UTMC

This, probably, is to regular analog bikes what they are to motorbikes.
It's made entirely out of wood and glue (and some paint). Not a bit of metal, plastic or rubber, not even a nail or a screw. Bearings are lignum-vitae and the saddle only looks like leather.
They set a world speed record with this, not really much of a problem one would think as no one had set any record for an all-wood bike before, but I've just seen a tv program about it and they managed to break both prototypes in the attempt and not even switching parts around helped them much.
In the end, they managed one complete run in either direction, 11.25 mph.

I like the idea of that enormous plywood cog, but I would have gone for shaft-drive. Or maybe a long crank-arm arrangement, similar to the running gear on a big old steam locomotive.
And used a hardwood, but finding large enough hardwood pieces for something as large as they did end up making is probably tricky these days.

More info:
http://www.splinterbike.co.uk/

I think that seat is just wood.

Very cool project.

Very cool, but I have a strict policy of never sitting on anything that has the word "splinter" in it's name.

Its like naming a motorcycle the "Road Rash 1000"

Vitiare wrote:Its like naming a motorcycle the "Road Rash 1000"

Hey, at least they were honest and frank about it. They didn't hype it as the first step into a future of biodegradable transportation.
Also, if you spent something like a year or so and much money for something that started as a drunken 1 pound bet in a pub (did pay up, too), what else would you call it? Brits, gotta love their sense of humor and how they keep the form.

Le poste, il est double! Ignorer dette! Premjestiti zajedno.

Allright guys, the bar has been set. Now lets make a bike out of pure bacon and show them how it's done!