CCAT's Pedal Power Blender
Project by Bart Orlando and HSU Students, Written by Ben Erickson

The pedal powered blender uses an exercise bike that has been modified to run a blender. A skateboard truck that is attached to a drive shaft is pressed up against the flywheel of the exercise bike. When the bike is pedaled, the flywheel spins, causing the drive shaft to turn. The drive shaft comes up through the bottom of a board used as a table that is attached to the bike directly in front of the peddler. At this end of the drive shaft, an adapter has been attached so that it will connect with a standard blender container and blade assembly.

CCAT's pedal powered blender

A wooden block is placed above the end of the drive shaft with the adapter. This wooden block has been carved out so that it will fit securely to the bottom of the blender container and blade assembly. When the blender container and blade assembly is placed into the wooden block, the drive shaft slides into the bottom of the blender, connecting the bike and the blender into a working unit.

CCAT uses this pedal powered blender daily to make anything from fruit drinks to mixing up the ingredients for the rice and soymilk workshops.