Recumbent - hubless anyone? opinions please!

hi there - first post so go easy!

i got bored doing my course work so i've started working on this in my spare time. It's just starting so the actual build hasn't begun yet but i'll send more pics if anyone's interested...

http://www.davepickles.com/page16.htm

Whoa, crazy rear wheel! Hubless, indeed. I'd like to see one of those in real life!

I'd move the front wheels back behind the BB though, otherwise the turning radius will be HUGE.

I'm sure everyone here would love to see more pictures.

This is being done by at least one custom motorcycle builder. I can't see it working on a bicycle though. The rear wheel acts as a lever putting a considerable force on the connection to the frame. This connection then has to be pretty beefy. Not a problem on a fire breathing Harley, but a problem on a bicycle.

SB

yeah i got the inspiration from a couple of hubless motorbikes, but i'm working on creating a 'double rim' rear wheel - like the one off the dodge tomahawk concept.

i'm currently redesigning the rear subframe to be more triangular so that more weight is spread evenly.

as for the turning circle i was a bit concerned about that. i just need to get building! i'm thinking that as the wheels are clear of feet and pedals more than swb trikes that the wheels can pivot more extremely - my theory being that you'll only need tight turning at slow speeds ie. in town. hmmmm still more work to be done.

here's another crazy 'off-the-top-of-my-head-probably-won't-work' bikes:

It's just starting so the actual build hasn't begun yet but i'll send more pics if anyone's interested...

on a trike that's going through a fast turn, there's a lot of torque that would tend to force the rear wheel to twist (rear part of rear wheel goes to one side, forward part of rear wheel goes to the other side).

Have you figured out a way to keep that torque from breaking the wheel, tire, or the part of the frame that holds the wheel?

The design as pictured also creates a problem that motorcycles don't have: your power-input comes from legs that probably turn at less than 150 RPM. This means that with a small wheel (the one attached to the rear sprocket) driving the main rear wheel, your gearing will top out at about a fifth the speed of a normal bicycle. "Your feet go round like crazy and you're going 5 mph."