Aug 4 2009Folding Bike Fits Within Circumference Of Tire
24-year old inventor Dominic Hargreaves has designed and built a bike that folds up to the size of the bike's wheels. Not as impressive as a bike that folds up into its own squeaky horn, BUT NOT EVERYONE IS THIS GENIUS.
"I couldn't find a folding bicycle I liked...I wanted something that could take a bit of punishment and that you could have fun with. So I made one myself."Mr Hargreaves has been in contact with various manufacturers and hopes to get the bike into production soon.
Cool. I've never ridden a folding bike before because I value my safety, but I have ridden a bike with no seat before. It was good times. For both of us.
Inventor's Bike Folds Into Its Own Wheel [yahoonews]
Thanks Pete, now get your top men on a folding jetpack STAT.
Related Stories
Inner City Bike Sports No Chain, Comfort (11/05/2009)
Laser LightLane Creates Your Own Bike Lane (07/07/2009)
Cardboard Bicycles Could Be Coming Soon (06/30/2008)
Why Didn't I Think Of That?: Resealable Can (05/21/2008)
Oh Nuh-Uh: Man Makes Folding Bike Wheel (02/07/2008)
Reader Comments
1. o - August 4, 2009 12:31 PM
FIRST!
2. p p - August 4, 2009 12:38 PM
In before some child gets folded up into it.
3. BikePro - August 4, 2009 12:39 PM
Now this is a real bike...
http://driftwood-x.mybrute.com
4. naas - August 4, 2009 12:43 PM
How in the hell does it look unfolded?
@1 http://bugi.oulu.fi/~heikkiv/chan/1125088329681.jpg
5. Gordon "Fücking" Shumway - August 4, 2009 12:51 PM
@naas
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/aug/04/bike-blog-contortionist-folding
6. Gordon "Fücking" Shumway - August 4, 2009 12:53 PM
@naas
http://www.eta.co.uk/2009/08/04/new-folding-bicycle-true-contortionist
7. $.02 and a pocket full of FAH-Q - August 4, 2009 12:55 PM
Cool idea... but I won't be buying it.
8. naas - August 4, 2009 1:00 PM
@GFS you are teh king of research, a bonus awaits you at the end of this level
9. DLS - August 4, 2009 1:02 PM
@3 That link is not a bike at all.
10. shadwag - August 4, 2009 1:07 PM
i wonder if he's taken it off any sweet jumps.
11. Timbo - August 4, 2009 1:07 PM
I'd be too scared of this thing folding while riding in and taking a limb off...
12. mattk - August 4, 2009 1:29 PM
I reject it out of hand, b/c it appears he is wearing d0uche flip-flops in the picture.
I eject him from the Tribe of Men and burn his Williamsburg loft to the ground.
13. Pat - August 4, 2009 1:35 PM
@9 You must be new. Welcome to Geekologie. Don't click on any of the "mybrute" links. Other things to keep in mind: Dinosaurs, robot apocalypse, Daisy.
14. Jerry - August 4, 2009 2:08 PM
I wonder if it's got pegs?
Lucky!
15. SiGee - August 4, 2009 2:23 PM
@13
Don't forget about bacon!
16. Paul? - August 4, 2009 4:33 PM
oooo more pictures?
17. Boo - August 4, 2009 5:27 PM
Looks an awful lot like THIS: http://www.freemantransport.com/
Came out over a year ago.
18. Daisy - August 4, 2009 7:50 PM
FAKE!!!!
This is a complete photoshop job. You can tell its a fake because the shadow's are all wrong.
This is exactly like that scene in the movie Never Back Down where Max and Baja agreed to meet at a restaurant dressed in biker disguises. Max came as a bicycle rider, and Baja came dressed like a motorcycle rider.
19. szech - August 4, 2009 8:39 PM
FAKE!
No, seriously.
This bike won't see production any time soon, and the prototype isn't even a real bike.
http://www.eyetohand.com/foldingbike_film_2009.html
1) The cranks don't work. It is supposed to pump oil through the frame to drive the wheel, but that's something that even the major manufacturers and a lot of engineers haven't figured out how to implement efficiently: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_bicycle
2) There are no brakes -- The disc hubs have no calipers. Cable brakes won't like being folded. Hydraulic brakes might work, but it's still not good to fold the tubes. A coaster brake would work, but you'd first need working cranks.
It's neat to see it fold up tight and roll, and I would love nothing more than a folding bike just like this, but it's not going to be a reality for some time until they solve #1.
20. Jaded Icon - August 5, 2009 7:48 AM
I still won't be impressed until it can be folded small enough to fit into my pocket. But since I'm 19 feet tall I guess it already would.
21. Ted - August 5, 2009 10:02 AM
I don't think Brompton has anything to be worried about (BROMPTONS RULE!)
22. GeekoFan - August 6, 2009 3:48 AM
Must See!!
http://75684.onodot.com/
23. fetus_mcnuggets - August 6, 2009 9:34 PM
YOU ALREADY POSTED THIS SENOR GW
you may be fooling GFS but you cant fool GOD !
24. cheap designer replica handbags - November 6, 2009 9:23 PM
A designer cheap handbags is the ultimate accessory for any outfit, and cheap-replicahandbags.com offers you a huge selection from the most famous fashion designers.