Alt Bike Culture - Hyperbike

http://blog.scifi.com/tech/archives/2007/08/21/hyperbike_aims.html

http://blog.scifi.com/tech/pics/bb6095.jpg
supposedly keeps up with traffic at 50 MPH

You know, even so, there'd still be some fool in a car whinging on about how bikes shouldn't be on the road :) .

How would I get it onto a bus rack, too?

East Hill

Will that bike fit in a standard lane....?
Will it remain stable during a powerweave manuever ......?
Where is her helmet........?

:p

A few more observations--how would you get one of those up the East Hill? Down the East Hill :eek: !?

Drag? Why wear special clothes when I won't break a sweat? Why do I have to be strapped in?

East Hill

Forget about filtering.

supposedly keeps up with traffic at 50 MPH

Not a chance. Your bog-standard bike delivers high-nineties percent of the power you are capable of producing to the wheels; after that the only way to go faster is to be more aerodynamic, which that thing is not.

Mind you, it looks whacktacular fun; but there's no way it is fast or practical.

Not practical?! How can you say that? :eek: Why... why... just look at it!

supposedly keeps up with traffic at 50 MPH

I was looking at this the other night. I was trying to figure out why they think it'll go so fast. I watched the video - you never see it go over a jogging pace. I finally found a page (http://www.hyperbike.info/hiimpact.aspx)where they expleined how they thought it was possible, and it was entirely because of the large wheels and the gear ratios. :LOL: Apparently the designers live in a world where air resistance and gravity don't have any effects.

I do admire the designer's enthusiasm though.

Talk about fun if it got a flat. And going down hill....wow.

I want to know who is going to commit to making 8' bicycle tyres.

I want to know who is going to commit to making 8' bicycle tyres.

That was another question I had...I'm still thinking about how much fun it would be to go down the local 21% grade hill (with grooved pavement :) ) .

I like the touch of the goggles (which the very serious, Angelina Jolie-esque model is NOT actually wearing in a position where the goggles would be useful :rolleyes: ).

East Hill

Funny that someone put clipless pedals on this beast. Check out the suspension fork with 20" wheel.

How do you steer?

Nice Duct Tape!

nice split rims


that thing will only reach 50 in a freefall

http://www.hyperbike.info/Images/bb6077.jpg
Experimental biking, serious business.



On another note, it looks like you don't steer with the front wheel, but the two larger ones.

I think the article said that steering is accomplished by using both one's feet AND arms/hands. It not only can get you to work, but give you a total body workout!

Although, I don't know how you would attach a trailer or panniers, so I'm not sure how good commuting would be with that thing.

East Hill

I want to know who is going to commit to making 8' bicycle tyres.
I think they are solid rubber and you can probably use surplus Morton-Thiokol Space Shuttle O-Rings...

i just realized there is a bicycle in that picture....that model is hot hot hot!!!! now that i realize theres a machine in that pic, the comments like "that can't go 50" and "what if ya got a flat" make much more sense....although not near as funny!
fast eddie outty

How do you steer?

My bet is with independent left/right rear disc brakes. Like a bulldozer.

It'd make for rad spin-outs, bigwheel style.

My bet is with independent left/right rear disc brakes. Like a bulldozer.

It'd make for rad spin-outs, bigwheel style.

You vary how fast you peddle on each side.

Mine is set up as a fixie.

There must be a significant gyro effect from those 8-foot wheels at any speed faster than a walk. attempting to steer a spinning wheel results in gyroscopic precession which produces a force at right angles to the input (steering) force. Two-wheeled, single track vehicles exploit this tendency to produce lean, but I'm not sure what would happen to this thing.

:eek:

so it's got the gearing to go 50mph... i'm not surprised.

Almost any bicycle can go 50mph down a big enough hill. That one is going to require a steeper hill given the poor aerodynamics.

Ok
1. Imagine the size of future bike racks and the weight of the D-lock necessary to secure that thing.
2. It is too tall for modern North American garage doors. Where will I park it at home?
3. Aerodynamically, isn’t our hot chick pilot riding in the full barn door position? Why not place said hot chick pilot in the reclined recumbent position to add efficiency?
4. The thing has more pipe than four recumbents. My guess is slow, slow, slow and heavy.
5. Those appear to be the disk brakes from my Volvo 240. They weighed about 20 lbs each.
6. Are all riders required to have pouty lips and lip gloss?
7. What problem does this solve?

http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/TRANSPORT/motorwhl/christie1923.jpg

Ok
1. Imagine the size of future bike racks and the weight of the D-lock necessary to secure that thing.
:eek:
2. It is too tall for modern North American garage doors. Where will I park it at home?
I don't think the inventor thought about that...
3. Aerodynamically, isn’t our hot chick pilot riding in the full barn door position? Why not place said hot chick pilot in the reclined recumbent position to add efficiency?
Have you seen the photo of the inventor? Unfortunately, he is not hot. Also, this invention appears to be more of an exercise bike than a real walloper on the streets, so efficiency is apparently not really a factor.
4. The thing has more pipe than four recumbents. My guess is slow, slow, slow and heavy.
Yeah, looks as if it's not going to be easy to hoist onto the cartop rack, although the inventor claims it is collapsible if I remember correctly.
5. Those appear to be the disk brakes from my Volvo 240. They weighed about 20 lbs each.
Did I mention that this is supposed to be an exercise bike?
6. Are all riders required to have pouty lips and lip gloss?
No, just this one. She's the one who will lure in suckers to invest in the contraption :p .
7. What problem does this solve?
It keeps models working.

http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/TRANSPORT/motorwhl/christie1923.jpg

I'm still thinking about a gang of about 50 of these things rolling down the street...like big yellow bed bugs or something...

East Hill

AHAHAHAHAHA!!! roving gangs of cyclepods, carrying 2" thick link chain locks..........

AHAHAHAHAHA!!! roving gangs of cyclepods, carrying 2" thick link chain locks..........

Kind of a Clockwork Orange feel to it, eh?

East Hill

Kinda Steampunk...an alternative technology path. Computers could have been hydraulic, and wouldn't that have been a mess? Instead of bicycles we could have had these behemoths, and instead of cars and buses, huge two-wheeled motorcycles seating from four to forty. It's like watching a screwy edition of Connections.

Ok

http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/TRANSPORT/motorwhl/christie1923.jpg

How the heck do you get in? the spokes have the prisone...um driver caged, literally.

How the heck do you get in? the spokes have the prisone...um driver caged, literally.


1. The rim is split radially. As soon as the kill switch on the engine is hit, the tire begins deflating, being that the engine acts as a compressor as well, constantly holding pressure on the tire while running. Once tire pressure decreases sufficiently, the pliable tire bead seperates and the rim can be opened at the hinge to allow the rider to clamber out, and permit easy access to the engine and drivetrain.

2. The whole of the machine is collapsible by inserting a crank into the recess of the outer hub and turning counterclockwise. This closes the device like a beach umbrella, and once there is no tension on the spokes, the rider can easily slip out between them.

^^^
I've been imagining what would happen if the above contraption were to hit a bump at the stated 400 mph.

Could it launch itself into orbit, or would it just bounce?

East Hill

I like the duct tape holding the tire on:
http://www.hyperbike.info/Images/bb6154.jpg

^^^
I've been imagining what would happen if the above contraption were to hit a bump at the stated 400 mph.

Could it launch itself into orbit, or would it just bounce?

East Hill

That's a grand question. If it took to the air like a big autogyro the engine might quit, and the "bike" would descend...rapidly. If the engine remained running it would quickly redline after losing traction and might stay aloft, with the rider slung around as if in a centrifuge until he blacked out or let go the throttle. Then it would descend rapidly.

If the vehicle merely bounced, I'd bet long odds that it wouldn't simply alight and continue on. I'd suggest a wide variety of trajectories, none of them mutually exclusive.

^^^
I've been imagining what would happen if the above contraption were to hit a bump at the stated 400 mph.

Could it launch itself into orbit, or would it just bounce?

East Hill
That thing is actually the new version of a manned spy satellite. It can be launched almost anywhere. you just need a long enough straight and a curb to "bounce" it into orbit. :p

Blah Blah my bike is bigger! lol! But wait She's (the model)cute!

So how many people can't use up all their aerobic capacity with just their legs and need their arms, too?

You COULD put a crank arm where the handlebars go on a regular bike, with chain to the front wheel- no one's seen the need for that, yet.

I just need to repeat the earlier point that the serious rubber-clad hot chick test pilot would, definitely, be better off in the recumbent position. :)

So does anyone else notice that on our Popular Science cover up there, the ubercyclist seems to be racing a farm tractor?

So does anyone else notice that on our Popular Science cover up there, the ubercyclist seems to be racing a farm tractor?

I think it's supposed to be a Duesenberg. The biggest, baddest motorcar around 'back in the day' :p .

East Hill

Real cool, but how do you lock it up?

Real cool, but how do you lock it up?
talofa, you are assuming that someone would WANT to steal it :p .

East Hill

I thought this was the Alt Bike Forum? Ya'll seem to be dissing a bike because it's different in the alt bike forum, that don't make much sense. Yeah the claims of high speed seem a little far fetched, but I'd ride that bike, and have fun doing it. I'd call it kinetic art, and the hottie is a nice touch. Also thinking about it from the flywheel effect perspective it actually might be possible to reach high speed, but that doesn't mean it would be safe. I have seen similar contraptions at burning man, and they seem to be a popular attraction. Hotties will talk to you if you ride something like that around at Burning Man. The one I saw was a side by side recumbant for two. It didn't look real fast but the speed limit there is 5 MPH even for bicycles.

Later,

Allan Greenblazer

I thought this was the Alt Bike Forum? Ya'll seem to be dissing a bike because it's different in the alt bike forum, that don't make much sense. Yeah the claims of high speed seem a little far fetched, but I'd ride that bike, and have fun doing it. I'd call it kinetic art, and the hottie is a nice touch. Also thinking about it from the flywheel effect perspective it actually might be possible to reach high speed, but that doesn't mean it would be safe. I have seen similar contraptions at burning man, and they seem to be a popular attraction. Hotties will talk to you if you ride something like that around at Burning Man. The one I saw was a side by side recumbant for two. It didn't look real fast but the speed limit there is 5 MPH even for bicycles.

Later,

Allan Greenblazer

I think I've been having fun with it because the inventor actually claims it's an exercise bike...so are exercise bikes Alt Bikes?

Now on the other hand, I would be quite willing to call it kinetic art--that's actually a good description of it.

East Hill

I think it's supposed to be a Duesenberg. The biggest, baddest motorcar around 'back in the day' :p .

East Hill


You may be right. The cover is for the April 1923 issue of Popular Science. The Number 12 Deusenberg racer won both Indianpolis and Le Mans in 1922.
http://www.trombinoscar.com/miller/ml220102.jpg

But then again, it might just be the "Wisconsin Special" which did 180 mph on Daytona Beach in 1922.

http://members.cox.net/sprintguy/Haugdahl760.jpghttp://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/TRANSPORT/motorwhl/christie1923.jpg

So how come a 400 mph motorcycle can't drop a 180mph car??? ;)