The Ride

Simply called "The Ride" this retro styled bicycle actually has anadvanced transmission that most riders would drool over. The "NuVinci" transmission uses a ball bearing and metal disc system that can mimican infinite number of gears and it got its name because it was inspiredby a 1490's sketch made by Leonardo da Vinci himself. Basically, theNuVinci allows the rider to dial in the perfect gear ratio, rather thanbeing limited to just 21 with a standard chain-driven transmission.Here's how it works:

Twist a dial on the handlebar, and ball bearings in the bike's NuVincitransmission tilt between two rotating metal discs. (Your pedalingturns one disc; the other transfers power to the rear wheel.) As theballs tilt, they touch the discs at varying angles. This changes howfast the wheel spins relative to your pedaling - slowly for low gearratios, where pedaling is easy but the wheel doesn't turn much, andquickly for high ratios. The balls can roll to almost any angle, givingyou precise control over the bike's torque (and your exertion).

Source: ellsworthride.comAdded: 7 January 2008