by Larry Lagarde
Practicality is the reason why folding bikes exist. Typically, the smaller the wheels on your folding bike, the smaller the bike will fold, making it easier to take your bike just about anywhere you want/need to go.
Unfortunately, a side effect of smaller wheels is that the bike turns faster due to decreased gyroscopic effect, making some folders twitchy at best. If only there was a practical way to fold the wheels themselves...Well, maybe now there is.
Following is a video of a prototype, first ever, folding bike wheel. This full size( 700c) folding bicycle wheel uses a regular pneumatic tire; the tire remains fully inflated whether the wheel rim is folded or unfolded.
The inventor of this folding bike wheel rim is Duncan Fitzsimons, a British industrial design engineer. Mr. Fitzsimons has filed a European patent (no. 07252385.5) and is now looking for a manufacturing partner so the folding bike wheel can move into production.
Whether or not such folding wheels would hold up under regular use remains to be seen; however, the product does offer exciting possibilities. I'd love to try one out on a full size folding mountain bike like the Montague Paratrooper. Looking for guinea pigs, Duncan?
;-)
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