Thanks for the Comment. Perhaps when I retire I will have time to draw up the plans. I actually built this bike years ago before I knew it was't possible. Its fun to ride and show off. I still get the occational opinion that it is impossible. It's in all fun.
I have watched your video many times. You have a very nice looking recumbent. My recumbent's steering head tube angle is 71 degress. and a long trailing rear fork for the Rear wheel Steering. there is no suspension but the ride is very forgiving cause of the light weight tubing. Thank you for your qestions
It cannot be ridden hands off but I cannot do that on my Volae or any of my recumbents. This bike is very stable and easy to ride but there is a learning curve. It is not like riding a conventional recumbent. As of this point I have not drawn up plans for this design. CalPoly Tech are using the basics of this bike to create there racing recumbent for 2010. Should be interesting to see where that leads. Thanks for the interest.
I am 12 years late, but this is brilliant as it simplifies so much a front wheel drive. In term of concentration, do you need more than on an "ordinary" recumbent to keep the bike upright and pointing in the right direction?
It is easy but it does take a learning curve. No one can just jump on it and ride away. I think this is why it will never hit main stream. I don't have to plan turns, its just like riding a bike. It is still very responsive. I am working on a new video where it is ridden in traffic and has some better angle shots. It is taking more time than I expected to get this next project done.
I have not drawn up plans for this bike. It is on my to do list. Riding a rear wheel steering bike has a learning curve but after time spent riding one it pretty much feels just like a bicycle. I would not say it was better than front wheel steering, I just wanted to prove RWS could be done.
When you stand up to pedal on a 'normal' bike, you can't push down with more than your body weight. If you're sitting with your back against a fixed seat, you can push more than your body weight onto the pedals.
How much does that puppy weigh? Seems like one of the knocks I see on bents is a weight disadvantage, but I don't see where there's anymore frame & chain to that than on an upright. I want one, it looks wicked fast & perfect for smoking guys who insist recumbents aren't as good uphill.
do you sell plans for this? It looks like you are using standard 700 cc wheels. Does the rear wheel steering handle better than the frontwheel steering, less squirilly?
Denrnr, can you comment on the relative stability of this bike? Can it be ridden hands-off? Do you need to make more relative steering corrections than on your Volae? Do you have to keep constant pressure on the steering? (The bike looks fabulous, I would also be interested in buying the geometry or measured plans).
Hello Dennis, that bike is really amazing! Do you have more information about the geometry and handling of the bike? Is learning handling this bike any different from any other recumbent? I see the handle bar is quite big, is there a lot of "countersteer" on the bar? best regards, Dirk
23 lbs, I ride a Volae highracer all the time that is 27.5 lbs and still smoke most other riders even on hills. The areodynamics are more inportant than a few pounds. Also proper training on the recumbent is key.
Your bike is VERY similar to Craig Cornelius's VelAero that he built back in the 80's or early 90's. You can read all about it and see pix in his article in the spring 1990 IHPVA "Human Power"
Great bike. So is steering with a rear wheel as easy as you made it look? Do you have to plan more where your going ahead of time? I am sure there are a lot of Python bike builders that can learn from you. Now why can't the bicycle industry build this?
@kayakbruce1 The main liabilities with recumbents on hills are weight and the fact you can't stand up to crank. The former is partly solved by this design because there's almost nothing to it. A carbon fiber version of this might be lighter than a top of the line conventional racing bike (certainly no heavier). The other issue is solved on a bike like the Cruzbike Silvio (which is the most similar commercial model I've found to the one in this video). Not sure how this one would do that way.
Whatever one may think of this, the real innovations in cycling are in the recumbent world. What is left to be done with DF, traditional bikes? Not much.
Hi! I plan to build a rear wheel steer recumbent , but in videos it seems so unstable. Is it stable in high speeds? Would it still be possible to drive hands off (is the rear wheel stable while riding in high speeds, or do you have to hold handlebars hard while riding)? I tought maybe in video it seems unstable becuse of the rider sits above the wheel center? Can anyone help? thanks!
I'd like to see maneuvering in tight spots (eg, parking lot b'n cars) at low speeds (~1m/s). And, if possible, make it in slow-motion replay to capture steering geometry work and center mass shifts during your sharp cornering. Show no-hands or, at least, one-hand ride. Otherwise, your video hasn't proved the conclusion of many experienced recumbent bikes makers that FWD RWS scheme is not worth efforts.
Thanks for the Comment. Perhaps when I retire I will have time to draw up the plans. I actually built this bike years ago before I knew it was't possible. Its fun to ride and show off. I still get the occational opinion that it is impossible. It's in all fun.
I have watched your video many times. You have a very nice looking recumbent.
My recumbent's steering head tube angle is 71 degress. and a long trailing rear fork for the Rear wheel Steering. there is no suspension but the ride is very forgiving cause of the light weight tubing. Thank you for your qestions
It cannot be ridden hands off but I cannot do that on my Volae or any of my recumbents. This bike is very stable and easy to ride but there is a learning curve. It is not like riding a conventional recumbent. As of this point I have not drawn up plans for this design. CalPoly Tech are using the basics of this bike to create there racing recumbent for 2010. Should be interesting to see where that leads. Thanks for the interest.
I am 12 years late, but this is brilliant as it simplifies so much a front wheel drive. In term of concentration, do you need more than on an "ordinary" recumbent to keep the bike upright and pointing in the right direction?
It is easy but it does take a learning curve. No one can just jump on it and ride away. I think this is why it will never hit main stream. I don't have to plan turns, its just like riding a bike. It is still very responsive. I am working on a new video where it is ridden in traffic and has some better angle shots. It is taking more time than I expected to get this next project done.
I have not drawn up plans for this bike. It is on my to do list. Riding a rear wheel steering bike has a learning curve but after time spent riding one it pretty much feels just like a bicycle. I would not say it was better than front wheel steering, I just wanted to prove RWS could be done.
When you stand up to pedal on a 'normal' bike, you can't push down with more than your body weight.
If you're sitting with your back against a fixed seat, you can push more than your body weight onto the pedals.
Is it possible for you to show another video just to show CLOSELY how the rear steering works? Thanks.
I would add a steering auto center mechanism as in cars so should be able to ride hands off
How much does that puppy weigh? Seems like one of the knocks I see on bents is a weight disadvantage, but I don't see where there's anymore frame & chain to that than on an upright. I want one, it looks wicked fast & perfect for smoking guys who insist recumbents aren't as good uphill.
do you sell plans for this? It looks like you are using standard 700 cc wheels. Does the rear wheel steering handle better than the frontwheel steering, less squirilly?
Denrnr, can you comment on the relative stability of this bike? Can it be ridden hands-off? Do you need to make more relative steering corrections than on your Volae? Do you have to keep constant pressure on the steering? (The bike looks fabulous, I would also be interested in buying the geometry or measured plans).
Hello Dennis,
that bike is really amazing!
Do you have more information about the geometry and handling of the bike? Is learning handling this bike any different from any other recumbent?
I see the handle bar is quite big, is there a lot of "countersteer" on the bar?
best regards,
Dirk
@Denrnr Would it be still riddable hands off? Is the rear wheel acting nice while riding?
Thanks
23 lbs, I ride a Volae highracer all the time that is 27.5 lbs and still smoke most other riders even on hills. The areodynamics are more inportant than a few pounds. Also proper training on the recumbent is key.
Your bike is VERY similar to Craig Cornelius's VelAero that he built back in the 80's or early 90's. You can read all about it and see pix in his article in the spring 1990 IHPVA "Human Power"
Dennis has much cleaner simpler build.
Beautiful bike-are you still riding it, have you continued developing it?
Great bike. So is steering with a rear wheel as easy as you made it look? Do you have to plan more where your going ahead of time? I am sure there are a lot of Python bike builders that can learn from you. Now why can't the bicycle industry build this?
@kayakbruce1 The main liabilities with recumbents on hills are weight and the fact you can't stand up to crank. The former is partly solved by this design because there's almost nothing to it. A carbon fiber version of this might be lighter than a top of the line conventional racing bike (certainly no heavier). The other issue is solved on a bike like the Cruzbike Silvio (which is the most similar commercial model I've found to the one in this video). Not sure how this one would do that way.
Whatever one may think of this, the real innovations in cycling are in the recumbent world. What is left to be done with DF, traditional bikes? Not much.
Hi!
I plan to build a rear wheel steer recumbent , but in videos it seems so unstable. Is it stable in high speeds? Would it still be possible to drive hands off (is the rear wheel stable while riding in high speeds, or do you have to hold handlebars hard while riding)?
I tought maybe in video it seems unstable becuse of the rider sits above the wheel center? Can anyone help?
thanks!
Volume 8 Number 2 issue of Human Power
I'd like to see maneuvering in tight spots (eg, parking lot b'n cars) at low speeds (~1m/s). And, if possible, make it in slow-motion replay to capture steering geometry work and center mass shifts during your sharp cornering. Show no-hands or, at least, one-hand ride.
Otherwise, your video hasn't proved the conclusion of many experienced recumbent bikes makers that FWD RWS scheme is not worth efforts.
video too long, and didn't really demonstrate the rear wheel steering as you didn't turn sharp near the camera. interesting bike nevertheless.