Hitchcocks Forum

Moving on from the Wilfomatic warm-up wonder I have now submitted my latest rubber band design to Royal Enfield over in India. It's a rather radical look at how we use energy to propel our machines, and is entirely in keeping with the ethos of owning a Royal Enfield, i.e. simplicity of design, reliability and the ability to travel back in time to our boyhood days.

Basically it entails substituting the rear drive sprocket with a crown wheel and pinion which is then connected to a very heavy duty rubber band, anchored at it's forward end to the swinging arm pivot. Engine and gearbox are now removed from the machine leaving space for spare rubber bands. (they will be quite large). Now, with the bike on it's centre stand all that is required is to rotate the rear wheel a few hundred turns, depending on length of proposed journey, hop aboard, and gently ease the machine off the stand, and away you go.

The benefits are plain for all to see: virtually maintenance free, zero emissions and health benefits associated with exercise from winding rear wheel. And of course all the old reliability issues related to R.E.s are now a thing of the past.

We know a song about this, don't we, children?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3_BRSOkFyY

A.

These bands will be made of India Rubber will they? Only there could be a problem right there.

Yes indeed. I'm thinking that a complete inner tube would be about the right length, in which case one spare tube would serve in case of both puncture and drive band failure.

Haven't heard back from R.E. head office yet, but expect to hear something soon. They'll probably give me a job at the proposed R&D facility they're planning on opening over here.

Great music by the way Adrian.

For the by-racers amoungst us, could we replace your inner tube rubber bands with the type used on two stokes? These power bands should make the humble RE accelerate must faster, and provide a higher top speed. Have you considered adding a 'rewind' mechanism to the wheel hub, to rewind the band while braking for corners, traffic lights etc? This would drastically improve the range and reduce the number of turns required pre-ride. Also, if you rode the bike backwards for a couple of miles at the start of the ride, it would self-wind enough for the rest of the journey.

Some very green ideas there Gavin. I reckon we've got the likes of BP and Texaco worried. Hope my pension isn't too tied up in the oil business.