> Well, I have to agree with Nathan on this one. It is a very clever design
> with a lot of Wow factor visually, but I have a problem with the rollers
> and how they interact with the rim and tires, particularly the front tire.
> I tried zooming in on one of the web images, and while the resolution isn't
> good enough to get a good look, it appears on the front wheel to have a
> single roller on the inside track of the metallic rim and two rollers on
> the outside track that press against the tire. Now I'm no engineer, but it
> would seem to take a lot of pressure by these three rollers to maintain the
> stability of the front wheel/tire. Is it enough pressure to seriously
> deform the tire; how does it compare to the weight born by similar tires on
> a conventional bike (~75 lbs./tire)? Or are the tires solid rubber, which
> would work but would be a return to the bone shakers of yesteryear. It
> would be nice to have a closer look and a short test ride.
I wouldn't think that the tires are involved at all in the rim/mount.
The tires should be standard tires, but the rim would have a special
lipped profile for the rollers to lock into. In thinking about this, I
believe that it's a viable design because it's actually not too
dissimilar to how a modern roller coaster mounts to the rail.
My biggest concern would be taco'ing that front wheel.
With modern materials, that rim could be ultra strong. Wouldn't be if
you made it out of just aluminum, (not al you min ee um, but al loo mi
num), but combining carbon fiber with ceramic might do it.
As to Nathan's concern, I am in agreement that for me it would have no
practical purpose. But those who commute to work in the cities through
a combination of rail and bicycling could make use of it. But that
then is the rub in that a commute bicycle has to be built like an oxe
to handle the dailing beating in all sorts of weather and road
conditions. The typical commuter folding bicycle may not ride as nice
as a regular race bike, but is built pretty solid. And furthermore,
most people who would use a bike in this manner would want fenders on
those wheels to keep from getting soaked.
--
Ken Norton
ken@xxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.zone-10.com
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