Soul-Kozak LoopsDrive Crafts Extremely-Excessive POE Stress-Solely Different Freehub Idea

Just about each freewheeling system works through the use of a mechanism that jams in between the individually spinning outer hubshell that’s laced into the wheel, and the freehub physique that holds the cassette. Whether or not it’s a sequence of pawls or a ratchet mechanism, tooth slam collectively transferring the power of your pedal enter by way of compression from the chain/cassette to the hub/spokes/rim/tire.

The LoopsDrive resolution hangs loop springs (inexperienced) off the largest cog of a cassette (purple) that then catch hooks machined into an externally toothed ring (silver) mounted to the driveside of the rear hub shell. Because the bicycle owner coasts forward, the loops glide excessive of the hooks. And when the rider pedals, these gently spring-loaded loops get caught by the hooks making a load path (silver-green-purple) in stress to switch pedal enter to ahead movement on the floor.

On this system, the loop in stress (inexperienced) could be theoretically constituted of a comparatively low-cost carbon composite or plastic materials that works effectively in stress. And so they might be cheaply and simply changed as they put on out over time.

Soul-Kozak’s inspiration for LoopsDrive got here from nature, within the humble Burdock’s hooked burrs that inevitably get caught to your clothes. Very like how they impressed Velcro, the hook and loop interface could be easy and robust.

(Simply to make clear, the mock-up mannequin within the video above has the silver tooth going through the other way of a bicycle drivetrain. All the opposite images that I took of a mock-up mannequin and the rideable prototype wheel have these tooth in the other way to propel a motorbike ahead and coast ahead. I hope that is sensible.)

A freewheel mechanism exterior of the hub

Soul-Kozak’s overarching thought behind the LoopsDrive uni-directional clutch mechanism is separating the freewheel perform from the bearing and sealing precision wanted to make a bicycle wheel spin easily in all situations.

A motorbike hub and its bearings must be manufactured to tremendous tight tolerances to make sure wheel stiffness, dependable dealing with, and easy operation. Then, these bearings should be exactly sealed, each so they’re sturdy, but in addition so there isn’t a pointless drag added to the system. Becoming a freewheeling clutch into the hub means every little thing needs to be tremendous tiny to slot in and across the bearings. And all of these tiny components must be extremely effectively sealed away from the weather. (Have you ever seemed inside and seen how tiny the springs & pawls in most hubs are?)

By shifting the clutch mechanism about 10cm away from the axle, the tooth of the Soul-Kozak LoopsDrive system could be a lot greater

The LoopsDrive 52 tooth on this mockup are about 5mm tall vs.1mm tall tooth in my DT 36SL Ratchet EXP hub. And spaced 1cm aside vs. 3mm.

These a lot greater tooth (even with ~1.5x as a lot engagement) imply that the extent of producing precision required is way decrease. And an easier-to-machine materials can be utilized – aluminum vs. metal, on this comparability. However carbon or composite buildings are additionally doable.

A clutch uncovered to the weather?

Soul-Kozak assures that the open LoopsDrive system is designed in such a method that will probably be self-clearing of particles. Once more they give the impression of being to nature and the flower cluster of hazel shrubs for a light-weight open construction. That sounds a little bit bit like a scary idea after we are speaking a couple of freehub clutch uncovered to the weather. However the loop interface doesn’t require lubrication, so it gained’t entice grime. And placing it subsequent to the cassette-chain interface is a fast reminder that this technique already works fairly effectively, absolutely uncovered.

Certain, your cassette will get dusty, soiled, and even tremendous dirty relying on the way you lube your chain and what situations you trip in. However in actuality, it really works as self-clearing/cleansing more often than not. And is simple to wash additional each time wanted.

What does high-POE really imply? The place does it make sense?

Just about each high-end hub maker touts how briskly their hubs have interaction. Both speaking about what number of factors of engagement (POE) they’ve (typically, however not at all times, the identical as variety of tooth) or their angle (°) of engagement. The overall thought is: sooner engagement means a extra responsive really feel between your pedals and the ability delivered to the bottom by way of the rear wheel tire. Quicker engagement is nice if you wish to get a motorbike up and over an impediment (most frequently off-road) with a fast partial flip of the cranks.

Soul-Kozak says their LoopsDrive will are available 65 POE as a baseline with 65 tooth. 195 POE with the identical variety of tooth however 3 units of loops offset from one another. 780 POE can be doable with 12 offset loop positions, and even 1500 POE with a 125T ring and 12 offset loops. (This mock-up mannequin options 52 tooth, and 156 POE with 3 offset loops.)

Business 9’s newest Hydra hubs tout 690 POEs. Hope’s Professional 5 delivers 108 POEs. DT Swiss’ newest DEG hubs high out at 90 POE (extra on these very quickly!) And Chris King RingDrive delivers 72 POEs. However a whole lot of common high-quality hubs hit a candy spot round 35 factors of engagement.

However you see, sooner isn’t at all times higher – even right here in Soul-Kozak’s LoopsDrive idea. First off, ultra-fast hubs exaggerate the sensation of pedal kickback in lots of full-suspension mountain bike designs. That’s the rationale OChain techniques exist in gravity mountain bike racing. Plus, extra POEs sometimes provides drag to the hub. And usually, squeezing extra POEs inside a hub shell will cut back long-term sturdiness.

How does high-POE measure out on the path?

Let’s begin with the middle-of-the-road 36T engagement that’s widespread on premium hubs like Shimano XTR or DT Swiss 240s. If we discuss a 29er mountain bike with a 2.4″ tire, these 36 POEs translate to 65mm/2.5″ alongside the bottom. That’s how far your tire might roll again earlier than your freehub would have interaction. Or When you’re taking a look at a 170mm crank arm, which means your pedal might transfer down 30mm/1.2″ earlier than the wheel would begin to transfer ahead.

If you’re attempting to recover from a sharp-edged or slippery impediment on the bottom, that may not reduce it. Think about getting on high of a small moist log or massive slick root 100mm/4″ in diameter the place you come to a cease. And your rear wheel might roll again 65mm? You doubtless would have a tough time getting up and over it. Alternatively, the 65 POE LoopsDrive wheel might solely roll again 36mm or let your crankarm drop 16mm. Tripling that 195POEs, the tire might transfer again simply 12mm or crankarm drop simply 5mm. Both of which might make it simpler to rise up an over one thing on the path.

Apparently, it seems sort of like diminishing returns in my head the upper engagement will get. The Business 9 Hydra hub cuts tire motion to only 3.4mm, and pedal motion to only 1.5mm. LoopsDrive’s 780 POE possibility can be 3.0mm & 1.4mm, respectively.

The soar from 36 POE to 65 or 195 are all fairly massive. However I doubt many riders would really feel any profit going from ~200 POEs to 690, 780, and even Loops’ theoretical high out at 1500 POEs.

OK, so what occurs now with Soul-Kozak LoopsDrive?

That’s the million-dollar query that I requested Soul-Kozak about their new LoopsDrive tech. Proper now, that is only a idea. Albeit, an fascinating thought in my thoughts.

Soul-Kozak has a patent pending on the LoopsDrive idea. However this isn’t a product they wish to produce on their very own. They may in idea machine all of the hooked aluminum hubs, make the loops themselves, and even machine the matching cassette in the event that they wanted too. And the hub maker hinted that we’ll doubtless see a extra developed resolution from them, as early as this summer season into autumn.

However Soul-Kozak is aware of that it could be far more environment friendly, and LoopsDrive would turn out to be extra widely-adopted, if they might get extra manufacturers on-board.

Wheels are already a mixture of producers, in order that doesn’t look like an enormous stretch. This rideable prototype gravel wheel is already made up of at the least 8 completely different parts produced by a number of completely different producers. Soul-Kozak’s silver centerlock disc hub with the toothed ring machined into an ultra-high driveside hub flange. Soul-Kozak custom-machined purple massive cog that helps the loops bolted to a modular silver Garbaruk cassette. Then, straight pull stainless spokes and hidden alloy nipples from Sapim, laced to a third-party open mould carbon rim. Lastly topped off with a Continental gravel tire and butyl interior tube.

They then hope to license their LoopsDrive patent to different hub and cassette producers. That method they might get extra individuals to strive the idea. Soul-Kozak explains LoopsDrive manufacturing might be each easy/low-cost or with extra precision for higher-end efficiency. Perhaps something from a low-cost metropolis bike wheel to a premium mountain bike racing setup.

Now we simply have to attend and see if anybody joins in on the enjoyable.

Soul-Kozak.com