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An electric motor assisted bicycle is provided having a fork, a frame, a front wheel, a rear wheel, and pedals drivingly coupled to at least one of the front and rear wheels to enable human powered motion of the bicycle. The bicycle further includes a plurality of bearings uniformly spaced around a

An electric motor assisted bicycle is provided having a fork, a frame, a front wheel, a rear wheel, and pedals drivingly coupled to at least one of the front and rear wheels to enable human powered motion of the bicycle. The bicycle further includes a plurality of bearings uniformly spaced around a perimeter of a rim of one of the front and rear wheels and an electric motor drive system coupled to the bicycle to selectively provide electric motor assisted motion thereof. The electric motor drive system includes an electric motor coupled to the bicycle and a drive cog drivingly coupled to the electric motor, the drive cog positioned to sequentially engage the plurality bearings when driven by the electric motor to power the bicycle in a motor assisted manner. Other bicycle systems and components and related methods are also provided.

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1. An electric motor assisted bicycle, the bicycle comprising: a bicycle structure having a fork, a frame, a front wheel, a rear wheel, and pedals drivingly coupled to at least one of the front and rear wheels to enable human powered motion of the bicycle;a plurality of bearings uniformly spaced aro

1. An electric motor assisted bicycle, the bicycle comprising: a bicycle structure having a fork, a frame, a front wheel, a rear wheel, and pedals drivingly coupled to at least one of the front and rear wheels to enable human powered motion of the bicycle;a plurality of bearings uniformly spaced around a perimeter of a rim of one of the front and rear wheels, each of the plurality of bearings including a cylindrical engagement profile;a bearing ring, the bearing ring removably attachable to the rim to secure the plurality of bearings therebetween; andan electric motor drive system coupled to the bicycle to selectively provide electric motor assisted motion thereof, the electric motor drive system including an electric motor coupled to the bicycle and a drive cog drivingly coupled to the electric motor, the drive cog positioned to sequentially engage the plurality of bearings when driven by the electric motor to power the bicycle in a motor assisted manner. 2. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the plurality of bearings are uniformly spaced around the perimeter of the rim of the front wheel and the electric motor is coupled to the fork of the bicycle to position the drive cog near the perimeter of the rim of the front wheel. 3. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the plurality of bearings are uniformly spaced around the perimeter of the rim of the rear wheel and the electric motor is coupled to a rear portion of the frame of the bicycle to position the drive cog near the perimeter of the rim of the rear wheel. 4. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the plurality of bearings are roller bearings and are positioned adjacent a sidewall of the rim. 5. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the electric motor is an outrunner brushless DC motor. 6. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the plurality of bearings are individually removably attachable to the rim. 7. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the plurality of bearings physically abut a sidewall of the rim. 8. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the bicycle includes a brake lever and the electric motor drive system further includes a switch that is triggered by actuation of the break lever to generate a signal to activate a regenerative braking mode. 9. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the electric motor drive system further includes a switch that generates a signal to activate a regenerative pedaling mode when actuated. 10. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the electric motor drive system further includes an electric twist grip throttle to selectively control a speed of the electric motor during motor assisted operation of the bicycle. 11. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the drive cog includes a plurality of teeth each having a convex engagement profile to contact the cylindrical engagement profile of each bearing during electric motor assisted operation of the bicycle. 12. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the drive cog includes eight to sixteen teeth and the plurality of bearings amount to one hundred and twenty to one hundred and sixty bearings. 13. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the drive cog includes a plurality of teeth and wherein a ratio of the plurality of bearings to teeth is between about 10:1 and about 20:1. 14. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the drive cog includes a plurality of teeth and corresponding valleys therebetween, and wherein a clearance gap is maintained between the cylindrical engagement profile of a given bearing and the valleys between the teeth of the drive cog engaging the given bearing during operation. 15. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the electric motor drive system further includes an electromagnetic clutch positioned between the electric motor and the drive cog. 16. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the electric motor drive system further includes an ultracapacitor storage element to temporarily store electrical energy and to selectively supply the electrical energy to the electric motor to rotate the drive cog and propel the bicycle. 17. An electric motor assisted bicycle, the bicycle comprising: a bicycle structure having a fork, a frame, a front wheel, a rear wheel, and pedals drivingly coupled to at least one of the front and rear wheels to enable human powered motion of the bicycle;a plurality of bearings uniformly spaced around a perimeter of a rim of one of the front and rear wheels, each of the plurality of bearings including a cylindrical engagement profile, and the rim including a channel integrally formed therein and the plurality of bearings being positioned within the channel; andan electric motor drive system coupled to the bicycle to selectively provide electric motor assisted motion thereof, the electric motor drive system including an electric motor coupled to the bicycle and a drive cog drivingly coupled to the electric motor, the drive cog positioned to sequentially engage the plurality of bearings when driven by the electric motor to power the bicycle in a motor assisted manner. 18. An electric motor assisted bicycle, the bicycle comprising: a bicycle structure having a fork, a frame, a front wheel, a rear wheel, and pedals drivingly coupled to at least one of the front and rear wheels to enable human powered motion of the bicycle;a plurality of bearings uniformly spaced around a perimeter of a rim of one of the front and rear wheels, each of the plurality of bearings including a cylindrical engagement profile, and the rim including a channel integrally formed therein and the plurality of bearings being integrally formed within the channel; andan electric motor drive system coupled to the bicycle to selectively provide electric motor assisted motion thereof, the electric motor drive system including an electric motor coupled to the bicycle and a drive cog drivingly coupled to the electric motor, the drive cog positioned to sequentially engage the plurality of bearings when driven by the electric motor to power the bicycle in a motor assisted manner. 19. The bicycle of claim 18 wherein the plurality of bearings are integrally formed in the rim. 20. A bicycle rim of an electric motor assisted bicycle, the bicycle rim comprising: a ring-shaped body in which a cross-section of the body includes opposing sidewalls;a plurality of threaded apertures formed in at least one of the opposing sidewalls of the ring-shaped body, the plurality of threaded apertures uniformly spaced around a perimeter of the ring-shaped body;roller bearing elements removably attached to the plurality of threaded apertures in a pattern adapted to drivingly receive teeth of a drive cog; anda bearing ring, the bearing ring removably attachable to the ring-shaped body to secure the plurality of roller bearing elements therebetween. 21. An electric motor drive system for a bicycle, the drive system comprising: a bicycle rim;a plurality of bearings uniformly spaced around a perimeter of the rim, each of the plurality of bearings including a cylindrical engagement profile;a bearing ring, the bearing ring removably attachable to the rim to secure the plurality of bearings therebetween;an electric motor; anda drive cog drivingly coupled to the electric motor, the drive cog positioned to sequentially engage the plurality bearings when driven by the electric motor to drive the rim about a central axis of rotation. 22. The electric motor drive system of claim 21, further comprising: an electromagnetic clutch positioned between the electric motor and the drive cog. 23. The electric motor drive system of claim 21, further comprising: an ultracapacitor storage element to temporarily store electrical energy and to selectively supply the electrical energy to the electric motor to rotate the drive cog and propel the bicycle.