Early full suspension frames were heavy and tended to bounce up and down while a rider pedaled.
Many lock out the rear suspension while the rider is pedaling hard or climbing, in order to improve pedaling efficiency.
This was a device inside the hub of the back wheel that allowed the wheel to spin even if the rider wasn't pedalling.
To start the motor, riders would pedal the motorcycle up to speed like a bike.
Some of the newest models have sensors and microprocessors to monitor power flow and adjust it in response to how hard the rider is pedaling.
The faster riders pedaled, the faster the video played.
The derailleur gear ratios are closely spaced so that the rider can pedal at their optimum cadence.
Regulations may or may not require an interlock to prevent use of power when the rider is not pedaling.
These are usually one-speed bicycles with a freewheel so the rider can pedal backward and do tricks on the bike.
With an early start, stronger riders often pedal another seven-and-a-half miles to Piermont on the Hudson.