Hydraulic Bicycle Front-Wheel Shell

Abstract

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is producing vehicles which use conventional engines in combination with hydraulics for regenerative braking and propulsion. These are referred to as hydraulic hybrid vehicles. In the winter of 2007, students in ME 450, in collaboration with the EPA, designed and assembled a lightweight regenerative braking system (RBS) for the front wheel of a bicycle. We have continued this project and our goals were to: reengineer the previous team’s prototype to improve durability; redo the plumbing of the RBS to incorporate a higher safety standard in the high pressure hoses; reconfigure the positioning of hydraulic components to reduce the overall thickness and to facilitate the design of a hub shell; design and manufacture bicycle rim that will support the RBS; and to design a hub shell.