> >I've only tried the "pedal on a lamp" exhibits at science museums,
>>but I was pretty quickly convinced that pedaling at our desks is
>>NOT going to be the energy source of the future.
>
> Yes, I would tend to agree. However it might be worth seeing if you 
> can find
> some information on the Australian Flying Doctor radio Network, 
> which used
> pedal powered radios on outback stations in years past. These did 
> sometimes
> need to have reasonable lengths of on-air time, though probably 
> mostly as a
> receiver, for the school network. I suspect that they probably had a 
> car or
> similar deep cycle battery as the main source, and used pedal power 
> to keep
> it topped up.

I have considerable experience in this area for exercise bicycle 
applications. I build the electronics rather than the alternators but 
can probably provide some advice. A power level of 50 to 100 watts is 
probably realistically achievable long term. You can produce peak 
power at well above this level but you wouldn't want to do so for 
long. I can "burst" to 500 watts or so but rapidly find it most 
unpleasant.


        RM
 

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