If you’ve ever chatted with people about which elliptical machines they believe to be the best, you will usually get different answers. Not all elliptical machines fit everyone the same. Unlike purchasing a treadmill or other pieces of workout equipment, an elliptical machine needs to fit your body type just right or it will feel uncomfortable or jerky. An elliptical machine may feel perfect to someone else but feel horrible to you. If you feel uncomfortable on a machine, it’s most likely because the stride length doesn’t fit your body appropriately.

Some elliptical machines offer an adjustable stride length. This is a more expensive feature but its great if you are going to have several users of different heights, or you will be alternating from walking and running speeds. However, usually one size fits all will do if you get the stride length close enough to what is required for your body type. There is no need to pay for the adjustable stride length features when you can get the stride length close to the needs of all users. Most people are able to adjust to the feel of an elliptical machine over time. Also, you will typically be moving at higher speeds in order to keep your heart rate at an optimal level so the need to vary your stride lengths during a workout is not required.

Stride Length and User Height

Let’s review some helpful information that may help you choose your stride length. Understand that this decision is going to be directly related to your height. You don’t have to get it exact. Just follow the rules of thumb outlined below and you will be able to identify a stride length that will work well enough for your body. A difference in an inch isn’t going to be noticeable and you will adjust. You can also go with what you know. If you know the stride lengths of machines you feel comfortable on, stick with that.

Users Below 5′4″

Shorter elliptical users will be able to exercise comfortable on an elliptical stride length of 18″ or less.

Users Between 5′4″ and 5′8″

Any stride length bellow at 16″ or less will probably be uncomfortable for people of average height. We recommend you stick with ellipticals with a stride length of 18″. The closer you are to 5′8″ you are, you may want to consider up to a 20″ stride. I am 5′6″ and I feel great on machines with a stride length between 18″ and 20″.

Users Above 5′9″

The taller you are, the more you will want to think about getting a machine with a longer stride length. If you are closer to 5′9″ you will probably be ok even with an 18″ stride, although we do recommend you try at least a 19″ stride. The taller you are, you should try a 21″ plus elliptical stride length.

A longer the stride length may cost you a little more money but you cannot cut corners here. If you choose the right stride length, no matter the flywheel position or the cost of the elliptical trainer, you should experience a more effective and comfortable workout

Visit Lauren’s elliptical site for more information about home elliptical machines. You will find comprehensive elliptical reviews [http://www.home-elliptical-machines.com/elliptical-reviews.html] and more articles.

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You will discover that flywheels have illusive retention devices, in particular the rapid rewind systems that include ball bearings.

You will also discover that once you figure out how to remove the “rapid rewind cog system” that the flywheel is fixed pretty hard on the crank shaft.

This article is about:

- How to first of all remove the “rapid rewind cog system.”

- Secondly how to remove the stubborn flywheel

- And finally how to put it all back together again.

It should be noted that the flywheel has fins on it. If any of these fins become broken, the engine will become out of balance and vibrate intensely. If the fins are broken, the flywheel is junk, so be very careful around the fins.

To remove the “rapid rewind cog” use a pipe wrench and a screw driver. The pipe wrench is put on the “rapid rewind cog” and the screw driver is inserted in between the cast iron fins. (Note: there are aluminum fins, stay away from them, they will break)

Rotate the crank shaft so that the screw driver is pressed against an immovable object. Another method which is more forgiving, is to wedge a piece of wood (this works best when the engine is mounted to the engine mounts on the go kart) under the flywheel. This acts like a wedge brake.

Gently press down on the pipe wrench. Excessive force is not needed here. The “rapid rewind cog” generally comes off rather easily then.

A note with respect to the “rewind cog”: unless you like chasing ball bearings all over the floor, keep in mind that typically a screen covers the rewind. Remove the screen, BUT put the retention screws back in place right away. This makes the “rewind cog” stay together, and also be accessible to the pipe wrench.

Next the flywheel is stuck on the crank shaft with a press fit. Actually the flywheel is press fit using a cone shaft aperture on the crankshaft. The object is to “pop” the press fit. To do this generally a shock needs to be introduced into the system.

There are two methods that work best. First shock the end of the crank shaft with a very hard piece of wood and a mallet. Note: do not use steel on steel, the end of the crank shaft will become mushroomed over and become unusable. Repair is usually not doable.

There are tools available that you put on the end of the crankshaft, but even they can damage the crankshaft. So be careful to use minimal blows on the crank. And in case I did not make myself clear, the blows are normal, or perpendicular, or axial to the crankshaft, not to the side of the crank, but to the end of it.

Sometimes that does not work. If the engine has been sitting around for years, or is over 10 years old, the crank may have rusted partially to the flywheel.

Use a little penetrating oil at the flywheel, crank interface.

Then pry the back of the flywheel, very gently, and evenly with a flat head screw driver, or even a prybar. Very light action is needed. If you are reefing on the screw driver, there is something wrong. (something else is holding the flywheel on!)

The flywheel should “pop” off right away, so be sure to catch it before it flies off and falls on the floor. I suggest having a catch system such as rags or cardboard.

To reinstall the flywheel put it back together the same way it came apart. Use the pipe wrench and the screw driver method to tighten the “rewind cog.”

Again, do not over tighten the “rewind cog.” Also take note that the washer was put back in place.

Just as a side note, the only real reason a flywheel should be removed on modern magneto style engines is if the key way sheared. If the key way sheared you should be looking at other areas on the engine for damage…

The Go Kart Guru is a Go Karting Design, Fabrication and Performance specialist. Topics ranging from Turbo Charged Go Karts to Wood Go Karts, the Go Kart Guru has something to say (that will help you!) about it. Visit http://GoKartGuru.com for more details.

And for those with Vertical Lawnmower Engines, there is a special section just for you! Don’t throw away that vertical engine just yet!

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Chain Breaker: The master link on a motorcycle chain is installed with the intention of it being sturdy and not releasing at the wrong time. This means that breaking the chain’s master link loose to remove the chain or adjust the length can be quite difficult. However, a chain breaker meant just for this purpose is not expensive and is well worth every dime you’ll invest in purchasing a good one.

Chain Press Tool: Of course, one your break the chain, you’ll want to re-install that chain or a new one onto the bike later. The chain press is a handy tool to make this simple and easy and avoid the “banging hammer, black and blue thumb” method.

Clutch Holding Tool and Clutch Spring Compression Tool : This pair of tools are especially handy. You will at times need to work on your bike with the clutch compressed when there isn’t anyone around to hold the clutch for you. With the clutch holding tool, it isn’t any problem to have the clutch held in a compressed position for you. The clutch spring compression tool is a must-have for working on your clutch. You can obtain the pair for under $100 if you shop around.

Handle Bar and Subframe Straightener: You are going to have times you need to straighten a bend in your chopper frame or handle bars. Get the job done right with a straightener tool which you can find at a reasonable price. Because this tool will have to withstand a lot of pressure, be sure to buy a quality tool with a good guarantee.

Hydraulic Brake Bleeder: If you like to work alone when doing a chopper build, you may not have someone around when you need to bleed the brake lines of any trapped air. For under $50, you can add a hydraulic brake bleeder to your tool kit and do the job alone quite easily.

Compression Tester: Engine rebuilds or troubleshooting will be easier when you have a quality compression tester on hand. A good quality compression tester for your chopper will cost $100 or more, but you’ll use it for many, many years, making it a sound investment.

Flywheel Puller: This inexpensive tool is a must-have for working on choppers. You can pull flywheels with ease and without harming the part by using the right tool for the job.

Crank Case Splitter: Getting into the crank case can be impossible unless you use a crank case splitter. This won’t be the least expensive tool in your collection but it will make an engine rebuild much easier, so invest in a quality crank case splitter for your chopper builds.

Fork Tools: To work efficiently on your custom chopper forks, you’ll want several tools. First, a fork oil gage level is a must-have so you can check the oil levels in your forks. Fork seal drivers will make installing new fork seals much easier.

Carb Sync Gage Set: If you run a chopper with more than one carb, you’ll want a sync gage set so you can tune all the carbs to perfection.

Jet Wrench: A jet wrench for adjusting your carb jets is another great addition to your took chest.

Valve Shim Adjustment Tool: Valve shim adjustment is a tedious task to say the least. With the right tool, it can be done without nearly as much frustration. The cost is low and the added efficiency is priceless.

Spoke Wrench: If you use spoked wheels, you’ll want to have a spoke wrench in your tool box to adjust the spokes.

Wheel Truing Stand: To adjust the spokes so that your wheel turns perfectly requires a stand in which you can mount the tire and allow it to spin freely. A wheel truing stand will run you $100 or more but it’s an investment in a quality tool that you’ll use for decades to come.

Tyler Powers is a contributing author and webmaster for Custom Choppers Guide. You will find specialty articles on chopper building, custom motorcycle painting, and a free mini course on motorcycle building mistakes.

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20 member team at AFS Trinity Power Corp claims to make this possible with their plug in hybrid car. On technology front, they are going to use flywheel to create and store power. Conventional cars use gasoline engine to power the vehicle whereas hybrid cars use gasoline engine with battery support. However, the claimed car will use gasoline engine, battery source with flywheel or a capacitor. The power load is shifted among these sources according to the requirement.

The flywheel will help the car in two ways i.e firstly it will help the car in the time of acceleration and secondly it will absorb the power which is being wasted while braking. It will also help the car to use lesser number and lighter batteries. This will collectively help to reduce the overall weight of the car. Flywheel or capacitor is said to absorb power efficiently and quickly.

In future, the gasoline engine could also be replaced with more fuel-efficient hydrogen fuel cells. It is estimated that these cars would cost $3 to $7 for gas and $4 for electricity per week, which is much lower, then $14 for hybrid cars and $36 for conventional cars.

As the environment is degrading each day and fuel is depleting even faster, these types of technology could help stabilize the situation largely. Let us see if dreams of Bellevue auto visionaries come live. Think of a situation if oil imports from Middle East stops due to some reason.

Ansh a car enthusiast could be reached at New car updates

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One could arguably trace the embryonic days of motorcycling back to 1817 and the German ‘hobby horse’ which was in effect a human powered two-wheeler with the locomotive force provided by paddling one’s feet along the pavement. Good for shoemakers, bad for the spine. More efficient cranks and pedals attached to a wheel didn’t appear until 1861 when a Frenchman put it all together. Over the next two decades, a succession of two-, three- and four wheeled steam- and gasoline-powered cycles huffed, puffed and sputtered themselves into existence as the evolution of the motorcycle spawned ever newer, and occasionally better, designs across Europe and America.

Although the above quote from the prophetically inclined I Ching may not pertain to the entire state of the fledgling world of motorcycles prior to 1894, it wasn’t until that year that things began to coalesce. The year brought profound changes, those advances synthesized from German, French and British designers and manifested in one of the seminal machines of motorcycling… the Hildebrand & Wolfmuller.

The stage was set: Munich, Germany, 1894. Not far away in Russia, Nicholas II, the last of the pre-Soviet czars had ascended the throne while further east China and Japan were at war in Korea. However, politics and empire building were of little interest to brothers Heinrich and Wilhelm Hildebrand. They were busy revolutionizing human transportation. True, their initial focus had been on building steam powered machines in an effort to conquer the steep inclines of their beloved Bavarian hills, but it was a start, if a hot and bubbly one. After a period of steamy experimentation, Heinrich and Wilhelm discovered that a bunch of hot air could only take you so far. Being bright and industrious lads, the Hildebrands decided to join forces with two nimble-minded engineers Alois Wolfmuller and Hans Geisenhof, both residents of nearby Langsberg, a few kilometers from Munich. Geisenhof brought some extra clout to the party as he had been a member of the Benz automobile group and knew his way around powerplants.

The Geisenhof/Hildebrand early efforts resulted in a rather anemic and unreliable two-stroke gasoline fed engine, a powerplant that did not reach their level of expectations. But then it was Wolfmuller’s turn to try his hand. He met the challenge, designing a much more robust four-stroke engine of parallel twin design. Unfortunately the sheer mass of metal that went into his creation proved too burdensome for the spindly bicycle “safety” frames of the era. In fact, very shortly after implantation, the weight of the engine snapped the frame. Now they had an engine, but no frame.

It was not exactly back to the drawing board since the H&W team came up with a reworked version of the frame originally utilized by their 1889 steam bike, so all that effort had some pay back after all. The twin-tube, open duplex design nicely accommodated the big four-stroke gas engine. It seemed to be a well-planned out execution including the fuel tank attached neatly to the down-tubes. In any case it all managed to hold together well enough for the clerks at the Munich patent office to grant their official state stamp of approval. Thus as of January 1894 the Hildebrand & Wolfmuller motor cycle was a legitimate, and thus saleable, product. Now all the four inventors had to do market the fruits of their labor.

They promptly formed a company called, with true Teutonic verbal efficiency, the Motofahrrad-Fabrik Hildebrand & Wolfmuller and built headquarters in Munich. The company’s coffers were well stock with funding and now it was full-steam, rather now full-gasoline, ahead as the entrepreneurs hastened to put their innovative H & W motorcycle into production… and into the history books as literally the first vehicle to be described with the generic term “motor cycle.”

The H &W was also remarkable for several other “firsts.” For one, it featured the largest engine ever successfully fitted into a two-wheeled production vehicle in the 90-year history of two-wheelers with a displacement of 1498cc from a pair of horizontal cylinders with a bore and stroke of 90 x 1117 mm.

A closer look at the engine uncovers its steam heritage as the design incorporated long connecting rods that linked, in a steam locomotive style, directly to rear wheel spindle cranks that incorporated an epicyclical reduction gear. The solid rear disc wheel stood in place of a flywheel (a design that would later haunt H &W) while a pair of wide rubber straps facilitated the return stroke of each piston. Borrowing from the Daimler auto people, the H &W utilized a platinum hot tube as a means of igniting the fuel that found its way from the gas tank to a surface type carburetor. The inlet valves themselves were automatic, while long rods and a cam on the rear wheel actuated the two exhaust valves.

Yet another technological development borrowed from other designers was the combination rear fender/water tank configuration. First innovated by the Englishman Edward Butler and the Frenchman Georges Richard, the fender served not only to keep the rider tidy, but also served as a reservoir for a supply of water used to cool the engine. In addition one frame tube took the place of an oil tank. Yes, an oil-in-the frame, water-cooled four-stroke engine of almost 1500cc displacement built more than a hundred years ago. Such wonders obviously will never cease, but this was a “first.”

It also seems the Munich motorrad was the first motorcycle to come equipped with pneumatic tires, the air-filled rubber treads built by the German company of Veith via the British Dunlop company who had pioneered the tire design in 1888.

Now, with all the accolades heaped upon the H&W notwithstanding, the machine did have its share, and then some, of shortcomings. The term “spoon” is used to describe the Stone Age-ish contrivance working its friction upon the front tire. When it was applied, it also automatically closed down the throttle, while in the early models, a pedal operated a metal plate to bring it into direct contact with the pavement in a further if desperate effort to slow the bike’s forward progress. It certainly made for an entertaining and startling sight in the dark hours of night with sparks flying all about. At least it would give ample warning for pedestrians to make their escape.

The starting procedure for the H&W required grit, grip and cardio-vascular integrity. Gripping the machine you flung it and yourself forward, your legs pumping as fast as they could go until you heard the pop and crack of ignition… there was no clutch by the way…and then you would leap aboard and make all effort to quickly find the thumb-screw operated throttle and then turn it just the right amount to maintain an equal supply of fuel. In other words, athletic ability akin to Olympic bobsledding and the dexterity of a brain surgeon were helpful.

But the rewards were… well you were off and running to a maximum of 28 mph, all the H&W’s 2 ½ horses could manage at a ripping 240 rpm. Again, these are relative fun-factor figures since we must remember we’re blasting along on 1894 roads, our snarling, spark throwing machine terrorizing man and beast. The world would have to pass in a blur, since even the steam powered trains of the day, riding on nice safe steel rails, could only manage twice the bike’s speed.

The H&W was indeed “wunderbar”, and at first glance a brilliant success, a miraculous machine that caught the fancy of many an adventurous and advant garde customer of the day. Orders flooded the company’s offices to the tune of 2, 000, 000 Deutschmarks. Such was the public demand, and the money in hand, that Hildebrand and Wolfmuller ordered up architectural plans for an all new factory to be erected on the Colosseum Strasse. Its vast interior would be home to 1200 employees not to mention satellite buildings and the contracting of work from many local engineering workshops. You could say that H&W had brought a boom of more than one kind to the city of Munich.

As part of the promotional activities H &W sent one of their new machines to Paris to test the French Vichy waters. The plans included a public relations fete hosted by bon vivant Pierre Giffard, a newspaper publisher and pioneering motor sport enthusiast, who in fact had hosted the world’s first motoring contest, the 1894 Paris-Rouen race.

Once again it was another glorious outing for the H&W, and as a result the French company of Duncan, Suberbie et Cie signed on as licensed dealers. However, they felt the German name might not be that much of a selling card for their French customers and conjured up the named “La Petrolette” which seemed to translate to something like “small gasoline.” But in any case there was an almost immediate order for 50 of the motorcycles, so the French called in for a hundred just to be safe.

Now the “Duncan” of that French company was an Englishman transplanted to Paris, and he was very bully for the bike, and thought it would be good advertising to stage a race in the lovely town of Lille. So it came to pass in the spring of 1895 that the roar of “La Petroletttes” were to resound in the previously tranquil French countryside. However, Fate made a sudden and foreboding detour in the fortunes of the H&W. A fire broke out in the event’s hotel the night before race day, the flames ravaging the three bikes intended for the demonstration. Moreover, adding insult to injury, the loud sounds of the exploding Dunlop tires fed rumors that the gasoline powered machines were inherently dangerous. While the event was canceled, it did not thwart the H&W company’s plans for expanding their market.

Looking for the proper venue to highlight his product, Wolfmuller himself transported two bikes to Italy where he and Giovanni-Battista Ceirano, an automobile enthusiast, would ride them in another history making event, the country’s first combination car and bike race. The machines would speed from the city of Turin to the village of Asti and return, all on the day of May 28, 1895.

Over hill and dale, the slew of pre-1900 cars and motorcycles slid, slipped and surged along the 62-mile course. By day’s end, the two stalwart H&W’s with Wolfmuller and Ceirano covered in dust and glory crossed the finish line in 2nd and 3rd Place, bested only by a Daimler automobile. But that glory was short-lived as the next race, the important Paris-Bordeaux-Paris race ended in disaster at the mid-way point as both H&D entries fell victim to what were becoming glaring and dangerous design flaws. The problems lay with the hot tube ignition, and the erratic handling of the rear wheel caused by its poor flywheel effect that in turn caused the rider to lurch around violently on his mount.

When things go wrong, they can go wrong all at once and as if nobody had an inkling until it all too late. Not only were the bikes in need of “recall,” the bean-counters back in Paris and Munich finally figured out that the cost of making the machines was more than their price tags. In effect, the company was operating in the red. And then it started, the droves of first-time customers, recently acquainted with their new purchases, were writing unpleasant letters about starting problems among other issues.

Worse yet, many wanted their money back. Sadly, by 1897 and after producing approximately 800 machines, the German and French companies imploded, and the H&W was no more. While the marque became another of the many short-lived and long extinct motorcycles, it had well-earned its niche in the history books. As the first production motorcycle, H&W had brought together many innovations and the genius of several nations, and in so doing carved yet another stepping stone on the long, often rocky road of the motorcycle’s evolution.

In all fairness, the Hildebrand and Wolfmuller should be remembered in the context that it represented the pivotal moment when the so-called motor-bicycle entered the public consciousness as the motorcycle. And like many technological introductions, it had a dramatic effect on the cultural psyche. An English test rider of the day, after riding the H&W responded, “I have never forgotten the first sensation of riding a bicycle propelled by its own power. The feeling of traveling over the ground without effort was delightful. From that moment I became a staunch believer in the motor-bicycle and predicted a great future for it.”

For starters Paul Garson rides motorcycles daily in L.A. He’s also been the Editor of Hot Bike, VQ, Early-Riders and Eagles Eye magazines. Some 60 motorcycles and over 1000 magazine articles later he’s developing a somewhat wobbly eye for bikes beyond bizzare and the never ending Norton Fastback project growing in his apartment closet.

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1. Kawasaki Jet Ski SXR800 Flywheel Puller [18mm x 1.5mm]
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