Old 09-13-20, 02:05 PM
  #36  
FoldingSpace
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I think super materials (buckyballs and nanotubes/fibers Etc will eventually lead to significant breakthroughs like folding wheels, tubeless tires and so on - this concept only needs two materials- a super strong and light rigid material and some sort of foam or micro-spring material to achieve pneumatic comfort and safety.


imagine for example a carbon nanotube spoke set - (maybe 20 or so) that fans or concertinas closed into a stack - and of course fans and locks open with enough torsional rigidity to form a stable and perfect wheel and you finish it with three or four sections of a rim and tire Combo to form a full, rigid wheel. The wheel segments lock together and into the spokes to complete the circuit and achieve a rigid, perfect wheel.


Spokes could plug into that wheel kit and lock in place - making your largest components the (now straight and collapsed/ fanned) spokes and a quadrant or third of the wheel circumference.(picture three or four “bananas” of a super material.

the frame, chain set and handlebars etc (also made of ultralight super strong future material) can fold or disconnect using existing tech/methods and pack away.

the Tuck and the diagram above of the penny farthing isn’t crazy if material properties reach the appropriate level of strength and lightness- and of course rigidity.
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