http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: The Future has Two Wheels en Sun, 31 May 2026 14:39:31 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3400#post-35499 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:52:30 +0000 Smudge 35499@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ahh, that makes sense, clearly I hadn't thought about *how* the thing balances lol<br /> (wanders away blushing) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3400#post-35496 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:43:54 +0000 wingpig 35496@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Making it single track would disable it from being able to use the wheels to regain fore/aft balance so it would need the ability to waggle its wheels to allow it to either scuttle sideways or allow the wheels to tilt left/right relative to the body of the vehicle (to shift the CoG relative to the centre of rotation) to regain port/starboard balance.</p> <p>If it was able to switch between having the wheels parallel (for low speeds) and inline/single track mode (for higher speeds) it'd be a bit more Q-worthy.</p> <p>Still not as fancy as the adaptive-tread monowheel thing Iain (M) Banks mooted in <em>Against a Dark Background</em>. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3400#post-35494 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:35:02 +0000 Smudge 35494@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Wonder if the segway technology could be adapted to suit an inline wheel application...</p> <p>You could run a much more aerodynamic bodyshell (more speed/range), and lean into corners for comfort, then enable the magic balancing trick only at low speeds, thus saving the power required to run it and making the whole thing more efficient (and gaining, again, more speed/range)... and it would be a "proper" two wheeler ;-)) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3400#post-35483 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:15:36 +0000 wingpig 35483@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ah, but with a bicycle you're not completely enclosed, and thus exposed to dangerous fresh air and inspiring breezes. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3400#post-35482 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:09:25 +0000 Min 35482@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"That's all just a 'bicycle' isn't it? "</p> <p>You have to hand it to them - any idiot can reinvent the wheel. Only the really special can reinvent two.. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3400#post-35481 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:04:37 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 35481@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sheesh. There's so much in that article to ridicule. Okay, so there are some benefits (specifically for possible disabled users, as mentioned in the piece), but going on about it being small and light so easy to take on a train, or small enough to park easily, or being capable of 25mph (but obviously being dangerous because it has no airbags)... That's all just a 'bicycle' isn't it? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3400#post-35480 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:47:06 +0000 TwoWheels 35480@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh dear lord. I saw a Segway, for the first time, while I was on vacation on Cape Cod. I have to admit, there was a real temptation to push it over just to watch it's self-righting capabilities, like a Weeble or something. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3400#post-35404 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:15:39 +0000 chdot 35404@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<br /> The EN-V is basically a widened Segway, enclosed in a bubble<br /> "</p> <p>Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3400#post-35403 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:12:45 +0000 Min 35403@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And is a car.</p> <p>Of course.</p> <p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14060276" rel="nofollow">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14060276</a></p> <p><em>"Push the wheel - which is more of an iPad-inspired joystick - forward and it surges ahead into a sprint at speeds of 25mph (40km/h) or more, depending on how the computer is programmed, delivering a 25 mile (40km) range per charge.</p> <p>Travelling at such speeds may seem hazardous, given that the car has been designed without bumpers, air bags or any other conventional crash protection devises."</em> </p>