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Bizarre Inventions

Steven M. Johnson's Bizarre Invention #69: The Pedal Train

By Steven Johnson - June 14, 2017

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Steven Johnson

Sideline business as cartoonist specializing in quirky invention ideas since 1966. Author of 8 books: What the World Needs Now; Public Therapy Buses (two editions); Have Fun Inventing; Patent Depending: Vehicles;Patent Depending: Armbrella; Patent Depending: The Early Years; Patent Depending: A Collection; and Noodlings Coloring Book

11 Comments

Donald Jones

2 years ago

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Steve Johnson had instigated the thought of a new invention by noting the misspelling of recumbent in the email post of one of his followers. Donald knew he could invent the worlds first Recombinant bike and after searching for google images of that word, he found new hope for his task. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recombinant_DNA#/media/File:Recombinant_formation_of_plasmids.svg

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1stlvl Humanoid

2 years ago

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Sweat troughs below the bottom floor grating funnel perspiration to the rear of the train to a reverse osmosis filtering system and then to a refrigerated storage tank. When water bottle float bulbs indicate that levels are below 25%, they are automatically refilled with the recycled bodily liquid to maintain optimum hydration levels. The salts captured in the filtering process are isolated and sold at a premium to a local steel mill. Athlete salt is, after all, the finest quenching medium for high strength alloys.

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- Steven Johnson
  
  1stlvl Humanoid
  
  2 years ago
  
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  Grant: When Rain Noe suggested he would share my work on Core77, I told myself: "Steven, you will be in the company of experts and knowledgable folks, who will snicker at your work, or provide arcane, specific improvements to it that will make you wish you had never ventured among actual experts." However, I take in information in the spirit that I love how much people out there know and understand, and I love their creativity in thinking up solutions. A serious, well-thought-out improvement to an admittedly foolish design is welcome! Thank you, Grant!
  
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Roger Ganas

2 years ago

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Comment on this:>)

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Donald Jones

2 years ago

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Should have done my research. http://myrailrider.com/wp/category/rail-parks/usa/ny/

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- Steven Johnson
  
  Donald Jones
  
  2 years ago
  
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  How about "love it?"
  
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Fraser Pyke

2 years ago

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I love these Bizarre Invention posts.
They have something similar to this in New Zealand called the Shweeb. Its a pedal powered roller coaster/monorail. Perhaps a proof of concept/prototype for this pedal train..?
http://www.shweeb.co.nz/Shweeb/gallery_IDL=105_IDT=2189_ID=12890_.html

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- Steven Johnson
  
  Fraser Pyke
  
  2 years ago
  
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  Fraser: Thank you! My sideline specialty for a number of years has been invention-cartoons. Often the flaws, apparent or subtle, were the source of the humor. For example, if you got a leg cramp, needed to stand up, or had to go to the bathroom you would be out of luck on the Pedal Train!
  
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  - Donald Jones
    
    Steven Johnson
    
    2 years ago
    
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    Considering that the best coefficient of traction is steel on steel below a 2% grade, I don't think this cartoon is so farfetched given land speed records on recombinant bikes. Granted the redundant bike helmets and water hydration units are a nice touch. Just think of the PV collecting size this would allow.
    
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  - Steven Johnson
    
    Steven Johnson
    
    2 years ago
    
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    Donald Jones: If by mistake I got something right, that makes me happy. As a cartoonist, alas, I am perversely amused by confinement and awkward design but I cannot afford to go to a psychiatrist to find out why. The helmets are carried over to reinforce the recumbent bicyclist image. Mostly, I just enjoy myself!
    
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  - Donald Jones
    
    Steven Johnson
    
    2 years ago
    
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    I know you probably have neither the time nor inclination to work on such an invention, but think of the talk you could give at some Rails to Trails meeting suggesting a Rail to Peddle rail conversion.
    Imagine some old mining railroad through the Rockies and getting out enjoyinr the day and the views with other riders. They could do the work, you could give them the idea, Tongue and cheek as it is, but doable from their point of view. Hey, look at all the ideas Elon Musk throws out there.
    
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