Hydraulic Regenerative Braking for a 20" Bicycle Wheel

Abstract

This hydraulic, regenerative braking front wheel will ultimately be a retrofit front-wheel for any child's bike. Previous ME450 terms have produced a fully-functional prototype that is still operational today. This wheel will store the braking energy from 20mph down to 0mph, and at the touch of a button, release that energy for an exhilarating acceleration up to 17mph (with no external energy added). A light pedal assist will bring you back up to your original speed. The Winter'08 term completed the design of the first child's 20" bike wheel. The current bike wheel is over 25 lbs, yet last term calculated that it could weigh 15 lbs. This will be accomplished with more finely engineered parts, removing weight where FEA allows,and substituting with lighter-weight materials where durability and strength are not an issue. The U of M Technology Transfer department is currently working with a manufacturer to license the wheel for production.