• Jon (unregistered) in reply to triso
    triso:
    KattMan:
    ...A normal bike kind of does this already, how often do you have to think about how far to turn the handlebars as you lean in, or try riding with no hands and just lean into a turn, the handlebars turn naturally....
    Until the handlebars turn unnaturally and you are picking gravel out of your hands and face.
    They don't turn unnaturally; one can ride no-handed quite safely with a little practice. Start at a moderate speed (too slow and it's too hard to balance; too fast and it's too dangerous if you fall), then take your hands off the bars for just a moment. Repeat. Work your way up to longer hands-free times. That's all it took for me, anyway.
  • Joutsa (unregistered) in reply to Shinobu
    Shinobu:
    This is because they contain a one way gear, whereas a fixed geared bike doesn't. With a one way gear, if you pedal slower than the current speed, the bike continues, losing only a small amount of energy to friction in the rear wheel gearing. Without it, you are essentially a part of the drive train. If you don't put in energy constantly, energy is lost not only in the rear wheel gearing, but also in the pedal gearing and in your legs.

    Actually, it does not work this way. To maintain any kind of speed over flat terrain you have to pedal. Coasting does not make you go any faster. As a nice side effect, you learn very effeicient pedaling style which helps a lot. The freewheel is really helpful only in long downhills.

    That messenger thing depends a lot on terrain. In flat places like Hamburg or Helsinki they ride fixies, in hilly places like Prague the thing is mountain bike with slicks.

  • Sam (unregistered) in reply to Karl von L.
    Karl von L.:
    "The seat is shaped like an upside-down crescent."

    Um, what's the normal orientation of a "crescent"?

    Sideways.

    It's none of your business what my CAPTCHA is.

  • (cs) in reply to Sam
    Sam:
    Karl von L.:
    "The seat is shaped like an upside-down crescent."

    Um, what's the normal orientation of a "crescent"?

    Sideways.

    Depends on the latitude you're at...

  • Baggy McBagster (unregistered)

    Good grief, people, it's supposed to be fun and interesting. It's not supposed to be simple or efficient.

    You can all go back to your lives of maximum simplicity and efficiency now. This device is for recreation and entertainment and I get the feeling there are people around who'll never have an intuitive grasp of that.

  • Tony (unregistered)

    I love it that he said 'He had the idea four years ago, while spending his Saturdays in his shed "working on nonsense".'

    He was probably talking about some software project!

  • gilf (unregistered)

    Chindogu at it's finest.

  • (cs) in reply to Jon
    Jon:
    They don't turn unnaturally; one can ride no-handed quite safely with a little practice. Start at a moderate speed (too slow and it's too hard to balance; too fast and it's too dangerous if you fall), then take your hands off the bars for just a moment. Repeat. Work your way up to longer hands-free times. That's all it took for me, anyway.
    Just don't go too fast or the aerodinamic imbalance of the front wheel starts taking over and you eat soil hard.
  • Chris Harmon (unregistered)

    My favorite in the article is this:

    And he recommends getting a cyclist's helmet with a rear-view mirror attached.

    I have no doubt there exists a helmet with a rear-view mirror, but seriously - is it really needed?

    Makes me think about a prior software project, where you "only" need to "get" the file-system based database subsystem and the architecture that runs on top of it to understand how the [what should really be a very simple] software product works. Yeah right... and that's why no one in several years ever worked on his software product except him... everyone that had that joy (myself included) either left the contract, or got hired on and moved away from that project.

    Well, at least the comments in the BBC article understand that the nearly-complete idiocy of this... but I do recognize that possibly from this, one might be able to come up with a better bike design... I know I have designed some pretty gosh-awful software (that did seem logical) in the past, but from such crap I have found better ways that I just might not have figured out without truly failing first.

    The question is - does this guy or others consider it a failure (at least for certain aspects - like usability)?

  • (cs) in reply to Zygo
    Zygo:
    The inventor designed it for people who drive their SUV's a few miles each day so they can go to the gym to use treadmill machines that give them about the same amount of exercise as they would have had if they'd simply walked to the gym, touched the outside of the building, and walked home.

    This is off topic, but working out indoors in a controlled environment is the benefit to driving a few miles in an SUV.

    It's too cold the entire winter to work out. It's too cold most of the fall to work out. You get a few good months in spring (if it isn't raining), but you chance heatstroke in the dead of summer.

    Running on a treadmill is better for your knees than concrete. Plus all the other equipment you can use.

    You are free from some danger. I only get to run after 8 at night when the kid is in bed. I don't trust the area I am in after dark. Plus injuries leave you stranded.

    There are pretty ladies in spandex!

  • Jonathan Hartley (unregistered)

    I've never seen such a bunch of grumpy naysayers. Have you guys never snowboarded? It sounds fantastic, if you'd just give a half-second chance to something slightly outside your normal box. Jeez.

  • RogerWilco (unregistered) in reply to Joutsa
    Joutsa:
    Shinobu:
    This is because they contain a one way gear, whereas a fixed geared bike doesn't. With a one way gear, if you pedal slower than the current speed, the bike continues, losing only a small amount of energy to friction in the rear wheel gearing. Without it, you are essentially a part of the drive train. If you don't put in energy constantly, energy is lost not only in the rear wheel gearing, but also in the pedal gearing and in your legs.

    Actually, it does not work this way. To maintain any kind of speed over flat terrain you have to pedal. Coasting does not make you go any faster. As a nice side effect, you learn very effeicient pedaling style which helps a lot. The freewheel is really helpful only in long downhills.

    That messenger thing depends a lot on terrain. In flat places like Hamburg or Helsinki they ride fixies, in hilly places like Prague the thing is mountain bike with slicks.

    I live in the Netherlands, where the bike is the most used form of transportation as our country is almost completely flat. I have never even seen a fixed geared bike, while single gear/backpedal-brake bikes are very common here. I think the only advantage of fixed geared bikes is, that they are cheaper and less things can break, so simpler to maintain. I do not think they are easier to ride ro faster, otherwise I think the Dutch would have adopted them long ago.

    A single geared bike optimised for flat terain, is the best way to get around in my country for distances op to 15 km.

  • Rafe (unregistered)

    I live in dublin and see this guy around the city every weekend on this bike... He spends more time walking it than he does riding it... In fact I can't recall seeing him do anything but walk it... Heh...

  • (cs) in reply to a/c
    a/c:
    I think the "Sideways Scooter" (YouTube video in action) he invented might have a better chance of catching on. Seems like there's decent potential for all sorts of tricks you couldn't pull off on a skateboard.

    I especially like the part where he almost gets hit by a car (he jumps off and runs off the road while the car's coming around the corner).

  • Paul (unregistered) in reply to James
    James:
    I think this is awesome -- I wouldn't shell out the money for it, but I'd give it a try if a friend had one or if it was available for a cheap rental (hopefully on a padded floor).

    Calling this a WTF is like saying the unicycle is a WTF because we already have a perfectly good bicycle, which is more "user-friendly" because the 2 wheels make it easier to ride. Or that a bicycle is a WTF because the tri-cycle won't tip over, even if you have no sense of balance. The point isn't to be more user-friendly or safer, it's to be more fun.

    Quoted for truth.

  • Coderboy (unregistered)

    This really is a dismal attempt to point and laugh at what is obviously nothing more than a home-grown inventor making stuff for sheer fun.

    "who decided to “solve” the 150-year old “problem” of the bicycle."

    The only thing that made me think 'WTF?!' was that the guy thought there was a "problem" with the bicycle that needed solving, and even that just turned out to be Alex "embellishing" (to quote comments on previous entries) as he seems to do more and more.

    As has already been pointed out by one or two others, this guy isn't trying to improve the bicycle, he's just trying to make a fun contraption. What next: putting "Virtua Fighter 5" in as a WTF because it doesn't do spreadsheets for you?

    I thought The Daily WTF was going downhill, and I'm thinking "Worse Than Failure" has reached the bottom.

  • Sinister Grammarian (unregistered) in reply to KattMan

    CRASH!* ... snip... *this is an onomatopoeia

    No...

    The word 'crash' does not sound like a crash.

  • doom (unregistered)

    Oh holy f... How heavy is that going to be? I mean, the frame alone must weigh 20kg or so?

    And not that i wouldnt be up to all sorts of crazy stuff involving bikes, at the moment im working at some rather bright LED headlights (comparable to car headlights in light output).Yeah, why do you have to ride at night?Dunno, probably cause its fun.

    Anayway, id pay a grand if i could just see someone going downhill on such a sideways piece of crap.

  • rootnode (unregistered)

    Thats the stupidest thing I have ever seen.

  • dolo54 (unregistered) in reply to fly2
    fly2:
    dolo54:
    I actually loved riding a fix when I had one. fast fast fast.

    I know some people like rided fixed gear. But a fixed gear isn't faster than a (same quality) 'normal', or is it? I mean, the only thing that would make it faster is about 1kg or so less weight and a neglible amount less friction. Never rode a fixed gear myself though.

    I see some complicators are arguing about why a fix is faster. Since I seem to be the only one here who has actually ridden one I'll tell you why. It's not because of lack of friction, or pedaling style or fairy boots. It's simply because you don't need brakes, you don't have extra gears, you don't have shifters... It's just lighter that the same frame would be with all the extra stuff. That's it, it just makes for a really light bike. And less weight means less momentum... easier acceleration, more speed! Riding one in nyc I used to scare the crap outta myself. Without a brake and my lack of experience it would take me three blocks to come to a full stop. That's a lot of planning ahead. Luckily I didn't kill myself. But what a rush!

  • twp (unregistered) in reply to Griff
    It's a WTF because it's a deathtrap to anyone who tries it for the first time.

    Along with:

    roller skates skateboards rollerblades skis snowboards unicycles stilts motorcycles and automobiles!

    Come on, this is ridiculous. An invention doesn't qualify as a WTF just because it doesn't go anywhere. Inventing is about failing over and over again, in the same way that the Japanese advice for go players is "lose your first hundred games as quickly as possible."

    Worst WTF ever!

  • Doug (unregistered)

    "Gloves!"

  • REy (unregistered) in reply to themagni

    I am guessing if someone really wants to steal a bicycle they cannot ride they can just carry it away.

  • REy (unregistered) in reply to Zygo

    You mean like Sideways Bike #2 http://www.sidewaysbike.com/images/pic40.jpg

  • (cs) in reply to rootnode
    rootnode:
    Thats the stupidest thing I have ever seen.
    Design By Idiot (c)(r)(tm)
  • pinball (unregistered) in reply to jo42
    jo42:
    Design By Idiot (c)(r)(tm)

    ©®™ There! :)

  • Bert (unregistered)

    I saw a guy riding a home-made super scooter the otherday. It looked like he took an old Honda trail 50 style motorcycle and:

    1. stretched it out about 3 feet.
    2. installed a "running" board. You stand on this beast.
    3. Added some 3 foot extensions to the handle bars so he could reach them without bending over.
    4. It looked like it was licensed.

    I thought, "That guy must be crazy." Then I saw that he was NOT wearing a helmet which confirmed my initial thought.

    P.S. I feel sorry for the safety inspector that has to certify that load of junk each year.

    captcha: SPLAT!

  • (cs) in reply to Sinister Grammarian
    Sinister Grammarian:
    CRASH!* ... snip... *this is an onomatopoeia

    No...

    The word 'crash' does not sound like a crash.

    Depends on what you hit... (how about a cymbal?)

  • Todd Knarr (unregistered) in reply to RogerWilco
    RogerWilco:
    I think the only advantage of fixed geared bikes is, that they are cheaper and less things can break, so simpler to maintain.

    And you got the reason bike messengers use them. It's not speed, or efficienty, or anything. It's simply that a fixie has absolutely nothing that can break except the chain. Nothing to break means less chance of something breaking just as you absolutely need it working to get this package to the recipient ASAP.

  • Henry (unregistered) in reply to doc0tis
    doc0tis:
    My friend has a fixed-single-speed bike with clip-in pedals. The fact that it's fixed means the back wheel moves only when the pedals are moving, so you cannot coast. Between the fixed backwheel and the fact there are no real pedals, he doesn't need to lock up the bike, no one can ride it.

    --doc0tis

    I had a friend who rode a unicycle for similar reasons. Someone stole the seat.

  • (cs) in reply to doom
    doom:
    Yeah, why do you have to ride at night?

    It's dark when I leave work in the winter.

  • (cs) in reply to twp
    twp:
    It's a WTF because it's a deathtrap to anyone who tries it for the first time.

    Along with:

    roller skates skateboards rollerblades skis snowboards unicycles stilts motorcycles and automobiles!

    And shaving.

  • snarkhunter (unregistered) in reply to James
    James:
    Calling this a WTF is like saying the unicycle is a WTF because we already have a perfectly good bicycle, which is more "user-friendly" because the 2 wheels make it easier to ride. Or that a bicycle is a WTF because the *tri*-cycle won't tip over, even if you have no sense of balance.

    Actually, a tricycle will tip over quite easily, if you try to take a turn quickly. It's impossible to lean into a turn on a tricycle. Tricycles don't have the stability of cars or the mobility of bicycles. Don't let your kids ride one without a helmet.

  • snarkhunter (unregistered) in reply to James
    James:
    Calling this a WTF is like saying the unicycle is a WTF because we already have a perfectly good bicycle, which is more "user-friendly" because the 2 wheels make it easier to ride. Or that a bicycle is a WTF because the *tri*-cycle won't tip over, even if you have no sense of balance.

    Actually, a tricycle will tip over quite easily, if you try to take a turn quickly. It's impossible to lean into a turn on a tricycle. Tricycles don't have the stability of cars or the mobility of bicycles. Don't let your kids ride one without a helmet.

  • poopdeville (unregistered) in reply to ChunkLabel

    chvnk is awesome, but what's with them not playing nice with reedies anymore?

    captcha: quake. sounds like a good renn fayre theme to me.

  • poopdeville (unregistered) in reply to RogerWilco
    RogerWilco:
    Joutsa:
    Shinobu:
    This is because they contain a one way gear, whereas a fixed geared bike doesn't. With a one way gear, if you pedal slower than the current speed, the bike continues, losing only a small amount of energy to friction in the rear wheel gearing. Without it, you are essentially a part of the drive train. If you don't put in energy constantly, energy is lost not only in the rear wheel gearing, but also in the pedal gearing and in your legs.

    Actually, it does not work this way. To maintain any kind of speed over flat terrain you have to pedal. Coasting does not make you go any faster. As a nice side effect, you learn very effeicient pedaling style which helps a lot. The freewheel is really helpful only in long downhills.

    That messenger thing depends a lot on terrain. In flat places like Hamburg or Helsinki they ride fixies, in hilly places like Prague the thing is mountain bike with slicks.

    I live in the Netherlands, where the bike is the most used form of transportation as our country is almost completely flat. I have never even seen a fixed geared bike, while single gear/backpedal-brake bikes are very common here. I think the only advantage of fixed geared bikes is, that they are cheaper and less things can break, so simpler to maintain. I do not think they are easier to ride ro faster, otherwise I think the Dutch would have adopted them long ago.

    A single geared bike optimised for flat terain, is the best way to get around in my country for distances op to 15 km.

    That's silliness. Every person pedals most efficiently at a particular RPM. Even on flat terrain. Multi-gears let you stay at that RPM, even if you're moving at high speed. I can get to around 40 mph with a stiff multi-gear. Or about 10 on a fixie. (Sue me, I'm a fatty)

    It's the same deal as a car's transmission.

  • Your Name (unregistered) in reply to Baggy McBagster
    Baggy McBagster:
    Good grief, people, it's supposed to be fun and interesting. It's not supposed to be simple or efficient.

    You can all go back to your lives of maximum simplicity and efficiency now. This device is for recreation and entertainment and I get the feeling there are people around who'll never have an intuitive grasp of that.

    According to the majority of posters, causing someone hours of downtime because of the editing you did to their config files because they left their system unlocked for a little bit in the presense of so-called coworkers is funny and cute and teaches them a lesson and you're a no-fun jerk if you think otherwise.

    Having an idea and bringing it into the physical world in an act of creation and having a great time and expanding your physical abilities into an area that looks impossible at first while having a ton of fun, also makes you a stupid jerk.

    I thought this was a fun site on my first few visits, but I'm really starting to wonder...

  • Mr. Sweetness & Light (unregistered)

    I'm looking at this picture and either I'm missing something or everyone else is. Let's sum up: Two feet on the pedals, one each for the handlebars. That doesn't leave much else for any other operation.

    Soooooooooooooooooooo...

    Where the fuck are the brakes?

  • Anonononymous (unregistered) in reply to dolo54
    dolo54:
    It's not because of lack of friction, or pedaling style or fairy boots. It's simply because you don't need brakes, you don't have extra gears, you don't have shifters... It's just lighter that the same frame would be with all the extra stuff.

    I really can't believe that either the brakes or the shifters add any significant weight to the bike when compared to the weight of the rider.

  • jminkler (unregistered) in reply to doc0tis
    doc0tis:
    My friend has a fixed-single-speed bike with clip-in pedals. The fact that it's fixed means the back wheel moves only when the pedals are moving, so you cannot coast. Between the fixed backwheel and the fact there are no real pedals, he doesn't need to lock up the bike, no one can ride it.

    --doc0tis

    Look I removed the keyboard from this PC. Nobody can access my PC when I leave it like that !!

  • evilphoton (unregistered)

    Anyone who has spent the 1st day learning how to snowboard should be laughing their ass off at this side-winder death bike. Go off-balance just once during a right turn and you fall flat on your back. Of course pavement looks much more inviting than snow.

  • (cs)

    I swore this sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it until I watched South Park last night. Its the Wild, Wacky, Action Bike from the Chinpokemon episode!

    I wonder if Trey Parker and Matt Stone could file a lawsuit since this obviously ripped off their idea.

  • Matthew (unregistered) in reply to doc0tis
    doc0tis:
    My friend has a fixed-single-speed bike with clip-in pedals. The fact that it's fixed means the back wheel moves only when the pedals are moving, so you cannot coast. Between the fixed backwheel and the fact there are no real pedals, he doesn't need to lock up the bike, no one can ride it.

    Depends on where you live. Here in Portland, that kind of bike is what all the cool kids (OK, not kids, hardcore cyclists) are riding. Plenty of people could ride it (assuming they had pedals for it). Besides, you don't have to ride it to steal it. ;)

  • TheRealBill (unregistered) in reply to snarkhunter
    snarkhunter:
    James:
    Calling this a WTF is like saying the unicycle is a WTF because we already have a perfectly good bicycle, which is more "user-friendly" because the 2 wheels make it easier to ride. Or that a bicycle is a WTF because the *tri*-cycle won't tip over, even if you have no sense of balance.

    Actually, a tricycle will tip over quite easily, if you try to take a turn quickly. It's impossible to lean into a turn on a tricycle. Tricycles don't have the stability of cars or the mobility of bicycles. Don't let your kids ride one without a helmet.

    Unless you don't assume that all trikes have a single front wheel. And seriously, how fast can a three year old get on a little trike with little pedals? Not fast enough.

    That said, my three year old girl has a "trike" It's a three wheeled stand-up scooter. Honestly though she doesn't get up to much more than walking/burst speed on a good push. Do you make your kids walk with helmets? Or run? If you think your child gets up to dangerous speeds on that little trike, you need to watch them run. You'll find it's about the same speed, and that their head has farther to fall before it meets concrete. At least with a trike the motion is circular and you hit with a bit of roll.

    Sometimes thinking is a good thing. Three year olds needing helmets to ride a trike is one of these times.

  • TheRealBill (unregistered) in reply to Henry
    Henry:
    doc0tis:
    My friend has a fixed-single-speed bike with clip-in pedals. The fact that it's fixed means the back wheel moves only when the pedals are moving, so you cannot coast. Between the fixed backwheel and the fact there are no real pedals, he doesn't need to lock up the bike, no one can ride it.

    --doc0tis

    I had a friend who rode a unicycle for similar reasons. Someone stole the seat.

    Ouch. Bet that was a nervous ride home.

  • JL (unregistered) in reply to Benanov
    Benanov:
    He says he likes it best when he's "drifting" as he calls it, where both wheels are parallel.

    Except for tilting (well, unicycles exist, so it can be dealt with), why didn't he design a bicycle that did that, if that's the most fun?

    And yes, I AM in fact improving on a WTF design. :)

    You missed the point. Yes, a bicycle can have both wheels parallel, but only in one orientation -- forward. I'm guessing "drifting" is where both wheels are parallel but are pointed in some other direction than forward. This means he can travel in different direction than his orientation, swerve around obstacles without turning his body, etc. If this is what he considers most fun, he would not be satisfied with a standard bicycle.

    This bike reminds me of a neat video on YouTube of a "backwards car", where some east europeans took the steerable front ends from two cars and stuck them together (then installed the shell of a car backwards to further confuse matters). Since the front and back wheels are independently steerable, they can nearly drive it sideways by steering the wheels in parallel ("drifting"), and they get an ultra-tight turning radius by steering the wheels in opposite directions. It's absolutely impractical for the typical commuter, but it's great fun to watch.

  • dolo54 (unregistered)

    did someone say bicycle drifting? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GNB7xT3rNE

  • hognoxious (unregistered) in reply to bstorer
    bstorer:
    You beat me to it. How will this bike keep my hands warm?
    By the friction as they slide along the road after you inevitably fall off the accursed contraption.
  • Pope (unregistered)

    Oh my... I almost peed myself, that is so funny. I wonder if he has a name for it yet. Such as... Death Trap or Leg Breaker.

  • sam (unregistered)

    thanks WTF

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