Actually the original velocipedes were not pedal driven. As in the one Russell pictures, they were propelled by a back and forth pumping motion of the handlebars. Which those handlebars were also used to assist with braking.
Very cool. Which would get tired first, upper body from pumping, or legs from pedaling (for Velocipedes so powered)?
The "pedals" and the arm levers are all linked together. The crank arms on each side of the main gear are not 180° apart like a bicycle or quartered like a steam locomotive. So, both cranks pull or push at the same time. You get the most power when you pull back on the arm levers and push on the foot pedals. The return stroke only uses your arms pushing while the foot pedals move toward you bending your knees. I guess your arms get more of a workout so get tired first. This photo shows the linkage on one side. The new levers and their new steel fulcrum brackets (wood mock-ups shown here) have not been installed yet, the new levers are just set in the frame in front of the old ones.
Lately I seem to always be in such a hurry to get somewhere that I don't take time to set up a proper photo shot. Here is another of my drive by shootings. Poster child for distracted driving. Along Texas Highway 6 just north of Hearne.
I was looking for something else - came across some pics from 2001-2004 and thought I'd drop them here...
I know I am late to the party on this one but I was lost somewhere in northeast PA several years back in the fog.
