it is the idea that I like. Has anyone ever tried such a system?

[Millymollymandy]

Um no, but as I bought myself an exercise bike before Xmas then promptly went down with the flu followed by a cold, I have only just got back to using the bike but the amount of energy I'd put out right now is about zilch!

Sorry to joke, I'm interested in any replies to this topic though!

[Rosendula]

I haven't tried it but I have thought along the same lines. I live across the road from an athletics stadium and every time I go out I see people in the window of the gym going nowhere fast on the treadmills and I think of all the electricity that is being used to power the machine, and all the personal energy being used by the person using it. I guess I'm a bit anti-exercise because all I can think is 'what a waste'. Surely there must be a way to harness the jogger's energy, seeing as they have so much, and put it to good use?

[Ellendra]

Seems if the treadmill were built at an angle, with the belt moving freely, one could stand still on the belt and gravity would roll it downhill. It might be tricky getting speed control, but after that's figured out, hook a thingy to the rollers under the belt to generate power.

(I'm sorry I don't know the proper names for everything)

[JeremyinCzechRep]

My idea was something like a very large wooden cotton reel, with a number of runners on top of it with steps that they walk up, forcing the reel wheel to turn (quite slowly as it is connected to cogs which will make inner wheels turn much faster and they would actually generate the electricty. Didn't Oscar Wilde have to walk on one of these things as punishment for his crime of being gay?

[Big Al]

My idea was something like a very large wooden cotton reel, with a number of runners on top of it with steps that they walk up, forcing the reel wheel to turn (quite slowly as it is connected to cogs which will make inner wheels turn much faster and they would actually generate the electricty. Didn't Oscar Wilde have to walk on one of these things as punishment for his crime of being gay?

Last weeks victorian farm prog had the same idea for using bike power to power a farm impliament. I was tempted to fix a car alternator to the frame of a bike and link this by a chain to the rear cogs so that you could adjust the speed at which you pedeled and this would in turn charge a battery as it does in a car set up. Another great idea that sadly has satayed as an "idea".

[Clara]

The bike powered washing machine already exists. My OH had a go on it at the BGG 05.

[Big Al]

The bike powered washing machine already exists. My OH had a go on it at the BGG 05.

so he's getting one for all the nappies that need washing ????

[Clara]

The bike powered washing machine already exists. My OH had a go on it at the BGG 05.

so he's getting one for all the nappies that need washing ????

Fortunately for him all our hot water and electricity is produced from renewables anyhow.......no pedal, no guilt!

[Big Al]

The bike powered washing machine already exists. My OH had a go on it at the BGG 05.

so he's getting one for all the nappies that need washing ????

Fortunately for him all our hot water and electricity is produced from renewables anyhow.......no pedal, no guilt!

and as a woman you are letting him get away with this ??