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Probably get Koenig to make a tool-box bed for the three-wheelers <g> . . .
"They" are going to want some "un aerodynamic" folks in the tubes to greate the "draft" they all want to bike about in anyway . . . <g>
Hmm, just had an image of a 'vehicle' dimensioned to some offset of the tube, with, oh, four bike wheels set to both vertical ground clearance, and to "splayed" out to "ride" the tube walls (like canted 30º from vertical). Skip the steering, let the tube be the guide. Put a big honking flywheel in there, and use a stock deraileur to keep the flywheel spun up . . .
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The elevated tube is a great idea, but for independent contractors it presents the same problem as public transportation - it can't go everywhere. That's why for my zero emissions transportation needs, I went with the giant plastic ball. Not only does it keep me safe and dry all year round, but it looks cool and turns on a dime! (this actually makes it a little unpredictable, but you get used to it). I was tempted to get the full sized model with the safety release (standard) and tinted privacy plastic, but I went for the sport utility midsized with the breathing slot option instead because it had a lot more zip. It's really an awesome way to get around. Not only is it great exercise (sooo much more fun than the old stationary wheel) -but I feel like I'm really doing something good for the planet. The only drawback, of course, is picking up materials. Kinda tough.
I got tired of manually operating mine, so I put a small gas engine on it. Unfortunately, I can't seem to exhaust the CO and fumes properly. Any suggestions? I can only go for about 2 minutes at a time. I got the gold irridium plating inside. It's much cooler, but tends to blind oncoming traffic and cause collisions. Why do people look directly into a bright light? Even though it's a sphere, the bounces really hurt.
Wow, you really went "ball out" with your street sphere. My prediction, though, is that you'll soon tire of the set up you have now (and by "tire" - I mean die a smoky, clawing type of death), and one way or another realize that your hot rod set up is not where it's at. Sure, chicks may dig it, but do you actually think anyone will ride to the make out spot in in that smoke bomb ? Hey man, I understand the "need for speed" as much as the next guy, but I wouldn't even mess around in my living room with the set up you're runnin'. The weight distribution problems alone make that thing impossible to tame. And if you think global warming sounds bad, the instant karma you're toying with is going to make that "inconvenient truth" look handier than a dog that pees beer...or... somethin'. You want adrenaline? do what I do. Plan all your balltime to coincide with peak rush hour traffic. Get yourself in front of an express bus (wait at the stop, of course) and take advantage of the hybrid feature. If you want adventure, take your chances with random private vehicles and see where the day takes ya. I got in front of a cadillac the other day, turned out to be stolen. I ended up in another state but I got to be on T.V.! even received credit for an assist when a quick thinking cop wedged me into an alley to block the getaway...and yeah, the ball can deflect bullets. Point is, you don't need to burn fuel -okay you don't need to BUY fuel to get around. Think globally, ACT globally. See ya around, saul "the ball" good
Edited 9/16/2006 11:17 am ET by saulgood
I'm going to replace the Gold Irridium Street Sphere with a high performance Ce:Fe doped LiNbO photovoltaic crystal coated one that will power a cross phase modulated non-linear servo drive unit in sphere during daylight hours. I plan on implementing a gyro stabilizer also due to poor performance of the sphere in cross winds, and on turns.
>" I'm going to replace the Gold Irridium Street Sphere with a high performance Ce:Fe doped LiNbO photovoltaic crystal coated one that will power a cross phase modulated non-linear servo drive unit in sphere during daylight hours. I plan on implementing a gyro stabilizer also due to poor performance of the sphere in cross winds, and on turns."< Sorry to bust yer bubble, man, but it's been done. Saw it yesterday on MTV's "pimp my ball"On another note - this is a pretty weird conversation we're having. Do you get the feeling no one else on this thread gives a ship? I'm going outside to see what it's like out there.peas....
I'm having a ball.
< I'm going outside to see what it's like out there.>
You go outside?
Whoa. Dude.
Forrest
Back pack and saddle bags baby! Pump like H^ll.
hahaha
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Memphest 2006
November 18th
Where'd you get that?[email protected]
It's Never Too Late To Become What You Might Have Been
It's on the "velo-city" link Eric. Pretty cool concept, but I can't imagine what it would cost.
It's on the "velo-city" link Eric.
duh! I am connectively challenged so I don't often bother with many links.
BTW, thanks again for the disk. The class I wanted got cancelled due to lack of interest; so as soon as I clean up the puter a bit I can start farting around![email protected]
It's Never Too Late To Become What You Might Have Been
The site that was posted.Memphest 2006
November 18th
My little girls call that "Trick fur tug ruffy"
Have a good day eh!
Cliffy
That'd be mighty fine in lousy weather, but can you imagine what it'd be like peddeling hard when the sun's shining and it's 90+ outside? Ouch!
Tools? Rickshaw, baby!
Love riding, don't at all buy the 90% increase in efficiency.
Mike
No problem at all carrying 80-100 pounds of tools in panniers. Even long goods can easily be carried with a pair of wheels on the far end. Plywood, however, is a different matter.
PS: Spent some time on the Toronto bike paths about 15 years ago. Nice system, but it doesn't really go anywhere you'd like to go, and the major connecting streets in Toronto are really bike-unfriendly.
Maybe this type of system will change society. It is now acceptable to show up for work, business meetings etc. in biker attire, or something like Star trek uniforms......we could make a fortune if we could come up with a Star Trek like multi-use outfit (excercise, business and pleasure) that has built-in BO cancellation..
Imagine:
Sorry I am late for work boss, there was a fat guy who held up traffic for hours becsause he could not make it up the single lane on ramp.
Hard to tell if that concept is an official Toronto thing, or something put forth privately. Either way, they are correctly imagining a future in which urban commuters cannot spend 2 hours a day stuck in traffic alone in a vehicle that gets 16 miles per gallon.
A story in the New York Times a couple of days ago covered the new Google foundation and their funding of research into a vehicle that can get 100 MPG. It's not discussed much in the mainstream but there is a growing awareness that our current energy use patterns are completely unsustainable and that alternatives that will maintain today's lifestyles don't really exist.
I was up last night suffering from a miserable cold and happened to watch part of the Farm Report. Never seen that before, it's on in the middle of the night. A major part of the discussion was about ethanol, the capacity of the corn belt to grow corn, the number of new plants in the planning or construction phases, the number of gallons yielded per bushel, etc.
Sobering stuff, if you stop to think about it. Getting your tools to a job might be one of the smaller problems you have.
Here is my prefered alterna-transportation. 0-60 in 4 sec, 135 mpg equivalent (no idea how they calc that):
http://www.teslamotors.com/index.php?js_enabled=1
Probably doesn't sound right (no engine roar) but who cares, with that kind of performance.
Can't haul a sheet of plywood - that's what cell phones and delivery services are for!
I was talking to my mechanic, who claimed that for every 1% of the US population that switched to an electric vehicle there would be need for 2-3 new nuclear plants. Of course that makes huge assumptions about the efficiencies and use patterns of those vehicles, but it's not a free ride.
There's a Bay Area guy I used to know a bit who has/had a Ford Electric Ranger and a solar panel at home to charge it, never plugged it into the wall. In your area it's sunny enough that you could do the same with your Tesla. What do they cost, by the way?
six figures, IIRC, or at least high 5 figures - comparable to the competition with similar performance
already have the PV to power it - just no cash to buy it :-(
There is a really cherry Karmann Ghia in the area that is completely electric. I've also seen a Ford Ranger PU with PV where the lumber rack belongs. Hats off to the tinkerers - I'm not one but I love it that they are out there!
If I had the garage/shed space I'd be working on my corn-powered engine.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
We need guys like you to do that. I will furnish the corn, it grows here like weeds.