Hmm...Ireland reinvents the Airframe, and at £2000 a pop...
 

http://velovision.co.uk/cgi-bin/show...l?storynum=869

Looks a bit Heath Robinson. Heavy. And at a price point that doesn't immediately appeal. interesting to see if it makes it into large scale production.

In the States, the design would be called "Rube Goldberg", after cartoonist's impractically complicated mechanisms. A mechanism that lifts the chain off the chain ring for folding, then reseats it when unfolding?!? This will appeal to the niche of rider/mechanics who love setting up derailleurs, esp. FDs.

Maybe vaporware, but stilll...a very cool looking bike.

It's $4,000.00 USD.

When can I order mine! All I need is to win the lottery! :)

I'm not sure if I like it. What happens to the chain when the rear wheel becomes perpendicular to the front chainring?

http://velovision.co.uk/storyimages/2007/fonta1.jpg

If that's the only design they have you'd hope they'd have a bit more of a worked up drawing than that magic-marker/photoshop concept 'drawing'.

Look how the chainring would trash the spokes on both wheels too. Looks awful, heavy and a real white elephant at that pricepoint.

It looks like there's enough space between both wheels so the chairing doesn't touch the spokes for either wheel. All bets are off when an 84T chainring is installed though.

still, what about the chain?

It's funny how much credibility an idea will get when it is published. Wait for a bike to exist before even believing it.

I can't work out what has supposedly happened to the chain. It's gone in that shot.
The frame seems to owe a lot to Moulton geometry and the Fourth Road Bridge. Nice scissor action for the removal of finger-ends.

They really need to work on their visuals - one has skinny little road slicks - the other makes it look like it has 26" dirtbike tyres.

http://content.answers.com/main/cont...Euchiasmus.JPG

Perhaps they are suggesting there is clearance for both, and as such the bike is suitable for different terrain?

Even with a 54t chainring the bike will be undergeared if they go with 16" wheels (unless they go down the hub, huge chainring or capreo route).

The weight is an issue, but as you can wheel it when folded, I guess the 13+kgs or so is partially offset.

Glad to see there is plenty of innovation in the folding market still.... I quite like it.