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An eccentric-hub scooter is a two-wheeled human powered vehicle with an off centered hub on the large rear wheel. The scooter is powered by the rider making a bouncing motion on the platform.
An eccentric-hub scooter is similar to a kick scooter, but with a large rear wheel, mounted off-centre. It is propelled by the user bouncing up and down or rocking backwards and forwards on the platform to drive the rear wheel around the eccentric hub. One early inventor described the vehicle as a 'galloping scooter' and the rider's motion does resemble a horse-rider's motion. Although the motion produced is impact-free, it is reportedly less efficient than a conventional bicycle and will not propel the vehicle uphill.[ citation needed ]
Although several patents for eccentric-hub cycles exist from 1928, [1] [2] the most popular incarnation was patented in 1934 by brothers Phillip and Prescott Huyssen and called the "Exercycle". [3] It was produced by the Ingersoll Steel & Disc Co. (a division of Borg-Warner Corp.), from 1934–1937, under the name "Ingo-bike". A large number of publicity events and promotions popularised the bike and a group of Ingo-bikers in the late 1930s traveled from Chicago to Miami in 30 days. Production ceased when the factory re-tooled to begin producing armaments prior to the Second World War. Phillip Huyssen continued designing variations until at least the 1970s. [4] In the Three Stooges movie Yes, We Have No Bonanza , [5] Curly rides up to a saloon bar on an Ingo-Bike. [6]
Apparently re-introduced as a children's scooter in the 1960s with the name "kangaroo scooter", kangaroo scooters were built in Taiwan for a company based in Concord, California. They had the eccentric rear wheel and a front caliper brake, chrome fenders, and a kickstand.[ citation needed ]
Another device, also called the Kangaroo Scooter, has been designed and sold by Ron and Johnny Knox's company, Knoxcooter Inc., of Weyburn, Canada since 2004. This variant includes a one-sided rear wheel support, disk brakes and uniquely a clutched rear hub; which allows the user to coast for periods without bouncing up and down. Contrary to popular belief, the Eco-Fav (Frequency Accelerated Velocipede) scooter is efficient enough to ride uphill; many users prefer to ride it on an incline to increase their workout resistance. [7] [8]
A similar concept is the 'Bounce-Bike' which has an eccentric front wheel and a small rear wheel. [9]
Peter Wagner has produced variants called "whymcycles" since the 1990s. The name is derived from the word 'whimsical.' Several dozen units of various configuration have been produced.[ citation needed ]
A unicycle is a vehicle that touches the ground with only one wheel. The most common variation has a frame with a saddle, and has a pedal-driven direct-drive. A two speed hub is commercially available for faster unicycling. Unicycling is practiced professionally in circuses, by street performers, in festivals, and as a hobby. Unicycles have also been used to create new sports such as unicycle hockey. In recent years, unicycles have also been used in mountain unicycling, an activity similar to mountain biking or trials.
A tandem bicycle or twin is a form of bicycle designed to be ridden by more than one person. The term tandem refers to the seating arrangement, not the number of riders. Patents related to tandem bicycles date from the mid 1880s. Tandems can reach higher speeds than the same riders on single bicycles, and tandem bicycle racing exists. As with bicycles for single riders, there are many variations that have been developed over the years.
A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered three-wheeled vehicle.
The penny-farthing, also known as a high wheel, high wheeler or ordinary, is an early type of bicycle. It was popular in the 1870s and 1880s, with its large front wheel providing high speeds, owing to it travelling a large distance for every rotation of the legs, and comfort, because the large wheel provided greater shock absorption.
The Trikke is a chainless, pedalless, personal vehicle with a three-wheel frame. The rider stands on two foot platforms above the two rear wheels and steers the vehicle with handlebars attached to the lone front wheel. The cambering system is designed to provide a stable, three-point platform that lets the rider lean into turns while all three wheels remain in contact with the ground. There are several variations of the Trikke, from body-powered fitness machines, to battery-powered transportation and personal mobility vehicles.
A single-speed bicycle is a type of bicycle with a single gear ratio. These bicycles are without derailleur gears, hub gearing or other methods for varying the gear ratio of the bicycle.
A fixed-gear bicycle is a bicycle that has a drivetrain with no freewheel mechanism such that the pedals always will spin together with the rear wheel. The freewheel was developed early in the history of bicycle design but the fixed-gear bicycle remained the standard track racing design. More recently the "fixie" has become a popular alternative among mainly urban cyclists, offering the advantage of simplicity compared with the standard multi-geared bicycle.
Dirtsurfing is the sport of riding a Dirtsurfer brand inline board. This new Australian boardsport is correctly known as inline boarding because Dirtsurfer is a trademark protected brand name.
A motorized bicycle is a bicycle with an attached motor or engine and transmission used either to power the vehicle unassisted, or to assist with pedalling. Since it sometimes retains both pedals and a discrete connected drive for rider-powered propulsion, the motorized bicycle is in technical terms a true bicycle, albeit a power-assisted one. Typically they are incapable of speeds above 52 km/h (32 mph), however in recent years larger motors have been built, allowing bikes to reach speeds of upwards of 72 km/h.
An electric bicycle, e-bike, electrically assisted pedal cycles, or electrically power assisted cycles is a motorized bicycle with an integrated electric motor used to assist propulsion. Many kinds of e-bikes are available worldwide, but they generally fall into two broad categories: bikes that assist the rider's pedal-power and bikes that add a throttle, integrating moped-style functionality. Both retain the ability to be pedaled by the rider and are therefore not electric motorcycles. E-bikes use rechargeable batteries and typically are motor-powered up to 25 to 32 km/h. High-powered varieties can often travel more than 45 km/h (28 mph).
A kick scooter is a human-powered street vehicle with a handlebar, deck, and wheels propelled by a rider pushing off the ground with their leg. Today the most common scooters are made of aluminum, titanium, and steel. Some kick scooters made for younger children have 3 to 4 wheels and are made of plastic and do not fold. High-performance kickbikes are also made. A company that had once made the Razor Scooters revitalized the design in the mid-nineties and early two-thousands. Three-wheel models where the frame forks into two decks are known as Y scooters or trikkes.
Many countries have enacted electric vehicle laws to regulate the use of electric bicycles, also termed e-bikes. Some jurisdictions have regulations governing safety requirements and standards of manufacture. The members of the European Union and other regions have wider-ranging legislation covering use and safety.
A centreless wheel or hubless wheel is a wheel that lacks a centre or hub, instead being supported and driven at the rim.
Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics is the science of the motion of bicycles and motorcycles and their components, due to the forces acting on them. Dynamics falls under a branch of physics known as classical mechanics. Bike motions of interest include balancing, steering, braking, accelerating, suspension activation, and vibration. The study of these motions began in the late 19th century and continues today.
A handcycle is a type of human-powered land vehicle powered by the arms rather than the legs, as on a bicycle. Most handcycles are tricycle in form, with two coasting rear wheels and one steerable powered front wheel. Despite usually having three wheels, they are also known as handbikes.
A motorized scooter is a stand-up scooter powered by either a small internal combustion engine or electric hub motor in its front and/or rear wheel. Classified as a form of micro-mobility, they are generally designed with a large center deck on which the rider stands. The first motorized scooter was manufactured by Autoped in 1915.
Bicycle suspension is the system, or systems, used to suspend the rider and bicycle in order to insulate them from the roughness of the terrain. Bicycle suspension is used primarily on mountain bikes, but is also common on hybrid bicycles.
Motorcycle components and systems for a motorcycle are engineered, manufactured, and assembled in order to produce motorcycle models with the desired performance, aesthetics, and cost. The key components of modern motorcycles are presented below.
Bicycle drivetrain systems are used to transmit power on bicycles, tricycles, quadracycles, unicycles, or other human-powered vehicles from the riders to the drive wheels. Most also include some type of a mechanism to convert speed and torque via gear ratios.
