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More from the "Different Ain't Always Better" Department — Parallax Forums

More from the "Different Ain't Always Better" Department

ercoerco Posts: 20,261
edited 2012-10-15 10:48 in General Discussion
The last time, some guy had you running on a bike, now enjoy this 2-wheel steering monstrosity:

Comments

  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2012-10-09 18:44
    He doesn't say what problem he was trying to solve, or why dealing with front and rear wheel steering is the bike simplified.
  • Mark_TMark_T Posts: 1,981
    edited 2012-10-09 18:50
    That's not a bike, its a unicycle with a stabilizer. Very very low gearing of course, so no use for downhill.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2012-10-09 18:56
    Impressive design, but seriously who rides their bike in slow small circles in a parking lot or sidewalk? Hopefully the next video shows the bike doing... what... you know.... bikes do.

    By that I mean put it up against a regular bike and show the datas.
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2012-10-09 19:17
    It's not the bike that's simple.
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2012-10-09 20:16
    Many, many years ago on the Donny and Marie show there was a guy who rode around a bicycle that had rear wheel steering - in addition to the front wheel steering. Google "swing bike". This is another "new" thing that is not new.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2012-10-09 20:25
    W9GFO wrote: »
    Many, many years ago on the Donnie and Marie show there was a guy who rode around a bicycle that had rear wheel steering - in addition to the front wheel steering. Google "swing bike". This is another "new" thing that is not new.

    That pretty much proves it can be dismissed for traditional riding. It needs a special environment or some x games course to make sense.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2012-10-09 20:28
    I want one anyway. Erco, even the stuff you don't directly advocate I want to buy. You're gonna get another accountant fired.
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2012-10-09 20:32
    Wow, you can find anything on the internet;
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2012-10-09 20:53
    Send him to Moab with that thing. If he doesn't ride it over a cliff, I'll take a second look.

    -Phil
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2012-10-09 20:56
    The funky cycle hath been resurrected. I still want to ride one...

    I think of stuff all the time that after a little research deemed way more played out than this. I'm sure some patient infringement will suit which will make riding it all the more fun :)
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,415
    edited 2012-10-09 21:24
    That contraption must have significant slop from wheel to wheel considering the number of bearing systems.

    erco, I've got some cool wheeled contraptions to share: unicycles. I've got a standard version, a 6-footer, and a DIY 13-footer and I can ride them all. The 13-footer is quite dangerous and I wouldn't get on it without a harness at this point, but I can jump up on top of the 6-footer without much assistance. The 13-footer is stored at my parent's home and my dad has been asking me to find it a new home [for the last 20 years]. I don't see myself riding it much in the future unless we want cheap Parallax EXPO entertainment so it just may be headed to eBay. Watching a 3D printer is more interesting.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,261
    edited 2012-10-09 21:35
    Ken Gracey wrote: »
    With two chainrings and no I don't see myself riding it much in the future...

    All the best people have an old bike with an interesting chainring story... :)

    http://www.the508.com/2003web/stories/s01.html
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,415
    edited 2012-10-09 21:44
    Awesome 90-tooth chainring, erco. You must have taken forever to get that cycle up to speed. I had another freaky bike - an in-line quad. I gave it to Jen Jacobs (hatchet girl) and she still rides it around with her friends so maybe we can get her to post a photo.

    Speaking of the RAAM guy you were working with, I did my own mini RAAM in 1990 and it took ten weeks from Anacortes, WA to Boston, MA. This is the best way to see America and it really shows you how large the country is when you peddle every single mile.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,261
    edited 2012-10-09 21:54
    XLNT. I biked from San Diego to Charleston SC (my parent's house) in 1995 in 23 days. Yessir, it's a BIG country. I've biked all over Europe, Egypt, Israel and Canada. You meet a lot of people on tour since you're "out there" and more approachable. Highly recommended.
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2012-10-09 23:30
    Ken Gracey wrote: »
    That contraption must have significant slop from wheel to wheel considering the number of bearing systems.

    erco, I've got some cool wheeled contraptions to share: unicycles. I've got a standard version, a 6-footer, and a DIY 13-footer and I can ride them all.

    Is there nothing you or Chip can't do?
    ;-)

    Back to the 'simple' bike... I wonder why the video 'fades to black' so often?
    Could it be because he couldn't get any longer clips without falling?

    Erco; you going to try 'Styrkepr
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2012-10-09 23:40
    Gadgetman wrote: »
    Back to the 'simple' bike... I wonder why the video 'fades to black' so often?
    Could it be because he couldn't get any longer clips without falling?

    I think that is just an editing style. It gives me a headache to watch it (literally) but I guess young people think it is cool.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,261
    edited 2012-10-15 09:23
    Cardboard. It's cheap, it's recyclable, it's a bicycle.

    Talk about re-cycling!

    http://news.yahoo.com/cardboard-bicycle-change-world-says-israeli-inventor-090732689.html
  • lardomlardom Posts: 1,659
    edited 2012-10-15 10:13
    erco, you appear to have had a pretty interesting life. Bicycling globally has to be pretty rare. I've read about you in a Yahoo article and a robot magazine. If you had a blog about your experiences I would read it.:smile:
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,261
    edited 2012-10-15 10:48
    Thanks. I made a free website back in 2000 about cycling in and running in Egypt, Jordan & Israel. That was a cool trip. Pedaled up to the pyramids, gave out Hot Wheels at Petra, nearly got stoned in Palestine. But after quick look, it appears that the host, Fortunecity, has folded and my website is gone. If I find it, I'll share it.

    More recently, I was in a shoot for CNN Money about my job. I had a few prototypes with Parallax products scattered on the table. Not sure if they will be visible in the final edit. Due to air sometime in December, I will alert the forum if I find out exactly when it is.
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