Of all the free parts up for grabs at a friend’s house, nobody wanted the scrap wheelchair wheels: including [Eric]. That is, of course, until he spontaneously decided to try something a bit crazy and take on a bizarre yet remarkably imaginative hubless wheel bike build.
After attaching the wheelchair’s rim and its affixed handrail to the rim on his bike, [Eric] mounted pairs of rollerblade wheels to a separate piece of metal that essentially act as bearings. As the build progresses, the bike is further refined. More rollerblade wheels, a giant sprocket, and a pile of machined aluminum pieces. The valve stem for the tire had to be relocated to allow the wheel to spin freely.
The finished product is a stunning bicycle, which [Eric] later revisited, updating the rollerblade wheels to precision-lathed plastic (specifically UHMWPE) rollers. Make sure you watch the video of the Hubless Horseman in action. If, for some reason, your only prior exposure to hubless wheels is the TRON light cycle or [Kirk’s] motorcycle from the Star Trek reboot, do yourself a favor and check out their inventor, Franco Sbarro.
But why only do one wheel?
were it me, I’d get the back wheel right, then make a second hubless wheel and reconfigure the front forks to accept it.
It would be much simpler the second time around too, as the front wheel need not be driven.
sexo
… and that is why everyone should own a TIG welder. Fantasic!
Now build one using Neodymium magnets to take the place of the rollers.
That double as a motor.
And will power a headlight are a holographic pov
very nice build, just wondering what the actual advantages would be of these hubless wheels (except for the extreme cool factor)
Until you encapsulate the drive mechanism(motor) in the hub nothing. It’s actually mostly drawbacks: small tolerances, parts exposed to grime, complicates drive train, complicates suspension, &c.
Higher friction as well.
If you can afford a source of pressurised air, then perhaps hydrostatic air bearings for lower friction? the small air flow through them should blow out any grime. not too difficult to machine the rims to the accuracy needed- something like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaJ_spF7vgk
I think it’s mostly for looks, an attention getter.
Loved the project and the work…
Hated photobucket.
The wheel is cool, even with the added drag that coaster wheels will add to it. The bike concept itself is massively flawed though. With a turning circle half a parking lot wide, this bike will only get to to one place, an early grave.
That was incredibly cheesy.
As does any motorcycle ever made by Harley Davdison, and still there’s an entire lifestly based on their products…
True, although a Harley is deliberately crippled in order to make it sound like a extremely loud continues bowel movement, notifying anybody in a 3 mile radius that somewhere some fat bearded tattoo chimp may cross ones path.
Umm no they are not. They use a 45 degree v to keep the motor smaller and a single pin crank for simplicity. The latest bikes do have balance shafts to smooth out vibrations a well. Exhaust note is an oddly personal thing. I am not a Harley rider. I ride an FZ-1 but I wouldn’t mind an XR1200 or a Road King. Both are good bikes in their segments.
Um no. Harley and choppers are not the same thing. Yes most choppers are based on Harleys but not all Harleys are choppers. Sporters are pretty nimble bikes.
Stopped watching as soon as the shitty music kicked in.
It looks like it still has a hub, but not as we know it.
Right? Hub is now at the rim instead of in the center.
The wheel still revolves around an axle, but the axle in this case is large and hollow.
I think the hub is still there because the wheel still has a bearing unit at it’s centre; even if the bearings are much closer to the rim than traditional.
Nice build and looks cool though.
I want that wheel on a motorcycle!
You can get a motorcycle with hubless wheels, as long as you have an extra $100 grand or two lying around.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VxrMK8huEU
Is anyone else having trouble with the videos?
Nope.
Regardless of any negative comments left, this is a beautiful build. I would gladly build a bike based on this design for my son, daughter, wife or self to ride. Keep up the improvements, I would not be suprised to see bikes like this cruising for the boardwalks before soon.
This makes me ashamed of my poor machining skills…