The chain, that nasty, greasy assembly of metal links that connects pedals to wheel, is a favourite target of inventors. The latest attempt to rid us of its grimy horror comes from Poland, where a physicist and inventor called Marek has been working for years on his perfect bike, the IzzyBike.
The IzzyBike is a folding, front-wheel-drive bike with an upright riding position and a ultra-short wheelbase. Marek’s come up with a clever cable mechanism to keep it stable, and has plumped for big fat 29er mountain bike wheels and tyres to keep it rolling well.
It can be folded in less than a second for urban convenience, so it can fit in the boot of a medium-sized car or in a lift, the IzzyBike folks claim. All yo have to do is turn the steering wheel by about 250º
You can even add a widget that drives the rear wheel too, for extra traction.
We can’t argue with IzzyBike’s claim that, “The untypical position of the cyclist and the geometry of the bicycle make an IzzyBike ride a new and exciting experience,” but we’re not so sure that, “After taking one ride you will not want to use a standard bike any more.”
Take a look at the inevitable YouTube promo video and decide for yourself:
12 thoughts on “Polish inventor rolls out IzzyBike chainless folder +video”
Did he really invent polish?
Did he really invent polish?
Oh dear…
Oh dear… :O
That is quite interesting, I
That is quite interesting, I would like to try one but I wonder how stable it is at higher speeds, almost looks as if might jackknife.
Not one for the sprinters…
Not one for the sprinters…
No energy loss?
No energy loss? 😕
Kill the Fixie Abomination!
Kill the Fixie Abomination!
bikeboy76 wrote:Kill the
+1
In the video it mentions
In the video it mentions gears, Sturmey Archer? But how do you attach the peddles?
Inner city dwelling hipster
Inner city dwelling hipster commuter types will probably love it.
That looks horribly unstable
That looks horribly unstable and I dont want to ride one thank you – but some clowns will buy it.
And if you really want to get rid of your dirty oily old chain drive there is always the belt which is much less fuss all round and you dont need to reinvent anything
Weight looks very high and
Weight looks very high and forwards. Wonder how much braking force you can apply before you go over the handlebars?
It’s like the cold war never
It’s like the cold war never ended! Glimpsed across the divide being taken out of the boot of a Trabant.