Tarasov Patented Row-Drive™ Drive Train Technology
Superior Design and Engineering Features
* Row-drive™ captures the body's energy in a ratio of 2:1 legs to arms. * Legs and the arms perform to their maximum potential during training even though they are not equal in strength. * Uniquely integrated arm stroke and steering control mechanism delivers linear power generation and complete mechanical directional control. * Concealed belts, pulleys and cords mean reduced maintenance and incidental damage. * Polymer bearings, aramid fiber belts and specialized alloys produce a light, fast, smooth and superior performing cycle.
Based on human biomechanics and kinesiology, Tarasov's row-drive™ technology efficiently combines energy developed by the rider's arms, legs and back during a given stoke. Energy generated during each stroke is harnessed in a 2:1 ratio of energy generated by the legs to the energy generated by the arms . This produces a powerful, balanced rowing motion and maximizes the energy captured by the drive train of the cycle.
The principle is simple. A person’s legs are much stronger than their arms. A system intent on capturing energy generated through the motion of the arms and the legs must be able to capture this energy in a proportion equal to the strength of each part. In the row-drive™ system, one stroke of the legs produces an amount of energy delivered to the power train that is approximately two times greater than the energy delivered by an equivalent arm stroke. This allows both the legs and the arms to perform to their maximum potential during training even though the arms and legs are not equal in strength. The rider sits stationary and pushes with their legs and pulls with their arms to deliver energy to the drive train. That same energy is then transferred by mechanical means from the belt drive to a chain drive, which can drive the rear wheel on a cycle, a propeller in a boat or glider, etc.
Arm and leg stroke mechanisms work independently. When the rider pushes with their legs, they move; when they pull with their arms, they more; or when they push and pull with legs and arms simultaneously, they move. All this happens while the rider sits stationary.
Tarasov further refined this design to integrate arm stroke power generation and directional control in the same mechanism. There is no separate steering mechanism. We use a specially developed telescopic tube assembly that allows a straight, linear pulling motion originating at the steering source. We avoid the pendulum shaped pulling motion common in many other designs on the market. This is also true of the leg stroke mechanism that features linear power generation from the hips directly along the belt path of the drive train. Lastly, we have designed our frame tube to accommodate the power belt, return belt and pulleys of the system. This minimizes exposure to obstacle impact and exposure to natural elements.
Our team honed these technologies further by integrating advanced materials and manufacturing methods to produce a cycle that is smooth, quiet and light. The leg stroke and arm stroke assemblies utilize the latest polymer bearings. These are light, cost effective, easy to assemble, easily serviceable by the end user, and available as a replacement kit. The arm stroke assembly also uses polymer slideway material in a telescopic arm configuration that allows the mechanism to be compact, light and easily serviceable. The drive belt utilizes aramid (Kevlar®) for increased the strength and toughness while allowing it to be as small and light as possible. Last, we cooperate with suppliers to utilize the latest in metal alloys for strong, resilient frames. In future, we will move to titanium and carbon fiber materials that will increase strength and lighten the cycle products even more.
Rowcycles based on row-drive™ technology are fast. They are capable of higher speeds than conventional bikes because they merge the strength of different muscle groups engaged in maximum exertion to produce the energy for propulsion. To understand this more clearly, lets compare this to an animal trotting on an open plain using the power of only its legs and the same animal galloping full speed across the same plain with all its muscles of the body engaged. When the animal’s body is fully engaged and able to generate and transfer maximum power to the running motion, higher than normal speeds are possible.
Tests performed in the University of Western Australia's human motion laboratory concluded that for a given output of exercise intensity, the rowing cycle is more effective at generating greater velocities than that of a conventional bicycle. The tests also showed that the rowcycle could play a successful role in the physical conditioning of rowing-based athletes since the mechanics of the cycle's drive system removes some of the flaws of a rowing ergometric. Additionally, with the extra energy required to power the machine in the endurance based testing, the rowcycle may be an innovative tool for weight control in unhealthy populations. At Tarasov, we believe we have the technologies that will push the speed and performance envelope of human propulsion. We have ambitious goals at Tarasov -- to compete in human propulsion speed trials and set human propulsion records within three years of our first production run.
We currently have WPO, US, Europe and Australia patents (pending) covering our unique row-drive™ system.
