[Closed] Almost fully funded Kickstarter insanity...

[quote="bencooper"]I experimented a bit with hubless wheels for someone years ago - never got a solution that worked nicely.In other industries they've spent probably millions trying to get hubless wheels to work.

They've learnt lots of things, but not how to make hubless wheels.
Interesting from a design/styling/showoff perspective. Bloody useless for anything else. Like moving, or going in a straightline.

Hubs work really well.

it's not clear from the video if the 'wheel' is just an exposed section at the bottom that touches the ground or if the whole thing is exposed. Also that riding position does not look comfortable & it hasn't got a bell on, how would he ride down the canal???

No, it is pretty clear - the wheels are almost fully enclosed. A true hubless design (see Sbarro) would not accomodate the add-ons.

MUSIC!

Who's ridden a bike and thought "this is okay, I guess, but I really wish it didn't have any hubs. That would make it great"?

It looks futuristic, but what's the point?

It looks futuristic, but what's the point?

[quote=bails ]It looks futuristic, but what's the point?

It's on Kickstarter, I presume the point is to scam money off the gullible.

Has all the hallmarks of the drone that was crowdfunded a couple of years back. Basically some interesting concepts packaged together with some unicorn dust which can't possibly be delivered at the price they promise nor, indeed, any price.

The pledged amount went down 2000€ since yesterday, this can only be a good thing I suppose.

Deep potholes and kerbs look like they'd cause problems.

Think I'll pass

The pledged amount went down 2000€ since yesterday, this can only be a good thing I suppose.

Some interesting ideas, but as stated absolutely impossible at that price. Also no mention of the weight of the thing... would have to be 60 lbs+ surely?! (not that it actually exists!)

The weight's near the top of the page, it's worth another lol.

[i]The weight's near the top of the page, it's worth another lol.[/i]

Yeah, but.. its SPACE GRADE carbon fibre!

You know that uncomfortable looking riding position? Just flip the handlebars and *lower the saddle* and you can completely screw your knees.

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http://www.tuvie.com/flexi-bike-with-rotating-frame-allows-you-to-change-your-riding-posture/

Their timeline does claim they have a working prototype (and the FAQ says there are no renderings as Kickstarter doesn't allow them?)

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Quite apart from any design issues the price is so ludicrously low it doesn't even come across as a good con.

[quote=simons_nicolai-uk ]Their timeline does claim they have a working prototype

Define "working" and "prototype"

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It's ok to dream 😉

The budget isn't enough to develop an iPhone app, let alone build bikes.

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So far they've spent 1.5m on a working prototype.

Yeah, but.. its SPACE GRADE carbon fibre!

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To achieve a true Space Grade Composite Construction we combined two layers of carbon fiber with an ultra lightweight core structure. This way we can use fewer layers of carbon fiber and less resin, without impairing stability.

so why does the "ultra lightweight core structure" look like the cardboard stuff I use to make cheap, light exhibition graphics, with a layer of carbon fibre-effect vinyl applied on top? I suppose that technically qualifies as "composite construction"! 🙂

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I guess, being charitable, they haven't given too many details away because they're going to apply for 15 patents. (The problem being that this will cost most of the money they're trying to get off gullible punters.)

so why does the "ultra lightweight core structure" look like the cardboard stuff I use to make cheap, light exhibition graphics,

Because that sort of sandwich has a high strength to weight? I used sandwich panels with a honeycomb aluminium core and alu sheet on either side to make cladding . More of an issue is those sheets are flat, and they only work if they're flat. There aren't any flat panels on the bike that I can see. The outer sheet of the composite wouldn't be woven either would it?

(The problem being that this will cost many multiples of the money they're trying to get off gullible punters.)

Has all the hallmarks of the drone that was crowdfunded a couple of years back. Basically some interesting concepts packaged together with some unicorn dust which can't possibly be delivered at the price they promise nor, indeed, any price.

Zano, which was basically fraud as the video they had of the working prototype, wasn't video of a working prototype.

I got screwed in that one...

If you make the panels yourself, the honeycomb core is fairly floppy, so doesn't need to be perfectly flat.

That "working" hubless bike up there (for a limited definition of "working") illustrates another problem - it's effectively got a 4" back wheel, so it has to have a £500 Schlumpf gearbox in the bottom bracket just to get it up to any sensible kind of gearing.

These baskets are going to be loads of fun every time you stop:

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Not to mention the gaping holes at each end, how are you supposed to stop your chiaha from falling out.

To late for a ninja edit, I meant chihuahua!

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The white hexagonal stuff is this: http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/#!/core-materials/closed-cell-foam-and-3dcore/3d-core-pet100-foam-core.html

not exactly space age.

I think they're defining 'space age' to be contemporary with the Apollo program.

The other stuff is Nomex honeycomb, basically Kevlar fibres made in paper and thermoset in a phenolic resin. It's old tech but next to nowt beats it for making stiff and light, flat or curved panels from.

Great spot Andyl - they've even nicked their pic from the link you posted:

I just did the same, made a black background... and you can see now that the carbon weave on the left is all out of perspective, so that's another shopped pic... soooo dodgy

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Needs [url=

Wheels[/url]

Now with added daytime video. Looks real if somewhat difficult to ride

And fully funded

Weird bar choice - if they'd seen anyone riding a TT bike at low speed they should have realised those bars aren't a great idea.

I think the one in that daytime video has a motor in it. Something about the effort he's putting in against the speed he's doing.

Looks awful. Maybe if they got a real bike engineer involved they'd understand how bikes SHOULD ride

There does seem to be a distinct disconnect between the pedals and any forward motion...

I like the bit where he almost falls off at the end.

If I've understood correctly, there is a little area where the tyre is in contact with the road.

That being so, what happens when you get a puncture? Or is it tubeless?

Just looks all wrong and rides like shit.

I think I can see what they''ve done.

That's a wheel shaped cowling with a skateboard wheel at the bottom. You can see the wrinkles in the fabric they've used to make the 'tyre' before he gets on. The 'demo run' is just free wheeling it down a hill while pedalling for effect.

Very very dodgy. Fraud anyone?

Definitely has a motor and those wheels are not rotating at all.

16 secs in he starts a motor (having pressed something at 4 secs to turn bike on). He turns off around 1.10 mins and freewheels.

The wheels are not rotating (or at least what we see is not rotating (as per fabric of tyre in speeders post above). Even when it cycles past you can see nothing is rotating.

Definitely fraud.