Monowheel by Ben Wilson

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 1860’s 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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• Design