Designer Ben Wilson has produced a monowheel – a cycle where the rider sits inside a large, spokeless wheel.
The cycle was commissioned for the XXIst Century Man exhibition at 21_21 Design Sight in Tokyo.
“As part of the exhibition the 21st century man (showing at 21-21 tokyo midtown until july) I was comissioned to create a new piece of work,” says Wilson.
“Ever since cycling for the first time without stablisers I have been fascinated by human propulsion. Over the years the myth of the monowheel has become an equal fascination.”
“Since the 1860s many patents have been filed in the monowheel’s name and today there are even rumors of a production monowheel in China, but as it stands there is nothing currently available. As we couldn’t buy a monowheel we made one.”
“We don’t suggest for one moment that a functioning human powered monowheel could ever provide an improvement on the modern bicycle. Instead its value comes from the discourse and ideas generated as a result of this research.”
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Posted by Marcus Fairs
April 21st, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Can it really work? I think he is leaning the bike against the wall…
April 21st, 2008 at 6:27 pm
South Park!
April 21st, 2008 at 7:04 pm
so.. you cannot actually ride it?
dissappointing, cause it looks so good
April 21st, 2008 at 8:08 pm
[...] an amazing concept [...]
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 am
The bike looks good but it’s totally impractical: there’s nowhere to put a shopping basket!
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:07 am
i want to see him ride it without falling over.
April 22nd, 2008 at 10:25 am
but, is it comfortable???
anyway, check out the one which is currently exhibited at the Triennale, in Milan, in the exhibition about italian design… designed a few years ago
check http://www.triennaledesignmuseum.it/
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:10 am
This is the best new (concept)bike i’ve seen in years!
keep on rollin’..
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
can we see a video of it in action?
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Yes, a video is the only thing that can help. Anyway it’s still far away from the traditional bicycle perfect concept
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:23 pm
how does it turn?
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Monowheels have been around and around. See here for video of a better functioning design:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui4kI-RHS1Q&feature=related
There are also monowheel motorbikes which can be difficult to ride at first.
The above design is nice and clean, but seems like you would scrape your ass on a hard turn…
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:05 pm
all the loose change would fall out your pocket if you sit like that!
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:03 pm
wow roll on….
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:41 pm
He is leaning against the wall so they can take a photo – I suppose they wanted a good photo, so they didn’t want the fuss of getting him at just the right moment while he’s moving. Dunno – that’s just what I thought.
And yes, assuming the bike itself (mechanisms) actually works, then he could easily ride it without falling over. Essentially it’s a unicycle with the center of gravity lower than the axle – which makes it easier to ride than a unicycle.
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:27 am
Wouldn’t want to have to slam on the brakes!
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:38 am
I agree with Daniel: all I can think of is a South Park episode!
April 24th, 2008 at 4:40 am
Kerry McLean has been building them for years
http://www.bikerworld.co.uk/monocycles/kerry/index.html
April 29th, 2008 at 5:58 am
very interesting。。。 this design
April 29th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
It!
April 30th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Suggest moving the hand grips closer to the centre to avoid scuffing.
Clive R.
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:43 pm
No chance of riding it with that gear ratio!!
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:09 pm
And the point is what?
No luggage capacity, no way of staying dry in the wet, how do you stop quickly without rolling head over heels?
Visibility of the road is terrible, visiblity from other road users is poor, how can you fix lights?
A solution looking for a problem I think…..
June 10th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Wow… can any of you people read? or do you just look at the pictures? Monowheels have been around since the end of the 19th century… and as far as practicality… did you even read his quote? “We don’t suggest for one moment that a functioning human powered monowheel could ever provide an improvement on the modern bicycle. Instead its value comes from the discourse and ideas generated as a result of this research.” He is saying it isn’t practical… READ people before stating your stupid opinions…
June 26th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
needs drops
August 17th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Great… I love it.
Are you going to make the plans available?
Love the idea of gerbilling at the traffic lights…lol
Wont that make car drivers notice you?
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:47 am
we made a drag bike went in the guinness world record book
it was no big deal but now i went to make one of these
or even one with a motor try one you will like it chaz
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:52 am
we know kerry mclean and seen his wheels fore years ago
now i want to make some,,,
one with a motor
try one out you will like it chaz
October 6th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
I want one, with pink ribbons and a basket with purple daisy flowers…. YEAH!!!!
October 10th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
moi aussi, moi aussi!!
HAHAHAHAHA
January 19th, 2009 at 8:11 am
Monowheel + Engine (V8) + Speed = ???
Well take a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4YmVP6i4qw&NR=1
June 14th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Hello,
It is possible to buy the Monowheel of Ben Wilson ?
June 30th, 2009 at 11:21 am
yes it’s so feaky
July 26th, 2009 at 6:28 am
I think the concept would likely work better with a larger diameter wheel and the rider in a more ‘traditional’ recombinant bicycle arrangement for both mechanical and ergonomic reasons.