Bicycles

LFN Bike provides plenty of ups and downs

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The LFN Bike adds a vertical touch to your standard eBike
LFN Bike's seven-speed rear cassette
The pedal block on the LFN 
The pedal slider on the LFN Bike
LFN's patented gearbox turns vertical motion into the rotation you need to turn the wheel
The specs on the LFN e-bike 
The LFN Bike adds a vertical touch to your standard eBike
The frame is a strange shape to house the vertical pedals and battery
The LFN Bike has a 10 Ah battery and a 350 W electric motor
View gallery - 8 images

Quirky vehicles like the elliptiGO and Bionic Runner may offer a different take on pedal power, but the fact none has made much of an impact on the bicycle market hasn't stopped a Texas-based team from coming up with yet another pedal system. The LFN Bike combines a vertical pedal drivetrain with electric power for a totally unique way to get your legs pumping on two wheels.

At the core of LFN Bike's approach is its unique riding position. Designed to keep your body nice and straight, the bike has upright handlebars and standing pedals that are reminiscent of an indoor stair machine.

The standing pedals move up and down on a stainless steel slide bar with a travel of 20 in (51 cm), and connect with the seven-speed cassette on the rear wheels through a patented gearbox mechanism that makes use of industrial gears and bearings. While the team says this means the gearbox should last for "years and years," they also recommend getting an extra gearbox as parts won't be available at your local bike shop.

The pedal block on the LFN 

Electric boost comes from a 350-watt front wheel motor drawing on a 48V, 10 Ah battery. Working independently of the pedals, the motor is able to carry you at speeds of up to 20 mph (32 km/h) thanks to a motorbike-style throttle. The bike is also kitted out with an LED display, giving riders control over their electric boost level, as well as offering up a 4 mph (6 km/h) cruise function.

We'd imagine this is designed for use in a crowded city center, because that's not fast enough to be of use to anyone actually trying to get somewhere. Pure electric range is pegged at 20 miles (32 km), and you should be able to cover somewhere between 35 and 60 miles (56 - 97 km) with pedal assist.

The LFN Bike campaign is currently live on Kickstarter, where it's raised just under US$500 of its $100,000 goal with 57 days remaining. Pledges start at $300, which reserves you a bike at its $1,449 early bird price. If you're able (or willing) to pay $1.499, that will also reserve you a bike at just under half the expected retail price of $2,899.

Should the project get off the ground, the LFN team expects to be shipping bikes in January 2017. Although it will ship overseas, backers outside the US will only get a 250-watt electric motor.

Oh, and for anyone wondering what LFN stands for, it's "Looking For Name."

The LFN Bike can be seen in action in the video below.

Source: Kickstarter

View gallery - 8 images
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10 comments
DickHolzhaus
This is one for the category: 'What were they thinking?'
f8lee
And here I thought the proper pedal motion on a "regular" bike involves not only a power stroke pushing one pedal downward but also pulling up on the other pedal (which is why one clips into the pedals)...with this the only power obtainable is gravity pushing one's weight downward. Never mind it seems not to allow for riding while in the seated position.
So, @DickHolzhaus - I concur - what WERE they thinking?
flylowguy
They reinvented the wheel, but it's a bit out of round.
Paul Gracey
The ways to devise less efficient mechanisms to propel a bicycle is unendingly silly. If one wishes to get MORE exercise using one of the planet's most efficient means of transport, just mis-adjust the brakes, let air out of the tires, or simply use the wrong gear ratio on any cheap bike.
Mzungu_Mkubwa
This setup would appear to me to be perfect for a recumbent setup. It would provide two advantages as I see it: 1st, that the ground clearance issues associated with the circular travel of traditional lever pedals could be nullified, so the rider and C/G could be lower to the ground. 2nd, the rider could push the pedals while gaining leverage against a back-rest. I would think that such leverage would allow a larger percentage of the rider's strength/energy to be used for locomotion. May be off base, here tho...
GuillermoRuizCamauer
Normal riding position doesn't give you access to the brakes... and the lower part of the pedal mechanism looks like it might take some hits when trying to go up the curb without a ramp. Needs to go back to the drawing board!
Imran Sheikh
Over Engineered, Over Usage of Metal, Good pedal setup for recumbent. Seems like a design from the very beginning of bicycles.
David993
The design is fundamentally flawed, the pedal stroke is too long requiring the rider to spend a considerable amount of time out of the saddle and standing on the pedals.
unklmurray
I read the article, watched the video, then I read all 8 comments..... 1-they were thinking outside the box....... 2-quite different ,yes it might hit the kerb but, It isn't being billed as an offroad bike,so jump kerbs at your own risk....... 3 If you think you can design a better bike then do so....... 4I hope they make it happen,I like the quirky design,And like someone with a petition 2 B signed......everyone has the right to try!! I HOPE it works well!!!.............LOL :-)
DavidBrewer
Perhaps designed as intended, and to a particular end, but I'll be surprised if it gets funded. I previously pledged to an Indiegogo crowdsourcing effort for the Daymak Chameleon eBike. A $699 pledge got me a scooter (with pedals) type vehicle with full suspension front and back. A 40 mile (est.) range with top speed of 40 mph (programmable and mutually exclusive with distance parameter). Oh, and a luggage compartment on back with programmable LED lighting package. I wish them luck, but luck won't provide a sustainable customer base.