No-Fork project, bicycle geometry hacked

Yesterday the second patent application was filed so I thought its about time I show a bit of what Im working on....

The romantic story behind the bike is that my previous build was lacking a proper crown piece. What I really wanted was the headtube to visually continue down to the wheel. That is not possible of course so I set out to fight my way around this problem with asymmetrical rims and tires and the lot...

The real story behind the bike is that from the beginning I got signs that this is possible if you get the geometry right. Now, after some 10 or so builds and modifications, measurements, more accurate measurements, gallons of beer and even more sleepless nights I finally am round to the insight in how to make a bicycle with angled wheels, a frame build in a single plane (attention aerowheenies) and still ride like a "normal" bike.

The bike in the photo is the current dev. proto, so it has some strange bits and pieces on, and some bits are missing... but it the the worlds first ever proper running No-Fork bike.

it the the worlds first ever proper running No-Fork bike.

I'm only messing about. Looks interesting!

do you have a shot front on / head on ? can't work out how the wheels line up and how the bike doesn't crab along the street sideways ?

I'm reading this as "the frame is in a single plane, this means the wheels are offset from the plane, but are placed at a tangent so that the tyre contact patch is in the same plane as the frame". Is that the right interpretation?

how does it ride ?

Thats crying out for belt drive.

Especially as currently the brake caliper is likely to get covered in chain oil.

Interesting though.

Also, I've just built an asymmetric lefty wheel. For a modified Cannondale lefty. As part of a fatbike. The fork leg is moved further to the left by use of custom clamps. Then you dish the wheel back to the right. Before the custom clamps were availible, a guy simply dished the wheel for clearance. So the center of the tyre was no longer directly under the head tube. Reports were, that it handled OK.

Here is one head on. Photoshopped a tiny bit, I dont want to give away too much about the geo yet.

It rides like a normal bike.

Thats crying out for belt drive.

My thoughts exactly, but it turned out there are some problems round the corner with belt drive.

I can't believe that rides like a normal bike

I can't believe that this is worth it at all

why do this? if it's for aesthetic reasons then I'm sorry, you have not made a beautiful bike imo. If it's for practical reasons, i'm not sure there are any. If it's just because you wanted to see if you could and challenge yourself then good on you, but otherwise....

This is great, always love to see dudes try new things, even if it fails (which I hope this doesn't). Keep up the good work.

tight clearances

Revolutionary.

That reminds me of

hahah I was few seconds too late

Srs though-bike wheels are not supposed to take much lateral pressure and I doubt axles/hubs are designed to either... won't you end up with mechanical issues further down the line?

The challenge was a big part of it yes, but there were some practical reasons too.

The design-constraint of having two wheels in the same plane is out of the way now! And id like to invite bike-designers, framebuilders, anyone really to imagine how this new technology can be applied in .... flat folding bikes... cargo bikes with better cargo space... wooden bikes....

The bike you see is what I made of it because I like it that way, its is not meant to show of the advantages. The technology can be put to use in other designs.

Srs though-bike wheels are not supposed to take much lateral pressure and I doubt axles/hubs are designed to either... won't you end up with mechanical issues further down the line?

Ive discussed it with a mayor spoke manufacturer, they didnt see a problem with it. The bearing are like the ones used in car wheel bearings. No problems there either, gives you an amazingly smooth ride!

And the labor bike is one beauty! unmatchable! (its wheels are in a conventional set-up)

I would discuss it with an engineer, and do some analysis on the forces at play.

I am the engineer :-)

Im in touch with these guys and they thought it was OK.

i put my front wheel in wrong once. it ended up like that. rode it for a couple of weeks.

if you need any mechanical advice...

tight clearances

My thoughts exactly, but it turned out there are some problems round the corner with belt drive.

I have the original version on a 29er. Works without fault. Although the tension needed expliots the shitness of my tugnuts.

The centertrack is even better.

Having an oiled chain next to your brake caliper and disc is going to cause problems.

This is great, always love to see dudes try new things, even if it fails (which I hope this doesn't). Keep up the good work.

+1

Srs though-bike wheels are not supposed to take much lateral pressure and I doubt axles/hubs are designed to either... won't you end up with mechanical issues further down the line?

Bike wheels experiance lateral forces regardless of hub design.
If you watch some lefty demos. Then you will see that the oversized axle more than compensates for the lack of a second dropout to clamp to.

Not english but you get the idea. (ignore the suspension related parts, and look at the stiffness)

Benefits Cannondale Lefty fork by Beukers Bike Centre - YouTube

Very good and instructive video. The lefty is one good piece of engineering.

Thanks for all the comments!