Core77

This idea seems to have sacrificed simple, cheap, refined and reliable design for gee-whiz novelty. For example, I can't see how the torsional stress on those skinny spokeless wheels wouldn't rip them right up in a hurry. It's a nice 'fantasy bike', but not good product design.

Very well executed design - it borrows the concept from sbarro, and the seat beam design from several brands of triathlon bicycles on the market, but adds an air of style to the whole thing. Structurally, I would question whether a spokeless bike rim could even work though.
http://www.burningart.com/meico/moto/sbarro/

Hrm. Based on what I know about wheels, pretty as this design is, I think it's less than ... how do I put it -- structually efficient?

The whole idea of a hub and tensioned spokes is what makes a bicycle wheel strong. Force is applied perpendicular with the rim of the wheel, and distributed evenly along the entire circumference. Not so with this design.

One pothole or speedbump will ruin the rim.

What is the point of posting concepts that clearly won't work -- the wheels have no lateral structure. This only deepens the trivialization of design.

"Engineers!
You have to design a bicycle and every parts have to be totally different than any well-evolutioned bicycle build tradition. move on!" :P

... I really don't see how this rear hub could work well in the real world. It looks as if the tire of the rear wheel is being pressed against a roller on the fram, and another toller on the inside of the rim. This = much much more friction. Not to mention any dirt that would accumulate on the tire OR the rim would quickly gunk the the rollers... on top of that, the rim would have to be EXTREMELY stiff, otherwise the rim/tire would flex upwards, since it's only being held to the frame on one end.....basically it would be acting as a lever. Also, the rear tire/rim itself would probably flex due to lack of support in themiddle....which idon't see happening without some sort of support in hte middle (wires?) which would defeat the whole purpose. Other than that it's great looking....but completely impractical.

The only way to make a pushbike as abjectly useless as a Segway, is to remove any ability it has to actually function efficiently. Et voila-

what is the exact day it will be available 2 be bought and how much will it cost??

You people just don't seem to get it! It's a design concept that's intended to inspire and promote thought. You're looking at it from an engineers prespective that is too insular and totally uncreative. "it's trivial", "it's not simple". If designers of the past never pushed the limits or imagined beyond the boundaries then we'd all still be stuck in the stone age. It's concepts like this that totally change the world,- YOUR WORLD. I know what a bicycle looks like. Sticking to the standard, traditional layout is not creative concept design, it's just flogging a dead horse and that's what you guys don't get!
This is awesome design! We need more of it!!

how would it work?

Okay, I understand "thinking outside the box" and maybe we are thinking on too much of an engineering level as a previous poster has commented, But isn't the industrial design mantra "Form follows function"?
Otherwise we could all throw the whackiest crap out there and say hey give me kudo's. If this thing has been constructed and tested and does indeed work, well then I stand corrected and say "Rock on wit'yo bad selves!", but I've seen the hubless thing done on so many different sorts of vehichles and it always comes down to the same thing, does it work, is it practical?

As a concept bicycle designer I usually think in all aspects before starting a new idea(Eng , safety, component manufacturability, aesthetics) Because a pretty design is not enough. If you are a serious designer you shall take in count ALL of those elements.

This bike looks incredible with some practical design flaws. Can any engineers out there come up with a practical solution that won't change the aesthetic of the bike. Perhaps clear disc instead of spokes. ? Perhaps 3 large spokes like a mag wheel on a car?

etc

This is why engineers should be left to design, and not artists. The wheels of this bike are tremendously weak to the point of the bicycle being dangerous. This is stupid dangerous design.

I recently fabricated a hub less bicycle just to see if it could be done. It works well although it is heavier than a "regular" wheel when trying to make it laterally stiff enough to be acceptable. I know of someone else who's done the clear plastic route also, and it looks great. I'd say if you want this look....go with the clear plastic.

The first question is does a prototype of this bike been built and does it have undergone tests or does it work?
The next question is does the rim moves or only the rubber tyre(i suppose) moves.If these questions cannot be answered it will be appropriate if the designer keep it as a drawing collection.I sort of agree with Mr. Richard wicks comments.

Check out the handlebars, where are the Brakes? where are the Shift levers?

It would seem the wheel needs to be built out of a super strong, light and flexible composite, perhaps one that doesn't exist yet. I think the connection between the frame and the rear wheel needs to be more robust, perhaps a longer section of contact. As to whether artists should tackle engineering, to that I say Frank Lloyd Wright, Johnson Wax Building. Engineering can always find a way.