Air-powered bike

Bikes, trikes, personal mobility and getting to/from the event - this is the place to discuss general transportation issues.
Post Reply
User avatar
phil
Posts: 2936
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2005 2:10 pm
Location: Codgerville

Air-powered bike

Post by phil » Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:55 pm

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.ht ... _page_id=2

This is a bizarre picture, so I'll add a caption contest:
Image
From the Web page: "The device is controlled by a special glove which allows the rider to accelerate or slow down simply by flexing their index finger."

I think we can make our own thrusters from leaf blowers, but given the glove, who'd want to?

User avatar
BAS
Posts: 4257
Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 7:46 pm
Burning Since: 2006
Location: Wisconsin

Post by BAS » Mon Jan 08, 2007 1:32 pm

I'd prefer to have the accelerator on a different finger....


B.
"Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do.
Do things that have never been done."
--Russell Kirsch

User avatar
doberman
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2006 4:11 pm
Location: switzerland, earth, end of the world

Post by doberman » Mon Jan 08, 2007 3:28 pm

[quote="BAS"]I'd prefer to have the accelerator on a different finger....


B.[/quote]

i had the exact same thought.. :D

madmatt
Posts: 783
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2003 9:28 am
Location: Los Angeles

Post by madmatt » Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:24 pm

What a poindexter!

User avatar
Tiahaar
Posts: 1142
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2003 9:13 pm
Burning Since: 2003
Camp Name: Starship Palomino
Location: Mojave Desert, CA (also Forever via Pandora)

and now for rocket-propelled roller skates...Acme of course

Post by Tiahaar » Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:28 pm

Wile E Coyote is waaaayy ahead of that guy. Pffft.
Burning Man 2003-25; Desert Carillon, HypnoHorse, Ulaume's Chimes, Iron Native, Black Rock Solar, Portal Collective, Center Camp Café Stage and Sound Tech, 747 Project
Starship Palomino

User avatar
Bob
Posts: 6747
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 10:00 am
Burning Since: 1986
Camp Name: Royaneh
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

Post by Bob » Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:53 pm

Someone I know used a large model plane engine & wooden prop on the rear rack of a cheap bike at Burning Man nine or ten years ago. Worked fine in the absence of a headwind.

But, yeah, anything like that would look pretty fucking stupid next to a half million dollar Belgian Waffle. What a Poindexter. What a yutz. Pffft. How unpretty.
Amazing desert structures & stuff: http://sites.google.com/site/potatotrap/

"Let us say I suggest you may be human." -- Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam

User avatar
Zhust
Posts: 710
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 12:46 pm
Burning Since: 2004
Camp Name: Camp CampCampCamp
Location: Rochester, NY
Contact:

Post by Zhust » Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:07 am

BAS wrote:I'd prefer to have the accelerator on a different finger....
The guy made a propeller-powered bicycle. What makes you think that glove contains any other usable fingers?
May your deeds return to you tenfold,
---Zhust, Curiosityist

User avatar
BAS
Posts: 4257
Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 7:46 pm
Burning Since: 2006
Location: Wisconsin

Post by BAS » Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:54 am

I don't think any of the other fingers are connected to the prop., at least not judging by the cable going to the index finger.



B.
"Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do.
Do things that have never been done."
--Russell Kirsch

User avatar
Bob
Posts: 6747
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 10:00 am
Burning Since: 1986
Camp Name: Royaneh
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

Post by Bob » Tue Jan 09, 2007 11:59 am

About the same year some other guy made a mini airboat kind of thing with a larger prop, at least 30 inches dia. I saw him at DPW after the Rangers had flagged him down for not having enough anti-finger screening around the prop.
Amazing desert structures & stuff: http://sites.google.com/site/potatotrap/

"Let us say I suggest you may be human." -- Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam

User avatar
Atar
Posts: 155
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 12:14 pm
Location: Holland

Post by Atar » Tue Jan 09, 2007 1:36 pm

This year some russians made a big art-car that sucked up dust from the playa and ejected it behind them, giving them a dusttrail to fear and love.
Burning with inspiration! [size=134])'([/size]

Toolmaker
Posts: 2511
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2006 12:44 pm

!

Post by Toolmaker » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:22 pm

900 bucks seems kind of steep and 80 mph seems a bit faster than I'd like to go on a bike. If the speed could be limtied down to 40 or so I'd try it out. I'm waiting on an email response from the company in California that makes it. Thanks for the tip.. I might be able to save even more dough going to and from the shop now.
This account has been closed as demanded by Wedeliver.

Post Reply

Return to “Bikes & Transportation”