Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.
The aim is to try to get a really high end city bike or courier bike that can fold up into a package like a golf bag, which could go into an overhead rack on a train or go into a plane locker.
What piques my curiosity is how they plan to keep the tire attached. Tubeless tires and clinchers both hook onto the rim bead, but sew-ups, like they have here, are usually glued on. Obviously, that’s not the case here. What’s to keep the tire from just rolling off the rim?
It looks like you’d have to inflate and deflate the tires every time you wanted to fold them, too. Convenient if you’re traveling by plane, though; taking a bike by air is normally a nightmare.
mikahsays:
looks like a good idea very good thinking…
Gregsays:
You don’t necessarily need to glue the tubular tire on the entire surface of the rim. Actually when you use tape some peple advice not to glue a segment of it so at to more easily remove the tire in case of flat.
In the long run if this thing catches on specific tires may need to be developed. Something along the line of a clincher tubular for segment of the tired hooked to the non folding portion of the rim and regular tubular segment around the joints.
Ryansays:
Here are some full size high performance bikes that fold in half and can be slipped in a bag to take on a train or fit easily in your trunk: http://www.montaguebikes.com/
Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.
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What piques my curiosity is how they plan to keep the tire attached. Tubeless tires and clinchers both hook onto the rim bead, but sew-ups, like they have here, are usually glued on. Obviously, that’s not the case here. What’s to keep the tire from just rolling off the rim?
It looks like you’d have to inflate and deflate the tires every time you wanted to fold them, too. Convenient if you’re traveling by plane, though; taking a bike by air is normally a nightmare.
looks like a good idea very good thinking…
You don’t necessarily need to glue the tubular tire on the entire surface of the rim. Actually when you use tape some peple advice not to glue a segment of it so at to more easily remove the tire in case of flat.
In the long run if this thing catches on specific tires may need to be developed. Something along the line of a clincher tubular for segment of the tired hooked to the non folding portion of the rim and regular tubular segment around the joints.
Here are some full size high performance bikes that fold in half and can be slipped in a bag to take on a train or fit easily in your trunk: http://www.montaguebikes.com/