PEDAL ASSISTED CYCLE/RICKSHAW

A pedal assist vehicle has a pedalling system and an electric motor. This motor also contributes to the movement of the vehicle by giving assistance to pedalling. That is when you pedal; the motor works making it easier to ride the cycle. Pedal assisting has 3 different modes:

1. Low pedal assist – here only a little amount of power is taken from the motor. This usually occurs when you ride smoothly
2. Medium pedal assist – This happens in situations where the ride is not easy but you can manage to it with ease. Here the role of the electric motor will be more than that in the previous case.
3. High pedal assist – This mode provides much more power than the first case. This helps you to reach places faster with the least effort.
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There are 2 types of pedal assists

1. Torque sensor pedal assist
2. Cadence sensor pedal assist

1. Torque sensor pedal assist

This is the most complicated and advanced of the two. A sensor detects how much pressure is applied on the pedals and hence decides the level of assistance you need from the motor. This gives the rider a smooth and good feel about riding. It helps the ride effortlessly anywhere, whether you are riding up a mountain or on a smooth road.

2. Cadence sensor pedal assist

This is a somewhat inferior technology compared to the former. Here a sensor detects when the cranks of the cycle turns. If cranks are moving slowly the sensor determines that the rider requires some more assistance and vice versa.

In both the cases, some level of assistance is provided to the rider. There are also throttle bicycles, which works very much similar to a bike. It has a throttle, which gets turned to get assistance from the electric motor. The electric motor, in both the cases, is fixed to the real wheel of the cycle.

These cycles are used for fun activities when a lot of cycle rickshaw pullers in India are using their all their strength daily, it took a senior student and his friend to give them a helping hand. This technology has a lot of power in a developing country like India. If you can make this technology cheaper and more available; it will help thousands of people in India’s transport sector, industrial sector and waste management sectors. Just imagine all the cycles, rickshaws and trolleys where this technology can be used.