Weakling

I would name it Snake Wheel but the inventor think it looks
like a Shark maybe https://sharkwheel.com/

It looks very odd like it would wobble like a warped LP record
But he has tested and say it runs smoothly on hard surface
and much better than conventional wheels on sand beach.

So I come to think of snowy streets up north.

I live in Sweden and one would expect that they clean the streets
but if the snow has fallen at night they can not afford to pay for
all the needed manpower to take it away. Take days.

So I needed food and have fallen each winter due to bad balance
so I use a four wheel kickbike from Finland to take me to things
when street are slippery.

The wheels are only 12" so sure they get stuck in the snow.

But even the 28" got stuck for a neighbor who have studs
on his standard bike. He came walking and told me it was not
easy to use the bike. Very bumpy and hard work to go.

Now the inventor of Shark wheel say his pattern allow it to work well
even on sand that is not packed hard. The pattern behave like a sand snake
crawling S curve line. so much better tract

He will show it in action December 15 so that is tomorrow when I write.

Would be cool if it works as good as he say. I know nothing and have no relation to him.

this is not an ad for it. I have had problem with biking in snowy street for years now
so I want your kind comments on does it look like a good solution for winter bikes?

Bekologist

so far from fruition it isn't even funny.

modernjess

If and when it ever comes to market You'd need a fat bike frame and drive train set up to provide proper clearance to run a wheel like that. I'm not convinced.

I do know from personal experience that fat bikes are fantastic in the snow. Why not just get a fat bike?

Plimogz

For one thing, the oscillating wheel (for lack of better term) would be much lighter. It may well be a superior paradigm for sand. Something tells me however that it would have some inherent weaknesses with regards to ice. And I can't imagine that thing would be stable in turns.

Maybe on the drive wheels of a tricycle or quad...

Anyway @OP: Assuming that your balance isn't so bad that you actually can't ride a two wheeled bicycle, you could just mount some fat, spiked Nokians on a low geared mountain bike and call it a day. It would be slow going for sure, but with a low enough gear and the right tire pressure, it would not be too hard to push nor too bumpy to ride.

shepherdsflock

Looks terribly unstable. I would think the bike would have a tendency to shudder and shake at any speed above a slow walking pace. I also can't imagine how dangerous navigating a high speed turn would be with such a wheel!

Rootman

Wow, that would play hell with your rim brakes

Forrest74

A sand snake has it's entire surface in contact with the ground, this wheel is still a wheel and only has one tiny area in contact with the surface. I can't even imagine how you would turn the bicycle either, the oscillation would be uncomfortable at best and would very likely be dangerous to the rider by loading and unloading the wheels when you want consistent grip.

Burton

LOL Just for you - there's probably a disc model in the works!

WhyFi

I don't think that you're going to lean in on the turns too much with this one...

WhyFi

Not true, actually. At any given time there are only a couple points of contact.

Weakling

One of the enthusiastic supporters gave the 25 degrees leaning as max?
Is that too little? Could one compare with what happens when you lean
a three wheel bike Trike in the curve then the other wheel leave ground.

I trust I got too excited I should not have started the thread.
They have promised to give link to a youtube clip of testing it
in public. Some 150 persons did test it. Venice Beach? California?

So sooner or later weeks most likely or a few days left and we know???

mr geeker

personaly, i think it looks like they horribly tacoed the wheel and are trying to play it off as an innovation.

Weakling

They have videos on the skateboard but on the bike only one still picture
https://sharkwheel.com/?page_id=55

Really looks crazy.
https://sharkwheel.com/wp-content/upl...1-1024x571.png

What I would want apart from videos of the bike in usage
is many many personal experiences of those hundreds
that tested to ride it there at Venice Beach some 5 days ago.

LarDasse74

Silly. Absolutely no way it does what it is claimed to do.

erig007

As anyone tried the skateboard wheels on snow yet? I'm skeptical

Weakling

I apology for my early enthusiasm
obviously I am very gullible.

I long for something that works
when our snow removal guys
fail to keep the street clean.

Skiing may work I know

hairytoes

Shark wheel?

Snake-oil wheel more like.

Like said above, get some studded tyres and you'll be fine.

henkie327

them shark wheels need truing

Weakling

I still feel guilty about starting this thread. Here is something that maybe works.
https://ridefatbikes.com/2012/07/bear...ready-fatbike/

I saw a mail delivery guy this winter and he had a motorbike sort of and them
have rather fat tire/wheels so that makes sense. He had studs so them extra
safe to use I guess. To use muscle power maybe will need somebody fit for the snow fight

Snowman219

I already have to waste 20 minutes a day explaining myself. To hell if I'm going to buy that!

Sixty Fiver

That Salsa is 3-4 pounds lighter than my naked Pugsley, which is an excellent snow bike.

The comment about wheels causing speed wobble is not actually true as well built wheels with proper bearing adjustments do not wobble, but a poorly designed frame can develop a death wobble at high speed and this is especially the case in larger sized frames.

cyclogeck

this guy should have tried Schwalbe winter tires. Even @ 90psi I've yet to be stoppd by anything the road or road plows have thrown at me.

these tires would give me motion sickness just watching them revolve and riding a bike in the sand is highly over-rated.