Help me brainstorm a novel wind powered personal transport

[Wizbangvanhelsing]

Hello! I have a personal transport vehicle idea, but I'd like some feedback before I really start.

What are your thoughts on creating a wind powered bicycle attachment?

I've been sailing in a little sunfish boat this week, and it got me thinking about wind wagons ( but on 1-2 person scale.

This guy did it with two bikes strapped together and said it worked well, but it was a few years ago, https://www.instructables.com/The-Sail- ... g-bicycle/ .

The wind powered vehicles per BM website have some restrictions: 50 lb, needs mechanical brakes, no sitting, no reclining, pivoting mast. And, three wheel blowcarts/landyachts are outlawed specifically.


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Using a dual suspension mountain bike would be a great foundation for this project, because it comes with nice shocks for rough roads, and professionally designed brakes.

I would make:
- a rigid structure that would transfer my (standing, not sitting) weight to the bicycle frame
- lateral outrigger with swivel caster off road wheel. Possitly fore/aft casters as well.
- mast that can pivot down for storage.
- Possibly rotating mast to furl and unfurl the sail
- efficient line rigging to the frame.

I put this design into CAD really quick to get some general feedback. I worry that even with aluminum extrusion and simple aluminum bracketry, I may exceed the 50lb requirement. I think in terms of avoiding injuries, I think the mountain bike (Santa Cruz Bronson) brakes would go a long way to provide braking power, and a forward outrigger would prevent going over the handlebars.

I doubt many E-bike owners could lift them above their head, but I realize that this takes up more volume than an e-bike.

I only had this idea yesterday while in the sailboat, so apologies for the rough shape of it, but I was too excited to not get started.

I already emailed this to DMV for their thoughts, but I wanted to get anyone's ideas.

[FIGJAM]

Do all that work AND keep it to 5mph??? (BM speed limit)

[Wizbangvanhelsing]

I'll let you ride it, and you can test it going 6mph. But not 7! we must stick to 5, even in the wide open desert.

[Elorrum]

Your design tips both ways? Think maybe a tri design, bike and sail more central? I love that you are thinking of this, and designing it. It’s a good brainstorm. I also think it would be confiscated pretty quickly for being too dangerous during burning man. Awesome fun on playa at other times, but I’m guessing it will just not be as controllable as it needs to be with lots of other vehicles in play.

Steering the bike and managing a sail could be too difficult, I think. It isn’t like a rudder, where the boat doesn’t flip over if you aren’t holding it and making constant unconscious adjustments for balance. A very steep learning curve, at least.

[Wizbangvanhelsing]

I got alot of feedback through another forum, and modified my design. I have moved to something much simpler, a bike with large training wheels and a mast going up vertically. I'll make a prototype and test it out here

[Sham]

I got alot of feedback through another forum, and modified my design. I have moved to something much simpler, a bike with large training wheels and a mast going up vertically. I'll make a prototype and test it out here

This is great. I hope you post your ongoing modifications. Be sure to keep things open so changes can be made on the playa during the week.