Heck, forget shorting it out, for my lazy but we need to tie it to some power
and let it pedal itself !!!

No, all bull aside,  wouldn't this require a pretty good size electric motor?

Richard Skinner
rwskinner@worldnet.att.net
http://home.att.net/~rwskinner

----------
> From: FScalini <FScalini@AOL.COM>
> To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject: exercise machine (using PIC)
> Date: Saturday, April 04, 1998 10:54 PM
>
> I'm trying to make an excercise bike as a personal project using a PIC for
the
> interface/control.
>
> Rather than use a friction device that makes noise, dust, and wears out, I
> though of using a DC motor connected to the pedals to create the variable
> resistance.  If I wire the motor as a generator and short circuit it's
output,
> it should provide braking force, right?  Then I could use a PWM setup to
vary
> it's resistance.
>
> I'm not an electrical engineer and this is just a hobby.  Does anybody see
any
> problems with the above setup.  Will a DC motor be able to handle something
> like this?  Anybody know how the gym-quality excercise bikes provide the
> variable resistance?  Any comments or suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks