I remember 25-30 years ago on Blue Peter they showed these shutters that fit on bicycle wheel spokes. The idea was that the shutters opened on the bottom of the wheel to catch the wind and help rotate the wheel but were otherwise closed to reduce drag.
I think is was the invention of a boy and they'd had won some kind of competition due to their idea. Not sure if it was the same competition that also had an electric spaghetti winding fork.
Does anybody remember anything about this, what it was called, if it actually provided a speed benefit and if they had any success?
I've trying googling, and all I can find is some much more recent spoke fins kickstarter by nullwinds.
I seem to remember them as an A level DT project by some lad at Eckington school by Sheffield might help with googling options time frame fits as I did some of my PGCE in DT there
The idea was that the shutters opened on the bottom of the wheel to catch the wind and help rotate the wheel
I'm struggling to imagine how this bit would work!
If I understand the description correctly, I think they would slow you down by creating drag when there was a headwind and wouldn't do anything to help when there wasn't.
My memory was that there was a product that clipped to your spikes creating drag. Angling the device varied the amount of drag. It was to slow down a faster rider in a group
Of course these days were days we wouldn’t waste money like that. All the slow people could buy a £5000 ebike
I’m struggling to imagine how this bit would work!
That is because it wouldn’t!
Thanks for the info, but still not able to find anything!
I was watching a youtube video about a wind-powered vehicle called Blackbird which can travel over twice the speed of the wind, even when travelling directly into a headwind! This reminded me of the spoke thing and was wondering if it also helps to capture some wind power when cycling, although I suspect it might create too much drag to be of practical use.
I was watching a youtube video about a wind-powered vehicle called Blackbird which can travel over twice the speed of the wind, even when travelling directly into a headwind!
Do you have a link?
Had a quick search, but didn't find anything. However, this popped up with some lovely old bicycle pieces - https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/bicycle_collection/zywqdp3
