Comments on: Friday Fun! http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/05/29/friday-fun/ Encouragement, Education & Advocacy for Bicycling in the Real World Tue, 22 May 2012 13:03:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: LisaB http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/05/29/friday-fun/comment-page-1/#comment-2535 LisaB Sat, 30 May 2009 02:23:05 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=3575#comment-2535 Laura says: "I want one!!! It’d go great with my tiki bar." Now that's what I'm talking about. Leave it to the guys to work out the gear issues. We'll take care of the rum :-) Laura says:
“I want one!!! It’d go great with my tiki bar.”

Now that’s what I’m talking about. Leave it to the guys to work out the gear issues. We’ll take care of the rum :-)

]]> By: Mighk http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/05/29/friday-fun/comment-page-1/#comment-2534 Mighk Sat, 30 May 2009 01:35:14 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=3575#comment-2534 There are some rideable front-wheel drive recumbents. I recall seeing one in a web magazine that had a reversed head tube angle and cranks up above the wheel. They said you could ride and steer it no-hands; virtually unheard of in the recumbent world. There are some rideable front-wheel drive recumbents. I recall seeing one in a web magazine that had a reversed head tube angle and cranks up above the wheel. They said you could ride and steer it no-hands; virtually unheard of in the recumbent world.

]]> By: JohnB http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/05/29/friday-fun/comment-page-1/#comment-2533 JohnB Fri, 29 May 2009 21:59:43 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=3575#comment-2533 I usually see these implemented with just a regular bike made stationary with the rear wheel off the ground, so it's a "rear-wheel drive" blender. It looks like this company is taking it commercial and decided this look would be cooler and set them apart from all those boring amateur adaptations! ;-) I usually see these implemented with just a regular bike made stationary with the rear wheel off the ground, so it’s a “rear-wheel drive” blender. It looks like this company is taking it commercial and decided this look would be cooler and set them apart from all those boring amateur adaptations! ;-)

]]> By: fred_dot_u http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/05/29/friday-fun/comment-page-1/#comment-2532 fred_dot_u Fri, 29 May 2009 21:54:00 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=3575#comment-2532 From what I understand in my "travels" online, and somewhat in real life too, recumbent exercycles are more popular than the upright version. I like this picture much better than the V-8 powered "blender" on Top Gear television from the BBC. From what I understand in my “travels” online, and somewhat in real life too, recumbent exercycles are more popular than the upright version.

I like this picture much better than the V-8 powered “blender” on Top Gear television from the BBC.

]]> By: ChipSeal http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/05/29/friday-fun/comment-page-1/#comment-2531 ChipSeal Fri, 29 May 2009 21:19:21 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=3575#comment-2531 AndrewP, yes. The reason is you will crash. The front wheel on all our bicycles is placed slightly forward of the turning radius of your headset. (This is called "rake") The interplay of the forces between the gyroscopic effect of the turning wheel, the change from the "top" of the tire to more of the side combined with the fork rake keep bicycles upright. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/gyro.html I have heard that attempts have been made to make a rear steering bicycle, but all have ended in failure. No one has been able to ride at speed on one, I am told. Here is a patent of one: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6588786.html Circus acrobats can be seen riding special bikes backward, but never at speed, and they have zero fork rake. And now, having consulted Professor Google and his assistant Mr. Wikipedia, we have found this article which confirms some of the above: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_and_motorcycle_dynamics And now all of us can know more than we ever wanted to about rear-wheel steering of bicycles and what makes them turn! AndrewP, yes. The reason is you will crash.

The front wheel on all our bicycles is placed slightly forward of the turning radius of your headset. (This is called “rake”) The interplay of the forces between the gyroscopic effect of the turning wheel, the change from the “top” of the tire to more of the side combined with the fork rake keep bicycles upright.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/gyro.html

I have heard that attempts have been made to make a rear steering bicycle, but all have ended in failure. No one has been able to ride at speed on one, I am told.

Here is a patent of one:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6588786.html

Circus acrobats can be seen riding special bikes backward, but never at speed, and they have zero fork rake.

And now, having consulted Professor Google and his assistant Mr. Wikipedia, we have found this article which confirms some of the above:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_and_motorcycle_dynamics

And now all of us can know more than we ever wanted to about rear-wheel steering of bicycles and what makes them turn!

]]> By: Laura http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/05/29/friday-fun/comment-page-1/#comment-2529 Laura Fri, 29 May 2009 20:22:39 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=3575#comment-2529 I want one!!! It'd go great with my tiki bar. I want one!!! It’d go great with my tiki bar.

]]> By: andrewp http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/05/29/friday-fun/comment-page-1/#comment-2528 andrewp Fri, 29 May 2009 19:32:20 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=3575#comment-2528 I like it!!! Mighk (and other bike historians): I notice the bike gears are "backwards" on this blenderbike. Is there any reason (on a regular passenger bike) why the gearing couldn't be switched such that you have a "front-wheel-drive" bicycle? I like it!!!

Mighk (and other bike historians): I notice the bike gears are “backwards” on this blenderbike. Is there any reason (on a regular passenger bike) why the gearing couldn’t be switched such that you have a “front-wheel-drive” bicycle?

]]> By: Anne http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/05/29/friday-fun/comment-page-1/#comment-2525 Anne Fri, 29 May 2009 19:02:14 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=3575#comment-2525 That is awesome! Does it work? That is awesome! Does it work?

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