- 15 Feb 2005, 02:33
#1459
The WHEELSURF is a new and unbelievably exciting motor powered one-wheel. It’s powerful, high torque motor will propel it from 0-20 MPH in 7 seconds!
The hand held throttle gives precise control over speed, manuever and braking. Its one speed control allows beginners as well as experienced riders a choice of speed controls for their riding abilities.
How to drive
Before riding, the driver positions himself inside the wheel and powers the engine by pulling on a cord.
To start riding, the driver gives power to the engine and sits in an upright position, leaning slightly forward until a comfortable equilibrium speed is reached. Then, he begins to combine acceleration modes and body movements in all of his rides.
If the driver wants to bring the wheel into a stop, he slightly applies the hand brakes and leans his body back, counterbalancing the center of gravity accordingly or letting the landing brakes touching the ground slightly when braking harder.
On curves, he performs zigzag movements as the worm wiggles or shifts his weight causing the WheelSurf to lean.
How it works -- basic understanding --
The WHEELSURF is a very unique powered one-wheeled made for those of a sporty mind.
As you can see, this scooter is comprised of two wheels: internal and external rims. The inner wheel is not an inner wheel as such, but rather a wheel shaped frame connected to the outer wheel by four nylon-rollers called roller go, holding it all in place. The connection between inner wheel and outer wheel is established by yet another small wheel called wheel drive that is driven by the engine. This is a rubber-coated wheel that simply presses against the outer wheel. When this wheel or “tire” is rotated, it passes the kinetic energy of the rotation on to the outer wheel, which in turn rotates itself into movement relative to it's own axis which, as seen from the WHEELSURF, itself remains static.
As it moves, the wheel remains upright thanks to gyroscopic forces. The same principle keeps a motorcycle upright when moving. The brake and the accelerator command are both fixed on the guide bar. The engine is located in the front lower part of the internal rim. The driver's seat is located on the lower middle part and the guide bar on the upper level.
And, right underneath the motor locates the landing brakes. This element is fixed (mountable part) in a position that it doesn’t touch the ground while the WHEELSURF is moving. When the brake is applied it hits the ground forcing all of the moving units to stop. It is also used to park the WHEELSURF by simply hand holding both inner and outer wheels, rotating them over the landing brakes as the motor weight presses down, making it still.
Retails at $2500.
Source credits: The Gadgeteer, Wheelsurf official.
The hand held throttle gives precise control over speed, manuever and braking. Its one speed control allows beginners as well as experienced riders a choice of speed controls for their riding abilities.
How to drive
Before riding, the driver positions himself inside the wheel and powers the engine by pulling on a cord.
To start riding, the driver gives power to the engine and sits in an upright position, leaning slightly forward until a comfortable equilibrium speed is reached. Then, he begins to combine acceleration modes and body movements in all of his rides.
If the driver wants to bring the wheel into a stop, he slightly applies the hand brakes and leans his body back, counterbalancing the center of gravity accordingly or letting the landing brakes touching the ground slightly when braking harder.
On curves, he performs zigzag movements as the worm wiggles or shifts his weight causing the WheelSurf to lean.
How it works -- basic understanding --
The WHEELSURF is a very unique powered one-wheeled made for those of a sporty mind.
As you can see, this scooter is comprised of two wheels: internal and external rims. The inner wheel is not an inner wheel as such, but rather a wheel shaped frame connected to the outer wheel by four nylon-rollers called roller go, holding it all in place. The connection between inner wheel and outer wheel is established by yet another small wheel called wheel drive that is driven by the engine. This is a rubber-coated wheel that simply presses against the outer wheel. When this wheel or “tire” is rotated, it passes the kinetic energy of the rotation on to the outer wheel, which in turn rotates itself into movement relative to it's own axis which, as seen from the WHEELSURF, itself remains static.
As it moves, the wheel remains upright thanks to gyroscopic forces. The same principle keeps a motorcycle upright when moving. The brake and the accelerator command are both fixed on the guide bar. The engine is located in the front lower part of the internal rim. The driver's seat is located on the lower middle part and the guide bar on the upper level.
And, right underneath the motor locates the landing brakes. This element is fixed (mountable part) in a position that it doesn’t touch the ground while the WHEELSURF is moving. When the brake is applied it hits the ground forcing all of the moving units to stop. It is also used to park the WHEELSURF by simply hand holding both inner and outer wheels, rotating them over the landing brakes as the motor weight presses down, making it still.
Retails at $2500.
Source credits: The Gadgeteer, Wheelsurf official.
δ ע ∂ ∫ .>>
jkz, dont take it too hard. 