US 12,029,939 B2
Bicycle trainer and method of its operation
Martin Smits, Wassenaar (NL)
Assigned to Tacx B.V., Oegstgeest (NL)
Appl. No. 16/644,768
Filed by Tacx B.V., Wassenaar (NL)
PCT Filed Sep. 17, 2018, PCT No. PCT/NL2018/050608
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 5, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/059759, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 28, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2019598 (NL), filed on Sep. 21, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0060379 A1, Mar. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. A63B 22/06 (2006.01); A63B 21/005 (2006.01); A63B 24/00 (2006.01)
CPC A63B 22/0605 (2013.01) [A63B 21/0058 (2013.01); A63B 24/0087 (2013.01); A63B 2024/009 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bicycle trainer comprising:
a seat;
handlebars;
a motor;
rotatable pedals coupled with the motor;
an electronically variable brake acting on the motor to simulate real-world cycling conditions; and
a computing element in electrical communication with the electronically variable brake, the computing device configured to:
identify a predetermined setting of the braking resistance to simulate a change of inertia that would be experienced by an outdoor cyclist when making a change to a selected gear of a bicycle while riding outdoors, and
output a control signal to the electronically variable brake including the predetermined setting of the braking resistance;
wherein, once a selected gear of the bicycle trainer is changed, the electronically variable brake generates a braking resistance on the motor that corresponds to the identified predetermined setting and simulates the derailing of a virtual chain that connects to the rotatable pedals when moving from a first sprocket wheel to a second sprocket wheel of a bicycle while riding outdoors.