Patent ID: 8550199

Claim:
A method of operating a pedal cycle, the pedal cycle having an electro-mechanical drive arrangement including an input electrical machine, an output electrical machine and an input epicyclic gear set; wherein, of the input epicyclic gear set, a first component is coupled to be driven by crank arms of the cycle, a second component is coupled to one of the rotor and stator of the input electrical machine, the other of the rotor and stator being fixed relative to the cycle, and the third component is coupled to drive a wheel of the cycle; the output electrical machine being arranged to at least assist in driving the or another wheel of the cycle when operated as a motor; the method including the steps of: a) operating the input electrical machine as a generator to at least partly power the output electrical machine as a motor; b) determining the angular position of the crank arms; c) controlling the current in the input electrical machine so as not to exceed a maximum current nor fall below a minimum current for the determined angular position of the crank arms.