The "bus" takes 32 pedallers, a driver and a guide. It is constructed on a truck chassis, weighs 2500 kg and uses 80 meters of bike chain...
The contraption has been used to bring technology students from Eindhoven University of Technology to a brewery and back...

I bet the ride back was fun....

finally, a use for lazy, lay-about students.

I had this huge brainstorm about how social pressure would determine how hard people peddle on a contraption like this. Little old ladies are exempt, people fake injuries and illness, macho dudes prove their mettle by pumping, etc.

Fascinating social implications of a thing like this.

This thing is amazing. Why impractical? No more impractical than a diesel bus.

For one thing, it's impractical because a regular person on a bike can go 20km/h easily, or more. And they won't have to wait for the bike-propelled bus, or wait for people to make their stops, or go on a route other than the one that's optimal to them.

I think it's a neat idea, don't get me wrong. Might even be a good idea to have something that's hybrid human-power supplemented with something else (fuel cell, natural gas, electric, or even traditional gas/diesel).

But, in all honesty, I'd rather have 20 more bikers on the road than 1 more bus.

Rusty, it's probably potentially a little more efficient to have 20 peddlers on one vehicle, instead of 20 bikes (think about the advantage a tandem has over 2 cyclists). That 20km/h is probably with non-athletic average (though young) peddlers.

Pat, the part about macho dudes reminds me of a friend-of-a-friend's story about being a guide on the Jungle Canoes (or whatever they were called) at Disneyland a few decades back. He got a boatload of Navy SEALs or some such, who of course all had to be the hardest paddling SOB in the boat. He says they just about lifted the (ferrocement, I think) canoe out of the water when they all stroked together!

It is true that 2 people on a tandem have a mechanical advantage over 2 individuals on 2 bikes. But there are factors to negate that advantage, at least in this case.

1. The bus unloaded wieghs 2.5 metric tons. Divide that by 32 people and you get 78kg each. Compare that to a tandem bicycle. I don't know what the average one weighs. But my bicycle, which is by no means light, weighs less than 10kg.

2. In this case, everyone is going to the same place, and I assume with no stops along the way. If this were not true I think any mechanical advantage would disappear. I used to ride the bus to work. The route between my home and my office was at least 2 or 3 times longer than if I drove there in a car.

Furthermore, 20 kmph is something even your average, overweight, non-excercising type (me) can pull off. I average 13 miles an hour (around 20 kmph) on the way to work (5 miles). My top speed is more like 20 mph (33 kmph) if I get a good wind at my back. I ride a hybrid bike (fully at home in neither street or off road but not terrible at either). I could probably do better with a good road bike.

In no way am I trying to crap on the concept of the bike bus, I think it's pretty cool. But I agree with the "impractical" assessment. Personally I like lots of stuff that's cool but impractical.

It's great to see methane power finally being put to practical use.

Good points, Rusty. I think I must have been unconsciously reading 20kph as 20mph. I too agree, impractical but cool.