Today, you traditionally get 21 gears to choose from on a mountain bike. Leonardo da Vinci, back in the 1400’s, sketched out a transmission system that utilizes ball bearings and discs to set an infinite amount of possible gear ratios. A knob at the handle bars controls the angle of the ball bearings within the wheel hub. You pedal to rotate one disc, and the other disc transfers power to the wheel. The bearings have a wide range of motion, which gives you very precise control over the energy being put in, and the speed coming out.

Within four years you can expect to see this technology in cars, wind turbines, or anything with need for a transmission system. It will dramatically decrease the amount of energy needed to be mobile, and will reduce wear and tear on engines (or bikers). The system is called NuVinci to credit the genius behind it all. Visit http://www.ellsworthbikes.com/ for more information on the bikes. Sketch of transmission after break.