Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Highwire Bicycle

Concept: Kolelinia high wire bicycle transport

Architect Martin Angelov presents this bike facility concept to transport cyclists over busy intersections and other areas where more traditional infrastructure may be cost prohibitive.

Kolelinia bicycle track


You propel your bike by pedaling in a metal track. To keep from falling off and hurtling to your death, something like a chairlift grip mechanism attaches the bike handlebar to a safety cable on either side of the bike. The "grip" isn't really a grip since it doesn't grip the cable, but rolls freely as shown in the animation below.



The idea is to enable bike transportation in areas where space or money is in short supply. Do you need a new bike / pedestrian bridge over Highway 101 in San Mateo but don't have $8 million in the budget? Buy a truckload of gutter, half inch steel cable, a pile of cable grips and supporting structures and you're good to go!

Can you imagine the vertigo and thrill of flying on your bike underneath the Oakland Bay Bridge while 30 mph gusts toss you to and fro with the churning waves of the Bay 200 feet below?

More info at Kolelinia.com. Via Steve in Chicago.

7 comments:

Pete LaVerghetta said...

This is the killer app that will convince people to ditch their cars. Where is that sarcasm mark again?

Yokota Fritz said...

"killer app" Heh heh...

Steven Vance said...

You can also look at it as a monorail bicycle.

Elliott@ Austin on Two Wheels said...

What ridiculous means our culture will go through to preserve space for cars and car culture. This is the stupidest idea I've seen in some time. Could make me revive my "Dumbest product of the week" series. I'm hoping it's a submission for The Onion.

Yokota Fritz said...

@Elliot - my thoughts as well. Gives credence to "gutter bunny" cycling, enforcing the idea that cyclists should stay in the gutter.

sumadis said...

really?

how do you pass?
how do you; stop for coffee, stop to pee, change a flat...
what keeps the rider from falling into traffic if there's a bobble or slip?

this thing is beyond dumb.

Rapid robert said...

Another good example of how with apparently no practical experience balancing on a bicycle or riding one, but with computer animation and photoshop skills, can make a completely impractical and ridiculous idea look credible. Probably be funded very well by idiots in suits spending other peoples' money, because of the nice PowerPoint presentation. Of course it's patented.