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I have lived in a place for a bit now that has a yard, but I am only now becoming responsible for the yard myself. I have this crazy dream to mod mowers so they will be environmentally friendly. The only problem is, I'm not sure how much toward reality my ideas are.

I've got about three ideas. Not to make this too long, I'll toss the first idea out and see if you guys think I'm as crazy as my family says. I want to combine thigh toning exercise (yes, I'm a lady) with the mowing routine.

I was thinking about taking a bicycle frame, finding a couple of old human powered push mowers, and a part meant to attach to pull behind a mower like a little grass thresher (don't know what they are called but I know what they look like) and making them into a Frankenstein of my own designs.

I was thinking about putting a thick rod through the front wheel that runs through the center of the push mower cylinders--one on each side. Then I was thinking about hooking the back piece to the bike, so its kind of set up like a giant tricycle.

This way I could pedal around the yard and mow it while getting some fat burning exercise. I know I would have to keep the blades super sharp. My family and friends think I'm crazy....that it would take too much effort if it worked at all. What do you all think?

OK
I could Not resist....
:smile: KennyV

I would think that the 2 rear wheels would give you more traction and control -- I prefer the tractor myself :laughing:

another idea ?

BKBrown said:

View attachment 247

another idea ?

Click to expand...

This 1 makes a lot of sense. Stabil & fucntionable. May want to use an adult size trike.

If you have spent much time pushing a reel mower you know it takes quite a bit of effort to keep it mowing...
I'm relatively sure you will need to do some serious gear reduction to get any energy to the blades... I don't think it is really going to be practical to do petal power mowers. KennyV

I wouldn't want to be on the bike mowing the lawn but I think it's a pretty neat idea. I don't think a lot of people will buy into it though. Too much work! We have way too much lawn to mow to be using a leg powered mower.

I love all of these designs. At each of these pics it makes me think, "Yes! Kinda like that!" I do like the double rear wheel. Its not exactly what I was thinking but I think it is more stable as someone else suggested.

I have pretty developed thighs. I bike quite a lot and thats where all my muscle (or flab when I lay off) seems to go. I do know it would be a ton of work. Growing up we had a power push mower and that can be tiring on large lawns. I conned my dad on a green bent to get an old human powered push mower and it was a lot lot effort.

These kind of give me ideas for designs.

Go for it - sounds like a fun project, whether it actually works or not. I'd recommend getting some fatter tires than you might normally see on a bike. Standard narrow bicycle tires will not be kind to the lawn, and if the ground is wet they'll likely get mired.

The pull-behind method seems to overcome the problem of steering with a huge reel-thingy out front. You'll also likely have to incorprate some method of reversing direction, since having to get off the thing at every tight spot would defeat the purpose. But the ability to reverse poses a new set of problems for the pull-behind method, as anyone who has towed something can attest.

I agree with Kennyv, I have a reel mower and it takes a LOT of energy to get the blades spinning. I suspect you'd have to incorporate an integrated design, getting the bicycle gears involved somehow. At any rate, that'll be the biggest challenge.

Found another --

@mystreba Those are actually all really good suggestions. I hadn't even thought about reverse. Perhaps I would only use it on a central patch for the exercise and reduced fuel use. That way I would only have to turn 'round and 'round. Then I could do the outer edges with a regular mower. (And also make crop circles :laughing

The physics in my brain is a little rusty, but I am thinking about this gear problem. I think y'all are right that if I work the gear size and ratio out just right it will lessen the effort needed to mow. And I think you are right about the tires. Good info for when I select an old frame to modify.

Speaking of which, the back double wheel design is making me think I would have to modify the bike by welding on a new part...I've never welded before, so I might have to either look for an old novelty bike frame, or think about a different way of doing it...perhaps if the frame is hollow boring holes for bolts and making sure the wheel fork can be inserted into the frame and bolted in that way...Or another way. The ole gears are grinding.

Just thinking about getting the bicycle gears involved in an integrated fashion.... ever see a hand beater in action?

Most mowers have a deck in the middle. Something to think about.