Bicycle control system

Abstract

A bicycle with an electric pedal assist motor capable of driving a chainring independent of cranks includes wheel speed sensors and crank cadence sensors. The wheel speed sensors and the crank cadence sensors measure wheel speed and crank cadence, respectively, and provide the measured wheel speed and crank cadence to controller of the bicycle. The controller activates motor overdrive based on the measured wheel speed and/or the measured crank cadence.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling electronic shifting of a bicycle, the method comprising:
 determining, by the processor, whether the bicycle is moving;   if the bicycle is moving, determining, by the processor, a rider engagement status;   if the rider engagement status indicates the bicycle is being ridden, enabling, by the processor, the use of an assist motor for electronic shifting.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a first sensor, first sensor data.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first sensor is a wheel speed sensor and the first sensor data is wheel speed data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the processor uses the wheel speed data to determine whether the bicycle is moving. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a second sensor, second sensor data; and   receiving, from a third sensor, third sensor data.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the second sensor data is data related to the strain of a bicycle crank. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the third sensor is a crank speed sensor, and the third sensor data is crank speed data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the processor uses the data related to the strain of the bicycle crank and the crank speed data to determine the rider engagement status. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 to determine the rider engagement status:   determining, by the processor, an input power based on the crank speed data and the data related to the strain of the bicycle crank; and   comparing, by the processor, the input power to a predetermined threshold power.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the rider engagement status indicates the bicycle is being ridden when the calculated input power is greater than the predetermined threshold power.