Segways stunned the world when they first hit the market in 2001. Hoverboards then terrified the world with nasty accidents and surprise fires. [James Bruton] loves hoverboards regardless, and set out on a mighty upgrade regime turning the ride-on toy into a giant omniwheeled bicycle.
The build relies on two giant omniwheels of [James’s] own creation, using lasercut and 3D-printed parts. The wheels are mounted perpendicularly on either end of a boxy plywood “bike frame” built in two sections, with a split in the middle. The two halves can rotate relative to each other, much like the two halves of a stock hoverboard.
Amazingly, the build relies on the stock hoverboard motors and electronics. The hoverboard wheel motors are responsible for driving the omniwheels at either end via a toothed belt drive. The gear ratio of the belt reduction is set up to cancel out the greater diameter of the omniwheels, such that the hoverboard’s tuning isn’t disrupted. Wisely, [James] also fitted a safety power cutout, too.
The result is a self-balancing “bike” the likes of which you’ve never seen before. At present, it can balance upright and rotate relatively well. However, control is difficult, requiring the use of the rider’s body weight and the twisting of the bike’s sections. [James] has instead contemplated using servos to tilt the hoverboard sensors instead for an easier control method than the current setup.
It’s a truly bonkers build which is a testament to [James’s] creativity and prowess. We’ve seen some other great hoverboard hacks before, but nothing quite like this. Video after the break.
The Hell’s Angels will never accept him.
But the Scientists on Wheels
Agreed. Definitely bonkers.
But kinda amazing.
By Grabthar’s Hammer, try PV Case today!
Bonkers is probably the best word ever to explain what this is. Thank you Hackaday (and thanks James)!!
>Segways stunned the world ….
No. Tossers and Luvvies perhaps.
Mr Garrison’s It Bike however, a sleek, simple but sophisticated piece of machinery, left us unable to ever see a Segway without imagining the user on an It Bike.
After all the hype everyone was certainly stunned when it was revealed.
Yes. I thought they’d discovered antigravity from the way they went on. The Wikipedia article says that only 140,000 were sold. That’s one for about every 50,000 people in “the world”.
Yeah, a collective gasp of “wft?” Last time I saw a flock of Segways they were being ridden by tour groups in SF. Today those stupid rent-a-scooters and their equally clueless riders have taken up the job of running pedestrians over.
am I the only one noticing that this bike has nothing to make it advance or get back (except the user foots..)? I don’t know what is the goal but without any kind of motorization, that seems quite useless,,,
At the end of the video, he mentions a Part II where he’ll add thrusters (EDFs?) for forward propulsion.
You can just lean sideways, I mean that was how hoverboards where meant to be used.
I think this is how we get to the cars in that awful i.robot movie.